The Pregnancy Ship
Chapter 6: Family News
The dinner with Patrice and Louie went well. They had comfort food at the diner they all frequented. The food was good and plentiful, if not overly fancy. Sharon had minestrone soup and a salad. Patrice had macaroni and cheese some ham and corn. Andy had veggie lasagna. Provenza had meat loaf mashed potatoes and green beans. Patrice and Sharon sat across from one another at the table, as did Andy and Provenza. The girls talked symptoms and the first moments when they knew they were pregnant, comparing their partner's reactions, and former partners reactions.
Andy and Louie talked about how shocking it was to be in this position at their age. "You know Louie, I'm proud of you for the way you're taking this whole baby thing. I thought you'd be really pissed about it, but you're really taking it well."
"Well, I have you to thank for that, Flynn my friend. You said it is what it is. If it's meant to be, it will happen. It got me to thinking how would I feel, if it wasn't pregnancy, at all? What if it was an illness of some kind, Breast Cancer or something else that could be terminal? In that light a late late pregnancy, seemed a blessing instead of being something to get upset about. Plus, you seem to be taking this well too."
"Well, I was shocked and while I'm over the moon happy to be getting another chance at fatherhood. I'm worried for Sharon."
Sharon reached over and entwined their fingers, squeezing three times to say, "I love you."
Andy smiled, squeezing back. "I've told her I don't want her to sacrifice herself for these babies. I love her and I can't imagine losing her and having to raise the babies on my own, or worst yet, losing all three of them! I'm scared Louie, but like I said to you, it is what it is, and if these babies are meant to be born they will be. We were already through the first trimester before we even knew she was pregnant! All we can do is take one day at a time."
They fell silent, and became aware that the girls had stopped talking and we're looking very tired. "Thanks for dinner Louie and Patrice, I think we have to go home and go to bed." Andy said, as he held Sharon's jacket for her.
Once it was on she flipped her hair out from under her collar and picked up her purse. She gave Patrice a peck on her cheek and patted Provenza on the shoulder. "Goodnight and thank you for dinner Lieutenant, and Patrice and...and I'm so glad you are joining us on this journey."
The four of them walked to their cars that were parked side by side Patrice reached out and took Sharon's hand. "Well, as much as I love babies it's not a journey I would have picked for myself at this age, but now that I'm on it, it's nice to have someone my own age going through it with me."
"Hey, what are we chopped liver?" asked Louie and Andy.
Sharon patted Andy's arm while Patrice grabbed Louie's hand, "We're glad that you are with us too, we couldn't go through this without you, but it's not the same, you two are men. You have no idea what it's like to be pregnant. So it's a little different than having someone who knows what it feels like to wake up throwing up, every morning for months or having to pee every ten minutes. Or what it feels like to have the baby kicking you through the night, keeping you awake, only to go to sleep when you are up with no sleep, and start moving around."
"That's true enough," said Andy.
Louie nodded his understanding as well. "Night Captain, listen you don't have to hurry in tomorrow morning. The only way we can move forward in this investigation is if we find those boyfriends or boyfriend. It could take a day or two so rest up, for when we find him or them."
"Thank you, Lieutenant I'll probably take you up on that suggestion." Sharon and Andy got into the car. Andy opened the door for her and though occasionally she would roll her eyes at him, she secretly loved his chivalry, especially these days. She put her head against the backrest and closed her eyes.
Andy got in the car and rolled out of the parking lot. Sharon was out before they turned the corner. They arrived at the house and parked in the garage. Coming around to Sharon's side, he unbuckled her seat-belt and lifted her up. She protested at first but settled when he didn't put her down. He used the key fob to open the door and walked into the kitchen. From the kitchen, he could see into the living room, he could see that there was a house full of people, none of which were they expecting. Emily, Ricky, and Rusty he recognized, but there was also an older woman, and an older man.
The woman wore a pink suit with matching pearls in her ears and around her neck. She resembled Sharon in that her hair was auburn, but cut into a pixie cut. Her eyes were aquamarine instead of green and her smile was similar to Sharon's. She was petite, yet tall like Sharon standing at 5'6. The gentleman to her left wore navy blue trousers a white button down and a tan cardigan with leather elbow patches. He stood tall, around 5'10. He had green eyes, just like Sharon's. His hair was white and grizzled. He had a high forehead and a strong nose. At the moment he wasn't smiling, so Andy couldn't tell if Sharon had his smile.
