See chapter one for disclaimer. Thanks. I also don't own a line that I chose to use in this chapter, which is actually from the movie 'In Good Company'.
A/N: Thanks for the reviews. I won't keep you waiting any longer. o)
Sunrise
Chapter 16: Dropping the Bomb
October 2
The drive to Eric and Annie's house was silent. Lucy's face stayed in the same position the entire way there: she looked neither happy nor sad…purely emotionless. She pulled up into her parents' driveway and unbuckled. She reached for her door handle, and got out before Kevin could stop her. Quietly, she hurried up to the door where Eric greeted her cheerfully.
"Hi Luce!" He said, wrapping his arms around his daughter. "How did your doctor's visit go?" He asked. When he got no response, he looked over at Kevin he shook his head at a loss for words. Eric frowned. "Is something wrong you guys? Lucy, do you need to talk, we can go in my office. I won't even charge you!" He added, trying to make her laugh. He was unsuccessful.
"No thanks dad. I'm…we're…fine." She pushed past her father and cupped her hands around her mouth. "Meg, Mia, Emily, Riles!" She called. "Mom and dad are here!" Eric smiled.
"Meg's playing with the Barbies in the family room, the twins are making cookies with your mom in the kitchen, and Riley's sleeping on the sofa by the tv. I'll help you round them all up." He said. He walked into the kitchen to get the twins while Lucy approached her sleeping daughter who, she saw, had been watching Barney. She reached down and scooped the little girl up into her arms. Riley's face crunched up and she stretched her arms up above her head.
"Good morning, sweetie." Lucy said. "It's time to go home. Let's go get you in your car seat." She carried her out and strapped her into her navy blue car seat. The almost 2-year-old's head slumped almost immediately, and Lucy laughed quietly to herself. He youngest daughter could sleep anywhere, any time. She herself had never been like that. Her parents had tried everything to get her to sleep when she was a baby. On car rides, she'd scream and cry until her face was a deep purple color. Riley had never done that, however. Just then, Mia and Emily came running out of their grandparents' home, faces covered in cookie dough. "Whoa there, girls. Go inside and clean up a bit at the sink before you get into the car." She told them somewhat sternly. She saw Meg come out the door as the twins went back inside. As she was about to greet her 6-year-old, however, her head began to spin and she broke out into a cold sweat. Meg looked at her mother with concern.
"Mom?" She asked. When Lucy didn't respond, Meg took her hand and pulled her to the grass where Lucy immediately sat down. She put her head between her knees to try and stop the spinning. After a few moments, the world seemed to re-allign. She raised her head and looked at her daughter. "Mom! Are you OK?" Meg cried.
"I'm ok, honey." She assured her. "Mommy's just feeling a little under the weather right now. Don't worry." She said, getting to her feet. Meg shrugged her shoulders and got into the car. Moments later, the twins, now looking much cleaner, jumped into the van and got into the 3rd row where their matching pink and navy blue car seats were. Meg helped buckle her younger sisters in, then looked at her mother with a smile.
"Ready!" She cried. Lucy nodded and went inside for a moment to thank her mother and father for babysitting. Then, she took Kevin's hand and they walked out to the car. Before Lucy could get into the driver's seat, Kevin jumped in front of her and took the keys.
"I'll drive." He said. "You just need to sit down and rest." Lucy nodded and walked over to the passenger side, where she sat down with out a word. Kevin buckled up and they pulled out of the driveway, starting for home. When they arrived back at their place, the twins ran inside to go color, and Meg, at Lucy's request, took Riley to her room to finish her nap. Kevin and Lucy started inside. Lucy walked over to the fridge to get the girls a snack, but Kevin shut the fridge door and took his wife by the hand, leading her into their room and shutting the door behind him. He took his wife by the shoulders and turned her to face him.
