Chapter 29
At the hospital with Carrie
Marjorie was in examining Carrie she was much better the IV antibiotics were starting to work she still had the ear infection and Carrie's body was rejecting the implants. Her temp had gone down even more." She explained to Dave and Deena that the implants will need to be removed once the infection is a little more under control, Marjorie told them "She is going to have to be here at least through the weekend."
"Well at least my mother Frankie is here to watch Geneva and Larissa while we are here with Carrie" Deena said "and I am sorry to say no hope for any hearing for her" Marjorie said.
Dave and Deena were devastated; Marjorie stayed with them for a while and comforted them as best she could. She left the room for a little bit and called Adam to let him know what was going on. She called him at his office, He answered, "Adam Hillman how can I help you?"
Hey Adam."
"Hi honey how is everything with Carrie?"
"Well Carrie's fever is down and the infection is clearing up but the implants have to be removed so more surgery and that leaves her no chance for ever regaining any hearing. Carrie will have to remain in the hospital at least through the weekend if not longer"
"Oh no how are Dave and Deena taking it" Adam asked
"As you can imagine they are devastated." She said "Why don't I call Brian to let him know what is going on unless you already have."
"No we haven't called anyone except you yet"
"Ok then why don't I hang up and call Brian's cell phone" he hung up with her and grabbed his own cell to get Brian's number; he looked it up and called him from his office phone.
Back at the Camden's
Brian was still outside with Matt, Carlos and Carlos' 3 kids when his cell phone started to ring,
He assumed it was Bridget so he answered it "Hey sweet cheeks you called me back a lot quicker than I thought"
Adam laughed at him "Sweet cheeks huh"
"Oh sorry Adam I thought you were Bridget, I am expecting her call, What's up?"
"I just wanted to fill you in on Carrie. I just got off the phone with Marjorie."
"Hey let me put you on speaker phone Brian said, "So Matt can hear this too Hey Matt come here"
Adam filled him in on everything Marjorie told him earlier. "So even though the antibiotics are starting to work, the damage is done and the implants have to come out and Carrie will most likely never hear." Adam said
"Oh no" Brian said "Well we certainly will have to be there for them"
They talked for a while longer about Carrie then Matt went back to Carlos and Brian took it off speaker phone
"Hey I hate to change the subject but I need your professional help." Brian said.
He told Adam all about the presentation at work and about the offer and that, he would need help to look at a work contract on Monday.
"No problem Brian I will meet you at your office Monday at around 10 am ok. Are you on the same floor as Dave?"
"Yes I am in the big corner office when you get on the floor, Oh don't mention this to Dave I want to be the one to tell him ok"
"Sure Bri Talk to you later," Adam hung up. No sooner did he hang up when his phone rang again, this time he checked the caller ID and it was Bridget this time.
"Hi Honey how are you" he asked her, "I am good, I am at the Mall in Glen Oak I just ran into Target, I know I am only 9 weeks But I need looser fitting pants and skirts I don't have a lot of things with an elastic waist band . Am I supposed to have a tummy this soon"
then Brian replied. "Honey I have no idea this is new territory for me. You will have to ask Matt when you get here. Oh I wanted to tell you, Matt and I are still at my parents. My mom wants you to come by for dinner she wants to celebrate my job."
"Ok" She said, "I want to shop for a bit first, but I will see you in maybe an hour, that's if I don't get lost in the store, I think I will have to tell your mom we really need to get a move on with this wedding if I am already getting this tummy." She laughed. "You know we are going shopping tomorrow at David's Bridal. Oh would you call Nicole, I want her to go too"
"Ok I will honey" Brian said "I will see you in an hour or so, I love you" "I love you too." and they hung up. He waited to tell her about Carrie, she seemed like she was in such a good mood he didn't want to spoil it.
Just then his Dad got home, "Hi guys how did it go today?" He asked. "and boy don't you look spiffy in the suit." Eric said
Then Matt had to tease him, "spiffy what kind of word is spiffy,"
"You just so enjoy needling me don't you Matt?"
"Sure dad, that is the best part of us moving back here." He laughed.
Then Brian said "I have to make a quick phone call. I will fill you in later about today when everyone else gets here unless you want to get the 411 from mom."
He dialed Nicole's cell. She answered after a few rings, "Hi Brian, I can't talk too much right now I only have a second, I am at Icing on the Cupcake right now trying to cover for Deena who is at the Hospital with Carrie, I got an update a little while ago from Marjorie, so I know about everything is that what you wanted."
