I think this is the one you've all been waiting for...
"Good morning." William smiled. He was clearly happy to see Lizzy up and about before 9.
It was good to see some of the worry lines ease around his mouth. After surveying the breakfast offerings, she asked, "Any chance I could get some tea and toast around here?"
"I'm at your service. Please don't take this the wrong way but I need to ask, how are you feeling this morning?"
Lizzy was suitably chagrined. William should be able to easily ask her how she's feeling without fear of her attitude, "I'm sorry I was so grumpy yesterday. I'll do whatever it takes to make it up to you." Wrapping her arms around him she sent a mischievous look into his eyes.
Grinning, William couldn't resist a kiss. "You feeling well is the only thing I need. We all wake up on the wrong side of the bed sometimes. I hope you'll tolerate me when I do."
"You've got a large credit in the bank which you can draw upon in the future. By the way, is Georgie up yet? I'm trying to figure out the order of the day. We'd made plans to visit with your aunt and shop for some last minute school things."
"I haven't seen her yet but we should rouse her soon. She needs to pack everything up. Our plane is set to takeoff at 8 tomorrow morning and I don't want to be delayed getting to Hanscom."
"We'll make sure that's done. So what do you have on tap for the day?"
"I've got some work calls scheduled and I think Charlie wanted to meet up at some point. I think he's fairly flexible so I'd rather do it when you're tied up with my sister and aunt. That way I can be available if you need me for anything."
"I believe your aunt and uncle would like to have a family dinner before Georgie heads back for the semester so keep that in the back of your mind while making plans." Lizzy settled at the breakfast bar, toast and tea in hand. Munching on the dry toast, she felt her stomach further settle. She was glad to have put some wheat crackers in her bedside table. They'd helped stabilize her stomach, holding off the nausea until she could get a proper breakfast underway. She was finally coming to grip with the reality that a trip to the doctor needed to be in her plans...and soon. Having deftly avoided his inquiries this morning she simply didn't want to worry William until she had some more information.
"Remind me what you have in store while I'm in DC?"
"I've invited Maria for a bit of movie watching and dinner here. She's going to spend the night and head back home sometime on Saturday."
William smiled. He was glad Lizzy's sister would be with her while he was away. Not that she needed someone to always be with her but he had to admit he felt better knowing she wouldn't be alone. Taking in their few quiet moments over breakfast, William was able to appreciate how normal this could be, and was looking forward to this routine in the coming months.
Scooping up her plate and mug, Lizzy deposited them in the dishwasher before heading for the kitchen door. "I'm going to hop through a shower. If you see Georgie emerge from her room, can you let her know I'm looking to get the day started?"
"I'll begin to rouse her now before I take another look through those spreadsheets you rescued me from last night. I'll be in my study if you need me." A lingering kiss and they parted ways in a much better frame of mind than the prior day.
Showered and dressed Lizzy buzzed through the condo checking in on William and Georgie. Her sister-in-law was heading to a shower and William was trapped on a conference call. Tucked away in their bedroom, Lizzy pulled out her cell phone to place a call to Dr. Daniel's office.
"Elizabeth, its good to hear from you. I hope all is well."
"Dr. Daniels? I didn't expect you to answer. Did I call the wrong number?"
"No, I give my private patients my cell phone and that is what you reached me on. What can I help you with?"
"I haven't been feeling well for several days now, well mostly in the first half of each day, and I thought I should get checked out. Would you have some time to see me?"
"Can you describe your symptoms?"
Lizzy talked through the upset stomachs, sleepiness, and a variety of other symptoms which seemed insignificant on their own but taken together might possibly be significant. She was able to confirm that she hadn't had any headaches or blurred vision in the past week or so, she realized with relief.
"Well I can pop over this afternoon if you'd like or I can see you in my office tomorrow at ten. I think I have a feel for what's going on but if you or William think its urgent I'm happy to stop by."
"No! I mean, thank you, but tomorrow is certainly soon enough. I'll see you at ten." The last thing she needed was for Dr. Daniels to show up here with William pacing in the room next door. Breathing a sigh of relief, Lizzy disconnected from the call and tried to push any concerns from her mind. She'd have a better sense of what was going on with her body tomorrow. No sense fretting over it until then.
After checking her emails and reviewing their shopping list Lizzy set out to find Georgiana. She needed to get out of the house and accomplish something today. She was pleased to find Georgie had just finished her breakfast. "I need a few minutes to brush my teeth and I'll meet you by the door," Georgie said as she saw Lizzy enter the kitchen.
