Free Two Hearts for Christmast by Lisa Y. Watson Page A

bed waiting for the doctor to return.  The doctor had ordered a slew of tests, and she was waiting to hear the results.  Exhausted, she had fallen asleep waiting.  She thought about calling Christopher, but had decided to wait until she was certain what she was dealing with.  They may be at odds, but there was no doubt that he would drop everything and race to the hospital if she called him.  Part of her wanted to, but the other part didn’t want to worry him unduly.
    The curtain across the room was pulled back with a loud whoosh.  The Emergency Room doctor she’d been assigned came in.  He was an older gentleman with salt and pepper hair, playful blue eyes, a very round middle, and a great bedside manner.  He sat down on a wheeled chair, and then scooted over to her bedside.
    “ Hello, Mrs. Darcy.  Well, depending on how you look at it, I’ve got some good news, and some potentially better news.  Which would you like first?”  
    Yvette was taken aback by his jovial manner.   It couldn’t be that serious if he was smiling…right?   She relaxed a little, but not too much.    “I’ll take the good news first.”
    “ Okay,” he scanned over her chart again.  “The good news is you’ve got a case of Gastroenteritis.  It’s an inflammation of the stomach lining most likely caused by bacteria in something you ate, or a virus.  You do have a low grade fever, but we’ll give you something to take care of that.  It will run its course and you should be good to go in a few days.”
    Yvette digested that information.  The pain was excruciating.  She couldn’t imagine how bad it would hurt if it were more serious.
    “ That’s good to know.  So what’s the potentially better news, doctor?”
    “ You’re pregnant, Mrs. Darcy.”
     
    The world faded away while Yvette processed what the doctor had just told her.   Pregnant?   “Are you…are you sure?” she whispered.
    “ Yes, very.”  He asked her a few of the usual questions, which she answered.  
    “ We won’t be able to tell for sure how far along you are without an examination.  Would you like us to do one now, or would you prefer to follow up with your personal physician?”
    “ No, I’d like to know now,” she said, in wonder.   I’m pregnant.   How in the world did that slip past me?   Granted she was shocked, but Yvette was happy about the news, and yet a little worried.   What in the world would Christopher say when he found out?   So many things ran through her head at once.  Would he be happy, too, or would he think that the timing wasn’t ideal?  Was it a boy or a girl?  They were already cramped in the townhouse.  Now finding another house would be imperative.  They were having a baby!  Despite the uncertainty she was feeling, a wide smile spread across her face.   Oh Christopher...please be happy.    
    ***
     
    Christopher walked through the back door and into the kitchen.  “Hi, Mom.”
    “ Hi, honey.  How was your day?”
    He walked over and kissed his mother on the cheek before going to the sink to wash his hands.
    “ Fantastic.”
    “ So you’ve spoken to Yvette then and patched things up?”
    He frowned.  “Not that fantastic.”
    Margaret turned around and faced her son.  Her hands automatically resting on her hips.  “Christopher, what could be more important than that?”
    “ True, but the flooring is in and it looks great, Mom.  Just as I imagined it would,” he hedged.
    “ Oh, I’m glad, son.  I’m very happy that your work day went well.  Now get on that phone and call your wife,” she fussed.
    He strolled over to the table and sat down.  He reached for the aluminum tin a few inches away.  Opening the lid with a firm tug, Christopher took three cookies out and placed them on a paper napkin.  
    “ Why you’ve let things go on this long is anyone’s guess.  You two are never at odds,” she said while going to the cabinet and retrieving a glass.  “It’s not like