A/N: Helloooo, everyone! How are you doing? I hope you had a great week!
~Firstly, I would like to thank everyone for your reviews and especially the guests that I can not send a 'thank you' message. Your positive vibes are certainly coming my way.
~Secondly, I said that I will upload new chapters every weekend, but since life can get pretty busy and I will be working all Friday and all Saturday, here is the new chapter today. I have written a couple of chapters already, so I am now working in the next chapters but I go back and read the chapter again before uploading it.
~Finally, this chapter is a bit longer than the previous because I wanted to have some more bonding between the three women.
~Without further due, let's get on with the chapter.
The next day...
That night after they had made love to each other showing how much they loved each other, they had stayed up late talking about their new arrival and discussing the future. They had decided to wait until her next appointment before announcing to their daughters that they were going to have a little brother or sister in about six months. That would be in two weeks and Elsie would be in the beginning of her second trimester. She was in the kitchen getting the lunch ready for when the others arrived later to eat all together when her phone started ringing.
"Hello?", she picked it up without looking the number or the name on the screen. "Oh, good morning Isobel. I am fine. How are you?", she turned off the oven as the food was ready and listened to her friend. "I can be there in half an hour to pick you up. Okay. See you.", she placed her phone in her pocket and made sure that the food wouldn't get burned before going to get ready to leave.
"Good morning.", a young woman opened the door and they assumed she was Beryl's daughter.
"Good morning. I'm Elsie Carson.", she gave her hand to the young woman and smiled.
"And I'm Isobel Clarkson.", she gave her hand as well.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Daisy. It's nice to finally meet the two women my mother has talked to us about. Please come in.", Daisy moved aside to let the two women in the house and guided them in the living room.
"How is your mother, Daisy?", Elsie asked worried about their friend.
"She is feeling a little bit better, but she is worried.", Daisy took a deep breath and smiled at the older women. "She is in the bedroom as the doctor requested bed rest for a couple of weeks at least. Follow me.", the young woman led them to her mother's bedroom. She knocked on the door and entered when she heard her mother. "Mummy, your friends are here to see you. Do you feel up to it?", Daisy asked with a little worry.
"Of course. Let them in, Daisy. Please, make us some tea to drink.", she fixed her pillows behind her back to sit up a little straighter. "Come in, ladies.", she welcomed her friends with a smile.
"I will be back in a few minutes. Mummy, if you need anything call me.", she closed the door a little bit and went to the kitchen.
"How are you?", Isobel asked as she sat down on the chair next to the bed while Elsie sat down on the edge of the bed next to their friend.
"I'm feeling better now that I am finally at home, but I feel worried and afraid as well.", she took a deep breath as she didn't want to break down in tears again.
"What happened?", Elsie asked with worry and grabbed her friend's hand to show her support.
"It was five days ago. Bill and I were out for dinner in our favourite restaurant. I was craving some ice cream and we went to the park. After a while I started feeling some pain, but I didn't think much of it. At some point I felt a sharper pain and I doubled over. I almost lost my consciousness and Bill helped me to the car so we could go to the hospital. They managed to avoid the miscarriage and I had to stay for two-three days to make sure there wasn't a danger for a miscarriage again. I am to stay in bed for at least two weeks and then we shall see.", she stopped to take a few seconds to calm down and give some time to her friends to proccess everything.
"How are you feeling now?", Isobel asked her as she knew the emotions and the feelings.
"I am so very happy that I didn't lose the baby, but I am still worried and afraid that something may go wrong. I am not used in staying in one place without doing anything. With my older three I was working in my shop until my waters broke. I know that I have to follow dr. Riva's orders so that I can meet my baby in a few months.", she placed her hand on her abdomen and took a deep breath to calm down trying not to cry.
"It's alright if you want to cry it out. We are here for you, Beryl.", Elsie squeezed her hand to show her support and offered a warm smile.
"I am trying to stay strong for my children and my husband. I know he is having a hard time as well and I already cried myself to sleep in his arms that first night at the hospital.", a few tears started falling from her eyes and she didn't wipe them. "I know that we were very shocked and surprised when we learnt that I was pregnant, but we are very happy with this new arrivan in our lives and we can't wait to hold it in our arms.", she accepted the handkerchief Isobel gave her and wiped her eyes.
"You will hold it in your arms, Beryl.", Isobel said with a warm smile.
