Pregnant again

17

Miranda stood in the mirror and looked at her naked body examining it. The light stretched marks across her abdomen. Her breast had stretch marks as well. She looked at her figure and she wanted to loose weight still, possibly get back to her weight before covid and quarantine.

She made up in her mind that she was going to start back working out, she just had to find the time. She walked to get dressed throwing on sweatpants and a regular t-shirt.

She heard the doorbell ring twice, so she grabbed Maddy and walked downstairs to answer the door.

"Oh my Goodness Calliope Torresssss." She yelled excitedly.

"Miranda Bailey." She laughed and pulled her in for a hug.

"I miss you." Miranda frowned hugging her tighter.

"I miss you too, so much."

"What are you doing here?" She back up letting her walk inside.

"I have a surgery. Hip revision. I went to the hospital looking for you and your permission,  then I was told you were home for today. Webber gave me your address."

Miranda nodded. "Well who is this?" Callie asked looking at the baby in Miranda's arms.

"This is Madelyn Elena Warren and she is 4 months."

"She beautiful and looks just like you."

"Thank you."

Miranda led her to the kitchen. "You want something to drink. I can still make a good margarita or grand sour."

"I don't want to put you through that trouble especially since you can't drink. Assuming your breastfeeding."

"I am, but It's no trouble at all." She smiled.

"Who would have thought Miranda Bailey would have a four month old at forty-

"Uh don't do that." Miranda laughed cutting her off before she could say her age. "I didn't think I would have one either. She's my rainbow."

"I am thinking about having another." Callie told her sitting on the stool.

"She is definitely keeping me on my toes and taking my sleep... so how is everything back in New York? You and miss Arizona. Judging from that ring I would say great." Miranda teased pointing at her left hand.

"Yeah everything is wonderful. We got married again and I think our bond is 1000 times stronger." Callie said reaching for Maddy. Miranda handed her to her and watched as Callie tickled her and bounced her up and down.

"Aren't you the cutest?" Callie cooed.

"I'm so glad you two worked it out I was rooting for you. Especially since I went through the trouble of marrying you." Miranda laughed.

"You were so stressed that day." Callie laughed.

"You were too." She added and they laughed together.

What about you? Last time I heard from you, you were taking in a teenage boy." Torres asking raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah Joey. He's great and I love him like my own."

Miranda heard the front door open up and she looked at the clock in the kitchen.

"Would that happened to be my children or the love of my life?"

"I thought we were the love of your life." Tuck asked offended walking to the kitchen.

"The light's of my life." Miranda corrected laughing.

"Aunt Callie." Tucked said excitedly walking to hug her.

"Hi Tuck. Oh my God you're a grown man." Callie marveled.

"18." Tuck bragged.

"Mama Miranda can you sign this." Joey said walking into the kitchen handing her a paper and pen.

"Yeah." She responded reading it first, another volunteer sheet wavier.

"Callie this is my son Joseph better known as Joey. Joey this is my best friend Callie Torres an orthopedic surgeon."

"The best orthopedic surgeon. A goddess." She clarified.

"Hi it's nice meeting you." He smiled.

"You too. You are very handsome." She told him.

"Don't blow his head up." Miranda said seriously.

"You have two handsome sons Miranda. They are going to be trouble in college."

"Uh no they will not be. They have two respectable girlfriends."

"Ohhhh so they are having sex." Callie laughed wiggling her eyebrows.

"I said respectable girls." Miranda said blowing out a breath.

"Okay I was respectable, you were respectable and look what happened."

"Uh I was married unlike you."

"Uh I was married more than once and that wasn't the case with Eli, now was it?"

"Shut up." Miranda said quickly eyeing her.

"Mom you've been with more than two people. " Tuck asked turning to look at her. He didn't remember Eli. "I thought you said you got with Ben right after you divorced my dad and you two have been together ever since."
Callie laughed at Miranda's perplexed face.

Tuck knew Ben said something about time apart from each other, but when did this other man come into play?

"Oh no, your mom had a wild period, go on and tell them."

"I like your best friend." Joey laughed.

"I uh. I had a fling before." She answered truthfully. "Ben and I broke up for a year and during that time. I was seeing another man."

"For sex." Tuck stated.

Miranda blushed. "I hate you right now Callie."

"Everyone has done it. I have had many." Callie replied. "Your mom wasn't the fling type so it didn't work for her and plus she was still in love with Ben. I think the fling made her miss him more and then get this your dad Ben didn't even know Miranda had broken up with him so he was sitting around miserable waiting for her."

