Summary: Lizzie and William tell their closest family and friends the good news.
Notes: I'm sorry this took so long. June became busy for both me and Sarah and I was dealing with a bit of writer's block as well. The wait is no more! Happy 4th of July to my American readers!
Thursday, May 3rd (12 weeks, 6 days)
"This book is ridiculous." Lizzie tossed the pregnancy book onto the coffee table. After taking a long walk to and from dinner, she and William were spending the rest of their evening going through the pregnancy books they purchased. She was starting to realize the books they had bought were all less than helpful.
William sat on the opposite end of the couch, squeezing Lizzie's feet and half reading his own book. He glanced to the table to see which one it was before looking back to her.
"This one isn't much better," William said, lifting his book.
"Ugh. It's essentially telling me I should be nervous about everything," Lizzie scoffed. "And the author says 'down there.'" Lizzie pointed to her lap. "Multiple times. Is she eight? Why are you writing a book about pregnancy if you can't even use the proper terms?"
William cringed. "The expectant father section in that book and this one are rather condescending. There is an actual section here advising me to not tell you that you may or may not look fat at any point in the pregnancy."
"You're lying!"
"I'm not." William flipped to the page and handed it to her, pointing out the paragraph. Lizzie couldn't help but laugh when she read it.
"You better not tell me I'm fat then."
William stared at her like she was crazy. "Elizabeth Darcy, what do you take me for?"
Before she could answer, he tugged on her leg and pulled her down the couch a fraction. She took the hint, tossed the book aside and moved over to him, climbing into his lap.
"One, I'm not an idiot. Despite what these books are trying to imply," William started, brushing his hands up to her thighs. "Two, I don't know what part of you thinks you might be. You're not even showing yet."
"But when I do…"
"Then you'll start looking pregnant." William moved a hand up to her waist and his fingertips brushed across a sliver of exposed skin. "And there will be a little more of you for me to love."
Lizzie smiled then leaned in and kissed him softly. William brought a hand up and pressed it to the back of her neck, taking control and teasing her bottom lip. He slid his other hand to her back and pulled her closer into his lap and he heard a soft noise come from the back of her throat. They finally broke apart and he brushed his thumb along her cheek as he gave her a warm look.
"We should ask for good pregnancy books at our next doctor appointment," Lizzie said.
"We can. There's also Jane and Bing once we tell them the good news."
Lizzie beamed at the thought. "As much as I love that we're the only two that know right now, I'm really looking forward to finally telling people."
"I am too."
"Do you like the plans?"
"I do. This way, none of our friends will give us a hard time about being the first to know," William said. "Are you sure Fran won't be suspicious of anything?"
"I sure hope not. I'll call my dad once I get to the post office so he can intercept the package, just in case."
"Good thinking."
"Want to make a bet on if Gigi will cry?" Lizzie teased and he chuckled.
"Lizzie, that's a sucker's bet. We both know she will."
"Still, it's going to be an interesting night."
"Yes, it will be." William glanced at the clock to see that it was nearly ten, well past Lizzie's usual bed time. "Do you want to go to bed? It's late for you. These books are giving us nothing and we've got your ultrasound appointment in the morning,"
"I'm…actually not that tired."
"Really?"
"Really," Lizzie assured. "I haven't felt as tired the last couple of days, which I've been looking forward to for the last…six weeks."
"I'm glad you're starting to feel better."
Lizzie rested her arms on his shoulders and began to play with the hair at the nape of his neck. "So I think I'll feel even better just as I'm hitting my second trimester, which is apparently the best trimester. At least from what I've read online."
"You still have a long day tomorrow. Are you sure you don't want to go to bed?"
"Maybe if you tuck me in," Lizzie waggled her eyebrows. She watched him closely as he contemplated his reply. There was desire apparent in his eyes and his grip on her waist got a little tighter. She was caught off guard when he slid her off his lap but acted quickly to stand in front of him between his legs.
"I'm giving you a head start."
Lizzie lit up with delight and grinned before turning to go. He lightly smacked her butt and she gasped out of shock before laughing as she scurried out of his grasp. She looked over her shoulder just before she was turning the corner and saw him standing up from the couch with a playful expression all over his face, ready to go after her. That playful expression which guaranteed her a great night of passion and pleasure.
She couldn't wait.
Friday, May 4th (13 weeks)
Lizzie had scheduled her NT scan for the middle of the day. She told Katie she'd be gone for a couple hours with excuses of lunch and running errands. She didn't know why she felt the need to make up a lie but she wasn't quite ready for anybody to know. Things would change after next week though.
She sat in the waiting room after checking in, waiting for William to arrive. He was planning to meet her there but had been stuck in a meeting that ran longer than he intended. She was called in to take her blood pressure and weight and was nervous he wasn't going to make it. As she was sent back to the waiting room, she saw him at the desk and she felt relief flood through her body. He thanked the woman at the desk and joined Lizzie, giving her a kiss hello.
"I'm sorry I'm late," William apologized.
"It's okay. They were just taking my vitals. The room should be ready in a minute," Lizzie said, guiding them to some empty chairs.
"I was really worried I was going to miss it. I couldn't get the meeting to end quickly enough. I'm sure Fitz is a little suspicious."
"Oh well. If he asks, I'm sure you'll think of a great excuse," Lizzie said.
"You said they took your vitals?"
"Yep. Blood pressure is great and I've gained another half a pound." Lizzie looked down at herself. "I don't know where that half a pound is though."
"This is what the book was talking about. It's a test? It must be." William cleared his throat before lowering it half an octave. "You're not fat, love. I swear."
Lizzie laughed and shoved him in his seat, earning a couple of strange looks from others in the waiting room.
"That's not what I meant. It's probably some of the water I drank for this."
William teased her for a little longer before Lizzie's name was called and they were taken to a room. She sat on the edge of the examining table and he took the chair closest to her as they waited for their technician. It wasn't more than a minute before a plump older woman with curly black hair walked in, introducing herself as Polly. Lizzie and William talked to her for a few minutes, asking for permission for the session to be recorded on DVD. Once she popped the disc into the computer, she moved the examining table before Lizzie laid back and adjusted her clothing to prepare for the ultrasound.
"How long does this normally take?" Lizzie asked.
"About thirty to forty minutes, depending on how your baby is cooperating," Polly informed, grabbing a tube of gel from the warming station.
"I hope the baby is cooperating then," William chuckled, getting a little smile from Lizzie. He took her hand as Polly squirted gel onto her stomach.
"Woah, that's warm," Lizzie gasped in surprise. "I was expecting it to be cold like last time."
"I always warm my gel. It's more comfortable for the patient," Polly said, grabbing the ultrasound probe.
"I certainly appreciate it."
Polly pressed the probe to Lizzie's stomach and moved it around, setting up the monitor and clicking away at her keyboard. After a few moments, they caught a glimpse of their baby on the monitor and Lizzie squeezed William's hand. With a touch of a few buttons, the screen zoomed in and everything became larger.
"There we are," Polly said, mostly to herself. She immediately began taking measurements of the baby as she moved the probe a fraction.
"That's amazing," William said softly.
