It had been a little over a year since John and Ellie's birthday elopement trip to Vegas, and Alexandra's first year of school had just wrapped up. Every couple of months or so, they would fly up or Chuck and Sarah would fly down for a weekend visit. However, the last time Chuck and Sarah had come to town, they mentioned they might not be able to have visitors for a while as their job was about to get really busy and would involve work trips that would be taken on short notice. Alex missed seeing her auntie and uncle, and sometimes needed a reminder that while they might not be able to visit for a while, they still loved her. Occasionally a video call with one or both of them was needed to pacify her.
Work was going well for them both, Ellie was a favorite of the local families who needed her skill set for their children, as well as being one of the most referred pediatric neurologists in the area. She had a feeling that Calvin had something to do with it, getting her name out throughout the medical network they both worked in. However, she soon began receiving referrals from doctors that were outside of the network, even some who were an hour or more away would refer their patients to her. John was also doing well in his position, and even had a meeting scheduled with his superior officer earlier that day to go over his yearly review and was informed the goal he'd been busting his ass to achieve had finally been reached. It would take a few months to fully take effect, but he couldn't wait to get home to tell his wife and daughter the good news.
Over the past six or seven months, they'd been privately discussing expanding their family. These conversations were held behind closed doors and after bedtime to avoid exciting their daughter too early on, knowing that the process by nature could be a long one. Ellie started taking supplements, tracking her temperature every morning, and charting her cycle among other things to better their chances of knowing when the best time would be to try. These last few months, she'd been starting to lose hope every time her cycle restarted on its regular 28-day schedule. However, the past week or so, she'd been experiencing fatigue, and nausea throughout the day, and her cycle was slightly delayed, which was not normal for her.
Ellie had a half day shift so on her way home, she swung by an off-base pharmacy to pick up a few things, hiding them in her purse when she got in the car before going to pick Alex up from daycare. When the ladies of the house had arrived home, Ellie fixed her daughter a snack and got her settled in the living room watching the programming on one of the kids' stations. Once she was sure Alex was absorbed in the show she was watching, she slipped the bag from her purse and made her way to the master suite she shared with her husband.
She read the directions over a couple times to ensure she understood the exact process and set to her task before returning to her room to set her phone's timer and wait for the results. She paced around her room as she waited, her stomach a bundle of nerves, excitement and hope warred with the fear of the result and how that would affect their family for good or ill. Needless to say, her nerves did nothing to help the nausea she'd been experiencing. When her timer went off, she practically sprinted to the bathroom to check the results.
As she checked the result of the tests she had laid out against the instructions from each test, a wave of emotion overtook her. She was so overwhelmed that she didn't hear her husband arrive home, or even register that he'd made his way into their room. He saw her staring at the wands still clutched in her hands as she began to sway. It only took a split second for him to register what was about to happen as he quickly rushed into the bathroom to catch her as her legs gave way.
By the time he'd gotten her to the bed, she was crying and whispering something over and over again and shaking.
"Hey, what's wrong, Ellie Faye?" He asked softly as he sat and pulled her into his lap as her sobs caused her body to shake against his.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." She cried, "I thought this time for sure, the signs were all here, the fatigue, the brain fog, nausea, and just the other day you'd mentioned that my breasts had…" She sighed, "I'm sorry."
It took a moment for John to catch up with what she was saying, and a glance at the wands she still held tight in her hands confirmed it. They all had symbols or words all equating to the same thing, another month had passed without being able to conceive. "Hey, hey, shhh," He tried to soothe her as his heart also broke a little, not only for his wife but for the child they were hoping to have created. "This is not your fault. These things take time, months, even years some time."
"I… I know… (hic) John, I know..." Ellie admitted, leaning even further into him, "But I thought 'this time, for sure…' I guess I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up so high. I know that there are women older than me who are able to conceive and have a healthy pregnancy and baby… but it was only recently that they stopped referring to those kinds of pregnancies as 'geriatric pregnancies' and after hearing about the dangers of getting pregnant at or over 35 years old to both the mother and child, it's hard to shake, even knowing of the medical advancements that disprove that prior opinion. It doesn't help that we've been trying for so long, and this is only the first time that it's seemed as if there were a light at the end of the tunnel. I had all the symptoms you should look for, I'm even late!"
"Is it possible that it's just too early to tell?" John asked.