"Um hi," Andy said quietly. "Sharon is quite exhausted so I'll get her ready for bed, and then we can meet properly. Excuse me, please." He didn't wait for an answer, he just continued down the hall to the bedroom. He didn't realize that he had company.
Eileen O'Dwyer had followed him down the hall. She watched as he tenderly undressed Sharon, putting her clothes aside to be hung up or put in the hamper, he put her Aaron Rodgers football jersey on. He took off her pants and her knee high stockings then he covered her with her favorite fleece blanket. It had been the children's joint Christmas present to her, with pictures of Emily, Ricky and Rusty as babies up to present time. Rusty hadn't had many pictures, but he had a few and they had compensated for the lack by adding more pictures of him now with Sharon and with Em and Ricky.
He also covered her with the quilt, kissed her. Andy then started to hang up her clothes, but thought better of it and threw them all in the hamper. The Borden girl's body odor had permeated the air at the station, so he figured the clothes could use being freshened. He turned towards the door to go back to the living room and was startled to see Sharon's mother standing there. Her beautiful eyes were full of tears threatening to fall. He walked out into the hall and closed the door. "Is something wrong?" Andy asked quietly.
"No, no," she said as she wiped the tears from her eyes with a tissue. "No, nothing's wrong. I just have to say I saw you show more tenderness, devotion and love towards my little girl, in the short time it took you to get her ready for bed then Jack has shown her in their entire marriage! Thank you!" Her voice was raspy and filled with emotion.
"I love your daughter, Ma'am with all my heart. I will always treat her that way. She deserves it."
Eileen took his hand in her small ones. "As far as I'm concerned you are welcome into our family, Andy. Just...don't take my husbands gruffness to heart. Sharon is our middle child and has always been Sean's favorite, the apple of his eye. He hasn't been feeling himself lately so he's likely to be a little confrontational about your familiarity with our daughter. He's convinced you'll hurt her like Jack did because of your similar background to Jack's. Stand your ground with him, don't let him scare you, he's mostly all bark and no bite."
"Thank you, Ma'am."
"Please call me Eileen. Calling me ma'am makes me feel so old," she giggled, very much like Sharon's giggle.
"Let's go out into the living room before Sean comes back here bellowing, and wakes Sharon up. Why is she's so tired by the way? She's usually full of energy, long after everybody else is exhausted."
"Um Ma'am...uh Eileen, do you mind if I don't answer that yet? It's something Sharon and I should tell you about when she's awake. Are you staying in town? You could stay here. I have plenty of room and I know Sharon will be thrilled to see you when she wakes up."
"You have room? Even with the children?"
"Yes. My mother lived here until her death last May. She was a paraplegic. I grew up in a house exactly like this house in New Jersey. My parents raised five children in that house. When my mother moved here after the accident that made her a paraplegic and eventually killed her, she fell in love with this house and bought it. She had it renovated to meet the needs of a paraplegic, and accommodate ambulatory people as well. She had a pool built outside, for exercise and had a cottage built for her caregiver, so she could have her own space. It has an intercom system so she could communicate her needs in case of an emergency." Andy stopped for a second feeling a little melancholy thinking of his mom. Then added from his heart, "this house belonged to my mother so I consider it the family home, otherwise I'd sell it to a person of more need of its amenities then I. You could pick any room here in the house that isn't already in use or you can have the cottage."
"I'm so sorry for your loss Andy. Thank you for your hospitality, but wouldn't Rusty like to take the cottage?"
"We haven't worked that out yet. Sharon and Rusty just moved in here before he went to visit Ricky in Palo Alto."
"Oh well, then it would probably be best for us to take the cottage. Is the pool enclosed or out in the open?"
"It's enclosed, my mother swam everyday rain or shine."
"The pool is a boon for Sharon, I'm sure. She has been a fish since she was baby. Sharon and her sisters were even water ballerinas when they were little."
"A water ballerinas? I would have paid to see that."
Eileen snort laughed and hid her face with the back of her hand like Sharon did. "I take it she never told you?"
"No, I would have remembered that." Andy said, as they arrived in the living room.
"Well! It's about time you got back!" Sean O'Dwyer rasped irritably.
"Hush Sean, calm down and be nice," said Eileen patting her husbands arm.
"Pop, it's okay Andy's a good guy," Ricky said.
"Don't tell me to be nice, Eileen this stranger, we've never seen before comes in manhandling our daughter, he takes her back into the bedroom and undresses her with you there watching and I'm supposed to be nice?"
