Gerard's Little (Big) Secret

“Okay Gerard, lie back, and we’ll get your first sonogram.”

“Okay,” I smiled weakly, lying back. Frank took my hand, and stroked it lovingly with his thumb, looking around the room a little.

“This will feel a little cold,” Evans said, squirting some of the gel onto my stomach. I gasped out, and Frank gripped my hand a bit, kissing it. Evans moved the wand over my stomach, until we heard it.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

“What’s that?” Frank asked, wrinkling his nose in confusion. Evans smiled, as we glanced at the screen nervously.

“Your baby.”

“That’s Dillon?!” I asked, surprised. Frank looked just as bewildered.

“That’s Dillon.” Evans laughed. “You named your baby already?”

“Sort of. Just temporarily,” I replied, still staring that the screen. “Where is Dillon?” Evans looked a the screen for a fraction of a second before pointing to a little black circle.

“It’s barely there, but the baby seems to be growing healthily, and there seems to be no complications on your behalf, which is good.”

“All’s good,” I repeated. “Everything’s good.”

“Remember you’re in your first trimester though,” He reminded me. I nodded, still looking at the screen.

“I can get you a picture,” He said softly, as I stare, gripping Frank’s hand tighter.

It was so confusing, so scary, so unbearably overwhelming. Right in front of my very eyes held a screen that showed my child’s life. Dillon was my responsibility, no one else’s right now. If anything happened to Dillon, or me, it was my fault.

“A-a picture?” I asked, nodding. “Yeah. We can frame it or something.”

“Okay then, just give me a few minutes,” Evans said, before wiping the gel off, and throwing the napkin away. “You can get ready to leave, I’ll only be five minutes.”

“Thanks,” I nodded. He left, and I quickly buttoned my pants up, and sat up on the bed, swinging my legs back and forth so the hit the bed with a dull thud.

“Are you okay?” I asked Frank, who was still looking at the screen which held a snapshot of the baby. He snapped out of it, and looked up at me.

“That’s our baby,” He whispered, almost fearfully.

“Are you scared?” I asked, my smile fading a little.

“Yes. I’m scared I’ll drop it on the head or something,” He said seriously. I giggled.

“Me too. Do want a boy, or a girl?”

“Girl,” He said smiling. “So we can put her in pretty dresses, and make sure we’re threatening towards her boyfriends.”

“Let’s not think that far ahead,” I said flatly. “She’ll have no boyfriends.”

“Isn’t that what your dad said about you?” Frank asked, laughing. I shook my head.

“Look how well that worked…”

XxX

“This is so good,” Frank said through a mouthful of pasta.

“Thanks,” I said, moving some around on my plate. I wasn’t all that hungry.

“What’s wrong?” He frowned, swallowing.

“I can’t digest anything,” I said, giving a smile.

“Aw, my poor baby.” I yawned, and scooted my chair over, so I could rest my head on his shoulder as he ate. I wasn’t going to be eating anything for a while.

“How about this,” He said, taking another bite. “We go take a nap before you and I both have to get to work. I’ve still got two hours, and you have three.”

“That sounds great,” I said, looking up at him. He threw both our plates of food away, and dragged us to the bedroom, where I snuggled into him happily, closing my eyes, and letting sleep take over.

….”Gee!”

“Mm?”

“Gee, wake up. You have to be at work in an hour.”

“Don’t wanna,” I waved him away.

“You have to. I’m sending Mikey over to make sure you’re awake, and you know how he likes to wake people up,” Frank warned. I just brushed it away, falling back asleep.

Spash!

“WHAT THE FUCKING HELL?!?” I screamed, sitting straight up.

“Frankie told me too,” Mikey said, staring down at me. I glared at him angrily, as he backed up. “But I uh…I don’t think I should’ve uh…listened to him…look, I think I’ll go now.”

“I think you should!” I snapped. “Before Alicia’s a single parent!”

“Hey, that’s not nice!” He cried. “How would you like it?”

“Not so much,” I agreed. “But I also don’t like being soaking wet. Hey, I’m gonna stop by mom’s house tonight, after work, kay?”

“Okay,” He agreed. “So long as you won’t choke me,” He glanced down a my dripping wet shirt.

“It’s undecided,” I told him, before slamming the bedroom door, and yanking my shirt off, and getting a new one.

I looked at the clock, and swore. I only had twenty minutes to get to work, so I grabbed my keys, and tore out the door, leaving the door unlocked.

