Hey guys I am back. I apologize that I keep on disappearing on you guys. Between work and classes things have just been piling up on me, but my hours at work will be changing starting on Monday, which means that I now will be having more time to write. So hopefully this means I will be quicker to update now :) Well here it is chapter 12. I hope that you guys like it. Please review it.
Clare woke up the next morning feeling extremely nauseous. After she threw up she stared at herself in her bathroom mirror, she thought to herself can I really do this, can I really be a mom. She knew that having a child was something she always wanted but she could not help that nagging feeling in her gut that told her that this wasn't the way she had pictured this all happening for her. She had thought she would be married and just living this perfect life when she found out that she was pregnant. But here she was 27 unmarried and having a baby with the man who was the love of her life who broke her heart. How can she be having a baby with someone who bailed on her? Would he bail on her again? Could she trust that he would always be there for her and the baby? Clare shook her head trying to rid herself of those unsettling thoughts. She knew that now was not the time to be thinking about all the bad things, she needed to stay positive and healthy for her and her baby.
As Clare got herself ready for her day she looked at herself in her full length mirror for some reason she almost felt that when she looked at herself she would see herself differently, almost like she was expecting to see this huge belly and just see herself looking like a changed person, but she didn't she still looked like plain ole Clare Edwards. Just then the phone rang bringing her out of her little imagination. Clare looked at her caller ID and saw that it was Jake she knew that now was the time that she was going to have to let him know what it was that was going on.
"Hello"
"Okay Clare Bear it has been a little over 48 hours since the doctor called you and told you what was going on so I think that I have given you enough time to sort your shit out and now let me know what going on!" Jake yelled into the phone.
"Okay Jake there is no need to yell I will tell you what is going on"
Clare sighed and took a deep breath cause she knew that once she told Jake that he would flip out.
"Jake I'm pregnant and the pregnancy has caused me to become slightly anemic which explains why I have been feeling so shitty the last few weeks"
"It's Eli's isn't it?" Jake asked
"Yeah it is"
"Have you told him?"
"Yeah I told him last night"
"And? How did he react to the news?"
"He was shocked at first but then he got really happy. He is excited."
"That is great Clare. If he would have reacted badly I would have to fly down there and beat the shit out of him"
"You know Jake I thought that you were going to react a whole lot differently then this. I thought that you would be flipping out over all of this"
"You know Clare normally I would flip out over something like this but come on this is you and Eli. You two are meant for each other and I know that right now that the two of you aren't exactly on the best of terms but I think that this could be the best thing that ever happened for the two of you. What happened between the two of you was 10 years ago and you both have grown up so much since then. Just give him the benefit of the doubt Clare. Take things slow I know in my gut that this will turn out for the best for the two of you."
After Jake's speech Clare found herself in tears. She hadn't been expecting Jake to so understanding and to encourage her to try to work things out with Eli.
"Jake I know that we are not the same people anymore and I really want to forgive him but it will take time. We have decided to do this together and who knows where the future will take us but for right now I just need to focus on this baby and making sure that it has everything it will ever need and Eli will be there with me every step of the way. At least that is what he says, and for right now I am choosing to give him the benefit of the doubt that he will be there for us through this whole thing."
Just then there was a knock on Clare's door and she knew that it was Eli coming to pick her up for their first baby appointment. Clare answered the door eye's glossy from her tears. Eli looked at her curiously wanting to know what was wrong, Clare gestured for Eli to come into the apartment and gave him the 1-minute hand gesture.
"Jake I have to go Eli is here."
"Oh he is, is he?" Jake chuckled
"Yes Jake we have an appointment to get to" Clare laughed
"Hey Jake thank you for being so understanding and for giving me that speech, it gives me hope. I love you bro. Thank you for being so amazing"
"No problem Clare Bear and I love you too baby sister"
When Clare hung up the phone she turned and saw Eli eyeing her curiously. He walked up to her and ran his fingers down her cheek.
"Is everything okay Clare?"
"Yeah I just told Jake what was going on"
"Oh and how did he take it? Is he planning on coming down here to kill me?" Eli laughed
"Don't worry your safe for right now" Clare laughed
"Well that is good to know. I'd like to live to see our baby grow up" Eli said with a huge smile on his face.
"Our baby" Clare whispered while putting her hand on her belly "Are you ready to go to our first appointment?" Clare asked Eli
"More ready then you will possibly ever know Clare"
As Clare and Eli headed to the doctors office they found themselves talking like nothing bad had ever happened between the two of them. They were always amazed at how easy it was for the two of them to fall back into a comfortable zone with each other. They were always so comfortable with each other. They were like two puzzle pieces that just fit.
