"Um…Jeff?" Lucile said, standing behind his desk, where he was working on some paperwork. "can I talk to you?"
"sure?" he said, looking turning around, Lucy looked nervous, rubbing her arm. "is everything okay Lucy?" he said standing up.
"well…you know how I been feeling a little off lately and how I went to the doctors yesterday?" Lucile said.
"yes, everything okay right?" he asked, his worry starting to build. "there isn't anything wrong is there?"
"no…no nothing wrong…exactly…"Lucile said,
"Lucile, you're not making sense…" he said, raising an eyebrow "what are you trying to say?"
"well…l let just say I may need to get out Gordon's baby clothes in nice mouths time," Lucile said dryly.
his eyes widen as the realisation of what Lucile had just said, sunk in.
"what?!" he said, suddenly leaning back on the desk for support. "are…are you saying…"
"yep," Lucile said, eyes glistening. "I'm pregnant…"
he jumped forward, swing his wife off the ground in a tight hug. "That's great lucy!" he said grinning as his wife laughed in his arms. "how far?…"
"about seven weeks," Lucile said. "I can't believe it…we going to have another baby."
They honestly thought Gordon was going to be their last…well they were wrong, weren't they? He thought smiling to himself.
"I can't either, oh lucy this is great," he said, thrilled.
A week later.
He was sitting on the pouch, reading a book on space that dad had got him for his eighth birthday, while Scott was playing a game of ball with Virgil, who could surprisingly for a six-year-old keep up with his much bigger ten-year-old brother.
Thought he much rather read a good book than play a game of ball, he's one of the best readers in his grade for a reason…plus whenever he does play ball he always gets hit in the head by the ball…it really wasn't fair.
"boys, can you come inside, please? Me and your mother want to talk to you" dad called.
He raised an eyebrow as he put his book down, standing up to follow dad inside.
What's going on?
He shared a look with Scott, who seemed equally confused about what was going on as he was.
"Daddy, what's going on?" Virgil asked, looking up at their father with wide eyes.
dad smiled, the kind of smile that a lot of parents do when they know something you don't. "you'll find out soon, Virgil."
They walked into the lounge where mum was sitting, waiting with Gordon in tow. once they were all seated dad started talking.
"me and your mother have some wonderful news to share with you boys," dad said, smiling.
Where have I heard this before? I'm sure I have heard this before-wait! He thought his eyes widening.
"you're going to have a new sibling," mum said, grinning.
Did mum just say what I think she said? He thought looking at his brothers, John and Virgil looked shocked, and Gordon just looked confused...which was understandable, Gordon hasn't been through this before.
"new sibling?" Gordon asked.
"yes, sweety" mum said to Gordon, "you going to be a big brother."
gordon nose scrunched up "can't we get a puppy instead?" Gordon asked.
Dad and mum chuckled.
"no, sweety it doesn't work that way," mum said, snuggling Gordon in a hug. "I'm sure you'll love your baby sister or brother."
Baby sister or brother…. he thought as it finally sank in, oh this is actually happening! I'm going to another little brother or sister… I'm going to have a baby brother or sister! He thought as a big grin broke out on his face.
months later.
"I think Alan would be a good name if it's a boy" he heard dad say as
he was walking past mum's and dad's room.
They're talking about the baby? He thought his curiosity peeked.
he peeked around the corner; they didn't notice him watching them.
"Hmm, Alan? Yeah, that's nice…" mum said, brushing her hair. She had lovely blond hair, a lot lighter then Gordon's who's hair was more of a strawberry blond.
"but why do I get the impression that you're trying to name all our children after the Mercury 7?" mum said, smiling at dad.
he bit his lip, ducking out of sight, his hand muffling his giggles.
"what? I don't know what you're talking about…" dad said with laughter in his voice.
he poked his head back out to see what was going on when he got his giggles under control.
he loved seeing how mum and dad acted around each other, their love so strong, they were a perfect team.
"well, sticking to your theme" mum did air quotes when she said 'theme', grinning.
dad rolled his eyes good-naturedly, smiling at mum.
he had to bite his lip again, mum and dad could be so funny at times.
"I think Allie would be a good name if it's a girl." mum said, "I always liked that name…. what do you think Scotty?"
he squealed, jumping in surprise at being caught.
"Lucy, I don't know.." Jeff said, "you're pregnant, is it really the right time to go away for a holiday?"