"Perfect. I was just starting to get antsy. I'll let William know we're heading out." Turning back towards the office she knocked quietly before pushing open the door. William had his headset on, pacing the room, oblivious that anyone had entered his domain. Lizzy patiently waited to get his attention. On his next turn she managed to catch his eye, blow a kiss towards him and wave goodbye. "Can you hold on one moment Louis? I'll be right back." Placing the headset down William walked over to give his wife a proper kiss. "Call me later once the details for dinner get ironed out, ok?"
"Will do and tell Louis I said hello." Lizzy smirked and headed out the door.
It wasn't a long walk to the Harvard COOP and while it was chilly, the sidewalks were clear and the sky was bright.
"You're walking so much better Lizzy."
"I am so relieved to be rid of the crutches. I couldn't do this walk if not for the fact that my knee is still pretty well wrapped up and we're taking it at a reasonable pace. I really miss running though so this will have to suffice."
Silence rose up between them, neither thinking of an obvious topic. Georgie hated that she was still so awkward around Lizzy. Making an effort to speak, she tried again. "Thank you for taking me shopping today. I really appreciate it."
"There are no thanks necessary. I needed to go anyway so its really no big deal." Silence reigned again and this time Lizzy realized she needed to make the effort. "Where do you want to go to lunch afterwards?"
Georgie laughed, "Are you always hungry? I just ate breakfast, I don't think I'm ready to think about lunch yet."
"It seems I am always hungry doesn't it. I wish I could say it's because I'm a growing girl but those days are behind me. Do you think your brother will still love me if I become fat and round?"
"With the way my brother looks at you, I think he'd still think you were the most beautiful woman in the world, even if you added 30 or 40 pounds."
"I guess I'm fortunate that love is blind." Lizzy laughed.
"You are fortunate. I wish I had someone who loved me as much as my brother loves you."
Lizzy paused, thinking about the words Georgie uttered as much as the sentiment behind them. "Georgie, you know that you are the most important person in the world to your brother. He loves you so much and would do anything for you."
Looking down at her feet, Georgie couldn't look up at Lizzy or she'd never say what needed to be said. She still felt bad about her treatment of Elizabeth. She needed Lizzy to know that it would never happen again. "I know William loves me, in a brotherly way, but you're wrong about one thing. You are the most important person to him. I was...I was very, very jealous of you before. You see, my brother has to love me. It's kind of a requirement. He has chosen to love you. That is much more powerful. It's ok though. I've realized I'm glad he found someone to love. You make him happy in a way that I never could. I just hope that someday, someone will feel that way about me too."
"He makes me happy too. But Georgie, your brother loves you because of the person you have been and the person you will become. You need to remember that William married someone he barely knew simply so he could keep you with him. That's not a gesture one makes for someone they have to care for. We're fortunate we can now confidently say we love on another. We couldn't say that on our wedding day."
Their conversation had carried them to the store and each of the girls was silently relieved the shopping could now demand their attention. Lizzy lost herself in the books, eyeing the various texts arrayed on shelves for the upcoming semester. The rest of her books had arrived for the semester. Grabbing a basket, Lizzy quickly filled it with the required textbooks and other materials that hadn't arrived yet when she last stopped in. Her shopping done, she went to find Georgiana.
She wasn't that hard to find. The Clinique counter was a logical stop and she found Georgie trying on different lip colors. "That pink one is beautiful on you. You should get it."
"Do you think William would be upset if I wore a little make up. He was so upset last year when he found me at school with make up on."
Lizzy looked at her sister-in-law. She could be so young sometimes. Picking up a clean mascara wand, she dipped it in a bottle and gently applied a thin coating on her eyelashes. A light pink blush captured Lizzy's attention and she applied it to Georgie's cheeks giving her a little color to brighten up her face. The combination was subtle but lovely. Lizzy handed her a mirror. "What do you think?"
Studying her face closely, a small smile rose on her lips. "I like it. I think it looks really nice."
"Alright then lets get someone to help us purchase these three items. It's my treat. You have beautiful skin and don't need a lot of make up. That said, every once in awhile a girl likes to feel a little feminine. This can help accomplish that. Make up shouldn't transform, it should enhance. Just remember that and you'll be fine."
Their purchases completed, Lizzy checked her phone and saw a text from Aunt Sophia. She was already in Cambridge and wanted to meet them at a nearby restaurant for lunch. They'd agreed to meet at Henrietta's Table at the Charles Hotel and the girls began to make their way over, their purchases in tow.
