"Uncle Henry is married," ten year old Justin said.
"He is," Michelle replied, "her name is Teddy, it must be a nickname she is your aunt. Justin and Anna you are going to be polite."
"Do you know anything about her," Anna asked.
"Henry said she's a surgeon and makes him happy," Michelle replied, "in the picture he emailed she's tall and blonde. He said she likes sports and can outrun him and was in the army for a while."
"Is she nice," 7 year old Anna asked.
"I hope so," Michelle replied, "we're going to be at their flat any second. Henry wasn't sure if Teddy would be home from work when we got there."
Inside Teddy paced anxiously.
"Slow down," Henry smiled hugging her from behind and resting his hands on her bump.
"I want them to like me," Teddy replied, "the kids are 7 and 10. I don't know how to be with healthy kids."
"You'll be fine," Henry assured, "can we tell them?"
"Yes," Teddy smiled, "most people know about our baby now."
"We can tell them," Henry smiled hugging Teddy from behind and kissing the back of her neck. He slid his hands to her tiny bump.
Teddy giggled.
"He's growing," Henry beamed.
"She is," Teddy agreed.
"Still convinced it's a girl," Henry asked.
"3 more weeks," Teddy replied, "then we'll know. Your sister might know right away. I'm showing."
"I like it," Henry smiled still holding Teddy and stroking her belly. She leaned against him.
There was a knock on the door and Henry went to open it.
"Henry," Michelle smiled.
"Come in," Henry smiled, "this is my wife Teddy."
Michelle looked at Teddy and gave her a knowing smile. She knew right away.
"Teddy this is my sister Michelle," Henry introduced, "and her kids Anna and Justin."
"It's good to meet you," teddy smiled at the trio, "come in. Dinners almost ready."
"I'm hungry," Justin said.
"It's almost ready," Teddy assured, "we have Mac and cheese, garlic bread, salad and I wasn't sure what the kids would like so I have some cut up vegetables and fruit."
"No meat," Justin asked.
"Justin," Michelle hissed.
"There's ham cubes baked in the Mac and cheese," Teddy replied, "we don't eat a ton of meat."
"Your aunt is a good cook don't worry buddy," Henry assured.
"What do you do," Michelle asked.
"Cardio thoracic surgery," Teddy replied, "you?"
"I teach English," Michelle replied.
"What's cardio umm," Anna asked.
"Cardio thoracic surgery," Teddy said, "I'm a surgeon, a type of doctor and I do operations on hearts and lungs the stuff inside someone's ribs."
"You're allowed to," Anna's eyes got wide.
"I am," Teddy replied, "but there are lots of rule about when, where and how I'm allowed to do it."
"Where," Anna asked.
"I have to be in the operating room in a hospital," Teddy replied, "it has to be some where super duper clean where theres no germs."
"Should we get them settled and have dinner," Henry suggested.
"We should," Teddy agreed.
"We just need to put our stuff down and go to the bathroom," Michelle said.
Henry carried their bags into the spare room and showed them where the bathroom was. Michelle got cleaned up while Teddy and Henry chatted with the kids. Michelle spotted the bottle of prenatal vitamins on the counter, she was right Teddy was expecting.
"You two have news," Michelle whispered joining Henry in the living room.
"What news," Henry asked.
"Your wife," Michelle whispered.
"I guess we should tell you," Henry said.
"What," Michelle asked.
"I'm pregnant," Teddy smiled.
"How far along," Michelle asked.
"17 weeks," Teddy smiled, "feeling good now."
"Rough first trimester," Michelle asked.
"Yes," Teddy replied, "how did you know?"
"You had your hands on your bump talking to Anna," Michelle said.
"Is it okay," Henry asked his older sister.
"I'm surprised but happy for you," Michelle assured, "you said you couldn't have kids."
"It's a risk," Teddy agreed, "but we did the genetic testing before we started trying. Our combined risk is about 25%. I'm on top of things medically and we have access to some of the best care in the country, I work at a top 10 teaching hospital, running my department and training surgeons."
"And caring for Henry," Michelle said.
