Denise pulled into the driveway sick, but not with illness, with apprehension. She'd never thought the doctor would say what he'd said and she had no idea what Frank would do when she told him. Still, she had a few hours...minutes, as when she opened the garage door, her husband's old truck was parked inside, and he was at home, not at work like he should be; now she'd have no time to think on how to break the news to him.
She nervously walked into the house and came face to face with her husband; he looked completely exhausted, "Frank? Honey, are you okay? You look so tired."
"Not feeling well, Baby," Frank told her and pulled in for a hug. "I didn't sleep much last night. What did the doctor say?"
"Oh, nothing yet," she lied, she hated lying to him but if he was sick and she didn't want to worry him.
"He didn't say anything at all? Did he do tests? When will they be back?" Frank asked, fussing over Denise. "Well,you are taking it easy until we know for sure what's going on with you. I'll handle things around here; you just stay off your feet."
"Frank I am fine, I am sure it's nothing, don't worry. Right now you look like you need to rest more than I do," she told him concerned by the haggard look on her healthy husband's face. "You know on second thought come sit down over here, just so I can see if I can tell what's wrong," she said her voiced laced with concern to match the worry in her eyes.
Denise checked Frank for a fever and other common symptoms, and finally uncovered one symptom that worried her. "Frank, your blood pressure is a little elevated. You need to take it easy and try to avoid stress. I want you to lie down and take a nap and if this isn't better when you wake up we're going to the doctor."
"Dee I'm fine, I'm just under stress from work, you are the one we need to worry about. How are you feeling honey?" he asked her trying to change the focus from himself to his wife.
"Right now, I'm very scared because my husband won't go lie down like he needs to do," Denise sighed trying not to cry. She hated this part of her "condition".
"Denise, why are you crying?" he asked her worried, her emotions had been a regular rollercoaster today.
"Because I'm scared, I'm worried about you, and I hate feeling like this," Denise sobbed. "I'm exhausted and weepy and clingy and I hate that too. Please just get some rest, Frank. Let's just lie down together."
"Okay, baby calm down. You are not clingy, I'm here whenever you need me and I love you to need me. Sure let's go lay down we are both exhausted," he told her pulling her to his chest rocking her gently.
Denise nodded and went with Frank to lie down. He dozed off right away but Denise laid awake and worried letting her tears start again. She turned into Frank's warmth and buried her face in his shoulder sobbing for all she was worth.
Since he was a light sleeper Frank felt her shaking and felt her tears seep through his shirt. He woke up quickly and pulled her into his arms. "Sweetheart , what's wrong? I have never seen you like this, if there is something wrong I need to know so I can fix it, I hate seeing you like this baby."
Denise said a bunch of words that were absorbed by Frank's body but he clearly heard the words "Lose you" and "Can't by myself."
He sat up against the headboard and pulled her with him "Honey calm down. Dee, look at me," he said putting his thumb under her chin so she would look into his eyes. "You will never lose me and what can't you do by yourself honey? Whatever it is you won't be by yourself, I will be right her beside you," he told her running his hands through her hair and rubbing circles on her back trying to calm her.
"I lied to you, Frank," Denise confessed. "I didn't want to upset you, but the doctor did find something during my exam today and I'm scared about how you'll handle it and how we'll deal with it because it is going to have to be my priority for a long time."
Frank gave her a look of panic, "Oh, God Dee! What is it?"he asked her. "Its diabetes isn't it? You said you had all the signs and symptoms or is it worse than that? Don't worry, sweetie. We will get through this," he said beginning to ramble.
"No, Frank, it isn't diabetes," Denise said letting out a long breath. "It's..." She started to cry again, even harder.
"Its what, Dee? Tell me, please, you are scaring me, Honey," Frank said tears in his own eyes.
"I'm sorry, I'm making such a big deal out of this but I'm scared of what you'll say, I...I really want this, Frank and I want you to want it too. I'm pregnant," Denise finally said in rush of breath then rolled out of Frank's arms and off the bed as if to make a hasty retreat if need be.
"Oh, wow Dee, this is unexpected." Frank was shocked at first, but the more he thought about it the more excited he became. He got up went around to her side of the bed and lifted Denise up in his arms spinning her around with a look of pure joy on his face. "Dee this is the best news ever, I am so happy we are going to have another baby," he told her kissing her on the lips.
Denise looked at him with wide doe eyes, "Really? But you said you didn't want to, it wasn't the right time. I was so scared you'd be mad or not want her or..."
"Dee, the timing is perfect, I'm sorry I said that it wasn't and made you afraid to tell me. I really am thrilled, I can't wait to meet our new baby," he told her.
Denise smiled, "You know it'll be different that it was with Jeremy. I'm a lot older now and I already feel differently than I did when I was carrying him, I'll need to be a lot more careful than I was then too, but I am so glad that you'll be here to experience this with me."
He hugged her close "Me too, and don't worry about anything. I want you to rest as much as possible. I can handle house work and all that, so all you have to do is rest and take care of you and the baby and I will do all I can to help with that too," he said smiling brightly.
"Frank, it's good for pregnant women to be active, it makes the labor easier, but there will be days when I'll be tired or something will hurt and I need you to be supportive of this, not act like you did when I went back to nursing and missed a Brass Party," Denise told him. She wanted him to be clear this would change their lives.
"Okay, sweetie, I will try not to be over bearing, and I promise not to get upset if you are too tired to do something all you have to do is let me know, all that matters to me is you and this baby," he said.
Denise leaned over and kissed him, "Good, then you can get back into bed and rest with us, and you need it." Denise walked over to their bed and climbed in waiting for her favorite pillow to join her.
He smiled at her "Okay, let's get some rest. We both are going to need it." He told her laying beside her so she could snuggle up to him. Frank fell back to sleep easily holding his entire world in his arms.