Chapter Eight
They talked most of the night, but not about Caleb and Livvie. As he had earlier that evening, Rafe insisted that he couldn't help her help Abby get Cameron back. Those kind of connections had been severed when he came back to be with her. Alison tried everything to no avail. She decided to wait She'd wear him down eventually.
Changing the subject, Alison brought up their gym. Wasn't it time they got working on that? She decided then and there that would be what she'd do tomorrow. She'd call Abby and Lucy and get this apartment decorated at last.
They'd had a great day - with their help the place was unrecognizable. Rafe had made tons of progress too, he came home that night, full of new ideas and excitement for what they had planned.
A week went by in a blur. Though she'd been able to hide the fact that she'd been sick on and off nearly every morning - Alison got up early each day and got to work. There was a list of things to do, people to call, things to buy. Rafe was out the door almost before the sun rose. As she sipped tea and ate dry toast, Alison started to work the phones - calling to get the help they'd need to make their dreams a reality.
As she spoke to the contractor, setting the date for them to start working on the next project she flipped through her calendar. Stunned by the realization, she barely said goodbye to the person on the other end of the phone.
Oh. My. God.
Alison couldn't believe it. Why hadn't it occurred to her before? The symptoms were classic.
It wasn't the flu. It wasn't the stress. It was something entirely different.
She could actually be pregnant.
With everything that had happened lately, she hadn't paid any attention. She had had no idea she was even late.
Now that she had realized the possibility, she tried to think back. She flipped through the calendar again.
There it was. If she really was pregnant, she could pinpoint the actual day it had happened. It had to be the day she and Rafe had spent in the barn.
Her eyes filled with tears, but for the first time in months they were happy ones. How appropriate. She was always convinced there was something magical about that barn. It truly was where all her dreams came true.
Alison laid a hand on her stomach, patting it gently. Now that she'd figured out it was possible, she was absolutely sure.
She began to grin like a madwoman. Can you even believe it? She thought to herself. How amazing is this?
Oh God. I can't wait to see the look on Rafe's face when I tell him! First, he'll be thrilled and then I'm sure he'll totally freak out. She thought giggling. I guess maybe I should go to the doctor or take a test or something to be entirely sure. It wouldn't be fair to say anything to Rafe until I do.
Alison's smile never left her face as she went over and grabbed her purse. She practically skipped all the way to the hospital.
***********
Alison came in through the back entrance of the warehouse and snuck up the stairs, wanting to surprise Rafe. He had been working downstairs until about 7:00 each night and it usually took him about 20 minutes to lock everything up and come upstairs. It was 7:10 already. He'd be coming up any minute. She had to hurry.
She opened the door and rushed in, keeping the lights dimmed. She lit every candle in the apartment and then ran into the bathroom and fixed her hair and makeup quickly. Then she rushed to the kitchen to heat up dinner. It was lucky she had started to cook it earlier in the day, so she only had to boil pasta and it'd be ready. The scent of spicy tomato sauce began to fill the room. She looked around. The apartment looked perfect.
Perfect, for now that is. It was a perfect size for the two of them, but when the baby came.
She heard the doorknob click, bringing her out of her daydream. She wiped at her eyes, she cried so easily lately. I guess I'd better get used to it. There'll be about seven more months of this.
Her face lit up like a Christmas tree when she saw him walk through the door.
"What's all this?" Rafe asked as he looked around.
"All what?" Alison asked from the edge of the kitchen.
"This" Rafe gestured around the room. "The candles, and the mm, is that sauce?"
"Yeah." Alison replied as she walked over to him and smiled.
"Smells delicious." He said as he pulled her into his arms and held her close. He realized as he did that he could mean what she was making for dinner or Alison herself. She smelled like vanilla again today. "OK. Go ahead." He continued, "Tell me. Am I in trouble? Is there some sort of occasion that I'm forgetting?"
"It is sort of an occasion, but you don't know it yet." Alison replied.
