Cat

Six Months Later

“Are you sure this is safe?” David interrogates Dr. Carlson on one of my follow up visits.

It’s been four months since I made a phone call to Dr. C asking if there was anything special I needed to do if David and I wanted to start a family. Besides his obvious excitement at the news, he set me up with an OB/GYN, Dr. Amanda Jacobs, who specializes in pregnancy and thyroid conditions.

Since then, the three of us have been working together on a plan of action. Trials with medication levels, bloodwork, and finally, a new medication that has been great. Everything has gone better than expected, but David’s a mess, and I love him for it.

“Do you know how healthy your wife is?” Dr. Carlson asks and I watch David’s brow furrow. “Ridiculously healthy. How has she been since we switched medications?”

David blows out a deep breath, and grabs my hand. “No side effects.”

“Exactly,” Dr. C says. “She’s been working with me and Dr. Jacobs, and everything is perfect. We’ll continue to check her thyroid hormone levels, like always, and once she’s pregnant we’ll make any adjustments needed according to the test results.”

My worried husband continues to rub a thumb along my hand, as he takes in what the doctor just said.

“David,” Dr. Carlson says softly, his stethoscope moving away from his chest a bit as he leans in. “Cat is strong and her body is healthy. This is a good thing for both of you. Unless you don’t want another child.”

I watch as David shakes his head. We’ve talked about more kids and we’re both in agreement. My husband is just worried, and I understand why. Which is why we’re sitting here, again, for another group therapy session.

“Don’t you think it’s time you get out of my office, and head home to start making a baby?”

Heat crawls up my face and David coughs. But Dr. C just sits there with a sparkle in his eyes, totally aware of how much he’s embarrassed both of us.

I laugh. Then David laughs and Dr. C winks. “Go on and get to work. I’ll see both of you either when Cat’s pregnant or at her next follow up. Okay?”

Glancing over at David’s face I throw my head back and laugh. His eyes are round, his mouth is flapping like a fish and there’s the cutest hint of pink covering his face. Leaning over, I kiss his cheek.

“Thank you Dr. C,” I chuckle, and send a wicked grin in my husband’s direction. “Are you ready to go, sweetie?”

David turns wide, shocked eyes toward me, and I place a hand in front of him the same way I would with Scarlett.

He stares at my hand and I push it toward him, saying softly. “Honey, you really don’t need to be embarrassed, Dr. Carlson understands the baby making process.”

“It’s not that,” he groans, rubbing a hand up and down his face. “I just never thought someone would tell me to ‘head home and get to work’.”

Dr. C chuckles. “I’m sorry, but it looked like you needed some encouragement, son.”

David rolls his eyes and shakes his head, laughing at the ridiculousness of the situation.

“Shall we go?” I ask, still holding my hand out to him.

This time he takes it and stands up. An adorably shy smile on his face. I can’t help the laugh that bubbles up.

“You just wait till we get home,” he grumbles.

“That’s more like it,” Dr. Carlson encourages, a cheeky grin on his face.

Have I mentioned how much I love my doctor?

“See you soon.” I wave, grinning like a fool as David all but drags me from the doctor’s office. Dr. Carlson’s laughter following us out.

“Scarlett. Can you help me with something?” A smile lines my face as I hold up the pair of baby shoes that I’ve been keeping a secret for just this moment. It’s a year and some months longer than I had hoped, but it’s here and that’s all that matters.

“Sure, Mom,” Scarlett answers, as she pops up from the couch. Emmy following behind. And again I marvel at how much she resembles Fiona. “What’s up?”

“Do you have anything small enough for me to put these in?” I hold the shoes up for her and she looks at them before taking them in her hand to test the size.

“I think I do. Let me go and check in my room.” She turns away from me, jogging toward her room when she stops, looks at the shoes, and then turns back to face me. Eyes wide, a massive grin on her face. “Are you telling me what I think you’re telling me?”

“That you have tiny feet?” I tease, schooling my expression.

She lets out a squeal and runs to me throwing her arms around my waist. “I’m gonna be a big sister!”

“You’re gonna be a big sister.” I wrap my arms around her, and squeeze. Warmth spreading through my chest.

Emmy barks and runs over to her toy basket, the infamous ‘oinking’ makes an appearance and I groan. “I thought we hid that toy.”

“I did!” Scarlett chuckles, looking adoringly at her pup. The two of them are still thick as thieves. “But she seems to be able to find it regardless of where it is.”

I narrow my eyes at her and she shrugs.

I snort out a laugh and shake my head. We both know Scarlett isn’t trying all that hard to hide it. She loves that toy as much as Emmy does.

The last time it was really hidden, David did it. Scarlett couldn’t stand Emmy looking so forlorn and went to find it, hid it again but in a much easier place for Emmy to find.

Though David actually does hide it well, he can’t stand to see Scarlett upset and won’t get rid of it.

I love them all, so I don’t really mind the sound, but when I get really tired of it I will hide it from all of them.

“Can you grab that box for me? I want to get this surprise set-up before your father gets—”

Oink! Emmy squeaks just as David walks through the door. She runs around the house, the sound deafening.

A wry grin lands on David’s face as he watches her running up and down the length of the house. “I thought we got rid of that?” He throws a thumb over his shoulder before making his way to where Scarlett and I are standing.

As soon as he looks at both of us he freezes. I know my mouth is hanging open and I can only guess Scarlett’s is too. “What’s wrong?”

He races over to us, Emmy running with him.

‘Oink. Oink. Oink.’

I can’t help it, I laugh. He stops and his brow furrows.

‘Oink. Oink. Oink.’

Scarlett starts to laugh too and David raises a brow, slowly closing the distance between us.

“Want to tell me what’s so funny?” He crosses his arms over his chest and narrows his eyes.

“Do you think these will fit you?” Scarlett holds up the shoes and David’s brows shoot up.

‘Oink. Oink. Oink.’

“What are you talking about? No, they won’t—”

I know the moment he understands, his jaw goes slack and his eyes widen. A grin creeps along my face, and I nod.

He walks over to me and captures my face. “You’re pregnant?”

‘Oink. Oink. Oink.’ Emmy makes another pass down through the length of the house.

My cheeks pull up and my smile widens. “Yes. Dr. Jacobs called this afternoon.”

I squeal when he lifts me up and spins me around. Scarlett laughs and for a moment there is blessed silence as Emmy watches us from across the room.

“We need to really work on getting rid of that toy because there is no way the baby will sleep through that.” He gives his daughter a pointed look and I hit him on the arm. The corner of his mouth lifts and he shrugs.

“Don’t they say that babies get used to the sounds in their environments during gestation?” David and I whip our gazes in Scarlett’s direction. “What? Aunt Ava would always talk about what was happening when Finn was growing.”

“Oh,” I puff out, just as David says, “No.”

As if on cue, Emmy makes another pass. ‘Oink. Oink. Oink.’

“But Dad, look at how happy she is!”

We both turn our heads to watch Emmy as she prances around. I glance at David and then Scarlett, lopsided smiles lining both of their mouths.

That gestation thing better be true, because if their expressions mean anything, that toy is not going anywhere.

The End.