"A baby. You want us to have a baby?"

"Yes. I need to be a mother, Jonathan".

"Jennifer, we would never be able to do half the things we do now, if we saddle ourselves with a kid".

"We will find time to work things in. We could hire a nanny".

"You want a nanny to raise our kid?"

"Not raise, but help out".

"Jennifer, I just don't think we would make good parents".

"And why don't you think I would make a good parent?"

"we have no experience. We literally have no friends with young kids. We wouldn't be able to go to dinner parties like we do, and we won't get any sleep. A baby is going to completely turn our lives upside down".

"For the better, Jonathan. And we do have friends with kids. Lots of friends with kids. Megyn and David Watkins have 2 kids. Susan Kendall has two kids. Ashley and Mark Walker have kids".

"We hope for the better. But we don't know that for sure. And ok, so we have friends with kids."

"Jonathan, I still want a baby".

"Jennifer, you won't be able to wear any of your clothes. And you will have to do the lion's share of taking care of the baby, because I have the office to run".

"Oh, so you are telling me now that you won't help me? You think I am going to get fat and you won't help. Is that what you are saying?"

"Let's just get some sleep, ok?"

She rolled over away from him, and turned out her light.

He tried to wrap his arms around her, but she refused him.

***The next morning***

Jennifer woke up at 4 a.m. She was hot, and her stomach hurt. She went and got some water, and then got back in bed.

About 20 minutes later, she bolted from the bed, and hauled ass to the toilet. She spent the next hour throwing up, and feeling like absolute death.

Jonathan woke up around 5, and realized that she wasn't in the bed.

He heard her throwing up, and took her a cold washcloth for her head.

She was leaning against the wall in the bathroom.

"Can I get you anything?"

"No".

He sat down on the floor next to her.

"Please, just go back to bed."

"No, Jennifer, you are sick and I'm not going to leave you in here alone".

"It's the bathroom, not a deserted island. Besides, you need your sleep for the "office", so just go back to bed".

"I'm sorry you are still mad at me".

"I am not doing this with you right now".

He kissed her forehead and then got up and went back to bed. He turned the TV on, and watched the morning news.

"Patrons who may have visited the restaurant Riu de Brazil are being encouraged to call the Health department if they ate there in the last two weeks and got sick. There is an allegation that they served tainted meat. The manager of the restaurant apologizes for any inconvenience that they may have caused".

Jonathan went and told Jennifer what the TV said.

"I literally in this moment don't care. If you want to call them, call them. I am probably going to be dead by the time you get off the phone".

He chuckled, and went back to the bedroom.

He grabbed the phone and called their friend, Susan Kendall.

"Susan, hi. It's Jonathan. Listen, Jennifer and I went to dinner last night, and now she's sick. I just saw on TV that it could be food poisoning. Is there anything I can give her?"

"Sure. Try Emetrol. It will help, but it won't stop it completely. If it is food poisoning, she is just going to have to get it all out of her stomach, one way or the other".

"Thanks, Susan".

He hung up and went to the medicine cabinet.

He found some Emetrol in the back of the cabinet.

"Here babe, try this".

She swigged some, and then handed the bottle back to him.

He sat down next to her.

"Darling, I called Susan. She said that will make you feel better, but it won't take it away completely."

She nodded.

"Do you want me to stay with you today?"

She reached over and patted his arm.

"No, I'll be fine. Just go to work".

He got up and headed for the shower.

After he was dressed, he came back to her.

"Babe, I'm leaving. I love you".

She was throwing up again and didn't hear him.

About an hour later, she was feeling well enough to lay down on the bed.

The phone rang, and she reached over and answered it.

"Hello?" She sounded like someone who had been sleeping for weeks.

"Hi darling".

"Where are you?"

"At the office. Listen, I called the health department. They need to know how many pieces of pork you consumed".

"About 4 I think. Maybe 5".

"Ok. How are you feeling?"

"Like death. Where did you say you were again?"

"Darling, I'm at the office".

"You went to work?! How could you leave me like this when I am so sick?"

"Jennifer, I asked you if you wanted me to stay with you and you said no".

