Chapter Twelve

Pregnant Histories

Jordan had no idea having a baby was so complicated.

As a doctor, she understood the medical part. Dilation. Gestation. Placenta. All the terms and conditions of a nine-month pregnancy. As a woman, she understood what labor was going to be like.

But everything else was foreign territory. Mood swings and hormone changes. Hot flashes. The weight gain. Nursing. Maternity clothes. She gamely waded through one topic at a time with the literature that the nurse gave her after her first "official" visit to the obstetrician. She left his office with an armful of magazines and pamphlets and some paperwork she had to fill out.

Paperwork that she was going to have to have a little help on. The doctor had asked her, of course, if this was her first pregnancy. Jordan had said yes. Then Dr. Shiffield replied that he needed to know if her mother had any complications during her pregnancy and also some idea of how big the father of the baby had been at birth.

Jordan had no idea. She knew her mother had been pregnant at least twice…once with James and then with her. Max had never discussed what Jordan's birth had been like or if there had been any complications. And as far as Woody went, the topic of his birth weight had never come up in any conversation. She'd have to ask him – and she wasn't looking forward to talking to him again.

Jordan decided she'd take one obstacle at a time, first dealing with her own birth. There was only one other person in Boston who might remotely remember what her birth was like. Turning her beat up El Camino into the posh Beacon Hill section of Boston, she found her way to her grandmother's house. Holding her breath and gathering all the courage she could, she knocked on the door.

Mr. Timmons, her grandmother's butler, answered the door. "Is my grandmother home?" she asked. "I know I didn't call before I came, but this is really important. If she could see me for just one minute?" She was told to wait in the library.

Jordan had never been close to her grandmother after her mother's murder. Her grandmother had tried to take Jordan from Max, calling him an unfit father. Jordan had never forgiven her, even though her grandmother was one of the last ties she had to her mother.

But, in her quest to become the perfect daughter, Jordan had reached out to her grandmother one more time because it was something Jordan knew Max had desired…that she re-establish a relationship with Margaret, her mother's mother. Jordan had timidly tried to rekindle a friendship with her grandmother…and her grandmother had welcomed her with open arms.

Jordan now treasured the time she had with the older woman…and their relationship was a good one, although it was understood that some topics were off-limits, such as Emily's murder. That was fine with Jordan, as she was striving hard to put the past behind her, another goal in her quest for perfection.

But Jordan wasn't so naïve to believe that Margaret would be comfortable discussing either of her daughter's pregnancies – especially James'. And Jordan had a sinking feeling her grandmother would not be thrilled with her pregnancy. Jordan just hoped it wouldn't ravage their new-found relationship. She'd know soon enough….

"Jordan, what a pleasant surprise…" Margaret said, entering the library. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"I have something I need to ask you…."

Two hours later, Jordan had all her questions answered. I was right, she thought as she drove back home. She wasn't thrilled, but she at least helped fill in the blanks.

The first thing Margaret had wanted to know was why it was so important to Jordan that she find out about her mother's pregnancies. Reluctantly, Jordan told her. Her grandmother had looked her up and down and immediately asked her how she was feeling. When Jordan had replied she was fine, Margaret was relieved, but her eyes held a kind of sadness. "You're a grown woman and a doctor and you are certainly more than capable of having a baby on your own. But it's going to be hard. If you need me, let me know. And make sure you call me when you go to the hospital. I'd like to be there. Do you plan on marrying the father anytime soon?"

"I don't think so …he's not too thrilled about it."

"He will be. It just takes men longer to adjust. Give him time."

Jordan couldn't tell her it probably wasn't the baby that Woody needed time to adjust to – but the fact that it was her carrying his child. However, her grandmother had told her that both of Emily's pregnancies were perfectly normal and both babies were of normal weight.

Jordan had left relieved. Now to talk to Woody. She'd call him on his cell phone first…she didn't feel up to another face-to-face encounter with the detective. His face…his whole body…had seethed anger when she threw him out of her apartment two weeks ago…and she hadn't heard from his since. She slowly dialed his number and let the phone ring…after the third one, his voice mail picked up. At the tone, she left a message. "Woody…it's Jordan. I need to talk to you…it's about the baby…nothing's wrong…I just need some information about you to fill out the father's history. Or I can fax the form to you and you can fill it out and fax it back to me."

A few minutes later, he had returned her call. He had asked that she fax the form to him…in a voice that was calm and border-line understanding. She shook her head. She had been looking for another blow up.

Twenty minutes later, he had walked the form back over to her office. Gently he tapped on her door. Thinking it was Garret or Nigel, Jordan responded with a soft "Come in," without even thinking about it, keeping her eyes on her computer screen, as she was validating tests.

"I have the form you wanted me to fill out."

She looked up, startled at his sudden presence. Slowly she stood from her chair. "Thanks," she responded, extending her hand to take the form.

"When did you go to the doctor?"

"Yesterday."

"And everything's okay?"

"Yeah. The baby has a strong heartbeat. My blood work was fine. They just needed as a complete medical history as I could give them."

Woody came the rest of the way in her office and shut the door, walking over to her desk and propping on it. "Did they do one of those ultra-sound thingies?"

"No…that won't be for another couple of months."

He nodded. She looked tired, but it was already evident to his eyes she was pregnant. While her stomach was still flat as ever, no one could deny her breasts were filling out…nicely. "I'd like to go with you when you have that done," he said, indicating the ultra-sound.

"I'll let you know when it's going to happen."

Woody glanced to the side, out of her window that looked into the hall. "Who else here knows your expecting?"

"I had to tell Garret, so I wouldn't be expected to do x-rays any longer, plus he's going to have to make some plans for when I'm out on maternity leave. I want to tell Bug, Nige, and Lily before much longer…at least sometime before I start showing."

Woody nodded. He had a feeling that he would be in the crosshairs of those three once Jordan told them she was going to be a mother….even if she didn't reveal who the father w as…they would put two and two together pretty quickly, especially with him keeping a close eye on Jordan during her pregnancy. "Do you want to know if it's a boy or a girl?" he asked suddenly, taking her off guard.

"What?"

"When they do the ultra sound…do you want the doctor to tell you if it's a boy or a girl?"

Jordan thought for a moment. She really hadn't considered that fact…she knew it could be done, but hadn't thought much about it. "No," she finally answered. "I want to be surprised."

He nodded again and got up from her desk. "That suits me fine, too." He ran a hand through his hair. "I need to get back to work…look, if you need me….for anything…call me. I've…I've…never been in this position…and I'm not sure what to do or when to do it…but I'd like to be there for you and the baby." He looked into her eyes….which were telling him nothing. Her entire expression was blank.

"Yeah. Sure. But right now, we're fine." She ran a hand over her tummy protectively.

"Good. Just eat right….and get enough rest. You are able to rest now?" he asked, remembering her dreams of Digger.

"Most of the time. Pregnant women get pretty tired and sleep comes fairly easily."

"Glad to hear it." He moved off her desk and made his way to the door. "I meant what I said, Jordan," he continued as he paused in the doorway. "Call me if you need me." And with that he made his way down to the elevators.

Jordan sat back down and blew out a sigh of relief. His anger had dissipated … he was congenial…nearly concerned. And he didn't ask the question she had been dreading most of all….What were they going to do about them now that they were going to be parents?