"WAIT…what?" Jason asked, jumping up from the couch. This was not news he was expecting. 'It can't be…this cannot be happening,' he thought. He walked around the couch and started pacing, lightly kicking the piano legs every time he reached it.
"Oh this is going to be so much fun. Oh my gosh…if you have a girl, I can dress her up in really cute outfits. At least until I go off to college." Alison gushed sitting upright on the couch. The excitement of the news glowing in her smile. She was finally going to get that baby sister she wanted. On top of that, she was not going to be the only middle child anymore. Plus she was going to college in about two years. She wasn't going to be in the house for much longer.
"No! I vote no to this." Jason said a little louder. "This cannot be happening. My parents are like old…I'm too old to have a baby sibling." He kept on rambling, mostly to himself. Picking up the pace, he walked back and forth between the back of the couch and the dining room.
Henry and Elizabeth just looked at one another. Henry reached out and took hold of Elizabeth's hand, drawing circles with his thumb. Their kids had such mixed feeling that they didn't know which child to address first.
"Wait, are you okay? Is that why you went to the hospital? Is the baby okay?" Ali started firing questions thinking about what had taken place the last couple of days. "Did Iran affect this?" Ali's mind was now racing with questions and concerns. The excitement of the news fell away.
With the concern in her daughter's eyes slowly breaking her heart, Elizabeth got up from the chair and wrapped her arms around her daughter. She pulled her back into the couch. Elizabeth ran her hand through Ali's hair as she let her daughter nestle into her.
"Shhh baby…I am just fine." Elizabeth said trying to sooth her amazing daughter. "I went to the hospital because I thought I was having a heart attack."
Ali quickly jumped out of her mother's embrace. The worry in her eyes turned to fear now. "A heart attack?" The question stung as she heard herself ask.
"No baby. I didn't have a heart attack. It was only a panic attack." Elizabeth said pulling her daughter back in. "I'm just fine."
"A panic attack?" Ali asked snuggling her head between her mother's chin and chest.
Elizabeth took a deep breath and looked at Henry. This was not going at all like she was hoping. She now wished that she had told the kids separately. Thinking back to Stevie's reaction, she was surprised that her girls took the news better than her son did. She really thought Ali was going to be the hardest. Elizabeth's and Stevie's relationship had finally gotten to a point where they understood each other and could confide in one another.
"Jason, please sit down." Henry asked quietly. He knew it was going to be easier to tell this story if both of their children were listening. Slowly he could see that his son was starting to show his age. Starting to push the boundaries and express his feeling with anger.
Jason snapped out of his thoughts when he heard his father. He complied and sat down next to his mother. He just looked at her as she comforted Ali.
"Well, you already know everything I can possibly tell you guys about Iran." Elizabeth said looking up to Henry for comfort and support.
Henry gave her a smile and nodded his head encouragingly.
"I think Iran affected me more than I had thought. I saw things that I hope you guys will never have to see. It will take me some time to get over that. I am planning on going to talk to someone. But, I was having a heated conversation with someone at work and I guess I got myself worked up. It felt like I was having a heart attack. So, Blake called 911. Anyways, to make this long story short, the doctor said I only had a panic attack and to take it easy for a little while. And also that I was eight weeks pregnant." With the last word, Elizabeth took in a couple of deep breaths. She was slowly getting used to having to tell people about this baby. Good practice for announcing this to my office staff, and the possibly entire world, she thought with a tinge of anxiety clouding her mind.
"Ali, you mother is going to be just fine. Maybe a little more moody with being pregnant."
"Hey!" Elizabeth protested to Henry's comment.
"My point is she is going to be just fine." Henry said winking at her. "Jason, there is nothing you can do about this situation. So get on board." Henry raised his voice lightly. It had already been a long day and personally he didn't want to deal with any more mess.
Everyone could see the anger in Jason rise as he quickly got up and stormed up to his bedroom.
Elizabeth just watched as her son stormed up the stairs. She had to do everything in her power not to follow him.
