"Thank you for agreeing to see us, Doctor."
"Certainly Mr. Warbucks, Miss Farrell. Please take a seat, both of you."
They entered the doctor's office and each sat down in well-worn chairs on the opposite side of his desk.
Dr. Connell had been Oliver's Medical Practitioner for over fifteen years. The two men had a well established relationship and a mutual respect for one another, so it was with little trepidation that Oliver had approached him about his and Grace's unique situation.
Grace was very grateful that Oliver had a doctor in his life that he trusted to take their issues of infertility to.
Dr. Connell was warm yet professional and incredibly discrete. Grace felt comfortable and secure with him right away.
"So, I understand the two of you are having some difficulties conceiving a child?" His tone was caring and non-judgemental, which brought great relief to both of them.
"That's right."
"How long have you been trying to get pregnant?" He directed the question to Grace.
"About six months."
"And is Mr. Warbucks the only sexual partner you have currently?"
Grace's face turned red, firstly to have it said aloud that she and Mr. Warbucks were sexual partners and secondly at the suggestion that she might have more than one on the go. "Yes! Good gracious."
The doctor held up his hand. "No judgement here, Miss Farrell. There are many people in this world who live many different types of lifestyles, as you both well know in your own situation, and I meet them all."
"Yes, of course."
"I also want to assure you that I see many couples who have been trying for a much longer period of time to conceive and some are still able to get pregnant even after years of no success."
"Are you saying it could take that long? Years?" Oliver asked.
"Possibly. It's different for everyone. Some people are successful on the first try, others take a bit more time."
Grace and Oliver looked at each other, both of them wondering if it might really take that long for them to make a baby and how, if they chose to keep on trying, that might affect the course of their relationship.
"How frequently are you having intercourse?"
"About once every two months."
"Although this past month we did try twice", Grace interjected.
The doctor raised his eyebrows. "So you've tried four times in total?"
"That's correct."
The doctor wasn't about to tell paying customers that they were being absurd by even questioning their fertility after having only tried to conceive four times, but the truth was just that.
Dr. Connell was very diplomatic with what he said next, besides which, he knew that the male patient in particular sitting across from him had the funds to cover whatever investigations may have been required. "Mr. Warbucks, we could run some tests on your sperm to see if we can deduce anything from that? If nothing is apparent from those results we can carry out an examination of you, Miss Farrell."
Immediately, Oliver began to feel alarmed and self-conscious. "Do you think it's more likely to be a problem with me, Doctor?"
The Doctor smiled gently. "I'm not sure that there is a problem yet, Mr. Warbucks. To be perfectly honest with you both, it's frankly much too early to conclude as such."
"So you don't think there's a cause for us to worry just yet?"
"Not at this stage, Miss Farrell. My advice to you would be, if you're really serious about trying to make a baby, you must commit to it. Your efforts need to be increased by much, much more."
"You're saying we should be…copulating more frequently?" Oliver wanted to clarify, despite his embarrassment.
"Yes, or at least you should try a handful more times…maybe two handfuls more, before you start to consider that there may be something wrong."
"I'm sorry doctor, I feel like we've wasted your time", Grace winced in embarrassment.
"Not at all, Miss Farrell. I hope our appointment has given you some reassurance and comfort."
They both nodded. "It has, thank you."
They stood and each shook his hand before making their way outside.
"I feel so silly", Grace admitted as they exited the clinic.
"Well at least now we know what we have to do", Oliver replied a tad sheepishly.
Grace met his eyes shyly, both of them coming to the realization that their 'schedule' would need to be decidedly ramped up.
Before they could say anything else to each other, their rather private conversation was interrupted by a smarmy voice.
"Say, that's Oliver Warbucks! Gosh, Mr. Warbucks, have you just come out of the doctor's office?"
Oliver scowled at the stranger and instantly and protectively stood in front of Grace. "I don't see how that's any of your business", he snarled at the boy who couldn't have been any older than fifteen.
"Gee, I sure hope it's nothin' too serious, Mr. Warbucks. Just think of all that money that'd be left behind if you were to bite the dust, all tied up in such a mess, just useless. What a waste, what a darn shame."
Oliver knew the boy was goading him but it still touched a nerve, making him seethe with rage at the pure gall of the kid's statement, not to mention the insensitivity.
He walked right up to the young fella, who, despite his harsh tongue, was still so young and incredibly light, and grabbed him by the scruff. "Who the hell do you think you are to say that kind of thing to me?"
"Sir!" Grace rushed up and pulled him off the kid.
It was too late though. Never one of them had noticed the slightly older man huddled behind the corner of the building, snapping Oliver's photograph at the most opportunistic time for him, but the most ill-timed moment for Oliver.
"How dare you speak that way to me you little cretin!" Oliver barked at the kid who looked less than sorry. In fact, he wore a rather satisfied grin which made Oliver even more angry. With Grace's strong grip on his arm though, Oliver was able to be pulled away from the still taunting teenager.