"Ooooo. Sounds so mysterious. Are you going to tell me?" Rafe asked as he leaned down to kiss her, "or do I have to guess?"
Alison kissed him back and then just stared up at him, so excited she was unable to speak.
"Alison?"
"Yes?" she asked, as she ran her hand through his hair, pausing to play with the strands on the back of his neck.
"What's going on?"
"hmm?" She just stood there with a goofy grin on her face.
"Alison? Seriously. You're acting really strange. Are you sure you feel all right? Are you still sick? That's it. Isn't it? OK. It's time for you go to the doctor. I should have made you see one a week ago." Rafe grabbed her hand and started toward the door.
"No. Rafe." She insisted as she pulled him back. "I went to the doctor earlier today."
"You what? You did? Why didn't you tell me? Did you go alone?"
"Yes."
"Why? You should have told me. I would have come with you." Rafe said as he pulled her back into his arms.
She kissed him again before she answered, "It's OK. It didn't take very long."
"That's not the point." He said exasperated. He tried to keep the worry from his voice as he asked. "OK. So. What did she say?"
"Who?" Alison asked as she snuggled in closer.
Rafe was getting really worried now. It was like she was in some sort of a trance. She wasn't paying attention to what he was saying at all. "Who? The doctor! Alison. Look at me." He pulled back and stared at her. "What's going on with you? What's wrong? Tell me what the doctor said or I'm calling her myself in a second."
"I'll tell you, if you insist." She said, her voice teasing him. She ran her fingers up and down his chest as she spoke; playing with the chain he wore around his neck as she did.
"I insist." He said, his voice deadly serious.
Alison looked deeply into Rafe's eyes as she said, "The doctor said that we are both perfectly healthy."
"What?"
"She said that we're both fine."
"OK. Alison. You're not making any sense. I know I'm fine. It's you I'm worried about. C'mon. Let me get you into bed."
Alison kissed Rafe again and started to giggle. "That's probably not such a good idea. That's how this whole thing happened in the first place."
"Alison." Rafe said as he grabbed her shoulders, shaking her a bit. "Stop it. You're scaring me - you're freaking me out here. Just give me a straight answer. I need to know what the hell you're talking about. Tell me. Now."
She decided she'd teased him enough. Quite frankly, not blurting it out was just killing her.
"OK. I'll tell you. Rafe. When the doctor said 'we're both fine' she didn't mean you and me."
"Well if she said both of you are fine, then who the hell else is she talking about?" Rafe looked at her like she was out of her mind.
"She was talking about me - and the baby,"
"What baby?"
"Rafe." She said slowly, her lips curving into a smile, "Our baby."
She's lost it, he thought. "Alison. Look at me. We don't have a baby."
"You're right. We don't. Not yet - but we will. Soon."
Alison watched his face as he finally got a clue.
Shaking his head to clear it he looked down at her again. His arms tightened around her.
"Alison?"
"Yes, Rafe?" she asked, her smile growing.
"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" he asked, finally getting it.
"Do you mean am I saying that I'm pregnant?"
Rafe took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah."
"Why, yes. I am."
"We're going to have a baby? You're - we're - I mean - When? How?" He couldn't believe his ears.
Rafe didn't give Alison a chance to respond. He kissed her full and hard on her mouth as he pulled her up off the floor and spun her around in a huge circle. He heard her laugh as she broke the kiss, the joyful sound ringing through the room.
When at last he put her back down she could finally answer. "Yes. We are. I'm pregnant. We're having a baby. In, um, let's see - February and Rafe Kovich - you most certainly know how!"
"Oh my God. Alison." He whispered in her ear as he held her tightly. He couldn't believe it was true.
Tears filled her eyes as she answered him. "Yes?"
He pulled back to look at her, "This is amazing."
They began to run down her cheeks as she spoke again, "I know. Isn't it?"
"I can't believe it. You make me so incredibly happy. Do you have any idea?" Rafe asked her then.
