'Face it tiger...you just hit the jackpot!!' That's like my favourite line from Spiderman comics...which I don't own any more than I own anything MTR. -sigh.- They say everyone has a novel in them...I don't think this will ever get to be 1/10th the size of a novel, but what do you expect of a 15 year old kid who needs some excitement in their life?! Obviously you do as well if you're reading these words...enough of this banter with myself. People will think I'm crazy. On with the show!
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"Franny!"
She was lying half-off the bed, hair plastered onto her sweaty face, the gel-wrap lying on the floor. Her face was a sickly green, and she groaned into the pillow. Cornelius rolled her as gently as possible onto her back and took her pale face into his hands, noting how hot her forehead felt.
"Honey? Franny, wake up!"
She groaned and blinked, gazing blurrily into her husband's worried face. She made to get up, but immediately sank back into the pillows as Cornelius held down her arms when she started to dry retch. He dug one hand into his pocket, flicking on his phone and hitting a number on his speed-dial.
"Hello, Doctor Osborne? This is Cornelius Robinson. Feel up for a house call?" After a few moments more discussion, Cornelius ended the call, and strode over to the intercom located next to every door in most rooms.
"Mum? You there?"
"Yes, love- how's Franny? Is she still asleep?" Lucille inquired. Cornelius glanced over at the bed.
"Not exactly. Can you please make sure Wilbur stays put in his room? Doctor Osborne is coming over in a minute to take a look at Franny and I don't need him interfering-"
"Mr. Osborne?! What's wrong with her? She seemed fine this morning!"
"It's probably not as bad as it looks, but I'm not taking any chances. I have to go."
"OK, love. I'll be with Wilbur…keep us updated." The connection ended, and Cornelius dragged a chair over to the bedside where his slumbering wife lay as he waited for the doorbell, worry lines creasing his didn't have to ponder long. Twenty minutes later, the good doctor was packing up his gear, not looking nearly as concerned as Cornelius felt.
"Well. I don't really know how to break this to yeh, mate…" the doctor grinned as he watched Cornelius rocking on the balls of his feet. "…She's pregnant."
Silence.
"Mate? Didja hear me?" Judging by the poor bloke's expression, I think he did. Mr. Osborne smiled again as he slung his equipment over his shoulder. "She'll be fine in a weeks' time, being a couple months along already. I'm surprised she hadn't already called in for a check-up, these symptoms don't just crop up over-night. Well I best be takin' my leave. Feel free to schedule a appointment anytime during the next month, OK?" Cornelius still hadn't said anything, and continued to stare at his wife's midriff in a daze. Doctor Osborne smiled and whistled to a random tune as he waltzed through the home, knowing this family very well on account of their extra-curricular activities. They kept his business running, really.
Back in the main bedroom, Cornelius' thoughts were still doing cartwheels inside his brain as he sat down next to his slumbering wife. Another baby? Another Robinson kid! What'll everyone say? They'll be thrilled, that's for sure…but what will WILBUR think, now the spotlight's going to be shared? Will their rather large age gap complicate things? How the heck am I going to tell him?! For that matter, how am I supposed to break it to Franny?
While lost in his thoughts, Franny stirred up beside him, headache worse than ever. She squeezed the hand held tight in hers, and Cornelius seemed to pull himself together, and smiled down at her.
"How are you feeling, sweetheart?" He whispered, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Franny yawned.
"Tired. Do you have another gel-wrap? I think the other fell off-" She stopped when Cornelius nodded and got up quickly, crossing to the intercom.
"Wilbur?"
"Yeah dad, what's going on? What happened to mum?" Cornelius looked back at Franny, who was also looking at him inquiringly. He decided to kill two birds with one stone, and asked:
"Wilbur, can you go down to the kitchen and fetch your mother another gel-wrap? Thanks." He let go of the button, and brought another chair to Franny's side of the bed and sat down, playing with the hem of his shirt to avoid his wife's gaze. She continued to stare at him, and he could tell that she was more than a little concerned about her predicament.
Wilbur entered the room, almost at a run, and closed the door quickly. He sat in the other chair, and looked back and forth between his parents as he handed over the ice cold gel-wrap.
"This isn't about my punishment, is it?" Wilbur asked in a quiet voice. Cornelius almost laughed, it had seemed like days ago when he had left Wilbur in his room to find Franny, instead of only an hour. Franny stared at her son, then her husband. What did he do now?! seemed to pass through both their heads at the same time. Cornelius tried to diffuse the situation before his wife got even more upset.
"We can sort that out later. Doctor Osborne came around after I found you Fran, and I have some rather big news to tell you both." Mother and son both leaned forward, not wanting to miss Cornelius' next words. He cleared his throat, then looked directly at Wilbur while grasping Franny's slim fingers.
"Wilbur…your mother's pregnant."
It was just how Cornelius had reacted. Absolute silence for a whole minute. Franny looked at her husband, eyes wide. He nodded and grinned. She squealed and leapt on him as Cornelius caught her around the waist and spun her around the room, both smiling like lunatics.
Wilbur just sat, staring at his hands. Mum…pregnant? But as hard as he tried, Wilbur couldn't find it in him to act selfish about this and whine about how this would affect him. Instead he found himself thinking about if it would be a boy or girl, what they would look like, and how many swear words Wilbur could teach his sibling and get away with it. He looked up as he felt a hand on his shoulder, into the bright blue eyes of his beaming father.
"Wow…" was all Wilbur could manage before his dad swept him into a bear hug. Franny smiled as she climbed back into bed, hand pressed almost protectively against her still rather flat tummy. Suddenly:
"Lunch is ready!" Carl's voice rang through the speakers, and Cornelius released his son, scuffing his hair up as he did so. Wilbur scowled at his father and fixed it as he walked over to his mum and kissed her forehead. He waited outside the room, tapping his foot impatiently for his dad as his parents shared a rather intimate kiss and some murmured words. Cornelius closed the door with a soft click! and walked with Wilbur down to the dining hall. Both had to hide their silly grins when they entered the room, not wanting to give away their secret too early…
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You know you want to stick around! Please review and make my boring day worth dragging my feet thru!!!