"Baby actually looks like a baby," Lizzie added, bringing her free hand to her mouth.
"When was your last ultrasound?"
"I was only six weeks, so it was more of a blob."
"There's a lot of development between then and now, as you can see," Polly said and she began to point to the screen and move the probe slightly. "Baby is in a good position right now. There's the head and you can see the nose."
William leaned forward a little. "And the lips."
"Oh, you can! This is so cool."
"Yes," Polly nodded. "Also, the eyes are moving into position. You're getting a nice profile right now." She went quiet as she took a number of measurements of the head and neck and Lizzie and William looked on. Lizzie couldn't get over how incredible it was to see their baby on that monitor. It was hard to fathom that what was on that screen was happening inside her. Even after their appointments over the last month and a half, she was falling in love all over again and her heart was bursting with love for this tiny baby. She could only imagine that William felt the same way, especially with that wonderful awestruck expression he was wearing. It was getting harder for her to hold back tears.
"You can see one arm," William breathed. Polly held the probe still and all three of them watched as one arm moved across the screen.
"It's like they're waving at us, saying hello," Lizzie said thickly, looking at her husband. He caught her gaze and gave the sweetest smile before kissing her temple. "Look at those tiny fingers."
"One, two," William counted to himself for a moment. "I see all five."
"Thank goodness for that," Lizzie chuckled. Polly moved the probe around a little more to show them the bottom of the feet, where William happily counted the toes. She managed to get a great full view of the baby and, as she continued measurements, she printed out a few pictures for them before continuing. Lizzie and William talked quietly to each other, watching the screen and makes guesses at what they saw on the screen. Polly measured the heartbeat and she turned up the sound so they could hear it loud and clear. Even though they had been listening to the heartbeat at home since William bought their personal Doppler, Lizzie thought she would never get tired of listening to that beautiful rhythm.
Polly kept on with the appointment, getting everything done that she needed to do. She wasn't very talkative for much of it, but Lizzie and William created their own happy commentary. Near the end of the ultrasound, the baby began to bounce in a quick rhythm.
"Looks like the baby has hiccups," Polly said.
"This early?"
"The lungs are starting to develop. Babies can get hiccups pretty often in the womb. It's normal," Polly replied. "You won't be able to feel them until later."
"That's remarkable," William said, staring at the monitor and watching as their baby kept hiccuping and bouncing up and down. "Is it possible to tell the sex at this point?"
"My equipment isn't sensitive enough to get a proper reading," Polly answered. "You should be able to find out at your twenty-week ultrasound."
Polly wrapped the appointment up and printed out a few more pictures for them before giving them their recorded DVD. She reminded them that they wouldn't be finding out the results until their doctor's appointment, which was in two weeks. She dismissed herself and Lizzie hurried into the small bathroom to empty her full bladder.
William waited patiently for Lizzie, holding onto the sonogram pictures until she came out. He looked down at them and sighed, breaking out into a smile. The baby had developed so much in such a short amount of time and his love increased tenfold from every glimpse that he saw and every heartbeat he heard. It was nothing short of magical to him.
"Ready?"
William looked up and his smile grew at the sight of his wife before him.
"I am."
"Lizzie?" William called out as he walked into the bedroom. They had finished dinner a little while ago and he offered to put everything away while Lizzie went to get changed. He had cleaned up, put away the dishes, and set up a movie but Lizzie still hadn't returned and he was starting to get a little worried. When he walked into their bedroom, he noticed the light was on in the bathroom and hoped he wouldn't find her hunched over the toilet.
"Lizzie? Everything okay?" William asked, glancing into the bathroom. He found her standing sideways in front of the mirror with her shirt bunched up to her ribcage. She turned her head at the sound of her name being called and her cheeks reddened when she saw him. He leaned against the doorframe and crossed his arms across his chest. "What are you doing?"
"I was changing and I got a notification from the baby app," Lizzie said, pointing to her phone on the counter. "It was telling me how big the baby is now that I'm thirteen weeks. Even after the ultrasound and seeing the baby today, it's so much to process. He or she is the size of a lemon and they're forming teeth already."
"And they already have fingerprints."
One corner of her mouth lifted. "You read it too."
"I did," William nodded. He sauntered over to her and brought his hands to her hips, bending down and kissing her shoulder. Lizzie brought a hand up and rested it on her stomach.
"So much is happening. Our baby is growing in here. Our baby can move," Lizzie said softly. "I'm just, you know, trying to see any changes in the mirror."
William studied their reflection in the mirror for a few moments and he covered her hand with his.
"Have you noticed anything?" William placed another kiss to her skin.
"Nada," Lizzie shook her head and pulled down her shirt. "I feel pregnant though. Isn't that what's most important?" William gave her an encouraging smile. "It feels very real."
"How so?"
"Seeing the baby at our first ultrasound? That was real. That was physical proof. Hearing the heartbeat? Real. Every single time we listen," Lizzie's voice was shaky. She noticed she was doing it more and more lately but continued. "And the ultrasound today? When the baby had hiccups and waved their arm around?"
"Real," William finished.
They stood there for a while before William slid his arms around her waist and she leaned into him. Lizzie decided to lighten the contemplative mood they found themselves in.
"That's a good-looking couple," Lizzie said playfully, referring to their reflections. William's lips twitched up and hummed in agreement. "What do you think they're thinking?"
"Probably that they're going to be some good-looking parents."
"Obviously," Lizzie laughed, turning around. She raised her arms and put them on his shoulders. "Are they happy?"
William kissed her forehead. "Very."
Saturday, May 12th (14 weeks, 1 day)
Gigi's initial date to move into her apartment was delayed by paperwork so she wasn't able to move into her place until after the first weekend of May. Despite getting help from family and friends, she wasn't ready for guests. Lizzie and William were more than happy to host and take the opportunity to tell everyone their news. Lizzie was especially happy because Lydia finally had a Saturday off and was coming for dinner so they'd be able to tell one of her sisters the news in person. They wouldn't be telling Jane and Bing or her parents until the next day.
"When are they coming again?" Lizzie asked while they were making dinner.
"Within the hour," William said, glancing to her. He could tell she was antsy because it was the third time she asked in five minutes. He put the knife down and, resting his hands on her shoulders, turned her to face him. "Take a breath, love."
"I'm nervous," Lizzie admitted, clasping her hands together to stop from fidgeting.
"I can tell," William said. "Were you like this before you told me?"
"Worse. Maybe I was better at hiding it?"
"Or I was too tired to notice."
"Probably. I felt like I was going to throw up before you opened that fortune," Lizzie said. William gently squeezed her shoulders and looked at her reassuringly.
"We're telling family and our closest friends. You know they're going to be thrilled for us. I can almost certainly guarantee tears."
Lizzie laughed. "Gigi."
"Probably some screaming too."
"Also Gigi."
"My sister is predictable, to say the least."
"You know the kind of nervous you felt when you were a kid? Like when it was Christmas Eve and you couldn't sleep? Or on your birthday and you were anxious what your presents were?"
"That's a good type of nervous."
"It is," Lizzie said. "And I'm also thinking about how our bubble is about to disappear."