"Hello sir, my name is Andrew Flynn. I wasn't manhandling her Sir, I was carrying her because she was deeply asleep and I didn't want her to wake up. She's exhausted." Andy stood his ground looking the older man straight in the eye without flinching.
"Do you have carnal knowledge of my daughter that you feel free to undress her?"
"Sir, not that it is really anybody's business but our own, but my knowledge of your daughter is that of intimacy that is a result of our love for each other. There is nothing carnal about it! In fact using that expression infers that either Sharon, or I are just in this relationship for the sex, which I assure you is far from the truth. It's an insult to Sharon. Actually, I'm surprised you would use that phrase, in relation to your own daughter!"
"Are you married? If you're not, it's carnal!"
Andy tamped down his annoyance, answering patiently, "We are not married yet sir, but we will be hopefully soon enough."
"See Sean," Eileen said soothingly. "Andy has honorable intentions towards Sharon, stop fussing dear. You're being rude, after all this is his house!"
"No Ma'am...uh . Eileen this is our house Sharon, Rusty's and my house."
"Mama, Daddy, what are you doing here?" Sharon asked. She stood, leaning into the wall in the hallway between the living room and the bedrooms. Her auburn hair was disheveled. Her eyes were heavy with lack of enough sleep. She held a white fleecy robe around her and she wore white fuzzy slippers.
"Darling, hello, we are so happy to see you!" Eileen gathered her daughter in her arms and hugged her.
Sharon hugged back and whispered, "I love you, Mama and I'm so happy to see you and Daddy too, but I wasn't expecting you. We would have had things ready for all of you if we'd known." Sharon said, realizing her children were here too.
Eileen said sheepishly, "I'm sorry dear your father has some doctors appointments here in the city so we came with the intention of staying at a hotel. Andy just offered us the cottage out back or a room here in the house."
Sharon looked at Andy he nodded. She pressed her lips together, trying to tamp down the overwhelming love that threatened to spill over. She felt immediately contrite for chastising her mother. "I'm sorry too, Mama," hugging her again. "I didn't mean to sound petulant or inhospitable I'm just really soo tired, and just a little disoriented. I thought I heard daddy speaking angrily at Andy. Is Daddy okay? He seems kind of confrontational. That's not like him!"
"Well, he's been out of sorts lately, hence the doctors appointments."
"Don't be talking about me like I'm not here!" Sean said irritably. "Come little girl, give your Daddy some sugar."
Sharon looked at her mother, her eyebrows raised into her hairline. Her mother shrugged. She moved into her father's arms and was hugged tight. She kissed his cheek and he kissed her. "I love you, Daddy," she said as she looked worriedly into his eyes.
"I love you too, little girl."
"Daddy, I'm not little any more you know that, right?"
"You'll always be my little girl, Sharon, no matter how old you get." His green eyes so like her own had held just a tiny bit of confusion for just a second, but we're now clear and lucid.
She nodded, smiling, "I guess I know that Daddy." Stepping out of her father's embrace, she hugged her children, who she also had not expected. "Emily, I didn't know you were coming, it's not Christmas yet! I'm happy to see you. I really am I just thought you were busy with dancing Giselle."
"Since we have a break because the building beside us burnt down and part of the theater too. It's filled with smoke and water. The theater managers are scrambling to find a new venue. So we had time off and Mom-mom asked me to come and even paid for my ticket."
"Oh my goodness! Ricky what's going on with you?"
"Same as Em, Mom, Mom-Mom called me and asked me to be here."
"Me too Sharon, she called me too!" Rusty said looking back at Sharon in wonder.
Sharon smiled at her youngest at least he would be her youngest until the twins were born. She loved that Rusty was discovering the joy of being included as one of the grandchildren. As she looked lovingly at Rusty, she was unconsciously rubbing her tummy that had suddenly started pooching out a bit, not a lot just slightly. She turned to her mother. "Mama, what's going on?" she asked and pushed her hair back away from her face, it was more of a nervous gesture than a necessary one.
Eileen O'Dwyer looked at her daughter remembering Andy's cryptic remark about telling them all something when Sharon was awake. Then she took in her ever so slightly rounded stomach, her ample bosom, the exhaustion she saw in her eyes and really her whole body. The way she rubbed her belly and suddenly puzzle pieces came together with a sudden snap. She went to her, and placed her hands on her daughters face and looked her in the eye. "I'll get to that, but honey it seems like you have some news too, don't you?"
