Chapter 15

ONE MONTH LATER------(A/N----Jo is 36 weeks/ 9 months along)----BEGINNING OF JUNE----SCHOOL'S OUT

Jo is resting in her bedroom. Lizzie knocks on the door. No response. "Mom?" She walks in and sees her mom sleeping. She looks so tired. This must be hard on her. I couldn't imagine having twins. Oh God, I hope I'm not. She finds the camera and snaps a few pictures. I have the most amazing mother in the whole wide world. Jo wakes up. "Lizzie?"

"I just came in to check on you. How are you feeling?"

"Except for the fact that I feel like the Good Year Blimp or that I'm ready to get off bed rest, I'm feeling perfectly fine," Jo laughs. "Come, sit. We haven't gotten to talk much recently."

"Okay." She sits on the bed. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Oh, I don't know. What's going on in your life?"

"Let's see...I'm going to be a sophomore in high school this fall. I'm ten weeks pregnant with my best friend's baby. I'm engaged to be married. Oh, nothing's going on."

Jo sits up. "Run that by me again?"

"Which part?"

"The part about you being engaged?"

"Gordo officially proposed to me Saturday night." Lizzie's grin spreads from ear to ear.

"Umm, uhh. Since Gordo's parents and your father and I would have to sign for you to get married, and we won't, how do you two plan to be married?"

"We know that we can't get married now, but we can when we turn 17."

"A two year engagement. That's a long time."

"I know, but we'll have a child together. We'll be connected forever anyway."

"I know you will be, but are you sure you're ready to make that kind of commitment?"

"I don't know. That's why we're engaged, so that we can see if we want to get married later."

"So, how are you feeling?"

"I'm okay."

"No more nausea or morning sickness?"

"Actually, no."

"That's great. Maybe you'll have an easy time. Dianne had really easy pregnancies too. She had easy births too. She was in labor with Stephanie for 3 hours, and had one of those text book experiences." Jo frowns. "She's so lucky." Lizzie laughs. "Can you help me up? I can't stay in this bed another minute. Thanks." Lizzie takes her mother's hands and helps her up.

"Would you like me to make dinner?" Lizzie asks.

"Sure, if you'd like."

"Well, I don't think I could stand another night of dad's turkey surprise."

Laughing, "Me either. So, what would you like to fix?"

"How about chicken spaghetti, green beans, and chocolate chip cookies?"

"Mmm! That sounds good! Do you need some help?"

"If you want to make a salad." They start toward the kitchen, and Jo doubles over.

"Mom?" Lizzie rushes to her side, "What's wrong?"

"I, aaaaah!" Breathing heavily, "I'm having a contractiaaaaah!" She puts a hand under her belly.

Lizzie helps her mother to the bed. "Are you okay?"

"That was a big one," she hisses,"Ouch!"

"D, Do, do we need to call a doctor?"

"No. I've been having contractions off and on. They'll pass."

"Doesn't that mean you're in labor?"

"No, these are Braxton-Hicks contractions."

"What?"

Jo holds a finger up, while she breathes through another contraction. "False labor."

"Oh. Are you okay?"

She nods. Her breathing returns to normal. "I think they're over."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Let's go make dinner."

----In the Kitchen----

Lizzie puts the chicken spaghetti in the oven, and begins making the cookie dough. Jo puts the green beans on the stove and tosses the salad. The phone rings, and Jo answers.

"Hello? Sam. Are you gonna be home for dinner?"

Sam: (on the phone) "No, I'm gonna be late. Go ahead and eat without me."

"I'll fix a plate for you and leave it in the refrigerator."

Sam: "Okay. Shouldn't you be lying down?"

"I know I'm supposed to be on bedrest, but I've been in bed all day."

Sam: "You know, your bloodpressure? What if you go into labor?"

"Sam," she huffs, "The babies are due any day now. It's okay if I go into labor."

Sam: "I just worry about you."

"I know. You're worrying almost as much as you did when I was pregnant with..." She stops, remembering that Lizzie and Matt were within earshot. "...oh, never mind." A tear escapes her eye.

Lizzie notices the tear and becomes concerned, "Mom, are you okay?"

Jo turns around and waves her daughter off. She resumes her conversation. "Anyway, you don't have to worry. Lizzie's making dinner, and I'll go lie down until it's ready."

Sam: "I love you."

"I love you too. See you when you get home." She puts the salad in the refrigerator. "Lizzie, can you fix your dad a plate? He had to work late." She walks upstairs.

"Mom?"

Jo enters her bedroom, and takes a picture out of a footlocker. She sits on the bed and traces the outline of the person in the photograph. A teardrop falls onto the picture. "I love you," she sighs.

"Mom, Matt, dinner's ready!" Lizzie yells up the stairs.

Matt, cast-free,comes rushing into the kitchen. "Ah, dinner! My favourite meal, next to breakfast and lunch."

"Wait for mom."

"No way! I'm hungry."

"I'm gonna go get mom." Matt begins eating, while Lizzie goes upstairs. She knocks on the bedroom door. "Mom?" Jo does not answer, so she enters the room. Jo is asleep on the bed, clutching the picture. Lizzie takes the picture from her mother's hands, and studies it. Who is this? She turns the picture over. Josh. Who's Josh? Jo moans, and turns over, but does not awaken. Lizzie puts the picture back in her mother's hands. "Get some rest, mom," Lizzie whispers, and she leaves the room.