Chapter 13

Note: Again, just to reiterate, I'm not going to cover every single check-up. So if I skip ahead a couple months at a time, don't worry.

Margaret and Andrew had just walked back into thier apartment after having returned from their last appointment. They set everything down, and

then walked into the kitchen.

"So, when do you want to call Mom, Dad, and Gammy and tell them the news?" Andrew asked.

"Well, I was thinking we could eat lunch first and then do it" Margaret said.

"All right. Sounds good"

They ate a quick but enjoyable lunch, and then Margaret grabbed the phone and headed into the livingroom. She dialed the number, and

then waited for someone to pick up.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Dad. It's me, Margaret"

"Oh, hey. How are you guys?" Joe asked.

"We're all doing well--very well, actually. Hey, why don't you get Mom and Gammy, and then put us on speakerphone. Andrew and I have

a rather important announcement to make" (she motions for Andrew to come over)

"Okay. he turns away briefly, and calls for Grace and Annie "We're all here. So, what's the big announcement?"

"Well, we had an appointment today, and we found out what we're going to be having" Margaret said.

"And......" they all said, waiting anxiously.

"And...it's a boy!" Andrew exclaimed.

Loud screams of excitement were heard on the other end.

"Oh, that's great, you guys--congratulations!" Joe said.

"I know--we're going to have a grandson! Grace added.

"And I'm going to have a great-grandson. This is wonderful! Annie piped in, excitedly. "So, what about you guys? How do you feel

about this?"

"Honestly," Margaret said, looking up Andrew and smiling, as Andrew wrapped an arm around her waist, and returned the smile,"we feel

wonderful--we really couldn't be any happier."

(brief pause)

"Well, we better go. We have some things to do around the house, but thank you so much for telling us. This really is great news." Joe said.

"We thought you guys would be excited. Well, I guess we'll talk to you guys later. "Goodbye Dad, goodbye Mom, goodbye Gammy" first Andrew,

and then Margaret said.

"Goodbye, you two" they all said. "We love you"

"We love you, too":

Andrew turned to Margaret after they had hung up the phone. "I'd say that went pretty well, wouldn't you?"

"Couldn't have gone better" she replied "couldn't have gone better"

A few hours later...

Andrew was already in bed, and Margaret was just finishing getting ready.

"Andrew," she said,coming out of the bathroom, and crawling into bed next to him "I was thinking--before we found out what we're having,

we always referred to the baby as just "the baby". Now that we know that we're having a boy, I think it's time we started discussing names"

"You're right, honey. Now's the perfect time to start"

"Okay, what do you think about Matthew Gabriel?" she asked.

"Hmmm....I don't know. It's a good name, but I just don't think it really fits"

"What do you think about Trevor Joseph?"he asked.

"Well, I do like the sound of it, and it would be nice to name him after your dad--it's a possibility"

"What about Zachary James?"

"I don't know. There's something about it, I mean, I like the name, but it just doesn't seem like the right one, either"

"Okay, how about Joshua Andrew?" he asked.

"I like it--I really do. Joshua is a great name, and I think it would be wonderful to name him after you"

"Allright, so it looks like we have it narrowed down to either Trevor Joseph or Joshua Andrew--what do you think?"

"Well, the way I see it--you're named after your father, so why don't we name him after his?" Margaret asked.

"I think that's perfect" he said. "So it's settled then--our son's name is going to be Joshua Andrew Paxton".

Andrew turned to face Margaret "I love you so much" he said, leaning over to kiss her "--both of you" he said, also leaning over

to kiss her belly.

"We love you,too" she replied, smiling. "Well, it's getting late--I think we better get some sleep. Goodnight, honey"

"Goodnight"

They each turned out their lights. Margaret fell right asleep, but Andrew just laid there for a few minutes. He looked over at

Margaret, who was sleeping peacefully, and smiled. This was his life--a beautiful wife, and a son on the way. Nothing would

ever change that, or the way he felt about them. And it was with those thoughts of his wife and soon-to-be son running through

he mind that he finally managed to fall asleep.