Sharon stopped rubbing, and reached up to take her mother's hands from her face she squeezed them three times for "I love you, and nodded. Her mother knew and that meant she and Andy were going to have to spill the beans. She looked to Andy for support he came over to her and gently wrapped his arms around her. He took her over to the sofa, and sat down pulling her onto his lap. She leaned back as he placed his hands on her belly. "Well, everybody, this isn't exactly how I imagined telling you this, but uh...I'm...well that is... Andy and I are expecting...twins."
Silence enveloped the room. Everyone but her mom was staring at her like fish, mouths opening and closing in shock. Emily was the first to speak. "Pregnant? You're pregnant with twins? Good grief, Mom you're like seriously old to be...pregnant? I mean isn't that dangerous? You should have an abortion! Before they get too big, and..."
"Emily Rose Eileen Raydor! You show your mother some respect and how dare you suggest an abortion! What if she had aborted you?" Eileen said vehemently.
Emily folded her arms and sulked. Sharon stared at her oldest child, and tears filled her eyes, but Ricky and Rusty coming over and kneeling beside her and Andy pulled her attention away. "Mom how did this happen? What were you thinking?"
Sharon snort laughed. "It happened in the usual way, Honey! We didn't try to get pregnant, believe me! We had no idea it was possible. I thought I had a bad case of the flu, or perhaps menopause. So when I started having symptoms I didn't think anything at first. Then the nausea really got bad, and the...other symptoms intensified. We took several tests and they were all positive. We went to see the doctor that day, which was just yesterday by the way. She gave us a sonogram picture. Rusty it was in my pocket of my suit jacket could you get it for me?"
Rusty got up, Andy said, "in the hamper kid." Rusty went down the hall to their bedroom, and brought back the picture folded up. He handed it to Sharon and Andy. Here is the first picture of the babies Egbert and Egberta, Sharon said trying to lighten the mood.
She opened the picture up. Eileen and Sean looked first. Tears came to both their eyes. "Egbert and Egberta?" asked her mother.
"It's what we call them now just for fun until they are born, and we can give them proper names, Mama."
Then the kids looked, Em first then the boys. Emily scowled at the picture. The boys looked at the picture, and then at Sharon's stomach. Awestruck.
"I still say this should not be happening! You're too old! You could die! I can't believe you two, you're too old to be acting like a couple of over-sexed teenagers that don't know any better!"
"Emily Raydor, just because we are in our fifties, doesn't mean we can't have a very active sex life! We had no idea we could get pregnant at this stage in our lives," Sharon said, hurt and angry.
"Emily, and everybody else, I know you are shocked, we are too. This is a high-risk pregnancy, on two counts. Your mother's age is a factor yes, and there are twins instead of a single. Getting her upset is not the way to go! Blood pressure is an issue," Andy cautioned.
"Andy Please, you can't wrap me up in cotton wool, and make my family walk on eggshells afraid to say boo to me for the next 6 months!"
"No, let him take care of you Sharon. It's his job," her father said quietly."
"But Daddy..."
"No buts, Sweetheart. Your mother got pregnant when she was your age. It was twins also, your sisters Judy and Jan. She kept trying to do everything she was able to do during the other pregnancies. When I found out I tried to get her to stop, but she wouldn't listen she said, who else is going to do it? You? The kids? So, I told the doctor who put her on partial bed rest. Then I hired a nanny/housekeeper for the rest of the pregnancy, and beyond. It was hard back then, financially, but it was worth it because she managed to have your sisters after 8 1/2 months. They were early by two weeks but they were healthy and your mother survived! The doctor said if she had kept going as she was, she would have had a late term miscarriage and possibly would have died."
Sharon was shocked at this news. She hadn't really thought about how old her mother had been when she had been pregnant with the twins. She knew her parents had started late having babies, but once Eileen had started having babies. She had made up for lost time. She'd had five, Mary then Jonathan, Sharon and then the twins several years later, Judith and Janet. Sharon hadn't given birth to as many children as her mother, but when the babies were born she'd have five also. Although her middle child was adopted, he was no less loved. Her pregnancies had progressed as her mother's had. Just like her mother she had had a girl first, then a boy, and just like her mother she had nausea and dizziness with the girls and bleeding with the boys. Now she was having twins just like her Mom so maybe she would get through this pregnancy after all, Her mother had at her age. "Mama and Daddy, I've told my news now it's your turn, " Sharon said.