"I don't think it's going to disappear. We're letting more people into it. We still have more milestones to experience, remember?"
"Thank you for being the logical one right now."
"Any time." William squeezed her hand.
Lizzie and William had agreed they were going to wait until after dinner and dessert to make their announcement so when dinner plates were starting to be cleared away, her nervous excitement returned. As a few of the guys cleared the table, Lizzie led the rest of the group to the living room and Lydia hurried to sit next to Lizzie after she put the brownies and cookies on the coffee table.
"What's up, sis?" Lizzie asked when she sat down. She could tell her sister was in a good mood. Lydia had arrived practically bouncing with dessert in hand but wasn't telling anyone why. There was a sparkle in her eyes and she was even more vibrant than usual.
"I wanna tell you something but I don't want you to tease me," Lydia replied.
Lizzie sat up straighter. She had an idea but she wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to give her sister a hard time about it.
"Really? You tease me and William all the time. Besides, it's practically what siblings do best!"
"Keep it to a minimum, at least?"
"I'll try my best."
"Okay so…I may have a date soon."
Lizzie slapped her hand down on Lydia's thigh out of excitement. "With Adam?"
Lydia broke out into a grin. "Yea."
"Wait," Gigi scooted closer to Lydia. "Is this the Adam from Lizzie's Romeo and Juliet? The one who's in that Poe musical at your theater?"
Lizzie and Lydia turned to her and Lydia nodded.
"He's a cutie, Lyds! What took him so long?" Gigi asked.
"Actually, it was me who took so long. He's asked a couple times. We've gone out together for group things but I've turned down the solo ones," Lydia said. "I've only been in this new position for a few months and I don't want to mess anything up, you know?"
"Good girl," Lizzie said proudly.
"Anyway, Nevermore is finishing up in June—"
"No, that sucks!" Lizzie interrupted. "It's so entertaining."
"It's a good thing, actually. It's going on tour! Adam has another theater job lined up here that's more long term, so he's not going," Lydia said. "Plus, the summer series is starting so you might finally have a chance to see Hamilton. No guarantees though since it's still crazy popular. I can definitely get you in for The King and I and The Lion King."
"Deal. William would love to see those."
"So because he won't be working at the theater anymore, I gave him a tentative yes," Lydia said. "Once Nevermore is over, we'll go out. I totes remain professional that way!"
"Why are we needing to remain professional?" Charlotte asked, reaching for a brownie. Lizzie glanced back and saw that the dining room table had been cleared. William walked up behind her and gave her shoulders a squeeze. She glanced up and smiled at him before getting up and giving her seat to Charlotte.
"Lydia has a date," Gigi answered for her.
"Ooh, is it with that brooding theater hottie?" Fitz asked and Lydia blushed. Lizzie joined William's side, taking a back seat as Lydia told the story all over again to the ones who had just joined. Lizzie left the room to get herself something to drink and William followed. Brandon was putting the last dish away and she thanked him before he went to join the others.
"How are you doing?" William asked quietly, watching her as she filled her glass with ice and water.
"Fine. Thirsty," Lizzie joked, taking a sip. William glanced over to the living room at the sound of Gigi's laugh.
"I'm thinking it's a good time now."
"Yea, it is," Lizzie agreed.
"Okay," William said, leaning forward and kissing her temple. "I'll be right back."
Lizzie walked back into the living room as William quietly slipped out of the room to his office.
"Hey, Lizzie," Fitz called to get her attention. "Saw your Scholastic announcement! Exciting stuff. I haven't read a YA book in forever but I think I'm gonna have to now."
"You're missing out, Fitz!" Gigi said. "The Sullivan Sisters is so juicy. I'm interested to see what you'll do with it, Lizzie."
"You could read it before and spoil yourself or read it after and imagine it with my cast."
"Is it going to be a faithful adaptation or are you going to twist it around?" Charlotte asked.
Lizzie raised her brow. "How do you think I'm going to answer that?"
"I'm going to guess it's faithful, babe," Sam piped up, putting an arm over her shoulder. "Considering Scholastic is using her skills to garner teen interest in these books."
"You married a smart man, Charlotte," Lizzie said.
"It helps he's got looks too," Charlotte grinned.
"How are you doing with the casting?" Brandon asked.
"It's…interesting. I'm trying to cast eighteen and above so I won't have to deal with filming restrictions, but I need to make sure that they look young enough and could realistically look like sisters," Lizzie said, noticing William walk back in out of the corner of her eye. Perfect timing. She could use this opportunity to set everything up and William was going to help her. "But, it has inspired me for another project."
"Really? Is it one that we get to know more about?" Charlotte asked.
"Actually, yes." Lizzie's heart began to race as she looked at her husband, spotting the DVD in hand. He gave her a tender look and it was the silent encouragement she needed. "So, the idea for this project was originally conceived around November but it's only been in development for about three months or so. It needs at least five or six months of gestation before it makes its debut."
She could hear a snort from William and she didn't dare look at him or she would break. She hadn't told him exactly what she was planning to say.
"I haven't told you guys about this project yet because it's pretty close to my heart. I've been putting a lot of myself into this," Lizzie continued. "And, really, it would be nothing if William hadn't provided his own input."
A slightly louder snort beside her before he masked it up with a cough, covering his mouth and trying to remain composed.
"So, there's not a lot to show you right now but I wanted you all to be the first to see what I've been working on. This mostly has some auditions, some clips, and a rough trailer for things to come." Lizzie said as William set up the DVD. Lizzie wasn't lying about what was on the disc. She had taken audition tapes and deleted clips from old projects and edited it with footage of their ultrasound, which was going to be the last thing they saw.
"Is this the project that's been tiring you out?" Fitz asked.
"Partially," Lizzie replied, trying not to break out into a smile. "I can put more of the blame on my bigger projects and the back-to-back business trips."
"It's ready," William announced, holding the remote in his hand as he came up to Lizzie's side again.
"Perfect. Okay, try and save your comments and critiques until afterwards."
Everybody nodded and William finally pressed play. The DVD was two minutes and forty seconds of fake-out footage but Lizzie couldn't even watch any of those seconds. She snaked her way into William's side and he put an arm around her waist, bringing his gaze from the TV to her. From this close proximity, she could feel William's rapid heartbeat that seemed nearly as quick as hers. She was surprised. He looked so calm on the outside yet he was evidently just as nervous as her. He smiled and subtly shrugged his shoulders to tell her that it was impossible not to get caught up in the anticipation.
She kept her ears open, listening for the cue in the video where it would switch to their ultrasound. There was the sound of two guys laughing and there was one minute left. A groan of frustration and there were thirty seconds left. The swell of people singing in the background and she closed her eyes, swallowing visibly and swearing her heart was back in her throat. Ten seconds left.
Then the distinct sound of their baby's heartbeat flowed through the speakers, simultaneously calming her nerves and telling her that the ultrasound was on display for all of them to see. Lizzie and William quickly looked to their friends and family to watch their reactions, but they all looked frozen in their place.
The silence stretched out for a few moments and then the room bursted with noise. Everybody leapt from their seats and started shouting at once.
