Go Baby Grow

Chapter 54 – Tell Me

Monday, June 15th

After Julie slid out quietly, Tessa and Adam continued the discussion about what Julie would call her new step-mother.

"Tessalie, please… please do not ever admonish me in front of one of my children again," Adam insisted. He remained calm but was obviously angry.

"Adam Samuel Caldwell, please do not resort to using my legal name when you are upset with me," Tessa responded firmly.

"See? What people call one another does matter," Adam pointed out.

Ignoring his words, Tessa argued, "Besides, Adam, I did not admonish you."

Scoffing, Adam spouted, "You most certainly did! 'Loosen up,' 'that's ridiculous,' and 'she's not one of your men.' Those are fairly clear corrections."

"You need to have sex," Tessa chuckled. "Why are you so uptight about all this?"

"Tessa, I'm not kidding. You seem to think you have every right to speak to me in front of Julie in the same way we interacted in school. I'm her father, Tess. I've raised her with a firm approach, and I don't appreciate you denigrating that," Adam emphasized.

"Darling, I don't appreciate you telling me what Julie can call me. Isn't that something Julie and I should figure out?" Tess shot back.

"Are you her mother?" Adam growled.

"Don't go there, Adam," Tess warned with a firm jaw.

"Well are you?" he continued with arrogance.

"You son of a bitch, how dare you," Tessa challenged as her eyes narrowed and her volume increased three-fold. "You and I both know that if you hadn't gotten Claire pregnant, we would have been married years ago. Don't point out that didn't happen then because you couldn't be bothered with birth control, Adam."

"We're going there, are we?" Adam huffed with an audible exhale.

"You tell me," Tessa shot back. "Allow me to develop my own relationship with Julie – who, by the way, is a legal adult – and I'll back up. Or take me on, Caldwell. I'm up for the challenge." Tessa's years as a Naval Officer had prepared her well for the interchange. Unlike anyone else in Adam's life, she would not allow him to bulldoze her.

"Back to my original request," Adam re-directed. "Please do not correct me or hassle me in front of Julie, regardless of her age. If you have an issue with how I parent her, let's address it behind closed doors."

"That's reasonable," Tessa relented. "I apologize for crossing your comfort zone in front of Julie."

"Thank you," Adam stated flatly.

"However, you and I are not going to discuss what she'll call me. You need to admit that Julie is an adult. She needs to be given the freedom to make her own decisions, Adam. I can't stand by and watch you treat her as if she's a troubled, wayward twelve-year-old in need of tough love. You aren't doing her any favors by parenting her the way you do," Tess dared to declare.

"And we're back around the circle," Adam called out as he threw his hands in the air.

"I'm not relenting on this, Adam. I am an intelligent, competent, skilled woman who is capable of determining the type of relationship I'd like to develop with my step-children," Tessa emphasized. "This argument is over."

"Are you serious? You are the one who determines that?" Adam laughed with conceited pride.

Tessa walked over to Adam, kissed his forehead and said softly, "This time, yes." She smiled mischievously and alerted him, "And I'll be upstairs, naked and waiting. Come on up when you're over your snit and ready to make up."

Jumping up from his chair, Adam chased Tessa inside. When he caught up with her at the bottom of the stairs, he grabbed her and carried her up the stairs as he attacked her neck with kisses.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~'

Wednesday, June 17th

After locating Owen in his office, Amelia and the twins walked with him to see Arizona. Almost 22 weeks along, Amelia found the frequent appointments both reassuring and inconvenient. Having a reason to leave the house was a welcome treat; however, her pregnancy was uneventful. Undergoing an exam and an appointment every other week seemed excessive. Owen, on the other hand, fully agreed with Arizona that frequent appointments were crucial.

Having begged to join in the experience, Anna and Ria were giddy to be there. They whispered to one another as they walked. They were hoping to spot whether the baby was a boy or a girl, since their parents didn't know. Waiting another 18 weeks seemed unbearable to the girls.

As they settled into the exam room, the girls flanked the table to ensure a clear view of the ultrasound screen.

"How does the picture of the baby go from here," Ria asked as she patted Amelia's baby bump, "to the screen?"

"See that piece of equipment to the left?" Owen mentioned. "It's called a transducer. The doctor will put it on Mommy, and it will transmit the image from the uterus to the ultrasound screen."

"Oh," Victoria giggled, thoroughly embarrassed that her father had said 'uterus.'

