Maddy and Linden grew closer as the months passed, Maddy being grateful for the support he was giving her. Linden smiled as he leant against the door frame to his office, watching Maddy as she leant against the nurse's station, her head thrown back in laughter, Donna and Maria stood with their hands pressed against her swollen stomach, laughing as Maddy's unborn child kicked at their hands. "Are you ready?" he asked, smiling as he walked over to them. Maddy nodded, "let me get my bag, I'll be two minutes." Linden nodded, "I'll be in the office." Donna wolf-whistled as Linden walked away, "what's going on with the two of you eh?" Maddy blushed, "we're friends" "Friend's eh?" Donna winked, "we've not heard much about this kiddo's father, is it a baby Cullen?" "Donna" Maddy gasped, "I'm not having Linden's baby, now if you don't mind, I've got to go, I've got an appointment with this little one" she smiled, stroking her stomach affectionately.
"Madeline Young" Maddy stood to her feet, "Do you want me to come in with you?" Maddy smiled, "you won't see much sat out here will you." Linden followed her into the small room, "21 weeks?" the midwife asked. Maddy nodded, "and 3 days" The midwife smiled, "we should be able to see a baby then" she smiled, "not the little blob you saw last time, now this is going to be cold" she warned, spreading the gel over Maddy's exposed abdomen. "if little one's cooperating do you want to know the sex?" she asked "I erm..." "you don't have to find out if you don't want to" she smiled, turning the screen towards Maddy as her baby came into view, "can you tell Linden, but not me?" she asked. The midwife nodded, "are you Dad?" Linden shook his head, "he's just a friend." The midwife nodded, "you'll need all the help you can get when this little one's keeping you up all night" she laughed, beginning to point out the baby's limbs, "I'll just take some measurements, but everything looks fine, nice strong heart beat" she commented, Maddy's gaze fixed on the wriggling image on the screen. "would you like a copy?" "Maddy" Linden nudged her, waking her from her trance, "sorry?" "would you like a picture of the little one?" Maddy nodded, "can I get two please." The midwife nodded, "I'll leave them at the desk for you" she smiled before turning her attention to Linden, "if you 'd like to step outside I can tell you what Miss Young is having." Linden nodded, and followed the nurse out of the room, "I'll give you a minute."
Maddy glanced up as Linden walked back into the room, "she's a girl isn't she?" Maddy asked, reaching up to wipe a tear she didn't even realise had rolled down her cheek. Linden nodded, smiling sadly. Maddy sighed, reaching for a paper towel to wipe the gel from her stomach. "Are you okay?" she nodded, "yeah" she sighed. "Right" Linden smiled, "I need to grab my stuff from upstairs, then I believe it's Thurdsay, which means a Chinese and dvd of your choice back at mine." Maddy smiled and slipped from the bed, "I need to go somewhere first, can I meet you at yours?" Linden nodded and smiled, "I'll see you later."
It was almost two hours later when Maddy knocked on Linden's front door. "I went to tell Amy she was getting a little sister" she said, smiling sadly. Linden smiled too, and lead Maddy through to his living room. "I erm, got you this too." She said shyly, holding an envelope in his direction. Linden looked puzzled, and sat on the sofa beside Maddy, opening the envelope, smiling as a copy of the scan she'd had only hours earlier fell onto his lap. He then pulled a small card from the envelope, sitting back into the sofa as he began to read.
Linden,
Thank you for everything you've done for my Mummy, I know she doesn't tell you as often as she should, but she's really grateful for everything you've done for her, and she doesn't know how she'd have made it this far without your support.
I'd like to ask you something, and I want you to think about it before you say no, I've spoken to Mummy about it and she agrees with me. I was wondering if you'd let Mummy make you my legal guardian in case anything happens to her, she says she knows you'd do a good job looking after me and I agree with her. I know it would be a big responsibility, but hopefully it will be wasted paper, something you'll never need to do, but please think about it before you say no.
Thank you again for everything you've done for Mummy
Love
Ruby Amy Elizabeth Young (Mummy had a feeling she was having a girl from the start, which is probably a good thing as she was beginning to develop an unhealthy attachment to the name Sebastian)
Linden smiled as he pushed the card and the scan back into the envelope and turned to look at Maddy, "so?" she asked shyly. Linden nodded, "I'll think about it." "Thanks." She smiled, leaning her head on his shoulder as her stomach rumbled loudly. "I think Ruby's trying to tell us it's dinner time" Linden joked, moving from the sofa to pull the takeaway leaflets from the drawer. "I don't know why I'm giving you these" he joked, "you'll want prawn toast, sweet and sour chicken, special fried rice, banana fritters and prawn crackers, and you'll want to wash it down with a can of tango." Maddy laughed, "Ruby knows what she likes." Linden smiled, taking the menu into the hallway to choose what he wanted and order the food.
He walked back into the room a while later, "spring rolls, beef chow mein, mushroom fried rice, pineapple fritters and Coke." Linden laughed, "I see you're not denying it" Maddy laughed, "so don't call me predictable". Linden smiled, "I'll let you off then, just this once though." Maddy laughed, before grabbing Linden's hand, placing the spot on her stomach that Ruby was kicking, knowing Linden had never felt her kick before. Linden smiled, his eyes filling with tears, "it only seems like yesterday Olivia was pregnant with Holly." Maddy smiled sadly, not knowing what to say she reached out and wiped the tears from his cheeks, Linden taking her by surprise as he leant forward and pressed his lips to hers.