Chapter 29

Sandy drove home after having her hair trimmed with plenty on her mind, wondering how Paul was going to react when she told him what she needed to discuss.

She remembered the shock she had felt in Dr. Seville's office earlier, not expecting the news he had given her. He had told Sandy that everything was fine, that she was in great health….except for one thing:

You are at least four to six weeks pregnant, Sandy.

Oh God.

Paul and I haven't even discussed kids, she thought. What the hell is he going to think when I tell him about this?

On the other hand, Sandy was glad that Tyler would be over at Adams for awhile; she wasn't sure how she'd handle this current situation around him otherwise. And how would he handle having a sibling this late in his life?

-----------------------

Paul sat in his apartment staring at the TV but absorbing very little of it. Sandy wanting to talk to him was in the forefront of his mind, and she had sounded serious.

I should not have stalled trying to think of a date, he thought. She's probably pissed and decided to call off the engagement. That hasto be it. What else could it be?

Great, Paul, now you really fucked things up. No wonder she's been a nag lately. Could that have been the beginning of the end?

Paul sighed, wondering how he could have been so stupid to let something so good get away from him; he not only had looked forward to being as much as much as a father figure as possible to Tyler, but also perhaps maybe he and Sandy having a child of their own.

Then again, she'd never brought up the subject of having kids. Maybe she didn't want any more after having Tyler?

Shit.

He had to have messed up big time.

A knock then came at the door. Paul figured that had to be Sandy and collected his thoughts. Whatever happened…well, happened. Whatever it was, he knew she was here for a good reason.

------------------------

"Well hi," he said, trying to sound as casual as possible when Sandy arrived.

"I'm glad you're here," she answered. "I really need to discuss something with you."

"Look, I'm sorry for dragging my ass about helping to set a date--" Paul began.

Sandy shook her head, stopping him. "That isn't what I came to discuss, Paul, but there's a good chance one may need to be set sooner than I thought."

He was confused. "Huh? What are you saying?"

"I think you better sit down for this one before you mess up your other ankle from falling over in shock."

"Oh shit, this is serious," he replied, plopping on the couch. "What the hell did I do wrong?"

Sandy softened a little, sitting beside him. "What makes you think you did anything wrong?"

"I don't know; seems my ass is always in trouble lately."

"Oh stop," she replied, managing a chuckle. "Besides, this isn't about you…or maybe it is."

"Will you knock it off and spit it out already? I've been dying here since you called earlier."

"All right, but first I just need to know that you won't throw a holy fit no matter how you react to this."

"Of course I will," he said, nodding. "For whatever it is you don't want me to blow my stack about."

"I'm pregnant," she said.

"WHAT?!"

"Yeah," Sandy nodded with a sigh.

A huge, goofy grin broke out across Paul's face; he then scooped her into his arms and kissed her.

"And that's what you wanted to talk about that had me practically shitting razor blades all afternoon? Oh damn, San, and here I thought you were calling off our engagement since I was pissing around with a date."

"You mean..." she began.

"What's the matter, sweetheart? Don't you want my child?"

"We just never talked about kids, Paul," she replied, "but nevertheless, I wanted to let you know right away, even though I have no idea how I'm going to break it to Tyler that he's going to be a big brother."

"I'm sure it's going to throw him at first," he said. "But I have a feeling that he's going to like the idea after awhile. I can't tell you from experience, but I would think being an only child would suck. And now he's getting a sibling that might beat him up."

"Paul, there's going to be seventeen years between him and the baby. By the time this one gets old enough, it's very likely Tyler will be married and expecting his own child."

"Yeah, true. But you're sure that…."

Sandy nodded. "That's one reason I had to see the doctor after work."

He put a hand on her stomach. "Wow. How far along?"

"Four to six weeks," she responded.

"Hmmmm….must have been the day we went to the springs."

Sandy had to laugh. "Come to think of it, the timing's right."

"Good thing we got that three bedroom house after all. And you know I'm really going to need a fire lit under my ass to set a wedding date now."

"Well, you're going to be off again for awhile, I'm here right now, and I say there is no better time than the present."

"Good idea," he grinned again. "We better get rolling before you start to show with Paul Jr."

Sandy laughed again, suddenly feeling better than she had the entire day. Maybe a second child wasn't going to be such a crisis after all.