The Malones

Chapter 7

Babes

Summer 1993

Sam closed the bar on Sunday night at 1:00 AM satisfied that all of his friends had treated Diane well. Diane had gone home earlier to get some much needed rest. She had warmly hugged everyone at the bar before she left and gave Sam a kiss. Before he locked up for the night, Sam looked around the bar and remembered some words that Norm had said to him after Diane left in May. He said something like "you always come back to your one true love". At the time, Sam thought Norm was talking about Cheers, now he knew that Norm was talking about both of them- Diane and Sam.

He got to the apartment and checked on Diane. She was sleeping soundly with the white lamb cradled in her arm. On his pillow was a note so he took it to the living room to read it. The note read:

Sam- I found this poem for you. I thought of us and the different paths we've taken to get where we are- and that has "made all the difference". Thank you Sam and I love you. Diane

The Road Not Taken

Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Sam was amazed that he immediately understood the meaning of the poem and thought it was one of the most beautiful things he'd ever read. He vowed to commit it to memory. He climbed into bed next to Diane but didn't want to disturb her sleep so he didn't reach out and put his arms around her like he normally did. Within a few minutes Diane rolled over and tucked herself in his arms and went back to sleep. Yes, thought Sam… that has made all the difference.

Diane reminded Sam that she had scheduled an appointment with an Obstetric Specialist for Thursday at 10:30 AM and wondered if he was planning on going with her. Sam was an old school guy and really hadn't thought about going along but was glad she had asked.

"I'd like that Diane but will you feel comfortable with me in the room".

"Sam, I don't think you'll be in the room during the examination but I would like you there when we talk to the doctor".

"10:30 Thursday it is then", smiled Sam and then he said "I'll be home for dinner tonight or should we go out"?

"Let's stay in tonight. I'll whip something extraordinary up for you". He kissed her and said "and I'll have an extraordinary dessert afterwards for you". They kissed and off he went to work smiling like a Cheshire cat.

That Monday morning, Diane met with Dr. Anna Murphy, Dean of the college to which Diane was applying to teach. The interview went well and Diane was optimistic about opportunities to teach part time at the college starting in the fall. She had disclosed her pregnancy to the Dean who didn't think it would be much of a problem for the school. Plenty of staff members had similar conditions and all had handled them well. Dr. Murphy promised to let Diane know as soon as she had checked out Diane's references.

Sam arranged to take Thursday morning off to go to the doctor's office with Diane. The Specialist, Dr. Young, was a capable woman who eased both of their minds by telling them that plenty of older people had very successful pregnancies and deliveries. Diane appeared to be in good health and she saw no reason for alarm. She did some commonplace genetic testing usually performed on women over the age of thirty-five and suggested an ultrasound. She explained that an ultrasound would give her, and them, a picture of the fetus at this this stage, ten weeks of growth.

As Dr. Young waved the ultrasound wand over Diane's abdomen, Sam noticed her eyes open in surprise and she smiled. Diane was looking at the ultrasound image on the screen didn't see the doctor's reaction. Dr. Young printed pictures for them and shut the machine off.

"Well, well Mr. and Mrs. Malone, we have a situation here".

Diane spun to look at the doctor and with a frightened voice said, "What, what is it"?

Dr. Young picked up one of the ultrasound pictures and began to point out the fetus to them.

She said, "Relax, this fetus is fine".

She then pointed to something else in the picture and said;

"This fetus is fine too. You, Mr. and Mrs. Malone, are having twins".

Diane's first thought was, "can emotions of pure joy and pure fear be inextricably woven in the same precise moment". Sam's first thought was, "will there ever be another moment in my life when I am so completely overjoyed".

Dr. Young congratulated them and asked them to make another appointment within the month. She prescribed prenatal vitamins told them to schedule an appointment for early September and reassured them that they should be fine. Both Sam and Diane had one more important question for Dr. Young- would it be safe to continue having sexual relations at this stage. Dr. Young merely said, "Of course, have fun" and went on with her day.

While Diane was getting dressed she talked non-stop while Sam patiently waited for her to finish.

"Sam, what are we going to do? We don't know anything about having one baby, let alone two babies. I don't think I can do this… I know I can't do this… what if I'm a terrible mother… what if I drop one of them… I don't even know how to put a diaper on a baby…I haven't even held a baby in twenty-five years... Let's go right to the bookstore and buy all the baby books in it…" and on it went until Sam walked over and put his arms around her and said, "Diane, I know you and I know you'll be the best mother these children could ask for. How about, we do this parenthood thing together?" At that Diane smiled radiantly at him and nodded.

They decided on a simple lunch at Lala Rokh where they couldn't help themselves from telling busboys, waiters, other customers, bathroom attendants, or anyone else they met about their twins. The excitement grew on them and they wanted to share their good news with friends at Cheers so they headed over to the bar, a short distance from the restaurant.

Sam burst through the door and shouted, "We aren't having a baby in February".

Everyone looked quizzically at him until he shouted "We're having two babies in February- we're expecting twins".

Once again the Cheers crowd roared their approval. Carla glanced over at Diane, who caught her eye and with a simple thumbs up gesture and wink, she let Diane know where she stood.