Chapter 10

A couple of weeks later...

"So you're telling me that you're pregnant with triplets?" Zoe's sister, Lucy questioned her. It was a chilly Friday afternoon, which Zoe happened to have off, so she had met up with her little sister for lunch at a little cafe in Holby.

"Yep, I'm about 9 weeks. They're due on the 30th of July." Zoe responded.

Lucy, the baby of the family, was shy with those she didn't know but bubbly and confident with those she knew well. She was taller than Zoe, something which Zoe always brought up in squabbles.

The younger of the Hanna sisters was an accountant, and happily single. When they were younger, Zoe had been the one out partying- Lucy was shy with new people and preferred to stay at home.

"What did Mia say?" Lucy asked.

"She was a little surprised, but she's happy about it now. She always tells the babies to "be good for mummy" whenever she goes to nursery." Zoe smiled.

"Aww bless her! Have you told mother dearest yet?"

"No. She'll want to tell everyone." The elder female referred to the rest of her relatives-Michelle's sisters and Zoe and Lucy's cousins. "Not many people know yet. It's safe."

"Okay, but you do realise that you're starting to show?" Lucy gestured to Zoe's small bump. "Mum's going to pick up on it."

"Listen, I met up with her last week and kept my coat on the whole time. I told her that her house was cold."

"Zoe!"

"What? It's November, she bought it." Her sister replied, taking a sip of her cuppa. "Max and I are waiting to tell everyone until I'm 12 weeks along. Then things are less likely to go wrong."

"Okay, well you're the doctor." Lucy replied, downing the rest of her hot chocolate.

"Exactly. Right, where to now? Shops?" Zoe asked, standing up. "I need some new flats."

"You, flats?!" Her sister scoffed, standing up also.

"I can't exactly wear heels further down the line when I'm six months pregnant, can I?" The other woman said, making her way to the till to pay for their drinks.

"...Maybe not."

"Exactly."

A while later...

"Mia! Where are you?" Zoe called as she and Lucy made their way into the house. It was late afternoon, Zoe had invited her sister back to her and Max's for tea.

"Amelia! Where's my favourite niece?" Lucy called.

"Er, what about your favourite brother in law?" Max questioned, making his way into the hall, a sleeping Amelia in his arms.

"You're the only one I've got." Lucy chuckled.

"Yeah, and Mia is your only niece, at the moment." Zoe pointed out.

Max laid Mia in his wife's arms. "She's wiped out after nursery." He said, giving Zoe a kiss. He then turned to Lucy. "Lucy!" he beamed. "How are you?"

The three adults moved into the living room, Mia still asleep in her mother's arms.

Zoe and Max sat down on the sofa, Lucy sat down on the chair opposite the couple. Zoe laid her head on her husband's shoulder-she was exhausted from shopping, it had tired her out.

Mia stirred in her mother's arms and blinked. "Mummy?"

"Hello." Zoe smiled down at her daughter. "Guess who's here?"

"Hi, Amelia." Lucy said.

"Auntie Lucy!" Amelia grinned, wriggling off of Zoe's lap and clambering onto Lucy's.

"Hello sweetie, how was nursery?" The elder asked.

Amelia chattered to her auntie about her day, Zoe snuggled into Max.

"Hey." The porter said to his wife. "Are you okay?"

She closed her eyes. "I'm tired. Shopping wiped me out. Pregnancy is more tiring than I thought."

"Carrying three lives around as well as your own is no easy feat. You're doing amazingly." He complimented her.

"Thank you." Zoe smiled.

"Max, did I tell you that Zoe walked into a shoe shop and bought flats?" Said Lucy, interrupting the couple's tender moment.

"Wow, what's got into you?" Max chuckled.

Zoe shrugged. "Well, when I'm further along, I can't be wearing skyscraper heels when I'm six months pregnant can I?"

"True." Lucy agreed.

"Can you read me a story, Auntie Lucy?" Mia asked.

"After tea, when you go to bed." Max decided. "How about Shepherd's Pie for tea?"

"Yes please!" Mia grinned-it was one of her favourite meals.

"Lucy, Zoe? Does that sound okay?"

"Yes please." Smiled Lucy.

"As long as we don't have too long to wait-I'm starving!" Zoe said.

"I'll make you a peanut butter sandwich in the meantime." Her husband smiled.

"Can I have one too?" Mia asked.

"Count me in!" Lucy added.

"All right, all right! You Hannas are quite bossy!" The porter laughed.

"You know it." Smiled Zoe.

"I suppose that I love you... Underneath."

"Hmm, and don't you forget it!" His wife chuckled.