Chapter 15
~.~
March 2017
A few weeks later...
Becky suddenly bolts up in bed, reading the clock on her bedside table, having just had a nightmare about losing Ruffnut, Tuffnut and Eret.
2:43AM.
Becky grabs her phone, texting her adoptive brother, who lives with her adoptive sister and Mom and Dad right down the hall.
Meet me at the fire escape at our end. I need to talk to you.
I'll be right over, sis.
Becky tries not to wake her sleeping husband, grabbing a sweatshirt jacket and heading out the living room window to the fire escape. Penny stays asleep, thankfully.
Tuffnut heads out his bedroom window after grabbing a jacket and walks across the fire escape that's at the front of the apartment building to meet his sister at her end of the building.
"So, what's up? Is there a reason you wanted to talk at almost three in the morning?" Tuffnut asks, sitting next to his sister on the steps of the fire escape.
"It was a really bad nightmare. Like the worst I've ever had."
"Do you wanna talk about it? And do you mind if I record it for safety's sake?"
"Sure, you can record it."
Tuffnut takes out his phone and goes to the voice memo application, knowing his adoptive sister hated being on camera.
"It was about...you. And Ruffnut, and Eret."
"Really? What went on in the dream?"
"I was at the coffee shop, just working, and then...you and Ruffnut and Eret came in...followed by Eret's ex-boss...he pulled a gun out and all three of you jumped in front of me." Becky continues to tell her brother what went on during the nightmare.
It's almost four in the morning when she finishes.
"Becky...I'm so sorry."
"I just...I wouldn't be able to stand losing you guys...you're my entire world and...I...I..." Becky breaks down and Tuffnut wraps his arms around his adoptive sister.
"Shhh. I'm here. It's going to be okay."
"I need Eret."
"I'll call him for you. He might not wake up to a text." Becky nods, leaning on her brother as he stops recording and dials Eret's cell. He picks up after the first ring.
"Tuffnut? Do you have any idea what time it is?Eret...your wife needs you. Oh, gods. Is she all right?She's okay, Eret. She just had a nightmare. Oh, thank goodness. Fire escape?Yeah. I'll be there soon."
Eret shows up about 30 seconds later.
"Hey, baby. Heard you had a nightmare." Becky's lip quivers as she bursts into tears, and Eret doesn't hesitate to hold her close.
"Shhh. I'm here. You're all right. I've got you, my love. I'm here."
Becky soon calms down, leaning on her husband.
"Hey, idiot!"
Becky, Tuffnut, and Eret look up and see Ruffnut.
"Becky and Eret, for the record, I was calling Tuffnut the idiot, not you."
"I figured, sis." Becky says, smirking at her sister.
"What are you three doing out here so early?" Ruffnut asks, squeezing between Tuffnut and Becky as Eret sits behind Becky.
"It was my fault, Ruff. I had a really bad nightmare. Long story short, it started with me in the coffee shop and...it ended with you three dead."
Ruffnut and Tuffnut share a look, Tuffnut saying he'd give the full story to Ruffnut later.
"I'm so sorry, Becky. This is probably a stupid question, but are you okay?" Becky starts to cry again, but her siblings and husband are ready to comfort her.
"Not really, no. I...I just wish that...I just wish that Eret's ex-boss wasn't free...he could get revenge and I'd be alone...well...unless I..."
"No. We are not going to let you go through that again. We can't. We almost lost you, and we can't go through that again. My darling, we love you so much and we are going to be here for you no matter what." Eret says, squeezing his wife's shoulders.
"I know my life is going great, I'm healthy, I have a husband, a loving family. But sometimes a life that's going great doesn't mean that I'm happy. Don't get me wrong, I love Eret and I love you guys and Mom and Dad, but...I just feel like there's something missing. But it's not kids. I can barely take care of myself, so there's no way I could take care of a child. I can't imagine myself ever being pregnant or adopting. But...I feel like...I feel like I am."