"Lucy, you can't go around like this all day." He told. "Whatever's going on, what ever the doctor said, we can handle it. I'm here for you, and so are the girls, and your siblings and parents. Tell me…what's going on? What did the doctor say?" Lucy opened her mouth to speak, but before she could, she burst into sobs. Kevin put his arms around her, slowly stroking her back. She put her head down onto his chest and he could feel the wetness of her tears soaking through his shirt. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. Finally, she looked up at him with puffy eyes.
"Kevin…I'm so sorry." She said. "It's all my fault." She said, before beginning to cry again. Kevin got her a tissue which she gratefully accepted. "Kev…" She paused for a long time, and Kevin could see that she was thinking. "Honey…I'm pregnant." Kevin's eyes widened and he stood in shock for a few moments.
"No Luce, you can't be." He told her, laughing to himself. "You're on the pill, and when you're on the pill, that doesn't happen." He tried to rationalize. Lucy shook her head and bit her bottom lip.
"I was so tired after taking care of the kids and getting them all into bed, that a few weeks ago I forgot to take it, Ok? I forgot for two days, and as soon as I realized it, I started taking them again, but I guess…" Kevin was silent for a minute.
"That's…that's great. A baby? That's really great." He said genuinely.
"How is this 'great', Kev? I'm the one staying home all day with the girls now! I'm exhausted! I'm not the mental or physical condition right now to carry a child, let alone have a 5th baby! I have to take care of the girls…and I have a 1 year old to be carrying around and trying to raise!"
"Well so do I Lucy, because last time I checked, these are my kids too! But you know what, it looks like this is what God has served us right now, ok? And I know this isn't exactly what we had planned, but this is what's happening!" He yelled. "Weather you like it or not, you're pregnant, and we have another child on the way! So let's be adults here! Whining about this…situation…isn't going to change anything!" Lucy's lower lip quivered slightly and she took a step back from her husband.
"Maybe it's that easy for you, Kev, but I have news for you." She said in a quiet, intense voice. "I'm the one that has to carry this child around for the next few months. I'm the one who has to change my diet, go to the doctor, give birth! I think I'm entitled to be a little worried about this!" Tears began to roll down her cheeks, but she paid them no attention. "So excuse me if I'm feeling a little overwhelmed about this. You don't know what it's like to try and take care of these girls all day long, every day Kevin! I'm so tired- so, so, tired! I…" She looked straight at her husband. "I have to go. You can have a little taste of my life. Enjoy." She grabbed her purse off of the bed and stormed out of the room, down the hall and into the garage where she climbed into her car and backed out of the driveway. Kevin chased her, but was unable to catch up. She stopped the car in the middle of their street as she switched it into drive.
"Where are you going?" He cried after her.
"Out." She told him in a monotone voice. "I'll be back when I'm back." With that, she sped down the street and around the corner. Kevin put his head in his hands and sunk to the ground. What would he do now? After hastily brushing away a tear that had made its way down his cheek, Kevin stood and turned to face his home. Meg came running out the door sobbing she ran to her father.
"Why are you and mommy fighting?" She yelled. "Where is she? What's wrong?" Kevin leaned down and put his arms around his 6-year-old daughter.
"Mom had to leave for a little bit, but she'll be home soon don't worry." He told her unconvincingly. Meg was about to begin questioning him when they heard yelling from inside the home. Kevin ran inside to find Mia hanging for her life off the side of one of the high cabinets. Emily, terror stricken, was jumping up and down under her twin and waving her arms. Kevin ran up and grabbed his four year old, bringing her down to safety. "What were you doing up there?" He asked.
"Me and Emily want dinner!" She explained. "And you and momma sounded kinda busy so we tried to get the plates ourselves and…"
"I see." Kevin said. "I'll get you dinner. You two just go play, Ok? And Meg, I think Riley's up from her nap. Can you go get her out of her crib?" Meg nodded and went to get her youngest sister. Kevin sighed and started dinner, all the while thinking about his children, his wife, and most of all, their newest addition on the way.
