A Fresh Start
Chapter One Hundred Fifteen
Ava stayed on Main Street for another hour before she went back to Company. She walks in as Buzz is leaving the kitchen with a tub full of clean dishes. Walking over to the bar, she sits down as Buzz begins to unload the tub and asks. "You want a smoothie?"
"Yes, thanks." Ava says, as he reaches for a glass.
"Your mom was in her earlier." He says, as he begins to make her smoothie.
"I know, I saw her through my window and left out the back door."
"You two are still having problems about Jeffrey?" Buzz asks, sitting the smoothie in front of her.
"No, well Dad's mixed in there along with Sam and the baby, but there's also my relationship with William. I don't understand, when she found out I was pregnant, she wanted me to be with him and now that we are, she's angry about that. I really don't know what to say or do around her anymore."
"You know your mother. She's always been high strung."
"This is more than that. I'm seriously beginning to wonder about her sanity. And she's not attacking just me, but she's…."
"She's what?"
"She's going after Emma."
"Emma! Is she hurting her?"
"No, not physically, but we got into a fight the other day about the wedding and baby. Emma was there and happened to mention that she saw Dad and Sam at the Beacon the morning after the wedding and spoke to him. The next day, I was at Emma's school and she would barely talk to me. I had to find out from Will that she was grounded because she had spoken to Jeffrey."
"What happened?"
"I confronted her about it and demanded the she lift the punishment, which is probably why she was here to see me today. I don't know what to do anymore."
"Do you want something to go with the smoothie, cake, pie…?"
"I'll take a Buzz burger." Ava says, with a smile.
"So, you're hungry."
"No, he's hungry." Ava says, laying her hand on her stomach.
"He."
"It's a figure of speech. It's too soon for me to know the sex."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, although I wouldn't mind having a little boy."
"You want to give William his son again."
"He lost a lot when the truth came out about Will's adoption, not just for the country but for himself personally."
"I know, let me go make you a burger."
"Okay."
He leaves and returns about ten minutes later with her burger. Putting it before her, he goes back to unloading the tub of clean dishes before he goes to clean off a table. When he comes back to the bar, he puts the tub underneath and then he says. "You know your mom has had a rough couple years. Eventually she'll accept what's happened between her and Jeffrey and that Jeffrey has moved on with Sam."
"I'm worried she won't, but I can't focus on that right now. I've tried to talk to her about Dad and Sam and about William and I but it all goes in one ear and out the other. I don't think she will learn to accept what's happened."
"Why do you think she won't accept what's happened?"
"Because she knows Dad loves Sam and I don't this is about her being in love with him."
"Then what is it about?"
"You know my mother. You know that above anything she wants to be in control and my Dad took that option out of her hand when he broke up with her and he kept it out of her hand when he found Sam and married her.
"So, you think she's insisting that Jeffrey doesn't love Sam because she didn't get to end their relationship."
"Yes."
"You might have a point. She's lost control of the situation and that's why she's fighting the marriage and I'm sure she's not accepting the baby either."
"Yes." Ava says, pushing the plate away. Buzz takes the plate and puts it in the tub beneath the bar. "To be honest we haven't discussed the baby. She's upset that I knew about long before she did. I knew right after they found out themselves, and I didn't tell her. I didn't tell her because I agreed with Dad that it was too volatile a subject to tell her, then or now."
"Do you want some cake or pie?"
"Do you have the peach pie?"
"Yes and its Cassie's recipe."
"I'll take a slice."
"You want the ice cream."
"No, I've had enough sweets for today."
"Alright." Buzz says, cutting her a piece of pie and putting it before her before he goes to handle a new table of customers.
When he returns, she says. "I know that I can't do anything about Olivia. I have too much on my plate right now."
"You have to take care of yourself. Your Dad wouldn't want you to be stressed about Olivia."
"I know. He called me a couple days ago, right after the fight with Olivia. I think he knew something was wrong but I wouldn't tell him. He deserves this time with Sam."
