Chapter Eight

Friday, February 17, 2012

"I'm so glad you changed your mind about wanting to know," Nicole chirped from beneath EJ's arm in the back seat of their car which was enroute to the doctor's office where today they would most likely learn the sex of the twins. "I don't think I could wait another four months to see if I win my bet."

"All I will say is, be prepared to pay up, Mrs. DiMera because I am telling you, there are two little girls in there," he said as he patted her stomach with the hand that had already been resting there since their departure.

"Oh yeah? Well, even your father agrees with me that there are two little boys in here."

"Father thinks every child to be born into this family is going to be a boy. Believe me, it's more wishful thinking than it is prediction." If they're even yours, Elvis. Although they weren't the exact departing words his father had spoken to him just a short time ago, he heard them ringing through his brain in Stefano's very own voice.

"Mary insists it'll be one of each. Maybe we should let her in on the bet. We could always send her off on a nice paid vacation, IF she's right. She was telling me just the other day how she'd love to go on a cruise someday."

"Sweetheart, you never did tell me where you were last night."

There was a long, uncomfortable silence as EJ awaited his answer and Nicole struggled with how to best react to the question so awkwardly injected into another totally unrelated conversation. It was apparent he knew something and it was even more obvious how he'd found out whatever it was he knew. Although she hadn't heard anything revealing in his conversation with Stefano, she could tell whatever he'd said to him had managed to get under EJ's skin. She didn't know until now that it had something to do with her and, more specifically, information on her whereabouts the during the early evening hours of the night before.

She had to take a deep breath in effort to control the anger building up inside, directed at none other than her favorite father-in-law. She was sure EJ now knew most of the superficial details. She'd been caught escaping on a secret dinner date with a very attractive man. Such a revelation would put even the strongest unions to the test. Of course the truth would explain everything and put any suspicions to rest but there was just one problem. She couldn't tell him the truth. Not yet. It would ruin everything. That created another problem. She'd made a vow to never lie to him again. There was only one way she knew of to handle this.

"I can't tell you," she finally spoke after wiggling out from beneath his arm, not because she was angry with him and needed to break contact, but because she needed to say this looking him in the eye. "Not now, at least. Look, I realize there are probably some details you 've been told. I'm asking you to please just make good on your word and trust me when I tell you that I have not been unfaithful to you."

Once again, they were both speechless but engaged in such an intense staring match that anyone observing would know that the silent conversation they were holding at that moment was far more profound than anything words could say. His eyes darted back and forth as they peered back into hers, as if they were merely the portholes offering the only view into her soul.

EJ was ready to give her his answer but, first, there was just one thing he needed to know. "Sweetheart, please...if you're in some sort of danger-"

"It's nothing like that, I promise. No one is trying to hurt us, or blackmail us and I promise you that very soon you will know what all of this was about. Honey, please...this is such a special day for the both of us, don't-"

He silenced her pleas by taking her lips captive with his own, forbidding them to speak another word of wonder concerning the status of their relationship. He silently cursed himself for allowing his father to plant any seeds of doubt which only caused him to kiss her even more passionately, hoping his kiss alone would convey how much he loved her. Their lips began to drift apart only when they felt the car thrown into park, signaling that they'd arrived at their destination. Her head could only sink back so far as his hand remained tangled up in a web of her hair, which caused them both to chuckle.

She considered offering her final thoughts on their previous conversation but with one glance into his eyes, she saw it was not necessary. Whatever trace amount of doubt that may have once been there was long gone and the only unanswered question on both of their minds right now was were they going to be the proud parents of two little girls, two little boys, or one of each?

They walked into the office, arm in arm, with huge grins on their faces reminiscent of two teenagers coming home high off of that first date blissfulness when all seems right with the world and true loves and happily-ever-afters all seem possible. They were completely unaware of all the nasty stares they received from the other expectant parents, impatiently waiting their turn to be seen when the entire office staff was immediately alerted to their arrival and rushed them to the head of the line, leading them back to the exam room as soon as they were able to hang up their coats. For once, the doctor was waiting for them in the exam room. Nicole had to admit she enjoyed all the perks that came with bearing the DiMera name, most of all the man who had given it to her.

"Nicole, EJ," Dr. Kasner said with almost as much excitement as they both were feeling as they stepped into the room. "I bet you two could hardly sleep last night. Are you ready to watch some baby tv?"

"We're ready," Nicole answered anxiously for the both of them as she hopped up on the exam table and drew her blouse up to expose her bulging belly before even being instructed to do so.

"I can see that," the doctor chuckled in response to Nicole's actions. "I can also see that you've grown quite a bit since the last time I saw you, which is a beautiful thing. That means your little ones are growing nice and healthy as well."

