Sorry meant to upload this last weekend x
It was Easter Sunday and Rachel was getting ready for the arrival of Steve, Imogen and Poppy who were coming over soon. Steve was going to a football match with Eddie and then Rachel was going to do a roast for them all.
"Rachel what are we doing while Daddy goes to football?" Michael asked
Eddie had Michael for the Easter weekend which had been really nice.
"I was thinking we could spend the afternoon in the garden" Rachel said
"Can we do another Easter egg hunt?"
Rachel had spent ages thinking up clues with Lexie for the Easter egg hunt they did in the morning but didn't feel much like thinking of more.
"We can do another one but it will be without clues this time"
It wasn't long before Steve arrived with the girls so Rachel went to let them in.
"Do you want take your stuff upstairs? You're all in the same rooms as last time"
They were going to stay for the night so that Steve could have a few drinks.
Once they'd taken their stuff up they went into the kitchen.
Imogen hadn't been feeling very well all morning. She'd been feeling dizzy but it was getting much worse now.
"Have you got time for a drink before you head off?" Rachel asked Eddie and Steve
"Yeah I reckon we do"
Rachel flicked the kettle on.
"Tea or coffee?" Rachel asked Steve
"Coffee please" Steve replied
"Imogen?"
"I don't want one thank you. I'm going to go and sit down" Imogen said as she felt as though she was about to faint
"Are you okay?" Rachel asked suddenly realising how pale she'd gone
Imogen gave a small nod of her head but it was obvious she wasn't.
Imogen began to walk off feeling absolutely dreadful but she lost consciousness and her legs gave way.
Luckily Eddie was stood behind his niece so caught her as she fell.
Eddie carefully laid her on the floor and Rachel laid a clean tea towel under her head.
After a minute Imogen came round again. She still wasn't feeling good.
"I'm too hot" Imogen complained
"Go and get a cool flannel to put on her head Eddie" Rachel said
Eddie did as Rachel said.
Rachel looked up and noticed Daisy crying.
"What's wrong Daisy?" Rachel asked
"I'm worried about Imogen"
"She's okay. Why don't you all go through to the lounge or go in the garden so we can give Imogen a bit of space" Rachel suggested to the kids
"I'm not going anywhere" Poppy said also clearly very worried about her sister
"Okay the rest of you then"
"Come on let's go and sit in the garden" Lexie said and the others followed her
After lying on the kitchen floor for a few minutes Imogen started to feel better so went to stand up.
As soon as she stood up she nearly fainted again so Rachel got her to lie back down.
"Just staying lying there for a bit longer Imogen"
"What's wrong with her? Do we need to take her to hospital to get checked out?"Steve asked panicking
"You'd end up sitting in A for ages. Why don't we ring 111 and see what they say?"
"I think I'll be okay to stand up now" Imogen said after lying on the ground for another 10 minutes. She was starting to get really uncomfortable
"Are you sure?" Steve asked
"I'm sure"
"Just take it slowly" Steve said as he helped his daughter to her feet
He walked slowly with Imogen into the lounge as Imogen was still weak.
"Shall we ring 111 now?" Poppy asked as she was worried so wanted to hear from a Doctor why her sister had fainted
Steve got out his phone and dialled the number. It took a while but eventually he got through and was told a doctor would phone them back
Imogen had more colour in her cheeks by this point and was slowly eating a piece of toast that Rachel had made her.
"Do you know anyone that would want to take my place at the football Eddie? I think I'd better give it a miss"
"Why don't we just see how Imogen is in a bit? We can stay here for lunch instead and then make a decision"
It felt like they waited ages for the call from the doctor but it actually wasn't too long. Steve answered and told them what happened. He asked to speak to Imogen who had to answer lots of questions.
"What did he say?" Steve asked once Imogen came off the phone
"He wants me to see an out of hours doctor. I've got an appointment at 2 but he said it's probably nothing to worry about"
"Okay looks like I will be missing the football, sorry mate"
"I can take Imogen to see the doctor. I'm sure everything is fine and they just want to see her as a precaution so it seems silly to miss out on the tickets you've paid for" Rachel offered
Steve seemed unsure.
