It Can Only Get Better

“Mike! Dad! Where are you?!?” I yelled, running through the house. “There you are!” I yelled entering the kitchen. He was on the phone with a worried yet excited expression on his face. I smiled and lifted his coat off the hook. Lisa had told him that she was going in to work to see a patient of hers that was finally being discharged, but while she was there she went into labour. She told me, before phoning Mike, so I could be prepared. With the first child, it’s usually a long labour and she didn’t want him sitting for hours worrying and fussing over her.

He hung up the phone and took his jacket from me, smiling all the time.
“She mentioned that she told you, d’you want to come down too? Apparently it’s nearly time.” He smiled, I nodded, I wasn’t going to miss this for anything.

*At the hospital*
“So, how do you feel about all this?” Nurse Ally asked me as the porters took Lisa and Mike away, and she fixed the bed up again. I smiled kindly,
“I’m not going to lie and say that I haven’t thought about it, that it could have been me that was just taken away, being told to breathe, but I’m actually okay about it. I mean, you can’t really dwell on the past if you want to live the present, can you? And it’s given me and Joey more time to plan. We’ve set the date for the wedding for around this time next year, April sometime, if you keep the date free.” I smiled and let a small laugh out.
“And you’re back to normal and everything after all that happened, you’ve gotten back into your cycle okay and all? I’m only asking because Dr. Pritchard hasn’t updated your file recently.” I nodded, no wait, it hasn’t, has it?
“Well, no.” I said uncertainly, “I haven’t had my period since...” I sat down in shock and thought. Ally sat beside me on the bed and patted my hand caringly.
“Since when darling, I’m sure your gynecologist has told you that everything should be normal again.” I nodded, I remembered him telling me that after I went to see him.
“I think, if I’m right, that I had one in November, and December, but nothing since.” I nodded, “yes, that’s right. But I didn’t think anything of it because of the stress of finishing school, of Lisa’s pregnancy and of setting a date with Joey. You don’t think I could be..? Could I?” I asked cautiously. Ally didn’t say anything for a few moments,
“Well, you know I’m not supposed to, but…” she paused and looked around, “I could always order a pregnancy test for you, under a different name. I mean, here at the hospital, we can put ourselves in for minor tests like this, with a doctor’s signature of course, but if you want to be sure…” she smiled.
“Only if you won’t get in trouble, I mean, I wouldn’t want to get you in any kind of trouble.”
“Nonsense love, it’s no trouble at all. I’ll get Dr. Longhart to sign the papers, and then I can always lie about the results, can’t I?” she smiled. I nodded.

Ally left and returned a few minutes later with a specimen cup, and after I had done my bit, she filled it out with her details, marked it with urgent and sent it to the lab. I thought it better to hang around for a bit, at least until the results came back, or the baby was born, whichever was first.

30 minutes later Mike came into the room clutching a little bundle, with a beaming smile on his face. Lisa was pushed in a wheelchair behind them and helped into the bed.
“Soph, I would like to introduce you to,” he lowered the bundle of cloth closer to me, looked at Lisa, then back to me, “Jamie Tory Sophia Pritchard.” He smiled, “or Dirnt, whichever she prefers.”
“Michael, I thought we’d agreed to leave out the ‘Tory’ part, and now you’re introducing her to people with it in.” Lisa said tiredly from the bed. Dad turned around to face her, walking slowly towards her bed, “I know babe, but now that she’s here, I think it suits her.” He smiled, and Lisa nodded, “Fine, but you can fill out all the paperwork, and be the one that she blames in the future.” She smiled. I nodded, “just be thankful you haven’t been named after a fruit or a city,” I said smiling down at little Jamie.

Just then Ally came into the room, she smiled at Lisa, Mike and cooed at Jamie, before handing me a file. “I haven’t looked in it, but let me know before you go home.” She smiled and left.
“Let her know what?” dad asked, leaning over to see what the file was.
“Oh, nothing, much, she wants me to look over something for her.” I smiled, moved away and opened the folder…

“Name: Ally Hanson
Test type: Pregnancy inquiry
Result: Positive
Stage: from this test, approx. 4 months

I ran out of the room to see Ally at the end of the corridor talking to someone, “Ally!” I yelled. She paused her conversation and turned to look at me. I nodded, she gave me the thumbs up and smiled. I smiled again and walked back into the room. Joey would have to be the first to find out…