EJ was beaming. It was wonderful news to hear since their first child had been lost so tragically. Although he hadn't said as much earlier in effort to not put a damper on their visit today, he regretted very much not agreeing to finding out the sex of their baby the first time around. If he had known he was going to be the father to a little girl, there was so much more he could have said to her while he still had the chance. Really, he had been quite selfish and idiotic about the whole thing but of course then he was still just a selfish, idiotic person, period. He hadn't realized until Nicole was gone what he had lost, or realized that her happiness, if he could do it all over again, was pantamount to his own.

"So Nicole thinks it's two boys. what is your prediction, EJ?"

The doctor's words snapped him back into focus. He smiled and, despite all the sex-guessing games he enjoyed engaging in with Nicole, and everyone else for that matter, he spoke his true feelings on the subject. "My prediction is that as long as they are both healthy, I am going to be the proudest father there is regardless."

"Ah, don't let him fool you," Nicole chimed in playfully. "He insists they're both girls and, if he's right, he doesn't have to change a diaper for their entire diaper-wearing years."

EJ snapped back in his defense although one could easily tell they were both full of empty threats concerning the upbringing of their children. "Alright, sweetheart, why don't you tell Dr. Kasner what you're going to force me to do if you're right, hmmm?"

Nicole laughed hysterically as the vision of her proposed sentence played out like a sitcom in her mind. "I told him I'm going to make him feed our children in public using a fake, strap-on pair of breasts. You know, like the one Robert DeNiro made in 'Meet the Fockers?'

EJ shook his head in mock disgust as the Doc and Nicole had a good laugh over it all. Secretly, he was loving every minute of watching her laugh so hard it brought tears to her eyes.

"OK, so obviously, there's a lot at stake here," the doctor said, still chuckling intermittently as she squeezed a mound of ultrasound gel on top of Nicole's stomach. "I guess the burning question is what do you do if you're having one of each?"

"Well, we'd both be wrong-" Nicole's sentence was momentarily interrupted by the doctor leaning over to flick on the screen of the monitor as she began to glide the wand across her stomach. "So I suppose then it's a draw."

When the doctor finally moved away from the monitor, nothing else seemed to matter to either EJ or Nicole as their eyes became fixted and the outlines of the two little babies shown on the screen. He leaned in as close to Nicole's face as he could get to share her perspective. Their eyes were focused on one thing and one thing only at first, and that was ensuring that there were two little hearts beating. Once he knew both of his babies were thriving, he stole a glance at Nicole. He wanted to be sure to remember how happy she looked this day.

"Well, everything is looking wonderful," Dr. Kasner said cheerily. "They're right where they should be size-wise and their heartbeats are strong and steady so, who wants to know who's at least half right?"

Nicole gasped. "Are you saying we're having one of each?"

"Well, not exactly," Dr. Kasner said as she studied the screen intently as she continued to maneuver the wand over every square inch of Nicole's protruding stomach.

"Is anything wrong," EJ interjected with growing concern.

"No, no, not at all," the doctor immediately replied with utmost confidence to quickly cast their concerns aside. "It's just that no matter which angle I take, I can't seem to get a good enough look at this little one here. He or she has their back turned to us."

"Oh," Nicole replied with a chuckle. "But you can see the other one?"

"Yes, I can see HIM perfectly."

"It's a boy?" EJ was sure everyone in the lobby heard him just now.

"It's a boy," Nicole confirmed for him with equal excitement in her voice. "Look honey," she said tapping her finger on the precise area of interest on the screen. "Say hello to your son."

"That's my son! Our son!"

"And, I'm afraid that's all I can tell you today. This little one wants to keep the two of you in suspense."

"Awww," Nicole pouted with minimal disappointment. They may have only learned the sex of one of them but she had to agree with her husband on this one. As long as they both were healthy, nothing else mattered.

They collected their screenshots and made their way home, anxious to share the news with at least a select few family members and friends. Stefano was not among them although EJ had initially planned to share the news with him. That was before he learned he was having a son.

Not that learning he was having a daughter would have been any different. It was just that learning the sex made everything so much more real and finally, the huge responsibility of being a father began to weigh heavily on his shoulders. Not in a negative fashion that makes one want to run for the hills, quite the opposite actually. From this day forward he would devote every minute of his life ensuring that his children would have a father worthy of their affection by being a father who put them and their mother before everything or anyone else. There would be zero toleration of anyone speaking ill of Nicole and, instead of having to learn about love the hard way like he did because of his rearing, he would raise his son right, teaching him the proper way to treat the woman you love by setting the example himself and always having Nicole's back. By never failing to tell her how much he loves her or, how beautiful she looks, every day, even when she's curled up on the couch with the sniffles, wearing no makeup. He would never allow Stefano to instill a grain of doubt in their minds concerning their mother's love for them as he had tried to do with him in the past, most recently only a few hours ago and then, as he would soon find out, with another phone call just five minutes later. He would never allow his children to fall for his fathers tricks as he did again, and again. And soon, again.