Bless the Broken Road

"Mmmm," Ben moaned. He rolled over and cuddled against the back of Miranda.

"Well, a good morning to you," Miranda said with a smile. She'd been up for half an hour already.

"Morning, baby," Ben said in a gruff morning voice. "Did we sleep well?" He asked with a yawn.

"Yes. And you?" She asked him as he kissed her back making her shiver.

Ben put his arms around her. "Very well."

"Good. So, I have an idea," she said pulling the covers up to her neck.

"What's that?"

"I say that we steal these covers and the sheets and maybe a pillow or two if we can manage. And we take them home. They are so comfortable."

He laughed, his body shaking the bed. "They are." Miranda touched his waist. "But, you know, we could just get our own."

"If we did, I'd never leave the bed."

"And that would be a bad thing, right?" He asked into her ear. Miranda bumped his body with hers and he grunted.

Miranda turned around. Ben reached up and touched her face. "But, no, really… um, you know what I was thinking about?" He shook his head and touched her stomach. She smiled as the words got stuck in her throat.

"What is it, Miranda?"

"I feel guilty being so happy when Adele died a year ago."

Ben's face fell. "I know. I know, you do. I do, too. Adele was a good person."

"Yeah, she was. She was so fierce and while it was such a happy day for us, I feel bad for Richard, you know?"

Ben nodded. "You should give him a call. Talk to him. Maybe tell him the great news?" He smiled, showing his white teeth. She was glad that he understood how important Richard was to her. Miranda nodded. "Okay. I'll shower while you call him. And then you'll shower and we'll eat and start our day." He kissed her on the lips. "And it's okay to be happy. I think she'd want you to be happy. So would he."

"Okay," Miranda said quietly as he got out of bed. He brought her cell phone over to her before going to the bathroom. She dialed her mentor's number.

"Hello?" He asked.

"Good morning, Chie—Richard?" She sputtered.

"Miranda?"

"Yes, sir?"

"You should be celebrating your anniversary with your husband, not talking to me."

"I am, but I was just calling to see if—"

"Yes, Mandy, I'm okay."

"I wasn't… implying that…," her voice trailed off. She couldn't finish the lie.

"You were. And I'm fine. Honestly."

"It's just that it's been—"

He interrupted her again. "I know how long it's been. A year and one day since I lost my wife. 361 days since I buried her. Uh, three months since I broke down about her not being here, missing her so much I threw up and I wanted to rip my heart out. Two weeks since I last visited her grave. A… a week since I last cried about Adele. And zero seconds since I stopped thinking about her. I never stop thinking about her." A tear fell from Miranda's eye. "I know how long it's been," he repeated softly.

"Sir, I'm so sorry."

"Don't be."

"I'm the one who performed surgery on her that day," Miranda said.

"Stop it now. The surgery was flawless. You did a great job. No one could have done a better job, including me. Do you hear me?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good. Don't have regrets about something you couldn't control. Please. You were brilliant, so it's insulting to my teachings that you think otherwise." Miranda nodded. "You know, Bailey, I have very few regrets about being a surgeon and about being Chief. The decisions I made, I didn't do for myself, but for the hospital, for my staff, for the patients, you know what I mean?"

"Yes."

"But when it comes to my marriage to Adele, I'm so full of regret. I loved her and she loved me. But…," he sighed. "You know what happened. I destroyed it." Miranda nodded. He'd had an affair. "When I cry, I cry because I know that although she was sick at the end, there were times I should have been there and could have been there, but I wasn't." Miranda waited, sure that he wasn't finished speaking. "Do me a favor, Miranda Bailey."

"Yes," she asked her voice strong.

"The love you share with Ben is so important, take care of it. Take care of him because he is giving and he'll take care of you and Tuck. He's such a good man. The kind of man I should have been."

"You are a great man!" Miranda told him.

"I am now. Because of Adele," he responded. They were quiet for a while, each lost in their own thoughts. Miranda watched Ben as he tightened his towel. He sat on the edge of the bed and looked at her over his shoulder, smiling. Richard began laughing in her ear.

"Chief?" He continued to laugh. "Sir? Is everything alright?"

"Yes, yes, yes. I was just thinking about Adele and how just before she died she said that she wasn't worried about me. She knew I would be alright."

"Yeah? Well, I agree."

"She said she knew I would be fine because you would be there and you would watch out for me and keep me in check."

Miranda joined in with his laughter. "She's right. I will."

They stopped laughing. "I know, Bailey. I know."

"Sir?"

"I am fine, Miranda."

"I know you are."

"Good."

"Um, I just wanted to tell you something."

"Do not say anything about that board seat."

"I'm not," she answered quickly.

He made a noise. "I didn't want to tell you this before, but since you called and you're the person I trust most, we're having a meeting tomorrow to discuss everything."

"Everything?" She asked her eyes wide.

"Everything," he repeated. Miranda's heart fluttered and she held her stomach. She looked at Ben who was digging through a duffel bag and pulling out clothes to wear. She smiled. All of the pieces were falling in place. "So what did you want to tell me?"

Miranda took a deep breath. "I'm pregnant."

Richard gasped loudly. "Oh. Er, Congratulations, Miranda! And tell Ben I said congratulations to him as well." Miranda said she would. "How far along are you?"

"Just a month, but I wanted you to be one of the first people to know. I haven't even told my parents yet."

"Well, hot diggity, Bailey! I'm happy for you two. This is beautiful… beautiful news."

"Do you think—"

"No, it won't."

"Won't what?" Miranda asked playing with her hair.

"It won't have any effect on whether or not you become a board member."

"I…," her voice trailed off again.

"It's not a bad question, but you should know me better than. I wouldn't let that be a factor. No one even has to know until the thing pops outta you." Miranda laughed. "This is great."

"Thank you, sir. I don't think I want anyone to know just yet."

"Of course. Of course. So, how was your anniversary?" He asked.

"It's still kind of going on." Miranda blushed as she watched Ben turn on the TV and mute it.

"Well, don't let me interrupt. I will see you when you get back. And thank you for calling. For caring that much." The call ended.

Ben got on the bed and crawled towards her. "So?" He asked looking into her eyes.

"He said that he was okay."

Ben nodded. "And?"

"He thanked me for calling him. He said Adele was never worried about him because she knew that he had me." Ben gestured for her to keep going. "And to take care of our love because it's important."

"So true. Wise words, but, baby, did he say anything about the seat? What about the baby? I mean, I don't want to sound all career-driven, but… what else?"

Miranda spoke quickly: "Oh, he said that he was happy that I'm pregnant and that there's a meeting tomorrow about everything, including the seat on the board."

"Ha ha! Yes! I knew it, Miranda. This is yours. We just have to stay positive." He kissed her stomach. "And this baby is… well, he or she is magic."