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Chapter 29
"Okay, it's been exactly twenty-four hours with no contractions, so I am going to let you go home." Joyce told the couple. Monica, Emily, Maya, and Piph were standing behind her. "With some restrictions."
"Okay." Elizabeth said looking at Jason. She would behave.
"What are they?" Jason wondered if he should take notes.
"I want you on the couch, or in bed. Feet up and resting. No lifting of anything heavier than a gallon of milk, no up and down the stairs. On your feet to go the bathroom only. No breastfeeding or pumping." Joyce said listing the conditions. "One week, and then I want to see you back in my office for a check-up."
"I'm due back to work in five days." Elizabeth told the doctor.
"Wow, she didn't even make it out of the hospital before arguing." Emily said grinning.
"You are due back in seven days." Monica told her nurse.
"Yes mom." Elizabeth said trying her best not to stick out her tongue.
"Based on what I see at the follow up exam we will outline work conditions, as well as physical activities. Until you return no sex." Joyce told the couple and watched them both blush a bit. "Any contractions call on your way to the ER."
"Okay." Jason said holding Elizabeth's hand.
"I'll get discharge paperwork started." Joyce said smiling. The second set of labs this morning had also come back clear so they were going with the breastfeeding being the root cause of the contractions. It would be noted in case the Morgans decided to have more children after this baby.
Jason let out the breath he had been holding. It had been a long twenty-four hours, and he wanted to go home and rest. Or rest as much as a person could with two small children, two puppies, and most of their family members underfoot. "I brought you some clothes to wear home." He had gone to the house last night to see the boys before they went to bed.
"Hey there." Diane said sticking her head in the door. "Sorry we are late." Weather had forced them to leave Palermo after midnight east coast time.
"Did you come right from the airport?" Elizabeth asked her friends. Letting them both give her a kiss.
"We did. How is everything?" Francis wanted to know.
"Good. The doctor is drawing up discharge papers now." Jason told his friends. His family members had followed the doctor out. No doubt they were huddled up trying to figure out the schedule for who was going to be checking up on Liz.
"What can we do?" Diane wanted to know.
"Nothing." Elizabeth told her. "I feel bad that you left Italy."
"Don't." Diane said making a face. "You saved me from a homicide charge. I have no idea where in the gene pool Francis's sister comes from. I just feel bad leaving his mother alone with her. We should have brought your mother with us." Diane told her husband.
"Different dads. My mother's second husband was strange." Francis said laughing. "So restrictions?"
"Yeah." Elizabeth said on a heavy sigh.
"I will be back on the fourth now." Jason would be on hand to make sure his lovely wife didn't decide that she had rested enough. Although he didn't think she would do anything other than what the doctor ordered because this was about their baby and not about her.
"Take as long as you need." Francis told his friend. "We are going to go home and nap. How about if I send dinner to the house?"
"We have plenty of leftovers from the party." Elizabeth didn't want them stressing. Diane didn't do well with the time change so Francis should be focused on her. "You can come over later and meet the dogs."
"You got dogs?" Diane said surprised.
"They were gifts for the boys. One from Edward and one from Tracy." Jason explained.
"Okay. I have the paperwork." Joyce said coming back in followed by the family. "Jason this is your set with the restrictions."
"Thanks." He said reading them over. Nothing new had been added.
"Let's leave them be so Jason can help Liz get changed." Piph said urging everyone out the door. "I'll be back with a wheelchair."
"I can carry her." Jason would love to have her in his arms.
"Hospital policy." Monica said smiling. "Howie is meeting me for lunch so I'm going to go." She was still technically on vacation. "I'll be by the house later tonight."
"Okay. Thanks mom." Elizabeth suspected they would have a house full of guests later. Until Jason threw them all out.
He brought yoga pants, a soft cotton t-shirt, thick woolen socks, and no shoes. If Elizabeth needed proof that he had no intention of letting her get away with anything there it was. With her coat on he pushed her down to the waiting car which was being driven by Milo.
At the house Jason carried her inside and placed her gently on the couch. Immediately Edward was there with a blanket. "What can I get for you?" He wanted to know.
"A glass of water please." Elizabeth wasn't thirsty but it was clear he wanted to be useful.
"I'm going to hang up your coat." Jason told her standing with the blue wool in his arms. He didn't even take one step before the doorbell rang. With a grin he looked at his wife.
"Uncle AJ!" Cameron's voice floated into his parents. He, Matt, and Jake had taken the dogs out when Jason called to say they were heading home. Matt wanted Jason to have a chance to get Liz settled without small people underfoot.
"I'll go let them in." Jason said smiling as he walked off. "Come in, she's on the couch." He said to his brother and sister in-law. "Where are the kids?"
"Zoe and Stan came by and took them to lunch." AJ explained. "I don't feel like fighting with Michael and Morgan about getting a dog." The older boy would no doubt tell Morgan when he got home. "Their mother can do that."
"Please, just give up now." Keesha said laughing. "If you get one then you won't have to deal with the small breed nightmare Carly will pick out. Get something big that way our dog can eat hers." Keesha did like Carly, but everything about the woman was high maintenance. Any pet she picked out would be the same.
"Your wife has a point." Jason said watching as his boys ran up the steps. "Slow down so you don't slip."
"Okay daddy. Is mommy home?" Cameron asked excited.
"Ma!" Jake yelled.
Jason knelt down to help them out of their winter gear. He had Cameron while AJ took Jake.
"Do you know how long it took me to get them in those outfits?" Matt complained good-naturedly. Both boys were in snow suits. While they were being helped he was wiping down the dogs.