"I brought you all a cup of tea and a few bisquits.", Daisy said as she entered the room with the tray in her hands. She walked carefully afraid she would drop it and left it on her mother's night stand. She looked up at her mother and say that she had been crying. "Are you alright, mummy? Do you need anything?", she got worried now.
"I am fine, my love. It's all the emotions about this situation. I am fine. I promise.", she placed a hand on her daughter's cheek and smiled at her.
"Alright. I will be in my room as I need to study for a test. Call me if you need anything.", she placed a kiss on her mother's cheek.
"I will. Go on.", she watched as her daughter left the room and looked at her friends. "I am so glad you are here.", smiling at them she accepted the cup of tea Isobel handed her.
The days passed quickly and it was time for the next appointment with her doctor. This time she wouldn't be going alone, as she wanted her husband there with her to see their little baby on the screen. She got everything ready for when the girls would return home, got herself ready and waited for Charles to come pick her up. On their ride to the doctor's office Charles noticed that his wife was a little anxious and grabbed her hand to show his support and love. Once they were in the office the doctor wrote some information and took Elsie in the examination room for the ultrasound.
"Is that...", Charles watched amazed their baby appear on the screen.
"That is our baby, Charles.", Elsie told him and let a tear fall from her eye as she squeezed his hand.
"Oh, My Lord.", he coudn't help but get emotional. It wasn't his first time having a child, but it had been years since they were in an examination office having an ultrasound that he felt like it was his first time. "We did that?", he asked in complete admiration.
"Yes, we did.", Elsie let out a laugh at her husband's reaction.
A few minutes later the examination was over and the doctor stood up. "I will leave you two alone for five minutes and I will be waiting for you outside.", she smiled warmly at the couple and left the room closing the door behind her.
Elsie nodded at the woman with a smile, wiped the gel off from her swollen abdomen and took Charles hand to help her sit up. She had started showing the last two weeks and she was having a little difficulty.
"Are you alright, Charles?", she looked at him and smiled.
"I know that we already have three daughters, but I feel like this is our first time having a child.", he took a deep breath and looked at his wife. "Elsie, I had forgotten how amazing it is to look at the baby through the monitor and every time see how much it grew and developed. We are going to have another baby.", he placed a soft kiss on her lips and let a couple tears fall freely.
"Yes, my love. We are going to have another baby and I believe it is time to inform our daughters that they are going to have a little brother or sister soon.", she grabbed his hand to get off the table and took a moment to find her balance.
"I believe you are right, Mrs. Carson.", he took her hand and kissed it with a smile. "Are you alright?", he wanted to make sure that his wife and unborn baby are okay.
"I am alright.", she smiled at him. "So is our baby.", she took his hand and placed it on her swollen abdomen. She had started showing the day after she told him about their baby. One night she didn't have anything and the next morning a swell making it more real that a new life is growing inside her.
They had wanted to tell the girls about their news that same night after they returned from the appointment, but apparently there was some family drama that caused them to wait a couple days more. It was Saturday night and the Carson family was all together in the house. Anna's fiance had gone to a businness trip for a week and wouldn't be back before Wednesday. Sybil was much too tired from some exams and projects she had the last couple of weeks to go anywhere. Margaret was still young to start going out without her parents. Charles and Elsie were currently making their dinner as the girls had asked them if they could all watch a movie after they ate.
"Are you ready to tell them?", Charles asked his wife while setting up the table for their dinner.
"Well, we have to tell them. It's not that we just learned about it. I am already in the second trimester, I have already started to show and soon they will figure it out. Anna and Sybil will figure it out.", she explained to her husband as they went back to the kitchen to bring the food.
"Alright. You have a point. I am just anxious, Elsie. I don't know how they are going to take the news. I am a little worried about Margaret. She has been the baby in this family for 15 years now.", he looked at their youngest daughter that sat on the sofa with her mobile phone.
"I am worried about Margaret too, but we will face it together. Maybe Anna and Sybil will be a great help.", she said hopeful and went to bring the last plate to the table. "Let's do this.", taking a deep breath she smiled at her husband.
About an hour later they were all sitted on the sofa waiting to start the movie. Charles and Elsie looked at each other and nodded. It was as good a time as any to tell them. Charles placed his bowl of popcorn on the table and Elsie sat up next to him. They both took a couple of deep breaths.
"Girls, before we go on with our movie, your mother and I would like to talk to you about something important.", Charles now had the attention of his daughters as they all sat up looking at each other.
"Is everything alright?", Sybil was the one that spoke first.
