June 15th

The ringing of the phone infiltrated the bedroom with sound and caused Sam to awake with a start. Groggily, she lifted her head off the pillow and reached her arm over to grab Luka's cordless phone. It was a little before four in the morning, and after a late shift the night before, she was more than exhausted.

"Hello?"

"Hey. Did I wake you?" Luka's voice came over the line. Sam was having a hard time making him out. It was almost like hearing someone shout your name across a crowded room, and the line had a little bit of static. He had been gone for ten days so far—and had called only twice in those ten days.

"Yeah, but it's okay. I'm glad to hear your voice."

"Me too. How are you feeling? Everything okay?"

"Pretty good. My morning sickness is gone. I can actually eat now." Sam heard the faint sound of him laughing on the other end of the line.

"That's good. How's Alex?"

Sam crawled out of their bed and tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear before turning on the lamp. "His last day of school is tomorrow, so he's pretty happy about that. He and a bunch of his friends are having a party at Mikey's house over the weekend so I probably won't see much of him."

"A party? Non alcoholic, I hope."

She smiled. "I don't want to have to deal with that yet. How are you?"

"Good. I'm on my dinner break right now. It was busy today. Lots of cases of malaria and polio."

"What time is it there?"

"About five. How have your shifts been?"

"Okay. A lot of bad MVAs this week. Back to back too."

"Are you taking it easy?"

"Yes, I am," she laughed. "I finished unpacking the apartment. It looks clean."

"Good. Did you pick out the paint samples yet?"

"Not yet. I think I'm going tomorrow after school with Alex."

"Remember, no green."

"Got it."

"Hey, I've got to go. I'll try to call you again in a few days. It's busy here."

"Just take care of yourself."

"I will. Bye."

"Bye."

Sam gathered herself off of the bed and traipsed into the living room, almost knocking over a lamp of Luka's in the process. There was no sense in going back to bed now, seeing as she'd have to be up in an hour to get ready for her six o'clock shift.

Lately, she had gotten a real chance to think about a lot of things. Maybe not having Luka around allowed her to actual get a grasp of reality. Things had changed, and maybe too quickly for her liking. Alex was growing up faster than Sam ever though possible, and she still felt like she had never really accomplished anything in life besides raising a ten year old. Yes, she had made it through college and nursing school but all she really had for so long was Alex and a somewhat steady paying job. Sam couldn't remember the last time she had been out with real friends. What friends? Unless she counted a best friend who she hadn't seen in over two years, then the grand total was zero. Occasionally, she'd go out with Abby after work, but even then, she couldn't really talk to Abby. Abby was Luka's ex girlfriend and there was only so much you could say before things became awkward. And Carter…well, Sam still didn't know him very well. He seemed like a nice guy, and he had offered to take her and Alex to get something to eat after a shift last week, but she had politely refused. Maybe she didn't want friends at all.

Her head was starting to buzz and Sam knew that whatever thoughts were about to form were going to make absolutely no sense. So instead, she sat down on the couch and pulled out a book of baby names.

Baby names? She hadn't done this in almost ten years, and didn't think she'd be doing it again this soon. It almost seemed like a stupid movie cliché—guy and girl sleep together, guy forgets condom, girl gets pregnant, guy and girl have to figure out what to do, guy and girl get married. Well, it seemed amusing enough to her. She was that girl, and Luka was that guy. Sam didn't know what kind of father Luka was going to be, but she had a feeling he would be a great one. Probably the type of father that would bring a new picture in each week of his son or daughter and show everyone at admit, then tape it up in his locker with a smile. He'd probably even con Sam into letting him bring their child to work when it was old enough. She could just imagine a three or four year old following Mom and Dad around the ER. At least Sam would be able to teach it not to steal severed fingers.

Screw the baby names. Sam knew that she'd never be able to decide and would just be here until she had to start getting ready for her shift, and plus, she didn't even know where to begin. Maybe she could make her own list for right now, and Luka could make one of his own, and they could compare. Or, she could leave the naming up to Luka and see where that got them. He was always more organized than she was, anyway.

She finally got up off the couch and set the baby book on the corner of the coffee table. Mentally, Sam started making a list of things she needed to do. Send in the payment for Alex's fall soccer team. Make sure Steve paid child support this month. Unfortunately call her mother—maybe. Pick up paint samples. Plan Alex's birthday party. Get gas for the SUV. Do the laundry. Put new sheets on the bed. Go grocery shopping.

The list seemed to go on and on.

June 18th

"Luka!"

Luka looked up from his coffee and bread. "How can you eat that this early?"

Gillian sat down across from him at the table and shrugged, stirring the leftover beef stew around in the bowl. "It's better than drinking watered down coffee, no?"

"Maybe." He continued sipping his coffee and staring out the window. "So."

She half smiled and tucked a strand of her long, brown hair behind her ear. "So. You've been quiet since you've gotten here. Anything new?"

"When do you leave?" Luka mentally winced, thinking automatically about how that probably sent Gillian the wrong message. It wasn't that he didn't want to talk to her right now, it was that he wanted to be alone.

"Two days. I've been here since late May." She sighed. "I'm sorry, maybe I shouldn't have bothered you."

"No, that's all right," Luka interjected. "I've just been thinking."

"Oh? How is she?" Gillian smiled knowingly and finished off the stew. "Did you end up working things out?"

"Yes. She moved in with her son," he said quietly.

She nodded. "I've been living with Peter for two years."

"Anything official?"

Gillian removed her other hand from her lap and placed it in front of Luka. A modest diamond ring sat perched a top her finger. "Two months ago. Right before I left. I know I shouldn't wear it around here, but I can't bring myself to take it off. I probably should have left it in Montreal."

Luka smiled when he glanced at it. "Congratulations."

"And you? Anything serious?"

He shrugged, but then nodded. "I've been thinking about it. I'm not sure yet."

"Well, what are you waiting for?"

Luka cleared his throat and swallowed the last part of the bread. "Our baby is due in December."

Gillian looked taken aback at first, but then quickly regained her composure. "Congratulations. Boy or girl?"

"We'll be able to find out together when I get back."

She smiled and nodded. "I see couples that are together magically get married because the girl is pregnant all the time back home, and a good portion of the time it never works out. The only thing you bond over is your mutual love for a person you created and are responsible for. Don't ask her to marry you just because of that. You'll never be happy, and I want to see you happy."

"I'm not going to ask her to marry me because of that. I wanted to be with her long before I knew she was pregnant. She's great. Her son is great. I can't describe it." Luka thought back to what she had just said briefly. "How can you say things like that never work out? People can grow to love each other, you know."

Gillian shook her head sadly. "My daughter lives in Quebec with her father. Sometimes it's not meant to work out."

Luka didn't want to press the topic, although he had never known this about Gillian. "Do you ever see her?"

"No. She's eight years old now. He has full custody. I can't just walk back into her life right now. It would confuse her."

"What is her name?"

"Mariah."

The conversation stalled out after that, and both resumed their own train of thoughts briefly. Finally, Gillian stood up and pushed her chair in after her.

"I better get back. If I don't see you beforehand, take care of yourself. And if you're ever in Canada, look me up."

Luka smiled and nodded. "Thanks."

"And Luka? Do you love her?"

"I do."

"Then marry her. You'll be happy that way." She smiled and walked away, bumping into Angelique on her way out.

Luka finished off his coffee and stood up as well. Maybe marrying Sam was going to make him even happier then he was now. It was something to think about.

…

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