"Am? My sweetie...you're not making any sense. Do you feel like you're happy? Is that what you're trying to say?" Eret asks.
"No. I feel like...I feel like I'm pregnant."
"What? Are you sure?"
"No, I'm not, Tuffnut. It's just this feeling I've got. I...part of me wants to be wrong...but if I'm not...I couldn't take care of a baby. I couldn't raise it. I'm not saying I wouldn't love it, I would. I...I just...I'm not ready if I am. Eret, you and I have only been married for almost three years. Kids have never come up in conversation."
"I know, my love, I know. But we'll go to one of your mum's friends, who's an OBGYN, later today. Let's get you back to bed, just in case."
"We'll go with you, too, sis." Tuffnut says.
"Thanks, guys. It means a lot."
~.~
The next day, well, later that day, the Thorston siblings, Penny and Eret go to Dr. Baker, one of Lily Thorston's doctor friends.
They sit in the waiting room before being led to a private room.
"She'll be in here shortly." The nurse says before closing the door.
There's a knock at the door and Dr. Baker comes in.
"Hey, sweetie. You said that you feel like you're pregnant?"
"Yes."
"Well, let's see if there's a baby. We'll do a blood test first then an ultrasound, okay?" Becky nods, rolling up her sleeve, squeezing her husband's hand.
"I've got you, Becky." Eret says.
"We here for you, sis." Tuffnut says.
Becky's leg starts shaking, and Penny jumps up, pawing at Becky.
"Good girl, Penny. You're such a good girl." Becky scratches Penny's ear as blood is drawn.
"Let's get the ultrasound done and then you can go home and possibly celebrate."
Becky nods, her brother rubbing her back to keep her calm.
The ultrasound begins.
"All right. Everything so far is looking perfect. There is your uterus and..."
"And?" The three Thorston siblings and Eret asks.
"Eret, sweetie, you're cutting off my circulation." Becky says, glancing down at her hand, which Eret is squeezing particularly hard.
"Sorry, love." Eret loosens his grip.
"Congratulations. You're currently about two weeks pregnant."
"I...I am?"
"You are. We can schedule a five-week scan and then go from there. Do you have any questions?"
"No."
"All right. Wednesday afternoon okay?"
"Yes."
"Okay. The receptionist will give you an appointment card and I'll see you in three weeks."
"Okay. Thank you."
"You're welcome."
Dr. Baker leaves.
"Guys, give us a minute?" Becky asks her siblings.
"We'll be in the lobby, sweetheart. Congratulations." Tuffnut says. Ruffnut and Tuffnut leave the room, leaving Becky, Eret and Penny alone.
"I can't believe it. We're going to have a baby!" Eret says, gently squeezing his wife's hands.
"Eret...what if we lose this one, too?" Becky looks at Eret with tears in her eyes before looking down, and Eret lifts her chin.
"My love, we won't lose this one. I promise. I'll be right there with you every step of the way. I promise." He tells her softly.
Eret gently hugs his wife, who begins to sob into his shoulder.
"Shhh. It's going to be okay. We'll get through this. I've got you. I promise."
A few minutes pass.
"Thank you for being there for me, Eret. And thank you for not giving up on me." Becky says.
"You're welcome. Don't give up on yourself, my Becky. We can handle this, okay?"
Becky nods.
"We're going to have a baby." Becky says, smiling a bit.
"We're going to have a baby." Eret repeats, kissing his wife on her forehead.
Eret and Becky exit the room, both grinning from ear to ear.
"Mom, Dad, what are you doing here?" Becky asks, seeing her adoptive parents in the waiting room.
"We heard you felt like you were pregnant." Lily says.
Becky raises an eyebrow at her adoptive siblings.
"We didn't say anything, sis! We swear!" Tuffnut says.
"I'm pregnant." Becky says.
The Thorstons (and Nordisks) celebrate by getting frozen yogurt, and then they head to their respective homes.