Chapter Three
"Come on," Troy laughed. He and Gabriella were outside playing basketball. Actually, Troy was playing basketball, Gabriella was playing keep the ball from Troy.
"Come and get it, big boy," she teased. She dribbled it a few times and shot it into the basket. "Score one for me," she said.
"Now we're tied," Troy said, pretending to be an announcer. "Troy Bolton only has one chance to win. Can he do it?" He dribbled past Gabriella and was about to shoot the ball when a car pulled into the driveway. Chad and Taylor got out.
"Aren't you two a sight for sore eyes," Chad teased. Gabriella's hair, while originally in a ponytail, was wild and hanging every which way. She was wearing a pair of Troy's East High basketball pants with a white t-shirt. Troy was wearing a pair of blue shorts and had his shirt off. Both of them were sweaty and out of breath.
"What are you doing here, man?" Troy asked, going up to give one of his best friends a handshake.
"Taylor and I were bored at the house. Usually we are all so busy with work and basketball practice that we didn't know what to do on our day off." Chad explained. He looked over at his fiancée. Taylor, a few months pregnant, was leaning against the car.
"I see that you guys don't have that problem," Taylor joked.
"Would you guys like some lemonade?" Gabriella offered.
"Sure," Chad said.
"Need any help, Hun?" Troy asked.
"Taylor can help me. That way we can leave you boys to talk," Gabriella said. She took Taylor's hand and led her through the kitchen door.
"Do you guys know the gender yet?" Gabriella asked when they women were inside.
Taylor shook her head. "Not yet. We have an appointment in two days," she grabbed a glass out of the cupboard. "Oh," she said.
"What is it?" Gabriella asked, getting worried.
"It kicked," Taylor replied. She set the glass down and walked over to Gabriella. "Do you want to feel?" she asked. She took Gabriella's hand in hers and led her to the spot on her stomach where the baby was kicking.
It kicked again. "Wow," Gabriella said.
She filled up four glasses with lemonade. "Are you guys hungry? We've got ham salad in the refrigerator."
"Thanks. I'm starved," Taylor said, making a few sandwiches.
Meanwhile, back outside, the boys were in deep discussion. "You know, the baby will be here before you even get married," Troy joked.
"We would be married by now, but I want everything to be perfect," Chad replied. "Taylor is special to me, and I want her to know that."
"I think sticking by her after finding out she was pregnant and loving her the way you do already shows that," Troy said.
They were interrupted when the girls returned. "Refreshments," Gabriella announced. She handed Troy a glass of lemonade and a ham salad sandwich.
"You're the best," Troy said.
"I know," Gabriella laughed. She turned to Chad and Taylor. "Any ideas for names yet?"
Chad looked at Taylor. "We were thinking if it was a boy to name him Jayslen Bradley."
"And if it is a girl, to name her Savannah Annelisa," Taylor added.
"I like those," Troy stated. Gabriella nodded her head in agreement.
"We were also thinking of naming you guys godparents," Taylor added.
"You were?" Gabriella asked. She brought her hand up to her mouth.
"Yeah," Chad agreed.
Just then, Taylor's cell phone rang. She answered it, leaving the other three to stand there in silence.
"So, how is Taylor's mom taking the pregnancy?" Gabriella asked.
"I love Taylor and all, but her mom is driving me nuts," Chad informed them.
"She's always calling. 'Are you keeping her off her feet?' 'Are you making sure she's eating right?' You know what I mean."
"Well, that's what parents do," Gabriella stated.
Troy looked at her. "Not your mom," he said.
She playfully nudged him. "First of all, we're already married. Second, she knows that you would take good care of me, and third, if you didn't, you would have your dad to answer to."
"She has a point," Chad laughed.
Just then, Taylor returned. "That was the doctor's office. For some reason they will be closed in two days, but they have an opening for later on this afternoon. I told them we'd take it."
"I guess we have to get going then," Chad said. He handing them his and Taylor's glasses. "Thanks for the lemonade," he said to Gabriella.
"No problem. Stop by soon," she responded. Troy patted Chad on the back. Gabriella gave Taylor a hug. "Let us know what it is," she said.
"We will," Taylor promised.
"What is it, doc?" Chad asked. They had been at the doctor's office for an hour now. He was leaning against the wall with his hands crossed over his chest. Taylor was on the bed, her shirt pulled up, revealing her stomach.
"Uh…I wish I could tell you." The doctor. "Wait a minute here. I've got something."
Chad and Taylor looked at him longingly.
"I wonder what they're having. A boy or a girl," Troy said. They had just sat down to dinner. Gabriella had made tacos.
"Either way, I can't wait. We'll be it's godparents," Gabriella said, excited. She poured sour cream and salsa on her taco salad.
"I'll teach him to play basketball," Troy said, fantasizing.
"I'll teach her to sing," Gabriella said, caught up in thoughts of her own. Just then the phone rang.
"I'll get it," Gabriella and Troy said at the same time. They both laughed. Gabriella got up and put the phone on speaker. "Hello?"
"We just found out the news," Taylor said, excited.
"The suspense is killing us," Troy said.
"We're going to welcome to the world, Savannah Annelisa Danforth," Taylor shrieked.
"Congratulations," Troy and Gabriella said.
Taylor handed the phone to Chad. "Let's not forget to welcome Jayslen Bradley Danforth," Troy looked at his wife, puzzled. "That's right," Chad said. "We're having twins."