The Healer | Part 3: The Survivors

Vault 912

Edith

I was finally able to meet Bonnie for lunch a couple of weeks later. It wasn't a day off for her, she was working the night shift again, so it was an early lunch so she could get a nap in before work.

'Crivvens, Edith,' she exclaimed when she opened the front door to her house.

'What?' I asked, though I already knew the answer. The last time I saw her I was barely showing. Now it was painfully obvious that I was pregnant.

'Give us a spin,' she said. I blinked at her and then did as she asked.

'You're lucky,' she said when we were facing each other again.

'How?' I raised my eyebrows.

'You can't even tell you're pregnant from behind,' she replied.

I burst out laughing, that wasn't the answer I was expecting. I reached for her and wrapped my arms around her as best I could.

'I needed to hear that,' I told her. 'That makes me feel better.'

'You can definitely tell from the front though,' she chuckled.

'You'd have to be blind not to,' I grinned.

'Seriously, Edith, it's all in your tummy,' she went on. 'I'll bet you'll go right back to the size you were the moment those babies are born.'

'Thanks, Bonnie,' I felt my eyes grow wet. I had missed her.

'I can only hope I'll be that lucky,' she said with a barely contained grin.

'No!' I exclaimed. 'Really, Bonnie? Are you expecting too?'

'Just the one,' she replied.

'Crivvens, you kept that to yourself!' I reached out to hug her again. 'How far along are you?'

'Nearly twelve weeks,' she replied.

'Twelve weeks?' I exclaimed. 'You aren't even showing!'

'Well, I am only having one,' she reminded me. 'We were going to tell everyone at New Year's.'

'Ah,' I replied. 'Well, I can't imagine why that wouldn't have been the ideal time.'

'We had only just found out at that point,' she said.

'Crivvens, Bonnie,' I told her, doing the math quickly in my head. 'You must have got pregnant right away. Must be in the genetics, eh?'

'I'd say!' She laughed. 'Come on, let's go.'

We left her house for the small cafe nearby.

'Bonnie, our kids will be the same age,' I said suddenly.

'Aye, I've already thought of that,' she nodded.

'Do Mum and Dad know?' I asked.

'Aye...' she said hesitantly. 'They've known since January.'

'Are they excited?' I asked.

'Of course they are, it's their first grandchild!'

She clapped a hand over her mouth as soon as the words were spoken.

'I'm sorry! I didn't mean...'

'Their first real grandchild,' I said with a small smile.

'Yours will be the first real grandchildren,' she reminded me.

'Not really,' I told her. 'They've disowned me.'

She sighed.

'Well they have!' I went on. 'It's alright, Bonnie. George's family is good to me.'