"Wow-wee, not only a cream-lickin' fat cat, but a child beater, too! I mean, have a heart, Olly boy!"
His statement nearly made Grace tear into the cheeky young lad too but she was able to restrain herself, clutching on to Oliver who tried to swing back around and attack the kid again.
The young vagrant continued to yell insults at Oliver, even as he and Grace got into their car.
Oliver drove off angrily, in great haste. Grace didn't question him or tell him to slow down. He was a good driver and she'd always felt safe with him behind the wheel, even though he was currently exceeding the speed limit. She too felt the same amount of pent up anger over the interaction they'd just had with the smart-mouthed youth.
She just quietly clung on to the doorframe as the car barrelled down the Manhattan streets.
…
The following morning, over breakfast, with the previous day's unfortunate events forgotten, Grace and Oliver began to formulate a more comprehensive plan to conceive. The visit to the doctor had made them realize that if they were going to try and make a baby, a lot more effort was needed, and more frequent opportunities for trying.
It was, yet again, an uneasy conversation for both of them to have. They had already carefully and considerately come up with a plan to be physically intimate on a fairly regular basis while having it not be too uncomfortable or intrusive to their professional relationship.
Now though, there was the added complication that the two of them were both coming to terms with growing romantic feelings which neither one of them realized the other was also developing.
Grace took a sip of her coffee. "I thought perhaps we should try as many times as we're able to during the week when I'm at my highest point of fertility. I don't expect that it will be every day, or evening, but maybe at least twice during that week?"
"Well, the doctor did say that we need to make more of an effort. Perhaps we shouldn't necessarily make plans to limit ourselves to a certain number."
Off Grace's thoughtful silence, he added, "If there were more opportunities which could be taken within that week, would you be comfortable with me suggesting we take advantage of them?"
Grace's heart quickened. When they'd had a carefully organized schedule, it had felt more structured, more business-like. Now though, it seemed as if their physical encounters could become as spontaneous and opportunistic as they had been in Michigan.
She couldn't deny the little spark of excitement and anticipation she felt at the prospect.
"I-I'd be open to that."
"OK. Of course, you can still say no whenever you want. You know that, right?"
"Yes, I know. Thank you."
At that point, Grace couldn't imagine herself ever saying no to him, even if the timing wasn't ideal. Damn everything else - she would make time.
"The only thing is location…I'm not sure how short notice I'd be able to book us into the Waldorf suites."
Grace smiled delicately. "Given that our…attempts are likely to become more frequent, I think it would be unfeasible for you to have to keep paying for hotel rooms."
"So what, we just stay home? I thought you wanted to keep our activities hidden from the other staff?"
Grace grimaced, knowing she was going to have to address this with him at some point. "Actually, everyone in the house pretty much knows now that we're doing this."
Oliver's eyes widened. "They know? How?"
She pursed her lips guiltily. "Because I told them."
"Grace!"
"I'm sorry! They were all conjuring up their own ideas and so I felt I had to set the record straight with them. Plus, I really don't like lying, especially to people I care about."
Oliver sighed. "Well, I must admit, I don't like holding back the truth either."
Grace let out a little chuckle, remarking pointedly, "No, I know. If yesterday's encounter is anything to go by, you don't like holding back full stop, Sir."
He huffed but then showed remorse. "I reacted pretty poorly to that kid, didn't I?"
"Yes. His attitude was despicable and for some reason he was really trying to egg you on, but yes, you still could have handled it better."
Incidentally, at that moment, Drake came rushing into the dining room holding Oliver's usual stack of morning papers.
"Sir, I'm sorry to have to bring this to your attention but there's something in this morning's 'Journal' you need to see."
Oliver put down his cup of coffee on the table immediately and picked up the New York Journal off the top of the pile.
Oliver's heart dropped when he flicked to page 3 and saw a picture of himself holding the same young man he and Grace had just been talking about, by the scruff, while wearing a menacing look.
He turned the paper around so Grace could see. "Well, now we know why he was trying so hard to get my goat", he said gravely.
OLIVER WARBUCKS GRABS YOUNG STREET BOY IN UNPROVOKED ATTACK
"Unprovoked my Aunt Fanny!" Grace remarked in anger as Oliver held his head in his hands.
"Yes, well, anyone who reads this is not going to know that, are they?"
Forgetting their breakfast, Grace immediately took over damage control, calling as many publications as she could to discredit the unreasonably cruel headline while Oliver called the editor of the journal and gave him a piece of his mind.
Grace was livid after ending her phone calls. When she came storming back into the office, her face was flushed from her many heated conversations with various publications, most of whom had simply laughed in her ear and told her that her boss was societally done for.
Their words had thoroughly upset her. He had been incited into his response, and for very good reason. She was very worried for him, and for herself by default.
