Chapter 44

Within the next few months, it was starting to become apparent that Sandy was pregnant; luckily for her, Mary Ellen had agreed to put her on a part time basis. The compromise she had hammered out the weekend of their wedding had worked out well.

There were days that Sandy felt like she was actually waddling and that she could barely fit behind her desk. When anyone came to her office for the first time, if Sandy was sitting at the desk, it wasn't apparent that she was expecting until she stood up.

When she went to her OB appointment, Sandy expressed concern that she felt that she was bigger with this baby than she had been with Tyler--and he'd been nine pounds at birth. She was having her sonogram that day, and couldn't help but wonder if she was having twins. It certainly felt like it.

But the test showed only one baby, and it looked as if Sandy was carrying it "high," something she hadn't done with Tyler. Nevertheless, everything was proceeding smoothly and she was carrying a healthy baby so far.

Paul would be home for three days, arriving the day after Sandy's appointment. She couldn't help but smile when she handed over her copy of the sonogram of their unborn child.

He silently studied the sonogram picture for a few moments, turning it in different directions.

"Uh….Sandy?" he asked with a quizzical look.

"Something wrong?"

"I have no idea what the hell I am looking at."

Sandy moved closer to him, pointing out areas of the sonogram. "Look, there's the baby. Here is the head, arms, and hands …now look down a little further."

He studied it closer for a few moments. "Is by any chance that is a….."

She nodded. "Say hello to your daughter."

"Okay……"

"Good thing the third bedroom wasn't painted blue, huh?"

"In this case, yeah. But what does one do with little girls?"

"Don't worry; you learn as you go along. If it's any comfort, I had no idea what to do with boys when I was pregnant with Tyler. As he grew up, I learned. Consider it on the job training if you will."

"Uh, sure. But while we're sitting here playing show and tell, there's something you need to know."

Sandy gave him a look. "What?"

"Well….I was driving home from the airport when I got pulled over, and….uh…." He scratched his head.

"What?"

"I got a ticket."

"For what?"

He handed her a slip of paper. "I guess I was going a little too fast wanting to get home to see you all."

"A little too fast?" Sandy asked, reading the ticket. "I wouldn't exactly call a $300 fine that."

"I can contest it," he said.

"You'll do no such thing," she shook her head. For one, you stop at a stop sign, not just slow down. And the yellow light means slow down, not fly through like the hounds of hell are chasing you because the light is going to turn red. For God's sake, Paul, be a little more careful, will you? It's one thing to be injured on the job, but to be in an accident because you had a lead foot is another story, especially when we have a baby coming."

"Well, there's $300 shot in the ass then."

"It's your own fault. Next time, slow down and stop when you're supposed to, especially once a car seat is added."

"Yeah," he finally agreed, "and that is just the beginning of many adjustments I'm going to have to make."