S2 E1 - News

Part 7 of 7

Fury turns to horror! Richard pulls Camille into the shelter of his arms. Camille's hands clutch at her belly. Together they face Paul and blurt out, "Term-inate?!"

Paul nods solemnly and waits but he already knows the answer.

It isn't long in coming. Camille whirls and buries her face into Richard's shoulder with a harsh gasp, "Oh, Richard! Our baby!"

Richard enfolds her, whips out a handkerchief which she presses to her face, and glares over her shoulder at Paul, "How DARE you say such a thing with her in this delicate state! You, sir, are no gentleman!"

Paul straightens up, "No, I'm not." He senses the moment of crisis is past. "I'm a doctor and I'm here to do the best for all three of you." He sees these words sink in so he repeats it, "For all THREE of you." He looks back down at his list, "So, that's a 'no'." He makes another tick and looks back up, "May I offer my services for your pre-natal care?"

Camille looks up to Richard. He rubs her back and resettles her upon his shoulder, "Perhaps... but there will be no more talk of termination! I will accompany Camille on all her visits…" he checks with her silently, she nods without lifting her face. Apparently she finds his shoulder very comfortable just now. He nods back then says, "Yes, I'll keep a VERY close eye on her health, you can be sure!"

Paul smiles, ticks off another item. He hears Camille's soft words, 'Now there's the Richard Poole I know and love and can depend on… stroppy to the very end.' He also hears Richard's low reply, 'Nonsense, I'm merely doing my job as father and…' then he hushes. Several seconds spin by before he finishes '… and husband.'

Paul ticks off this last item and waits. He sees Camille nod as they sink into their chairs and begin making plans. He slips out of the office and they don't even notice. How lovely, he thinks as he puts together the pre-natal information package for her with lots of extraneous information for him, a Spring birth with perhaps a Fall wedding. I hope I get an invite.

He does.

Eight months later, Armand Loxley Poole (who will be called 'Sherloxley' at school, with good reason) makes his debut.

Dr. Johnson is kept quite busy after that and there are eventually seven identical comments in the Poole file...

... 'lucky dog'.

END