Living On A Prayer

Brian drummed his fingers on the top of the Ruby’s Diner table as he waited for Michelle to arrive. As requested by Eloise, Brian called his ex wife but found out that she was out of town. Now nearly two weeks later, he was finally able to meet up with her and talk. He was still uneasy about the pregnancy but Eloise reassured him that the doctor will put out any doubt in his mind. Hearing the door open to the Diner, Brian lifted his head spotting the familiar blonde. He watched as she walked over and took a seat across from him.

“Hey Chelle,” Brain said with a light smile.

“Bri, how are you?” Michelle asked setting her bag down next to her on the booth.

“I’m good, how was Hawaii?” He asked getting through the pleasantries and buying time. He sat there listening as Michelle went on about her trip with Cody and his family. He thanked the waitress that handed him another glass of diet coke. His ears perked when she was talking about the surfing they did and the scuba diving.

“So Brian, why’d you want to meet up all of the sudden? I expected after our fight a few months ago . . .” Michelle trailed off as she finished her lunch. Brian nodded and then let out a sigh as he leaned back in the booth.

“Actually Eloise asked me to speak with you.” Brian saw Michelle cock her head to the side clearly confused.

“What for?”

“Well uh . . . she’s pregnant,” He told her honestly. Michelle sat there staring at Brian. “Chelle?”

“How—How far along?”

“Eight weeks, she has an appointment later today after work.” Michelle just nodded and looked down at the table. “I told her about what happened . . .”

“Really?”

“Yeah I kind of freaked out and left—”

“You asshole!” Michelle said reaching over smacking his arm.

“I know I know, Lacey already got after me for it. But I went back and told her everything.”

“Good . . . but why does she want you talk with me?” Brian ran his hand through his hair after Michelle questioned him. He hated bringing up the subject knowing it cut her deeper than it did him.

“To ask exactly why what happened, happened. If it was something genetic or . . . I don’t know but she wants to know so she can tell the doctor.” Brian answered quietly.

“Oh, I see . . .” They were quiet for a moment before Michelle sighed. “It wasn’t genetic Brian. According the doctor it’s called a spontaneous abortion. The body does it if something goes wrong.” Brian just nodded not uttering a word. “They said his spine didn't properly form, just something that happens unfortunately.”

“Okay . . .” Brian rubbed his face trying to process the information on his unborn son.

“Are you going to marry her?”

“What?” Brian looked up at his ex wife with wide eyes.

“You can’t expect to just let her have your baby while you help raise her son. Bri do the right thing, I know you love her, just like I love Cody.” Michelle gave him a smile as she grabbed her purse and slid out of the booth. “Tell her I said congrats okay? I won’t tell anyone, I promise.” She kissed his cheek before turning away leaving.

Brian shook his head then pulled out money leaving it on the table. Brian fished his phone out of his jean pocket to see it was near time to get Eloise from work. He made his way to the high school thinking about how Michelle reacted and what she had told him. He did feel better knowing the reason for his unborn son’s fetal death. But it still made him nervous and the fact that Michelle planted the idea of marriage in his head and the reality of his future fatherhood.

“Hey Bri,” Eloise greeted as she slid into his car leaning over giving him a light kiss. Brian smiled as she buckled up and he drove them to the doctor’s office. “How was lunch with Michelle?”

“Uh . . . good I guess.” He told her with a shrug. Glancing over he saw her just staring at him waiting for him to elaborate. “I told her you were pregnant, she says congrats by the way.”

“I’ll have to have Val pass my thanks along to her.”

“Yeah and uh she’s told me why she miscarried . . .” Eloise nodded waiting for him to continue. “She said that it wasn’t genetic that his spine wasn’t developing right or didn’t so her body miscarried him.”

“I’ve read about that happening, rare, but it does happen.” Eloise said with a sigh. “So are you ready for the eight week ultra sound?” She asked as they got out of the car and walked to the doctor’s office.

“Won’t it just be a speck?” Brian asked grabbing her hand in his.

“Yes but it’s still your child Brian. Trust me, you’ll be amazed by how much it’ll change by the next appointment.”

After checking in at the desk, they sat in the waiting room for a few minutes before a nurse called her back. Tugging Brian along, they entered a room where she was weighed, had her blood pressure taken, and heart beat listened to. After the nurse left leaving instructions for Eloise, she took off her pants and underwear, keeping the blanket wrapped around her waist. Brian took her clothes folding them and set them on his lap as she sat on the exam table. He glanced around the room taking in the pictures and figures of the lower female half.

“Hello Eloise and this must be Brian?” Eloise doctor said as she came into the room shaking their hands. “How are you feeling El?”

“I’m good Doctor Hill, just some morning sickness.”

“Not unusual, so it says about eight weeks?” Doctor Hill asked looking at Eloise’s chart.

“If I’m doing my math right, yes.”

“Okay, I’ll do a pelvic exam then an internal and then we’ll to the sonogram.”