Sophia was indeed waiting, having already secured a table for three. "It looks like you girls have had a productive morning. Are the school supplies all in order?"
"As you see, along with a little makeup for Georgie. What do you think?"
Sophia took hold of her niece's chin moving her head from side to side. "Very subtle and feminine. I approve. You did a lovely job." Georgie blushed from the inspection but was a bit relieved that her aunt approved. This was the first time she'd worn make up since she'd left her last school. For some reason it felt like an accomplishment to simply do something appropriate. Maybe that should be her goal.
"Now Lizzy, I understand you've been feeling under the weather. How are you feeling dear."
Lizzy barely refrained from rolling her eyes. Did her husband literally tell everyone she'd been sick. "My dear husband and sister-in-law attempted to poison me with chicken vindaloo in New York. I don't think I've ever eaten anything as spicy as that in my life. And I'm Mexican! It's taken a few days for my stomach to recover but I can assure you I'm starving right now and could probably eat a good portion of this menu." Lizzy laughed, her attempt to make light of everyone's worry.
"Oh good, I'm glad you're feeling better. I can't tolerate really spicy Indian food either. Well let's order because we have a lot to accomplish this afternoon. We need to be done early too. Dinner is at 5:30 to ensure Georgie has enough time to pack her purchases tonight. William mentioned you have an early start tomorrow from Hanscom."
"So William knows the plan for dinner?"
"Yes dear. I spoke with him earlier today and he'll meet us in Beacon Hill around 5."
William needed to put work away for a few hours and concentrate on the things that mattered in Boston. Staring at his phone he decided to break down and call Dr. Daniels. He knew he should trust Lizzy to take care of herself but perhaps the doctor could give William some advice or tell him some things to watch out for. That was really all this was about.
It only took two rings for the call to be answered. "Mr. Darcy, good to hear from you."
"Dr. Daniels, I'm sorry to bother you. Do you have a few minutes to chat?"
It shouldn't have been a surprise that he'd hear from this particular patient not long after receiving a call from his wife. Withholding a chuckle, Dr. Daniels calmly responded, "Certainly, how can I help."
Releasing a breath he hadn't even realized he was holding, William decided to plow ahead, "It's Lizzy. I'm worried about her and could use your advice. She's been throwing up, at least twice, maybe more, over the past week, falling asleep at odd hours, and moody. Each one of these things she has a reasonably good excuse for - bad food, still recovering from her accident, but I'm not sure. I've suggested seeing you or a doctor in New York but she's been so resistant. I need to go to Asia for a week or so and I feel uneasy leaving her when her health is so uncertain."
"William, you do appreciate that even if she came to see me or another physician we couldn't discuss it with you."
"Of course. I may not like it but I'd feel better just knowing she's been seen by someone."
There must be a story behind why Elizabeth hadn't mentioned the appointment and he knew better then to disclose it. He'd dig into that story more tomorrow during the visit. "You've married a sensible woman. I'm sure if she's not feeling right, she'll give me a call. If things haven't gotten better in a week or so, don't hesitate to call again but I think you should trust her."
Sighing, William ran his fingers through his hair. "She'd probably kill me if she knew I'd called you so please don't say anything."
"You're my patient too so never feel bad about calling when you are concerned about something. That said, I won't say anything to Elizabeth. Keep in touch and if you have any other questions or concerns don't hesitate to call me." Dr. Daniels ended the call and released the laugh. Sometimes being a primary care doctor drew on skills more closely associated with a psychologist or social worker. It was why he loved caring for families. He could develop relationships with all of them and it helped him be a better doctor. Tomorrow's visit with Lizzy would prove enlightening. He had a feeling he'd be hearing from William again in a few days. Perhaps he should clear some time on his schedule for Monday so he could see them together. He'd suggest it.
Putting his phone in his pocket, William looked up at the clock. It was after noon already and he needed to get going if he wasn't going to keep Charlie waiting at the restaurant. Grabbing his keys and wallet, William made his way out of the house and up to Harvard Square.
Settling into a booth at their favorite pub, William seated himself with an open view of the door so he could see Charlie when he arrived. He was left waiting for only a few minutes before that characteristic grin bounced into the pub. Charlie quickly slid into the bench greeting his friend enthusiastically. "Will, so glad this worked out."
"Likewise, when did you get back to town?"
"Tuesday. I've spent the last two days getting things sorted with my advisor. I think everything is set. Can't believe it's our last semester."