When he woke up the next morning, Kevin saw, to his dismay, that his wife was still not present. He got up and got dressed as quickly as possible, then hurried into the kitchen and got the kids breakfast and then Meg, Mia and Emily off to school. Now that the twins were in Kindergarten, they had all day school, and had so far been liking it pretty well. He sat at the table helping Riley finish off the last of her apple sauce when the phone rang. He jumped up and answered it before the first ring and finished.
"Hi Kev, it's Eric." Greeted a familiar voice. "Listen, I know you have a ton going on…I not supposed to call you, but I think that you should come over here…Lucy's been here since last night with Annie." Kevin put his hand over his heart in mixed shock and relief.
"Oh thank God she's ok." He said. "I'll be over as soon as I can. I have to get someone to watch Riley first."
"Bring her. I'll take her and you can talk with your wife." Kevin thanked him and they hung up. He grabbed Riley and ran with her out to the van. After getting her in her car seat, he pulled out of the driveway and started for Annie and Eric's house. On the way there, he called into work saying that he was taking a 'personal day'. As he hung up, he pulled into Annie and Eric's driveway. After parking sloppily, he grabbed his daughter out of the back seat and ran to the front door where Eric greeted him. His father-in-law grabbed Riley and pointed upstairs towards he and Annie's room mouthing "she's in there". Kevin ran up the stairs taking two at a time. When he reached his mother and father-in-laws' room, he took a deep breath and knocked quietly. Annie answered the door and smiled sadly at him. She opened the door the rest of the way and walked out.
"I'll give you two some time." She said quietly and started down the hall. Kevin hurried towards his wife and wrapped his arms around her.
"Kevin! I'm so sorry. Oh honey, I'm so sorry" Lucy cried, tightening her grip on him. He kissed her forehead lovingly and sat down next to her on the bed. He pulled her close to him and she laid her head down on his shoulder.
"It's ok. I'm sorry that I yelled at you. I was totally out of line." He told her. "I'm supposed to be here to protect you, not put down your fears." He raised her chin so she could look at him. "I'm here for you, Luce. I know that this is scary. I mean, we have four kids, and I know that you definitely weren't ready for another baby…I learned that a few months ago when we talked about it! The thing is though…everything happens for a reason…God knows what he's doing. I love you, and I love our baby, weather or not we planned on having it." He kissed her and put his hand onto her stomach. "Oh my gosh! Lucy!" He said excitedly, laying her down onto her back and pulling her shirt up a bit over her stomach. "Look. A bump. This is really happening…" Lucy nodded.
"Ready or not." She said.
"Wow…your stomach really is kind of big already…how did we not notice this?"
"Well…" Lucy blushed slightly. "I had a feeling. And just in case I stopped taking the birth control pills a while ago. Then I started gaining weight, and being sick, and I was pretty sure, but then I started to doubt it. Next, as you know, I really started feeling all the effects and it made me think again that maybe I was but I really didn't want to be, so I put off going to the doctor. And when I went yesterday, she confirmed my suspicions."
"What did you find out? How far along are you? When are you due? Do you know if it's a boy or girl?" He asked. Lucy smiled and laughed quietly.
"I'm..well…" She looked down. "I'm sorry, honey. I should have gone to the doctor sooner…" She sighed. "Please don't be mad." She waited a moment before speaking again. "I'm 4 months along…5 next week on the 6th." Kevin's eyes widened. "I'm due Febuary 6th, and no, I don't know if it's a boy or a girl yet."
"Does it feel like a boy?" Kevin asked hopefully.
"Right now, it really feels more like a stomach flu than anything." She laughed. "So, baby number five's coming…soon." She said. "And we can do this." Kevin kissed her on the cheek and put his hand over her stomach.
"Yes, we can…and we will."
A/N: I hope that you enjoyed this rather dramatic chapter! Please review!