"You're having a baby!"
"Lizzie, you're pregnant?!"
"Holy crap!"
Lizzie and William could only nod, completely overwhelmed by their reactions.
Gigi was squealing with excitement and jumping up and down in her place and her eyes were already glistening. Fitz and Brandon rushed towards William and Lizzie, Fitz grabbing him in a hug. William laughed in surprise as Fitz lifted him an inch off the ground.
"Darcy! I can't believe it!" Fitz shouted, clapping him hard on the back.
"Congratulations, Lizzie!" Brandon hugged Lizzie. "This is amazing."
Lizzie thanked him before she was swooped in for another hug by Fitz, Charlotte and then Sam. Lydia was surprisingly subdued but clearly happy as she tightly hugged her sister, congratulating her.
"YOU'RE HAVING A BABY!" Gigi screamed louder than before, staring at the ultrasound that was still playing on the screen. She said it a few more times before the tears began to stream down her cheeks and repeated it through her sobs. Lizzie and William exchanged slightly worried glances before he hurried over to his sister. He pulled her in for a hug and rubbed her back to calm her down until her tears slowed.
"Better?" William asked gently, daring a glance at his sister.
"You're having a baby," Gigi said hoarsely, waving her hand near her face as if it would help stop her tears.
William smiled brightly at her and he could feel the familiar sting in the corner of his eyes. "We are."
"I'm going to be an aunt?"
"You are." William nodded.
"I'm so happy you two are having a baby. I mean, finally! It took you two long enough."
William laughed gently, his smile spreading across his face.
"Mom and Dad would be elated for you. You know Mom would be sobbing right along with me," Gigi sniffed, squeezing his arms. "You're going to be the best father. I know from experience."
Gigi's words cracked his chest open wide and he blinked back the tears as gratitude seeped through his veins.
"Thank you, Georgiana," William murmured.
"I'm just telling you what I know. That baby is so lucky to have you as a dad."
They hugged each other again before he led her to Lizzie so she could congratulate her. Eventually, everybody calmed down enough and started asking for details.
"How many weeks?"
"Fourteen yesterday," Lizzie replied.
"You're so far along already!"
"We wanted to wait until I was in my second trimester, which I am now," Lizzie said, glancing to her husband next to her. "And we wanted to tell you all at once."
"Having any weird cravings yet, Lizzie D? Like pickles and herring?"
"Um, gross," Lizzie cringed and brushed her hand across her stomach. "Not much so far. I still have some time to go so you never know."
"So that project you just showed us?"
"Completely fake," Lizzie smiled. "You're all the first to know, so no blabbing to others." Lizzie looked to Lydia. "Mom and Dad don't even know."
"You better hope she's sitting down," Lydia joked. "We don't want another Jane and Bing situation."
"We're telling them all tomorrow."
"Mother's Day. That's fitting," Brandon said.
"When are you due?"
"November 9th."
"No way!" Fitz exclaimed, jumping back up. "I won! I actually won!"
"Told you they'd bet on us," William whispered in Lizzie's ear.
"What were the terms of the bet this time?" Lizzie asked.
"We picked years and then months," Brandon said before gesturing to Fitz. "And for once, Fitz was spot on."
"2018 and October/November," Fitz grinned, as if it needed to be stated. "Just had a feeling."
"I was way off," Sam added. They started telling William who bet what and Charlotte waved Lizzie over to her. Sam got up to talk to William and she took his seat, sandwiching herself between Charlotte and Lydia with Gigi sitting on the corner of the other couch.
"So," Charlotte nudged her. "I did the math."
Lizzie knew what was coming. "Of course you did."
"Hawaii, huh?"
"What about Hawaii?" Gigi asked.
"Sam and I have been married for approximately fourteen weeks."
Lydia snorted.
"Hawaii is a very romantic place, Char," Lizzie said defensively, not giving her the satisfaction. "We weren't just there for your wedding. William and I were celebrating our third anniversary."
Charlotte smirked and Lizzie elbowed her.
"This was no surprise," Lizzie said, bringing a hand to her stomach. "I mean, it was a surprise when we found out but we decided to start trying back in November."
"Since then?" Lydia said in surprise.
"Yea," Lizzie turned to her and smiled. "I found out I was pregnant pretty early on but we kept it between me and William for obvious reasons."
"Wait, you weren't on antibiotics!" Charlotte exclaimed.
"Nothing gets past you," Lizzie chuckled. "I was only six weeks pregnant and had only found out the week before."
"I'm so excited for you two," Gigi said, bouncing a little in her seat. "I can't wait to be an aunt."
"Yea. Your baby is going to have the coolest aunts around." Charlotte added.
"And uncles!" Fitz jumped in, making it apparent he was listening more to them than William.
"We're around to help you whenever you need it," Brandon offered. "Babysitting, anything."
"That's an offer we're going to take you up on."
They all talked for a while longer as their announcement had brought energy to the group and they were inundated with questions. It was a while before someone realized how late it was getting and their friends were slowly saying their goodbyes. Lizzie appreciated Gigi's enthusiasm over the news, especially when William gave her a picture of the ultrasound. She started crying again and Fitz and Brandon had her leave with them, with only Sam, Charlotte, and Lydia staying behind.
Lizzie had noticed that Lydia had been quiet for most of the evening, sitting back and listening rather than being her usual animated self. As Sam and Charlotte talked to William by the door, Lizzie took a seat next to Lydia to talk to her.
"Hey Little Miss Mouse," Lizzie teased and Lydia looked up from her phone, giving her a half-hearted smile. "Lydia, I know when something's wrong with you so spill."
Lydia's brows furrowed and she pressed her lips together, taking her time. Lizzie waited.
"Okay, so I'm really happy you and William are having a baby. It's pretty awesome," Lydia began. "Especially after watching your ultrasound and hearing the heartbeat."
"But?"
"But I feel like this means I'm going to see less of you," Lydia confessed.
Lizzie was taken aback. "Are you kidding me? That's not possible. You're going to be a big part of this baby's life."
Lizzie chuckled but Lizzie noticed it didn't reach her eyes. "That's what Jane said too."
Lizzie understood exactly how she felt now. It had been hard enough on them when Jane moved three thousand miles away. Bing and William had definitely helped, setting up charters so the sisters could see each other a little more often than the holidays. Then Jane had Scarlett and Charlie and those spontaneous weekend trips stopped. Jane was too afraid to travel with the babies during the first year, especially after Charlie had spent two weeks in the NICU. The only time they saw her that year was when they visited her, but those visits were few and far between because of work. It was getting better as the twins got older and Jane showing up on her birthday was truly a shock but the time away from each other was still hard.
"I get it. I miss Jane, too," Lizzie said softly. "But Jane and the kids are in New York. William and I are here and we aren't going anywhere. We're going to need you. This baby needs at least one of her aunts around at all times. You're supposed to be the one to show our child that her parents are super dorky."
Lydia gave her a genuine smile and scoffed, "Easy to do."
"And we'll need a babysitter who we wholeheartedly trust. Not many people fit that criteria automatically," Lizzie offered. "Plus, you need to be around to make sure Gigi doesn't go overboard when you all plan the baby shower. I definitely don't want royal prince or princess themed parties."