The pair ordered their burgers and beers and quickly returned to well worn topics about classes and projects, Darcy's time spent at PE in recent days and plans for the semester. Bingley was also spending this final semester focused on a project related to his family's business that would fulfill most of his credits. B.H. Partners, had recently acquired an Canadian engineering firm and Charlie was going to spend the semester working through the issues related to the trans-border merger. The results would hopefully be a compelling paper on the legal challenges associated with cross-border acquisitions. The boys were comfortable chatting about these safe topics and none of the awkwardness in December seemed to carry over into the new year.
"How were things on the home front over the holidays?" William tentatively asked. He knew Charlie wouldn't bring up Caroline but it was important to let his friend know he didn't need to avoid discussing his personal life, even if he never wanted to see a certain family member ever again.
Charlie's shoulders eased a bit, releasing some of the tension he was carrying about whether he'd have to hide part of his life from his best friend. William noticed the change and was glad he'd asked. "To answer the obvious, Caroline is miserable and she made certain everyone knew it. But trust me Darce, no one has any sympathy for her in the Bingley household. My parents are mortified by her behavior. My folks and I talked a lot over the holidays. I filled them in with additional details of her behavior in recent years. We came to realize after Louisa died, we'd acted as if Caroline could do no wrong. Anything she wanted she got. This past semester was a real wake up call for my parents. I hope it's not too late to influence her on what is right. They're trying. Dad made her work throughout the break although I'm not certain who was punished more, him or Caroline."
William fought a smile from creeping its way across his lips.
"I see that smile but you should really feel sorry for my dad. The first day he had her fill in for the receptionist. That lasted all of two hours until Caroline insulted one of our biggest clients and dad had to pull her off the desk. After that, she wasn't permitted to speak with any external contacts. Dad had her sit in meetings taking notes and typing them up afterwards. It was the only thing she knew how to do that she couldn't possibly mess up and he could keep a constant watch on her. At least after all these years of schooling she knows how to take notes!"
"It's actually an excellent way to learn the business. For years I'd sit next to my dad in meetings working as the note taker. We'd spend lunch and dinner talking over the topics covered in the meetings. As a result I had a lot of exposure to different issues in the company and how my father worked through resolving them. Caroline should count herself fortunate for the opportunity."
Charlie laughed, "Somehow I don't think she saw it as the opportunity you did. At any rate, Caroline is pretty smart so I think she actually did help my dad in the end. Enough about my sister, I hear we're going on a triple date on Saturday night."
"Yea. Do you know this Billy Collins guy? His name's familiar but I can't place him."
Charlie looked a bit uncomfortable, "He's ahh, nice. Very earnest and a hardworking guy. I think he was in our constitutional law class."
"Uh oh. For you to describe someone as nice and earnest doesn't bode well."
"I honestly don't know any harm of him, he's just not the kind of guy you'd likely go out with for a beer. That said, there aren't a lot of people you'd hang out with."
William eyed Charlie closely, "Would you invite him out for a beer?" This was the heart of the matter. William always had kept only a tight circle of very close friends whereas Charlie tended to be friendly to most everyone.
"I haven't but we will Saturday night so let's say I would. I look forward to getting to know him better."
"Boy Jane really has you tied up in knots doesn't she."
"And Lizzy hasn't done the same to you?" Charlie shot back.
"Of course she has. I'll gladly go out on double or trip dates with whoever she wants me to because I know it will make her happy. At least I'll admit it from the start."
"Is that William Darcy teasing? She really has changed you. I'm impressed. Speaking of, how is Lizzy?"
A shadow crossed William's face as he thought about the past week and how sick she had been yesterday. Pushing the thought from his mind he answered the only way he could, "Fine. She's fine."
"You don't sound convinced Will. Jane said something about Lizzy being sick yesterday. Is she alright?"
"She woke this morning feeling fine and she was up with the girls until 11 last night so I guess she's perfectly fine."
"Is it a cold? I remember Lizzy caring for Jane so well and I'm sure her girlfriends would want to repay the favor. "
"No. It's not that. She says her stomach's been wonky - whatever that means. She's thrown up a couple of mornings and she's been falling asleep at random times. Her appetite is good, its great actually, once she gets through the morning."
"If I didn't know better I'd say it sounds like she's pregnant," Charlie laughed.
"Well we know it's definitely not that! We're smart enough to take precautions. I just wish she'd see a doctor."
