Chapter One: "A Surprise!"

- Scene: Doctors surgery. Carol is sat in the centre of the room -

The quiet mumbles of conversations between those around her can be heard subtly. Carol is alone, she slightly fiddles with the strap of her handbag. Suddenly her ears prick to a conversation being held by an anxious couple not too far away.

"Darling, don't worry you're going to be okay." The man tries to reassure his friend.

"But I've never had this before. What if it's something horrid. What if they can't diagnose it, or fix it?"

The cogs in Carol's mind were in overdrive. In a panic she jumps up from her seat and all eyes fixate on her. She laughs to herself, "I dropped my contacts." Diving to the floor she pretends to look for them, scrabbling around nervously. The redhead hollars, "Found them!" Once again she takes a seat, just as a doctor comes out of the room and her name is called.

Her Doctor is grey at the temples and wears small, round glasses. Carol nervously adjusts the strap of her handbag, now on her shoulder, and walks into the room. On his desk his name is displayed, 'Dr Hickinbottom' the lettering engraved on a gold background.

It isn't until the doctor asks Carol to take a seat that she realises she is just standing in the doorway. He sits down at the desk and pulls up a piece of paper. "Mrs Bradford, we've had the test results back."

She shuts the door behind her. Her heart beats inside her chest. She can hear the thumping in her ears. Carol throws herself into the back of the chair.

"Give it to me straight, doc."

Is she always this nervous? She has never felt less like herself. 'I wish Roger or Chrissie were here' She thinks to herself.

"How much time have I got?"

The old man takes his glasses off his face, wheels his chair back and rises.

"Mrs Bradford, you're not going to die."

Carol didn't hear his words. Her heart is still in her throat. "It's okay, doc. I can take it" She cuts out.

"Mrs Bradford, you're going to have a baby."

Now that sentence did break through the clutter in her brain. Carol stutters. Her mouth opens and closes. Words, letters and sounds are obsolete right now. She needs to snap back into it. She slaps herself and becomes present again, "Well, how did that happen?!"

Dr Hickinbottom laughs slightly and then clears his throat. "You see, when a man loves a woman..."

Before he can continue Carol screams and shakes her hands in front of her "No! No, I know that! I- I'm just in shock I guess" It's like all her energy seeps out of her. She melts into the chair and stares into space.

- Scene: Carol and Roger's apartment. Carol is sat on the sofa -

Carol is still in shock. Is she sure she heard the doctor right? Pregnant. Her. How on earth is she going to tell Roger? They've never spoke about children before.

The door opens and Chrissie walks in. "Hi, Carol. Ready for lunch?" Silence. "Carol?" Chrissie walks over and sees a vacant look on her sisters face. "Carol, what's the matter?" The young ginger sits down, next to her, on the sofa.

The movement breaks Carol's bubble. "Oh, Sissy!" A wavering smile appears on Carol's face.

"Carol, you're scaring me. What's happened?"

"Oh, Chrissie.." Carol begins before her voice breaks. "C-Chrissie..." She tries again, but a sob breaks out of her throat. Soon the tears form in her eyes and she can't contain her emotions any longer. The calm before the storm.

"Carol, please, talk to me!" Chrissie holds her sisters hands as she sobs.

"It's..." Again no more words. This time she gestures at herself.

"You!" Chrissie yells. "What about you?"

Another wail from the hysterical redhead which quickly follows a gesture of her entire body.

"Your dress?" Carol shakes her head. "Oh, your shoes?! You tripped over something and scuffed your shoes!!" A violent head shake answers that query.

"Chrissie, I'm... I'm..." The end of the sentence is lost amidst a fresh wave of tears. She sniffles, and wipes the tears away from her face. She needed to tell someone at least. Carol pulls herself together. "Chrissie, there's a bun in the oven"

Chrissie stares at her sister, blank. "Carol, you're off your rocker! You don't need to have a meltdown. I'll go take it out of the oven. It'll be fine." Chrissie walks towards the kitchen when she hears Carol state in a high pitched voice.

"I'm pregnant."

Now it's time for Chrissie's brain to short circuit on them. "Y-Yo-You're what?" Is all she can manage.

"I'm pregnant. I'm eating for two. The rabbit died. There's a bun in the oven." Carol reels off the list of pregnancy sayings. "Chrissie?" She looks at her sister with wide eyes.

"Is it Rogers?" The moment it left her mouth she knew the question was stupid.

"OF COURSE IT'S ROGERS!" She screams at her baby sister.

"Sorry, silly question. Carol, does Roger know?"

Carol shakes her head. "No. I've only just been to the doctors and found out myself. Oh, Chrissie, what am I going to do?" The tears start again. This time Chrissie grabs the box of tissues from the island and hands them to Carol.

"It's going to be okay." The sisters sit on the sofa, hugging, every once in a while Carol let's out a loud sniff and Chrissie just holds her tighter. "You know you need to tell him."

"How? How am I going to tell him something like this? You know Roger. He's bound to blow his top and he doesn't have that much hair as it is." She jokes. "We've never even discussed having kids."