Chapter Four
Bullies, Friends and Brothers
~Five Months Later~
Laurie sighed and knocked on the door of the Doyle house, stretching slightly after having been asleep in the car. Mrs. Doyle smiled as she answered, her older but soft featured face bright and cheerful. "Hi Laurie! Come on in!"
"Thank you Mrs. Doyle." She walked in and set her bag down, turning back to Tommy's mother with a smile.
"How are you feeling?" Mrs. Doyle asked, her brown eyes wondering to Laurie's swollen figure.
"All right, tired. He's been really active lately." Laurie smiled, patting her stomach.
"He? Do you think it's going to be a boy?"
Laurie shrugged. "I don't have the first idea, but it doesn't feel right calling him 'it', I noticed in my child development class a lot of the women from the video's say 'he' when referring to their child. It's more comfortable."
Mrs. Doyle nodded and Mr. Doyle came down the stairs, shortly followed by Laurie. "Hi Laurie, how you feeling?"
"All right Mr. Doyle. What time should this little devil be in bed?" She asked, ruffling his hair.
"Well since you did so good on your project 9:30 but no later." Mrs. Doyle smiled and waved. "Be good Tommy. Bye Laurie."
"Bye." She sighed and smiled down at the little boy. "Ok buddy, what's first?"
Tommy shrugged and sat down, followed by her. "Wanna talk about school?"
She recognized this as his way of telling her something he desperately wanted to talk about. "Sure. I'm doing good, all A's. You?"
"Well my grades have dropped a bit. Mom wasn't too happy but she understands."
Laurie shifted to wrap an arm around him. "What's wrong kiddo?"
"They never leave me alone Laurie! Lonnie and his friends are a bunch of jerks!" Tommy's eyes filled with tears. She hugged him tightly and shook her head.
"Oh Tommy, I know it's hard. People make fun of me too, I'm smart but I'm going to have a baby without a husband. Makes me look stupid but we both know it isn't my fault. Just remember, if Lonnie can't stop teasing you he really must not have a life by now."
Tommy laughed and snuggled closer. "You're going to make a great Mom, Laurie. I almost wish you were my Mom."
She smiled at this remark and stroked his hair. "You were my practice doll, now you can help me out more, hmm? After all, you are in a way this baby's uncle. Uncle Tommy."
He giggled. "Why, yes I am!" He paused and looked at her, sitting up. "Laurie?"
She too sat up more. "Yeah?"
"Will you read me King Arthur?"
Laurie stirred some more butter into the popcorn she was making when the phone began to ring. Confused and curious, she wiped off her hands and answered it. "Doyle residence."
"Hey Laurie it's Annie, Michael told me you were sitting for Tommy."
Laurie grinned. "Yeah, I'm going to until i cant stand up anymore."
Annie chuckled. "Listen, I'm watching Lindsey Wallace, what are you and Tommy doing?"
"Mm, just getting ready to watch a movie." Laurie leaned against the counter.
"Cool, we'll come by, just so both of us aren't bored and alone together. See you in a few."
"Bye." Laurie hung up the phone and went into the living room where Tommy was waiting on the couch. "Lindsey and Annie are on their way over, they're going to watch it with us."
"Ok." Tommy said, keeping his attention on the movie. Moments later the doorbell rang and Laurie pushed herself up and answered it.
"Hey, come on in." Laurie moved out of the way and allowed her friend and the little girl in.
"Bet you can't wait til you can see your feet." Annie remarked with a smirk.
"I can see them fine, I just have to bend a bit." Laurie replied closing the door, turning to grin at Annie.
"So whatcha whatchin'?"
"The Phantom of the Opera."
"Which?"
"1943."
"Ah," Annie motioned to go talk in the kitchen. Laurie followed her in curiously and leaned against the wall.
"What's going on?"
Annie smiled softly. "Laurie I want to.. I want to go to college. I know I'm a year late, but, next year, I want to study to be a nurse. I want to work with women like you."
"Pregnant women?"
"Prenatal care. I couldn't handle watching them be born." She shivered. "Do you think you could get me a form for next semester?"
"Sure." Laurie said with a shrug. "I can run into the admissions office Monday. What made you want to work with 'women like me'?"
"I don't know. There's something.. Really cool, really nice about pregnancy."
Laurie smiled. "Yeah there is. It's called life, Annie."
"Laur, you know I don't like you doing that." Michael frowned at his sister, who was busy making a kettle of tea.
"Oh, you're paranoid Michael. I'm fine!" She turned to get some cups when she felt him gently lead her from the kitchen. "No if's, and's or but's or bla's, I'll take care of it."
She rolled her eyes and sat down, glaring at him. "Keep those daggers of my back, you criminal!" He joked without turning to see her.
"You treat me as if I'm handicapped."
"I treat you with respect." He said softly, returning with two cups. "Because I care about you."
She blushed. "Yeah, I know." Taking her tea she sipped it and sighed. "I can't wait until this is over."
He smiled. "Neither can I."
She continued to look past the wall as she spoke. "Are you excited, Michael?"
"Super excited." He smirked and she looked at him warmly. "I cant wait to see how much is doesn't look like it's ugly father."
She laughed and leaned against him. "You know, I probably wouldn't be able to do this without you."
He looked at her. "Why is that?"
She smiled. "Because you have been supportive, caring and most of all, yourself."
He squeezed her hand, then rested his free one on her, delighted to feel the infant move suddenly. "It's amazing to think how lucky I've become."
She sighed and closed her eyes, exhausted. "Dido."
Shorter, sweet and about to jump a couple of months. Beware...
SA