"We can def- stay away from those."
"I know we weren't always close but you and I have worked hard to get where we are. I love that you're ten minutes away and we can randomly go out to lunch or visit each other at work." Lizzie grabbed her hand. "I love you and I know this baby is going to love you too."
"I mean, who wouldn't love me? I'm adorbs," Lydia said brightly, beginning to perk up.
"There's the sister I was looking for earlier," Lizzie said before she hugged her.
"I can't believe you're pregnant! Mom and Dad are going to freak out. Well, you know, Mom mainly," Lydia amended. "I feel kind of special that I know before them!"
"It's such a relief that you know now. I have more people to talk about this with!"
"You can call me whenever you want to talk about things."
"Or I'll just come over!"
"Even better."
"So, you guys are going on a babymoon?" Lydia asked.
"We are! It's this little resort off the coast of Belize," Lizzie said, pulling out her phone. "William was trying to convince me that we should go to two different places and split the vacation in half but I'd prefer to stay in one place."
"Extra traveling when pregnant sounds terrible."
"That was my argument," Lizzie chuckled. "Cayo Espanto may be small but it looks gorgeous. I want to be lazy and relax the whole time."
"I don't blame you!" Lydia grabbed her phone. "Is that place over the water?"
"Yea but I don't think my stomach can handle it," Lizzie said. "Want to help pick which villa we should stay in? We haven't quite decided. They're all so nice."
"Absolutely!"
Sunday, May 13th (Fourteen weeks, two days)
William woke up earlier than usual for a Sunday. He had plans of his own for today. He was careful not to wake Lizzie when he got out of bed and went to the kitchen.
A little over thirty minutes later, he came back into the bedroom with a tray full of food and a carnation in a little white vase. He smiled in relief when he saw that Lizzie was still sleeping peacefully. But he didn't want her to eat a cold breakfast so he bent down on her side of the bed and pushed a few tendrils of hair from her face, watching her as she stirred a little but didn't wake.
It gave him a few moments to really look at his wife. Lizzie may not have seen any changes with her body but William certainly had. She was becoming even more beautiful right in front of his eyes. Over the past couple weeks, he had noticed that she was looking more radiant with every day that passed. Her skin was brighter and her hair was more vibrant and even a little more voluminous. Her breasts had become just a tad bit fuller, which really was only noticeable when she was naked.
"Lizzie. Wake up, love," William murmured, brushing his knuckles along her cheek. She squirmed and sighed at his touch. He whispered her name again as he touched her arm and he swore he heard her moan. After a few moments, her eyes slowly opened and her cheeks flushed when she saw William crouched in front of her. "Good morning. Good dream? It took me a while to wake you."
"It was, um, kind of vivid," Lizzie admitted.
"Want to share?" William asked and she shook her head. He chuckled. "Fair enough."
Lizzie started to get out of bed and he stopped her.
"Stay there," William said before grabbing the tray from the bureau. "You're getting breakfast in bed today."
"What? Really?" Lizzie asked, sitting up and leaning against the headboard.
"Of course. Today is your first Mother's Day," William said warmly, setting the tray down in front of her.
"Just because our baby isn't born yet, doesn't mean you're not already a mom," William continued, briefly putting his hand on her stomach. "You're taking care of our little one. In my eyes, that means we can celebrate today."
Lizzie pressed her fingers to her lips and her eyes became a little glassy. She picked up the single white carnation in the vase and caught a whiff of the sweet scent, smiling at William at his gesture.
"After I was born, my dad would give one to my mom every year without fail. When I was old enough, I would give her one as well. Then Gigi was born and our mom received two from each of us. It's…" William paused and looked down. His eyes flickered back up to hers after a few moments and they were filled with admiration. "It's been a long time since I've bought a carnation."
Lizzie wiped away the tears falling down her face, picking up the tray and setting it down next to her. She swung her legs off the bed and pulled William in for a hug.
"Thank you," Lizzie whispered against his neck.
"Thank you for letting me continue the tradition," William murmured. Lizzie pulled back and brought her hands up to frame his face, leaning in and kissing him with all that she could muster. He pressed a hand to the back of her neck and she slid off the bed onto her knees, not quite ready to end the kiss. They reluctantly pulled away and shared a smile before he gestured for her to get back into bed.
"What about you? Where's your breakfast?" Lizzie asked, adjusting pillows against the headboard before she grabbed the tray and put it in front of her.
"I ate while I was making yours. There's a few extra pieces of toast still."
"Go get it!" Lizzie ordered. "Then it's not as awkward for me."
William chuckled. "I'll be right back."
He returned with toast and moved a chair next to the bed, keeping her company while she ate her breakfast. When she was done, he took the tray from her but told her to stay there for just a few minutes more while he went to the kitchen.
"I'm not going to spend the entire day in bed, am I?" Lizzie asked when he came back.
"No, I promise. Just after this one thing," William said, walking into the closet. He emerged a moment later with a blue felt jewelry box.
"Oh no," Lizzie said under her breath. William sat on the edge of the bed next to her and held out the box. "Can you just…can you tell me what it is first?"
"It's a present for you," William said, his lips curving up. She took it from him and looked down at the box for a moment. She knew just from the way he was watching her that it was important to him. The hinges creaked a little as she opened it and she brought a hand up to her chest.
"Will," Lizzie gasped. There was a round gold locket inside, engraved with a beautiful leaf design on the front. There was a whimsical monogrammed design on the back of it and a gold chain to go with it. "This is beautiful."
"It's been in the family for a few generations."
"A few? I have a feeling you're underselling it," Lizzie exhaled.
"It's a family heirloom. I've wanted you to have it for a while but when you told me you were pregnant, I knew it was the right time," William explained.
Lizzie took it out of the box and she heard the tiny click as she gently pried it open. On the inside were two pictures and her eyes began to well up again. On the left was one of her favorites of the two of them. His chin rested on her shoulder as they smiled for the camera, his own big enough to show his dimples while her cheeks were pink from laughing. On the right was a picture from their ultrasound.
"I was thinking you could replace that picture once the baby is born," William suggested, pointing to the ultrasound. "But this way, it's not empty until then. You're still reminded of our family each time you open it."
"Oh Will," Lizzie said shakily. "It's like you're actively trying to make me cry,"
"I swear I'm not." William reached up and wiped away a tear from her cheek.
"First the flower and now the locket?" Lizzie said, playfully narrowing her eyes at him. "You shouldn't toy with a pregnant woman's emotions."
"I apologize. I'll keep that in mind for the future," He took the locket from her and unclasped the chain before putting it around her neck. "Do you like it?"
"I love it. It's gorgeous, Will." Lizzie looked down at her gift hanging from her neck. "Thank you."
"You're welcome, love." William leaned in and kissed her temple.
"Should I be expecting something else today? I just want to prepare myself."
"I have little planned except dinner."
"So if I want to lounge around on the couch with you all day, we can?"
"Absolutely. Today is about what you want," William said affectionately. "But we should probably call your parents and Jane and Bing first."
