AN: I'm back! Ya, sorry about the lateness of this getting up, but I was at the lake with no internet access for 2 weeks.
"I'm pregnant!" cried Julia, managing to look beautiful even as she stood, wrist deep, in a patient's intestinal fluids. The constabulary had let him back in, but only by the sheer grace that Brakenried liked him, and hated Scanlon.
"What?" Murdoch replied, stunned.
"Yes, I know," she smiled, no, beamed. "I thought I was sterile. I knew I was. They all told me so. But I am not!"
"Are you sure?" Murdoch asked, wishing to kick himself as soon as he had said it. She looked taken aback.
"Well, yes, I am," she said back, "and two and a half months along, the doctor said. Oh, William, is that not splendid news? I am to be a mother!" She swiftly wiped her hands on her apron and Murdoch embraced her with a hug.
"What shall you name it?" Murdoch asked in a weak voice, barely managing to conceal his shock.
"Well, let me see," she said, an eye on the ceiling as one does when pondering, "It will be Luisa if it is a girl, and William if it is a boy."
"William?" Murdoch replied, eyebrows knitting in confusion.
"Yes, well of course it will be William Darcy. William is Darcy's father's name, and it is tradition in his family that the name of the grandfather precede that of the father." She gave a little shrug, "wouldn't want to go around ruining traditions, I suppose."
"No, we wouldn't," Murdoch replied.
"You do not seem happy to hear it?" it was her turn to look confused. Murdoch faked a smile and patted her shoulder.
"Of course I am happy," he said, "how could I not be? You are my friend and are going to have a baby." She looked relieved and smiled.
"I knew you would be. Ruby told me that you might take the news hard. I told him, of course not, and that you were my friend, and that as my friend you loved me enough to be happy for us."
Happy for us, plural.
"—but Ruby and you are the only people who know, so you must give me your word that you will tell no one. I am planning to tell Darcy when we go away to visit his family in Buffalo. He has this lovely cottage there where his parents live with their help."
"His family can afford help?" Murdoch asked.
"Why yes," Julia nodded, "he comes from wealth, William. You know that. It is good too. Our child should have a happy upbringing with such a thing. Not to mention that Darcy's parents are such dolls. They will be ever so happy hear the news."
"I am sure they will be," Murdoch mumbled.
"So you'll be quiet, even to George?"
"Of course," Murdoch said, "not a word."
AN: so thoughts? A twist at last! R&R