Eileen looked at Andy and her daughter, then her grandchildren. She decided to say it quickly, "Your father is in the early stages of prostate cancer." There was a collective gasp, "Don't worry the prognosis is good, but...I called the children and asked them to come, because your father is in his late eighties, and well being under anesthesia, something could go wrong. I wanted us to be together, just in case. I was probably being an alarmist... "She sighed and wiped her eyes with a tissue her husband handed her, while at the same time giving her a side hug.
"He's going under anesthesia? Why? What are they going to do? " Asked Sharon.
"They're going to put radioactive seeding into his prostate. The seeds will stay in there, and it will take several months for the radioactivity to fade afterwards. Once they do that Sharon you are going to have to stay away, and we will go home after he is released. You can't be exposed to the radiation in your condition Sweetheart."
Sharon nodded, tearfully "What about," she swallowed the lump in her throat "the agitation and…"
"It's caused by UTI's that keep happening. Actually, the Urinary Tract Infections were what lead us to the discovery of the prostate Cancer, although the Prostate cancer didn't cause it. When you get to be our age a UTI can be serious and cause all kinds of issues. So when Sean started showing signs of confusion, and was easily agitated I made an appointment."
"Honey, don't worry I'll be fine. Your mother here IS an alarmist, but I have to say it was my doing that she called the children and got them to come. It was my idea to come here for the treatment. It gave us an excuse to come here to see you. We haven't seen much of each other, since you got transferred to Major Crimes."
"I know Daddy and I'm sorry for that."
"No, don't apologize. It's not your fault. You've made us so very very proud over the years, Sharon. The way you've handled yourself, your children, your financial situation throughout all the crap Jack put you through! I wish you had told us sooner, so we could have been more help."
"You helped Daddy. Once you and mama knew you helped with babysitting, you helped with the children's schooling."
"Which you paid back with interest mind you. But that being said, since you have been so busy I haven't had much chance to act as the patriarch of this family, at least with this branch of the family." He turned to Sharon and Andy. "I'm sorry I was so hard on your young man, Sharon. Andy, I can see that you love my daughter and that you will take care of her, no matter how much she protests. She's a stubborn one. Always so independent, but she's worth all your love and devotion and more. See that you make an honest woman of her." He said winking knowing his daughters feminist sensibilities would be tweaked and irritated.
Sharon sputtered predictably, but Andy took her chin in his hand, kissed her and then said, "I will sir, IF she'll have me," Andy said humbly, yet winking back. He felt Sharon relax against him. He had acknowledged that it was her choice and her feminist sensibilities were somewhat appeased.
Sean's attention turned to his granddaughter. "Emily, I know it's your love for your mother, and your concern for her welfare that causes you to act this way, but that is no excuse for your being disrespectful. She's your mother! She has sacrificed so much of her life to make you and your brother feel loved and cared for, to protect you from your father's true nature. She deserves to be happy with this Andy fellow. He loves her, and will take care of her like your father never did! You know that Emily Rose. You had better support her and cherish her, and stop disrespecting her or you'll have me to deal with! You're never too old for a verbal spanking! Don't you forget that!"
Thoroughly chastised from her grandfather's verbal slap, Emily bowed her head. She went over to her mother and hugged her, "I'm sorry Mom I just got so scared. I love you so much and I can't bear to lose you! I'm sorry, Andy,"
Sharon reached out and touched her daughter's cheek. "Oh, Darling you're forgiven," She kissed her daughter on the cheek. Sharon looked over at Rusty and Ricky. "Are you two okay?"
Rusty came over to her and hugged her. "I'm kinda scared like, Em. I love you, M...Mom. I couldn't bear it if something happened...I just found you..." His tears spilled down his face.
Sharon's tears matched his. He had called her mom, not as a joke or with sarcasm, but with real feeling behind it. "Oh Rusty, I love you too. I love all three of you, but I can't promise that nothing will happen to me. I'm a cop and that alone negates a promise like that, and this pregnancy is going to be tricky. I won't lie, it's going to be tough, and all we can do is take one day at a time." Sharon looked Andy in the eyes and hoped her next words conveyed how she really felt, "I'll listen to my doctor and I will try to let Andy help take care of us more." Receiving a nod of understanding from him she turned back to the rest of her family, "also we have to pray and hope for all three of us to survive."
"Egbert and Egberta, huh?" Asked Ricky.
Sharon snort laughed, "but that's only while they're in here," she rubbed her stomach. "Once they're out and have real names, no more Egbert and Egberta!"
"Oh I don't know, I think you should stick with Egbert and Egberta," said her father. "It's kinda catchy," he said teasingly.
"Dad! No! Don't encourage them," she laughed.