"Good morning, lovely friends," Arizona beamed when she entered the exam room. Stopping and smiling at the twins, Arizona added, "Look at the two of you! My goodness you've grown!"

In unison, the twins responded, "Hi, Dr. Robbins."

"How fun to have you here to see your little…" she caught herself and concluded, "sibling."

"It's killing you to know and not say anything, isn't it?" Amelia kidded.

"A little." Arizona peered down at the iPad in her hands and reported, "Great BP and pulse, Mama. Everything checks out. Shall we check on the baby?"

Owen fussed with Amelia and helped her lie flat on the exam table even though she was fully capable of repositioning herself. She smirked at him and humored him, reminding herself that she'd rather have an overly-attentive husband than one who was disengaged. Owen pulled his chair closer to Amelia, leaned in, and rubbed her arm as he focused on the ultrasound monitor.

"Let's take a peek," Arizona smiled enthusiastically. "There we are," she announced, having immediately landed over the baby's face. "Look at that development. Ten fingers, ten toes, an adorable face. The baby's developing well."

Predictably, Owen became misty eyed as he observed the screen and commented, "Look, girls. The baby is a miniature newborn already."

"It's so cute," Ria declared with high pitched excitement.

Thinking aloud, Owen observed, "The spine appears to be sealed well and there's a nice little tummy."

"Does the spine part mean it doesn't have spina bifida, Daddy?" Ria inquired.

"Yes," Owen answered before turning to Arizona for confirmation. "Does it seem intact to you?"

Nodding, Arizona offered, "It does."

"Mommy, Daddy, look…" Anna pointed at the screen. Her voice was filled with wonder. "Tiny little eyebrows and eyelashes." Owen leaned closer to spot them, then glanced at his wife lovingly.

"Wow," Ria responded with awe.

The girls began to giggle when the baby stretched out its legs. Quickly, Arizona moved the transducer so the gender would remain a mystery. "Mommy, does that hurt?" Ria wondered.

"No, but I can feel it," Amelia clarified. "When the two of you were inside me, it was more crowded. Sometimes a foot or a hand would become stuck under my ribs. That was uncomfortable."

"That sounds like Annabelle," Ria teased.

"No it doesn't," Anna insisted playfully. "It was you."

"I'll bet you took turns beating up Mommy's insides, girls," Owen weighed in.

"How's the Annapolis trip looking?" Amelia asked her doctor.

"Let's chat in detail in a minute," Arizona suggested. "I will say that the baby is developing very well. I'm not seeing any concerns."

"Girls, can you go in the waiting room while we talk with the doctor?" Amelia requested.

"Wait," Arizona interjected. She clicked over to another screen and printed two pictures of the baby's face. "Here girls. You can each have your own picture of the baby."

"Cool!" Anna exclaimed. "Thank you."

Ria added, "Thank you, Dr. Robbins. Can I have one for my brother?"

"Lucas?" Arizona questioned as she clicked a button to print another copy.

"No, Ryder," she explained. With sadness, she shared, "He won't be here when the baby's born. Maybe having a picture will keep him from being sad about that."

"That's very thoughtful," Arizona praised the little girl. "Here you go. If you ask the lady at the desk, she can give you an envelope and you can put the pictures in it." The twins thanked Arizona again and walked down the hall enthusiastically discussing what they'd seen. They sat side-by-side in the waiting room admiring their pictures.

"My goodness, she's so gentle and caring," Arizona said as she closed the door behind the girls.

"That's our Victoria," Amelia grinned. "At the risk of becoming annoying, can we have a printout from each ultrasound going forward? I can send them to Ryder so he's part of the rest of the pregnancy."

"Of course," Arizona agreed.

Amelia changed the subject to the topic weighing on her mind. "Lay it out for us," she urged, "Annapolis?"

"Medically, my only concern is the gestational age. You will almost be 24 weeks, which is in the range of viability. Really, it's up to the two of you. As of today, I have no reason other than your age to consider the pregnancy high risk. Your cervix measures well and I see no red flags. The chances of you experiencing labor due to travel are small, but they are a consideration."

Amelia looked at Owen and emphasized, "I can't not go, Owen."

"I know," he replied then pursed his lips. Looking back at Arizona, he asked, "I'd feel more comfortable if we had a plan in place. Which hospital in that area has the most respected NICU? Do you know any neonatal doctors in that area?"

"Let me do some research. I'm positive the DC area will have impressive NICU doctors and options," Arizona offered. She added, "One more point to note: if the baby is born there, he or she won't be able to travel for some time."