"If anything is wrong Rach will call you straight away" Eddie said
"Are you sure you don't mind Rachel? I'm sure you're going to have your hands full with all the kids here as it is"
"It will be fine. Lexie can keep an eye on the little ones and I'm sure Olivia and Poppy will be just fine while we're gone. As long as you're okay with that Imogen?"
"Yeah I don't mind"
"Okay well make sure you ring me as soon as you've seen the doctor"
After having some lunch Eddie and Steve headed off to the football.
"Imogen and I need to leave in about 20 minutes. Are you okay to look after Daisy and Michael?" Rachel asked Lexie
"Yes of course"
"They're desperate to do another Easter egg hunt but don't feel you have to"
"I'll get Poppy and Liv to help me hide some eggs"
"I can hide some before we go" Imogen said, she was feeling bad that Rachel was having to take her to see a doctor on Easter Sunday
"You just sit there and rest love. Are you feeling faint still?" Rachel said
"No not really. I don't feel quite right but definitely not as bad as I felt earlier"
It was soon time to leave for Imogen's appointment so Rachel drove them both to see the out of hours doctor.
They walked into reception and Imogen said that she had an appointment to the lady on reception.
"Can you go and do a urine sample before you see the doctor please?" The receptionist asked as she handed Imogen a pot
"I'll be waiting here" Rachel said so Imogen headed to the toilets
She soon returned and handed in her urine sample before sitting down next to Rachel.
After a bit of a wait the doctor came into the waiting room and called Imogen's name.
Imogen stood up but then turned around when she realised Rachel was still sitting.
"Do you want me to come in with you?" Rachel asked when Imogen turned around
"If you wouldn't mind"
"Of course not" Rachel said before picking up her bag and standing up
Imogen and Rachel followed the doctor. Imogen was feeling nervous, she always did hate trips to the doctors.
Imogen had to explain again what happened this morning and why she was here.
"Right well I think I know the reason you fainted this morning but we'll run some other tests just to be on the safe side"
Imogen hadn't told her much so didn't understand why the doctor thought she already knew the reason.
"I've done a pregnancy test on the urine sample you provided and it is positive so I think that's what caused you to faint"
Rachel and Imogen both froze. This certainly wasn't what either of them were expecting to hear.
"I can see this is a big shock for both of you. Imogen I'll leave you with Mum for a couple of minutes to take this in and then we can talk" the doctor said
"I'm not Mum. I'm..." Rachel started but then she wasn't sure what to say "I'm her Auntie"
"Well I'll give you a little bit of space"
Imogen hadn't said anything or displayed any emotion.
Once the doctor left Rachel turned and faced Imogen.
"Well that's a bit of a shock. Tell me what's going through your head Imogen"
"Can we do the test again? It might be wrong"
"I don't think the test is wrong Imogen"
"But it could be"
"We'll speak to the doctor about it when she comes back in"
"I don't want to be pregnant" Imogen said panicking
"It's going to be okay" Rachel said as she took hold of Imogen's hands
Imogen shook her head as a tear rolled down her cheeks.
"Dad's going to kill me"
"I'm sure he's going to be very shocked but he'll be there for you Imogen, I know he will"
After a few minutes the doctor came back in.
"Can we do the test again in case it's wrong?" Imogen asked
"The test isn't wrong, you are pregnant" the Doctor said calmly
Imogen put her head in her hands so Rachel started rubbing her back.
"When was your last period Imogen?" the Doctor asked
"I can't remember" Imogen said with her head still in her hands
"Can you have a bit of a think for me? I need to know the first day of your last period so we know how far along you are"
Imogen thought for a few moments before giving the doctor the date.
"Okay well that means you're just over 6 weeks gone and puts your due date in November. I know this is a lot to take in right now so I'd suggest making an appointment with your GP during the week to talk things through properly"
Imogen nodded feeling unable to believe the fact she was pregnant.
"Is it okay if we do a few more tests just to make sure the fainting wasn't caused by something else?"
Imogen nodded her head again.
The Doctor asked Imogen some more questions before taking her blood pressure and doing a finger prick blood test.
"Everything seems fine now. Your blood pressure is within the normal range now but fainting during pregnancy is very common. Make sure you sit down as soon as you start feeling dizzy next time"
Once everything was done Rachel thanked the Doctor before the two of them walked back to the car.
It was a lot for Rachel to take in but she knew she needed to be there for Imogen and not let on how she was feeling.
