Not a fool this time…. Chapter 28
Thursday morning, Walter and Gale went over to Adam and Sue's to join in with those having breakfast and recovering from the party.
"'Morning, guys." Sue said. "Gale you can man the toaster. Big coffee urn out on the patio Walter. Adam and Simon are out there- you can join Adam telling Simon all about the joys of married life, Jim's out there, too….. holding his head."
"Thanks, Sue, I'm going to pull a stool over to sit on while tending the toaster," Gale said. "Sitting down on the job is a good thing these days."
"I'll get that for you," Walter said and pulled the stool from the bar to the counter where the toaster was. "Take my hand to get up on the stool, Gale. You want some coffee?"
"No, lemon water is fine." Gale said. "Thanks, go enjoy the morning with your buddies… Sue and I will fill Joan's ears on the joys of married life."
Walter left to get coffee on the patio.
Joan, tending the large skillet of sausages, said, "OK, tell me what I am getting myself into….. when you due, Gale?"
"Two months more and done." Gale said. "Getting an ultrasound this afternoon just to see how things are progressing. I finally got Walter to agree to see if we have a son or daughter."
"Not having any issues at all?" Sue asked. "Morning sickness, indigestion, crazy cravings sending Walter out for strange foods at three AM?"
"Had the barfs a couple mornings a few months back, fortunately after Walter had left the house." Gale said. "So far it has been a very easy pregnancy. My mom said all four of us kids were easy-peasy…. until teenage-hood, anyway."
"Ha, I went a bit off the rails during the teenage years- came to my senses and joined the Marines to give myself some limits," Joan said. "Best move I ever made for myself, and much to the disappointment of my parents. They have come to see I have become a much more stable and happy person, and Simon is just the best thing to ever come my way."
Sue looked to Joan then Gale. "Best thing to ever happen to me was Adam."
Gale smiled, "Yup, very best thing to ever happen to me was Walter entering my life. I hope you are as lucky as Sue and me, Joan. Good life with a good man."
One in the afternoon, most everyone that attended the party had left. Walter was checking over the mail on his laptop at the poolside table while Gale floated in the pool.
"Time to get out, doctor appointment," Walter said.
"It is so nice floating around- easy on the back, and relaxing." Gale said paddling to the pool steps. "Want to give me a hand up the steps?"
Walter got up and took her hand to help her up the pool steps handing her a towel for her hair. "Take a quick shower and I will pull the car out- I will drive the Buick- easier for you to get in and out with the top down."
"Sounds good to me. Think the Ferrari is in the barn for a while- too much like a sardine can now-a-days." Gale said laughing. "Quick shower and put on a tent and ready to go."
"Your dresses are quite pretty, my love," Walter said. "You are quite beautiful."
"Ahhh, you keep saying that, Walter, but there are enough mirrors around here that I know better." Gale said. "Give me a hand combing my hair out after my shower?"
"You spending so much time in the pool in the sun, there are even more colors to your hair, you know." Walter said. "More like honey oak than mahogany, now."
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Entering the clinic the receptionist looked up, "Walter, Gale, nice to see you. Wish everyone kept their appointments like you. Go on into exam room three and Dr. Holbrook will be right in. The ultrasound tech will be there in a few minutes."
Walter and Gale went to exam room three and Gale sat on the lowered exam table while Walter sat in chair in the corner of the small room. "Apprehensive, Walter?"
"I do not know….. anything beyond my control can cause apprehension, but you seem to be having no problems health wise, so….. maybe a bit but not really?" He smiled, "That make any sense?"
"I meant about the baby being a son or daughter."
Walter smiled, "the baby is what it is. Already decided no matter how we feel about it. You want a son, should it be a daughter, you can't ask to a refund. Far as I am concerned, as long as it is healthy and you have no problems, all will be well."
Dr. Holbrook, chart in hand followed by the ultrasound tech entered the examination room, "Good afternoon, how you feeling Gale?"
"Feel just fine, looking forward to seeing my feet again soon, though."
"Your weight is perfect, carrying the baby high and well. Finally going to see what the little one is, huh. Lay back and let's see how things look….."
The ultrasound tech pulled Gale's top from her belly and squirted the gel and spread it around then slowly scrolled it to get a good picture. Walter and Gale both watching the screen, hearing the baby's heart. "Yup, look at that, looks like you have a son on the way. You have a name picked out?"
"Wow, Walter, look at that. Our son," Gale said looking at Walter.
