After nearly two weeks in the hospital Henry was finally home. Teddy hadn't really worked the whole time, just doing emergencies and administrative work. Teddy helped him into the apartment and to settle on the couch. She was finally going to tell him tonight.
"What's for dinner," Henry asked.
Teddy paused, she hadn't been eating much because of the nausea and food aversions.
"Chicken noodle soup and fresh sourdough," Teddy replied, "Henry, now that you're home we need to talk."
"What's wrong," he asked as she sat beside him.
"I'm pregnant," Teddy whispered, "seven weeks. I found out when you got sick. I was coming home to tell you."
"Pregnant," Henry asked, "as in our baby."
"Our baby;" Teddy smiled, "we go for an ultrasound on Tuesday at eight weeks. I haven't had one yet. I was waiting for you."
"A baby," he beamed.
"A baby," she confirmed, "we're parents."
"We are," he agreed, "who knows?"
"The OB," Teddy replied, "you had to be the first to know."
"You," he asked.
"Tired and nauseous but I'll be okay," she replied, "we'll be good. Our family."
"Our family," he beamed.
"I didn't think it would happen so fast," Teddy admitted, "I only just stopped birth control. I'm nearly 40."
"The risks," Henry asked.
"What we talked about so we'll monitor and I want full genetic testing," Teddy replied.
"It's a baby," Henry smiled.
"And we'll make your med school dreams work," Teddy replied, "I can work where you are. Even if it means private practice baby is flexible."
"I need some classes,"Henry said,"but if you're."
"You take the classes," Teddy said, "one or two at a time."
"I have to work," Henry said, "you can't support me and the baby."
"I can," Teddyy said, " but I want to take a few months when the baby comes. I want the three of us to be home together."
"We will be," Henry said, "but my VHL?"
"We'll do genetic testing," Teddy replied, "we did it before we started and you only have one copy of the gene so it's only 50/50 you pass it on."
"And if," Henry asked.
"Then we treat it," Teddy assured, "we talked about this already Henry. We can do this."
"What about you working," Henry asked.
"After the appointment on Monday I'll tell Owen as my chief of surgery," Teddy replied, "I can off load work to my fellows and residents. Christina will be happy to do more."
"You," Henry asked.
"I always wanted kids I just didn't think it would actually happen. I want this. The three of us," Teddy smiled, "you?"
"Worried about you and baby but I'm excited. I want to be a dad," Henry smiled.
"Just so you know I'm not being class mom or driving a mini van," Teddy declared.
"An suv," Henry suggested.
"Maybe," Teddy agreed, " medicine you said not surgery but what?"
" endocrinology or now maybe family medicine," Henry said, "you have a point about being in our late 30s and the time for a surgical residency. Family medicine is 2 years after medschool. Endocrinology is three. But I like the idea of family now. I can set my hours do private practice and be home for the baby. Your hours won't change as head of cardio."
"I'm going to ask Owen for a reduction in nights and weekends while I'm pregnant and when I first come back," Teddy said.
"Are you okay," Henry asked.
"I am," Teddy assured, "is soup and toast okay? I haven't been feeling like eating."
"I'm not super hungry," Henry assured, "soup is good. Should you eat?"
"I have to," Teddy replied, "but I don't want to. I'm having a lot of food aversions. I only want bread and fruit. So I've been doing that. Cooking the chicken for the soup I nearly threw up but it's normal. It means my hormones are rising and doing what they need to."
"So this is good," Henry asked.
"Normal but it means baby is growing," Teddy assured, "we'll be good."
"What do you need," Henry asked.
"You not to get sick," Teddy replied, "I can't do that stress for a while."
"The next time one of us it the patient it's your turn and baby will be here," Henry assured, "and I get to worry about you."
"It's normal," Teddy said.
"When they're born," Henry started.
"I want you there," Teddy assured, "we will meet baby together."
"I haven't been there in the mornings and you come home to sleep or sleep in an oncall room," Henry said, "how bad is it?"
"I vomit a few times and no you don't get to see that," Teddy said.
"I coughed up blood all over you I can handle some vomit," Henry promised, "Teddy we're doing this! We're going to be parents. Which means no hospital ball game for you."
"I'll be huge when that comes so no I'm not playing but I can go and cheer and score keep," Teddy said.
"We need to move," Henry said.
"No," Teddy said, "we lose the home office if we want to stay here or we could buy a house."
"Slow down," Henry said, "we can move the desk and bookshelf to the living room. Find somewhere for all your Christmas decorations and why do we have Easter decorations?"
"I like holidays," Teddy said, "we'll celebrate them all with baby."
"We will," Henry said, "do we want to tell anyone?"
"We could tell your sister," Teddy guessed, "she's coming to visit soon."
"She is," Henry replied, "where will her and the kids sleep?"
"Office on air mattresses," Teddy replied, "the couch. I really don't want to move to the couch. For all we know I'll be showing in six weeks when she comes."
"Maybe," Henry smiled, Teddy was thin, to thin he thought sometimes. The idea of her belly growing rounded with the baby made him smile, he wanted to hold her and feel their little one kick and massage her back the way she liked after a long surgery."
"What are you smiling at," Teddy asked.
"Picturing you with a baby belly," Henry smiled, "how gorgeous your going to look."
"Round really," Teddy asked.
"What have you imagined," Henry asked.
"You holding the baby. A little girl with your eyes and smile," Teddy beamed, "let's eat."
They had dinner then curled up on the couch to watch a movie.
"Ugh how is this snug," Teddy asked herself as she got ready for bed.
Henry looked over at her pulling on a faded army T-shirt that she often slept in, he'd never tell her that he liked it more than the nighties or lingerie she sometimes wore. He liked the faded army T-shirt and soft pyjama pants because she always looked the most relaxed and content in those. The faded pjs were days at home on the couch with bottomless cocoa.
"What's wrong," Henry asked.
"This shirt is tight around my breasts," Teddy complained, "I know first trimester growth is normal and I've been really sore but I don't think I've grown that much."
"It looks good," Henry assured, the shirt was too big for her which was why she usually slept in it, now it fit okay.
"I guess body changes are starting already," Teddy forced a smile. She knew this would be hard on her, seeing her body grow and change for the baby.
"You are my gorgeous wife," Henry smiled, "my hot wife."
"Even when I," Teddy started.
"Especially then," Henry promised.
"We should go to bed," Teddy said, "I sprung huge news on you as soon as you got home and you're still recovering."
They finished getting ready for bed. Once in bed she instinctively curled against him.
"Why didn't you tell me sooner," he asked.
"I didn't want ro make you worry in the hospital," Teddy said, "I found out and you were so sick then the hospital room didn't feel right. I wanted to do this one thing like normal couples and tell you at home."
"Okay," Henry said, "but I don't want you to hide things from me with this. I want to know about all your tests and ultrasounds and go with you to appointments."
"I'll show you the blood work they took today when I get the results back," Teddy said, "with my advanced maternal age they want to check my HCG is rising properly but symptoms say everything is okay."
"You'll tell me if something is off," Henry asked.
"I will," Teddy promised.
"We talked to those doctors in LA the one you knew and her partner and they suggested IVF to rule out VHL," Henry said.
"Timing I got pregnant on that trip," Teddy smiled, "so we monitor and in a couple years if we want a second we go that route. I'm okay playing this game. And I found two trials for treatment programs to suppress tumour growth. Let's talk to Richard and see if we can get you in."
"Teddy," Henry said, "tonight can we just enjoy that I'm home and we're having a baby?"
"We can," she agreed, giving him a kiss.