"I suppose, but these tests have advanced quite a bit over the years," Ellie insisted, "They can detect even the smallest trace of HGH nowadays - some even before you miss your cycle… I guess I can ask Doctor Weiss to double check when I go in for my exam next week, assuming I'm still experiencing these symptoms…"
"See, there you go," John tried to cheer her up, even though he wished he could curl up with her and mourn their missed opportunity at becoming parents again. "Maybe I can go with you, we can talk to her about anything we could do or be doing differently… discuss our next steps."
"I guess that could work," Ellie nodded, trying to wipe the tears from her eyes with the backs of her hands, but was stopped by her husband's warm grasp, as he reached out to run his thumb under her eyes and down her cheeks to rid them of the tell-tale tear tracks. She gave him a small, thankful, smile and slit out of his lap, "I'm gonna go throw these away and wash my face before starting dinner."
"Tell you what, Doc," John stood and pulled her into his arms, "Why don't you take your time, and come out when you're ready to. I can make dinner tonight."
"Thank you," She whispered, lifting up on her toes to give him a soft kiss before slipping away into the bathroom.
John heaved a deep sigh and brushed away the tears that were threatening to escape his eyes. He took a moment to collect himself before going out to make dinner. Figuring the higher iron would be good for his wife soon enough, he pulled out some steak and asparagus from the fridge and some potatoes from the pantry and got to work chopping the vegetables, adding them to a baking dish with garlic butter and popping the dish in the oven to cook as he seasoned the steaks to be taken out to the grill to be cooked. His wife joined him a short time later and got their daughter to help her set the table. A half-hour later, the family were gathered at the dining room table, enjoying their dinner of steak and roasted vegetables.
After a while, John spoke up, "I got called into the General's office today." He informed them, "It's that time of year again for me, yearly review and all. Anyway, while I was there, he gave me a bit of good news. I'm being promoted to the rank of Major. It won't be official for a few months, but they'll likely have some kind of ceremony to recognize those of us who are being promoted. That'll take a bit to plan."
"That's amazing John!" Ellie grinned at her husband; he could tell it didn't reach her eyes. While she was happy for him, she was still processing the results of the tests she'd taken that afternoon. "Congratulations, Marine!"
"Thanks, Doc," He gave her a small smile.
"Good job, Daddy," Alex praised him, jumping up from her seat and rounding the table to give him a big hug. She'd been on base long enough that some of her friends' parents had received promotions, so she was starting to understand how important being promoted was.
"Well, let me know when the ceremony will be," Ellie told him, "I'll see if we can't get Chuck and Sarah to come down to celebrate with us. If we find out early enough, we might even be able to see if Debbie could come out, too."
John of a couple years ago wouldn't have cared either way, but over the past couple years, he'd been relearning the value of family. "That would be nice."
"Have you told your mom yet?" Ellie asked.
"Yeah, right after my meeting." John shrugged. "I knew you were busy at the hospital today, so I figured I'd wait until we were home to share with both of you at the same time."
"You don't have to make excuses," Ellie gave him a humored eyeroll, "Your mom is retired, I'm not. I don't care who you tell first, so long as you let us know what's going on."
"Noted," John grunted.
"Now, since you got such great news, I think that calls for a special dessert," Ellie smiled, standing to clear their empty plates, "How does root beer floats sound to you?"
"Yummy!" Alex cheered, "Thanks Mama!"
John chuckled at his daughter's antics, "How about we get this cleaned up, then I can scoop as you pour?"
"You got a deal," Ellie gave her husband a peck on the cheek as she breezed by him, yelping as he swatted her behind playfully, "Behave yourself, Marine."
John gave her his best innocent 'Who me?' look, which she didn't buy at all, and followed her into the kitchen to clean up and get their dessert made.
John's promotion ceremony was two months later. Elie was given the honor of pinning on his gold Oak Leafs indicating his new rank of Major. Debbie couldn't make it but called her brother to congratulate him. Chuck and Sarah were also unable to get away from work to come down for the mid-week ceremony, but they sent a nice card. After the ceremony, the Casey family convened at a favorite local restaurant to celebrate over dinner.
It was late by the time they'd arrived home, so they quickly got Alex changed and into bed so they could read her story and pray with her before kissing her goodnight and retiring to their own room.
"Any news from your doctor?" John asked quietly.
"Nothing more than she told us last month," Ellie sighed, changing out of her dress and into one of her husband's old PT shirts. "'Be patient, these things take time, you're healthy...'"
"'...If you're still unable to get pregnant after trying for a year, we can try some other options.'" John finished for her, since he'd heard it when Doctor Weiss told them the exact same thing. "I'm really sorry, Ellie Faye," He murmured into her ear as he wrapped his arms around her from behind, pulling her into his chest where she lay her head back to rest on his shoulder. "I wish there was something I could do to make this better for you. To be honest, I'm struggling with it too. Some of the guys under my command, a few who even got married after we did, have announced in recent months that they're going to be fathers."
