CHAPTER 26

"What?" Maureen's hand went over her mouth. "No!"

"Oh my God," Michaela sank on the toilet seat. "I thought it was the flu."

"Are you sure?" she questioned. "I mean really sure?"

Tears began to well in Michaela's eyes. "I…I took two tests. They both were positive."

"I can't believe it," Maureen shook her head. "I…I don't even know what to say."

"Maureen I'm not married," she cried. 'I'm not even engaged. What am I going to do?"

"Hey, shhh…" she walked over to her. "It's not like you're sixteen years old. You're thirty-six, you can do this."

"What am I going to tell Sully?" her voiced quivered. "I…I don't know how to tell him this. We're not anywhere close to…to being where we would be to talk about something like this!"

"What are you afraid of the most?" she asked. "Do you think Sully's going to leave you when he finds out?"

"I wouldn't blame him if he did."

"Michaela…"

"Maureen it was only once! One time!"

"Really," she was surprised. "Only once? Wow."

"Oh my God," she started crying again. "I should have known better. How could I be so irresponsible?"

"You're not on anything?" she questioned, a little surprised.

"No, Maureen," she snapped. "When I was leaving Jack I didn't think about bringing my birth control along!"

"It takes two you know," Maureen tried to stay level headed. "Sully should have thought about it too."

"I told you everything happened so fast. Maybe I shouldn't even tell him," she reasoned. "I mean you're right I can do this on my own. I don't need help."

"Michaela," she took her hand. "He has a right to know he has a child. Besides you don't know how he's going to react. He might even be happy about this. He loves you."

"This is not how I thought this was going to happen." Feeling as though her world was turning up side down, Michaela sank down to the floor again.

"Oh Michaela," Maureen sat down next to her. "Michaela listen to me. You're going to have a baby. This is something you've always wanted."

Shaking her head she didn't look up from the ground. "But not like this."

"Aren't you glad it is though? Aren't you glad you're having Sully's baby instead of someone you don't know or even…even Jack?"

Looking at her sister she did have a point but she was still fighting her inner demons. The night she was with Sully the thought of protection didn't even enter her head. She was so caught up in the moment nothing else mattered. She didn't even think about the possibility of pregnancy until last night after Sully left. After she put all of her symptoms together and realized how late she was for her period it all started to make sense. She tossed and turned and dreamt all night until she couldn't take it any longer and ran to the pharmacy.

"I…I don't know if I can be happy about this baby if Sully isn't."

"Michaela you need to tell him," Maureen pressed. "Besides don't you think he's going to find out anyways?"

"I…I don't even know how to tell him," she sighed. "Oh God!"

"What?"

"Mom and Dad," Michaela said, her blood running cold.

"They're….umm…. going to get a grandchild," she smiled. "And just think our children are just going to be a few months apart from one another!"

"That would be nice," she hiccupped. Trying to squelch the frightening feelings of telling her parents Michaela started to take a few deep breaths. She couldn't go crazy about this. She had to keep herself together.

"See Michaela," she took her hand. "This is going to be a good thing. You're going to have a baby!"

"I'm going to have a baby," she breathed. "I'm…going to have a baby…"

"You are," Maureen put her arm around her. "And if you ask me you and Sully are going to have one hot kid!"

Michaela couldn't help but laugh at her sisters' comment. "You're right. Even if Sully's not ready to have a child, I'm still glad it's his."

"When are you going to tell him?" she wondered.

"Should I wait?" she bit her lip. "I mean till I get a little further? Just in case?"

"I think the sooner you tell him the easier it's going to be on you. You deserve this time."

"But like I said, I don't even know how to tell him. It's not like we're married or were trying or something. I can't cook him some romantic dinner and surprise him with it." Running her hands through her hair she leaned her head against the bathroom wall. "I guess I should just tell him. Let him know that I don't expect anything and…"

"Are you going to let Sully be apart of this child's life?"

"If he wants to be."

"What if…" Maureen stopped.

"What if what?" she looked at her.

"What if he wants to marry you?"

Taking in a sharp intake of breath, Michaela didn't even think about the possibility of marriage. "I…I don't want him to marry me because he feels like he has to. I'm…I'm not ready for that. I'm not ready for marriage."

"But you love him."

"Of course I love him, but I'm not ready to marry him. I want to be sure this time Maureen. I want to be sure with Sully."

"I think that's smart," she nodded. "But I think you should let him help you in the mean time. I think it will bring you closer together, in a good way."

"Okay I'll tell him," she closed her eyes. "But that still doesn't help me with mom and dad."

"Call Rebecca," Maureen suggested. "She always has a nice way of putting things."

"Oh, I'm just getting sick thinking about it," she got up.

Holding onto the counter Maureen pulled her self off the floor and followed her sister into her room. "So it was really only once?"

Turning Michaela gave her sister the eye.

"Wow," she shook her head in disbelief walking out of the room. "Michaela I have to go to the airport to pickup Robert," she glanced at the clock. "I'll be back in a little bit, alright?"

