Chapter 90
"Hey" he called walking in.
"Hello." Ella said softly from the kitchen.
It sounded suspiciously like she had been crying and he looked over at the tv and saw that Finding Nemo was on again.
"Tough day?" he asked.
She came out and looked at him.
He took in the bathrobe and her hair dragged back into a band. She held out the dish of ice cream she had been hiding.
He chuckled.
"Hey." She grouched.
"Sorry. You look like a poster child for depression." He confessed.
"Try PMT and you might be right. Now go away before I kill you and plead self defence."
She told him and moved over to the sofa and sat back down.
"Ok I'm going to go back out. I will see you in an hour." He lent down and kissed her.
"Yum. " he said. "Pistachio flavoured."
She glared some more at him until he left her alone.
He drove to Yabbie creek and bought a large box of chocolates, some more ice cream and a bunch of flowers. He picked up a bunch of magazines before heading to the DVD store and picking up a collection of titles.
He walked back through the door and she was lying on the sofa. He walked over to her and knelt down by her.
"Hey." He said softly.
She wiped her eyes and looked at him.
"Nemo found his way home again." She said to him and saw him grin.
"He does that every time I've noticed." He grinned.
She nodded.
"I've discovered the meaning of life is just to keep swimming." She told him.
He kissed her again.
"I've brought you some goodies."
"You just want to keep me in a good mood."
"Hun, if this is you in a good mood I'd hate to see you depressed!" he finally said.
She nodded.
"Nic is having her scan tomorrow so I thought I'd combine PMT with depression and get it over and done with."
He chuckled softly.
"Great. Sit up." He said.
She did so slowly.
He handed her the bag with chocolates and magazines in. He put the flowers on the table and saw her grin. He fetched a vase with water in it and put the flowers in. Then he handed over the DVD's.
"I have toffee and cookie dough. Which one would you like first?" he asked.
He looked at her face seeing the conflicted look on it
"How about both?" he asked.
She nodded with a grin.
He got them two big bowls of ice cream and went and sat next to her on the sofa.
"Which dvd?" he asked.
She shrugged.
"I'm not sure you picked all of these titles for me. I don't like James Bond."
He flushed.
"Maybe that one was so I could cope with your hormones." He suggested.
She handed it to him.
"Well let's get it over with." She handed him the film and he smiled at her.
He went and swapped over the films.
"I'll be down in a minute." She said to him and pressed a kiss to his cheek.
He smiled at her and watch as she moved carefully up the stairs. He stood and took the empty bowl into the kitchen and washed it up. He straightened up the rest of the kitchen and pulled the throw off the sofa and shook it. He found a baby name book and a pregnancy book she had placed down by the cushions and his heart leapt into his mouth.
"There are Nic's she left them here last time she was over." Ella said from her position on the stairs.
He looked at her, she had had a quick shower and gotten dressed. He saw her smile.
"I wished they were ours." He confessed.
"I know. Me too. I hid them when you came in because I didn't want you to…" she stopped.
"Think you were depressing yourself even more."
She nodded.
He took them through to the kitchen and put them on the table out of the way.
"Are we watching this movie?" he turned and asked her. "Because the ice cream is melting."
She walked over to him and put her arms around him.
"Yes." She said and kissed him.
He looked at her and led her over to the sofa and sat with her. She pulled the throw over herself and snuggled up to him.
"You are wonderful." She told him.
"I know. " he said smugly.
She glared at him.
"I can still get away with killing you, you know." She told him.
"I know that too, why do you think I bought the chocolates." He said handing her the box.
She grinned and reached for one.
"Nic. Calm down." Ella said to her.
"I am calm." She stated. "They needed me to drink a lot so they could do the scan and I'm bursting for a we!" she confessed.
Ella laughed.
"What time does Geoff get here." She asked still grinning as the girl shifted on the chair again.
"He doesn't know. He's at college so he may not make it." She said and reached for a magazine flicking through the glossy pages.
She saw Rachel walking toward them.
"Rachel." Nic gasped.
