Chapter 63
Sheridan paused at the window. Watching Ali and Jake in action in the back yard. Jake was torturing the poor cat once again. For all the irritation Miss Priss caused Luis, Jake paid her back in spades. She laughed as she witnessed the cat seize its first chance of freedom and bound away from her tormentor. Her daughter and Jake were quite a pair, she mused. She wondered what kind of relationship they might have twenty years down the road. Gwen's voice startled her from her reverie.
"Are you sure Luis and Jake didn't sign a contract on that poor cat's head?" she laughed. Handing Sheridan a tall glass of iced tea and joining her at the window. "It's possible," she said. Smiling at her friend. Then turning back to watching the children. "I can't wait to be Ali's mother-in- law," Gwen said. Laughing at the incredulous expression on Sheridan's face. "What? You can't tell me you don't wonder about it sometimes, too," she smiled. "He might tease her and what-not, but Ali is Jake's best friend."
Sheridan opened her mouth to say something, then closed it when she realized Gwen was right. Laughing helplessly as Gwen smiled at her and said, "You're getting the raw end of the deal, though. Another Hank. Can you imagine what Jake and Ali's kids will be like?" "Whoa! Gwen!" she exclaimed. Holding her hands up in front of her. "Don't you think you're getting way ahead of yourself?" she laughed. "Just trying to prepare you, that's all," she teased as Sheridan settled down beside her on the sofa.
"So..." Sheridan said. Taking a sip of iced tea. "How are things? With you and Hank?" Smiling to herself at the radiant smile on Gwen's face at the mention of Hank's name. "Great. Wonderful. Never better. Though I am tired of living at the Bed and Breakfast. We're still looking for the perfect place. Someplace kind of like...kind of like yours," she sighed. "Really?" Sheridan asked curiously. It would be quite an adjustment from living at the huge Hotchkiss estate. "Yes, really," Gwen smirked. "You've proven to me that money isn't everything. It doesn't bring you happiness. I like your place. It's a home," she said. Looking around at all the little touches that said a family lived there.
"It is home," Sheridan sighed blissfully. "But it's awfully small," she said. Rubbing her stomach unconsciously. A gesture that didn't go unnoticed by Gwen. "Oh my god!" she exclaimed. "You aren't...you are...Sheridan, are you pregnant?" she squealed. Taking Sheridan's hands in her own. Practically buzzing with excitement. Her question struck Sheridan dumb. But only for a moment before the wheels started to turn in her mind. Was it possible? She hadn't been feeling well as of late. For a few weeks now. And she'd missed...She covered her mouth with her hand as it dawned on her Gwen could be right. She might be pregnant.
"Sheridan, honey. Don't tell me you didn't suspect before now. I mean, you had to have deep down. You and Luis have been trying, right?" she asked. A knowing smile coming to her lips as Sheridan nodded her head. "But Gwen...we've only...just for a short time. It isn't exactly easy to do such a thing with Ali around," she admitted. Cheeks burning red with embarrassment. Gwen laughed and said, "You're telling me. Hank wants to buy Jake a cowbell to wear around his neck." Sheridan burst into laughter at the mental image.
"You know what?" Gwen said. Rising to her feet. "You'll drive yourself crazy wondering if you don't do something about it. Come on, Sheridan." "What? Where are we going?" she asked in confusion. "The drug store to get you one of those pregnancy tests. Don't look so nervous. Luis is going to be thrilled," she said. Tugging Sheridan's hand and pulling her toward the front door. "You wait in the car. I'm going to run tell Hank where we're going." "Gwen! No!" Sheridan said in panic. Grabbing her arm. "I don't want Luis to be disappointed," she explained. "Relax. Hank's not going to squeal. He's pretty good at keeping things to himself," she revealed. Somehow, Sheridan felt this time would be different.
Sheridan paused at the window. Watching Ali and Jake in action in the back yard. Jake was torturing the poor cat once again. For all the irritation Miss Priss caused Luis, Jake paid her back in spades. She laughed as she witnessed the cat seize its first chance of freedom and bound away from her tormentor. Her daughter and Jake were quite a pair, she mused. She wondered what kind of relationship they might have twenty years down the road. Gwen's voice startled her from her reverie.
"Are you sure Luis and Jake didn't sign a contract on that poor cat's head?" she laughed. Handing Sheridan a tall glass of iced tea and joining her at the window. "It's possible," she said. Smiling at her friend. Then turning back to watching the children. "I can't wait to be Ali's mother-in- law," Gwen said. Laughing at the incredulous expression on Sheridan's face. "What? You can't tell me you don't wonder about it sometimes, too," she smiled. "He might tease her and what-not, but Ali is Jake's best friend."
Sheridan opened her mouth to say something, then closed it when she realized Gwen was right. Laughing helplessly as Gwen smiled at her and said, "You're getting the raw end of the deal, though. Another Hank. Can you imagine what Jake and Ali's kids will be like?" "Whoa! Gwen!" she exclaimed. Holding her hands up in front of her. "Don't you think you're getting way ahead of yourself?" she laughed. "Just trying to prepare you, that's all," she teased as Sheridan settled down beside her on the sofa.
"So..." Sheridan said. Taking a sip of iced tea. "How are things? With you and Hank?" Smiling to herself at the radiant smile on Gwen's face at the mention of Hank's name. "Great. Wonderful. Never better. Though I am tired of living at the Bed and Breakfast. We're still looking for the perfect place. Someplace kind of like...kind of like yours," she sighed. "Really?" Sheridan asked curiously. It would be quite an adjustment from living at the huge Hotchkiss estate. "Yes, really," Gwen smirked. "You've proven to me that money isn't everything. It doesn't bring you happiness. I like your place. It's a home," she said. Looking around at all the little touches that said a family lived there.
"It is home," Sheridan sighed blissfully. "But it's awfully small," she said. Rubbing her stomach unconsciously. A gesture that didn't go unnoticed by Gwen. "Oh my god!" she exclaimed. "You aren't...you are...Sheridan, are you pregnant?" she squealed. Taking Sheridan's hands in her own. Practically buzzing with excitement. Her question struck Sheridan dumb. But only for a moment before the wheels started to turn in her mind. Was it possible? She hadn't been feeling well as of late. For a few weeks now. And she'd missed...She covered her mouth with her hand as it dawned on her Gwen could be right. She might be pregnant.
"Sheridan, honey. Don't tell me you didn't suspect before now. I mean, you had to have deep down. You and Luis have been trying, right?" she asked. A knowing smile coming to her lips as Sheridan nodded her head. "But Gwen...we've only...just for a short time. It isn't exactly easy to do such a thing with Ali around," she admitted. Cheeks burning red with embarrassment. Gwen laughed and said, "You're telling me. Hank wants to buy Jake a cowbell to wear around his neck." Sheridan burst into laughter at the mental image.
"You know what?" Gwen said. Rising to her feet. "You'll drive yourself crazy wondering if you don't do something about it. Come on, Sheridan." "What? Where are we going?" she asked in confusion. "The drug store to get you one of those pregnancy tests. Don't look so nervous. Luis is going to be thrilled," she said. Tugging Sheridan's hand and pulling her toward the front door. "You wait in the car. I'm going to run tell Hank where we're going." "Gwen! No!" Sheridan said in panic. Grabbing her arm. "I don't want Luis to be disappointed," she explained. "Relax. Hank's not going to squeal. He's pretty good at keeping things to himself," she revealed. Somehow, Sheridan felt this time would be different.