Chapter 29 - My Happy Ending
I looked at in shock. It can't be. It just can't. Chris isn't even six months old. And now ...
"Piper?" I heard Paige's voice. "Are you in there?"
"Yeah. One minute." I said, jumping up.
"Are you OK? Have you been sick again?" I heard her say.
"No." I said quickly. "I'm fine, really."
"Piper. Open the door."
Since when did my baby sister become my big sister?
Pushing it under the towels, I unlocked the door.
"Why are you so pale?" She asked straight away.
"I'm not. I'm OK. Really."
"Piper." She folded her arms across her chest. "I am not moving until you tell me what's going on. You've been throwing up for weeks now, you've been in there for ages and you look -" Her eyes widened, and her mouth opened a little bit. "Oh my god."
"No, no Paige -" I said quickly. I was still dealing with this myself.
"Of course." She breathed.
"Paige - Paige Shh!" I said quickly.
"You're - Ahh!"
I grabbed her arm and pulled her into the bathroom. Pushing the door shut I turned to face her. "You are worse than Phoebe!" I hissed.
"Are you pregnant?" She whispered. I sighed.
"I think so." I pulled the test out from under the towels. "Unless this is wrong." I waved it in front of her.
"Oh, that's great news! Really! A little soon, but still -"
"Shh!" I hissed.
"You don't want anyone to know?" She asked in confusion.
"I've only just found out. I'm still getting over it." I sat down on the edge of the bath.
"Aren't you happy?" She asked gently, sitting down next to me.
"Yes, of course I am. It's the best news. It's just ... a little soon."
"But it's great." She said.
"Paige ... I nearly died when having Chris. The both of us did. What if it happens again?" I said quietly.
"Aw, honey. Of course it wont. Come on." She lifted me to my feet, and opened the door. "Where's Leo?"
"Taking Patty to nursery. He's got the boys."
"Prue and Phoebe?"
"Work."
"OK, pass me the phone."
"Why?" I said slowly, reaching for the hall phone.
"I'm making you a doctor's appointment. The sooner we get everything checked out, the better." She punched some buttons as I stood next to her in silence. I couldn't help worrying. What if it happened again? What if I died? Left Patty and the boys without a mother? What if I lost the baby? Could I cope with that?
"You have a cancellation? That's great! OK, OK, we'll be there. Yeah."
No, I can't.
"We have an appointment in a hour. I think we should set of now." Paige informed me, hanging up the phone. "If we want to beat the traffic. Come on."
She lead me down the stairs, and picked up her keys from the side.
"It's going to be OK." She said gently. "Honest."
"I - I know." I lied. She hugged me quickly, then pulled me towards the door.
"Everything seems OK so far, Mrs. Halliwell. You are approximately fourteen weeks gone."
"See. You're going to be OK." Paige said squeezing my arm.
"Yes. I'll book you in for a scan in six weeks time, but everything looks fine."
"Are you sure? 'Cause in the past -"
"I know. And because of your history we'll keep a close eye on you, but try not to worry. Stress wont help the baby."
I forced a smiled, but his words hadn't reassured me at all. I'd been worrying about haemorrhaging, I hadn't thought about Patty or Wyatt. What if the toxaemia came back? Or - Patty was in distress, I had to have an emergency caesarean. Anything could happen.
"Try to r - calm down." Paige said, and I had to smile. At least she didn't use the 'R' word. I think if I was told to relax again I'd blow someone up.
"I am, you know, I'm calm." I said. "Can we go now?"
"Leo, I have something to tell you." I said later that day. I'd waited until he picked Patty up - Paige and I had gone shopping.
"What?" He looked worried.
"It's not - not bad, don't worry." I said quickly. I sat on the sofa next to him and lifted Chris onto my knee. "It's ... great. It's really, really great."
He looked at me, Patty on one knee and Wyatt on his other. Both of them were looking up at me. I'm just going to have to come out and say it.
"I'm pregnant." I told him.
A huge smile spread across his face.
"That's amazing!" He cried.
I smiled. Life was getting better and better.
Or is it? The next chapter, the last of Breakaway, is going to set us up for the sequel ...