"Gale, your next appointment will be set up. Everything seems to be just fine- you are one for the medical books everything is going so well," Dr. Holbrook said. "The tech will have the ultrasound pictures for you- first baby pictures- even the ones in your file taken months ago. We will see you next week." The tech wiped the gel off Gale and pulled her shirt down while Walter jumped up to give her a hand sitting up and getting off the exam table.
Walter and Gale got their next appointment card from the receptionist and left to go to the car. Gale kept glancing at Walter during the walk and when he opened the car door for her. She watched him walk around the car to get in behind the wheel. He sat there a moment not putting the key in the ignition.
"Walter, what's wrong?" Gale asked quietly. "You are awfully quiet."
"It is real." Walter said somewhat stunned. "Not just you going through changes but a real child." He said turning to her. "I consciously know you are carrying a baby, but without the actual science SHOWING it in there, it just seemed like a… like a… a…. I don't know. Unreal, maybe?" He turned to her. "You are so real, like a rock, understand reality and I am walking around… I don't know. What is wrong with me… science, solid, facts are the foundations of my life and here I am just in a daze to the reality of a child coming into our lives…. until the science makes it REAL."
He put the key in the ignition, started the car to sit for a moment before leaning over and giving her a deep, passionate kiss. "I love you," he said. "You have no idea of what you have done to me." He sat looking at her, put in the clutch and started the drive home.
Gale glanced at Walter a few times but he was silent the whole way home from the clinic. She was getting a bit concerned as usually, when he was so quiet and focused,. he was deeply contemplating some issue….. his saying she has no idea what she had done to him had her a bit worried. What had she done to him? Was he feeling trapped, hemmed in by the impending birth- but he had said he wanted a child- the entire getting married, house buying, having sex like bunnies until getting pregnant- he led the way…. the logical and traditional steps from point A to B as he said.
They got home, pulled into the garage and he got out to open the door for her and helped her out of the car to go into the house.
She went into the kitchen to set up the coffee while he stood at the counter where the laptop was….. he stood there, not checking mail.
"Walter, you are scaring me. What's wrong?"
"What, nothing is wrong….. I have been thinking, getting my mind… settled."
"You are having second thoughts on the baby? Second thoughts on us? Oh gods, you are going to leave me, aren't you?" She asked, eyes getting teary. "You just now realize the reality of parenthood, the changes it will cause. You are not happy, now, seeing years of just us and the responsibilities of a child and are not ready for it."
"What? Wait, no. No. Leave you? Why would you think that? What have I done that you would think that?" Walter said. "I have been thinking of things I must do- wills, trusts, patents on my designs, college funds. Things to be sure you and the child are never wanting." He took her in his arms. "My god, your hormones must be raging. I get a bit quiet and you go off the deep end," he laughed. "I had said to Richard when we signed for the house that I needed to take care of legal paperwork and never did- just put it off. Actually seeing OUR SON put things in perspective, that ensuring his future is paramount." He chuckled, "what can I do to calm your fears? No, I will never leave you."
"Oh this big belly keeps me from holding you! I can't get close to you anymore," she said tears falling freely. "And I feel so silly crying like this."
"Come, my love, let's lay down and I can hold you. That is my job these days, to make you feel good, loved, wanted and that you are the better part of me," he said walking her into the bedroom. "You want to shower with me to get that gel off? Let me comb your hair then we can lay back together, relax to watch our son turn around in there. That must feel so incredible, our son exercising to make his grand entrance into our world."
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The next two months was a flurry of turning a bedroom into a nursery. All the necessary things needed for a baby to come home to, and Walter took care of all the legal issues, copies of which were safely stored in one of his safes.
"We have to come up with a name, Walter." Gale said one afternoon laying across the bed with her head on Walter's shoulder. "Thinking of a classic Irish name? I know you are totally American, now, but 'O'Brien' pretty much says, hey, anyone wonder if I'm IRISH here? I looked up some. Shay, Cian, Taren, Kennet, Dillen. Taren O'Brien has a nice ring, don't you think?"
"Taren? Thunder? Interesting. You are not interested in Tom, Dick or Harry?" Walter said running his fingers through her hair. "Taren is interesting, and how many Taren's will there be in his classes?"
"How many 'Walter's' have you known?" Gale asked. "Many in your classes in school? I never knew a Walter until you came along…. I lucked out my first to be the very, very best of Walters."
"Nope, was the only one in my classes- not an overly common name- I never knew a 'Gale' either until you. You are right, Taren O'Brien has a nice ring to it. Even though he will be an American citizen as soon as he is born, lucky kid."