"Jane doesn't have Lizzy's independent streak and I know I could never force Jane to see a doctor unless she thought it was a good idea. I can only imagine how, um, resistant Lizzy might be to your suggestions. Hopefully it was just a passing stomach flu and she is perfectly well."
"Very diplomatic Charlie. I'm impressed. At any rate, I hope its just a passing virus and that she's truly fine now. I guess I'm just more anxious because of her recent accident and because I likely need to travel to Asia next week."
"If it helps, I'm happy to check in on her while your in Asia. I'm sure Jane and Charlotte will also."
"Thanks. How goes things with Jane by the way."
"I guess similar as to how Lizzy is feeling...fine. That's not quite fair. They've vastly improved since December. It's just that she seems frustrated with me. You see, I want to surprise Jane by taking her to Paris for spring break and so I'm trying to play coy. The problem is she still doesn't trust me completely. I can tell she's getting annoyed about Spring break. She thinks I'm being indecisive and unable to commit to spending time with her over break when this is our last semester in the same city for a year. Do you know how hard it is to surprise someone as organized as Jane?"
"It's probably as hard as it is to surprise me."
Charlie laughed, "You're right. So if we were going to surprise you, how would you advise going about it."
"When do you want to tell her about your plans?"
"That's a good question. No more than a week before we leave, and probably no sooner then 48 hours."
After a few minutes of quiet, William began, "To throw her off the trail, why don't you tell her you're going somewhere else?"
"Then she'll write out a check for the trip and make plans related to those places. I'd already mentioned maybe skiing out west or Mexico and she's trying to get me to nail it down."
"You have to appreciate her focus and persistence." The boys sat in silence for a few more minutes. "I've got it. Lizzy's surgery is during Spring Break. Tell Jane I've asked you to stay around because I'm worried about how it will go. You want to stay behind to support me. I can get Lizzy in on the surprise and she'll go along."
"That's perfect. It'll completely appeal to Jane and all of this talk about Spring Break plans will die down," Charlie paused, "But Will, do you need me to stay around? After everything we've been through, I'd certainly be here for you. Paris isn't going anywhere."
"No certainly not. The surgery is pretty straight forward. I'm sure she'll be fine and I'll have family around in any case. Probably more than I want to."
"Ok. Thanks. I appreciate you roping Lizzy into this. Let me know when you talk to Lizzy so I can talk to Jane about it."
The two men finished their drinks and settled up the check before going their separate ways outside the pub. William took a long look around the neighborhood, appreciating that in a few months he'd truly be leaving this place as a student. Eight years, eight very formative years had transpired on this campus.
"That's quite a set of facts you've managed to compile about the Asian business. I'm not sure the board appreciated how serious this was when we met earlier this month."
"Louis and the finance team have been tremendously helpful but I think I now need to go to Asia to speak with our customers directly. I want to see Marc in action. I want to meet with these customers myself."
"Makes sense. When do you want to go? When can you go?"
"We'd talked about my taking a trip there anyway as part of the transition plan and now that I've seen all of this data, I think the sooner I go the better. I'm planning to leave Monday night. Marc is there now so I thought I'd surprise him and show up at an upcoming meeting. I've asked around and my understanding of Asian culture is they'll be honored to have the CEO and business owner meet with them and I'd like to see how Marc handles himself without a lot of preparation."
"Marc could take it as a sign of disrespect if you simply show up. Do you want to anger one of your most important employees?"
William thought about that risk. It had taken them over a year to find someone they liked enough to offer a job. That said, something just didn't feel right about the way the Asian business was being executed. He'd just have to repair any damage to the relationship if he was proven wrong. "I have to take that risk Uncle Henry. I feel like any notice could result in him orchestrating a set of meetings that won't help me figure this out. I need to trust my gut on this one."
Henry smiled, pleased to see how invested William was in the business. Not that it was surprising, he'd been born into this role and groomed his entire life. He just needed reinforcement and someone to talk it through with. "For what's worth, I trust your instincts a lot and agree with you. Something doesn't feel right. I wish I could go with you."
"That's not necessary but thank you. I'd rather you keep an eye on Lizzy. She's not been feeling well and it worries me to be literally on the other side of the world if something happens."
"An easy request to fulfill as we like her almost as much as you do. We'll invite her to dinner a few times and I'm sure Sophia will check in." It was clear how much William cared for his wife. Even if it was so unlikely a match, his nephew had found someone special. "Speaking of, I think I hear the ladies. Let's go see how much of our money they managed to spend today." Clapping his hand on William's shoulder, Henry guided him towards the living room to find the women collapsed on the couches, bags strewn across the floor.
