What Happens on the Cruise

44. Hallelujah

"I'm worried about your blood pressure," Dr. Hendricks said, looking at Ericha's chart. "Have you been monitoring it at home?"

Ericha nodded. "It's been going up."

The doctor pursed her lips. "I really prefer to allow labor to happen naturally, but in this case I'm going to schedule you for labor induction, unless you object." She looked at them.

"If you really think it's necessary," Ericha said.

"I do. Pre-eclampsia can be a very dangerous condition. When are you scheduled to go back on tour, Mr. Rupp?"

"March seventh," Adam answered.

She nodded. "Let me look at my schedule..." She rolled over to the computer in the corner. "All right... How does February fifteenth sound for a birthday for our little girl? Of course if labor happens to start before then, that's good, too."

Adam and Ericha looked at each other, the reality hitting them both at once. They were actually going to be parents. "That would be great," Ericha answered.

"Excellent. That will give dad three weeks to spend with his daughter, and mom some time to recover, which I want you to plan for. You should absolutely be limiting your activity -- no housework, no heavy lifting, no errands -- until your blood pressure gets back to normal." She fixed Adam with a look. "You're going to have to do double duty or call in some help."

"Probably a little of both," Adam replied. "We've got family and people at church just lining up to help."

She nodded. "Just remember to set some boundaries. Having guests over, even to help, can still be stressful. Plus you need some time to just be a family together."

"We will," Ericha promised.

***

"Your dog is so beautiful."

Austin looked up from the bench where he was watching Tim play catch with Satchmo to find a very pretty woman with dark hair and green eyes smiling at him, a grey pitbull on a lead next to her. "Thanks. He's, like, the best dog ever."

"Is he a rescue?" She sat down and reached down to pet her dog. Austin noticed the dog had several facial scars.

"Yeah. We went through this organization called Big Fluffy Dog Rescue," Austin answered.

"I got Lily through a pitbull rescue organization when I was living in Alabama."

"You're from Alabama?" Austin asked.

"You bet! Roll Tide!" she replied.

"Aw, now, see we can't be friends," Austin responded. "Go Dawgs!"

"Ugh! Why are the cute one always from Georgia?" she joked. "I'm Jenn."

"Austin," he answered, shaking her hand. "I'm afraid I'm taken anyway."

She looked out to where Tim was wrestling with Satchmo and nodded. "He's pretty cute."

"Tim or Satchmo?" Austin asked, not commenting on her assumption.

"Both. I feel like I've seen you guys somewhere."

"Did you watch The Sing-Off?"

"Oh, my God! It's you! Oh, wow! My sister called me the first episode and was like, 'Turn on your TV. There's these really hot guys doing country a cappella.'"

Austin ducked his head, blushing furiously. "Yeah, uh, that was us."

"I thought you were from Minnesota somewhere... Mankato! Like Little House on the Prairie."