"Okay," she nodded.

"Are you okay?" she was worried. "Do you want to come with me?"

"No," I'm going to lie down and call Rebecca," she told her. "I'm a little tired."

Maureen laughed walking toward her sister. "Maybe now you'll understand and have more sympathy for me."

"Oh go get your husband," she snorted.

"So how was Washington?" Maureen asked, as they drove down the highway back to Michaela's house.

"Washington," he laughed. "Politicians thinking they know everything."

"I hope you set them straight."

"I tried, and I think I got the Killmen's Bill to pass. The House was impressed by it."

"I'm glad," she took his hand placing it on her belly.

"How have you been doing? Was the baby giving you any trouble?"

"No, she smiled. "She's been as good as gold."

"I'm glad," his smiled matched hers.

"How's Michaela doing?"

Not knowing if she should tell her husband or not she didn't say anything. She contemplated over and over on the drive to the airport if she should tell him or not and still didn't come up without an answer.

"What is it? he asked. "Is she okay?"

Exhaling she turned and looked at her husband, an unreadable expression upon her face.

"Maureen what is it? She is okay?"

"If I tell you something you have to keep it to yourself and if Michaela tells you, you have to act surprised," she eyed him. "But not too surprised and no matter how you feel about it you're going to support her because she's your sister in law."

"God, Maureen what is it?" he asked.

"Michaela's pregnant."

Not making a sound Robert kept his eyes trained on the road.

"Did you hear what I said?" Maureen wondered.

"I did," he nodded. "I'm just trying to process it all."

"Well you better process it soon because we're almost home and you can't let Michaela know that you know."

"Was she planning this?"

"Robert, of course not!" she hit him. "She's so afraid right now."

"Is it Sully's?"

"Robert!"

"I was just asking."

"Yes, its Sully's," she shook her head.

"Has she told him yet?"

"She just found out this morning," Maureen rubbed her temples she could feel the beginning of a headache coming on. "I think she's talking to Rebecca right now."

"Oh man, Elizabeth's going to shit a brick."

"Robert!"

"What?"

"Please just stop talking," she covered her eyes. "Everything is just giving me a headache."

"You just can't drop something like this on me and not expect me to say anything."

"It's just a baby Robert. She's an adult. She'll be fine. You know Sully's going to help her.

"You better hope he does because I know five men that will kick his ass if he leaves."

Leaning against the window, Maureen hoped to God it wasn't a mistake telling her husband about the baby. She always had a hard time keeping secrets. She wondered what Michaela was doing right now. Probably talking to Rebecca or her mother, she thought. Sending extra prayers to her sister just incase she was, Maureen fell into a light sleep.

"Hey John is Rebecca home?" Michaela asked as she snuggled down underneath her comforter. "I need to talk with her for a minute."

"Yeah, she just got home. Did you get my e-mail today about Jack?"

"No," she became alarmed. "What about him."

"You know we're still keeping tabs on him while we're getting the case ready. I just wanted you to know he's in New Mexico right now on business. He should be there for another week."

"Mmm… too close for my liking," she sighed.

"Don't worry we have people watching him."

"I know," she nodded. "But just knowing that he was in Colorado really put me on edge."

"Michaela I promise this will be all over soon. And you won't have to worry about him any more."

"I can't wait," she smiled. "It can't some soon enough."

"Alright, here's Becca."

"Thanks John."

Rebecca's voice came on the line, "Hello?"

"Hello stranger."

"Michaela," Rebecca's face lit up. "How are you?"

"I'm…good. What about you? How are you and John?"

"Oh tired," she laughed. "Between me working double shifts at the museum and John putting in extras hours at the office and putting your case together it's a miracle we actually see one another."

"I'm sorry," Michaela felt bad. "I don't want this case to come between you and John. I can get another lawyer, John doesn't have to…"

"Are you kidding me? John wouldn't let you take this case away from him if you tried. He wants to get him so bad Michaela, for what he did to you. John was really upset when he found out."

"I really owe him, he's done so much for me."

"He's happy to do it," she told her. "So what's up?"

Sighing, Michaela started to ring her hands. "I…I…ummm…wanted to ask you…well I mean…tell you something."

"Tell me something?"

"I…I need your advice. There's something I need to tell mother." Closing her eyes Michaela took a deep breath. She didn't know how she was going to tell her mother that she was pregnant if she could barely tell her own sister, someone who she always confided in since she was a child. "And I really don't know how to tell her."

"What is it Michaela?" she asked. "Are you moving again?"

"No, I…"

"Michaela what's wrong," she knew by the tone of her voice something was up. "Are you okay? Did you and Sully break up? I noticed that you two weren't really talking."

"Rebecca…"

"Michaela what is it? You're scaring me. Are you okay?"

"Rebecca, I'm pregnant."

The line went silent and Michaela held her breath waiting for Rebecca to say something. She felt as though time was standing still and she could feel her heart pounding her ears. "Rebecca…"

"I…I didn't know you and Sully were…I mean…umm…together," shock clearly evident in her voice. "I thought you weren't…."

