Chapter 2
Two days later the family made their way into Vancouver to find out the fate of what was going on with Marianne. Eliza was trying to keep her mind off of the situation but it wasn't working very well. She just sat at the window scared to death that her mother would be diagnosed with something deadly. She couldn't even think of it without bursting into tears and so she tried to watch out the window as they entered the city watching everything to entertainers to people briskly walking by. Debbie on the other hand was a bit better off knowing it couldn't be much more than the flu. She basically just kept her music on and kept reading her magazines.
Eliza made small talk with Darwin to keep her mind off. "So Dar what do you want to do once we get to grandma Sophie's place?" she said as she finished her breakfast.
"Nothing, absolutely nothing, I just want to sit back and do nothing," he said as he sat back and crossed his arms.
"For 2 whole months?" she asked not really knowing she said it.
"Of course because when we get back here you will be pushing me around again," he said a bit annoyed.
"Whatever!" she said as she just sat back and watched out the window again.
Another hour and they finally made it to the doctor's office as Nigel helped her around because she was just too weak. Debbie and Eliza decided to tag along because they were just too nervous to sit around. After about 2 hours of anxiety the doctor finally came back with the results and looked a tad bit shocked. He started by introducing himself as everyone was trying to be patient.
"Well" he began you don't have too much to worry about Marianne except that you have the flu and are pregnant," he said after what seemed like forever.
She just sat there staring at him with a confused look on her face just speechless.
The girls gasped at the word and looked at each other afraid to question. Donnie on the other hand wasn't even paying attention as he was playing with spiders in the corner. Nigel was the first one to react as he tried to protest.
"Wha… what did you just say?" He stuttered out like this was some sort of a cruel joke the Canadians play on innocent people. He just couldn't believe what he was hearing he was way too old to be a daddy again that scared him so much he fainted. After he woke back up moments later everyone was surrounding him from above. "What happened?" he asked confused as he rubbed his forehead from the fall.
"You fainted dad," Eliza said quickly as Marianne helped him up.
"But…but this can't be happening," he said a little bit later as they walked out of the doctor's office.
Eliza and Darwin were finishing packing and chatting away.
"So what is all the fuss about? How come everybody looks like they want to cry?" Darwin wondered not exactly understanding all of the emotions going on here.
"Well Dar Mom is having a baby and I don't know if I like the idea or not," she started as she got this far off look in her eyes and sat down on her bed.
"What's not to like?" he asked her as she glanced around her room.
"The baby thing, I mean come on Dar Debbie and I are practically grown up. In two years she is going off to college they are too old to have another kid. Donnie is bad enough but to add another one to watch after?" she finally finished ranting on as she looked really frightened. Darwin just gave her a hug as she sat in deep thought. After she finished packing she lugged her 50+ lbs. of luggage up the stairs and plopped down on the table seat.
The rest of the ride to the airport was unusually quiet but once they got to the airport that all changed.
"I'm going to miss you so much," Marianne said as she hugged her children." "Just be careful and don't get into too much trouble," she added as they took off for the gate.
"We won't!" Eliza called behind her shoulder and waved goodbye.
"We will call the minute we arrive!" Debbie added as they disappeared into the crowd.
Marianne felt like crying as she held onto her husband and watched them take off into the distance. She knew she would see them again but it just seems like forever that they will be gone.
On the plane a couple of hours later Eliza tried her best to be in a good mood but she was really sad cause Darwin had to be in the baggage compartment. She watched out the window and she thought she saw her new friend "Spots" as she waved and watched in awe.
Just as she began to doze off she heard some commotion and Donnie jabbering away just as he sprang into action knocking over the flight attendant. He easily ignored her yelling after him as he ran over every person in coach.
"Donnie!" Debbie yelled after him as she finally realized what all of the ruckus was about.
He was still on a roll running to the back until he ran into an angry wrestler who looked as if he could kill.
"GRRRR…" he shouted as Donnie fell over frozen with fear.
"Donnie!" Debbie shouted once more as she grabbed him up from his spot.
"Oh my," was all she could squeak out as she started backing up slowly.
"Please don't hurt me," she managed as she hid behind the flight attendant.
"He ran into me!" the man growled at the flight attendant as Donnie sprang back into action ready to fight him.
"Donnie, NO!" Debbie shouted as the man slapped Donnie hard knocking him out cold.
It took several men to pin him down and calm him down. Several more people rushed to Donnie's side to make sure he was going to be all right. Donnie finally got his strength back but wound up with a bloody nose and fat lip. He was so afraid the rest of the trip that he hung to Debbie so tightly she could barely breathe.
