January 10th 1834
Cedric Elroy paced nervously in front of the master bed in his room. His pregnant ghost wife, Faith Harrington, was currently reading a book on monster genetics. After a few minutes, she stopped reading and looked up at her husband, who was still pacing.
The ghost woman smiled, "Cedric, love, don't worry. Everything will be fine."
The scarecrow didn't even glance up. He just shrugged and kept pacing. This annoyed Faith a little, so she tried again.
"Cedric," she said forcefully. "Sit down."
He stopped and looked up, "Hmm, I beg your pardon, what?"
Faith sighed and said again, "Cedric…sit down."
The scarecrow looked at the chair next to the bed she pointed to and said, "Oh…right."
Cedric sat down. "Now what do I do?" He asked, quite clueless.
Faith giggled, "Relax…" She annunciated. "You look so nervous as though you were about to have the baby instead of me. I feel quite proud of myself for keeping so calm while you're worrying every waking moment. This'll be a story to tell our little Jack when he's old enough."
Cedric's pumpkin head seemed to glow red as he said, "You'd better not tell him!"
Faith smiled, "We shall see."
The ghost woman giggled until a pain shot through her abdomen. Thinking it was just Jack being a bony kicker, she didn't say anything. But when it happened again less than a minute later, it was too powerful for her not to cry out in pain.
"Faith!?" Cedric gasped, jumping up and holding her protectively. Then even he felt it.
"Contractions!" Cedric whispered in dread.
Before he could ask her what to do, the pregnant ghost screamed, "DOOOOCCCCTOOOOOORRRR!"
Cedric stumbled back just as the doctor came through the door.
"You were right," Faith panted.
The scientist didn't smile as he set up, "I usually am. Just keep breathing or you'll have a repeat of what happened the last time."
Faith nodded and breathed in the stale air; there was no clean air in Halloween Town.
She remembered when Greg was born. She had barely seen him before her life was taken. One moment she was in her bed in her house with the midwife standing beside her assuring Gregory would be safe, and the next, she was in Halloween Town, just waking up. She had never cried so much when they told her what happened.
This would not be the same. She would make it with both her children and finally be there for Greg when he came. But for now, she had to focus on Jack.
Cedric leaned over the doctor and asked, "Is there anything I can do to help, Dr. Finklestein?"
The doctor answered roughly, "Yes, you can back off. I need space to do this. You may be the next in line to be Pumpkin King, but you need to learn to give citizens space to do their work. And besides, you're only in training, are you not? If I'm right, you'll officially be Pumpkin King next year. Learn a thing or two about how to give people space before you become the king, will you?"
Cedric stepped back, sighed, and nodded, "Yes, doctor."
"And while you're listening, I need you to leave. Your wife may not make it if you don't."
Cedric shivered. He didn't like to think about the day he lost Faith to death. He was thankful that he followed her to Halloween Town, but not thankful he had to leave his sons behind. He hated betraying them like that and could only hope they would both follow him to Halloween Town.
Cedric, who was currently in his bathroom next door so he was close to his wife, leaned back against the toilet, and remembered that day.
~*~*~*~*~ Flashback ~*~*~*~*~
Cedric Elroy was sitting outside his and Faith's bedroom reading the newspaper. Rarely was there good news, especially with the burning of the American capitol.
Cedric shook his head, tapping his foot. "So many disasters and deaths…it's a real shame."
That's when a maid approached him, "Mr. Elroy, I have some news…it's…your wife, she's…"
Cedric looked up, "What…what happened?"
He dropped his book, stood up and, not waiting for an answer, rushed into the bedroom.
"Faith! Are you all…" He called, but paused when he saw her.
His wife lay motionless in bed with her hands folded neatly over her chest, probably put there by the midwife.
The woman next to her looked at him somberly. That could only mean one thing…
"No!" Cedric gasped as he reached his motionless wife.
He took her hand in his. It was becoming cold. Tears filled Cedric's green eyes as he touched his other hand to her cheek.
"No…" Cedric sobbed, burying his face in her neck.
The midwife sighed, "I'm so sorry, sir. I wish I could have saved her. But she was far too weak this time, and the boy was too strong."
Cedric looked up at her with tears streaking down his face, "It's a boy?"
The midwife nodded, "Do you have a name for him?"
Cedric nodded, "Gregory Timothy Harrington if it was a boy. Abigail Lily Harrington if it was a girl."
The midwife nodded, writing down baby Greg's full name on the piece of paper next to her.
She turned to him and her gaze became stern, "One last thing; I know this is hard for you, but do you want to hold him? I promised your wife that Greg would be safe. Will he be safe with you?"
Cedric was taken aback at this. But he composed himself and nodded, knowing words would fail him.
The midwife handed the baby to him and he smiled almost immediately.
At that moment, the maid returned with Jack in her arms. Jack pointed to his father and the baby and asked quietly, "Wha's dat?"
The maid tried to smile, "That's your brother."
She turned to the boy's father, "Should I…tell him what happened, sir?"
Cedric shook his head, "I'll tell him myself when he asks. He's bound to want to know where his mother went…"
*~*~*~* End of Flashback *~*~*~*
Cedric would always remember that day. It was still painful, but he was still thankful because he was currently being reunited with his son. He hoped his whole family would make it to Halloween Town.
He remembered it clearly. Jack did ask where his mother went, and Cedric nearly broke down when he told him she was gone for good. Jack didn't understand till later, and Cedric was thankful that he didn't blame Greg for their mother's death.
Cedric waited for ten minutes, his restless leg was twitching up and down while the rest of him was fidgeting closer to the bedroom door.
Finally, the doctor walked out, "Looks like your wife has done more homework than you."
Cedric looked at him with concern and confusion, "What do you mean?"
Doctor Finklestein started to wheel away, "Your wife found out the species of the child before it was born. She calculated everything and was prepared." He harrumphed, "You should learn from her."
Before Cedric could respond, the doctor left. Cedric shrugged it off and walked into the bedroom. Once inside, the Pumpkin King in training was greeted by a beautiful sight.
Faith, her smile glowing on her pale already-bright face, was holding a slightly squirming newborn in her arms.
Cedric smiled as he walked over, "Is it Jack? Is it…our son?"
Faith giggled, "See for yourself."
Cedric lifted a few of the blankets covering the squirming child and looked at the skeletal creature within.
He laughed, relieved, "So that was what you meant about 'Skellington'. The doctor said you had done your homework."
His wife nodded, "I have a feeling Greg will be the same. We would always have skeletal children because they would take on your physique and my…"
Cedric snorted quietly before saying, "Whiteness?"
Faith giggled, "Yes, we'll go with that."
She fell silent before saying, "I hope I'll meet Greg again. I only barely saw him when I died. You're lucky you don't have to go through childbirth."
Cedric kissed her cheek, "Aye, I can't imagine what it feels like. But there is a bright side. We have our son back."
Unfortunately, the couple didn't know then that the two brothers died at the same time. Therefore, shouldn't Greg Timothy Harrington have joined his brother at nearly the same time if at all?
TO BE CONTINUED