"Damn." Joey said sympathetically.

"watch your mouth." Miranda chastised pointing her finger at him.

"I know dad was pissed." Tuck laughed.

"He was, I wish you could have seen him. I remember doing a surgery with him and he had an attitude the whole entire time. I was like damn I'm just the best friend."

"In my defense. I thought we were broken up. I had never broken up with anyone before."

The front door opened up again and Miranda smiled.

Ben walked towards the kitchen holding Pru who reached out for Miranda.

"Hi honey." Miranda said excitedly pulling her into her arms.

"Hey baby." Ben said pecking her lips and then turning to Callie.

"Hey Callie." He smiled.

"Hey Ben." She greeted enthusiastically hugging.

"How is Blake or Robbins. Who are you with?
" He asked being funny.

"Um I'm married to Arizona." She told him.

"You two married again. I can see that."

Callie shrugged laughing and look back over at Miranda holding a little girl that Ben just brought in. She examined the child and thought that it was a good mixture between the two adults. She must have got the cute chinky eyes from Warren and the nose from Miranda.

"Damn when did this happen?" She asked switching her fingers between the three. "You two have been busy." Callie acknowledged looking back down at Maddy.

"Callie watch your mouth."

"Damn." Pru repeated and the boys cracked up laughing.

"See." Miranda huffed hitting her shoulder.

"I'm sorry, but Miranda if you had two babies without telling me. I'm officially done with you."

"What?" Miranda laughed.

"She looks like you two." She said seriously looking at Ben and her.

Miranda eyes widened that was a first. Many people when they were out assumed she was her baby because she was with her.

"This is Pruitt. She is my baby, but I didn't give birth to her."

"Are you staying for dinner?" Ben asked.

"I'm glad you offered because I'm starving. I vote Miranda makes her Cajun pasta."

"Me two." Tuck agreed

"Me three." Joey stated

"Me fourth." Ben responded

"Me." Pru added and everyone laughed.

"Alright alright, but someone's going to the store."

"I'll go baby." Ben said.

"Are you sure? We can send one the boys."

"Hey." Tuck stated and Miranda raised her eyebrows scaring him.

"Okay." He said quickly.

"It's fine. Text me what you need."

After dinner and games with Callie, Ben dropped her back off at her hotel and Miranda promised to pick her up tomorrow on the way to the hospital.

"That was fun and you looked so happy." Ben told her pulling the covers back.

"I am. I miss her so much. Tomorrow I'm scrubbing in on her surgery and maybe I'll let helm or someone get to witness how good she is."

"Do an open gallery." Ben suggested. "Are you going to go up there to New York anytime soon."

"I don't know when, we have two little ones."

"I can keep the girls. You deserve some adult interaction."

"I want adult interaction with my husband." Miranda mumbled and Ben laughed, but wholeheartedly agreed.

"She was and still is my best friend. We were in the same intern year and she was my competition. She was the first person to talk to me and try to befriend and then after a while it was just us. Then years later she left me. I miss her now more than ever when I think about all of the friendships I had that dwindled. But really they weren't my real friends, but she was."

"She said she wanted to move back." Ben told her.

"I know. I hope she does. So it can be like old times." Miranda yawned.

"The good old days. When we were young 25 and trying to make a name for ourselves."

"I would hardly consider those the good days."

"And why not."

"Well you didn't have me." She said seriously.

" I didn't know I was missing anything until I was 32 years old."

"Yeah?" Miranda questioned.

"Yeah. You were my missing puzzle piece."

"I spent majority of my life, not having fun and just working and marriage home life, until I met Callie. I thought she was so weird and unruly, but truthfully she was doing what young people were supposed to be doing at that age."

"If you could go back and do it over, would you?"

"No. All of the events in my life lead me to you and to this life. Would you change anything?"

"I probably would. Not everything, but you know that adrenaline seeking teenager and the women."

"The women?" Miranda asked flipping over.

"Miranda you know I have been with other women?"

"I know that, but you said it like it was a lot."

"It wasn't that many." He laughed and she pursed her lips not taking him seriously at all.

"All I was going to say is that I wish I would have treated other women better. I was not looking to settle down I was a bachelor--

"A player." Miranda rolled her eyes cutting him off.

"By definition yes, but I did always tell them that I was not looking for anything serious. I was young and wandering trying to figure out myself,  but I should have done better. "

"Then you met me and I tamed you." She laughed.

