Chapter 16

On the way home, Donna was trying, and failing, to make conversation with her husband, who sat there nursing his now plastered wrist, feeling rather sorry for himself – for various reasons, one that she had absolutely no idea about.  He did not see any point in telling her.

“That doctor was bang out of order!” she said, pushing the gear lever into place with more force than she normally would have done.   “She had no right to speak to you like that – I’ve a good mind to complain!”

“Leave it, Donna!” he said, sighing heavily as the pain began to kick in.  “It really doesn’t matter!”

“But, Jon….”

“Donna!  I said, leave it!!”

“Okay, okay!” she said, her eyes filling with tears at his sharp tone.  “There’s no need to shout!  I know you’re in pain, but there’s no need to take it out on me!”

“I’m sorry!”

He could feel his eyes slowly beginning to close, he was incredibly tired.

“Don’t you go to sleep!” said Donna, gently nudging him.  “We’re almost home!  I can’t carry you indoors!”

As they sat there with Eileen, drinking an extremely welcome cup of tea, Rosie was eyeing her daddy’s plaster cast with great curiosity – she had never seen one before, and wondered what it was.   They tried their best to explain to her in a way she would understand.  She prodded it with her finger – for some reason, she did not like it.

“Take it off, daddy!” she said, punching it with her little fist.

“Stop it, Rosie!” he snapped, pushing her hand away.  “That hurts!  I can’t take it off – not until my arm is mended!”

“Why don’t you like it, Rosie?” said Eileen, picking her up and putting her on her lap.

“No cuddles!” said Rosie.  “Need two arms!”

For some inexplicable reason, Jon felt his eyes fill with tears.  He reached out to her as she scrambled down from Eileen’s lap and ran over to him.  He put his good arm around her, and held her tightly, as best he could.

“See!” he said, kissing the top of her head.  “I don’t need two arms to cuddle you!”

Rosie seemed satisfied with that, and clambered on to his knee, where she sat contentedly, drinking her bedtime milk.  She broke wind loudly, which she found highly amusing.

“Rosie!   That’s very rude!” he said, trying to look cross.  “What do you say?”

“Follow that!” said Rosie, looking up at him, grinning broadly.

“I think someone has a little explaining to do!” said Eileen, trying to hide her amusement, as she looked across the table at Jon, who was, by now, almost crying with laughter.

“Yes, Jon!” said Donna, as she too gave in.  “Please enlighten us!”

“I don’t know what you mean!” he said, trying in vain to control himself. “Nothing to do with me!”

“Liar! Liar!  Bum’s on fire!” sang Rosie, once again rendering him completely incapable of speech, along with the others.

As they all gradually sobered up, Donna was thinking to herself how lovely it was to see him happy again.  It seemed so long since she had seen him laugh – too long.  She reflected on how it had all come about through a child’s innocent comment.  Children told it like it was, she thought, often with hilarious results.

A few days later, she went into the living room, and found him lost in thought, not even noticing she was there.  She sat down next to him, taking his hand.

“Penny for them!” she said, kissing him gently.  “You were miles away!”

“Sorry!” he said, giving her a sheepish sideways glance.  “Just thinking!”

“What about?”

“How lucky I am!” he said, wrapping his arms around her, and kissing her long and tenderly, until she had to pull away for some air.  “I’ve got it all, haven’t I?  Beautiful wife, beautiful child with another on the way, the career I’ve always dreamed of – doing what I love best in the world.  Sometimes I think it’s all too good to be true, and I’m scared I could lose it all!  I’m scared I could lose you!  Promise me I won’t, Donna!  Promise me you’ll always be here for me, I’d be so lost without you, I…..”

He buried his face in her shoulder, in an attempt to hide the tears in his eyes.

“What’s brought this on?” she said, running her fingers through his hair.  “Come on, you know I’ll always be here for you – you don’t get rid of me that easily!  Seriously, you don’t ever have to be scared of losing me, I’m in this for the long haul!  I love you, Jon – it’s as simple as that!”

“What do you see when you look at me?” he said, his eyes searching hers.   “Some naïve fool who lets his heart rule his head?”

“No!” said Donna, cupping his face in her hands.  “I see the man I love!”

“Sometimes I don’t know why you love me so much” he said.  “but I’m so glad you do!  I can’t wait for this little one to put in an appearance!”

“Talking of which…” she said, leaning her head on his shoulder.  “I’ve got my scan tomorrow – you’ll be able to see our baby!  It makes it seem all the more real, doesn’t it!  Are you coming?”

“Do you really think anything could keep me away?” he said, the look of love of his face warming her heart.  “Of course I’m coming!”

Donna lay there on the bed, holding her hands protectively over her bump, as she waiting for the sonographer to come.  She looked at her husband’s happy, yet anxious face.

“It’ll be all right, love!” she said,  squeezing his hand.  “You’ll be able to see him or her soon!”

Just as she spoke, the sonographer came in.  She smiled at Donna, and, after telling both what she was going to do, she smeared gel over her stomach, and switched on the monitor.  They both watched in silent amazement as a tiny form appeared on the screen, they still did not speak as they watched its tiny legs begin to kick, and put its thumb in its mouth.  This was their baby!  So small, yet so perfect, and so precious.

“Can you tell what I’m having?” said Donna, still not taking her eyes off the screen.

“Yes!” replied the sonographer, smiling at her.  “Do you want to know?”

“Do you want to know, Jon?” she said, looking surprised as she saw the tears beginning to roll down his face.

“I don’t mind!” he said, quickly wiping them away, unaware that they had both already noticed them.  “Whatever you want!”

“I don’t want to know!” she said, looking back at the screen.  “I want it to be a surprise!  Just tell me one thing – is he or she all right?”

“Absolutely fine!” was the reply.  “Listen!”

She pressed her Sonicaid to Donna’s stomach.  There it was – strong and steady, their baby’s heartbeat – the most beautiful music in the world!

“Our baby, Donna!  That’s our baby!”

“Yes, angel!” she said, gripping his hand.  “It’s our baby!  Alive and kicking!”

Donna and the sonographer stared in amazement as he leaned his head on his arm, and began to cry his heart out.  His emotions were all over the place at the moment.

“You’re supposed to cry after the baby’s born!” said Donna, trying to ease his obvious embarrassment.  “Not before!”

“I’m sorry!” he said, rubbing furiously at his eyes with his good hand.  “I feel such a fool, I….”

“It’s all right!” said the sonographer.  “Why is it that men always feel they have to apologise for showing their feelings?  Don’t worry, dear!  You’re not the first, and you won’t be the last!”

The sonographer gently rubbed the gel from Donna’s stomach, and helped her off the bed so she could dash off to the toilet to empty her bladder, which was just about at bursting point.  While she was in there, Jon stood outside waiting patiently, quietly reflecting on what had just happened – things were turning out just as they had hoped and prayed.  His life was getting back to the way it had been before – he hoped Emily was happy.  Still, she had been happy before he came into her life, she could be happy now, he reasoned.  His train of thought was interrupted by Donna, as she came over and took his hand, and they walked back to the car, happy once again. All was right with the world, once again.  Still, as they were to find out in the not to distant future, life had a nasty habit of turning round and hitting you right where it hurt….