"If I make you half as happy as you make me then we must be the two happiest people on earth."
"I'm going to be a father." He said his voice filled with awe as he leaned his forehead to hers.
"You're going to be a great father." She clarified as she brought her hand up to touch his face.
Rafe kissed her softly, still not believing his luck. They had made it through so much and now, their life was finally starting.
"I just feel sorry for her if it's a girl." Alison added as she broke their kiss.
"What? Why?" he asked, a bit hurt.
"When she's a teenager, you'll never let her out of the house."
Rafe laughed at the image. "Stop. I'm not that bad."
"Oh, OK. Like you never order me around and threaten to keep me locked up. The poor kid won't stand a chance."
"Alison - I only do that because I love you."
"I know." Alison said dreamily as she laid her head on his chest. "I only let you because I love you too."
He held Alison close as he thought of her now - their daughter - or maybe - their son. Everything they'd had to go through in the past year was worth it. This moment made him even more certain he'd do it, all over again. He pulled away and took her hand, as he moved over to the edge of the bed, urging Alison to sit down.
"Alison. Maybe you should sit. Do you feel OK?" he asked as he sat beside her.
She could see now how it was going to be for the next seven months. He'd be more overprotective than usual - if that was even possible. She sighed as she answered, "Me? I'm fine. I've never felt better."
Alison could see his hands were shaking. I'm thinking he was the one who needed to sit down she thought with a smile. She took Rafe's hand in hers and kissed it gently, just like he always did to her.
"Rafe. It's really happening. We're going to have a family. Our family." She said as she grinned at him.
"God, I love you." He said, his voice nearly a whisper.
Alison looked over at the father of her child with more love than she ever imagined filling her heart. She took a deep breath and leaned in to kiss him, "And I love you, so much."
His eyes never left hers as he took his hand and rested it on her still flat stomach. She placed her own hand over his. Rafe was so flooded with emotion his voice nearly broke as he looked down and said, "And oh yeah, by the way, little one, whoever you are - I love you too."
They talked most of the night, but not about Caleb and Livvie. As he had earlier that evening, Rafe insisted that he couldn't help her help Abby get Cameron back. Those kind of connections had been severed when he came back to be with her. Alison tried everything to no avail. She decided to wait She'd wear him down eventually.
Changing the subject, Alison brought up their gym. Wasn't it time they got working on that? She decided then and there that would be what she'd do tomorrow. She'd call Abby and Lucy and get this apartment decorated at last.
They'd had a great day - with their help the place was unrecognizable. Rafe had made tons of progress too, he came home that night, full of new ideas and excitement for what they had planned.
A week went by in a blur. Though she'd been able to hide the fact that she'd been sick on and off nearly every morning - Alison got up early each day and got to work. There was a list of things to do, people to call, things to buy. Rafe was out the door almost before the sun rose. As she sipped tea and ate dry toast, Alison started to work the phones - calling to get the help they'd need to make their dreams a reality.
As she spoke to the contractor, setting the date for them to start working on the next project she flipped through her calendar. Stunned by the realization, she barely said goodbye to the person on the other end of the phone.
Oh. My. God.
Alison couldn't believe it. Why hadn't it occurred to her before? The symptoms were classic.
It wasn't the flu. It wasn't the stress. It was something entirely different.
She could actually be pregnant.
With everything that had happened lately, she hadn't paid any attention. She had had no idea she was even late.
Now that she had realized the possibility, she tried to think back. She flipped through the calendar again.
There it was. If she really was pregnant, she could pinpoint the actual day it had happened. It had to be the day she and Rafe had spent in the barn.
Her eyes filled with tears, but for the first time in months they were happy ones. How appropriate. She was always convinced there was something magical about that barn. It truly was where all her dreams came true.
Alison laid a hand on her stomach, patting it gently. Now that she'd figured out it was possible, she was absolutely sure.
She began to grin like a madwoman. Can you even believe it? She thought to herself. How amazing is this?