"You're a good daughter."
"Hey listen, do you mind if I take this upstairs? I'm suddenly feeling really tired and I just want a hot bath and maybe relax a little bit."
"No, go ahead, and leave it out in the hall and I'll get it after we close up."
"Thanks Buzz, and thanks for listening."
"You're welcome." He says, patting her hand as she stands up.
She leaves and heads upstairs while he goes over to the other table.
Cassie walks into the Beacon after finishing up with the wedding planner that is helping her decorate the barn for the wedding. She's at the front desk when the clerk on duty answers the phone and then turns to her and says. "Mrs. Winslow, this call is for you."
"Who is it?"
"Dr. Sedgwick's office."
"Dr. Sedgwick's office!"
"Yes ma'am."
"I'll take it in my office."
"Yes ma'am. "The clerk replies, putting the phone down as Cassie walks over to the hallway leading to hers and Olivia's office.
Walking in, Jessica is at her desk and Cassie says. "I'm going to be on a call."
"Yes ma'am."
Cassie continues through and closing the door behind her, she walks over to her desk and sits down. Reaching for the phone, she picks it and pushes the button to connect the call as she takes a deep breath. "This is Cassie Winslow."
"Yes, Mrs. Winslow. Dr. Sedgwick asked that I call you. She wants to schedule an appointment to see you."
"Can I ask why?"
"She spoke with Dr. Bauer after he was asked to take some blood for some routine tests."
"Yes, I know. My husband asked him to do that while we were at the hospital a few days ago. It was a routine blood test. I don't understand why I need to see Dr. Sedgwick."
"Some of the results concerned Dr. Bauer and he showed the results to Dr. Sedgwick, since you are one of her patients and Dr. Sedgwick feels that we need to look further into these results."
"What were the results?"
"Dr. Sedgwick will go over that with you. Would you be able to come by this afternoon?"
"Umm, sure." Cassie says, looking at her calendar.
"Would one o'clock be good for you?"
"Yes, I can be there at one."
"Thank you. I'm sure that it's nothing to worry about but we do need to take a closer looks at these results."
"Can you tell me if Dr. Sedgwick has an idea about the cause?"
"She didn't want to speculate until she has a full picture."
"Alright, I'll be there at one."
"Thank you again."
"You're welcome." Cassie says, hanging up the phone. She sits back and stares at her desk for several minutes before she reaches for the phone again and dials Richard's office.
After a couple rings, Amelia answers. "Thank you for calling City Hall. You've reached Richard Winslow's office. How may I assist you?"
"Amelia, its Cassie."
"Yes, Mrs. Winslow."
"Is he available?"
"He's in a meeting right now with some executives from Chicago."
"The Billings Corp meeting."
"No, it's another company. Do you need to speak to him?"
"No, I can talk to him later."
"Yes ma'am, would you like to leave a message?"
"Just tell him that I called, and I'll talk to him at home tonight."
"Yes ma'am."
"Thank you Amelia." Cassie says, as someone knocks on her door.
"You're welcome, ma'am." Amelia replies.
They hang up as Cassie says. "Come in."
Olivia opens the door and walks in, closing it behind her before she turns to face Cassie. She walks slowly over to Cassie's desk before she says. "Did you give a room to Jeffrey and Sam for their wedding night?"
"Yes, I did."
"Why?"
"Because they are my friends and since we couldn't host the wedding reception here at the Beacon it was my gift to them."
"But you're giving them creditability. Besides the fact, that I banned him from this hotel when…."
"First of all you can't ban anyone from this hotel. Seconds, I don't have to give them a room to make them creditable. They are married and as you know in love. Third, I don't have to clear everything through you. If I want to offer one my friends a free night, it is within my power as part owner of this hotel to do so."
"He does not love her."
Cassie stares at her before she says. "You can't honestly believe that. You have to see the way he is with her. You have to see that they totally love each other."
