Chapter 14

It's a Thursday December afternoon and when I glance outside the staff room's window, I notice it's beginning to flurry. Great, wet roads at the same time I have to drive to Forks. Well, I'm not driving – thank god – but I still have to go.

Oh well, it will be worth it.

"You find out what you're having yet?" Mrs. Belyea, Angela I now call her, asks taking her usual seat beside me.

I smile at her. "Not yet. We're going to the doctor's today so hopefully we'll be able to find out." I cross my fingers at her which makes her laugh.

"Do you know what you want or...?"

I shrug, taking a bite out of my chicken salad. "I kind of do want a girl, but at the same time as long as it's healthy, I don't care. Paul wants a boy, though."

She chuckles. "Yeah, that's usually the case. You think he'll be upset if it's not a boy?"

I shake my head. Although I've never asked him, I know he wants any baby just as much as I do. Maybe I should ask though... just to clarify. "I don't think so. He wants a kid a lot too so I'm sure he'll be okay with what ever." Then I smirk. "He just might make us keep having them until we have one though."

"You better hope you have one soon then," Angela jokes.

I nod. "Yeah I don't want like five kids just 'cause we're not having a boy."

"I can't imagine having any kids," she admits.

I raise an eyebrow, really surprised by this. "Man, you're just like Kim. Why don't you people want kids?"

She shoots me a confused look. "You mean Kim Conweller?" Quickly, she corrects herself, "Well I guess Thail now. But really? She doesn't want kids? I figured she'd have a whole bunch by now. She just seemed like the baby wanting type when I taught her."

"Yeah," I agree. "It's not really that she doesn't want one, I guess; she just doesn't want one now. She's really set on getting promoted a bunch first."

"Ah, that does sound more like her."

I laugh. "Yeah, a little. Emily's having a baby though."

"Uley? Yeah I heard her and Sam were having another little one. I saw Wyatt once at the convenience store with them. He's a cutie."

I giggle in agreement. "That's an understatement. He's the most adorable kid in the world. I swear."

"It's hard to believe that you're only twenty weeks pregnant, though. You look a lot further along."

I nod, sighing. "It's mostly because I'm small so the belly looks stranger on me, I guess. That's what the doctor told me." My belly's a lot bigger now, which just means my back pains have increased. Luckily the doctor said Tylenol is safe to take during pregnancy. Too bad Advil isn't and that's what actually works.

So I use a lot of hot water bottles, ice packs, and Tylenol to get me through the days.

"You're going to look huge when you're almost in labour."

I laugh. Then fling my arm, which still contains absolutely no fat. "Too bad I haven't gained anything anywhere else!" Including boobs, they're barely grown at all. Fat cells just hate me.

"That's supposed to be a good thing."

I glance at my cell phone and realize it's almost time for me to be at my class. I almost answer, Not when you want to be fat but everyone always gives me strange looks when I express my want to be bigger so I don't. "Well, I'll see you later."

I head back to my classroom. Both my afternoon classes have a test today so besides answering questions elusively and marking my other classes' work, I don't have to do much. Time passes slowly as I sit in my chair.

All my lesson plans for tomorrow are done and everything is marked so really there's nothing for me to do. Sometimes being on top of things really sucks.

When the final bell rings, there's one person still with a test. She's scribbling things down and looking terrified so I tell her to take her time. She has until four until I have to kick her out. Plus, I'm here until four-thirty with nothing to do but mark these tests.

By the first page of a couple of the tests, I can tell that marking these tests won't be too enjoyable. All my other students in the other classes are doing well. This class though... Most don't pay attention or don't care. At first I was worried that I was teaching it wrong but the three kids who do listen in class are all doing well.

I can't exactly force teenagers to like math so there's not much more I can do than offer extra help.

I start marking and get a little frustrated at the marks. Every other teacher has told me not to worry, that there's always one class like this for any teacher, that I'm doing all I can do. But it still makes me feel like crap.

Sighing, I rest my head in my hands. I just want to get to Forks and find out the gender of the baby already.

I hear a nervous clearing of someone's throat and look up. Kali, the girl who took extra time for her test, stands in front of my desk awkwardly holding her test in her hand. "I'm done," she whispers.

I smile at her, hoping it looks sincere. It's nearly four and although it took her a long time, she definitely put a lot of effort into the test. Which is more than I can say for most of her classmates. "Thanks."

I set it on the top of the pile and if the first page is any indicator of her mark, I'd say she did quite well. "Thanks for letting me stay," Kali smiles shyly at me. I think she's going to leave, but she asks, "Do you know what you're having?"

Her question surprises me. I get along quite well with my other classes and quite frequently I tell them stories or joke around with them. This class is an exception to that. There's a few good kids like Kali but most just don't deserve to do anything but more work.

"I find out tonight, actually." I smile nervously at her, feeling more like a student than a teacher. Quickly I regain my professional – ish – expression.