"I gather the shopping trip was a success?"
"Uncle Henry, your wife is a shopping machine. I'm exhausted!" Lizzy laughed.
"I hope these aren't all for Georgiana, because I don't think my plane is big enough to fit all of these packages in addition to her other luggage."
"When you're ready to stop making fun, perhaps we can tell you about our day but to my husband's question, yes, it was a success. All three of us found our essentials and we didn't break the bank. Your credit cards were well able to handle our purchases. I'm going to check on dinner and freshen up. I'll leave you four to your own devices in the meantime." Sophia pulled herself up from the couch, placing a kiss on her husband's cheek before departing from the room.
"I'm going to find the bathroom too. I'll be back shortly." Lizzy followed Sophia out of the room.
Turning to the young girl, Henry asked, "So are you ready to return to school?"
"Oh I had the best day. I'll be sad to go but I'm looking forward to seeing a few of the girls and Mint of course. You know for all Lizzy says she doesn't like shopping she's quite good at it. She knows exactly what she likes and doesn't. And everything she likes looks good on her. It's very efficient. Aunt Sophia tried to get her to try on a few things that Lizzy wasn't excited about and sure enough they didn't look as good on her. I hope I can figure that out for myself someday."
William smiled. Pleased to hear a compliment about his wife from his sister. "I'm sure she'll be more than happy to help you."
"Oh she did. And Aunt Sophia too. I think Lizzy even surprised herself. She kept claiming that she was helpless at shopping without Jane but I think she's wrong. Anyway, I hope you don't mind William but Lizzy helped me select some new make up and I really like it. Not for everyday but for special occasions." Georgie was looking solidly down at her shoes after her declaration, a bit worried about their reaction.
William was once again embarrassed. He didn't want to do anything to hurt Georgie's self-confidence and yet he somehow had managed to. She couldn't even look him in the eye. Looking at his uncle he could see his raised brows, surprised at how quickly she'd transformed from an exuberant teenager to a withdrawn girl. Gently, William put his arm around his sister, "Georgie, I'm sure it's lovely and I'm glad that Lizzy helped you pick it out. Do you want to show me?"
She looked up with surprise at her brother. "Thank you." Georgie began to giggle, "I can't imagine you really want to see my make up but I appreciate your willingness. Anyway, we had a really fun day. I'm going to miss you guys at school. Maybe you two could come visit?"
"We'd love to. We'll plan a trip once we're all settled back into our classes."
Sophia re-entered the room. "Dinner's about ready. Let's head into the dining room."
"Lizzy's not back yet. Let me go find her and we'll meet you in there."
Elizabeth could hear someone approaching the bathroom and could guess by the footfalls it was likely William. Pulling herself up, she washed her hands and gathered her energy to make it through dinner. She was mind-numbingly tired but knew she would cause worry if William understood just how much. Opening the door she nearly walked directly into him. "Oh! Were you waiting to use the bathroom?"
"What were you doing in there? Was your stomach upset again?"
"No I was just taking my time and refreshing myself a bit. Your aunt shops like a mad woman and I wanted to check my knee. It took me a few minutes to re-wrap it. Is dinner ready? I'm famished."
Before Lizzy could head to the dining room, William wrapped her in his arms. Pulling her close felt so good and he wished they could simply stay like this for hours. But dinner was calling and the sooner they ate the sooner they'd be back home. "Maybe when we get home we could just cuddle on the couch and watch a movie. What do you think?"
"That sounds perfect. My feet feel like they're ready to fall off and I'd love to elevate my knee for a bit."
"Let's eat and get out of here then."
William was loath to get out of bed, a warm Lizzy curled up in his arms. The clock was calling him and he knew he should wake Georgie and get them on their way. It had been a relaxed evening, Lizzy falling asleep in his arms while they watched a movie on the couch. He was beginning to wonder if movies made her sleepy. He couldn't remember the last one she'd stayed awake through. Placing a kiss on her sleeping cheek, he finally pulled himself from bed to get the day started.
After rousing Georgie he poured himself a cup of coffee. Sipping his coffee he was musing over the dramatic changes in Lizzy over the past few weeks. She used to love coffee, regularly begging him to bring her a cup in bed. Now the mere smell of it turned her green. And bananas. She used to eat one every morning and now she can't even stand the sight of them. It was all so strange. They'd need to stop buying them now that Georgie was returning to school. He thought again about last night, holding her in his arms. He'd carried her off to bed and she hadn't even budged, her sleep was so deep. He was going to miss her these next 24 hours. He'd tell the pilot to expect an early return tomorrow morning.
