Julia was impatiently waiting for Lizzy. They should have been gone a half hour ago. The taxi was waiting at their door, with the meter running of course; a fact her daughter seemed oblivious to. Julia forgot her promise to herself not to fight with Lizzy on her last day home from the Christmas holidays and shouted at her.

"Lizzy what is taking you so long? The taxi is waiting. Hurry up will you!"

Lizzy in her room uttered an unladylike curse as she put the last few items in her bag. She was only going across the city after all. It's not as though she had a train to catch or anything like that. What did it matter if she showed up late at the University of Toronto dorms? She made her way down to the very unwelcoming view of an angry Julia. Her last day at home, did her mother have to be so strict about everything all the time? She silently went past her and directly into the taxi. Julia lifted her eyes to the sky, silently imploring the help of a deity she did not believe in. She followed her daughter out the door. Why did that girl have to always be so complicated? It was not what Julia had expected eighteen years ago….

Julia was tired, very tired. She had expected that of course. A six month old baby is very demanding. Little David was a beautiful well behaved child, but nevertheless he was still a baby. Since his arrival in their lives, Julia's opinion of the mothers she treated at the pauper's clinic had increased. Here she was, with a maid, a cook and only one child and she was exhausted. How did those women do it? Finally David's breathing slowed down and Julia carefully got up and put him in his crib. She went to bed and immediately felt asleep.

Several hours later Julia woke up to the dimming light of early evening. She had slept for hours. David? Surely he had woken up by now. She looked over to his crib. It was empty. She went downstairs to the parlour where she was greeted by the peaceful scene of William and their son. The baby was lying on his belly on the floor, busy trying to reach a toy William had purposely put a few inches out of his reach while her husband was reading the evening paper. He looked up when Julia walked in. She went to sit beside him and put her head on his shoulder.

"How long?" she asked

"Oh about two hours. I was done early at work today and came home. I walked into our room just as he was waking up. You looked so tired that I decided to take him down here." William flashed her a smile. "We have been quite content here." His face took a more serious look.

"How are you Julia? You have been tired the last month or so. David has been sleeping through the night for a while now. I was hoping you would catch up."

Julia smiled. "Well I've not yet. Hopefully soon." She looked at the two men in her life. "I know you had a full day's work, but would you mind looking after him? I really could use more sleep."

William hugged her: "Go back to bed Julia." A glint came to his eyes: "Maybe by the time I come up, you will be rested enough?"

Julia smiled back: "Yes perhaps."

Unfortunately for William it was not the case. By the time he came to bed, Julia was still fast asleep and he did not have the heart to wake her up.

The next morning Julia woke up somewhat refreshed. She went through her morning routine and finally had some time to herself after David went down for his nap. She was cleaning up her work desk when she came across her calendar. She absently went through its pages when she noticed something. She looked at the pages again and again, and again. Her heart started beating faster. Her chest tightened. She looked at the calendar. There were no doubts; she was late, three weeks late. She sat down at the desk. She had been so busy with David, she had not noticed. She quickly came to a decision.

Julia stopped in front of Station House Four. She had to talk to William and this was as good a place as any. How would he take the news? Her sterility had played such a large role in their troubles and now to find out that … She straightened her back and determinably walked in. She found him busy as usual tinkering with one of his new "toy". He looked up, and a big smile came to his face as he saw her. He went to her and took her hands in his.

"Julia what a pleasant surprise. I'm so happy you dropped by."

Julia, still nervous, but determined to tell him the news, looked around at the open window blinds. "William we need to talk…. in private."

William, sensing something serious was about, looked around. "Well we could go to the interview room if you want."

She nodded and they went in. They both sat down and William brought his chair over to be close to her.

"Julia what is it?" he asked.

Julia closed her eyes. How to tell him? This was so unexpected. Would he be angry at her for telling him all these years that she was barren, and now this? Julia took a long breath in: "William…I" she stopped.

He came closer and grabbed her hands. They were cold. He immediately became concerned. She tried again: "I…" She just could not say it. He became concerned.

"Is it David?" She immediately shook her head: "No, no, nothing to do with him. It's… it's me."

William was immediately concerned: "Are you sick?"

Julia closed her eyes as she shook her head negatively. "No. No. I am not sick, but I am… pregnant."

William opened his eyes wide and reeled back in his chair at the shocking news: "Pregnant, but …"

Julia smiled nervously: "So did I, but it seems nature had decided otherwise." She stopped to take a long breath.

"I went to see Isaac. Nothing has changed. The statistical probabilities of me getting pregnant are astounding, but it seems I did." She paused again. "I'm sorry William. All indications pointed to me never being able to conceive. I did not make this up. I never lied to you."

William, in total shock, just stood there silently looking at her. Seconds passed. Julia could not stand it anymore.

"William, please say something."

Finally, without saying a word, he came to her, put one knee on the floor and gently brought one hand to her belly. He stayed like that for the longest time. Julia put her hand on his cheek.

Finally, he tried to say something… "Julia… I'm so… I …"

Relieved at his reaction, Julia knew she had to tell him everything now.

"Before you get your hopes up William, you need to know. The chances of me carrying this child full term are very slim indeed." She paused, the ramification of that long ago abortion would be with her forever. "My abortion…" Those words…they held so much pain and sadness. She started speaking again: "It left much scarring. While I am pregnant now, I may loose….."

William interrupted her by putting a finger on her lips.

"Julia stop. Stop blaming yourself for a decision a very young girl had to do all on her own many, many years ago. I know I came to terms with it a long time ago. So should you."

She tried again: "But William, had I not had that abortion we would not….."

He stopped her again: "You would be a bored middle-aged fat wife married to that man." He tempered his statement with a smile before continuing.

"And I, I would be married to Enid Jones and as equally unhappy."

Julia thought about it for a second before finally answering: "Well, I agree, but did you have to make me fat?"

William lifted an eyebrow and smiled: 'Well I had to make it as unappealing as I could."

His face took on a more sober look. He got up and took Julia in his arms in a strong embrace. They stayed silent like that for a while. Finally he looked up.

"Julia. I know I have been a bear about using your money. But this time, we must. We need to hire someone to take care of David while you are pregnant. You must be rested. We need to stack up the odds in our favour."

She looked at him with a smile: "Stack up the odds William? You are a gambling man now."

He tightened his arms around her: "No I am a man in love with his wife who wants to make sure he does everything he can so things work out." He stopped for a second. "Everything he can, even swallow his foolish pride."

Julia did not know what to say, so she simply kissed him. After a moment she stepped back. There was one more thing she needed to say. Julia took one of William's hands and again put it on her belly.

"This child William will be our own…, but David, William. I don't want David to ever feel different, feel not the same because he was adopted. When I first saw him, I knew in my heart he was for us." She looked at him directly in the eyes. "To me, he is ours, just like this one will be."

William smiled: "I know Julia. I feel the same. When I first saw the two of you that day, you looked so right together. I knew just looking at you that he was ours."

Tears had come to Julia's eyes. She could only mumble his name as she put her arms around him again. He held her tight, and a few seconds later someone knocked at the door. George walked in. He looked everywhere but at them.

"I'm terribly sorry Sir, but you're needed."

William did not hesitate for a moment. Without even taking his eyes off Julia he answered:

"I'm afraid George you'll have to start this one on your own. Tell the Inspector I had to go home to take care of my wife."