Brass
I stare at the door not sure if I should knock or not. I hesitate another moment before knocking. I can hear the footsteps approach the door and I hope it is Gil who is on the other side.
"Brass?" I hear her surprised voice as I stare at her face.
"Sara, I heard you had a hard day." I tell her not surprised to see her really.
"Yeah, Catherine tell you?" She asks stepping aside to let me in.
"And Doc." I turn back to her as she closes the door. "You okay?" I ask her offering a hug.
She takes it. "Better now." She sighs. "Gil has been great and I've made an appointment to see someone soon." She says walking to the couch.
"That's good." I tell her taking a pause. "I'm glad you and the baby are okay."
She smiles and takes my hand. "We are, I promise." She takes my hand and places it on her stomach. "She's always active when daddy and grandpa are around."
"Grandpa?" I question, "I'll have you know I am not much older than Gil." I laugh.
"I know but you have been like a dad to me since I got here and I... But if you don't want to be than... I mean I don't want you to... I was just thinking." She rambled.
I move my hand on her stomach and she stops to look at me, "I would be honored." I tell her smiling. She visibly relaxes and nods her head. "Besides I will spoil him or her to no end so it's only fitting." I smile at her.
she laughs "Oh god, first Cath than the boys and with Gil I'm doomed. I will be the bad guy and she will hate me."
"No she won't." I pause, "She?" I ask.
"Don't tell Gil, but the doctor finally got a good look this morning and well we'll have a little butterfly soon enough. I have a special gift for Gil to tell him tonight." She smiles.
"He'll be so happy." I hug her and look around. "Where is Gil?"
"Went to the store to get me some chocolate." She smiles. "He should be home soon."
"Good. I wanted to..." The door opened.
The sound of foot steps were heard. "Honey, I didn't know what kind you wanted so I got a few different... Brass." He stops his talking when he lifts his head to see me sitting next to Sara.
"I wanted to check up on Sara, make sure she and the baby were okay."I tell him standing. "I should go." I tell them.
"No." They both say as I stand.
"Please, Gil was going to make dinner and you are more than welcome to stay." She says looking to Gil to confirm.
"Jim, you are more than welcome to stay." Gil confirmed as he handed the plastic bag over to Sara and headed to the kitchen. He turned around and looked at Sara. "I almost forgot, what did the doctor say?" He asked excited. The look on his face was an excitement and happiness I had never seen before.
She smiled. She walked down the hall and a few moments later came back. She handed Gil a box. He looked at it and then at her. "Go ahead it will answer your question." Sara said gesturing to the box.
Gil opens the box. I see his eyes widen and he looks up to meet Sara's anxious smile. "Really?" He asks. She nods and he is out of his chair setting the box down and pulling her into a hug. He kisses her and spins her around before putting her back on the ground.
"What is it?" I ask.
He lifts the box so I am able to see the beautiful butterfly incased in the frame. "It's rare, I've been trying to find it."
"It's beautiful, a baby girl?" I ask for Gil's sake playing along that I don't know.
"A baby girl. A mini Sara, what else could I want." He says pulling Sara close again.
"You sure you want me to stay?" I ask, watching them be so close. I've known about them for awhile now but seeing them like this is new. They never let on while at work.
"Of course. Come on I'll show you what we've done to the nursery so far and Gil can start on dinner." Sara says pulling my arm towards the nursery and Gil walks back to the kitchen with a smile on his face.
As we walk down the hall I watch the smile on her face. "I've never seen either of you so happy before." I state as she reaches for the door handle.