"I'm willing to take that chance," Amelia stated clearly.

"Then let's discuss some solid ways to help prevent preterm labor so you don't end up in that pickle," Arizona detailed. "In addition to continual water intake, I'd like to continue with the progesterone shots, continue with bedrest, and encourage you to eat well and eat often. As peculiar as it may sound, you need to avoid holding your urine. Doing so can inflame the bladder, irritate the uterus, and initiate contractions."

"Pee, rest, inject, drink, eat," Amelia summarized. "PRIDE. Got it."

Feeling a need to explain Amelia's words, Owen offered with a hint of embarrassment, "She loves acronyms."

"Once you reach 25 weeks, I'd recommend adding a steroid shot to help strengthen the baby's lungs," Arizona added. "Ideally, the steroids will be in your system at least 48 hours before birth. When we reach that point, we can discuss whether to undergo one or two rounds of the shots. Each round contains two shots and is effective for two weeks. Now, if you'd like, we can administer a set of shots on the day before you leave and on the day you leave for Annapolis. You'll be 23 weeks. It's earlier than the norm, but having them at 22 or 23 weeks occurs every now and then."

"I'd feel better going that route," Owen responded. "Mia? What do you think?"

"The shots would need to occur on a Saturday and Sunday," she pointed out.

"I know a certain red-headed doctor who's competent in handling weekend intramuscular injections," Arizona grinned.

"I'm up for the assignment," Owen winked.

"Let's plan on one more visit before you leave. How about on Friday the 26th?" Arizona suggested.

"Will do," Owen agreed eagerly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~'

Noticing that her parents were gone and that nobody was outside, Olivia decided to sprawl out on a lounge chair on the porch. She swallowed a Valium before heading downstairs. As the pill worked its magic, Livie closed her eyes and drank in the sunshine. The warm rays surrounded and soothed her.

Fifteen minutes later, Ryder and Lucas bounded out the back door with a Frisbee in hand. "Go long, little man," Ryder called out, noting his sister was sleeping in the sun. As Lucas fumbled the catch and then chased the disc, Ryder nudged Olivia's hip with his knee, "Red, did you put on sunscreen? You'll fry out here."

"I did," Olivia replied in a dreamy and breathy voice.

"Are you sure?" Ryder pressed.

Olivia opened her eyes and widened them. With frustration, she snarled, "Yes, Ryder. I'm fifteen. I'm capable of remembering if I put on sunscreen."

"Okey dokey, Cruella. Holy crap," Ryder grumbled in response as he raised his hands in the air.

"Catch!" Lucas yelled from twenty feet away as he attempted to send the Frisbee toward Ryder.

As Ryder watched the wobbly Frisbee head toward the roof, he mumbled, "Looks like we're throwing a football back and forth instead."

"Aww…man!" Lucas exclaimed with disappointment. "It's on the roof."

"Indeed it is," Ryder confirmed. "We'll have to work on your technique when Dad gets home. I'm not about to climb up there without him being here. Go grab a football."

"I want to go to the treehouse and throw it back and forth over there," Lucas stated.

Shrugging, Ryder consented, "Then let's go." He turned back to Livie and informed her, "Hey, Madame Medusa, we're going over to the treehouse." She didn't respond. "Ginger Girl!" Ryder called out as he lightly set his bare foot on Olivia's stomach.

"Gross! Get your ugly, smelly, hairy foot off of me," she growled as she pushed his foot away with a look of disgust.

"We're going to the treehouse," Ryder repeated.

"Go wherever you like. Stop bothering me," she insisted.

Ryder shook his head and commented, "You're in a lovely mood today, Olivia. Surfing the crimson wave?"

"Go to hell, Ryder," she snapped.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~'

"Itsy Bit. Hey sweetie," Sam said with joyful surprise when he answered Julie's call. The only time Sam didn't act like a tough badass SEAL was when he and Julie interacted without anyone else nearby.

"I'm so glad you answered," Julie sighed.

Sam was puzzled by her comment. "Is everything ok?"

"I dunno," Julie weighed in. "Why aren't you coming to the wedding?"

"Did Dad put you up to this?" Sam asked with an edge in his voice.

"He doesn't even know I'm calling you," Julie explained. "I'm the one who wants to know."

Sam paused as he tried to discern what to say next. After thirty long seconds, he inquired, "What do you know about Captain Rice and Dad?"