"So have you told your parents?" Clare asked Eli
"No I was planning on telling them after we got all of our info from the good doctor. You know how Bullfrog and Cece are, they will want all the information and I'd like to be able to give them all the info. Have you told your parents?"
"No I haven't told them yet. I am kind of freaking out about having to tell them. Jake knows and so does Alli and that is about it. Did you tell Adam?"
"Yeah I hope you don't mind but I told him last night. He is demanding that he be our child's Godfather" Eli laughed
"I don't mind that you told him, he is your best friend of course you should have been the one to tell him and I do not appose to him being our child's godfather in fact I think he would be the most amazing godfather" Clare smiled
"So have you thought about what it is that you want?" Eli asked Clare
"What do you mean?"
"Boy or Girl?"
"I will just be happy with Healthy and I hope that it has your hair color and eyes" Clare smiled at Eli
"That's funny cause I want just the opposite I want Peanut to have your hair color and eyes"
"Peanut?" Clare asked
"Yeah I don't like calling our baby an it…I prefer Peanut"
"Peanut it is then" Clare smiled at Eli
Doctor's Office
"Clare Edwards Dr. Morris will see you now"
Clare and Eli were taken into an examining room, Clare was handed a gown to change into then told when she was ready to lie down on the table. Clare went to the corner of the room where there was a modesty patrician for her to change behind. Clare walked out of the patrician in her gown and looked over at Eli. He was just staring at her with his classic smirk plastered on his face.
"I look ridiculous don't I?" Clare asked Eli
"Clare you could be wearing a paper bag and you would still look gorgeous"
"Eli you certainly know how to completely make a girl feel like a million bucks" Clare blushed and giggled
"Oh Clare I have truly missed seeing you blush and hearing you giggle"
"Eli I've missed everything about you"
Eli leaned over and grabbed Clare's hand, he smiled at her and ran his thumb across the back of her hand. It was such a small gesture but to Clare it just felt like so much more. She missed him so much and she knew that she loved him but she couldn't help that nagging voice in the back of her head that was telling her that he was going to disappoint her again and bail on her. She really didn't want to have those thoughts, she wanted nothing more then to be with him and to raise this child with him and marry him. He was the love of her life, why couldn't things just be simple? Just then Dr. Morris walked into the room and began her exam.
"Well Clare you see that right there that is your baby. Hold on one second it looks like your baby is in the perfect position for us to be able to hear it's heartbeat" Dr. Morris said
Just then a whooshing sound started to fill the room
"You hear that that is your baby's heartbeat" Dr. Morris stated
Clare looked over at Eli and she had tears in her eyes. The look on Eli's face was one of pure love and amazement. He turned and looked at Clare and got up and grabbed her face and brought their foreheads together and kissed her on the tip of her nose and wiped her tears away.
"Don't cry Clare. Thank you so much" He whispered
"These are happy tears Eli. Thank you for what?"
"Thank you for giving me the best gift in the world. You are making me a father and I couldn't be happier that it is happening with you."
Clare looked at Eli and smiled then leaned up and kissed him sweetly on the lips.
"So doc how far a long am I?" Clare asked Dr. Morris
"I would say that you are just on the cusp of 11 weeks and by my calculations your due date is June 15th…how many sonogram pictures would you guys like?"
"7 please…thank you Dr. Morris" Clare said
"No problem…here is a packet of all the things you will need to do to take care of yourself as well as the do's and don'ts of pregnancy and be sure to make another appointment for 5 weeks from now"
"Hey Clare you stay here and change and grab the sonogram photos and I will go out there and make your next appointment" Eli said kissing Clare on the forehead and walked out of the room.
Clare changed back into her and got the photos from the ultrasound tech. When she walked out of the examination room she saw Eli leaning up against the wall waiting for her. He smiled at her and offered her his hand.
"So I made your appointment for February 14th if that is okay with you?"
"You made our appointment for Valentines Day? Is there any reason why you chose that day in particular for our appointment?" Clare asked Eli with tons of amusement dripping from her voice
"Well I thought that it would give me the opportunity to spend Valentines Day with you. Are you okay with that?"
"Eli if you wanted to see me on Valentines Day all you had to do was ask. But getting to do something that has to do with our baby on valentines day will just make it all that more special of a day" Clare smiled
"So Eli you do realize when it was that this baby was conceived don't you?"
"Um not really" Eli laughed
"It was the night you told me you loved me. The night before you told me why you left me"
"I am so sorry Clare for everything. You have no idea how horrible I feel. I wish I could take it all back. I do love you and miss you so much."