"It was the night after the fair," she bit her lip.

"You mean it was only once."

"Yes," she sighed, her eyes rolling.

"H-how do you feel about this?"

"I…I don't know yet. I just found out this morning. I really don't think it's hit me yet."

"So I take it you haven't told Sully."

"No, I haven't," she sighed. "I think I'm more scared to tell him then mother."

"Well I think you need to tell Sully first. You can't keep something like this to your self."

Michaela couldn't help but think up a million different scenarios of how to tell Sully, but nothing seemed right to her. This was not a predicament she ever expected to find herself in. She wanted to be happy, Lord knows she did, but she just had this nagging sensation of dread. How could she look at her child everyday knowing that the man she loved didn't want or wasn't happy about the child they had created together. "How do I tell him, Rebecca?"

"How do you think he's going to react?" she questioned? "Have you ever talked about children? Does he like them?"

"I…I don't really know. We've never talked about them. He's knows how I feel, that's about it."

"I think you should just tell him. Tell him how you feel, and what you plan to do. There is no easy way to tell him about this. You're both adults and if he loves you like he says he does then this should be something to be happy about."

"Honestly?"

"Michaela I know you. I know you wanted this for so long, perhaps not in this way, but you've wanted a child. And I also know your heart. Don't take on undue stress because you think Sully won't be happy about this. You can't keep things bottled inside anymore."

"I just don't want to ruin him," she sighed. "He's a good man I don't want him to feel that he's tied to me now. I don't want to stop his life."

"Michaela," Rebecca broke in. "He's in this just as much as you are. His life isn't the only one that's going to change here. You're going to need help, not that I don't think you can do it on your own, but a child is a lot of work, especially in your profession. And a child deserves a mother and a father."

"I know," she spoke low. "I'm going to tell him. I just need some time. I need to collect my thoughts. Perhaps after Maureen and his mother leaves. It will give us a chance to be alone. Talk things through."

"Just don't wait too long. You deserve to be happy about this."

"I am happy," a small smile crept to her face.

"Good," she nodded. "So what's next?"

Closing her eyes, Michaela rubbed her temples. "I have to tell mother."

Walking through the front door of Michaela's home Sully held the door for his mother. "The kitchen is right through there," he nodded. "We can just put everything on the table."

"Oh, what did you bring?" Maureen glanced at the food Katherine and Sully were carrying. "It's smell delicious!"

"A little bit of everything," Katherine smiled. "Grace prepared everything herself."

"It looks wonderful," She followed them into the kitchen.

"Hey, Sully," Robert shook his hand. "How you doing?"

"I'm good," he sat down the food. "How was Washington?"

"It was a good trip, I was able to get a lot done," he nodded. "It'll be nice to finally get back home."

"Good," he turned to his mother. "Robert this is my mom Katherine. Mom this is Robert, Maureen's husband."

"Nice to meet you, Robert," Katherine held out her hand.

"Nice to meet you," he smiled.

"Where's Michaela?" Sully looked around.

"She's in her room," Maureen pointed.

"Is she still not feeling well?" he frowned.

Maureen and Robert shared a look. "She's feeling a little bit better. Why don't you go see how she is. Tell her we'll be ready to eat soon."

"Yes," Katherine touched his shoulder. "Go see how the poor dear is. Last time I saw her she was so pale. I hope she took my advice and got that flu shot."

"Ok," he looked toward her room. "I'll be back in a minute."

Walking down the hallway Sully stopped at the entrance of her room. Michaela was sitting at her vanity brushing her hair. She looked so deep in thought, staring at nothing particular in the mirror. Knocking on her door, he slowly walked in. "Hey," he smiled. "How you feeling?"

"Sully!" she looked up, eyes large. "I…I didn't hear you come in."

"Apparently," he laughed. Rubbing her shoulders, he kissed her neck. "You feeling any better?"

"I am," she nodded." Trying to make light of the situation she got up from her dressing table and started to walk toward the door.

Catching Michaela off guard he pulled her onto his lap. "You do look better than yesterday," he touched her cheek. "You got a little bit of a glow about you," he smiled.

"Umm, thank you," she bit her lip. "It was really nice of you to plan this dinner. We really could have went out," she told him. "I feel fine today."

Tightening his hold on her he looked into her eyes. "I just want you to get better. And if keeping you home is going to do the trick then I'm all for it," he laughed. "Besides I want you to get better before our night at the plaza. I booked us the penthouse, I designed the room myself."

Suddenly remembering the dinner at the Plaza and how Sully wanted to stay the night her stomach did a flip. Back when Sully told her about it, it seemed liked such a good suggestion. A special time that they could share together alone, something that was coming so few and far between. Now, she didn't know if it would be such a good idea, or if it would even happen. She would have to tell Sully about the baby by then. There was no way around it. "You know what?" she smiled. "I'm really hungry. Let's eat."