Accidents Happen

21. 8 weeks.

'So, you're roughly 8 weeks, but I'd like to have you back here at 12 weeks for a more detailed scan.' The midwife told us after we'd all got over the shock.

'What caused this? Does this mean everything's going to be ok?'

'It happens. Occasionally you can suffer a large bleed, almost like a period, but the cervix closes back up and the waters surrounding the fetus protect it. I wouldn't be surprised if you had some more bleeding throughout, so I do advise you take extra care.' She explained. Dan nudged me slightly and I nodded. I knew what he was thinking; no more working for me. I was sure he would have me laying in bed every day if it wasn't inhumane.

'Thank you so much.' I told her. I wanted to kiss her. I'd never felt so relieved. Dan couldn't suppress his smile as we left the hospital and headed to the cardiac centre across London. I'd been prepared to cancel this appointment, but it would seem I still had to go.

I clutched the photo the sonographer had printed off. It was perfectly formed. I could make out it's little bean shaped body and tiny stump like arms and legs.

'I can't believe it.' Dan kept saying as he drove. All I could do was shake my head in disbelief too. As much as I'd prayed, I had not expected this outcome. And now I felt...excited. Now I had seen it there with my own eyes. Now I held the picture in my hand. I took a photo on my phone and sent it to Ben. No doubt he was going mad with worry. He rang me back immediately.

'Is everything ok? What was that photo of?' He asked. I laughed.

'The baby. It's fine. I'm still pregnant.' I told him. I could hear the joy in his voice as he told me he couldn't believe it. None of this was believable! It had been a rollercoaster couple of weeks for all of us. I grinned at Dan and he returned it. I couldn't think of a time when I'd been this happy. It was a nice feeling. Even the appointment at the cardiac centre went well. My heart was fine. The scan was perfect, my blood pressure was perfect, everything was perfect. I would go back once a week and I was given a twenty four hour phone number incase I needed advice or if I became unwell.

We arrived home and just sat on the sofa in stunned silence with the occasional heavy sigh and laugh.

'Is it ok if my friends come over for a few drinks later? Or did you just want a quiet night in after today's drama?' He asked as dinner time approached. And I was starving. This lease of life from the lack of sickness was a relief too.

'Of course that's ok. It's your house.' I laugh.

'Well, I say friends, it's my bandmates. And I kinda want them to meet you.'

'Sure.' I laugh. The only other time I'd met them was that fateful night. 'They know, right? I mean, you cancelled your trip so you told them what was happening?'

'They know. And I text them earlier to say everything was ok.'

'How did they react when you told them?'

'Mixed feelings. Woody thinks it's nuts. But the other two were pleased.' He shrugged. 'Pizza?'

'Nah, I think I'm gonna make something healthy. You know, I need to be careful and all that.'

'What do you want? I'll cook.'

'No that's ok, I can do it. Do you have any pasta? Or, I dunno, not pizza?'

'Just you wait there. I'll sort this out.' He flashed me a cheeky grin and ran to the kitchen. Half an hour later he reappeared with two plates of spaghetti in a weird sort of tomato sauce. I didn't care, whatever it was was amazing. I thanked him over and over again, impressed by his cooking skills. I could've eaten it again right away. But there was a knock at the door.

'That'll be them.' I didn't have time to be nervous. I quickly wondered what they thought of the whole situation but I didn't really care. They could think what they wanted, all that mattered was that Dan and I were happy.

'Hey Ally.' Will, slightly older than Dan with a lovely smile greeted me with a kiss on the cheek. Woody, a stocky guy with long blond hair, copied. But Kyle bent down in front of me, two hands on my hips and put his face right up to my belly button.

'Yo. Hi in there. I'm your uncle Kyle.'

'Hi Kyle.' I giggled.

'Dude, give her some space.' Woody told him.

'Its fine.' I assured him.

'Don't go scaring Mummy and Daddy like that again, please.' He carried on. 'Because we would all like to meet you one day to make sure this isn't all a big elaborate hoax.'

'Wheres the picture?' Dan asked. I pulled it from my pocket and passed it to him. Seeing four grown men coo over the scan photo was a heartwarming sight.

'I can't believe you're gonna be a dad, man.' Woody said, patting his friend on the back. 'This is the most grown up thing you've ever done. No more partying and sleeping around for you.' He winked. The subject of other relationships hadn't come up. But as far as Dan was concerned, he could keep living however he wanted. The last thing I wanted was to hold him back from finding someone. We would always be a family, but I hadn't exactly envisaged us ever getting married because of the baby. He was an amazing guy but I wouldn't dream of tying him down if that wasn't what he wanted.

We had a nice evening. The guys had some drinks and ordered pizza. I enjoyed hearing some stories about what they got up to on the road, the places they'd visited, the shows they'd done. Having been friends with Ben, I wasn't a stranger to life on the road. I wasn't naïve to what guys got up to. And Dan had great bandmates. I couldn't wait to get to know them all properly and have them as uncles to our baby.