"Jeff, if we don't do it now, we may never do it," she said, "come on, the kids would love it, and I'm not due for another three months, it'd be fun…"
jeff sighed "okay, I guess it would do us some good to get away for a holiday, spend some time as a family."
"yeah and the boys would love playing in all that snow, they'd have the time of their lives," she said grinning, planning the trip already.
jeff nodded "I have always wanted to teach them how to ski; I could hire out cabin."
"see, it's a perfect idea," she said, kissing jeff's cheek.
He was sitting on one of the window seats of their van (they need a car that big with how many people they need to fit in) Virgil was seated next to him, head laying on his shoulder, half asleep.
Gordon was fast asleep, hugging his teddy bear, that use to be his own but he had handed it down to john, who handed it down to Virgil, who then handed it down to Gordon.
John was sitting behind him, most likely on his computer or reading….or sleeping; it has been a long plane ride, plus drive to get to the cabin, he thought yawning.
They turned a corner, and the mountains come in to view.
"wow," he said in awe, looking outside the window of the van.
they were beautiful, he thought, the snow stacked on the tops sparkling like diamonds in the sun.
"it's nice, isn't it Scotty?" mum said, looking back at them from the front seat.
"Yeah," he said, nodding.
"what?" Virgil asked, half asleep rubbing his eyes. "what are you looking at Scotty?"
"just the mountains, Virgie," he said, letting Virgil see out the window.
"wow…" Virgil said before yawning.
"why don't you two get some sleep?" dad said from the driver's seat. "you too John, it's still a while to go until we get there."
"will grandma and grandpa be there when we get there?" he asked, sleepily.
"no, they coming up tomorrow," mum said, smiling.
he and mum were trapped in a small freezing room, snow trapping them in.
he couldn't believe what just happen, everything was fine then the ground started shaking and then snow was coming right at them.
if mum didn't pull him in this small room then he would have been swept away by the snow, he thought staring wide-eyed at the door.
he turned to face his mother and froze.
"MUM!" he yelled in horror.
mum was bleeding! there was something sticking out her side! blood was everywhere!
"Shh, shh..everything going to-AHHH!" mum tried to calm him but cried in pain, gripping her belly.
"mum!" he cried, kneeling next to her.
mum was deadly pale, sweating even though it was freezing in here.
"Scotty…sweety i-"mum cried in pain again, holding her belly. "i..need you to be brave…okay?"
"Okay mummy," he said nodding, tears running down his cheeks.
"your..little sibling.." mum cried in pain again.
his eyes widen as he realises what mum was saying, his baby brother or sister was coming.
"not now!" he cried, shaking his head.
"we don't get a choice…. in the matter sweety…" mum said, wheezing in pain. "neither does your sibling…now i… I need you to be brave"
he nodded, tears freezing on his face.
he was feeling so many emotions right now, it was overwhelming.
he was feeling so scared, being trapped in this freezing room with his mother who was bleeding out, plus sick to his stomach because…well he just helped his mother give birth to his baby brother, something he thought he would never have to do…in his life.
but he was also feeling an overwhelming feeling of love and awe…..he was holding his baby brother in his arms! he was so tinny,he thought looking at the wiggling baby in his arms.
"mum look-" he said, smiling despite everything but he froze as he realised something was wrong.
mum wasn't moving…at all.
"mum?" he asked again, his voice shaking with fear, moving so he could see her better while keeping his baby brother close to his chest for warmth.
her eyes were closed, it almost looked like she was asleep…but she wasn't breathing!
"MUM!"he yelled, shaking her with one arm, the other trying to hold his baby brother, who had started screaming. "mummy! wake up!" he sobbed, "wake up…"
he sat there sobbing for ages, it was only when his baby brother stopped crying that he realised that if he didn't get his brother warm, he was going to lose him too and he could not bear to lose another person, even one he just met…but he already loved his baby brother to the moon and back.
he pulled mum's thermal jumper off of her, telling himself that she didn't need it now, that she would want him to save his baby brother.
he wrapped it around his brother, holding him close to his chest.
his baby brother was whimpering.
"Shhh, shh it..it's okay baby brother…i..i got you," he said, trying to talk without sobbing.
his baby brother didn't even have a name that he could call him…except…
"i…I got you…Allie" he said, choking on the last word.
"we'll… get out of here and i… I promise that you'll be so..so loved…" he said, tears running down his cheeks. "and..and protected, oh Allie… I promise I'll keep you safe.."
I'll keep all of them safe, he thought looking at his mother's body. I promise you, mum, I'll keep my brothers safe.