"Come on through Nic. Hey Ella, how are you doing?" She said to her.
Their eyes met but the smile Ella gave her was genuine.
"I'm ok. This one is about to burst."
"Sorry Nic but we need you to drink so much so we get the best picture."
Nic nodded.
"Just hurry up before I have an accident."
Rachel laughed as she led them through.
Nic eased up on the bed and lifted her top. Rachel smoothed the cold gel on her belly and pulled out the wand of the ultrasound.
"Ok. " she said. "We have a heartbeat."
Rachel looked at the girl and switched on the audio so they could hear it.
"Wow. Step Mama." She murmured and reached for Ella's hand.
Ella grinned at her.
Rachel turned the monitor.
"Here is your baby." She told her.
Nic peered at it.
"I need a little help." she said finally and the other two woman laughed.
Ella came round the bed and pointed out the baby to her.
Nic smiled before slow tears eased down her face.
"Hey." Ella said softly.
"You know I would swap don't you." She said finally.
"Nic." Ella murmured.
"In a heartbeat Step-mama. I'd give you this baby."
Ella reached over and stroked her hair.
"It's ok Nic. It really is. It just wasn't meant to be." She pressed a kiss to the girls' cheek.
"I know it hurts you to see me like this, all excited but I want to share this with you and I know that is selfish but I want this baby to know you." Nic eased up off the bed and looked over at Rachel. "And I really really need to pee." She stated.
Rachel laughed wiping away her own tears and handed Nic some tissue to clean off the gel while she printed off the scans.
Nic climbed off the bed and disappeared through the door leaving them alone.
"She's grown up." Rachel said softly.
Ella nodded.
"She is wonderful." Ella agreed.
Nic came back a moment later and collected her handbag and the scans.
"Tell me I don't have to drink so much next time?" she asked Rachel.
"No. You are 12 weeks and everything is ok." Rachel told her.
"Ok." she grinned. "Time to hit the Diner and get cake."
Ella laughed.
"And freak your dad out?" she asked her.
"I'm sure I heard Rachel say triplets didn't you?" Nic said with a grin.
Rachel chuckled.
"If I did I don't think your dad would be freaking."
Nic nodded.
"Nope you would have had to revive me after I fainted and we could have forgotten the natural birth plan." Nic said grinning.
They left the hospital and climbed into Ella's car to make their way to the diner.
"Hey Darls." Irene greeted them as they went in.
Nic hand over the scan.
"Oh my word." She said to them. "I guess its official now." She handed the scan back to Nic.
Nic nodded.
"What can I get you?" she asked them as they moved over to a table.
"I need chocolate." Nic said
Roman walked over to them and kissed Ella.
"I thought I heard your voices. Everything ok?" he asked.
Ella nodded.
"I need some food I'm hungry." She told him,
He chuckled.
"See I told you ice cream does not make a nutritious breakfast." He grinned at her.
Nic looked at her.
"Breakfast?" she asked.
Ella nodded a flush running across her skin.
"No toast?" Irene asked her.
She shook her head.
"I like ice cream." She said defensively as they all looked at her.
"So what would you like?" Roman asked her.
She grinned.
"Surprise me." She told him.
He chuckled.
"How did you get on Nic?" he asked her.
She grinned and showed him the scan.
"Hey." He said and placed a kiss on the top of her head.
"And we heard the heartbeat." She told him. "It was just like…" she paused.
"Wow?" Roman asked her.
She nodded.
He laughed and pressed another kiss to her head before turning and going back into the kitchen.
"I depressed you didn't I?" Nic asked when they were alone.
Ella grinned and shook her head.
"Not unless you are responsible for PMT too?"
"Oh god. Why didn't you tell me I wouldn't have made you come to the scan with me." She said guiltily.
"Nic, calm down ok. It's fine honestly." She said and smiled at her.
Nic looked down at her scan.
"If you start crying Nicole Franklin Harris Campbell I will slap you."
"But I'm pregnant." She gasped.
Ella laughed.
"Yeah but I'm hormonal. I'll get away with it."
Nic looked at her and laughed.