Marion caught Jack's eye when he and Lisa walked in the door that night. Lisa was in front of him, but he made eye contact with Marion first who happened to be getting a glass of water at the sink. It was much later than planned, bedtime now. After everything had been put out in the open, both sides airing their fears, the two had walked hand in hand this time back up to the porch, where Jack had offered to make Lisa some tea. He'd brought her that and a cup of soup, just from a can, but it was something he had found in the cabinet and knew she needed to eat. She had eaten it, and they had just sat and talked some, but sat there together, just taking everything in. A lot had changed that evening and would change, for better or worse.
Now, as they entered the house, Jack caught Marion's eye, and with that look from his daughter, he knew she was in the loop on everything, not that he minded, really. Truthfully, he was glad Lisa had someone she had confided in about all of this, somewhat understanding why Lisa couldn't have been him in the initial panic mode. Lisa had told him that Marion was the one who suggested she might be pregnant, Lisa not even considering it prior to that. With tight lips and a nod to Marion, he hoped he conveyed that he and Lisa were okay, that he knew, and that going forward, there would be no secrets.
"Hi guys," Marion called to them, in her pajamas for the evening. It wasn't so late that she was off to bed, but with her wet hair, she'd had a shower and was getting ready to settle in for the evening, most likely back in her room. Jack had a feeling a long call between Marion and Tim was about to take place. Here, without asking, Marion filled a glass of water and handed it to Lisa. "You look like you could use something stronger, but have some water."
Lisa put her bag down on the table and stepped toward Marion, the two women embracing there before Lisa did take that glass of water. She nodded at Marion as she stepped back.
"Thank you for everything."
"I told you the old man would be okay with your big news," Marion winked at Jack. "Besides, as he gets older, he will probably start to be more forgetful," she shrugged. "Might just forget you're even pregnant."
"If," Lisa nodded. "If I stay pregnant."
"I'm not even going to acknowledge the sarcasm coming from my daughter over there," he looked directly at Lisa. "Lise, you've got to just do as I said, take one day at a time," Jack encouraged with a small sigh. "Today," he gestured at her, "you are pregnant, as crazy as that is. Yes, quite the shock, but," he frowned at Marion and gestured toward Lisa, "did she really think I'd want to separate because of a baby?"
Marion scrunched up her face and addressed her dad, "I told her she was crazy for thinking you would be upset with her or want her gone. She's much too good of a cook for you to toss out."
That had the three of them finally laughing, Jack now standing behind Lisa with his hands on her shoulders. He leaned over and kissed her cheek, squeezing her shoulders to reassure her.
"That is true," Jack nodded.
"Forgive me," Marion gestured toward Lisa, "but in all of this chaos, I didn't even ask when you are due?" She looked between Jack and Lisa, waiting for an answer. "Don't get me started on knowing way too much about your personal business," she shuddered, "and I'll never go to the fishing cabin again knowing what Lisa offered up." That had Jack wince, and Lisa drop her head before she looked up at Marion again.
"You really don't ever stop teasing, do you?"
"Not with the two of you," she nodded at them. "Let's not forget that at some point, as things do progress and go well because I know they will," she offered a small smile, "you two will have to tell my daughters, your granddaughters Dad, that they are getting an aunt or uncle, and I'm getting a sibling. Good grief, so odd," she laughed. Lisa and Jack groaned, and he pointed at Marion.
"Now that, we haven't talked about when we'll tell others."
"I can't, not yet," Lisa shook her head. "As the doctor said, I'm not out of the woods."
"Understandable," Marion nodded in agreement, "but you will have to tell the girls as things go well. I know," she snapped her fingers, "Amy is going to have everyone's favorite unit in heath class this fall at school. Maybe you two can cover that with her, the birds and the bees, how this little bundle of joy happened between you two."
"Marion," Jack sighed, shaking his head. "Not now."
"Due date?" Marion waved her hand at Lisa. "When's my new sibling arriving? Oh, I can babysit, and I don't even need a ride home," she grinned at them. "Dad, this is going to be great, messing with you through all of this. To think you're having a kid," she started laughing. She covered her mouth and then put her hand up as to say she was calming herself down and smiled at Lisa. "I'm very happy for you Lisa. I know you've wanted to be a mom, and you'll be a wonderful one. What a lucky kid to have you, and Dad," she gave him a nod, "you and the baby can take naps together, even drool together, eat mashed up food-"
Lisa covered her mouth as she laughed and looked up at Jack. When she looked back at Marion she gave her a single nod, "Thank you for that. I haven't laughed about all of this yet, and I really want to celebrate it but just can't, not yet. I can't get my hopes up, but my due date is right around January 20. That is what the doctor was calculating today." She looked up at Jack, still with his hands on her shoulders, "I have a packet of paperwork, but we have to go back in two weeks for some tests."
"Tests?" Jack raised an eyebrow. "What kind of tests?"
She shook her head, "Ahh, some genetic ones with both of our ages. Let's just say the doctor was more than shocked to tell me I was pregnant and that shock only grew when I told him about you. He asked our ages."
"I mean, not many new parents have a combined age over 100. You're like double the age of most new parents, who combined might be 50. Dad, you're way over that already. You're like the old men in the tabloids who find themselves a sugar mama to bear them an heir."