"Good idea. Give me a little time to get dressed and hydrate," Lizzie quipped. "I have a feeling there's going to be some waterworks."
"I wouldn't doubt it."
Lizzie and William called Jane and Bing first since they knew they had big plans for the afternoon and didn't want to cut into them. William set Domino up in the living room and Lizzie sent her sister a text to let her know they were ready. Jane and Bing popped up on the screen with Charlie and Scarlett sitting on their laps.
"Hello Lee family!" Lizzie waved. "Happy Mother's Day!"
"Auntie Lizzie! Uncle William!" Charlie and Scarlett yelled. Jane told them to lower their voices and they repeated themselves more quietly.
"Hey, you two," Lizzie waved at the screen. "Are you pampering your mom?"
Clearly the twins didn't understand the term 'pampering' so Jane and Bing quickly explained it to them. Lizzie could clearly see on their faces when it clicked.
"We made her breakfast!" Charlie said.
"And gave her flowers!" Scarlett added.
"It sounds like you two are taking good care of your mom," William said.
"They really are," Jane said, hugging Scarlett from behind. She giggled and squirmed in her mom's lap.
They spent some time catching up, telling each other about their weeks. Jane had a little fashion show where she got to show off some of her new line. The turnout was better than she expected and had a handful of buyers lined up. Bing was in a volunteer slump at his center but he was positive that things would turn around since summer was right around the corner. The twins started to get a little antsy so Jane and Bing let them go play, making sure they were still in their line of sight.
Lizzie squeezed William's thigh, letting him know that it was a good time to tell them. He subtly nodded, giving her a hint of a smile. They had a plan for telling them. It was a simpler than the night before but Lizzie didn't want to just blurt it out.
"Hey, Jane. I'm sending you two a short video I want you to watch," Lizzie said, typing away on her phone. Her heart pounded a little harder in her chest as she attached a shortened recording of their ultrasound to the email. "Let me know when you get it."
"Is this a trailer for The Sullivan Sisters project?" Jane asked.
"We're still casting for it," Lizzie said, pressing send on the email.
"I started reading it, Lizzie," Bing admitted and Lizzie looked surprised. "Yea, I know. It's intended for the teenage audience but it's pretty interesting. The girl at the book store gave me the weirdest look."
"I've read it too, Bing. Don't worry," William chuckled. "I luckily had Lizzie's copy so I didn't have that experience."
"Cheater!"
"I think I got the email, Lizzie. Is it the one titled Number 1?" Jane asked, squinting and leaning closer towards the screen.
"That's it. The video should be attached to it."
Lizzie made sure that the screen cap of the video was a white screen because she didn't want to give it away immediately. She even edited in ten seconds of a white screen so when she opened the video, it wouldn't look suspicious.
"What have you sent us? Does it have to do with your Shakespeare series?" Jane asked before cringing. "I hate to say I'm behind on it again but I am."
"Just watch it, Jane," Lizzie urged.
"Okay, okay. Watching it now."
William slipped his fingers between Lizzie's and caressed her wrist with his thumb, calming her down. When Jane told Lizzie she was pregnant, there were was no fanfare or anything. She simply said the words to her. But when she told everybody she was having twins, she sent them a video of the ultrasound and let it speak for her. Lizzie wanted to do the same thing.
"I think there might be something wrong with the video, Lizzie," Bing started. "It's just a white scre…Holy crap!"
"YOU'RE PREGNANT?!" Jane yelled, jumping out of her seat and out of frame.
"Darcy! Are you kidding?!" Bing asked in disbelief. "You're having a baby!"
"We really are," William said proudly, putting an arm around Lizzie's shoulder and kissing her temple.
"This is huge, dude. You're going to be a father! You must be thrilled!"
"I'm over the moon, Bing."
"Lizzie! Oh my god! This is amazing!" Jane sat back down, grabbing Bing's arm and shaking him a little. "How far along are you?"
"Fourteen weeks. I'm due November ninth," Lizzie said.
"So close to the twins' birthday!" Jane clapped excitedly and Bing laughed.
"Mommy's not using her inside voice!" Charlie's head came into frame, his ears covered with his hands. Bing lifted him up and sat him down on his lap. "Why is Mommy loud?"
"Auntie Lizzie just shared some really good news with us, honey," Jane smiled at him.
"What's happening?" Scarlett's head appeared in frame and Jane picked her up.
"Auntie Lizzie and Uncle William are having a baby," Bing told her. "You're going to have a new cousin."
"Right now?" Charlie asked. William chuckled and Lizzie pressed her lips together to stop herself from laughing.
"Oh no, sweetie," Jane said gently, brushing her hand through his hair. "You see, there's a baby in Auntie Lizzie's tummy, but they need time to grow. One day, she or he will be a real person for you to love."
"Can you have a girl?" Scarlett requested and the adults laughed.
"A boy! Like me!" Charlie shouted.
"We don't know what the baby is yet, Charlie," Lizzie said, pressing a hand to her stomach.
"We hope you'll love them just the same whether you have a girl cousin or a boy cousin," William added.
Charlie looked like he was contemplating it for a moment. "Okay."
"Can we play with them?" Scarlett asked.
"Once they're big enough," Jane replied. They talked to Jane and Bing for a little while longer, giving them details of the past weeks and how they found out themselves. Eventually, Bing needed to get the twins ready for their Mother's Day outing. He told William to call him for any advice he needed and congratulated them again before taking the twins and leaving. William gave Lizzie and Jane a few moments alone and she thanked him by squeezing his hand before he left.
"I can't believe my little sister is going to have a baby! I'm so happy for you and William!"
"We're pretty ecstatic about it."
"How are you feeling?"
"I've been exhausted the past two months and taking so many naps," Lizzie said. "I'm actually feeling normal again this past week! Finally."
"I don't think I took so many naps as when I was pregnant with the twins. Bing was kind of adorable about it and always worried I wasn't getting enough sleep," Jane smiled. "Trust me. Listen to your body and sleep if you're tired."
"Oh, I am."
Jane told her a few different stories and Lizzie was so relieved that she finally had another person to talk to about pregnancy. Jane had gone through worse than Lizzie during her first trimester, dealing with morning sickness nearly every day and even making it in the emergency room once for dehydration.
"You call me for any questions. I mean it," Jane insisted. "Any time of day or night. I don't care. I'm here for you."
"That's really kind of you, Jane," Lizzie replied. "And I'm totally taking advantage of your offer. The books we've been reading kind of suck."
"Oh, they're all terrible. Even worse if you're having more than one. The websites are better. I'll email you links to some of my favorite ones I used when I was pregnant."
"Thank you! I was kind of hoping you'd know the best ones."
"Definitely," Jane nodded. "I'll even send you links to some online stores that I loved the most. I can't wait until you find out if you're having a boy or a girl! You have to tell me right away, okay? And give me enough notice for the baby shower!"
"I definitely will, Jane. It won't be for a while but you'll have to talk to Lydia and Gigi because they're pretty psyched too."
"I'm assuming you haven't told Mom and Dad yet? We were just talking to them right before you, and I know Mom would have spilled that news."