Showered and dressed, William gently woke Lizzy. "I just wanted to say good-bye."
"Sounds good. Safe flight. Let me know when you've landed ok?"
"I will." After tucking her back into bed William watched her as she quickly fell back to sleep. He couldn't get enough of looking at her but seeing the time realized he needed to get moving.
It was only a few short hours later when Lizzy found herself standing outside the gleaming building. She'd arrived forty-fve minutes early for her appointment, had spoken to William and Georgie and heard about their uneventful flight, had already toured the Whole Foods and CVS in the first floor of the medical complex, and still had twenty minutes before her stated appointment time. Between the cold and her aching knee she was getting anxious to get inside somewhere and rest. Her knee was beginning to throb from all of the walking she'd done this morning. Taking a car or cab might have been smarter but Lizzy's nervous energy was always best expelled with a long walk. It wasn't that Dr. Daniels wasn't a nice guy. It was just that anything medical caused her anxiety to soar and try as she might, she couldn't come up with a logical answer for how she was feeling. Her mind kept jumping to all kinds of horrible scenarios: cancer, lingering trauma from her head injury, lyme disease, the list had grown pretty random over the past few days. And yet her logical mind kept telling her it was likely nothing but a slow recovery from the accident and maybe some food poisoning. Her body simply needed to time heal. In any case, Dr. Daniels didn't seem alarmed by her symptoms so why should she be? After one more tour through Whole Foods, Lizzy finally entered the medical building reasoning that fifteen minutes early was appropriate.
The doctor's office reminded her more of someone's living room than a clinic. Family photos graced the walls and she took a few minutes to examine a smiling Dr. Daniels holding a new born baby, another of him and his wife with their three kids on a beach holiday, and some expertly framed children's art work. One entire wall was dedicated to books covering a wide range of topics, fiction and non-fiction, graphic novels and the classics. If she'd realized how good the reading selection was she would've come up to the office 45 minutes ago.
"Elizabeth Darcy?" Lizzy spun around to identify the source of the voice. "Hi there, I'm Eileen, Dr. Daniels Medical Assistant."
"Nice to meet you."
"You too. Why don't you follow me. I can get the basics recorded and then you can chat with Dr. Daniels." Lizzy silently assented and followed Eileen to an exam room. This room looked more like she was used to seeing and reminded her why she was here. Eileen made short work of the initial assessment, chatting easily with Elizabeth as they got to know one another.
Eileen had only been out of the room for a minute or two when Dr. Daniels entered. "You look much better than the last time I saw you. How's the knee feeling?"
"Thankfully I'm much more mobile although I still have to take it a little easy. I may have pushed it to its limit this morning. I think I'll be taking a cab back to Cambridge after we're done here."
"Please be careful out there with the ice. You don't need another fall. Mind if I take a look at that first before we venture to the main reason you are here today?"
"Sure." Lizzy pulled up her pant leg to reveal the knee in question. Unwrapping the bandage she wore, Dr. Daniels poked and prodded, moving her knee around gingerly to get a sense of her mobility. Lizzy kept her eyes focused on everything but her knee.
"It looks much improved from my perspective. I want you to keep up the bicycle riding as it's important to keep the muscles above and below the knee strong. It will aid your overall stability until you can have the surgery and help with your recovery. Now talk to me about how you've been feeling."
Lizzy began describing her symptoms, their frequency, what made her feel better and shared some although certainly not all of her tentative thoughts as to what might be causing them.
"I'm curious as to why you haven't told William you're here to see me today?"
Lizzy's mouth dropped open before she managed to splutter a shocked "What?"
"Your husband has been a patient of mine for awhile. Given your symptoms, I would imagine if he knew you were here he'd be pacing outside in the waiting room. I won't tell him - this is between you and me - but I just wanted to see if there was any specific concern you have about your symptoms that is causing you to keep it quiet for now."
Lizzy had the urge to roll her eyes. "He's pretty obvious isn't he. I know he's worried about me. William is incredibly protective of the people he loves and I'm a pretty independent person. I decided that if I needed to go to the doctor I would go. Once I figure out what is going on, and I have some time to process it, I will of course tell him. I just needed a little space first."
Looking at her carefully, Dr. Daniels wanted to check one more thing. "I understand your reasoning. I just wanted to make sure there wasn't any specific diagnosis you were concerned about."
"Do you have some idea as to what's making me feel this way? Is that why you wanted William here? Is that why you're asking me these questions?"