"When theres surgery involved otherwise he's a grown up," Teddy smiled, " but I do freak out when he's the patient and my resident is operating on him.
"When are you due," Michelle asked.
"September," Teddy replied, they weren't giving a specific date to anyone other than Owen and only because he needed it for planning.
"Will you find out," Michelle asked.
"That's up for debate," Henry laughed, "she wants to know I want to wait."
"I can read the ultrasound," Teddy retorted.
"We'll see," Henry smiled wrapping his arm around Teddy's waist.
"Why do all the grown ups have silly smiles," Anna asked.
"Your auntie Teddy is going to have a baby," Henry told the little girl.
"Your little cousin," Teddy smiled.
"When," Justin asked.
"In September," Michelle told her kids.
"Maybe we can come visit you around Christmas," Teddy suggested.
"You've never come to see us," Justin said.
"If Teddy and the baby are doing good, maybe we can," Henry answered, "I'd like to see Prague."
"We'll make it work," Teddy promised, "but we'll have to work around your school schedule."
"School," Michelle asked.
"I'm looking at a couple options," Henry replied, "upgrading some credits."
"What are the options," Michelle asked.
"Medical school and being a doctor but it's at least at 7 year commitment and we want a couple kids so that's not really fair to Teddy," Henry replied, "the realistic plan is social work. Working with families dealing with complex illnesses."
"You have a psych degree," Michelle said.
"I do," Henry replied, "clinical counselling is another option. But something that really helps people. I see how Teddy helps every day and I need to do more."
"We'll see," Teddy replied, "it's up to Henry. Our family will be fine no matter what he chooses."
"I'm hungry," Justin said.
"Come get dinner buddy," Henry smiled.
They all sat down for dinner smiling and chatting. Teddy caught Henry's eye and smiled this was good, it was what she wanted.
They stayed up chatting late into the night before Teddy feeling exhausted from her long surgery that day yawned.
"Are we keeping you up," Henry teased.
"Ya," Teddy smiled sheepishly.
"Go to bed," Henry said, "I'll be in soon."
"Busy day," Michelle asked.
"Long surgery," Teddy replied, "but my resident was amazing and did half of it. She's not ready to do all of it but she can soon. We have a list of her top 10 surgeries before she finishes residency and I haven't done 2 of them but we're going to do them together."
"Can you slow down," Michelle asked.
"I will closer to the due date," Teddy replied, "it's too early and I've taken time off when I'm not feeling well."
Michelle nodded.
"I feel good," Teddy replied, "I can do it as long as I sleep enough."
"Go sleep," Michelle replied, "we're here for a while."
"Are you sure," Teddy asked.
"Yes," Henry promised, "go sleep I'll be in soon."
"Good night," Teddy smiled before leaving the room.
"Night," Michelle smiled.
Once the bed room door was closed Michelle turned to Henry, "she is so out of your league!"
"She is," Henry agreed.
"Will this work," Michelle asked.
"It will," Henry promised, "she's having my baby."
"Beyond that," Michelle asked.
"You only saw a little bit of her tonight," Henry said, "her brilliance, humour, courage. She has medals for bravery and service tucked in her dresser drawer. Things most people would display she keeps in the dresser. But at the same time when were home she's shy and insecure and so worried about being a good mom. She's fabulous."
"She seems like it and your blushing like a teenager," Michelle said.
"She's what I was waiting for," Henry smiled.
"Will you be around for the baby," Michelle asked.
"Teddy got me into a trial and it seems to be working," Henry said, "my PET scans are clean."
"Her family," Michelle asked.
"Only child and her parents passed a few years ago," Henry said, "she has a couple really close friends from the army but she's alone other than me."
"And we're halfway around the world," Michelle said.
"You are," Henry agreed.
"She looked like she wanted you to follow her to bed," Michelle said.
"She's getting uncomfortable and won't say it," Henry said, "she likes me to hold her when she falls asleep."
"Go hold your wife," Michelle said.
"It's good to have you here," Henry smiled, "I'm glad you came."
"Good night," Michelle said.
"Good night," Henry replied walking to the bedroom.