A/N: Yes, yes, yes, I'm a big meanie for making you wait! Well aren't you glad this chapter's up then? This is just a continuation from last chapter—how Mark reacts to the big news and how Adelaide reacts to the big news. I'll be using a couple of chapters to tell the whole pregnancy tale to you guys, so you get a nice slice of family life while Maddy's expecting. Leave a review, too! Thank you!
"Mark…I'm pregnant!" Maddy couldn't control the grin on her face. Mark stood there, a smile spreading across his face—a mix of delight and shock—and he glanced at Dr. Shannon, who nodded.
He threw his arms around Maddy, rocking her back and forth and spinning her around in the triage waiting room. "This is great!" he told her.
She smiled up at him. "I know," she let out a sigh. They had been planning to have at least one more child and they had been trying to conceive for the past few months. She was so happy at the news.
"Alright you two, go make plans for the baby or something," Dr. Shannon shooed them out good-naturedly. "I've got patients to look after!"
Maddy glanced at Mark as he drove the rover back toward their house. "Adelaide's going to have a little brother or sister," she enthused.
"Hopefully she'll get a brother," Mark grinned.
"A sister would be just fine for her too!"
They came into the house to find Zoe, sitting on the floor, purple crayon in hand as she helped Adelaide color a picture. She stood up as they approached.
"So, what's going on, Maddy?" Zoe asked her sister.
Maddy beckoned for her sister to come closer, then whispered something excitedly into her ear. Zoe's eyes popped open. "Really?"
Maddy nodded, putting a finger to her lips and pointing at Adelaide. Zoe nodded.
"Thanks for watching Adelaide for us," Maddy thanked her sister, speaking loudly to get Adelaide's attention. The four-year old looked up.
"Bye, Aunt Zoe!" she hugged her aunt.
"Alright, Adelaide, be good for your parents, huh?" she cast a knowing look at Mark and Maddy.
"I will," the girl promised. With a hug to her sister and brother-in-law, Zoe departed.
The couple sat down on the couch as Adelaide resumed her coloring. "Should we tell her now?" Maddy asked, exaggeratedly.
"I don't know…" Mark replied in the same, overly-dramatic tone.
"Tell me what?" Adelaide asked, taking the bait.
"Hmm, I'm not sure we should tell you," Maddy teased her daughter.
"Mommy! Tell me!"
"Should we, Mark?"
"I think we should put her out of her misery already," he grinned.
"Alright. Adelaide, sit down sweetie." The girl flopped to the floor, crossing her legs like she did in school, and waited eagerly.
"Well, Daddy took me to the doctor's today, you know that right?" Adelaide nodded. "And Grandma had a look at me and told me something very exciting."
Adelaide looked at her mother with wide-eyed curiosity. "What?"
"Well it seems that Daddy and I are going to have another baby!" she told her excitedly. "Do you know what that means?"
"What?" the girl asked again, a mixture of excitement and fascination showing clearly in her eyes.
"That means you're going to be a big sister!"
Adelaide leapt from the spot she was sitting in, unable to contain herself any longer. "I'm going to be a big sister!" she announced to everything in the room. Her parents smiled warmly. "Wait," Adelaide said, a thought suddenly occurring to her. "Am I going to have a baby sister or a baby brother?"
"We don't know yet, it's still too early to tell," Maddy told her.
"Well I hope it's a girl," Adelaide declared.
"Why not a boy?" Mark interjected.
"Because if I have a sister then I can play tea party and dollies with her. I can't do that with a baby brother."
"But there's tons of stuff you could do with a baby brother, too," he pointed out.
"But I want a sister! You're going to have a girl, right Mommy?"
Maddy chuckled. "I don't get to decide, sweetheart."
"Okay," Adelaide relented. "But I still hope I get a baby sister…"
A/N: Let's stop here, okay? I wonder if Adelaide is going to get her baby sister…I'm going to keep this momentum going by updating this story regularly—almost like updates on the mother and baby's condition in real life (only a lot faster since I don't want to make you wait nine months!). And don't worry—they'll be finding out what gender the baby is eventually. Be patient—it takes time (like a real baby!) So weigh in by clicking the review button below—anyone want to speculate on the gender? Thanks for reading and, like I said, please deposit a review in the designated review receptacle before exiting the story. Thank you!
