"Doesn't your doctor have her own practice?" John asked as he and Evangeline stepped out of the hospital elevator.
"Yes but she's standing in for another doctor here at the hospital, who's on vacation and I wanted to get this done as soon as possible so I told her I'd come here," Evangeline answered as they moved to the nurse's station. "We're here to see Dr. Cathy Brooks," Evangeline said to the young blonde-haired woman standing behind the counter.
"I'll page her for you," The young woman replied with a smile as she picked up the phone and paged the doctor. As John and Evangeline waited a familiar face walked out of the elevator, his head buried in a chart.
"Hey Mikey," John called out and instantly got a startled look from his brother.
"Hey John, Evangeline," Michael spoke as he moved to where they stood. "What are two doing here?"
"Ah, we've got a doctor's appointment," John answered as Evangeline stood silently, letting it be John's decision to say more or not.
"You do?" Michael said curiously.
"Actually Evangeline has the appointment but I'm tagging along," Seeing the curious look his little brother was still giving him, John rolled his eyes a bit and smiled as he continued to speak. "We're having a baby Mikey."
"What, I'm gonna be an uncle?" Michael said with a wide grin as he moved closer to them, vigorously shaking John's hand, and then scooping Evangeline up and twirling her around. "I'm gonna be an uncle," He repeated with excitement.
"That's not a good idea bro," John said noticing the look on Evangeline's face, which was the mirror image she had the night before, right before she rushed to the bathroom, and vomited up her dinner.
"Oh," Michael said abruptly stopping and placing Evangeline back on the floor. "Sorry, you ok?" He asked Evangeline who stood clinging to his arms, trying to regain her bearings and swallow down the saliva that was starting to fill her mouth. After a second and a few deep breaths she nodded and released Michael's arms. Michael stepped back and right into a smack to the head, courtesy of John. "Oww."
"Don't you know better than to twirl around a pregnant woman?"
"Sorry I just got excited. Man, I can't wait I'm gonna be the best uncle ever, I'm gonna teach him…"
"Or her," Evangeline interjected. "What is it with you McBain men thinking you can only produce males?" She said eyeing John, who she had debated the fact with most of the night.
"Or her," Michael corrected. "I'll teach them how to ride their bike, fish, how to tie their shoes, read a book," Michael listed off things at the top of his head as John and Evangeline simply looked at him, smiling at his happiness.
"Wow, looks like all we'll have to do is have this kid and then give it over to Mikey here," John said jokingly to Evangeline who giggled and nodded.
"Hey, you guys will have plenty to do, changing diapers, late-night feeding, dealing with the teething and ear infections, diaper rashes, colic…"
"Yeah ok, we get it, Mikey," John cut him off as he noticed the panicked look shade Evangeline's face.
"And thank you so much for scaring me even more than I already am," Evangeline added.
"Hey no worries, you'll be fine," Michael said as he reached out and cupped her cheek. "You're gonna be a wonderful mama," He then turned to John. "And you, well you've got me to help you out," Michael joked with a smile.
"Thanks," John said with a chuckle.
"Good morning all," A voice spoke out and all eyes turned.
"Dr. Brooks, good morning," Michael greeted his colleague.
"Dr. McBain."
"Hello, Dr. Brooks," Evangeline said. "I see you know Michael already, this is Michael's brother, and my…" She hesitated still unclear as to what to refer to him as.
"I'm the father, John McBain," John finished for her as he extended his hand to the doctor, who grasped it and shook it.
"Nice to meet you, Mr. McBain. So are you ready to see your baby?" Dr. Brooks asked.
"See it, I thought it would be too early," Evangeline replied.
"No, mind you there won't be any definition like fingers and toes, but you'll definitely be able to see it. Come this way please," She said as she led them off.
"I want details later and pictures if you got any," Michael called after them as he watched them leave with a broad, proud smile still on his face."
"Pictures of what?" A voice behind him asked and he turned to come face to face with the one redhead in town he went out of his way to avoid. His look of annoyance quickly disappeared to be replaced with a devilish one.
"Of my nephew or niece, or maybe both," Michael said with a smile that widen as he watched the red head's face grow even paler than it already was.
"Your nephew or niece," Natalie Vega repeated her brain not quite registering what he had said.
"That's right," Michael said as he bounced on the balls of his feet, awaiting Natalie's epiphany.
"Evangeline's pregnant?"
"Right again," Michael said gloating. "Which means there's no chance in hell you'll ever get with John, actually there was no chance before, but hopefully now you'll have some dignity about yourself and let it go," He then turned and signed on the chart he held and handed it to the nurse at the nurse's station to file.
"And there's your baby," Dr. Brooks said as they all stared at the monitor.
"Our baby's the blob," John joked and was rewarded with a playful swat from Evangeline who giggled at his words, which were exactly what she was thinking too.
"Well I did tell you, you wouldn't see any fingers or toes, but," Dr. Brooks spoke as she zoomed in the shot. "How about a heartbeat," Both John and Evangeline watched in awe, and with mouths agape at the pulsing image on the screen.
"Is it normal…" John began to ask only to have Dr. Brooks cut him off.
"A baby's heartbeat is faster than ours, so yes that's completely normal, if it were slower that would be cause for concern," She smiled at the couple, it always warmed her heart to see first time parent's reaction to seeing their baby for the first time, it was usually always the same exact expressions every time. "You know, now we have the technology to see the baby, when it's developed more, in a three-dimensional model. Everything from the fingers and toes, to the eyelashes."
"Can we have a picture now?" Evangeline asked, as her eyes remained fixed to the monitor.
"I can do better, I can record it and burn it to a disc for you, and you can watch it over and over if you'd like."
"I'd like a copy of that too," John said and caused Evangeline to look over at him and smile.
"No problem," Dr. Brooks said as she moved and turned the lights back on," You can get dressed and I'll have the discs ready by the time you're done. Just come out to the nurse's station," She said and then left the room. Once they were alone both focused back on the monitor. John reached out his hand and intertwined his fingers with Evangeline's, a move that caused her to look at him with a smile.
"Hey, mama," He said softly with a smile as he leaned down, bringing his face to hers.
"Hey daddy," She replied with a smile and then leaned up to him, capturing his lips in a sweet kiss.
