Pressure from JC forced Beth to make a decision about her two jobs.  Feeling there was no other option now that he was back in her life, she quit.  Stressed, Beth tried to avoid JC as much as possible, but her husband was making that impossible. 

Casually, one Saturday morning not long after JC had reappeared back in her life, he suggested a drive to get them out of the house.  He had a specific stop in mind, but he wouldn’t mention it until they were there.  Appealing to the new mother in her, he got her to agree to go shopping for baby items. 

JC had begun the battle to win his wife’s favor back.  He was sleeping next to her in their bed; Beth doing her best not to touch him in any way, but always in the middle of the night JC pulled her into his arms, where she settled in comfortably and relaxed. 

Quickly setting the security code behind them as they exited the house, JC rushed to open the car door for Beth.  Not looking at him, she slid in and buckled her seat belt as JC closed her door and rounded the front to get in the drivers side. 

He kept up a running commentary as he drove, not really expecting an answer.  Beth had her head leaning against the window as she tried not to fall asleep.  She was so tired and couldn’t get enough sleep it seemed. 

JC parked the car close to the door of the building, the rest of the parking lot was empty.  Before Beth knew what was happening, she was startled by his door closing and hers opening.  She looked up at him in puzzlement, this wasn’t the mall where he had said they were headed. 

When Beth didn’t move, JC leaned in over her and released her seat belt, before pulling her gently out of the car. 

“I thought we were going shopping.”  She commented in confusion. 

“We will after your doctor’s appointment.”  With a hand at the small of her back, he guided her towards the front door. 

“But it’s Saturday.” 

“I called in a favor, I’m worried about you and the little one in there.”  He placed a hand on her stomach and received a kick in response. 

Before Beth could respond, they were inside and being greeted by the doctor. 

“Good morning, how are you today?  Just come on back here and we can get started.”  The doctor rushed through her greeting and led them toward an examining room, talking all the while, not allowing Beth or JC to get a word in. 

Soon Beth had changed into a gown and was leaning back on the examining table, her mind going in many different directions.  Her tired brain was having a hard time processing the situation.  With just a few clicks, the computer the doctor was operating was showing a picture of their baby. 

In astonishment, Beth stared at the screen.  The free clinic she had been using didn’t have the ability to show her baby in such detail.  With one hand, Beth brought it up to cover her mouth and without thinking, reached the other hand toward JC.  JC exhaled a quick breath of relief, this was the first time that she had reached out to him since he had returned a few days ago. 

Little did the doctor know the reaction caused by her simple next statement, “Let me print out a couple of pictures for you to take home and then we can have you out of here in just a few minutes.” 

“I can – I can have a picture of my baby?”  Beth’s eyes filled with tears at the question.

“You sure can, a couple as a matter of fact.” 

At that, Beth let out a strangled sob as she sat up and reached for JC.  Quickly he stood and gathered her into his arms.  He tucked her head into his neck and rubbed her back soothingly, cradling her head with the other hand.  With a look at the doctor, he asked the doctor with his eyes if they could have some privacy. 

With a soft smile, the doctor left them alone, not understanding the significance of what was happening.  When JC’s manager had called and asked the doctor to do this favor, not many details had been shared. 

“They wouldn’t give me a picture of the baby at the clinic, they don’t do that there.  They can show you just a blob that they say is the baby but not it that much detail.  Look Jace, you can see the baby’s features, he has your nose.”  She reached past JC to grab a few tissues to wipe away her tears. 

JC chuckled in relief and happiness.  “Poor baby, he shouldn’t be stuck with my nose.  Wait, do you actually know the baby is a boy?”

“No, but I can’t stand it when people call the baby it so I’ve been calling him a boy.  Do you want to find out what the baby is?”

He searched her face closely, “Do you?”

She took a deep breath as she thought.  Then with a huge smile on her face, JC was reminded of how and why he had fallen in love with her as she nodded.  “Yeah, I think we should, that way we’ll know what kinds of things to buy for his or her room.”

For a little while, Beth forgot that they were fighting and how JC had treated her as they pointed out each other in the child they had created together.  They were so wrapped up that the doctor hated to interrupt them, but she had plans. 

A knock on the door had the parents look up at the doctor, both with smiles on their faces.  The doctor handed JC an envelope before quickly finishing Beth’s exam and letting her change back into her regular clothes.  Once changed, the three met in the doctors office.

“Now I understand you want to know the sex of your baby, is that right?”  The doctor glanced up from Beth’s chart to see both heads nodding.   “Well, it was pretty clear on the ultrasound that you will be having a beautiful daughter.  Congratulations!”  Beth clutched JC’s hand tighter in hers as they sat side by side across from the doctor’s desk. 

With a serious expression now showing on the doctor’s face, she began to address some of the issues she had noticed and previously discussed with JC while Beth had been changing. 

“Beth, I’m concerned about how tired you seem to be.  While you should be more tired than if you were not pregnant, the circles under your eyes tell me that you aren’t sleeping, is that right?”

Taking a moment to touch the deep circles under her eyes, Beth nodded.  “I just recently quit my job so I’ve been trying to sleep more, but I’m tired all the time and it’s like I can’t get enough sleep, even though that’s all I do.”

The doctor’s eyes flicked from husband to wife.  “That’s the best thing for you right now.  Let your husband do all the heavy work, that’s what he’s here for.  You are taking care of the baby, let him take care of you.”  Shadows appeared in Beth’s eyes that JC didn’t miss.  The doctor had just reminded Beth of how alone she had been and how he hadn’t been taking care of his wife over the past months.  Well, that was all changing now. 

With a few more instructions and again admonishing her patient to get more rest and sleep, the couple left the office and headed back to their car.  Once inside and buckled, JC reached over and tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear.  Beth had both arms holding the envelope of pictures to her chest, but when JC touched her she shifted her head to look at him. 

“Can we just go home?”  Beth asked quietly. 

Home was just where JC wanted to be.  Home was with Beth, it didn’t matter where they lived in the world as long as Beth was there, he knew he belonged there too. 

Beth dozed in the seat next to him as JC sang quietly along to the softened radio, but when he turned into their driveway and saw a familiar figure sitting on their front porch steps, he swore, bringing Beth awake to look towards the house.  Her eyes zoomed in on the person as well. 

Susie was sitting on the porch.