Chapter Two
It's a few weeks later now, I still haven't seen Max.
My bump is now obvious-little Peanut is making their presence known! I'm practically living in scrubs at work as I still don't want anyone to know.
I haven't rung Max or anything-I'm too scared. I'm terrified of messing up everything yet again. I've been hormonal, missing my husband. I made the mistake of watching "Titanic" last night, and cried myself to sleep. Oddly enough, I've been craving curlywurlys too.
"Right, that's it." Says Serena one day at work. I've been sat at the nurses' station staring at the same GP letter for the last five minutes.
"Pardon?" I ask.
"You, Zoe. I'm sick of you moping around like a lovesick puppy, so I'm going to order more porters up from the ED. If your porter is working today, chances are you'll see him and sort things out. And tell him that there's a baby on the way."
"Wha?" I ask, confused. I thought that I was hiding Peanut rather well, and the fact that I'm missing their father rather a lot.
"You keep placing your hand on that bump of yours that's quite obvious now. How far along are you?"
"Umm, 14 and a bit weeks." I mumble. It's obvious that I don't have a choice in the matter.
Serena places a hand on my shoulder. "I just want the best for you, Zoe, as I do for all my staff- you can't stay in this limbo anymore. You need to tell him."
"I suppose." I nod as Serena picks up the phone.
"Hello, is that the Emergency Department?" She asks. "Yes, Mrs Beauchamp, I'd like to request another porter or two please, we're stretched."
That's a fib if ever I heard one, the department is pretty quiet.
"Yes, five minutes? Okay then." Says Serena, and puts the phone down.
"Well?" I ask.
"Four porters are on their way up, here's hoping that one of them is your husband."
"I do hope so." I respond, standing up. "Fletch, did you notice that I'm pregnant?" I ask as he hands me a patient file.
"Mr Roberts, bed 4. Yes, I did as a matter of fact. Does Max know?"
"Um, not yet." I reply, and make my way to bed 4.
"I noticed because you've got baby brain. You're very forgetful at times." Morven chips in. "Mr Roberts, 49. Lacerations to the cheek and back."
"Okey doke." I nod.
A while later...
I haven't seen Max yet, mind you I've been in theatre for most of the morning.
I scrub out and make my way back onto the ward, and gasp. There, wheeling a patient to a bed, is my husband. Morven is next to him, talking to the patient.
"Is that him?" Says Serena, who's appeared next to me.
"Yeah, it is." I nod.
Serena walks up to Max and taps him on the shoulder. They talk for a few moments, I can see Max's eyes widening. He then looks around, obviously for me.
When his eyes finally come to rest on me, I smile. He then walks up to me.
"Hello, stranger." I smile.
"Zoe." He smiles. "My Spiderman."
I nod, and he pulls me close, we're both crying.
"I love you. I love you so much." I sob. "I'm so sorry for leaving you."
"I love you too, I've missed you like hell." He says.
I gaze up at him, and our lips meet and we're kissing, my arms around his neck and his around my waist, holding on to one another so tightly, as if we're afraid to let each other go ever again.
We break apart to the sound of clapping and the odd wolf whistle. Max and I turn to face the gathered staff who have watched our reunion.
"Right, that's enough you two. Zoe, you can take a few minutes to talk to your husband, but after that I'd like you both back on the ward please." Serena orders. "Congratulations, by the way."
"On what?" Max asks, confused. The gathered staff trickle away back to work, much to my relief.
"Er, us getting back together." I fib, shaking my head at Serena slightly. "Come on, Mary Jane." I say, taking his hand.
We make our way down to Pulses and sit down on one of the sofas.
"Zo, how come you're back? I thought that you'd gone forever... I missed you so much." My husband says.
"I missed you, the hospital, the bay… America was great, but not for me, And, I have some news." I reply.
"You're okay, aren't you?" He frowns.
"Yeah." I nod, taking his hand. "Well the thing is, I'm pregnant." I say, gazing at him and waiting for his reaction.
His face lights up. "Really? How far along are you?"
"14 and a bit weeks, the dates fit. We're going to be parents Max." I smile, placing his hand on my scrub top over my tummy. "That's our baby Max."
He smiles. "Have you had a scan or anything?"
"Yeah, just before I left for the UK. I didn't look at the picture that much, I do have a printout, it's in my bag in mine and Serena's office though."
Max grins and rubs my tummy. "I can't believe that we're having a baby... I thought that you couldn't?"
"Maybe it just wasn't the right time or something... I know, I'm so excited." I smile, cuddling into him.
"Where are you staying, by the way?" He asks, dropping a kiss to my forehead. I love how easily we've slipped back into our old habits-it's like we've never been apart.
"At the Dorbank, where we stayed last year. Obviously, we'll have to find a place to live soon, but how about you come and stay with me there for a while?"
"Okay, I won't tell Robyn though."
I nod. "I don't want the ED knowing, not yet. AAU is my fresh start."
Max nods. "Our fresh start-I'm going to ask for a transfer."
"Really?" I ask with a grin.
"Yeah, I'm not going to leave you and our little one alone am I? I want to be near your both."
"Peanut, that's what I've nicknamed them." I correct.
"Peanut it is." Max chuckles. "Right, we'd better get back to work."
My husband and I make our way back up to AAU, hand in hand.
"All sorted?" Serena asks.
"Yes, it is. I'd like my name to be changed on our office door to Doctor Zoe Walker." I decide.
"Good good. Okay, well we'll sort that out later. For now, we're both in theatre." Says my boss, and hurries off.
"I'd better go." I say. "I'll see you later Mr Walker."
"Okay, Mrs Walker." Max grins, giving me a kiss. And with that, we both go back to work.
