Chapter Three

Joseph had headed straight home after the surgery closed. A quick shower and change then back out to meet Jac. He had phoned her straight after arranging childcare for Harry and they had agreed to meet up in the local village pub. He felt nervous, he knew Jac better than anyone yet the thought of spending an evening with her terrified him.

Seeing her again this morning had stirred up so many emotions. He felt both happy and sad at the same time if that was at all possible. He was happy that she was here back in his life; he had missed her more than she would ever know. But he was also sad that he had not been there when she needed him most. Finding out she was pregnant would of terrified Jac, if only he had been there he could have helped her through it. Images of a heavily pregnant Jac demanding him to go out at 3am to find ice pops made Joseph smile. Alas this hadn't happened though and it made him wish he'd been able to play the doting boyfriend, so excited about the baby's arrival that he'd do anything to please her. Including going out in search of snacks in the middle of the night.

The idea that she had been going through all of this alone upset Joseph. He hated the thought that she had been alone at the most important parts of her pregnancy. But she wouldn't be alone when it came to the birth. He knew she'd protest and tell him that she didn't need anybody, but damn it! He needed her and he needed to be given the opportunity to see his child being brought into the world.

Then there was the issue of them, where did they stand. Joseph loved her, he always had but could they really pick up from where they left off? Would she want to? He knew he had hurt her by moving away and ultimately giving up on them. They had been through so much to together and fought so hard to finally get to where they had gotten to before he left. He knew he had been an idiot, Jac deserved better. He wasn't happy where he was now, not without her anyway.

Shaking the negative thoughts from his head he knew that he was working himself up before he even got chance to meet her. There was no point in doing so, if he was to get what he wanted he would have use his head and tread carefully, for Jac Naylor was a complicated woman and if he said or did the wrong thing he'd never win her back.

Jac was running late! Who'd have thought that getting ready for a drink in the pub would turn out to be a military operation? She had dressed and redressed, trying on endless clothes in the hope that she would feel good in something. Who was she kidding? She felt fat. People say that pregnant woman get a glow once they reach their third trimester. Ha! She felt the complete opposite to glowing. She felt crap. Her feet were constantly swollen, her back ached and her breasts were tender. To top that all off she still had morning sickness. Although Jac never understood why they called it that. It should be called all bloody day sickness. She was meeting Joseph and all she wanted was to look sexy, show him that she still had it. Yet all she felt was blah. That was the best way to describe it! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! "I don't want him seeing me like this," she sighed. After much deliberation she decided to go with the black combat maternity pants and a black ruffle top to hide her bump as much as possible.

"Black is supposed to be sliming," Jac told herself. "Maybe it will sop me looking like a whale," She left her hair down in loose curls that fell softly around her face. Joseph always loved her hair down, he told her it made her look sophisticated. She added a small butterfly clip to her hair giving it the finishing touches. She had to admit, even with her limited resources she had pulled out all the stops. She chose her make up very carefully picking eye shadows that would bring out her beautiful eyes. Standing in front of the mirror she smiled "You don't scrub up too bad do you Jac Naylor," She laughed "Pregnant yet still shagable. Even if I do say so myself,"

She headed out the door and into her taxi. She was only a little late thankfully. She was looking forward to seeing Joseph yet she was also apprehensive at the same time. They hadn't really had chance to talk this morning due to both him having patients to see and his total shock to her presence in his office. If she had her way they would reconcile. She loved him more than anything and it hurt being away from him. But she was however aware that he may no longer feel the same as her. They had been apart seven months and a lot had changed. He may not want to have anything to do with her or the baby; it was a lot to take on especially as the decision to keep the baby had been made for him. The thought of him rejecting her was awful, but the thought of him regretting their child was unbearable. Both her mother and her father had rejected Jac when she was a child and the pain of that had never left her. She didn't want her child to suffer like that.

She was pulled from her thoughts by the taxi coming to a halt. Looking around she realised that they had reached the pub. Paying that driver she bid him good night and made her way into the pub where Joseph would be waiting.