Oh God. I can't wait to see the look on Rafe's face when I tell him! First, he'll be thrilled and then I'm sure he'll totally freak out. She thought giggling. I guess maybe I should go to the doctor or take a test or something to be entirely sure. It wouldn't be fair to say anything to Rafe until I do.
Alison's smile never left her face as she went over and grabbed her purse. She practically skipped all the way to the hospital.
***********
Alison came in through the back entrance of the warehouse and snuck up the stairs, wanting to surprise Rafe. He had been working downstairs until about 7:00 each night and it usually took him about 20 minutes to lock everything up and come upstairs. It was 7:10 already. He'd be coming up any minute. She had to hurry.
She opened the door and rushed in, keeping the lights dimmed. She lit every candle in the apartment and then ran into the bathroom and fixed her hair and makeup quickly. Then she rushed to the kitchen to heat up dinner. It was lucky she had started to cook it earlier in the day, so she only had to boil pasta and it'd be ready. The scent of spicy tomato sauce began to fill the room. She looked around. The apartment looked perfect.
Perfect, for now that is. It was a perfect size for the two of them, but when the baby came.
She heard the doorknob click, bringing her out of her daydream. She wiped at her eyes, she cried so easily lately. I guess I'd better get used to it. There'll be about seven more months of this.
Her face lit up like a Christmas tree when she saw him walk through the door.
"What's all this?" Rafe asked as he looked around.
"All what?" Alison asked from the edge of the kitchen.
"This" Rafe gestured around the room. "The candles, and the mm, is that sauce?"
"Yeah." Alison replied as she walked over to him and smiled.
"Smells delicious." He said as he pulled her into his arms and held her close. He realized as he did that he could mean what she was making for dinner or Alison herself. She smelled like vanilla again today. "OK. Go ahead." He continued, "Tell me. Am I in trouble? Is there some sort of occasion that I'm forgetting?"
"It is sort of an occasion, but you don't know it yet." Alison replied.
"Ooooo. Sounds so mysterious. Are you going to tell me?" Rafe asked as he leaned down to kiss her, "or do I have to guess?"
Alison kissed him back and then just stared up at him, so excited she was unable to speak.
"Alison?"
"Yes?" she asked, as she ran her hand through his hair, pausing to play with the strands on the back of his neck.
"What's going on?"
"hmm?" She just stood there with a goofy grin on her face.
"Alison? Seriously. You're acting really strange. Are you sure you feel all right? Are you still sick? That's it. Isn't it? OK. It's time for you go to the doctor. I should have made you see one a week ago." Rafe grabbed her hand and started toward the door.
"No. Rafe." She insisted as she pulled him back. "I went to the doctor earlier today."
"You what? You did? Why didn't you tell me? Did you go alone?"
"Yes."
"Why? You should have told me. I would have come with you." Rafe said as he pulled her back into his arms.
She kissed him again before she answered, "It's OK. It didn't take very long."
"That's not the point." He said exasperated. He tried to keep the worry from his voice as he asked. "OK. So. What did she say?"
"Who?" Alison asked as she snuggled in closer.
Rafe was getting really worried now. It was like she was in some sort of a trance. She wasn't paying attention to what he was saying at all. "Who? The doctor! Alison. Look at me." He pulled back and stared at her. "What's going on with you? What's wrong? Tell me what the doctor said or I'm calling her myself in a second."
"I'll tell you, if you insist." She said, her voice teasing him. She ran her fingers up and down his chest as she spoke; playing with the chain he wore around his neck as she did.
"I insist." He said, his voice deadly serious.
Alison looked deeply into Rafe's eyes as she said, "The doctor said that we are both perfectly healthy."
"What?"
"She said that we're both fine."
"OK. Alison. You're not making any sense. I know I'm fine. It's you I'm worried about. C'mon. Let me get you into bed."
Alison kissed Rafe again and started to giggle. "That's probably not such a good idea. That's how this whole thing happened in the first place."