"And you can't seriously believe that he does. This is Jeffrey. He will never settle on one woman. Look how quickly he moved on from you."
"Actually, he didn't move on quickly from me. But I'm not going to argue with you about this. I was my decision as part owner of this hotel to offer them a room for their wedding night. Now I have some paper work I need to take care of for my own wedding." Cassie says, reaching for a folder and effectively dismissing her.
Olivia stands there for several moments watching her before she walks over to the door, opening it, she walks out as Cassie glances up and then shakes her head.
After about ten minutes later and after reading the same sentence for the third or fourth time, Cassie puts the folder down and sits back. She glances at the phone, tempted to call Dr. Sedgwick's office and asks more questions. Reaching for the phone, she picks it up and then sits it back down again. She stares at the phone for a few more minutes and then picks up the folder and opens it back up.
She's finally able to process the documents that the wedding planner had given her and make a few decisions for the decorations for the barn, but then her mind wanders again to the blood tests and the appointment with Dr. Sedgwick's office. Finally putting the folder down, she reaches for her purse and gets up. Leaving her office, she says. "Jessica, I'm going to be out of the office for the rest of the day."
"Yes ma'am."
"If you need me, I will have my cell phone."
"Yes ma'am."
Cassie nods as she walks out of the office, leaving the Beacon.
Richard has several meeting back to back and it's almost noon before he has time to take a break. After the clients from his last meeting walks out of his office, Amelia comes in with his messages. "Thank you, you can go on to lunch."
"Yes sir." Amelia turns to leave and then turns back to him. "Sir, Mrs. Winslow called while you where in the meeting with the clients from Chicago."
"What did she want?"
"She didn't say. She only said that she would talk to you tonight and to tell you that she called."
"Okay, I'll call her after I've taken care of these messages."
"Do you want me to order you something?"
"Umm, yes. Order my usual from Company and ask for it to be delivered and then you can go to lunch."
"Yes Sir." Amelia says, nodding as she leaves.
Richard picks up the messages and flips through them. Picking up the phone, he dials a number. After about ten minutes his lunch is delivered and he takes a break long enough to eat and then he finishes up the messages, as he's on his last call, Cassie is walking into Dr. Sedgwick's office.
"May I help you?" The receptionist asks, as Cassie walks up.
"Yes, I've got an appointment to see Dr. Sedgwick at one. My name is Cassie Winslow."
The receptionist looks down and then checks Cassie's name before she says. "Yes ma'am, we have you done. If you'll please take a seat and we'll have you back in a few minutes."
"Thank you." Cassie says, walking over to one of the chairs.
When she left the Beacon, she had started towards her car before she changed directions and walked out towards the lake, finding a secluded spot she sat down and watched the waves come in and tried to relax. She spent nearly two hours sitting there before she realized that it was closed to time for her appointment. She left the Beacon after that and drove into town. She stopped at Company but hadn't really eaten anything before she came over to the hospital.
When she sat down, she had automatically picked up a magazine and was absently leafing through it when the door opens and Dr. Sedgwick's nurse calls. "Cassie Winslow."
Putting the magazine down, she reaches for her purse and stands up. Following the nurse back, they enter one of the exam rooms. Cassie puts her purse on the chair beside her as she sits down on the exam table. The nurse quietly begins to take her vitals, weighing her, taking her temperature, her blood pressure and heart rate before she says. "If you will change into on of the gowns, Dr. Sedgwick will be in shortly."
"Thank you." Cassie says softly.
The nurse leaves as Cassie looks around the room, looking over the different charts and diagrams. It seems to take hours before the door opens again and Dr. Sedgwick walks in. "Good afternoon, Cassie."
"Hi." Cassie replies, playing with the paper cover on the exam table.
"I'm sure my nurse explained the reason why I asked to see you today."
"She said that Dr. Bauer consulted with you after he received the results from the blood tests we had done a few days ago."
"Dr. Bauer explained that he had the lab rush the results because he felt that Richard was highly concerned about your health. Can you tell me what's been going on for the last few weeks?"