"Donnie you have to let go," she said to him practically gasping for air.
He slowly released his grip and just sat on her lap the rest of the trip.
Back in Canada Marianne and Nigel were doing their best to get back to their lives so they decided to finish their next show. During a break they tried to talk about the situation not knowing how else to handle it.
"I miss the kids," Marianne started. "I wonder what they are doing now?" she added trying to be cheery.
"I bet their close it was only a 6 hour flight," Nigel said cuddling up close to her.
That made her feel a little bit better about the situation.
"I'm so scared Nigel I mean why did this have to happen now? How is it going to affect our work? How is my mother going to take it? This can't be happening it has to be some sort of a bad dream or something," she said panicking as she buried her face in her hands.
He could tell she was losing it and was much worse off than he was about what was happening so he tried his best at his manly advice. "Look, Marianne," he began taking her by the hands staring into her deep green eyes she just looks so helpless with tears rolling down her face. "Everything especially this crazy happens for a reason. Everything will turn out great you'll see. Just cause we are having a baby doesn't mean it's the end of the world we can still do our show, it'll slow us down for a while, but we'll manage everything will turn out just great," he finished hoping that she would be okay. They just held each other for the next hour trying to figure out what was going to happen next.
A few hours later the plane finally landed at the international airport in Arizona. Eliza slowly walked out trying to get her ground legs working again. Debbie came out holding Donnie until they saw their grandparents. Donnie was the first and ran right into their arms.
"Grandma! Grandpa!" they both shouted at once as they ran into them.
"Girls I missed you so much it's been so long," Sophie said as they headed out to get Darwin and the rest of their luggage.
It takes them 30 minutes of waiting around trying to find Darwin in the baggage claim. They then head home for a 2-½ hour trip home to Flagstaff, AZ.
"So how are your parents doing?" Frank asked out of the blue.
They both just looked at each other kind of cringing.
"Um. Just. Great." Eliza said faking a smile.
Debbie chimed in "They just got finished filming the coyotes and now they are taping fish in Canada," Debbie added.
Eliza just looked at her sister like she was crazy; well one of them has to break the news. "Great how would they take it?" Eliza said to herself as they got onto the interstate and she just started fidgeting. "Well there is probably something else we should tell you," Eliza spat out hoping they wouldn't overreact.
"What! Is someone hurt? Is something wrong?" Sophie said getting freaked out as usual.
"No! It's nothing like that but it is important enough we should tell you now," Debbie said as Eliza tried to ignore the conversation while looking out the window.
"Well," Debbie began looking over at Eliza. "Mom is pregnant!" Debbie shouted trying not to sound upset.
"Really?" is all Sophie said.
"You're not upset?" Eliza chimed in dumbfounded.
"Of course not," Sophie said like it was no big deal like she was actually glad.
This is a very big deal and she doesn't seem to think it is. A very big deal indeed since none of the family was at all prepared for this surprise. It was like a big huge boulder came and hit Eliza on the head sending her into a horrible nightmare. Why is this happening to me now? I' m going into high school next year and I can't be a big sister now. I like being the little sister and now a little brat is going to take over our lives.
A couple of hours later they pulled into a house in the forests of Flagstaff. It is a cute little white house with a shed in the back.
"So girls are you hungry? Sophie asked them both as they got into the house with tons of luggage.
"No," they said at once.
Eliza was just too exhausted to do anything so she just went to bed.
Debbie on the other hand was soaking up her "own room" for two whole months. She turned up her music on her ipod and shuffled through it and magazines as she watched the sunset. She called her parents to let them know that she had made it and such. As she watched out the window as the sun was setting she saw this really cute boy riding on his skateboard. "Oh my gosh he is so hot!" she squealed to herself as she slowly watched him disappear into the distance she then slid to the floor with a dreamy look on her face.
The next morning as everyone was slowly getting up Eliza was out in the forest looking for furry friends. "Come on Dar!" Eliza said as they ran out the door with Donnie following behind them.
As they got out they got a chance to see just how beautiful it was.
Though the temperature was bitter cold and like a foot of snow on the ground they didn't care.
She started to give up because not too many animals are out in winter. Soon enough, though she found a very unusual sight. A bear! "Darwin look it's a bear!" she screeched.
"Eliza are you crazy! It's a bear! What if it eats you!" he whispered trying not to scream.
"Dar this is a black bear I doubt it would try to eat you," she said trying to reassure him. She ran in its direction hoping to make a friend.
Darwin stayed back trying to keep Donnie from following but failed. Before he knew it Donnie was chasing after the bear. He scared it so much it charged after them right for Eliza who was only 20 feet away.
To be continued…