The sunlight broke through the curtains of the room bright and early. The absence of Marabelle lingered in the air as I woke up, without a little body sandwiched between Erik and I from the rain during the night. The loss of my parents was still hanging heavily over my head, yet I was determined to make something of the day, I wasn't going to let the sorrow get to me, I was going to be happy, as happy as I could be, at least. I slipped out of the bed and made sure that Erik stayed asleep. For breakfast I was going to make him my mother's famous flapjacks, or I was going to attempt to. When I made it to the kitchen and rummaged through the cupboards I noticed that most of the ingredients went bad when we were gone. I sighed heavily and pushed a piece of hair out of my face via my breath. There was only one way to make Erik breakfast, and it was to go into town and get the fresh ingredients.

I skipped up the stairs and into my bedroom to get ready for the day. I found the corset was hard to put on and left it to the wayside. I was thin enough already not to need one, no one would have noticed unless I told them otherwise. The brown ugly dress actually wasn't that ugly, it complemented my hair and the brown eyes I had inherited from my father. I put my boots on and grabbed a tiny day purse and quickly moved out of the house.

My father kept the model T in the garage; it was his pride possession, after his family of course. He had taught me to crank it when I needed to use it, although he was sure it wouldn't be much. I lifted the hood and found the crank and after a few painful turns, I started it much to my delight. I pulled open the garage door and got in the car and slowly pulled it out and down the driveway. The drive into London was faster than being on horse and after I had parked the car and got out, I made my way towards my favorite little fruit stands and past the news paper stand which had quite a article;

NEW PREGNANCY TEST, CONTROVERSAL OR HELPFUL

I chewed on my bottom lip before I paid a pence for the paper and then went about my business. I had bought fruit and vegetables for Erik and I at least for a week. The guy I bought the vegetables from also sold flour and the guy I bought the fruit off of sold oil and sweets. I paid each of them handsomely and made it back to the Model T and cranked it up in half the time I did while I was at home. Proud of myself I put down the lid to the car, or whatever it was called, and hopped into it and made my way home.

Once home I put the food up in the ice box and started working on the morning's breakfast. The paper laid on the counter and while I waited for the cast iron skillet to heat up, I read the article inside;

In 1909 Mr. Emil Abderhalden found that on identification of a foreign protein in the blood, the body reacts with a "defensive fermentation" that causes disintegration of the protein. Not too long ago Mr. Abderhalden developed a test to find out if a woman was pregnant through her blood. Now the test is under scrutiny for being 'unreliable' and absolutely indecisive for either a positive or negative diagnosis of pregnancy. Although Mrs. Hubert O'Dair swears otherwise, that the test proved positive for her and is now six months pregnant.

"Christine?" Erik appeared in the kitchen, his hair all disheveled and his hands covering his face as he rubbed them up and down "how long have you been up?"

I smiled and shoved the paper in the drawer "Oh, a while." I smiled and grabbed a towel and held up the cast iron skillet "Making breakfast, would you like eggs as well?" Erik shook his head no "Darling, I have to go into town today, I would like the doctor to look over me as I feel I still have this bug I received in New York." I held my stomach, which had been churning all morning but thankfully nothing had came up.

"would you like me to go with you?" he questioned as he moved behind me wrapping his arms around my waist.

"I would, but for a completely different reason." I looked up at him and turned around, gently tracing the scars on his face "You remember the trunk Marabelle left? I'd like you to take that and send it to her. The post office is not too far from the doctor, you could do that for me, couldn't you?"

Erik looked at me and nodded slightly "yeah, I could mail it." He sat down at the kitchen table, in the spot where my father enjoyed sitting. I smiled slightly, perhaps it wouldn't be so bad to live out the rest of our lives here, the house had already been bought, it was already furnished and the backyard was so large our children would grow up the same way I would have.

I finished making the breakfast and served it to Erik before I had served myself. My mother always did it to my father, I thought I'd carry on the tradition. After breakfast Erik cranked the car and we both made our way into town. Erik dropped me off at the doctor's office and I watched him make his way towards the post office.

I smiled slightly and made my way into the office "Excuse me…" I walked up to the receptionist and placed my hands on the table gently "I have been feeling particularly ill recently, I was wondering if I could see the doctor, if he was available." I leaned in closer "I have a feeling I might be pregnant." I beamed.

The nurse behind the desk smiled slightly and looked at her books "Well, we do have a spot at 10:30" she looked up at the time "In about ten minutes, so if you could fill out these forms and the doctor will see you in a few minutes" She handed me a pen and a few papers to fill out and when I was finished and handed them back in, the doctor was ready to see me. The nurse escorted me back into a small room where I had waited for the doctor.