"Yes, your mother is home." Jason said laughing. It did take a while to get the kids suited up. Especially since they didn't like to stay still. "Remember to be gentle with her." Keesha had already gone into the living room to run interference.
"I remember daddy." Cameron promised. "But Jake might not."
"I'll bring Jake in." Jason said to his oldest child. "Go in, Aunt Keesha is in with mommy."
"Kay." Cameron said walking quickly down the hall. Running wasn't allowed in the house, although he sometimes forget. "Hi mommy." He said coming over to the couch. He was trying not to cry, but he'd been scared last night. The only other time mommy had been in the hospital was when Jake came. Cameron was old enough to know that Jake coming was good, while this time had been bad.
"Hi baby." Elizabeth leaned over and gave him a kiss on his forehead. "Want to come up?" She patted the couch.
"No. Daddy said we have to be careful." Cameron told her.
"He didn't mean that you couldn't sit with me." Elizabeth assured her son. "You can sit here and there will be room for Jake on my other side."
As if on cue Jason walked in holding Jake. He put their youngest son between the couch and Elizabeth. Jake immediately leaned into her and smiled. The boy loved his mother. Cameron carefully climbed up on her other side. "We were walking the dogs." The curly haired child told her. "They like the snow. They were eating it."
"Did you give them breakfast?" Elizabeth asked checking.
"Yeah." Cameron told her. "They like cereal."
AJ just snickered. His nephew would be sure to find out what else the dogs like.
"No people food for the dogs." Jason told Cameron. Visions of emergency vet visits were bouncing around his head.
"We are hungry. Right Jake." Cameron looked at his dad. "Can we have pizza?"
That was Cameron's favorite food. "Why don't we see what's in the fridge?" Jason responded.
"Pizza." Elizabeth said grinning. "That sounds wonderful. With pineapple and onions." Everyone looked at her like she was nuts.
"Mommy, that's weird." Cameron said not understanding why you would put fruit on pizza.
"Not blueberries?" Jason asked and when they looked at him he explained. "She's been wanting blueberries with everything."
"Oh, blueberries, pineapple, and onions. That would be perfect." Elizabeth told her husband.
"With cheese?" He asked not sure.
"Of course you can't have pizza without cheese. Mozzarella." Elizabeth said her mouth starting to water.
Edward looked at his grandson and smiled. "The place on Pine Street does a great thin crust." He loved pizza Monica didn't let him have it. "I don't want what she's having."
"Me either." Cameron was wrinkling his noise. "Me and Jake want cheese."
"What do you guys want?" Jason asked his other guests.
"Pepperoni." Matt responded.
"Sounds good." AJ seconded. "Babe?" He asked Keesha.
"Cheese." Keesha told her husband. "Although I have to try a slice of Elizabeth's concoction."
"Really?" Jason looked at his sister in-law. "Are you pregnant too?"
"No." Keesha told Jason. "But no one else is ever going to order a pizza like that again. How could you not try it?"
"Pretty easy." Matt said quickly and all the guys nodded their agreement.
"Suit yourselves." Elizabeth thought it sounded delicious.
"I'll also have cheese." Edward would only have one slice.
"Let me go order it." Jason would probably have to send the blueberries over.
By the time the pizzas arrived so had Johnny. He too found Elizabeth's creation to be wrong. Saying it was against the laws of nature to have blueberries on a pizza. Elizabeth ate three slices. Keesha had a few bites and said while pretty she couldn't stomach it. Jason just put the rest in the refrigerator so Elizabeth could have it for lunch tomorrow.
At four she got sick and right after Jason took her upstairs so she could nap. His intention was to just stretch out with her until she fell asleep. But being curled up with his girl was too good and he ended up napping alongside her. The stress from yesterday was finally being let go.
When Elizabeth woke up she was delighted to see her husband in bed with her. Jason rarely slept while she was awake. It was like he had some internal sense that alerted him to her eyes opening. So she took this chance to study him. He was very easy to look at. While most people focused on his stunning blue eyes her favorite feature on her husband's face were his lips. She absolutely loved kissing him.
"Done looking?" He asked as the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.
"Not even close. How long have you been awake?" She asked putting her head on his shoulder.
Jason looked at his watch. "Twenty minutes. I don't need to nap as long as you do." He said turning his head and kissing her lightly. "How do you feel?"
"Good." Elizabeth said smiling as her eyes filled up with tears. "We are both good."
He turned to his side and held her close. The tears didn't surprise him. The hormones played a part, but mostly it was relief. He knew how she felt. Last night while she was sleeping he held her close and shed his own silent tears that everything was saying that their baby was okay. He rubbed her temple lightly to help stave off a headache. "Better?"
"Yeah." Elizabeth said wiping her face.
"Let me get you a washcloth." He said rising from the bed. He came back quickly and just like all those years ago at Jake's he gently cleaned her face, only this time when he was done he kissed her. "Ready to go downstairs and see how many more of our relatives have arrived?"
"I'm almost scared to." She told him laughing.
"I'm not going down alone." Jason said laughing as well. "Mom is planning a New Year's Eve party. You can help her with that, and I'll take the guys into the study to find some sports."
"Okay. I need to ask Keesha about nannies." Elizabeth looped her arm around his neck and he lifted her. "It's too late today, but tomorrow I can call the service that cleans Johnny's place." It would have been thoroughly investigated.
"Sounds good." Jason said as they went down the stairs. In the living room almost everyone who loved them was waiting. Maya had arrived and was sitting with Johnny. The Corellis were here. Even Piph and Milo had stopped by. "I'm going to drop you off and run." Jason said laughing.
"Put me on the couch first, and then run." Elizabeth said laughing as well.
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