Authors Note: I own nothing. No ownership rights to Beverly Hills 90210.
London is calling
A hotel room in Beverly Hills is not how I want to spend Christmas Eve, I did that too often as a kid. Without discussion I drive us straight to The Pit. My fiance smiles at me knowing that it was always a required stop. I don't ask if she is okay and she doesn't ask if I am, we knew what could happen by coming here, we knew this response was a potential reaction. We decided to give them a chance, see if they would be more receptive to us now that we were no longer teenagers. We hoped that once they saw how we had been succeeding, taking our life together seriously, how we had supported each other, learnt to navigate hard times and celebrate each others achievements. We had hoped they would see what everyone else from Minnesota, to Paris, to England saw, that we were perfect for each other and how in love we were.
They didn't see it, though maybe giving them time to let it all sink in they would. Maybe then they will reach out to us and want to move forward. Until then though there was no need for discussion we knew that this could happen and it was why we had kept us secret for so long, there was no need to dwell on the negativity the drama. We had each other and the last eighteen months had showed us that it was all we would ever need.
When the car is parked we both get out and walk into The Pit by the back entry. When Nat sees us his whole face lights up. We had kept in touch and once we heard about his heart attack we had been more diligent about it. We had just arrived in Paris and while Bren couldn't travel back due to her commitment to the program, I could defer the semester. When I suggested I come home on a phone call, Nat had been honest he told me there was nothing here for me. That my life wasn't here.
He didn't know about Bren and I being together, but I think he knew that without her in LA I'd be lost that I would self destruct. I didn't come home, but when I heard about the financial hardship The Pit was in and how Joey was putting too much pressure on Nat we bought out Joey. It was the only investment I had guided Jim to make on my on our behalf, it wasn't about profit it was about something more important, family.
"You two back in The Pit, it's the best Christmas gift ever."
I hold out my hand. "Hey Nat, Merry Christmas! It's good to see that you are looking well."
He pulls me in for a hug. "Touch and go there for a minute kid, but you can't keep me down. I'm feeling great, even better now that I have you two in front of me. Now Laverne where is my hug?"
"Nat it's good to see you. You had us really worried."
"Us? You…" he pulls back from their hug and looks between the two of us. "Son you found where you're supposed to be."
It wasn't a question but I responded anyway. "Yeah realised a few weeks into that European summer what was wrong. Why I didn't feel myself. It took a few weeks to grow the courage to do anything about it, but I eventually called Bren's new Minnesota dorm room and asked if I could visit. We did out first semester of college there, then when Bren got the exchange to Paris we went together. We've been in England since the start of the summer and look to be settling there for the next couple of years."
"You two have been together all this time, okay that is the best present; though it would have been nice to know. I've been worried about you two without each other; people as in love as you guy's tend to spiral with out the other."
"We've reached the same conclusion Nat, we never want to be without each other. Bren's even willing to put it in writing, she's accepted my proposal."
"You two are getting married? Oh come here." He pulled us both into a bear hug.
It was quiet enough that Nat sat with us and had an early dinner, while mega burgers aren't Christmassy it definitely the item I most wanted when we decided to visit LA. As we were chatting about volunteering to help Nat feed the community the next day at lunch Bren quickly jumped up and ran to the bathroom. Nat gives me a look.
"She's been dealing with a stomach bug for the last couple of day's, anything with too much flavour sets her off."
He laughs, "you sure she's not pregnant? Joey's wife survived her first pregnancy on bread and boiled vegetables, couldn't go near anything with actual flavour."
I smile, "she picked it up on the flight to Hawaii, hopefully she's on the tail end as Bren's always weighed hardly anything I'd worry if she loses anymore."
She's back in a few minutes and Nat gets her herbal tea to sooth her stomach as my mind gets stuck on Nat's quip. I find myself holding my hand on her stomach wondering if I'm trying to sooth it of illness or protect what it's housing inside.
By eleven pm, Bren's in a deep sleep and I'm wide awake. She couldn't be? Well she could; we certainly had never stopped enjoying our reconciliation. After fifteen months that side of our relationship has never slowed down only grown more intense as our intimacy our trust in us grew. And while we had got rid of barriers almost immediately after undergoing health checks, me not her, Bren had been on the pill ever since and was obsessive in her taking.
When the clock hits midnight and my staring at her abdomen had not provided any insight I get out of bed and go into the lounge room of our suite. It's then I call down to the concierge and ask for a special delivery, the test is in my hand within forty minutes thanks to the twenty-four pharmacy around the corner. At two I've read all the instructions and finally make my way back to bed, knowing until she wakes I'll just be left wondering. I hold her stomach lightly for the rest of the night, hoping that if our daughter or son is in there that my touch soothes them and they stop letting their mother feel ill; I know intellectually that's not how it all works but I want to be involved in every second of this whether we are or not, I don't want to repeat my mistakes of last time.
Bren and I have a lazy Christmas morning in bed, we give gifts, we celebrate another Christmas together, I repeatedly tell her it's the last before she's officially my wife. I try and not mention my suspicions wanting to have the moment together, though when room service arrives and she goes to take a sip of coffee I instantly jump up and remove the cup from her hand.
"Dylan what's wrong? Is the milk no good?"
"No… why don't you have tea instead? Last night you were still feeling sick and coffee can't be good for that."
"Babe you are very sweet, but I'm fine. I'm feeling good and without my morning coffee you know I'm likely to get a headache."
When she goes to bring it to her lips again I take the cup, "Baby let's not risk it okay."
Her eyes are instantly examining me, she knows I'm full of it; since we reconciled she always knows when I'm not being honest. "Dylan what's this really about? I've had coffee every day we have lived together, regardless of stomach bugs and the flu, you have never been so concerned before, because let's face it my one to your seven a day is not a big deal."
"I just-" her dagger eyes immediately cut off the bullshit excuse. When she folds her arms and taps her foot I know there is no way of getting away from her with anything but the truth. I go to the desk draw and take out the white paper bag and then slowly approach her. "Nat made a remark last night when you got sick and well something about it stuck, and before you say it's doubtful that you just had your period I know but maybe just to be sure."
She takes the bag and looks inside, "Dylan where? When? Why is it open?"
"The concierge dropped it off after midnight, and well I read the instructions. It's pretty straightforward we are looking for two lines-"
"We are looking for two lines because that's what we are hoping for?" I rub the back of my neck.
"Would it be bad if we were?"
"It wouldn't be great timing with my scholarship and your studying… But… Well it's not like we are sixteen." My cheeks immediately rise, I know I'm beaming. She shakes her head at me in exasperation, "okay so I know someone is hoping for two lines." I grab her hips and pull her closer to me. "Dyl don't get your h-"
My lips cut her off. When I pull back I'm smiling from ear to ear. "Should we go do the test?"
"We do the test? Are you planning on peeing on a stick as well, see if you are pregnant?"
"We live in England now, I was referring to the royal we- you and me. I just want to be involved in ever second."
"You aren't watching me pee."
"Why not?"
She pushes back off my chest and begins to walk away, "Baby if I am pregnant you'll be seeing my body change enough, and that's even without childbirth, give me this one last moment of privacy."
As she's about to close the door, "okay but bring out the stick so we can wait together, and don't think I didn't notice that you want two lines as well- enjoy your one last moment."