"Ohhh, think he kicked my kidney. Help me up. Ugh." Walter got up and helped Gale get on her feet and into the bathroom.
"Uuhhh, Walter…. think my water broke, oh my… Walter…. WALTER," Gale yelled. "Think it is time to grab my case and get me to the clinic."
Walter grabbed her robe and put it over her nightgown. Put his arm round her to slowly walk to the Buick. "I put your case in the trunk days ago." Walter said. "Let's get you to the car and to the clinic. I have a blanket on the back seat, let me put it on the front and get you settled comfortably. Here's my phone, call the clinic to tell them we are on the way." Walter said getting behind the wheel. "We will be there before you know it."
When they got to the clinic, Walter drove to the door. While the staff moved Gale to her room Walter parked the car and got her case. Walking into her room, she was comfortably settled and he sat on the chair next to the bed.
"I feel fine. Thought there was supposed to be contractions but I got nothing." Gale said.
Dr. Holbrook came in the room, chart in hand checking things over. "Water broke so good thing you came in immediately. Feel no uncomfortableness? No twinges?"
"We will give it some time, but if nothing in an hour or so we will give you something to induce labor." Dr. Holbrook said. "Sometimes the little buggers just don't want to leave that warm comfortable place. The nurse will be here so just let her know what is going on."
"Walter, you going to stay with me?"
"Absolutely, I said I would never leave you."
"Wonder what the hold-up is, was certainly kicking enough to get out a while ago." Gale said holding out her hand for Walter.
"Likes it in there, just like his daddy." Walter whispered in her ear causing Gale to snort and laugh.
"That is some bedside manner you have there, O'Brien." Gale said still chuckling. "This is kinda' scary- not in control of what is going on. OOoooohhh, that was a sharp stab."
Walter looked to the nurse- "she had a pain, nurse. She in labor?"
"Yes, watch the time, that I gather was the first?" The nurse asked Gale.
"Yes, first pain, but nothing more than a quick stab."
"They start easy then sharper and more frequent, but looks like you will be seeing your little one before this day is out," the nurse said. "We may not have to induce labor after all."
"You see this all the time, huh?" Gale asked the nurse.
"Yes, maternity is the happiest section of any hospital." The nurse said. "Happy parents, healthy, happy babies, even with them crying. I always looked at it as they are tears of joy to be out in the world at last to see the mom and dad they have been hearing for months."
"Ooohh …. felt that one." Gale said looking at Walter. "I can still get lost in your eyes," she said quietly.
Walter held her hand in both of his and kissed her fingers. "Will be over soon."
"Ahhhh AHHH…. oohh, really felt that one."
"They are coming fast, I'm going to call Dr. Holbrook," the nurse said going out the door.
"Walter, ahhhhh….. " Gale panted, and clenched his hand. "think our son is making an entrance like a king… oooooohhhhhAHHHH."
"Gale, let's sit up a bit, feet up here, there you go. No, not necessary to induce labor, let's go, now. Deep breath and a push." Dr. Holbrook said. "Won't be long, now. Rest a bit, breathe deep, next contraction give a big push and….."
AHHHHhhhh
"That's it, big push now aaaannnddd THERE we go." Dr. Holbrook said. "A fine baby boy if I have ever seen one." He said passing the baby to the nurse to clean up. That was one of the easiest births, one for the medical books, indeed." He said, "look at that, seven pounds, ten and a half ounces. Just a perfect baby."
"Has all the fingers and toes, a cute little button nose, head full of dark hair," the nurse said. "Have a name for the little guy?"
"Taren, Taren O'Brien, our son, Walter." Gale said when the nurse handed the wrapped up baby to Gale.
"We are going to move her to her room to rest up, get some sleep," the nurse said. "The baby will be checked over and brought out again in a bit if you want to go out in the waiting room until everything is settled. Then you can rejoin Gale once situated."
Walter gave Gale a kiss as she closed her eyes. Walter then went to the waiting room to sit down to make all the calls- to Gale's parents who said they would inform the rest of the family and visit in the morning knowing Walter, Gale and the baby needed time together before the crowd of relatives paraded in. Ralph, Adam and Sue who said the same thing. Then he called his parents who congratulated him and said pictures would be nice- Gale had been keeping them up to date, they liked the name and were very happy for the both of them.
Walter then sat back to think about the next days, weeks, months and years to come. A very full life time ahead of him with his wife and son…. and possibly a daughter.