Sorry that it took so long. But I'm back and I hope you are all still with me. We aren't at the end yet, but I can see it. I'm starting to plan the endgame and I hope you will all stay with me while we get there. In the meantime, please let me know what you think of this chapter in a comment. They are my life's blood.

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Chapter 25

The time came for Addison's next appointment. Time continued to align well for all three of them and they made it and were sitting in the office.

Nancy came to escort Addison back. By now that was routine and none of them questioned it anymore.

"So, today we find out if it's a boy or a girl. I'm so excited."

"We also find out if he or she is fine.'

"Are you still worried about that?" Nancy paused in her examination and looked at Addie.

'No. Well, yes, kind of." Addison sighed.

"Then I guess we'd better get on with it so we can get you that ultrasound and reassure you."

With that the exam commenced. "Now you wait here. I'm going to get the ultrasound machine and the guys. I'm assuming you want them both here with you while we look."

Addison nodded. "Yes. They both have a right to be here."

"Do you mean you don't want them here. Because they don't have to be. It's all up to you and you know I'll respect whatever your decision is."

"No, I know that. I do want them here. Not just because it's their right but because I want them both here."

"Well, all right then. Let me go get them." And off she went.

"Hey, guys. I'm giving Addison the ultrasound to check on the baby. Do you want to be there?"

"Does she want me there?" This was Mark.

Nancy nodded. "She wants you both there."

"Then we'll come." This was Derek. And they did.

Once they were all back there Nancy got started. "I'm sorry that the gel will be cold, Addie."

Addison shrugged. "It's all right. I know the drill and I don't mind."

"Then let's go. Oh, and since we will be able to determine sex with this scan, I suggest any of you who don't want to know turn your head. I can tell you before I announce it."

"No, I want to know." This was Addison.

"I do, too." That was Derek.

"And me." That was Mark.

"All righty then. Let's get started."

She turned on the machine and proceeded. "All right. There we have it. Yep, just as I thought. No abnormalities at all. Obviously, the blood I took will be analyzed by a lab, but I can say with a great deal of confidence that it will come back clear. She's perfectly fine."

"She?" That came from all three of them.

"Oh, that's right. Maybe I should have led with that. In any case, yes, Addie, you are having a baby girl. A perfectly fine and healthy baby girl from the looks of things."

"I told you so. See there was nothing to worry about."

"No need to be smug, Derek," His sister told him.

"I'm not. I was just saying."

"Well, you are right and so you might have a right to say that. Just don't make a habit of it."

"Right."

"Anyway, that's all. I'll see you all next month. We're getting to the home stretch now. See you then.'

"I guess it's time to go. You two should leave so I can get re dressed." And they did.

Addison, Derek and Mark all went back to work so there was no time to talk about the appointment until they were at home.

"Are you feeling better about things, Addie?"

Addison nodded. "Yeah. I know my worries sounded stupid to you."

"No, it wasn't the worries per se. I figured every mother and mother to be has those same worries. What bothered me was the reason for your particular worries."

Addison sighed. "I know. I do honestly feel better though, since Nancy cleared the baby."

"Can I tell you something?"

"Sure."

"So, did I"

"Ah, so you were worried."

"A bit."

"Maybe more than a bit."

"Fine. More than a bit."

"That's not a bad thing, Derek. It means you care. That's a good thing."

"Yeah. But I also at the same time was sure that the baby would be fine. So, Nancy vindicated that neither of us had anything to worry about."

"On this front. There's still a lot of things to worry about. Parenting isn't going to be easy and especially not with three parents."

"True this is a very unorthodox method of parenting we'll be doing. Well, probably not our parenting but the situation. Definitely that."

"I'm sorry."

"I know. But we'll get through it. I know we can do it."

"Well, we have been doing it. It hasn't been easy. But you're right. We aren't doing too bad. We could do worse."

"We have done worse."

She knew he was talking about her cheating. "I'm so sorry."

"I know. I am too."

"For what?" Now she was surprised.

"You didn't cheat in a vacuum. I'm sorry for my part in making a marriage like that."

"Well, you didn't do it alone."

Derek shrugged. "At this point it won't be productive to go into an in-depth analysis of our marriage and try to find points where we can say Addie did this part and Derek did this part. I'm not even sure that it would be possible to sort it out in so neat a package."

"You have a good point there; I have to admit. Life is rarely if ever so neat a package. It's messy and complicated."

"That it is."

Addison smiled at him. "But we go on. Despite everything we are going on. That says a lot about the both of us."

"True."

Derek got up and got a water from the refrigerator. "Want one, Addie?"

"Sure. But you know you can have a beer or a glass of wine if you want. Just because I can't drink right now doesn't mean you have to give it up too."

Derek took two waters out and sat down at the kitchen table again. He passed one water to her. "I know that. But I honestly don't want one. I honestly want to do this as a show of support for you. I honestly don't want a beer or a glass of wine right now."

Addison's eyes filled with tears. This was the man she loved, and this was why she loved him. "Well, in that case, I propose a toast."

"Can you make a toast with water?"

"You can make a toast with anything you want."

"That's in Emily Post?" Derek joked.

"I don't know. I just know that it's true."

"All righty then. Make a toast.'

"I toast to us and our impending child."

"I'll drink to that." So, they clinked bottles and did.