"Uhm no actually and I feel kind of weird asking you this with everything going on with Dave and Deena, it's hard to be happy in my own life when it sucks so badly in theirs."
"No go ahead Bri," "Well I was just talking with Bridget, and she and my mom and Sarah and I am not sure who else are going dress shopping at David's Bridal tomorrow and Bridget wanted you to go. Can you swing it or are you stuck at the shop?"
"We have enough people working here now that I can go for a few hours just have her call me later with the time to meet there." I have to run I have customers in the store bye."
More time went by and around 4:30 not only did Sam and David get home but Sarah and the boys came home too they all went in the back Lucy and Kevin came over Savannah and his brother Ben was with them too, Kevin introduced his brother to Brian,
"Nice to meet you" Brian said,
"Same here" said Ben
"Seems like almost the whole gang is here all we need is Bridget Ruthie and Simon" Matt said
Then he said." After we eat we can watch Brian's presentation he did at his job wow was it spectacular, I recorded it. Hey Brian, is a way to hook your computer to the TV so everyone can watch?"
"No need to, my lap top can burn CD / DVD rom discs which you can watch on a DVD player I have some blank ones in my bag. Why don't I go back in the house and do it." Brian said. "While I am doing that why don't you find out from Sarah how things went today but don't go into detail yet how our day went."
Matt asked Sarah about her day" Oh Matt I can't believe all the running around I did, I did the dry runs on commute times from the 2 houses we liked in Glen Oak we can talk about that later I also went to the dealer ship I think I saw a couple of used cars you would like however you might want to bring Brian because I know cars are his thing, Oh my mom still wants us to keep the boys their instead of finding daycare, I am still up in the air on that one"
"Yeah I guess we can discuss that later too" Oh ,so how did it go today?" She asked,
"Well Brian told me he wanted to tell everyone together so I can only say the man is a genius you should have seen him well actually you will I recorded on the phone and then transferred to his laptop."
Just then Bridget came through the back gate; she had enough bags that it looked like she bought out the entire store. "Do a little shopping?" Matt teased
"Just a little, I know I got carried away but I needed work clothes my pants are form fitting and they are all tight already. I meant to ask you should I be having a tummy this soon?" "Not usually Sarah said "When you are in as good of shape as you are and this being your first you really shouldn't be."
"Your first what Lucy asked, "Oh that's right you wouldn't know I guess mom didn't tell you did she?" asked Matt,
"Tell me what, except that we are going Bridal shopping tomorrow other than that what else is there,
Bridget grinned. "We just found out we are having a baby in December." Bridget said.
Kevin overheard them talking, they both congratulated her. "Hey getting back to what I asked." Bridget said. "Where I am not eating much because of the morning sickness why am I getting a tummy so soon? You did say some things were inconclusive during my exam, I was so happy about the baby, at the time we were there I didn't think to ask what you meant,"
Matt hesitated he really didn't want to say anything yet on why he thought she had a tummy already or better to call it the beginning of a belly. "We really won't know anything definite until you next checkup when you will be roughly 12 weeks. Another ultrasound will more than likely be able to confirm my suspicions, I just didn't want to say anything yet until I knew for sure,"
Sarah looked at Matt "I have a feeling I know what you're thinking, did you hear what sounded like an echo just like we did early on?"
"Yeah I did," Matt said "Hey where is the disc?" Sarah asked
"I still have it in my purse" Bridget said "Let's go see if Brian is done downloading or whatever he is doing on the laptop" Matt said "and then we can use his computer to look at it again."
They boys stayed outside and played while the three of them went into the house and went in the kitchen,
Annie said "Hi Bridget, wow look at all the stuff you bought you will have to show me.
"Can we do it in a little while I have to talk to Brian first?" Bridget said
"Ok sure he is in the living room" Annie said.
They went into the living room. Brian was just about done burning the CD/DVD Brian looked up and saw all the bags Bridget had wow, you did all that in an hour Holy crap" he laughed
"You almost done Bri?" Matt asked "in about a minute or so I will be."
"Can we use lap top again Sarah and I wanted to look at the ultrasound again"
"Ok sure ah you don't think there is a problem do you?" he asked with a very marked sound of concern in his voice.