"What do you want to do now? We can go back to my house or we could go and get some fresh air or I could drop you to one or your friend's houses. Completely your choice"
"Can we just go back to your house?"
"If that's what you'd like. I'll just call your Dad first and tell him to come back"
"No let him watch the football first. I need a bit more time before I tell Dad"
"Okay but try not to worry about telling him. He might be angry to start with but I don't think he'll stay that way for long"
Rachel drove them back to her house. Imogen looked out of the window the whole way back and didn't say anything.
When they got in Imogen went upstairs to lie down so Rachel went to see what the kids were up to. They were all in the garden still.
"Is everything okay with Imogen?" Lexie asked as Rachel sat down
"Yeah everything's fine. She's just gone upstairs for a little lie down"
"I'm going to go upstairs for a bit too. I've been running around with Daisy and Michael since you left so I'm worn out now"
"It might be best to leave Imogen on her own for a bit. You can lie on my bed if you want to though"
"Is there something wrong with Imogen?"
"She's fine, just tired"
Lexie could tell there was something going on but didn't keep asking questions.
Rachel went inside to make a start on the roast dinner. She couldn't stop thinking about Imogen though.
Once the lamb was in the oven and the vegetables were chopped, Rachel went upstairs to check on Imogen.
Imogen was crying hysterically so Rachel rushed over.
Rachel didn't say anything but rubbed Imogen's back whilst she cried.
After a while Imogen stopped crying.
"I'm sorry for crying"
"Hey you don't need to be sorry for that. You've just been told something huge. It's best not to keep it all bottled up"
"I still can't believe this is happening" Imogen said as she subconsciously placed a hand on her stomach
"Me neither. So you hadn't suspected you were pregnant?"
Imogen shook her head.
"I haven't had any symptoms"
"Was today the first time you fainted?"
"Yes. There have been times over the last week where I've felt light headed but today was the first time I actually fainted"
"Have you been using contraception?"
Imogen's cheeks started blushing. She nodded her head.
"Are you on the pill?"
"No we just use... you know"
"Condoms?"
"Yeah. I guess one must have broken at some point without us knowing" Imogen replied feeling really embarrassed to be talking to Rachel about this
"I'm afraid that can happen. Have you told Connor yet?"
Imogen shook her head as she started crying again.
"I can't do this Rachel. Everyone's going to be so disappointed"
"You can do this. We'll take things one step at a time. We'll tell your Dad and then have a think about the best way to tell Connor. Either over the phone or in person"
Imogen nodded. She was so glad to have Rachel's support and not be going through all of this on her own. If Imogen had taken the test herself she didn't know how long she would have ended up keeping it a secret.
"I think Connor will want me to get rid of the baby"
"Is that what you want?"
"I don't know. I feel nowhere near ready to have a baby and I know I don't have a job but I hate the thought of getting rid of my baby"
"It's your choice Imogen. It's your body and Connor can't make you do anything"
"But how will I be able to support a baby. What would you do if you were me?"
"I'm afraid I can't answer that because I'm not you. The decision has to be yours. But whatever decision you make, I will try and be there for you however I can" Rachel said knowing this was going to be even harder for Imogen without having her Mum
"I know deep down that I want to keep it but I just don't know if it's possible"
"I can't make the decision for you but I will say this. Focus on what you want and then try to find a way to make it work. Don't make your decision based on what you think you should do or what you think other people think you should do. All you can do is make the decision based on what feels right for you now"
Rachel talked things through with Imogen for a while longer.
"Do you fancy coming downstairs for a bit?"
"Okay"
"Let's dry these tears first though" Rachel said as she pulled a tissue out of the box on Lexie's bed side cabinet
"I'm dreading telling Dad"
"They should be back soon. The sooner you get it over with, the better I think"
Imogen sat nervously in the kitchen waiting for her Dad to get back. She started to panic when she heard Eddie and Steve walk through the front door.
"Rachel will you stay with me when I tell Dad?" Imogen said without thinking. It wasn't just her and Rachel that were in the kitchen
"Of course I can"
"Tell Dad what?" Poppy asked
"Nothing" Imogen said
"It must be something. Is it about what the Doctor said?"
Imogen started panicking, she didn't want everyone else to find out she was pregnant right now.
