For my sister, AstoriaIsStillAwesome.
Haley paced back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. How on earth would she tell her parents? Her mother would die, and goodness knows how her father would react.
Her fingers laced together and the pressed down lightly on her ever-expanding belly.
I have a human being in there… To be brutally honest, the thought scared her to death. She wasn't exactly sure how her family would take it.
"Haley?" Her mother's shrill voice filled her ears, "Don't be rude! Come in, we're all ready for your announcement!"
Are you, really? Honestly? Truthfully? She wondered. She walked in and sighed.
"What is it?" Gloria asked her, an excited expression on her face. She scanned for Dylan in the crowd of her family and saw him sitting behind Manny. He gave her a reassuring smile and thumbs up. Haley smiled back at him before taking in a deep breath. She saw her sister grin at her. Alex did suspect but Haley had told her it was 'nothing to worry about. Nothing, really'. She bit her lip.
"Well, uh, I have an announcement…" She trailed off, seeing her brother whisper something to her father.
"Phil!" Her mother scowled, hitting him on the shoulder. He smiled and rolled his eyes.
"What, Claire? Give him a break, won't you?" He retorted.
"Shh, I want to hear the announcement," Gloria told them, bouncing her baby, Kiara, in her lap. Hayley went red.
"Go on, Haley," her Grandfather Jay smiled. Haley managed a small smile.
"I'm pregnant," She announced. Everybody stared at her in a mix of shock and surprise. Finally, Gloria spoke up.
"Ah, Haley, I am so proud of you," She smiled, her accent heavily emphasising her words, "I thought you would be the first," Gloria encased her in a hug.
"Haley!" Kiara squealed, rushing over to her. Haley smiled.
"Hey," She grinned. Kiara reached up to the bottom of her belly.
"Me touch?" She asked. Haley nodded and Kiara tickled the bottom of her belly.
"Yay! A baby!" Kiara clapped.
"Oh, great, I was wondering when I'd be an Aunt!" Alex rolled her eyes and hugged her sister. Haley grinned.
"Thanks, Alex," She smiled. Luke and Manny encased her in a hug.
"Don't worry, I can give you a whole bunch of parenting tips. Come for coffee sometimes," Manny advised her.
"Dude, you've never even had a girlfriend," Luke reminded him. Manny shrugged.
"So? As a great man once said, 'The art of theory is better than experience, for once you have the theory you may master both; with only experience you are likely to fail,', right?" Manny quoted.
"Dude, that great man was you, just then," Luke pointed out. Manny shrugged.
"Oh well," Manny shrugged.
"I'll see if I need it," Haley responded with a cheeky grin.
"What? What? WE DID NOT TALK ABOUT THIS, HALEY GWENDOLYN DUNPHY!" Claire screeched.
In short, it didn't go down that well with the rest of her family, other than Phil.
Haley let out one last final scream and the baby appeared. She panted and started at the nurse, worried.
"Is everything okay?" She asked. The Nurse smiled and nodded.
"Now, Miss Dunphy, as we predicted, it is a girl," The Nurse smiled, cutting the cord that attached the baby to her mother.
"Oh, thank goodness," Haley grinned, "I didn't think a little boy would like the amount of pink that we bought,"
"Why, that is most amusing," The nurse grinned back, "Would you like us to let your boyfriend in,"
"Yes please," Haley sighed, happy at the prospect of seeing Dylan. He walked in and grinned at her.
"You did it, babe!" He smiled, kissing her on the lips. She grinned.
"Thanks," Haley panted.
"I'll go get you some water," The Nurse decided.
"You do that," Haley nodded.
"So, what name? Isabelle or Sapphire?" Dylan asked casually, sitting on her bed. Haley squeezed his hand tightly.
"I like Sapphire," She smiled. He laughed.
"I'd been holding out for that one," He smiled goofily, "I guess luck just came my way,"
"Yeah," Haley nodded. The Nurse appeared back with a glass of water and their baby.
"Here is your water, Miss Dunphy," The Nurse smiled, handing her a glass of water. Haley gulped it down easily, "And your little girl is doing fine. She's 21 inches, and perfectly healthy. Now, I am obliged to ask if you have any names for her yet," Haley and Dylan exchanged shy smiles.
"We have got a name," Dylan nodded, "Isabelle Alexandria Danielson,"
"Great," The Nurse smiled, "Now would you like to see if your baby agrees?"
"How?" Haley frowned. The Nurse grinned.
"Just say her name and if she moves, that probably means that she likes it," The Nurse instructed.
"Isabelle Alexandria Danielson," Haley said clearly. The baby twitched.
And Haley felt her heart burst with joy.