"I've never been this happy before. I love him so much and he loves me. I never thought I could or would be a mom. I love her so much already and I've never seen her face. It's all like a dream, like one day I'll wake up and they will be gone. Gil has been the most amazing husband and he'll be a great dad. I still doubt myself when it comes to both of them. I didn't have great examples growing up. I am just grateful for them and the love I have in my life now. I have you and the team who have become family and I'll never be able to forget everything you all have done for me, for us. I never want to loose this, all of this. I know we are both leaving but I promise we aren't leaving any of you. We will always be here. Gil was offered a position outside of Vargas, outside Nevada and we said no. We can't leave our family, our home, this is where we belong." She says and pauses. "Now for bugs room." She says before I can get anything out. The light tan walls with the nature mural and light curtains make the room look like it belongs in the jungle. Butterflies and colored Beatles in cases are lined on one wall. The wooden crib holds a stuffed elephant and a green blanket.
"It's beautiful Sara." I tell her looking around.
"It's almost done just needs her name." She says smiling. "Once we agree on a name it will be back carved out of wood and placed here." She says smiling pointing at the wall above the crib.
"It looks like a jungle in here." I smile at her.
"It's perfect for bug." She smiles. "She'll be a nature baby for sure. Gil and his bugs and the garden we are putting together." She sits in the rocker situated by the large window.
"Just like you and Gil." I smile at her, "Sara?" I ask.
"Yeah." She looks up and smiles as she runs her hand over her stomach.
I sigh and I notice her go to stand. "No sit." I usher her back down into the rocker and find a stool on the other side of the room and sit in front of her. "I want you to know that you have been like a daughter to me. We've been able to talk and you've never held anything back with me. I want you to know how much you mean to me and how much I care for you." I tell her seriously.
She smiles a teasing smile, "Jim, are you confessing your love for me?" She asks with a small giggle.
I can't help but laugh with her. "No," I take her hand and I see her face turn more serious at the gesture. "I... You will be an amazing mom. I am so happy that you are happy. I just want you to know that I am always here if you need me. No matter the time of day, you need me you call. I want to be there to see baby girl after she is born and I promise you I will be the best grandpa."
I squeeze her hand and she does the same. "I know you will. I love you too." She smiles.
I smile back. "Okay, let's find Gil before I start to cry." I laugh standing.
"Okay." She giggles. "JIm?" She asks as I go to walk out of the nursery.
"Yeah," I turn to her.
"You always have me too." She says.
"I know," we smile at each other, "let's go see what Gil is making I'm starving."
"Me too." She says linking her arm in mine as we walk back to the kitchen.
Thee door bell rings just as Gil is taking the pot to the table. "I'll get it." I offer as Sara was already sitting at the table. I walk to the door and open it to find Al on the other side. "Al, what are you doing here?" I ask shocked to see him.
"I wanted to check on Sara and test her vitals again. Didn't want to wait till morning in case they are still raised." He says as I usher hi in.
"She's about to eat dinner so let's go check on them." I tell him using him to follow me into the kitchen.
"Al!" Gil says surprise in his voice.
"I wanted to check on Sara thought it was better to not wait until tomorrow." He says.
"Of course." Gil says gesturing for Al to sit at the table. "Are you hungry we have enough if you'd like to join us." Gil tells him.
"No thank you, the wife is waiting now for me at home with dinner. Would you mind if I looked you over real fast?" He asks Sara.
"No." She says moving her chair out as Al walks over to her.
After a few minutes and some tests he puts his things away and turns to Sara and Gil. "You are just fine Sara. Everything sounds great. Just take it easy, okay?"
"I will." She smiles at him, "I'll walk you out."
"Have a good night." Gil and I tell him.
I wait until Sara has left before I turn to Gil. " I know I've told you this a few times since I found out about you and Sara all that time ago, but I am happy you finally got your head out of the microscope. That women makes you happier than I have ever seen you and you make her just as happy. I am so happy for the both of you."
"Jim, she's the best things that's ever happened to me and she's making me a dad, what else could i possibly want?" He smiles. I smile back and we just head to the table to eat.
"Everything okay?" I hear Sara say as she walks into the kitchen.
"Yes I feel better knowing you are okay." Gil tells her placing foo don her plate.
"Now to more important things..." She says pausing for effect. "Bug needs a name." She smiles. We spend the rest of the meal exchanging name after name and just talking.