"I know what you mean," Ellie turned in his arms and wrapped her arms around his back, "You want to be happy for them, but your own heart breaks a little for yourself. Let's face it, if anyone's the problem with us getting pregnant, it's me. Our daughter is proof enough that your swimmers are up to the task."
"Hey," John grunted, "I don't take kindly to anyone saying my wife is any kind of problem, especially not her. She is the best woman, the best wife... the best mother who ever walked God's green Earth. She's got strength enough to move mountains with a brush of her pinky and the patience of a saint."
"I'm not that patient," Ellie countered.
"Trust me you're patient, you married a stubborn 'ol Devil Dog. I think it's written in the Marine Spouse's Handbook that patience is required for such a task." John leaned down to press a kiss to her lips.
"I must have missed that on the application form," Ellie snickered.
"We'll get through this," John assured her, "And in the meantime, we can get in some very... thorough... practice." He punctuated his last words with firm kisses to his wife's mouth before sweeping her into his arms and carrying her to their bed. "Starting now, would be good, don't you think?"
"Now is just fine with me," Ellie smiled at him as she sat up and slowly pulled her shirt off, leaving her in just her panties. She gave her still fully clothed husband a sultry smile, "What're you waiting for, Marine? Strip down and ravage your wife."
"Ma'am, yes Ma'am," John responded, throwing off his shirt and stepping out of his boxers at nearly the same time. He lifted his wife up to pull back the covers then laid her back down again, and slowly removed her panties as he took his time making sure she was ready to receive him.
"Oh my God, John," Ellie groaned, as he worked her into a state, "Now, John."
"Yes, Ma'am," He smirked, giving the lady what she wanted.
It was barely five in the morning when Ellie's cellphone rang, waking them both. It took a moment for them to untangle themselves from each other and the bed sheets so that she could answer.
"Doctor Casey," She said as soon as she hit the button to receive the call.
" Ellie, thank God," Ellie could hear the somewhat panicked voice of her sister-in-law over the phone, causing her to sit straight up in bed.
"Sarah?" She gasped, "Are you okay, is Chuck okay..." She paused hearing something she almost couldn't believe in the background, "Is that a baby crying?"
" Yeah, it's kind of a long story, and not entirely mine to tell," Sarah sighed over the phone. " Chuck's fine as far and I know since he's still on his business trip, and I'm more-or-less okay I just... I need your help. Do you know anything about taking care of babies?"
"Theoretically, academically, sure," Ellie shrugged, "I mean, I was seven when Chuck was born, I have vague memories of that time..." By now her husband was giving her a questioning look.
"Did Sarah and Chuck have a baby and not tell us?" John asked.
"Shh," Ellie hushed her husband, "Sarah what, exactly, is the problem?"
" That's just it, I don't know," Sarah replied, " I mean, I've changed her, I've fed her, I've burped her... but she's still screaming."
"Have you tried just holding her?" Ellie asked, "Hold her to your left side so she can lay her head on your chest to hear your heartbeat. Singing sometimes helps too."
" Sing? But I don't know any songs... at least not one appropriate for a baby." Sarah responded, clearly overwhelmed.
Ellie thought for a moment before a song came to mind, "I can teach you one my mom used to sing to Chuck and me when we were little. Now, how did it go? 'Slumber my darling, mother is here...'" She sang it once through for Sarah, then together with Sarah as she learned the lines. Thankfully the crying on the other end of the line began to fade.
" Oh, I think it worked!" Sarah whispered excitedly over the phone, so as to not wake the baby, " Thank you, I know I owe you a long explanation. Can you maybe wait until this little one and I have gotten a few hours of sleep?"
"Yeah, that's fine," Ellie assured her, "You go get some rest, I'm going to try to get some more sleep, too, since it's the weekend and we have nowhere to be right now."
" I didn't wake John, did I?" Sarah asked.
"Yeah, you did, but it seems Alex is still sleeping, so we should be okay," Ellie replied, "I'll let you go; love you."
" Love you, too," Sarah answered, " Tell John I'm sorry."
They said goodnight and hung up. Ellie made sure her phone was on silent before setting it back down on her bedside table and snuggling back into her husband's arms, "She needed to get some rest, she'll explain later." Ellie informed him, earning a grunt of acceptance as they drifted back off to sleep.