"Oh, well good luck," she says before waving and leaving the classroom.

Once she leaves, I mark her test. She got a ninety-two which is really amazing. Especially for this class. The next half an hour drags by. Sometimes I really hate the 'stay an extra hour' rule. It's nice when I have things to work on but it's on the odd days that I have nothing to do.

Paul is picking me up since he dropped me off this morning and we get off at the same time today. We're just going to go straight to the hospital. Finally, the clock strikes four-thirty. I lock the classroom and go to the staff room to get my coat.

He's waiting outside. I pull my hood up as I leave the school, braving the snow storm that has stirred up. Climbing into his warm truck, I shiver. "I hate snow."

Paul chuckles, leaning across the cab to give me a kiss. "Well, hello to you, too, sweetheart."

I keep hold him to me for a lingering kiss. "Is that a better hello?"

He smiles, slinging his free arm around my cold shoulders. "Much. Are you excited to clarify that we're having a boy?"

I roll my eyes but realize this is my last chance to find out whether or not he'll be upset if we have a girl. "Paul, will you be mad if we have a girl?"

He blinks at me in surprise; then all teasing is gone out of his eyes. "Of course not! You know I'm just kidding about the boy thing. I'll be happy with whatever we have."

I giggle, smiling happily. "I thought so. I just wanted to make sure."

"But we're definitely going to have a boy at some point."

"What if we have four kids and they're all girls?"

"We'll try again."

I snort. "You're the one who said we weren't having more than four."

"Well..." He comes up blank, making me laugh. "Whatever. I want a boy at some point."

"Okay, babe. But calm, down, we might be having one now."

He mocks crossing his fingers, causing a smile to overtake my face.

"Paul, I'm so excited."

Leaning down and kissing my temple, he whispers, "Me too."

We arrive at the waiting room and like always, it's a somewhat long week. The other patients have stopped giving me death glares every time I go in. I think that's only because one time, one of my student's mom was in here and they all heard her say I was a teacher.

The appointment goes by like normal and I'm a little upset to hear that she wants to run the tests on my back before we do the ultrasound. I want to know the sex already! Everything is clear though and finally we get to do the ultrasound.

The picture of the baby comes onto the screen and joy floods over me. I can't honestly tell what the gender is but it's amazing just to see. That's my baby. I notice Paul's expression is pretty much the same as mine. Does he know what the gender is? I'm examining it but I still can't tell.

Our doctor tells us that everything with the baby is healthy. Some other stuff, and then finally, "Can either of you guys tell what it is?"

"No," I say meekly. It's slightly embarrassing not to be able to tell. Should I be able to? I know where to look, but I can't make it out enough to tell.

Luckily, Paul doesn't know either. She smiles. "That's okay, most people can't identify it. Especially when it's their first ultrasound. Do you guys want to know the gender or do you want it to be a surprise?"

"We want to know," I say desperately, not even bothering to let Paul speak. Obviously he does want to, too.

Our doctor doesn't know this though, so she asks him specifically. Telling him he can leave if he doesn't want to know.

Paul laughs, assuring her that he does want to know.

"Well, then, congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Walker, you're having a baby girl."

A huge smile breaks out onto my face and I can't help but squeal in joy. This is amazing! I glance up at Paul, sure that I'll see at least a tiny bit of disappointment.

He surprises me by having the exact opposite look on his face. He's just as excited as me. He grins over at me lovingly and excitedly. Leaning down, and avoiding the ultrasound goo on my stomach, he kisses me lightly. "I guess, you were right."

I smile, nodding. But I can't form words right now. I'm having a daughter!

The doctor says a few more things that I catch and remember, but they aren't that significant or important. I wait until we're in the warmth of his truck to say anything else. As soon as his door shuts, I lunge at him and hug him as tightly as I can. "We're having a girl!" I cry.

He chuckles in amusement. "I know. This is great."

I just giggle, nuzzling my face into his warm neck. "I'm so excited."

We discuss a few more baby names on the way home, nursery ideas, when we should start getting stuff, etc. "We have to stop at Em's," I remind him.

He rolls his eyes but nods. "You that desperate to find out what she's having."

"Well, I want to tell everyone we're having a girl too!"

Paul just laughs, but I can tell he's just as excited as I am to tell everyone we're having a girl. When we arrive at Sam and Emily's, most of the pack is there. I go straight over to Emily. "What are you having? What are you having?" I repeat childishly at her. I'm practically bouncing up and down with excitement.

She laughs, most-likely at my behaviour before saying softly, "We're having a girl."

"Oh my god!" I practically scream, hugging her. "Us too!"

A wave of congratulations goes around and Jillian and Kim join our hug, making it a group hug. We stick around at Emily's for awhile after that. Talking, celebrating, eating. It's pretty awesome how we're both having girls.

So I know a lot of you wanted her to have a girl and I'm sorry to disappoint but I promise I have a reason ;)