The babysitter

Hospital visit

The emergency room had been a blur of intake forms, triage assessments, and waiting. Lucy's condition had warranted immediate attention—her blood pressure was low, she was clearly dehydrated, and the swelling in her ankle had the attending physician concerned about complications.

Now, three hours later, Lucy was settled in a private room on the medical ward, looking small and pale against the white hospital bedding. The IV line in her left arm was already working its magic, delivering much-needed fluids and anti-nausea medication that had finally given her some relief from the constant waves of sickness.

Tim sat in the uncomfortable visitor's chair he'd pulled as close to her bed as possible, holding her right hand while they waited for the orthopedic technician to finish applying a proper walking boot to her ankle.

"Better?" he asked softly as the tech finished securing the Velcro straps.

Lucy flexed her foot carefully within the boot and nodded. "So much better. I can't believe I let it get this bad."

"You were taking care of sick kids," Tim reminded her gently. "You weren't exactly thinking about your own ankle."

The orthopedic tech gathered his supplies and smiled at them both. "Keep that boot on for at least two weeks, Mrs. Bradford. No weight-bearing without it, and try to keep it elevated when you're resting. The swelling should go down significantly now that it's properly supported."

After he left, a nurse appeared to draw more blood for additional tests. Lucy winced as the needle went in, her free hand gripping Tim's tighter.

"I'm sorry," the nurse said sympathetically. "I know you've been poked enough today. Just a few more vials and we'll have everything we need."

It had been test after test—blood work to check for infection and dehydration levels, urine samples, even an EKG when her heart rate had been elevated. Lucy was exhausted from it all, but the IV fluids were helping her feel more human than she had in hours.

"How much longer do you think?" Lucy asked Tim after the nurse left with the blood samples.

"Dr. Martinez said they wanted to get your fluid levels back up and make sure there wasn't anything else going on besides the stomach bug," Tim said, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. "Probably a few more hours at least."

Lucy sighed, then looked at Tim with concern. "You should call Angela, check on the kids."

"I texted her an hour ago. Emma and Evan are both doing great. She said Emma helped her make dinner and they're planning to watch a movie before bedtime." Tim smiled. "She also said Emma told her very seriously that she needed to take good care of Evan because 'Mommy and Daddy are at the hospital making Mommy feel better.'"

Despite everything, Lucy smiled. "She's such a good big sister."

They sat in comfortable quiet for a while, the steady drip of the IV and the distant sounds of the hospital creating a oddly peaceful backdrop. Lucy's color was slowly returning, and she hadn't felt nauseated since the anti-emetic had kicked in.

"Tim?" Lucy said softly.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you. For bringing me here, for taking care of everything. I know I was being stubborn about it."

Tim lifted their joined hands to kiss her knuckles. "You take care of all of us every day. It's about time someone took care of you for a change."

A soft knock on the door interrupted them, and Dr. Martinez entered with a tablet in hand and an expression that Lucy couldn't quite read.

"How are you feeling, Mrs. Bradford?" the doctor asked, approaching the bed.

"Much better," Lucy said honestly. "The nausea is gone, and the fluids are helping."

"Good, that's what we like to hear." Dr. Martinez pulled up the visitor's chair on the other side of Lucy's bed. "I have your test results, and I wanted to discuss them with both of you."

Tim felt Lucy's hand tense in his. "Is something wrong? Is there an infection?"

Dr. Martinez smiled, and suddenly Lucy could identify the expression she'd seen—barely contained excitement.

"No infection, no complications from the dehydration, and your ankle should heal perfectly with proper rest," the doctor said. "But we did find something unexpected in your blood work."

Lucy's heart started to race. "What kind of unexpected?"

Dr. Martinez looked between them both, her smile widening. "Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Bradford. You're pregnant."

The words hung in the air for a moment, and Lucy felt the world tilt slightly. Tim's hand went slack in hers as he stared at the doctor.

"I'm... what?" Lucy whispered.

"About six weeks along, based on your hormone levels," Dr. Martinez continued. "The nausea you've been experiencing wasn't just from the stomach bug—though that certainly made it worse. Morning sickness combined with a stomach virus and dehydration from caring for sick children while injured... well, it's no wonder you felt so terrible."

Tim found his voice first. "She's... we're... pregnant?"

"Very much so," Dr. Martinez confirmed. "The baby appears to be healthy based on your initial levels, though we'll want to get you scheduled with obstetrics for a proper first appointment once you're feeling better."

Lucy looked at Tim, seeing her own shock reflected in his eyes, followed quickly by something that looked like wonder.

"Three kids," Tim said softly, almost to himself.

"Three kids," Lucy repeated, her free hand moving instinctively to her still-flat stomach.

Dr. Martinez stood, giving them a moment to process. "I'll have the nurse bring you some prenatal information and dietary guidelines. We'll want to keep you here for a few more hours to make sure you're fully rehydrated, but there's no reason you can't go home tonight."

After the doctor left, Tim and Lucy stared at each other in stunned silence.

"Are you okay?" Tim asked finally.

Lucy took a shaky breath, then smiled—the first real smile Tim had seen from her all day. "I think I'm more than okay. Surprised, exhausted, and wearing a medical boot, but... Tim, we're having another baby."

Tim leaned over and kissed her gently. "I love you," he whispered against her lips.

"I love you too," Lucy whispered back. "All of us."

Let me know in the comments on what you want to see :)