"Ah, Mrs. Holloway, what is bothering you?" the doctor made his way into the room.

I shrugged "Well, sir." I cleared my throat "I had met my husband not too long ago, perhaps a month." I giggled slightly "We met on Titanic." I whispered "And well," I beamed up at him "I think I might be pregnant." I smiled

"Well Mrs. Holloway—"

I looked up at him "I know it's a long shot to come here, but I figured I you'd know a few tests." I looked at the door and then back to the doctor "I saw a story in the newspaper today about a blood test…"

"Mrs. Holloway, it's called the Abderhalden reaction, it's a very controversial test, it's wrong half the time." He sighed and looked at me "I don't want you to get your hopes up."

I nodded "I know, I'd love to try it though. I just have to know."

He nodded and looked at his papers "Well, we can try, along with a questionnaire." He walked towards the door and touched the knob "I'll be back with the questionnaire and then we will get started on the blood work." I nodded and watched the doctor leave and rested my hand on my stomach, I had gained a noticeable pound or two, Erik haddn't noticed and if he did, he didn't say anything. I fiddled with the skirts of my dress and waited until the doctor came back.

"Okay Mrs. Holloway" He cleared his throat and looked down at the paper "Now have you noticed any spotting? Like the start of your menstrual cycle?"

I nodded "I did, about six days later, cramps too but really, nothing came." I shrugged

He nodded and checked a small box "have you noticed a milky white vaginal discharge? It's related to the fact that almost immediately after conception the vaginal walls begin to thicken."

I shrugged "I haven't checked, I didn't think about things like that"

He nodded "Okay, Changes in your breasts are another very early sign of pregnancy." He clicked at his pen "When you conceive, your body undergoes a rapid change in hormone levels and in one or two weeks your breasts have become swollen or sore or even tingly. They could also feel heavier or fuller or feel tender to the touch. In addition the areola may darken, have you experienced any of these?"

I thought for a moment. I had noticed that my breasts were sore when Erik and I had made love on the ship on the way home, and they were sore now even "Yeah" I nodded "They're sore."

He checked a box under the first box he had checked and nodded "okay, what about fatigue?"

"Oh" I laughed slightly "I'm tired all the time!"

"Please tell me about any morning sickness that you might have had."

I laughed "Oh, it started on our last day in New York, I consumed a hot dog, I'm positive it wasn't the hot dog Dr. Dillamond." I eyed him "I've stayed sick since then, almost every morning. This morning before I left I had threw up my flapjacks."

"What about the frequent need to urinate?"

I shook my head "No, I don't always have to urinate." I laughed slightly

"What about mood swings?"

"Yeah, on the first night on the way home I had turned three different moods in at least an hour."

"headaches or back pain or even any dizziness?"

I shook my head "No, none of those."

He nodded and sat on a stool, grabbing a needle and a sirange out of his breast pocket and unwrapped it from its protective wrapper. He drew some blood and then quietly stood up "Well Mrs. Holloway, we'll contact you to come get your results." He smiled slightly and helped me up off the examination table "You can go now, but don't think too much of this result, we'll compare them to the quiz I had given to you and see which one we'd believe more." He gave a hearty chuckle.

I smiled and grabbed his hand shaking it "Thank you, so much." I smiled "I'd love to tell my husband but not right now, it's too early and I don't want to make a big deal about it if I'm not." I blushed and quickly walked out of the small room and into the waiting room, where I found Erik sitting patiently.

"Christine." He smiled slightly and linked his arm in mine "is everything okay?"

I nodded "yeah, I have to come back in a week for a check-up. I'd like you to come." I smiled and leaned my head on his shoulder.

He nodded "Yes, of course darling."

I nodded and smiled and laid my head on his shoulder as we walked out of the doctors office. The air was warm and inviting. I wondered if it was this nice in New York, if people were taking a stroll in central park, flying kites with their children or having a picnic. I smiled and looked up at Erik "We should have a picnic this afternoon, what do you say?"

"Where?" he questioned looking around the concrete jungle.

I gave him a look and laughed slightly "well the backyard of course! It's huge, it's like our own central park." I smiled and slid into the car "We can have sandwiches and tea." I looked over at Erik and grinned "Cucumber sandwiches! I picked some up at the market this morning."

He nodded "Sounds great." He grinned.

Erik and I made our way out of the city and up to the house, where on the front door waited two letters jammed in the tiny crease.