"Only the usual, I have been a little stressed with Jeffrey and Sam wedding, some family issues and planning our own wedding. I haven't been eating properly and lately I've been a little tired. I've had a few dizzy spells and my stomach has been upset. Richard only had Rick run the tests to make sure I'm not coming down with something serious and then we would know that it's all caused by the stress."
Dr. Sedgwick nods. "Since the labs, did rush the results he wanted to consult with me. Several of your hormone levels are highly elevated, more elevated then simple stress would cause. And some of these levels indicate another issue."
"What other issue?"
"That's why I called you in. To determine what could possibly be causing the elevation and to see what we need to do to being your levels back into control."
"Dr. Sedgwick, I get the feeling that you suspect something in particular is causing this."
"Yes, I have my suspicions."
"And what are they?"
"From your hormone levels, there is an indication that you could be pregnant."
"Pregnant, that isn't possible. You said so, yourself. You said, I would never be able to have child after accident and Will's birth."
"I don't know what is going on. And I'm not diagnosing as being pregnant. From the test results when you came to see me after Will's birth, there was no indication that you would be able to get pregnant. And if you are, there is every likelihood that you might not be able to care the baby to term. But we're jumping the gun here. First, I want to examine you myself. I want to draw my own blood and I want you to take a pregnancy test. After we get those results, we'll know where to go from there."
"Okay."
"Besides the nausea, the dizziness, and being tired have you noticed any other symptoms."
"No, but then I haven't been thinking I'm pregnant."
"Okay, if you'll lay back we'll get started."
Slowly Cassie lays back. Dr. Sedgwick gives her a through exam. When she's finished, Cassie sits up as she reaches for a plastic up. "You know what to do with this?"
"Yes." Cassie says, reaching for the cup
She leaves the room and then returns a few minutes later. Handing the cup to Dr. Sedgwick, she moves back over to the table and sits down. "I'll have the lab run the pregnancy test. If you'll get dressed, while I'm doing that, I'll have the nurse come in to draw some more blood."
"Okay." Cassie says, as Dr. Sedgwick walks to the door.
She leaves and Cassie begins to get dressed. When she's finished, she sits back down on the exam table. This time she stares straight ahead at the door, but she doesn't see it. Her mind is filled with everything that Dr. Sedgwick had said and the shock that she could be pregnant. About five minutes later, the nurse comes in. Cassie holds her arm out for her to draw the blood while neither one of them speaks and she leaves about five minutes later.
About ten minutes later, Cassie is pacing when the door opens and Dr. Sedgwick walks in. Her face is blank when Cassie turns around. She walks over to the exam table and sits down as Dr. Sedgwick walks over to the stool where she had been sitting earlier. "So." Cassie asks.
"I had the lab run both tests and I had them run it twice. Its official Cassie, you are pregnant."
Cassie stares at her, afraid to believe her, afraid to believe that she and Richard would get their second chance to be parents from the very beginning. "I don't understand, how?"
"I'm not sure, only to say that it is a miracle. When I examined you after your accident I would have bet my life that you wouldn't be able to get pregnant."
"Could the invitro have done something?"
"It's possible Cassie. Taking your eggs might have opened your fallopian tubes enough to allow an egg to pass. The increase in hormones might have helped. There could be a number of reasons, but whatever they are; it is obvious that you are pregnant."
"Can you tell me how are along I am?"
"Do you know when your last period was?"
"Umm, sometime before Richard returned, it might have been while we were in San Cristobel with Will. I didn't even realize that it's been that long." Cassie says, thinking back. "The last cycle I remember having, was the first week we were in San Cristobel. I was due to have one again about a week after we returned, but I didn't. I simply dismissed it."
"Well, you and Richard have been back in Springfield about…."
"It's been about two months almost… that means I got pregnant…." She pauses, still shocked to say that out loud. "I got pregnant about the week we got back or shortly thereafter."