"That manipulative swine! I should have realized his taunting of you was for a reason", she shook her head as she sat down at Oliver's desk, opposite him.
Oliver sighed. "I should have realized it myself. He just got me so riled up - all he was trying to do was sell papers."
Grace tilted her head, her eyes fixed on him. "You know, I've been wondering, why did you get so het up over what he said? I know you don't enjoy people prying into your private life, and truthfully, he made me very mad too, but it's not like you to attack someone like that."
Oliver's jaw tightened. He could feel his temperature rising as if he was back on that street corner with the insolent young man again.
"I know it wasn't really a personal attack from his end, but it was deeply personal to me, and to us, I felt. What he said about there being no one to leave my fortune to…well, I guess for as unimportant as his opinion should have been to me, he was right, and…it bothered me."
Grace was silent, listening attentively as he carried on.
"It made me think about what it is exactly I've worked all my life for. I know I've enjoyed many benefits and many luxuries and haven't had to struggle in a very long time and I'm immensely proud and grateful for that, but I suppose there are times when I do wonder…what's it all for?"
He turned and met Grace's eyes. "I guess it also forced me to address my possible shortcomings with our recent inability to conceive. Even though I don't really care to be a Father, I suppose there's a difference between not wanting to and not…being able to", he frowned and Grace's heart ached in understanding.
"Then of course, there was the added sting I knew you would feel at hearing that boy's callous words. Actually, that's probably what set me off the most, knowing what he'd said might have made you feel even more upset than you already were."
Grace looked down at the desk. "Oh, I didn't really make that kind of connection to it, to be honest. And it's not as if your fortune affects me, not really. I know there'll still be enough to maintain my wages even if, God forbid, something did happen to you."
"Actually Grace, it affects you greatly, or at least it will eventually. You see, there are laws which state that a man who is biologically responsible for a child's life is also financially responsible…"
Grace interjected. "Oh, Sir. I wouldn't ask you to be, even if we were successful in conceiving. We spoke about this early on in our agreement, you pay my wages which are more than generous already. We wouldn't ask for anything else from you, I swear."
"I know you wouldn't ask it of me, Grace. I know that very well, but you see, I've already decided that baby or no baby, when I'm gone, I want everything I have to be yours."
Grace gaped at him, her brain taking a moment to catch up with the words she'd just heard him say. "What? You can't be serious."
"I am serious and don't bother arguing because I've made up my mind." His tone was resolute.
"But…what about the other staff, and all the other people in the world who could benefit from it? There are so many."
"Then divide it among whomever you wish to. It will be yours to do with what you like."
Grace could only stare at him, unmoving and speechless.
"I only hope it will mean that you and the child who's lucky enough to have you as their Mother will have a charmed and carefree life."
Holding back tears, Grace choked out, "I don't know what to say."
"You don't need to say anything", his voice was sure and his face calm, almost serene. He was very much at peace with his decision.
There was no one in the world he wished greater happiness for that the woman standing in front of him.
He may not have realized it, but it was all she wanted for him as well.
"Anyway", he smiled, trying to help the conversation move on. "Getting back to our original discussion from this morning…"
"Yes", Grace bliked, dabbing her eyes with the back of her hand.
"Doing a quick calculation in my head, I suppose we'd be looking at trying again the week beginning the fifth of September?"
"Well, that's two months away."
"Yes?"
"Don't you think we should at least be trying every month?" She suggested shyly and hesitantly.
He raised his eyebrows. "I suppose you're right. Doctors orders and all", he shrugged coyly and Grace ducked her head in slight embarrassment. "I'll add it to our itinerary, not that I expect either one of us will forget."
He cracked a smile. "And we agree that we should stay home?"
"If we can somehow be discrete", Grace nodded.
Oliver chuckled. "We can try our best but it probably won't stop everyone from figuring out what's going on, will it? Especially since they all know. I'd still like us to try not to alert them to when we're…"
The end of his sentence wasn't necessary. Grace nodded in agreement with him. She rubbed the back of her neck self-consciously. "I'll certainly have to be a lot quieter than I was last time."
Oliver tried not to let his smirk show but it was pretty difficult to tamper it.
Grace narrowed her eyes at him, her cheeks turning pink. "Oh, don't look so pleased with yourself, will you? It isn't attractive."
What was meant to be a throw-away comment only made Oliver's smirk widen.
"Do you mean to say you'd otherwise find me attractive?" He wondered out loud.
Grace flushed and shook her head dismissively, though she knew she couldn't conceal the truth from him.
She bit her bottom lip provocatively. "Put it this way; If we have a boy, I suspect he will be very handsome."
Smiling in satisfaction at the stunned look on his face, she returned to her day's work, leaving him reeling with the rather disarming thought that pretty much guaranteed he wouldn't be able to focus at all that day.