Next Chapter! Hope you enjoy. And FYI, Colonel Luke and Melody Jones are not my characters, they're MrsBrantDaugherty's characters. ;)
Charlie lied on the bed while Dr. Jacobs maneuvered the probe over her rounding abdomen to do a check up on the babies. Nicole held Charlie's hand while watching the screen. Charlie went from looking at the doctor to looking at the screen to looking at Nicole.
"For Charlie's sanity, how are they doing doctor?" asked Nicole breaking the silence.
"They're fine Charlie. Just concentrating to make sure everything is absolutely okay," chuckled Dr. Jacobs.
"Thank you Niki," said Charlie gratefully. Nicole squeezed her hand and smiled at her in response.
"Well both fetuses are nice and healthy. You're right on target with fetal development and weight gain," informed the doctor.
"So I'm supposed to be this big already?" laughed Charlie pointing to her bump.
Dr. Jacobs smiled, "Yes Charlie. I know you might not like to hear this, but with the fact that there are two babies, you will be bigger than someone carrying only one baby."
"Told you," said Nicole.
"Great so I'll be bigger than a house in no time," said Charlie.
"A small house," said Nicole.
"Big enough," said Charlie.
Dr. Jacobs just smiled at the couple. She always found it amusing to hear husband and wife, or in this case wife and wife, banter, "Well I'll print out the sonograms for you ladies. Charlie, continue to watch what you eat, rest, and take your prenatal vitamins. And I'd like to see you again around twenty weeks."
"Sounds good doctor," nodded Nicole.
"And at the next appointment, we'll probably be able to tell what genders they are," said the doctor.
"Good," said Charlie at the same time Nicole said it doesn't matter, "It doesn't matter? Niki how can it not matter?"
"I thought we were going to wait until they were born?" asked Nicole.
"No you want to wait until they're born," said Charlie, "I want to know what they are. It'll make naming them easier. Because we are not naming them Nicole Jr. and Charlotte Jr!" Nicole just laughed.
"Well you ladies still have a couple of weeks to decide," said Dr. Jacobs handing them the sonogram printouts.
"Nothing will change her mind doc. She's stubborn," said Charlie sitting up and reaching for her purse, "See you in a couple weeks."
"Yes thank you doctor," said Nicole nodding towards her.
"You're welcome Captain," she said, "Have a good day ladies."
When the couple reached the car, Charlie took her keys out and asked, "You're off for the rest of the day right?" Nicole nodded, "Why don't you come to Claudia Joy's house with me?"
Nicole's eyes widened, "You mean Lieutenant General Holden's wife?"
"Yes," Charlie chuckled, "Don't worry Niki. They're all cool with us."
Nicole shook her head, "I still don't think that's a good idea."
"I can take you to work and you can spend your day taking orders from General Clarke."
"Mrs. Holden's house it is," said Nicole.
"That's what I thought you'd say," laughed Charlie as she pulled out of the hospital parking and headed towards Claudia Joy's house. When they arrived, they found a space out front and walked up to the front door, "Would you relax? It won't be that bad," said Charlie knocking on the door.
A brunette girl answered, "Oh hi," she said, "Can I help you."
"Yes we're here for lunch with Mrs. Holden," said Nicole.
"You must be Charlie. And Captain Galassini right?" The couple nodded, "I'm Emmalin. Claudia Joy's daughter."
"Nice to meet you Emmalin," said Charlie shaking her hand.
"Follow me. I'll show you where everyone else is," said Emmalin leading the couple to the dining room.
"Hey Charlie," said Gloria, "How did it go?"
"Everything is perfect," she answered, "Guys I'd like to introduce you to Nicole. Niki this is Claudia Joy, Denise, Roxy, Gloria, and well we know Roland."
"Pleasure to meet you all," said Nicole.
"You to Nicole," said Claudia Joy, "And I'd introduce you to Emmalin but you all have already met."
"Where's Jackie just out of curiosity?" asked Charlie.
"She'll be here. She's waiting for Patrick to get his girlfriend Melody and then they'll be over," said Denise as they heard a knock at the door.
"I got it!" said Emmalin running towards the door.
"Okay sweetheart," said Claudia Joy.
"So what college does she go to?" asked Nicole taking some food and pouring herself a glass of wine.
"Woodsen University in New York," Claudia Joy answered, "Near Fort Drum."
"That's where Niki and I met!" said Charlie happily as she got herself a glass of water.
"Well why were you there?" asked Jackie coming in with Emmalin. A brunette boy, a brunette girl, and a blond girl followed her.
"I was getting my Masters in child care at Syracuse," said Charlie to her.
"Mom, are you going to?" gestured the blond girl.
"Yes," Jackie answered her, "Guys, this is my son Patrick, my daughter Sophie, and Patrick's girlfriend Melody," said Jackie pointing to the boy, the blond girl, and the brunette girl respectively, "This is Claudia Joy Holden, Denise Sherwood, Roxy Leblanc, Gloria Cruz, Charlie Mayfield, Emmalin, and…"
"Captain Nicole Galassini," Nicole answered for her.
"Captain Galassini" Jackie said.
"Captain," Patrick saluted. Nicole looked at him.
"Oh I should've mentioned, Patrick just graduated from West Point," said Jackie.
"Oh. In that case, Lieutenant Clarke," said Nicole saluting him back.
"Lunch is in the kitchen," Claudia Joy said to the four of them.
"Thank you Mrs. Holden," said Melody.
"You're welcome Melody," she answered her.
Emmalin, Patrick, Sophie, and Melody took their food and went stayed at the island to converse while the adults sat in the dining room, "So Jackie, how did Patrick and Melody meet?" asked Charlie as she pulled out the sonogram to show everyone.
"Her father and Kevin work together," she answered, "Nicole might know him. Colonel Luke Jones?"
Nicole nodded, "I know him very well Mrs. Clarke."
Charlie passed around the sonogram to everyone, "Awe! So cute!" said Gloria.
"How far along are you?" asked Emmalin.
"Twelve weeks," said Charlie.
"I've always wanted a younger sibling," said Sophie looking innocently at Jackie.
Jackie looked up at her daughter, "Sorry Soph. That ship sailed a long time ago."
"Will you settle for a niece or nephew?" smirked Patrick looking at Melody.
"Patrick Jason Clarke, so help me God if you have a kid on the way anytime soon…" said Jackie. Everyone else just laughed.
"Wouldn't it be nice if our kids were virgins until death?" asked Claudia Joy.
"I heard that!" shouted Emmalin.
"Well Sara Elizabeth is never going to grow up," said Roland.
"Neither is this one," said Denise holding a sleeping Molly in her lap.
"Right," said Claudia Joy.
"You well know that you blink and they're adults," said Jackie.
"Well thankfully we have a while to go before they're even here," laughed Nicole as she and Charlie stood up to leave, "It was nice meeting you all. You guys too," she called to the four young adults in the kitchen.
"You too Captain," said Melody as her boyfriend saluted her.
"Well I guess we'll see you all some other time," said Charlie.
"Okay see you later," said everyone a varying times.