"Jonathan, we have been married 14 years now. Don't you know that when your wife is sick, you are supposed to stay with her no matter what she says?"

"I'm sorry, babe. I'll be home as soon as I can. I love you".

She groaned and hung up the phone.

He wasn't able to get home till about 4, and he found her sound asleep in bed.

He checked her forehead and was relieved that she had no fever.

He changed clothes and then went downstairs and made himself some dinner, and made her a huge pot of chicken noodle soup.

The phone rang and he answered it quickly so that she wouldn't wake up.

"Hey Mr. H."

"Hey Max, how's Vegas?"

"Same as always. Generous one day, stingy the next".

"Sounds about right".

"How is Mrs. H.?"

"She isn't feeling too well. She has food poisoning".

"I hate to hear that. Make her some of my famous chicken noodle soup".

"Got the pot going as we speak, Max".

"That's great. I was just calling to tell you I am staying through the weekend, so I will see you Sunday".

"Sounds great Max. Have a nice time".

He hung up the phone and resumed making her soup.

After it was finished, he poured two bowls and put them on a tray and took them upstairs.

She was starting to wake up.

"Babe, I made you some soup".

She nodded.

She tasted it.

"This tastes like the soup Max makes".

"It is Max's recipe. I followed it exactly".

"Thank you".

She ate about half of it, and then went to take a shower.

He took the dishes downstairs and cleaned up the kitchen, and then came back to join her in bed.

He rubbed her back for her some, until she fell asleep.

He leaned over and kissed her cheek.

"I love you, goodnight".

He turned his light off and went to sleep.

***A few days later***

It was now the weekend, and Jennifer was feeling a little better.

Not a whole lot, but a little. The only things she wanted to eat was Max's chicken noodle soup and plain noodles with butter. Nothing else sounded good to her at all.

She was in the house going through the mail from the whole week, and Jonathan was outside cutting the grass.

The phone rang and she answered it.

It was her friend, Megyn.

"Hi, I need an emergency favor. Bryson had a game this morning and broke his arm. I have to take him to the hospital. Dave is out of town, and I was wondering if you could watch Maddie for a few hours while I take him to the hospital?"

"Absolutely. Bring her on over".

"Thank you, you are the greatest".

Jennifer ran upstairs and took a quick shower and put on some yoga pants and a tank top.

She had just come back downstairs when Megyn buzzed the intercom.

"Come on up".

She opened the door and let her in.

"Hi angel. I am so excited to keep you for a little bit".

Maddie smiled really big at Jennifer.

"Ok, so here is her bag. And she has several bottles in there, just add hot water till it's 8 ounces and then let It cool to lukewarm. There are plenty of diapers in there, and wipes. I also put some outfits in there in case she throws up. Her pink blankie is her favorite and pacifiers are in the end pocket. You are a lifesaver".

"Don't mention it. We're going to have an amazing time".

She went and got her play mat and the pack n play, and brought those back in.

"You might not need this, but just in case, she loves to play in here".

"Perfect. Give Bryson a kiss for me and tell him if it's broken, I will sign his cast".

"Will do. Thanks again".

She kissed Maddie and then left.

Maddie and Jennifer went and sat on the couch.

They watched a movie and played with her toys.

Jonathan came inside about 2 hours after Maddie got there.

"What is going on?"

"Megyn called. Bryson might have broken his arm. So, she is at the hospital with him, and Dave is out of town, so she needed me to babysit. And we are having a wonderful time".

He came and sat by her.

"Want to hold her?"

"No".

"Jonathan, come on. She won't break. Just hold her like I am holding her".

He took her from Jennifer and held her for a few minutes, but he was clearly uncomfortable.

"I am going to go make her a bottle, I will take her from you when I get back".

She went and started a bottle, and as soon as she was out of the room, Maddie started to cry.

"Jennifer, she's crying".

"Bring her to me".

He walked to the kitchen, holding her as far away from her as he could.

She screamed louder.

"Darling, you can't hold her like that, honestly".

She quickly took her from him, and held her close and got her calmed down.

"Can you put the top on the bottle and shake it up?"