Brian sat there watching as his girlfriend laid back on the table, her legs propped up. He was silently thanking God that he was born a guy and didn’t have to deal with being poked and prodded. His eyebrow’s went up as he watched Doctor Hill pull out a long wand type thing and dimmed the lights and put, what he assumed was lubricant, on the wand.

“Just take a deep breath, okay El?” Doctor Hill told her. Brian laced his fingers with Eloise and kept his eyes on the screen, still wondering how she could put up with this. “Alright let’s see what we have,” Brian watched intently was the image appeared on the screen. He wasn’t able to go to any of Michelle’s appointments so this was a wonder to him. “See the little blur right here?” Doctor Hill asked pointing to the small dark spot on the screen. “That would be your baby.”

“Wow,” Brian said quietly and glanced over to see Eloise was looking at him with a smile. “So, how big is it exactly?”

“Oh a little more than half an inch. You’d be amazed by what he or she has already developed.” Doctor Hill gave the couple a smile and pointed to the screen. “And this little thing right here that would be the heart beat. We can’t hear it yet but you can see it.”

Brian nodded as the doctor continued to tell them things, most of the Eloise knew but Brian was soaking it up. After the exam and Eloise was dressed, they followed Doctor Hill to her office where she had the pictures printed up.

“Well you two, I’d say we’re looking from anywhere between the end of May to mid June.”

“Sounds about right. I’ll just have to inform the school there might be a chance I won’t be there for the last week or so of school.” Eloise said as Brian rubbed her back.

“So any question’s you guys have? I know El’s been through this but what about you, dad?” Brian couldn’t help the small smile that crept onto his face.

“Yeah . . . my ex wife and I, we were expecting but she miscarried at seventeen weeks . . . they said the spine didn’t form right.” Doctor Hill nodded listening to Brian explain what all happened and what the doctors had said.

“I can see your concern, second term miscarriages are rare. But I don’t think we’ll have anything to worry about. I’ll just keep my eyes open when we do exams.” Brian nodded, feeling fine with her answer. Eloise accepted the prenatal subscription and the photos before they left the office.

“I don’t get how you do it.” Brian said once they got into the car.

“Do what hun?” Eloise asked with smile.

“Let someone poke around down there and have that wand thingy shoved up in you.” He looked over at Eloise when he heard a giggle come from her. “What?”

“Bri, I let you poke around down there and have your wand thingy shoved in me.” Eloise told him with a slight smirk. He shook his head speechless that she just actually told him that. “Brian once you have a kid, all modesty towards your doctor goes out the window. She did deliver James.”

“I guess . . .”

“Let’s just get home.” Brian nodded starting up the car heading back to her parents house. “Let me just run inside and get James and we’ll be back out?”

“Okay,” She leaned over giving him a kiss before getting out. Brian looked over and saw the ultrasound photo laying on the seat. Grabbing the couple photos, he traced the tiny blur on the paper with a smile.

“Can’t wait to meet you kid,”

“Okay let me just strap James in.” Eloise said as she opened the back door.

“Dada!” James yelled excitedly as he spotted Brian.

“Hey buddy,” He reached back and rubbed James’ leg as Eloise situated herself. “You okay?”

“Yeah just getting tired.” Brian nodded and handed her the photos as he pulled out of the driveway and headed towards his house. Once they got there, he took James as Eloise made her way inside quickly leaving her things in the car.

“Mama okay?” James asked as Brian grabbed her things out of the car, closing the door then closed the garage door.

“She’s okay bud, her tummy’s just upset.”

“Oh,” James said as Brian set him down the living room. Brian placed the things on the kitchen table. Turning he saw Eloise make her way down the hall rubbing her stomach. Frowning, he walked over and pulled her into a hug.

“You okay?”

“Yeah, just didn’t feel like seeing my lunch again.” Eloise answered, earning a chuckle from Brian. “I’m going to take a bath if that’s okay?”

“Yeah, go relax. James and I will entertain ourselves.” Brian told her giving her cheek a kiss knowing how she didn’t like her lips being kissed after she got sick. “Junior needs to take it easy on you.” He told her as he rubbed her still flat stomach.

“And what if Junior is a girl?” Eloise asked.

“Then I’m going to make sure my guns are loaded and ready.” She rolled her eyes at his answer and shook her head. “Especially if she looks anything like her mom,” Eloise pushed Brian away making him laugh. “Go on and get your bath.” He patted her bottom as she walked towards the stars giving him one last look as she disappeared up the stairs.

“Dada!” Brian looked over to where James was and smiled. “Gabba!”

“Alright hold on,” Turning on the TV, Brian went his recorded shows, now filled with children shows and turn on Yo Gabba Gabba. He picked up James and sat on the couch with him, feet propped on the coffee table. Watching as the characters danced across the screen, Brian found himself realizing this was going to be his life. Synyster Gates was to only be on the road or in the studio and on stage, Brian Haner Junior, was now dad. “Hey bud, we gotta go shopping for mama soon okay?”