“Hey Bert,” I greeted, jumping over the counter.

“GeeTard, how many times have I told you not to do that?” He wrinkled his nose.

“Yeah, and how many times have we listened to you?” Jepha asked, coming in, and jumping over the counter as well. I giggled.

“He’s got a point.”

“I can fire you!”

“You wouldn’t?” I asked, looking horrified. He smiled, and patted my shoulder.

“Not on your life, I’d miss you two too much.”

“Bert!” Someone called. “I can’t reach the top shelf!”

“Coming Kayley!” He called back, jumping over the counter himself.

“Hey Bert, take a piece of your own advice, asshole!” Jepha shouted, throwing a pen in his direction. I shook my head, as I rang up a guys comics he had just gotten.

“Such a pleasant work environment,” The guy chuckled sarcastically, before walking out.

“Isn’t it just?” Jepha asked to his back, before heading to the back room to unpack this weeks newest editions. I knew I had to go and help, but my stomach started gurgling, and I leaned against the counter, willing it to stop.

“Gerard?” I heard. I turned around. Cam and Lizz stood there. “Are you okay?” Cam asked.

“Yeah. Just feeling—oh shit!” I groaned, and ran to the employee’s bathroom, puking up the three bites of pasta I had eaten.

“If you’re sick you should go home,” Jepha said, wrinkling his nose as I came out five minutes later. Lizz was sitting on the counter eating a bag of chips, and Cam was help Kayley stock stuff.

“It’s nothing contagious, don’t worry,” I mumbled, as some teenager with the planets on his face and coke bottle-like glasses came up, paying for Spiderman. I handed him his change, and he walked off.

“Puking isn’t contagious? Since when?” Jepha asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Since people are pregnant,” Lizz stated, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “I mean, Gerard can’t be, but, you know, it’s not, like, per say if I was pregnant.”

“You’re not, right?” Jepha looked horrified. I busted out laughing at the look on his face, and the way Lizz looked seriously at him and nodded.

“Yes. Four months along,” She said seriously.

“Don’t fuck around like that!” Jepha said, tossing a book at me, and slapping her arm gently. “It’s not funny!”

“Oh, it was too,” Lizz giggled.

“What was?” Bert asked, coming up with Cam and Kayley behind him.

“Mommy Lizz,” I giggled, and Jeph through another book at me.

“HEY! THOSE NEED TO GO ON STOCK DORK!” Bert shouted.

“What do you mean Mommy Lizz?” Kayley asked confused.

“Nothing, it was a joke,” Lizz shook her head. “We should get going.” She pecked Jepha’s lips, and Kayley gave Bert a kiss goodbye, before they all hugged me, and walked off.

Later, while Jepha was taking a cigarette break, Bert turned to me. “How’s Dillon?”

“She’s making me sick,” I said, closing my eyes, and taking a deep breath. “Again.”

“Oh, you poor thing,” He said sympathetically.

“Jepha thinks it’s contagious,” I giggled.

“If being pregnant is,” Bert laughed. I looked at the clock.

“I should get going, I told Mikey I’d stop by mom’s house and tell her and him the news. Plus, I wanted to see how Alicia was.”

“Okay. See you later dude.”

“Tell Jepha I said I made sure I Lysol-ed everything I touched today,” I said, grinning, as I jumped the counter, and walked out the door to the car.

XxX

“You are?!” My mom cried, running over, and hugging me. “You’re really pregnant.”

“Honestly and truly,” I said, trying to breath through my mom’s suffocating hug.

“Oh my god, I’m gonna be a grandma!”

“You were already going to be one?” I said, wrinkling my nose.

“Yes, but now I’m gonna be a grandma times two!”

“O…kay…” I trailed off, looking unsure.

“Call Frankie, tell him to come here after work!” She ordered. “We’re celebrating.”

“Joy,” I groaned. All I had really wanted to do was go home and sleep. My mom slapped my arm, and giggled a little.

“Hush up and listen to your mama. Go on now.”

…”This was delicious,” Frank told mom as I pushed a bite of chicken around the gravy on my plate.

“Gerard, everything okay?” My mom asked, as Mikey, Alicia, and my dad nodded in agreement. My stomach lurched as the smell of chicken floated my way again.

“Just…peachy…” I muttered.

“You don’t have to eat,” She smiled. “I understand.”

“Yeah. I’m sure this is just Karma, floating around, right?” I asked.

“Couldn’t eat a damn thing with you,” She told me.

“Great! Karma really is a bitch!”