"Marion, really?" Jack looked at her disgusted, and she shrugged and winked at them. "Are you done yet?"
"Oh no," she grinned. "The way I see it, Lisa has to carry that baby for nine months. You did that to her," she shuddered again, "and so you can take the heat with my jokes. Now, I need to call Tim, and no, I won't say anything." She walked by, squeezing Lisa's arm. "Try not to worry. Get some rest and try to enjoy this-the weight gain, the nausea, the feeling your body isn't your own, the stretch marks, the feeling of being fat but it's a baby, oh the heartburn, the weird things it does to your hair and complexion-just all of the amazing things," she grinned. "Worth it, though, because you end up with a beautiful baby, and I know you will. Night you two. Don't do anything I wouldn't do, oh wait-I'm not having a kid in my 40's. See you in the morning!"
Jack released his hands from Lisa's shoulders when she started to turn there in his arms. He gave her a soft smile and put his hands on her shoulders again, this time, looking into her eyes.
"I'm sorry about Marion."
She waved it off, "You're forgetting she's my friend too. I'm used to it, but it's all directed at you. She likes me," Lisa smiled. Jack chuckled with a nod of acknowledgement and he squeezed her shoulders.
"You know, I've been wanting to do this," and at that, he leaned in and kissed her tenderly, Lisa putting her hands on his elbows which his hands were still on her shoulders. "I love you, Lise. Don't you doubt that, ever," Jack said softly to her, and she nodded, looking up at him.
"Thank you for being understanding."
"I'm still not sure what you expected," Jack frowned. "Did you really think I would say that I didn't want a baby, our baby, and that you would need to go?"
"I don't know what I actually thought would happen," Lisa admitted, dropping her head. When she looked up, somewhat sheepishly, she nodded, "It does sound absurd."
"Almost as absurd as the two of us having a baby," he winked at her. "Now, one of the things I do remember is that you need your rest. I know you're exhausted. I already caught you napping at Fairfield earlier tonight. Let's head to bed. Tomorrow is a new day and one day closer to that baby's arrival."
She shook her head, "I can't think about that yet."
"Okay," he said, pulling her to his side, "I'll think about it for both of us. I'll be at every appointment even if they think we look ridiculous there. Now, you have to promise me one thing-"
"What?" Lisa looked at him, almost worried to what he would say.
"You have any pain, discomfort, anything at all alarming, you tell me, day or night, no hiding anything. You have to, Lise."
"I will," she said, pulling tightly at his side. "I really love you."
"I know," he said kissing the top of her head. "That's kind of what got us into this," he winked at her.
"Now you sound like your daughter."
He groaned and nodded, looking down at Lisa, "I suppose I can't wonder where she gets the sarcasm then?"
"All you," Lisa patted his chest. "Wake me if I don't make the walk to our room. I'm exhausted." At that, the two started walking toward their room, arms around each other's waists as they walked. "It's going to be quite the shock around this place if we actually make it through this."
"That it is," Jack nodded. "This ranch has seen plenty of change. We will adapt to this too. Now, I am guessing the planner you are, you will want to know if it's a boy or a girl. That has changed since Marion was born. Back then, were just surprised when you were given the baby."
"Ahh," Lisa frowned as they reached their doorway, the two stepping apart and standing there against each doorframe. "I'm not sure. I suppose that makes it even more real, finding out the gender. I'm not sure I can deal with that disappointment then if I know and something happens."
He frowned and met her gaze, "IF something happens, and I am going to have the faith it will be okay, you will want to know if it was a boy or a girl. I don't think finding out changes that."
"Maybe," she sighed, shaking her head. "I really can't believe this."
"You and me both. Here, I thought you were tired of an old man and wanted to leave me."
"Certainly nothing old about you," she said, finally a teasing tone as she swatted at him. "What do you want, a boy or a girl, and you can't say a healthy baby," she pointed at him. Everyone wants that."
He pursed his lips and thought before eyeing Lisa, "I'm pretty good with little girls, and one that looks like you would be pretty special."
She blushed and shook her head, "You don't need to flatter me," she waved at herself. "I'm already pregnant."
"Without my even thinking that was possible," he winked. "Your turn. What do you want?"
"A healthy baby," she said with a smile. He chuckled and shook his head, but she nodded, knowing he wanted an answer. "I think," she paused and pursed her lips, repeating herself, "I think I would like for you to have a son to carry on the Bartlett name because I know that would be important to you. If this actually happens, you will have given me an incredible gift, something I wanted but never thought possible, to be a mom."
"Well, my dear, let's get some rest. We can't control everything, but you can get as much rest as possible. If we do have this baby, I will take whatever I'm handed and feel very blessed. I just want you and baby healthy."
"I'm really happy to hear you say that," she teared up again and waved her hand. "Sorry."
"Don't you apologize," he said, gesturing for her to walk into their room first. "Never thought I'd say this, but you're having our baby, and you can cry anytime you want. Only an idiot of an old man would think that denying their much younger beautiful wife of a baby would be a good idea. Glad I had the good sense to make sure my wife got pregnant."
Lisa chuckled there just inside the room and turned, putting her arms around Jack's shoulders as she chuckled, "We're really going to do this?"
"Seems this baby is bound and determined. Let's see how tomorrow goes, remember, one day at a time."