"I would say you're probably about six weeks along."
"Six weeks, that would explain the symptoms I've been having, the nausea, dizziness and being tired. I'm pregnant."
"It would certainly appear so. And I know you are happy about that, but we have to proceed with caution, Cassie. The accident in San Cristobel did some extreme damage to your fallopian tubes and we have to make sure that this isn't an atopic pregnancy. I'm going to have to monitor you very closely and if you show any signs of developing complications, I will place you on complete bed rest. For now, I want you to take it very easy. Let Richard help you as much as he can. Let everyone else help with the boys. Please try to avoid any stressful situations."
"Okay."
"You know what you need to do nutritionally."
"Yes."
"I want to see you every two weeks for right now, but if I think I need to see you more I'll start seeing you every week."
"Okay."
"For right now, go home and tell your husband the good news."
"I have no idea how I'm going to tell him." Cassie says, standing up.
"You'll think of something. And if I know your husband he will make sure you take complete care of yourself. I don't want you doing too much."
"I won't and you're right about Richard. He's going to insist that I take care of myself, probably to the point that I doubt he'll let me out of his sight for very long."
"He's only doing it because he loves you and you both have a second chance." Dr. Sedgwick says, opening the door.
"I know." Cassie says, walking out with Dr. Sedgwick following behind her. "Thank you."
"You're welcome, be sure to make another appointment for two weeks from today, and if you need anything, you call me and I mean anything, anytime. I'll come out to the farm if you need me."
"Yes ma'am." Cassie says.
They part ways, Cassie going to the front office while Dr. Sedgwick goes to tend to another patient. After making the second appointment, Cassie leaves Cedars still is shock.
When she reaches the car, she's surprised. Opening the door, she gets in and then sits there for several moments before she realizes that she needs to leave. Putting the key in the ignition, she starts the car and backs out. Slowly she pulls out of the parking lot. Blindly she drives through town, not quite sure where she's going until she ends up in front of City Hall.
Parking she gets out. Locking the car, she walks towards the building. Richard is coming out of the bathroom when he sees her walk in. "Cassie." He says, surprised to see her.
"Hi." She says quietly as she walks up to him.
"Are you okay? Amelia said you called. I meant to call you back but I've been swapped with calls and meetings…."
"It's okay."
"Is something wrong? Did something happen with the boys?"
"The boys are fine."
Suddenly she needs to feel his arms around her. Walking over to him, she puts her arms around him, laying her head on his chest as she clings to him. "Cassie." He says, putting his arms around her, surprised and a little worried. "What's wrong?"
"Just hold me." She whispers, moving closer to him.
"It's okay." He says, wrapping his arms around her. After several seconds, he asks again. "What's wrong?"
"Do you have any more meetings?"
"Not till later, why?"
"I need to tell you something." She says, stepping back.
"Okay." He says, taking her hand.
They walk into his office and Amelia is at her desk. "Amelia, hold my calls please."
"Yes Sir." She says, as Richard walks past holding Cassie's hand.
Opening the office door, he lets her walk in first before he closes the door behind them. Taking her hand again, he leads her over to the couch and helps her to sit down before he sits down beside her. "Now what's wrong?" She looks at him for several seconds before she looks away. "Cassie, you're scaring me. What's wrong?"
"I got a call this morning from Dr. Sedgwick's office."
"Dr. Sedgwick, why would she call you? Is this why you called me?"
"Yes. Rick spoke to her after he got the results back from the blood tests he ordered."
"He spoke to her, why?"
"Apparently, some of my levels didn't come back correct."
"But why would he speak to Dr. Sedgwick about that."
"These particular levels indicated something that he couldn't treat me for."
"What?" Cassie doesn't answer right away. "Cassie, what's going on?"
"I don't know how to tell you this. This is something neither one of us ever thought about or planned for."
"Cassie, I'm not going to loose you. I can't, not after we just got our lives back."
"You're not going to loose me, but this will change our lives, all of our lives."