"Oh no not a problem." Sarah stated,
The CD DVD was done he removed it and put it in his parent's DVD player to make sure it worked It did so he stopped it but left it in to be watched later, He gave the Lap top to Matt, Bridget gave them the CD and they put it in, and hit run,
"Too bad we can't enhance and enlarge this," Sarah said
"Yeah I can do that just a bit" and Brian played with it a bit and he cleared it up slightly and it made it just a bit bigger,
Sarah really studied it and mentally compared it to what she remember in her own pregnancy ,
"Matt, it looks the same I am sure of it she said "
"Yeah that's what I thought to when I first saw it" he said "We will get better idea though if we wait until her next visit" he said
They were consulting back and forth almost forgetting that Brian and Bridget were in the room,
"Hello we are still here" Brian said "What do you see, or think you see is the baby ok?" "You sure you want us to say even though we aren't 100% sure" Matt said "that's why I held off on saying anything"
"yes of course tell us" Brian said
Matt turned up the volume, "Do you hear what sounds like an echo?"
"Yeah" they both said
"well from our, Mine and Sarah's experience not just as Doctors but having this same experience, ourselves the echo or what sounds like an echo is very like likely a second heart beat, that's why the measurements I took of you and on the screen were off. It is very hard to tell so early on but I think I would bet money on you following the Camden tradition of TWINS, Sam and David, Noah and Jacob and Chrissy and Jenny and now yours"
Brian and Bridget just sat there speechless, "Yeah it takes a little getting used to but you will" Sarah said,
Bridget looked at Brian, "Oh my God TWINS" He looked at her "that's what they said TWINS" Brian said back to her
"Oh Matt look at them that is how we must have looked they are shell shocked " Sarah laughed "I just remember another twin, don't forget the colonel had a twin brother remember, Sarah reminded him.
"Oh yeah I forgot about that." Matt said.
"Who's the Colonel Brian asked, "Oh that's our Grandfather Dad's Father, Colonel John Camden. He and Grandma Ruth are still alive. They live about 2 hours outside of Buffalo in Binghamton, NY"
Eric walked in the living room he had heard that they were discussing his parents. Are you scaring them with stories about your grandparents especially the Colonel."
"Ah no we weren't I was just telling them that Grandpa was a twin too it runs in the family,
Eric looked at the ultra sound again "Why is this out again? Wait you're discussing twins, Oh boy" he said "ANNIE COME IN HERE," he yelled
"Oh boy I guess we are going to have to tell them what you suspect" Brian said to Matt.
Annie came running in "what's the matter"
"Look what they are looking at," Eric said "Yes we saw it already"
then he said "and Matt is emphasizing how twins run in the family" Eric said
"Oh my God" then she looked at Matt " Do you think Bridget is carrying twins Matt?" Annie exclaimed
"Kind of looks that way and Sarah thinks the same thing" Matt said
"looks like the first ultrasound she had when she was carrying the boys, hear the echo in the heart beat, We think that is 2 heart beats. Bridget's menstrual cycle calculated at 9 weeks but she is actually measured closer to 12 weeks," Matt said
"Hey mom and dad, could you hold of telling everyone else just until her next appointment that's when Matt said we should know for sure," Brian asked
Annie said as she kissed his cheek, "It will be our little secret for the next month." Annie said "I guess we really will have to have that wedding soon," she said "too bad we couldn't do it in a week while Carlos and Mary were here,"
"That's funny that's just what Carlos said what yesterday" Brian chuckled "Can it be pulled together in a week I would love it if we could."
"Well they may have some off the rack stuff at David's Bridal and I can sew if there needs to be alterations." Annie said "Let's see what we can get done, And as far as renting a hall or anything in the past, well we have always had all you kids receptions at the house anyway, you know what I bet we can do this," Annie said excitedly
Bridget sat quietly, "Are you ok honey?" Brian asked,
"Oh yeah, I am just a bit overwhelmed" And I am actually a little but light headed,"
"you do look a little faint, Bridget why don't you lie down on the couch and put your feet up." Annie said.
She was sitting in between Brian and Matt when she got up she must have stood up too quickly and her legs went out from under her Matt caught her and picked he up and put her on the couch and put her feet up.
"I will get a cold cloth for her head." Eric said and went into the kitchen,
He came back with one and handed it to Brian he took the cloth from his dad and put on her forehead.
"Wow is my am I ever dizzy." she said as she came to,
Brian stroked her cheek," it's no wonder with all this excitement you fainted honey"
"You got up so quickly your blood pressure must have not been able to compensate and you fainted" Sarah said.
"I am ok now I think" and went to sit up and then she lay right back down. "Oh I guess I am not, maybe I will lay here for a little while."