"Eli it's okay. Do you not realize that something amazing came out of all this" Clare held up a sonogram picture and put it in Eli's hand "This came out of our reconnection…our little peanut and we will forever be able to tell our peanut that he or she was made on a night filled with pure love. Cause that night was a night of pure and true love Eli. No matter what happens between the two of us this child of ours will have the love of two parents and our child will want for nothing"
"Clare have I told you lately how amazing you are?"
"Not lately" Clare laughed
"Are you hungry? We can go back to my place and I can make us some lunch?" Clare asked Eli
"That sounds Great but first lets go to the drugstore and pick you up some of these items you need to take care of yourself and peanut" Eli stated
"That sounds good to me"
Clare's Apartment
Once Eli and Clare had bought all the things they needed they headed back over to Clare's place for lunch.
"Why don't we call your parents and tell them?" Clare asked Eli
"You sure you want to tell them?"
"Yes lets do this together…and then we can call my parents and tell them"
"Together" Eli smiled
As predicted Bullfrog and Cece took the news incredibly well. In fact they were ecstatic about the news. Cece cried and was just so thrilled that she was finally going to be a grandmother and the fact that it was Clare who was giving her that grandbaby made her so happy. Clare parents on the other hand took the news not at all as expected. Clare figured that her parents would be less then thrilled about the whole thing but they in fact were more then thrilled which shocked the hell out of Eli and Clare.
"Well now that we got that out of the way shall we eat?"
The two of them sat and ate their food and fell into a comfortable conversation. Once they finished there lunch Eli felt the need to ask the tough questions about their predicament.
"So Clare I think we need to discuss how we are going to do all of this. How is this all going to work?"
"Well I don't know. We have 6 months to figure it all out but we could try to at least figure out some of the details tonight"
"Okay how about the baby's name?"
"Well I figured we would figure that out once we know if Peanut is a boy or a girl."
"No I meant is it going to be baby Edwards or baby Goldsworthy?" Eli laughed
"Oh well I would like for the baby to be a Goldsworthy. I don't think that just because we aren't married that Peanut shouldn't have you name. Are you okay with that?"
"Of course I am okay with that Clare I just didn't know how you would feel about giving the baby my last name" Eli smiled
"So I have a non baby related question for you if you don't mind me asking you"
"Of course not Eli ask away"
"What happened to that perfect apartment in Battery Park, the one you showed me that night"
"Oh yeah that, well a week after we split my relator took me to see that place and I loved it but then she got word that this place was just put on the market and well she brought me to see it and well it was true love at first sight. It was a lot more expensive then the other place but it was so worth it cause this place is amazing and now knowing that we are having a baby I know that I have the room for the baby and this will be a nice place for the baby to grow up don't you think?"
"Clare it is an amazing place and I think Peanut will love it here. So what are we going to do have the baby part of the time here at your place and part of the time at my place?"
"I don't know Eli. I think once we are able to figure out this thing between us we will be able to figure it all out. Like I said we have 6 months to get our shit together. I really want us to figure this out together Eli"
Clare reached over and grabbed Eli's hand
"We will figure all of this out Eli. The two of us have been through hell and back together and now we are facing parenthood together and I know that the two of us can rise to the occasion"
"Your right Clare we can. The two of us can do anything together. I love you Clare and I cannot wait to meet our little one. Little Baby Goldsworthy"
A flood of emotions came over Clare at that moment and she started to cry. It was all too much for her to handle at the moment. She felt an overwhelming urge to kiss Eli and tell him that she loved him too but she knew that right now wasn't the right moment for that. They need to work this entire thing out and she needed to know for certain that the two of them could do this.
"Don't cry Clare we will figure this all out together. The 3 of us we will be okay"
Clare smiled and she knew they would be okay. That night Clare went to bed feeling happier then she had felt in a long time and so did Eli. He went to bed with the sonogram picture leaning up against the picture frame that held the picture of him and Clare as well as her purity ring. He looked at it before he fell asleep and thought to himself that those pictures were pictures of his FAMILY.
There it is Chapter 12…the next chapter will be 5 weeks in the future at their next appointment. We will start to see Eli and Clare fall into love all over again and there will be drama in a few chapters. Like I had said before we might not have seen the last of Clare's abusive ex Josh. So he might be back or not I'm not telling you guys'…lol. I made this chapter a bit longer to make up for making you wait 2 weeks for it. I hope you liked it. Please review it. And what do you think baby Goldsworthy should be? I'd like to know your opinions. Love you guys.