"Umm… that they're getting married," Julie reported with confusion.

"Oh, Its…," Sam chuckled. "Besides the wedding."

"They went to school together. The other day, Dad told me he was ahead of her in school and they had to wait until her second year to date," she shared with a slightly romantic tone.

"Where are you right now, Its?" Sam inquired.

"At home," she told him.

"Alone?" he added.

"Yes. Why?" Julie pressed.

"Itsy… I'm not going to pussyfoot around. I need to tell you something, and it's going to rattle you," Sam declared.

"Umm… ok," she replied.

"Before she died, Mom told me about Dad's relationship with Captain Rice. They dated for about eighteen months, starting as soon as she returned from her youngster cruise. She... uh… She thought she was pregnant at Christmas break of Dad's senior year and Dad was terrified. They would have both been thrown out of the Academy if she had been," Sam paused, giving Julie a chance to soak in what he'd said to that point. Then he continued, "Dad f #$ed up pretty bad – he reacted by telling her that he needed a break while he tried to figure out what to do."

"Dad returned from Christmas break before Captain Rice did. His roommate convinced Dad to go on a double date, and set Dad up with Mom."

"Holy hell, Sam," Julie gasped. "This sounds unreal."

"It gets worse," he warned. "When Rice returned to campus, Dad was dating Mom. Dad probably only dated her to spite Rice. Once an asshole, always an asshole. Anyway, he and Rice avoided each other for most of January. Dad and Mom kept dating. She was nuts about him and they slept together. In late January, Rice cornered Dad and informed him that she wasn't pregnant after all. I'm not sure how Mom knew how Dad reacted, but she told me that he picked Rice up, celebrated, and kissed her. He broke up with Mom the next day, totally devastating her. Rice and Dad reunited and planned to officially become engaged closer to graduation."

"This is insane," Julie uttered.

"Sweetie… there's still more," Sam told her. "In February, Mom found out she was pregnant with me. She tried to call Dad, but he wouldn't return her calls. After a week of that bullshit, she sent him a letter. When he received it, he called Mom and invited her to go to dinner. He explained to Mom that he was in love with Tessa and planned to marry her. He encouraged Mom to have an abortion and offered to pay for it. Mom looked him in the eye and insisted that she wasn't going to abort. They had a big fight, which strangely turned in to an agreement to get married. Mom said that when she thought about it later, the argument was like a business negotiation. She left the restaurant with the engagement ring Dad had bought for Tessa and they set their wedding for right after graduation."

"Did she know the ring wasn't originally meant for her?" Julie asked.

"Not until much later," Sam explained.

"Tell me there isn't more…" Julie groaned.

"Wish I could, Its. After the dinner with Mom, Dad went back to the Academy and fessed up to Tessa about having sex with Mom and about the pregnancy. Supporting him out of honor, Tessa told Dad she wouldn't say a word to anyone and that she wouldn't stand in the way. They were totally in love, so both of them were pretty miserable."

"Fast forward to the marriage. Both of their families wouldn't have allowed any other outcome. Apparently, Dad caught major amounts of hell from Mom's dad and from his dad. Mom and Dad's relationship was a business arrangement more than a marriage. They co-existed with respect, but without much love. He jumped at every deployment he could find and Mom played the role of an officer's wife. There's a reason I didn't have a sibling close in age."

"My God," Julie stammered. "Sam…"

"I know," Sam affirmed. "That's the reason we were Mom's primary focus in life."

"If they were only living together, how was I conceived? Do I actually have another Dad or something?" Julie questioned.

"No, Dad is your biological dad. We can get into more details another time, JJ. I've told you enough for now," Sam declared.

Julie thought aloud, "I can't believe all this… well, I can, but it's a mess."

"That's why I'm not coming to the wedding. I have nothing against Captain Rice, but I can't support Dad. As far as I'm concerned, he doesn't deserve to be happy," Sam stated with contempt.

Julie frowned before challenging her brother, "That's pretty extreme, Sam."

"I can't do it, JJ. I feel like I'd be betraying Mom," he explained. "Besides, the son of a bitch and I haven't gotten along for years."

With her eyes welling up with tears, Julie sputtered, "This whole situation breaks my heart."

"I'm sorry to do this to you, Sis, but I need to hang up. We can talk more tomorrow or Friday," Sam promised. "I love you, Itsy Bit."

"Love you too, Sam," Julie responded haltingly. She set her phone in her lap and fell back on the couch, stunned but numb.