Just then there was a commotion and the kids must have come in the house, they were talking to Mary and wanted to know what was for dinner,
"Oh I better get to finishing dinner the natives are getting restless." Annie said
"I will help you too." Sarah said "I think I am staying put for a while." Bridget told them. "Hey is there any ginger ale? I think it will help settle my stomach."
"Yeah" Eric said "Annie made sure she picked some up today in case you or Mary needed it I will get you a bottle or do you want it in a cup with a straw?"
"Cup with a straw please." She said
Annie had the Chicken casserole done within the next 15 minutes and also made Bridget cup of soup in case she couldn't eat the casserole she came in
"Are you up to eating?" Annie asked
" I am a lot better now I."Brian helped her to her feet.
"You ok" he asked
"Ya I'm good" she said "I think I just need to take it easy."
he supported her as they walked into the dining room. "I remembered the soup" Annie told Bridget "eat this with bread sticks and it will keep your stomach settled"
Lucy saw the soup and said "yeah that stuff kept me fed the first few months I was pregnant too."
"Yeah and after that I was at her beck and call making her all the food she wanted. All her weird cravings so be prepared Brian" Kevin laughed.
Carlos and Matt agreed. They both said they went through the same thing. They all ate, Bridget tried the food but pushed it away, "Yeah I don't think I can I think I will just eat the soup"
and when everyone seemed to be done, Annie Said "the dishes can wait, let's go see what you have set up in the living room, because Brian, they all want to know. Come on let's go in the living room and watch what Matt recorded from Brian's presentation earlier," He recorded it" Bridget said "Oh wow I can't wait to see it."
They all crammed in the living room and Brian turned the TV and DVD player on "I don't know how the quality is, I only saw the beginning it looked ok. Remember it is recorded from Matt's phone,"
He hit play they all watched, and the characters came in and did their bit that Brian came up with. They saw how the Japanese loved it they saw Brian introduced and the rest of his presentation, they thought he was awesome and they saw how the Japanese gave him a standing ovation at the end Brian stood in the back watching everyone's reaction. He was pretty pleased with himself, 45 minutes later when it was done they turned around and they gave him a standing ovation. He did little bow. You were wonderful no wonder Natasha offered you what she did." Bridget said "You nailed it"
"Ok now tell everyone what happened later when we all went out to celebrate." Matt said
Brian told him about being everything Natasha said to him and he could name his own contract and his promotion on the first day to VP of marketing and development they all congratulated him. "Yeah it was a really good day actually a really good couple of days." Hey Matt as much as I love having you at the house I think I will be ok with just Bridget tonight, I know you want some time with Sarah and you have some stuff to discuss." Brian said
"Yeah, I think you are doing pretty well so I don't have to baby sit you" he teased "I will stay here tonight and I do miss my boys"
"You know I am actually getting tired, it really has been a long day for me. I have been up since 5:15 am and so has Bridget, I think she needs her rest too so I think we will head home soon,"
"Yeah I think that is a good idea Bridget said "Oh did you call Nicole?" She asked Brian
"Yes I did" he replied "She said she would you just have to let her know what time,
Bridget said" to Annie and all the other women is 11 am too early?" No that will be great See you tomorrow.
Bridget and Brian headed out back to the apartment.
They talked on the way home "Twins Brian I can't believe they think we are having twins"
"I know. Good thing I have a big family to show us the ropes. I know at least we will have a lot of help and it we really are having twins WE WILL REALLY NEED THE HELP" Brian said
Back at the apartment
They got back there as Stephanie and her Japanese friend Hashi were just getting there. "Hi Brian Hi Bridget" Stephanie said
Brian asked "are you just getting back now?"
"Yup we are, we just back from Ivy's" Stephanie and Hashi went into her apartment and Brian and Bridget went upstairs to theirs,
"Wow what a long day Brian said I am glad to be home." He grabbed her and kissed her and said "I Am extra glad to be here just the two of us I know I told my family I was tired, but I am really not that tired I just wanted to get you alone."
He locked the door and they brought all their things in the bedroom. He grabbed her tablets a bottle if ginger ale and cracker and out it on her side of the bed in case she needed it for her nausea later.
He went back to her and she kissed him and said "I am not all that tired either they undress and lay on the bed he lay on his right side facing her she was on her back, gently rubbed her tummy he could tell there was a slight bump,
"I still can't believe you are pregnant. You are carrying my child or I guess I should say children. It seems so unreal" He said
"I know I can hardly believe it myself" she said,
It was nice that they were alone and didn't have to be up early and didn't have to be anywhere until 11 am They were intimate and it was slow and sweet and they fell asleep a few hours later.