"William told me you are bright and he wasn't wrong. Yes, I do have a theory which can be very easily tested. I'm just surprised it hasn't occurred to you too. We can also verify or eliminate my theory in about 1-3 minutes."
Staring blankly at Dr. Daniels, Lizzy was completed muddled. "Well tell me. Let's get this over with."
"Elizabeth, do you think you might be pregnant?"
Her surprise was evident, even before she spoke. "Pregnant? No. I'm on the pill and I haven't missed a dose. Trust me. Both William and I have been very focused on making sure I don't miss a single one. Even when I was barely conscious William made sure I took it."
"No birth control is 100% effective and you experienced a major trauma this month. Do you think you might have taken it late one or two days? I recall when you had your concussion, you were quite ill and throwing up often. Could you have expelled it shortly after taking it?"
"I guess so. I'm not sure. I hadn't thought of those things. You really think I might be pregnant?"
"Yes. At least I'd like you to take a pregnancy test to rule it out before we do anything more invasive." Handing her the ubiquitous plastic cup he helped Lizzy stand and escorted her to the bathroom next door.
It was fewer than five minutes later that she was sitting back in the room, staring at a strip of paper waiting to see the results. True to the doctor's word, it didn't take long. Eyes riveted to the emerging lines, Lizzy barely heard the doctor's words. "It looks like my theory was correct. Congratulations, you're pregnant."
The words rattled around in her mind. Pregnant. There was a baby growing inside her. Did William want a baby? Did she? How would she finish school? What would happen to her internship? What if she didn't get her green card?
"When? When is the baby due?" Lizzy finally managed to ask.
Dr. Daniels picked up a paper dial, consulted his notes and handed the dial to Lizzy. "Based on the information you gave me, I'd say mid-September. Somewhere around September 18th plus or minus two weeks on either side of that date. You're a little over five weeks."
"So all of my symptoms are pregnancy related?"
"The symptoms you're displaying are pretty classic even thought its still early. Some women are more sensitive than others to the hormonal changes and every pregnancy is a little different. I know this is sudden for you. I'm happy to answer any questions now or we can set up time next week once the news has sunk in a bit. Your call."
"I'm sure I'll have a million questions but I think I'd appreciate the opportunity to come back if I can. William will probably want to come too. I guess you're not surprised by me saying that."
Chuckling, Dr. Daniels reached for his iPad, "No, I'm not. Would 10:00 on Monday work for both of you?"
"I can confidently say yes. William will probably move or miss anything he had for this appointment and I know I'm free at that time."
"Perfect. I'll see you then. In the meantime, here are two copies of a book that I think you'll each find helpful, one for each of you. I'll print out a prescription for some pre-natal vitamins as well. A word of warning, they can make some women nauseous. For now, you might want to take them after lunch when your stomach is a bit more settled. And of course, you should stop taking the pill."
Worry crossed her face. "Is it a problem that I've been taking it? Will it harm the baby?" Lizzy was struck with a sudden fear that she'd already been doing something that could harm their baby.
"I'll tell you two things right now that should apply for the rest of your pregnancy. Medicine isn't a perfect science and you can't change what you've already done. So don't worry about any glasses of wine, sushi, soft cheese, or medicines you've taken over the past five weeks for a second."
"You didn't answer my question."
"To be honest, there is a theoretical risk but it's not been borne out in actual experience. Millions of women are on the pill and thousands of them get pregnant inadvertently every year. If we're not seeing it in the babies being born then the realistic risk is tiny, if there at all. If the risk was high, many fewer doctors would ever prescribe the pill. The reality is that most people find it really hard to consistently take their medications. Knowing that, doctors simply won't take that kind of behavioral risk if we believed it would impact newborns."
"Ok, that's a logical explanation which I can accept. Thank you Dr. Daniels. I'll see you on Monday." Lizzy placed the prescription and books in her backpack and began to make her way out of the office. She was dumbfounded by the news. Pregnant. On one level it didn't feel real and yet suddenly the knowledge of her pregnancy all made sense.
Ok so mystery solved. It took me awhile to write the middle but I wanted it to all hang together. A few of you will be disappointed but our girl is goal oriented and she will achieve her goals. The best stories are grounded in a bit of reality. I can speak from experience here so hopefully you'll continue to find it believable.
Your thoughts, comments and questions are welcomed! They influence the writing...seriously they do! I couldn't imagine writing this without your reactions and questions influencing me along the way. Happy reading!