"Does it have to do with the way you two have been acting the last few weeks?", Anna asked their parents with worry. Their firstborn was the detective of the family, always observing people and things. As the couple looked at each other they had the same thought. Perhaps she has already figured out what is going on.
"Yes, my darling. It has to do with the way we have been acting the last few weeks.", she answered her daughter with a warm smile.
"Am I in trouble?", Margaret asked her parents thinking it had something to do with her.
"No, of course not.", Charles answered quickly trying to reassure his daughter. "Well, what we are about to tell you is going to change our lives forever and we would like to ask for your understanding.", he looked at his wife who took a deep breath.
"Maybe you have noticed that I haven't feeling very well the last few weeks. About a month ago I decided to visit my doctor and see what's going on with me.", she paused a couple of seconds to give them time to proccess. "It turns out that it is nothing series.", she took another deep breath. "Girls, you are going to have a little brother or sister in about five months.", she said quickly as she didn't want to delay it anymore.
"I knew it.", Anna was the first one to speak as Sybil and Margaret were still proccessing what their mother had just told them. "I had noticed that you were not feeling well and I started observing you. In the beginning I thought that maybe it was the menopause, but the last couple of weeks you have been wearing more loose clothes and one day you were wearing a more fitting dress I may have noticed a small swell of your stomach.", she let out a laugh as she watched her parents' eyes widen with shock.
"And how do you feel about it?", Charles was the one to ask her as his wife was still in shock.
"I was shocked in the beginning, but then I thought that maybe this baby is a surprise like our Margaret had been almost 16 years ago. I figured that if you hadn't said anything yet was because you wanted to do some tests and make sure everything was okay or you had all the information before telling us.", she explained to her parents and watched them look at her with shock and love. "I am not mad if that's what you're asking. I was excited when you told us about Margaret and I am excited now. I will need the practice with the new baby for when I have my own.", she smiled thinking that one day she will get to hold her own baby in her arms. "Congratulations.", she stood up and hugged her parents giving them each a kiss on the cheek.
"Thank you, my darling.", Elsie said with teary eyes. She looked at her other two daughters who still hadn't said a single word. "Girls? Are you going to say something?", she looked back and forth, but she was mostly worried about her youngest.
"It is quiet a shock, mummy. I had noticed as well that you were not feeling very well and I guessed it had something to with a health problem.", she took a deep breath before continuing. "I am glad that it is nothing serious cause I was starting to get worried about you. I know from what I am studying and they have told me at the hospital that having a baby at your age is not easy, but I guess that everything is alright with you and the baby.", she looked hopeful at her mother.
"Yes, everything is alright with me and the baby. I won't be returning to school because my blood pressure is an issue and as the pregnancy progresses I need to rest more and be more careful.", she explained and looked a little at her youngest who was still quiet. "It is not something that we had planned. This baby is a surprise like our Margaret was.", she smiled warmly at her youngest when she looked up at the mention of her name.
"That means I will not be the youngest anymore.", Margaret said to her parents.
"No, my darling. You will not be the youngest anymore.", Charles confirmed and didn't know what else to say. "Margaret...", he stopped when she stood up from where she was sitting.
"I need to process everything.", she simply said and was off to her bedroom.
Charles and the girls looked at each other before looking at Elsie who had tears in her eyes. Somehow they all knew that Margaret would be the one with this reaction and Charles didn't know how it was going to affect his wife. He placed his hand on her shoulders and felt the tremor going through her. She was trying very hard to not break down in front of their daughters.
"I need a minute. I'm sorry.", Elsie stood up and headed to her bedroom trying to stop the sobs from coming out.
"Should I go talk to Margaret?", Anna offered looking at her father.
"No yet. She needs some time to process everything. If you go to talk to her right now, she will get upset. They both need some time alone.", he took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a few seconds. He opened them again when he felt a hand on his arm and looked at the eyes of his second daughter.
"Everything will be alright in the end.", she placed a kiss on his cheek and squeezed his arm with a small smile.
"Thank you, my darling.", Charles placed a kiss on her forehead and sighed. They had a few difficult days ahead of them.
Please leave a review with your thoughts about this chapter. Coming up next we have Margaret's full reaction. What do you think will happen?
A/N.2: I would like your help. I haven't decided yet the names of the four babies. So, if you could please leave your suggestions in the reviews. I would be so thankful if you could leave a list of names, 2-3 names for boys and 2-3 names for girls. The only thing I can tell you is that there will be at least a boy and a girl. Thank you so much.
To Be Continued...