Sorry for the delay in posting. I had to work all weekend. Here is the last chapter. I hope you enjoy!
The ride back to Steve's was in complete silence. Steve and Kate were still trying to get their heads around the unexpected news they had just received and Ellie thought it best not to talk as she could feel the tension in the air.
"Where're you going?" Steve asked his daughter once they had finally reached home. Ellie had started walking off as soon as the door closed.
"To my room," she mumbled. "I think I need a nap,".
Steve raised his eyebrows at Ellie's comments. She never took a nap, but it had been quite an eventful day so Steve let her go. He would check in on her in a bit. First he had to make sure Kate was ok. "Maybe you should follow her lead and have some rest?" he suggested gently.
"Yeah," Kate agreed. She was exhausted and it would give her the opportunity to think things through.
"You need help?" Steve asked.
"No I'm good," she replied before slowly walking to the bedroom and leaving Steve alone with his thoughts.
He sat down heavily on the sofa and put his hands to his face. Slowly he pulled them down, stretching the skin as he considered his current position.
He was possibly going to be a father again which had a host of pros and cons attached to it. He had hoped any future children would be planned after having a discussion with Kate, but it appeared as if nature had beaten them to it and they were going to have to deal with the consequences.
From a positive point of view he would experience fatherhood right from the start this time. He would experience all the things he had missed with Elle because he hadn't been with Claire. Kate's pregnancy and watching his child enter the world were top of the list. Then there was all his future child's milestones such as first words and first steps which he would be present for.
That had to be balanced with the lack of sleep and sheer exhaustion that came with caring for a new born. What if his and Kate's relationship imploded under the stress? What if Ellie didn't bond with her sibling?
As he sat there mulling things over, Steve realised he couldn't make a decision without knowing Kate's thoughts, after all, it was her that was going to have to go through this pregnancy the most. She already appeared to be suffering a bit and if it was something she didn't want to continue then he would have to deal with that. He knew Kate had doubts about her capabilities as a mother following her separation and divorce. Had it put her off trying again? He needed to know.
Getting to his feet, he headed to the bedroom. He opened the door quietly in case Kate had fallen asleep. She was under the covers on her side but not asleep, so lost in her thoughts that she had failed to notice Steve's presence until he made a sound that startled her.
"Hey," Steve said as she turned her head towards him. "How're you doing?" he asked as he took a seat on the bed beside her.
"Physically or mentally?" Kate asked.
"Both," Steve answered.
"Well I feel ok," Kate admitted, "but I'm still trying to get my head around everything," she continued as she rolled on to her back.
"Quite a surprise, huh?".
"Yes," Kate answered as her hand automatically went to her lower abdomen, "especially as we've been using birth control,".
"I guess abstinence is the only 100% guaranteed method of preventing pregnancy," Steve suggested.
"Yeah," Kate agreed half heartedly. "But I don't wanna do that," she said with a smirk as she reached for Steve's hand.
"Me neither," Steve replied as he took Kate's hand. "So what do we do?".
"It's not great timing is it?" Kate said sadly.
"Isn't it?" Steve asked, wondering what Kate was referring to. Did she want to terminate this pregnancy?
"We were gonna get married next year," Kate replied, revealing what she was talking about.
"We can still do that," Steve pointed out, a little relieved.
"But I'd have trouble getting a dress and I don't want to look like a massive whale in the photos," Kate argued as she stroked her abdomen protectively and Steve realised he had his answer. Kate wouldn't do that if she wasn't going to leep the baby. They were going to try parenthood together
"So maybe we wait until after?" Steve suggested, trying to come up with a solution. "Having a baby together is far more of a commitment to each other than a piece of paper,".
Kate curled her lip and sighed. "It would be quite a while," she said. "I would want to be back in shape," she countered. "I'm not sure I want to wait that long," she said as she started to play with Steve's fingers.
"Then maybe I take you to the Registry Office and just do it now," Steve offered as he got on to the bed and spooned up behind Kate, his hands resting over hers on their growing baby. "Does that sound better?".
"Maybe," Kate replied.
They lay in silence for a little while, just enjoying being together and absorbing the fact that life was going to change quite a lot in the coming months.
"You still feeling ok?" Steve asked.
"Yeah," Kate replied.
"Was the morning sickness like this with Josh?".
"No," answered Kate. "Maybe it means this one's a girl,".
"You think?".
Kate shrugged her shoulders. "Think you can manage being surrounded by three women?" she teased and Steve pulled a face of mock horror.
A knock on the door ended their conversation and Ellie entered. She stood at the foot of the bed and looked troubled.
"What's up, Elle?" Steve asked.
"It's my fault that Kate's unwell," she confessed quietly, looking at the floor.
Steve gave Kate a quizzical look, unsure how his daughter had reached that conclusion. "I don't think it is, Elle," he said.
"Your Dad's right," Kate added. "This has got nothing to do with you,".
"But it does," Ellie retorted. "I asked Santa for a baby sister and then Kate got ill," she confessed. "I didn't know that that would happen," she added.
Steve and Kate looked at each other and smiled. They had to put her out of her misery.
"Elle, come here," Steve said as he patted the bed beside him. Ellie slowly clambered up and positioned herself between Kate and Steve. "I don't want to shatter your belief in Santa, but he didn't make Kate pregnant," he informed his daughter. "At least I hope he didn't!" he added, looking at Kate who rolled her eyes at his attempt at a joke.
"I've been pregnant for a few weeks," Kate said. "The baby just made its presence known today,".
"Maybe Santa did that?" Ellie suggested
"Maybe," Kate agreed, not wanting to disappoint Ellie. "It was morning sickness that made me unwell, not you," she told Ellie. "It usually happens in early pregnancy and it's is actually a sign that things are going well,".
"Hear that?" Steve asked his daughter. Ellie nodded. "So all you have to do is get ready to be a big sister,".
"To my baby sister," Ellie reminded them.
"What about if it's a baby brother?" Steve asked.
"But it won't be," Ellie replied. "I already have Josh and Nathan so I told Santa I wanted a sister," she informed her father confidently. Kate and Steve looked at each other. They would cross that bridge if and when they had to. "We can have tea parties and play dress up together," she continued, getting carried away with the idea.
"You're going to be an amazing big sister," Steve told Ellie as he kissed the top of her head. "You feel a bit better about it all now?".
"Uh huh," Ellie replied.
"Well I better get some dinner soon. Are we all hungry?".
"I think I can manage something," Kate answered.
"Good," said Steve.
"Maybe pizza?" Ellie suggested cheekily. It was her favourite food.
"Maybe," Steve agreed as he put his arms around his two girls. Life was good. He had a healthy daughter, his best mate was also the love of his life and going to spend the rest of her life with him, and he had a baby on the way. It couldn't get much better than this, he thought. Nothing could stop his joy right no-.
"Daddy?" enquired Ellie, interrupting Steve's musings.
"Yeah?" Steve replied absentmindedly.
"If Santa didn't put the baby in Kate's tummy, how did it get there?" she asked earnestly as she looked up at him with her big brown eyes waiting for his reply.
Oh crap! he thought.