He got the bottle shaken for her and handed it back to Jennifer.

They went to the couch, and she sat down and fed Maddie.

Jonathan sat next to her and watched for a few minutes.

"You really want to do this?"

"Yes, I do".

"Babe, we just aren't baby people".

"You might not be, but I am".

"I am definitely not".

"Yes, Jonathan, you have made that more than clear".

"How long is she going to be here?"

"Till Megyn gets back".

"I was going to take you to dinner".

"Why don't we order in?"

"It's not the same".

"Well, we can go out another night".

"Jennifer-"

"Jonathan, this little fit you are throwing isn't going to make me not want a baby. And besides, Megyn is my best friend and friends help each other out. Now, we can order in, or I can fix us something, it's up to you. But it is what it is, and you never told me that you wanted to go out till after she was here. That's not my fault".

"Fine. Excuse me for wanting some alone time with you".

He got up and stormed back outside and resumed cutting the grass.

Jennifer sighed.

Maddie sucked her bottle down, and burped like a champ. Jennifer wrote the time down on a notepad and then gave her a pacifier.

Pretty soon, she was fast asleep.

Jennifer held her for a little bit, and then put her in the pack n play.

She went and made them lasagna for dinner, and a salad, and put it all in the fridge.

She sat down on the couch to read, but instead, she fell asleep.

Jonathan came back in about an hour later, and saw her asleep on the couch.

He came over and kissed her forehead.

He went upstairs and took a shower and then came back down.

She woke up and they went out to the patio and sat on the porch swing.

She cracked a window so they could hear Maddie.

As soon as they sat down, Jonathan leaned over and kissed her forehead.

"I'm sorry. I love you, and I shouldn't have yelled at you."

"I'm sorry too. I'm sorry we fought. But I am not sorry that I want a baby. I want us to have a baby. I just know that you will be the best daddy ever, Jonathan. You will".

"I don't feel comfortable around babies, Jennifer."

"You just need practice".

He sighed.

"I'm serious, Jonathan. We can practice with Maddie today, and then we can take a new daddies class, and then we can talk about it, ok?"

"A new daddies class?"

"Yeah, at the hospital. They teach you how to hold a baby and diaper a baby, and how to bathe it, and how to feed it and all the fun stuff".

"Ok, I promise to think about it".

He leaned over and kissed her.

Just then, Maddie started crying.

Jennifer stood up and took his hand.

"Come on, let's go get her".

They went inside and Jennifer picked her up.

"Hi, did you have a nice nap? Aunt Jennifer missed you, she took a nap too".

They went and sat down on the couch.

"Uh oh, someone is wet".

Jennifer stood up and took her to the pack n play and put her in the bassinette part.

"Darling, will you bring me her bag?"

She got her clothes off her and then grabbed a diaper and the wipes out of her bag.

Jonathan watched as Jennifer changed the baby and then they sat down again.

"There, that's all better, huh?"

Jennifer bounced her a little bit and Maddie just stared at Jonathan.

"I think she likes you".

"I haven't done anything".

"Honey, if a baby doesn't like something, they cry. If they do like it, they don't".

"Well, what a rating system".

Jennifer turned to Jonathan.

"Are you hungry?"

"Yes".

"I made us a lasagna, I will go put it in the oven."

She handed Maddie to Jonathan, and snuck out of the room.

She got the lasagna in the oven, and set the timer.

She came back in the den to them.

"See, you are doing great".

"She's not so bad, when she's not crying".

"You look so sexy with a baby in your arms".

"It's only been 4 minutes".

"Just saying". She kissed him on the cheek.

The phone rang just then and Jennifer reached over to get it.

"Hello?"

"Hi, it's Megyn. I am on my way to the pharmacy to pick up his medicine and then we will be there to pick up Maddie. Bryson wants to know if Jonathan is home, he wants to talk to him".

"He sure is. We will be here. She has been an absolute angel. She took a nap and had one bottle so far, and I just changed her diaper".

"Perfect. Thank you so much! We will be there in about 30 minutes".

"Ok, see you then".

She hung up the phone

"Did you hear that, angel? Mommy's coming to get you".