"Alison." Rafe said as he grabbed her shoulders, shaking her a bit. "Stop it. You're scaring me - you're freaking me out here. Just give me a straight answer. I need to know what the hell you're talking about. Tell me. Now."
She decided she'd teased him enough. Quite frankly, not blurting it out was just killing her.
"OK. I'll tell you. Rafe. When the doctor said 'we're both fine' she didn't mean you and me."
"Well if she said both of you are fine, then who the hell else is she talking about?" Rafe looked at her like she was out of her mind.
"She was talking about me - and the baby,"
"What baby?"
"Rafe." She said slowly, her lips curving into a smile, "Our baby."
She's lost it, he thought. "Alison. Look at me. We don't have a baby."
"You're right. We don't. Not yet - but we will. Soon."
Alison watched his face as he finally got a clue.
Shaking his head to clear it he looked down at her again. His arms tightened around her.
"Alison?"
"Yes, Rafe?" she asked, her smile growing.
"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" he asked, finally getting it.
"Do you mean am I saying that I'm pregnant?"
Rafe took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah."
"Why, yes. I am."
"We're going to have a baby? You're - we're - I mean - When? How?" He couldn't believe his ears.
Rafe didn't give Alison a chance to respond. He kissed her full and hard on her mouth as he pulled her up off the floor and spun her around in a huge circle. He heard her laugh as she broke the kiss, the joyful sound ringing through the room.
When at last he put her back down she could finally answer. "Yes. We are. I'm pregnant. We're having a baby. In, um, let's see - February and Rafe Kovich - you most certainly know how!"
"Oh my God. Alison." He whispered in her ear as he held her tightly. He couldn't believe it was true.
Tears filled her eyes as she answered him. "Yes?"
He pulled back to look at her, "This is amazing."
They began to run down her cheeks as she spoke again, "I know. Isn't it?"
"I can't believe it. You make me so incredibly happy. Do you have any idea?" Rafe asked her then.
"If I make you half as happy as you make me then we must be the two happiest people on earth."
"I'm going to be a father." He said his voice filled with awe as he leaned his forehead to hers.
"You're going to be a great father." She clarified as she brought her hand up to touch his face.
Rafe kissed her softly, still not believing his luck. They had made it through so much and now, their life was finally starting.
"I just feel sorry for her if it's a girl." Alison added as she broke their kiss.
"What? Why?" he asked, a bit hurt.
"When she's a teenager, you'll never let her out of the house."
Rafe laughed at the image. "Stop. I'm not that bad."
"Oh, OK. Like you never order me around and threaten to keep me locked up. The poor kid won't stand a chance."
"Alison - I only do that because I love you."
"I know." Alison said dreamily as she laid her head on his chest. "I only let you because I love you too."
He held Alison close as he thought of her now - their daughter - or maybe - their son. Everything they'd had to go through in the past year was worth it. This moment made him even more certain he'd do it, all over again. He pulled away and took her hand, as he moved over to the edge of the bed, urging Alison to sit down.
"Alison. Maybe you should sit. Do you feel OK?" he asked as he sat beside her.
She could see now how it was going to be for the next seven months. He'd be more overprotective than usual - if that was even possible. She sighed as she answered, "Me? I'm fine. I've never felt better."
Alison could see his hands were shaking. I'm thinking he was the one who needed to sit down she thought with a smile. She took Rafe's hand in hers and kissed it gently, just like he always did to her.
"Rafe. It's really happening. We're going to have a family. Our family." She said as she grinned at him.
"God, I love you." He said, his voice nearly a whisper.
Alison looked over at the father of her child with more love than she ever imagined filling her heart. She took a deep breath and leaned in to kiss him, "And I love you, so much."
His eyes never left hers as he took his hand and rested it on her still flat stomach. She placed her own hand over his. Rafe was so flooded with emotion his voice nearly broke as he looked down and said, "And oh yeah, by the way, little one, whoever you are - I love you too."