Chapter 40 Facing a miracle

Regan and Stevie were riding in the field. They stopped for a moment just to enjoy the view. 'I'm glad you have learned to ride a horse properly Regan', Stevie said while she brushed along Banjo's head. Regan smiled pleased. 'Yeah, and I'm getting really good at it!'. 'Oh no, there we go, you can ride a horse, but you still ain't born for it.' 'Maybe there will be a day I'm better than you', Regan said smirking at her friend. 'Yeah right, the day I'm nine months pregnant?'

'So when you gonna tell everyone? I mean, you can't wait much longer. There are rumors spreading around', Regan said when they rode back to the stable in a slow trot. Stevie knew the moment was coming. She started to show, but wasn't that keen to share it with the world. 'After the echo. If everything is okay I guess I have to tell. I am planning on visiting Rose on the way back. I don't want her to hear it on the phone.' Regan nodded, knowing it all made sense. But there was one person Stevie wasn't that fond of talking about; Alex. She still needed to adjust to the fact she was pregnant, that Alex was the father, that she had him back and was in this with him.

But Stevie wasn't thinking of playing a happy family. This week they had seen each other shortly, mostly with other people around. It had felt so strange that she wasn't even sure if they could ever go back to the strong friendship they once shared. Not even thinking about a romantic relationship. They didn't even have one in the past. You couldn't call one night a relationship and when it got close to it the morning after Alex had walked out on her.

The fact they would have a baby made it even more complicated. She didn't want to force things; she just wanted to trust him again. Having the feeling he would always be there for her and their child.

'Do you want me to join you for the scan?', Regan asked. Stevie shook her head. 'Alex is coming with me.' She let out a sigh that showed she wasn't that keen on mentioning him, and not sure if it was a good idea. But after all he was the father. 'Ah ... you're fine with it?' 'I guess I am. I want him to be a part of this, but it would have been so much easier if he hadn't left me. I don't even know what's left between us, but we do have to think about this little one'. She rubbed her belly for a moment, getting closer to the stables.

Regan understood the difficult situation Stevie was in and tried to give her friend the space she needed. In the meantime she tried to be prepared for all kinds of possible scenarios, not only the pregnancy but also Stevie and Alex' relationship. She would give them some time, but she had noticed the two still hadn't really talked things through. If that stayed she would have a talk with Marcus. The two had grown closer the last few months and he had tried to help her run Drovers after Stevie's accident, but she still wasn't sure if letting him in would be a good idea. Regan didn't want to go through the same thing as with Dave.

A couple of days later Alex picked Stevie up to drive to Fisher for the echo scan. She was nervous, not just for the scan but also for being alone with Alex during the drive to it.

Alex glared aside him, seeing Stevie staring out of the window. So far there had only been easy chat between them, which stopped a few minutes ago. 'Are you worried there's something wrong?' He asked softly, trying to get an idea of what was going on in her head. 'No, not really. The scan I had a month ago went well, but of course I just wanna know if everything is all right with the baby. The doctor said he could say more now the baby is pretty much fully grown.' 'It is?' Alex asked quickly.

Alex surely had felt he had missed out the first months of the pregnancy, on the other hand Stevie kinda had too. But she hardly told him the way she had felt and the information she had about the baby and the pregnancy so far. That's why he even was more excited she let him join her for the echo appointment. Seeing his child would be something special, and it would really confront him he would become a dad. So far he had tried to really contain it, but there had happened so much these last weeks that he needed to see the baby, to fully realize it.

She looked at him and gave him a smile. 'Yeah. The fingers, toes, eyes, ears; it should be all there.' 'Wow', Alex felt impressed looking back on the road again. Hearing this and imagine it he got this proud and happy feeling over him. He looked back at her again. She noticed it and smiled softly. Alex saw her hand lying on her knee and lay his own hand on hers. Stevie was surprised by it, but it also felt good. He would support her.

At the hospital Dr. Tim Cahill was preparing Stevie and Alex for the scan. 'You are almost sixteen weeks along. Let's see how much the baby has grown during the last month.' Stevie could feel the scanner move over her stomach, staring at it, going back to the view on the screen. 'It takes some time to see it properly', Cahill explained. Alex was sitting at the other side of the bed, holding her hand cause he just felt the need to, glaring fascinated to Stevie's belly. You could tell she was starting to gain some weight and it all started to really get through to him. Here he sat with the woman he loved, looking at a screen, which in a few moments would show their baby.

'There we've got him or her.' Stevie and Alex gazed at the screen, which slowly made a clearer view of their child. The doctor started to explain the exact position of the baby. 'I see it has grown. Still a bit small for the current time along in the pregnancy, but that's no wonder after such a start. But no worry, I'm sure she/he will catch up within the next month'. Stevie smiled, she could hardly believe there was this little creature living inside of her. Of course she had gone through this with Rose, but that felt like a lifetime ago. She looked a bit behind her to see Alex' intrigued facial expression. He couldn't stop gazing at the screen.

She softly pinched in his hand, which made him look at her. They shared smiles, when Dr. Cahill continued his talk. 'So you the little arms and feet.' 'Can you already see if it's a boy or a girl?' Alex asked excited. 'It's still a bit early for that and of course I will only tell you if you want to know.' He looked at the couple, which shared some glances. 'No we don't', they said at the same time. The doctor had the laugh. 'Good to see such congenial parents. I can tell I get a lot of couples which one wants to know and the other doesn't.'

Stevie glared at Alex. They didn't even need to say words to know they both wanted it to be a surprise. And it made Stevie realize the bond they had in the past was still there. It only needed to be restored.

They walked out of the hospital, carrying huge smiles. Everything was perfect; the part of sharing it with the world had come.

You let an open window
Breathe over your bed
A whisper in the moonlight
The miracle of life
Synchronized emotion
No battle left to fight
Harmony in motion
The miracle of life

And oh precious and lovely you are
Cherished as only you are
Not born but already
Changing our world
Beautiful girl(You're a beautiful, wonderful miracle)
Beautiful boy(You're a beautiful, wonderful miracle)

I want for you the ocean
Filled deep with all your dreams
No feeling left unopened
The miracle of life

And oh how precious and lovely you are
Cherished as only your are
Not born but already changing our world
Beautiful boy(You're a beautiful, wonderful miracle)
Beautiful girl(You're a beautiful, wonderful miracle)

And when it comes to loving we'll give you all we've got
Beginning at the bottom we're never gonna stop
Little one

The Corrs - Miracle