"Imogen will tell you another time Poppy. You don't need to worry though" Rachel said
"So you're not really ill?" Poppy asked thinking the worst
"No, I promise"
Rachel and Imogen went through to the lounge with Steve to tell him as soon as they got back.
Eddie wondered what was going on but knew he'd find out in a bit. He nipped upstairs to go to the loo and as he came down the stairs he saw Steve storm out of the house and slam the door behind him.
Eddie went into the lounge to see what had happened.
Imogen was in floods of tears and Rachel was trying to comfort her.
"What's going on? I've just seen Steve storm out of the house"
"Can I tell Uncle Eddie?" Rachel asked and Imogen nodded
"When we went to see the Doctor we found out that Imogen is pregnant"
Eddie was speechless for a few moments and sat down on the sofa.
"Your Dad will calm down Imogen. He'll just need to blow off a bit of steam but he'll be back soon"
"I knew he'd be angry but I didn't think he'd be this angry and disappointed"
"It's the shock. Uncle Eddie is right, he'll calm down soon and be able to talk to you sensibly"
Eddie was right and Steve came back 10 minutes later looking considerably calmer.
"I'm so sorry Imogen" Steve said as he crouched down in front of his daughter
"We'll leave you to talk" Rachel said before her and Eddie went out
"Nobody else knows yet so don't mention it in the kitchen" Rachel said quietly to Eddie
"I can't believe this"
"Me neither. It's turned out to be a rather eventful Easter Sunday"
Rachel went and put the potatoes on. She was a bit behind so they were going to have to eat a bit later than planned.
"Do you want a drink Rach?" Eddie asked
"I'd love one please. I'd bought some bubbles to have with Imogen but I guess she'll have to give that a miss tonight so I'll just have a glass of wine please"
Eddie got himself a beer and Rachel a glass of wine.
Steve came in after a little bit and asked Poppy to come with him.
Poppy got really worried when she saw her Dad had been crying.
"Rach what's going on? Are you sure there isn't something wrong with Imogen?" Lexie asked
"Imogen is fine. She's perfectly healthy but Imogen has had some big news. It's really not my place to tell you though"
Lexie had a feeling she knew what it was now but decided not to say anything.
After a couple of minutes Steve returned to the kitchen.
"Imogen said we can tell everyone what's going on because she guessed everyone would be worrying"
"Tell us what?" Olivia asked
Steve looked to Rachel so Rachel told them all that Imogen was pregnant.
Their Easter turned out very differently to what they expected but they all enjoyed the roast lamb that Rachel cooked.
After eating and clearing up Rachel put Daisy and Michael to bed and then the others all watched a film together. Nobody found it very easy to concentrate on the film though.
"I think I'm going to go up to bed" Imogen said once the film finished
"Yeah me too" Lexie said. She wanted to speak to Imogen and find out how she was feeling but also didn't want to interfere too much
Lexie and Imogen headed upstairs. The others weren't far behind as they were all feeling a bit drained.
Rachel decided to pop in and check on Imogen before bed. She seemed to be in a deep conversation with Lexie so she didn't interrupt them. Rachel was glad that Lexie and Imogen seemed to get on really well.
After saying goodnight to Olivia and Poppy, Rachel went and got ready for bed herself.
She changed into her pyjamas and washed her face before climbing into bed.
Whilst waiting for Eddie to get ready for bed, Rachel found herself crying. She'd been holding in her emotions all day but now they seemed to be coming out.
Rachel had come off the pill a few months ago after deciding that they wanted to try and have a baby together. Rachel hadn't fallen pregnant yet and she also knew how slim her chances were. They'd decided to give it 6 months and then try IVF.
Eddie was surprised when he walked out of the ensuite to find Rachel in tears.
"Hey what's wrong?"
"It's just been a long day. I know it's stupid to think like it but I've just been thinking how easily Imogen has fallen pregnant when she didn't even want to yet we want a baby and it's so unlikely that I am going to get pregnant naturally"
Eddie climbed into bed and pulled Rachel into his embrace.
"I can't say I haven't had those thoughts as well. I know the odds are a lot lower for us but there is still hope"
"I know"
Eddie stroked Rachel's hair whilst she had a cry.
Rachel and Eddie stayed up really late talking. They both knew they'd regret it in the morning but it had been nice to talk. It wasn't often that they got to spend time alone these days.
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