"We're calling them next," Lizzie said, smiling. It was true; her mom wouldn't miss an opportunity to brag to everyone that her daughter was pregnant. "I'm just hoping Mom doesn't faint again."
"You'll have to tell me how she reacts!" Jane said. She paused and turned her head at the sound in the background. "It sounds like Bing needs my help so I have to go. I love you so much, sis. Congratulations to both of you! Good luck with Mom and Dad!"
"I love you too! Have a great Mother's Day!"
"You too, Mother-to-be!"
Lizzie gave Jane a little wave before they hung up. She stood up from the couch to go look for William and found him on the balcony, checking his email.
"Hey there," Lizzie said. He turned at the sound of her voice and smiled. "Jane had to help Bing with the twins."
"That went pretty well," William said, coming back inside and closing the door behind him. He slipped an arm around her waist and they began to head back to the living room
"Yea, it did," Lizzie beamed. "It felt good to talk to Jane about everything."
"I'm glad. I know you've been wanting to for a while."
"Mmmhmm," Lizzie hummed. "Now I can call her whenever."
"Good." William kissed the top of her head. "Ready to tell your parents?"
"This one should be a doozy."
Within a few minutes, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet were on their screen and Lizzie and William were wishing Mrs. Bennet a happy Mother's Day.
"Thank you, you two!" Mrs. Bennet cooed. "It's so nice to hear from all my daughters today. Lydia sent me flowers and Jane made me a lovely scarf. It's just darlin'."
"Speaking of gifts, Dad, would you mind?" Lizzie asked.
"Of course, pumpkin," he replied, disappearing out of frame.
"It's so nice to be thought of once in a while. You'll see someday, Lizzie," Mrs. Bennet continued. "When you become a mother, whenever that may be, you'll be showered with gifts and today won't be just a regular ol' day for you!"
Lizzie toyed with the locket of her necklace and didn't dare look at William because she knew he was holding back a laugh. She listened to her mom's antics and let her keep going because it was going to be her last one for a while. Her dad sat back down soon after with a box in his hands. Lizzie and William had purposely mailed the package addressed to her dad. Her mom was notorious for opening packages earlier than she should have when her name was on it. While sending it to her dad wasn't guaranteed to make her mom suspicious and want to open it, it would definitely deter her.
"Lizzie, what are you doin' givin' your father presents in front of me? On Mother's Day, no less!" Mrs. Bennet huffed.
"Mom, it's actually for you," Lizzie smiled and Mr. Bennet chuckled, handing her the package.
"For me? What is it, Thomas?"
"I don't know, dear. I was given strict instructions to not open it and to give it to you today."
"The utter betrayal from my own husband and child! Were you part of this too, William?"
"I was. I apologize, Fran."
"I'm sorry, Mom." Lizzie refrained from shaking her head and William squeezed her thigh. "Hopefully what's inside will make up for that."
"It better," Mrs. Bennet said. Mr. Bennet offered her some scissors and she began to open it. "Did you know that Jane and Bing send me a wonderful package? It had all my favorite sweets in it and that scarf Jane made…"
Lizzie was barely paying attention to what her mom was saying, rambling on about Jane and Bing's gift. She was more focused on watching her open the package as her dad patiently watched in silence. First was the card that she laid on top so it would be the first thing she read. She and William spent way too long in the greeting card aisle trying to find the best one that would give a subtle hint at their news without actually giving it away.
"To the best grandma around," Mrs. Bennet read aloud when she opened it. She handed it to Mr. Bennet so he could read it. "You're darn right I am. The twins drew me pictures and put them in with the package! Jane assured me they were drawings of me and them playin' together. I was thinkin' of…"
She pulled back the tissue paper and stopped mid-sentence. Her eyes went wide. Inside the box was a picture frame with their sonogram and the saying 'hello grandma' on the bottom of it. Her mother sat there motionless, as if she couldn't quite process what she was looking at.
"Lizzie!" Mr. Bennet exclaimed, seeing the contents in the frame. "Really?"
Lizzie nodded and his expression softened, pressing a hand to his chest. His eyes began to well up and a proud smile slowly spread across his face. Lizzie felt the hot sting of tears at her father's display and she turned to William, who smiled warmly at her and kissed her forehead. Her mom was still frozen in place, her jaw hanging open.
"Congratulations!" Mr. Bennet said gently. "I'm thrilled for the both of you."
"Thank you, Dad. We're pretty excited ourselves."
"I would imagine so. How are you feeling?"
"Surprisingly well right now."
"And I'm taking care of both of them as best as I can."
William's tone was so heartfelt and Lizzie could barely stand it. She felt goosebumps rise on her skin as he took her hand and she looked down at her lap, smiling to herself.
"William, remember what I've told you?"
"Yes, Thomas." William exhaled. "I will absolutely call you for advice."
Mrs. Bennet began to fidget and came to life again right before their eyes. She stood up and sat back down, laughing to herself and clasping her hands together as if in prayer.
"Oh my stars! Is it true?! A baby! You two are finally havin' a baby!?" Mrs. Bennet finally spoke. "My dear Lizzie! You'll be so happy!"
Lizzie laughed softly at her mother's delayed enthusiasm.
"And with such a charmin' man as the father! Imagine if you have a boy! How handsome and tall he'd be," Mrs. Bennet cooed. William pushed back his chin, a rare move for him now, but understandable with Mrs. Bennet's praising. "Oh Lizzie! I couldn't be more pleased with this news! First Jane and Bing give me two grandbabies and now you're givin' me one! I apologize that I've been so pushy but I hope you'll forgive me. Havin' a baby is such a wonderful experience and you'll find out soon enough. When are you due?"
"Hmm? Oh!" Lizzie was caught off guard, expecting her mom to go on even longer than that. Her dad chuckled. "November ninth."
"That's still months away. Whatever will I do until then! I shall go distracted. There's so much to do! Aren't you just so excited to shop for all the adorable clothes and the baby furniture! And the nursery! It's going to be spectacular!"
Lizzie expected this. Her mom had become so invested in Jane's pregnancy, especially because she was having twins. She figured her mom would be enthusiastic about her pregnancy after she had been urging them to start a family for so long.
Mrs. Bennet clapped her hands. "This is the best day of my life!" Lizzie saw her dad subtly shake his head in amusement when she said it. When her mom finally calmed down, she asked Lizzie and William the same questions everyone had been asking them all weekend with Mr. Bennet interjecting with his own questions occasionally. Time passed by quickly and it was nearing eleven.
"Oh dear! We have to get goin'! Your father's taking me out for lunch for Mother's Day," Mrs. Bennet said before gasping and clapping her hands together. "This'll be your day next year! Isn't that wonderful?"
"Actually, Fran, we're celebrating this year as well," William cleared his throat, taking Lizzie's hand in his. He glanced to her with such a warm look and his lips curved up, making her heart flutter. "Lizzie has as much of a right to celebrate as any other mother."
"Well said, William," Mr. Bennet said with a twinkle in his eye. 'Enjoy the rest of your day, you two."
"Thank you, Dad. Have fun at lunch, Mom."
"I will! Call me any time. I'm here for you, dear!"
Her parents disappeared and Domino returned to the home screen. Lizzie let out a heavy sigh and leaned back against the couch.
"That went well," Lizzie said. When William joined her, she curled against him and she began to play with his hand.
"It did. Is it weird I expected more screaming?"
"Not at all. I was ready to turn the sound down, just in case."
"Your mom is enthusiastic, for sure," William said. "But she has a big heart and it's apparent in her love for you and your sisters. As well as with Scarlett and Charlie."
Lizzie softly kissed him before pulling back and fixing her gaze on him. "So, who do we have left?"
"Aunt Catherine, but she's unreachable at the moment. Traveling all day," William said. "I have a meeting with her first thing tomorrow morning. Do you mind if I tell her without you?"
"Not at all. We told who we wanted to tell together. It's been my favorite part of this weekend."
William raised an eyebrow and shifted Lizzie onto his lap. She brought her arms up to his shoulders and smiled at him.
"Is this where you convince me you can make this weekend even better?"
"Yep."
"Ready and waiting to be convinced, pampered, and taken care of today."
"Sounds right up my alley."
Lizzie leaned in close to his ear and whispered. "I'm all yours."
Monday, May 14th (14 weeks, 3 days)
Catherine DeBourgh was in San Francisco for three days to meet with a handful of venture capitalists, hoping to find a new business to invest in. The first item on her agenda was to meet with William to check on the progress of the company's latest projects. Needless to say, she was impressed by the end of their meeting.
William purposely waited to inform his Aunt Catherine of his and Lizzie's news until they were finished with business. She usually asked how they were doing and showed as much interest as she could. While their personal relationship was lukewarm at best, it was much better than it was a few years ago when they spoke little more than a few words to each other that didn't have to do with business.
Once William broke the news, she offered her congratulations and gave him a somewhat stilted hug. After a weekend of excited screams, happy tears, and warm hugs, he couldn't help but be a little disappointed by her reaction. He walked her from the conference room to the elevator once she was ready to leave and patiently waited until the doors slid closed. He was lost in thought as he walked to his office and barely noticed Fitz come up next to him.
"Daddy D! How are—"
"Nope."
Fitz was thrown off. "What?"
"No to that nickname," William narrowed his eyes at him.
"Oh, come on!" Fitz clapped him on the back. "It's a great one."
"Nope."
"Papa D?"
"Even worse."
"Father D?"
William scoffed. "I'd sound like a priest, Fitz. Darcy is just fine. There's no need for extra nicknames."
"You're no fun, man." Fitz pouted.
"Yes but you're well aware of that fact by now." William and Fitz stopped in front of Mrs. Reynolds's desk. "Do I have any messages?"
"Your meeting at one has been pushed to two and Todd in IT called, saying he fixed the glitch with the timestamps," Mrs. Reynolds replied, handing him his messages.
"Thank you."
Fitz leaned in towards William and theatrically whispered, "Have you told her yet?"
William sighed and rolled his eyes, entertained by Fitz's enthusiasm. "I was getting to that."
"Told me what?" Mrs. Reynolds glanced between the two of them.
"Well…Lizzie's pregnant. We're having a baby," William said, unable to stop the smile from spreading across his face.
"Oh!" Mrs. Reynolds gasped and her hands flew to cover her mouth as her eyes began to water. She stood up and walked around her desk, pausing in front of him. He had a feeling she wanted to hug him so he opened his arms and she took the bait, hugging him fiercely. This was the reaction he wanted from Aunt Catherine. She pulled away and squeezed his biceps. "Congratulations, William. What wonderful news!"
"Thank you, Sue. We're very excited."
"You should be! Your parents would be so happy!" Sue beamed. "How long have you known, Fitz?"
"Only since Saturday. This man is a locked box! Never gave it away."
"We were waiting until Lizzie made it to her second trimester."
"Already? I can't believe it."
William glanced to Fitz for a second. "You know, since my meeting was pushed back, Fitz and I can treat you to lunch today and you can ask what you'd like."
"Are you sure?"
"Sure thing, Mrs. R! Pemberley Digital family is our family too," Fitz said. "Right, Darce?"
"Exactly," William chuckled. "11:30?"
"See you then."
When Lizzie got out of her first meeting of the morning, she returned to her office to check her email. Most of it was from her normal clientele but the one on the top surprised her. It was from Aunt Catherine. Lizzie knew William had a meeting with her first thing in the morning and that he was planning to tell her. Before she opened the email, she decided to text him a message to make sure.
Lizzie 10:32 am
Hey!
Were you able to tell Aunt Catherine the news?
William 10:34 am
I was.
She said congrats and gave me a hug.
Lizzie 10:34 am
She hugged you?
William 10:35 am
It's wasn't as heartwarming as you might imagine.
Lizzie 10:36 am
:(
Sorry.
William 10:36 am
Can't expect tears from everyone we tell.
Why do you ask?
Lizzie 10:38 am
I'm staring at an email from her right now.
William 10:38 am
What?
What does it say?
I will not tolerate insults of my pregnant wife.
Lizzie 10:39 am
Hold on.
About to read it now.
Lizzie put her phone down and opened the email, hoping to calm William before he got upset.
Dear Elizabeth,
I thought I'd take a moment out of my schedule to sit down and send you an email. My nephew has informed me that you are expecting. Let me be one of the many to offer you congratulations. I have never been a maternal sort or had the desire to have children. I left that task up to my sister. She produced two intelligent and exceptional children that have grown up to be intelligent and exceptional adults. And now you and William are bringing another generation of Darcys into the world and I can't help but feel proud on my sister and brother-in-law's behalf…
The email went on further, telling Lizzie about when William's parents first broke the news of their own pregnancy and a gift she had given them. It was more touching than she expected and found herself tearing up at least once. William texted her a couple times while she read on, obviously anxious to know what his aunt told her. She finally finished it a few minutes later and texted her husband to ease his worries.
Lizzie 10:46 am
It was good.
Pretty touching, actually.
William 10:47 am
You're not lying to calm me down, are you?
Lizzie 10:47 am
Not at all.
Congratulated me.
Said you and Gigi are intelligent adults.
Talked about your parents.
William 10:48 am
Will you let me read it tonight?
Lizzie 10:49 am
I'll read it to you.
There's a couple things that are meant just for me.
Good things. Don't worry.
William 10:51 am
I'll accept that.
I have a conference call in a few so I need to go.
Love you.
Lizzie 10:51 am
We love you too.
Lizzie smiled to herself and returned back to the email, reading one specific section where Aunt Catherine talked about a gift she gave to William's parents. A flash of that particular gift popped up in her mind. She remembered it was stored away in the storage locker with other knickknacks and furniture from William's childhood home. She had an idea and picked up her phone, scrolling to the one person she wanted to talk to the most.
"Hey Gigi? It's Lizzie. I need your help with something."
Thanks as always to Sarah for her AWESOME editing/betaing skills. If you're ever writing something, you need to use her abilities.
Thanks to Maggie for shopping for lockets for me even if I ended up choosing a different one. That little extra will be posted on the official tumblr!
Up next? Surprises and the Babymoon!