"Yeah love at first sight will do that to you. My dream girl. I never wanted another human being after laying eyes on you."


Miranda smiled as the warm breeze ruffled her shoulder-length hair

It was a beautiful afternoon, just a little after 12, and the temperature just right to be outside. The Market that popped up every Thursday at the park close to the hospital was a lively thing, and she'd been lucky that she could break away. It had been far too long since she'd been to the park trail in general. She just wanted some fresh air today.

She walked through the park, brown eyes sparkling bright as she took in the sights and sounds and smells before her.

Kids played in the large field surrounded by the trees that had been planted along its border. Beyond those trees were gravel paths that usually served as a jogging trail, but it now been transformed into a walkway lined with booths that local shops had set up for the evening. The gravel paths were also home to small patio tables that let people have a place to eat the food purchased from the food stands.

She wouldn't mind taking her kids later tonight, to try all the different food. Every culture had a stand setup and it would be a good diversity experience for them.

"Hey Miranda."  Andrew smiled jogging up to her.

"Andrew hi." She smiled.

"How are you?"

"I'm good, I'm good. What about you?"

"I can't complain. How's the new baby? She is absolutely beautiful. Madison showed me pictures."

"Thank you. She is wonderful."

"So you're back on here jogging?" He questioned.

"Yeah I wanted some fresh air and I need to get back at it. I'm actually on my lunch break."

"You're still trying to loose weight? I think you look absolutely beautiful."

"Thank you I really appreciate that, but like I told you before its just for health reasons. I'm thinking about going to the gym for an hour."

"I go to the gym three times a week. I wouldn't mind going with you. I could help. We could just start slow you know."

"Really?"

"Yeah, use a friend at gym it helps, plus you could tell me about all that surgery stuff."

"You want to listen to me talk about surgery?"

"It sounds inspiring. You're inspiring."

"Okay I will take you up on that."

"You still have my number?" He questioned.

"Yeah. Its in my contacts."

"Just text me morning or nights that you want to."

"I think it would be easier to go in the morning before my clan wakes up. I can get Joey or Tuck to watch the babies"

"Okay I’m cool with that. You want to get some food since it's your lunch break he asked pointing to the market.

Miranda nodded her head and she followed him over there.

Miranda woke up to the beeping of her alarm 4:30 A.M. She hit it quickly, not to wake her sleeping husband. She looked over at him for a while before deciding to finally get up. She stretched in bed before rolling over and slipping out of the covers. She pulled on a sports bra and tightfitting black tank top and put her hair in a high ponytail. After sliding on some black running leggings and lacing up her sneakers she was off to the gym.

5:00 the gym was abandoned. She looked over at Andrew doing push up and smiled walking over.

"Hey." She greeted interrupting him.

"Good morning Miranda."

"A good morning it is. What are we starting with?"

"A few stretches, squats, chest presses, and then end it with the treadmill."

"Okay  that doesn’t sound too bad." Miranda mumbled wearily.

"This is a light day. I don't want you to hurt going to work." Andrew said seriously.

"Thank you for thinking of me." She joked.

"No problem. Let's get started."

Miranda did the stretches and chest presses breathing heavily. She didn't even want to move to the treadmill, but Andrew encouraged her.

She got onto the treadmill and they started off slow, gaining speed. Miranda and him only did a mile before they stopped.

"Good job today Ms. Bailey. You did great."

"You think so. It was only a mile."

"A mile after a baby. That's commendable."

"I'm trying. " she breathed.

"Do or do not. There is no try." Andrew stated mimicking Yoda's voice and she gasped then giggled.

"You watch star wars or do you just know the quote since it was so iconic."

"Of course I watched it. Who hasn't?" He said seriously and Miranda smiled.

"A lot of people."

"That one was a classic. Star Wars Episode V

"The empire strikes back." She finished.

"It came out my Junior year of high school."

"Mine too."

"There's a new traveling exhibit coming in 3 weeks that I'm going to. It's the costumes I believe. 60 of the original costumes from the six Star Wars movies in one room."

"Really." Miranda awed excitedly.

"Yeah from Princess Leia's slave bikini to Queen Amidala's wedding dress, which has not been part of any previous public display." Andrew explained.

"I really want to see that. I have to see that."

"I can send you the information. I was going to ask Madison to go with me, but she isn't interested in Star wars and never have been."

"I can't just take her spot." Miranda said seriously.

"Sure you can."

"I'm not even sure if I can go. I have a new baby and I don't know if they boys can watch her or if her fathers work schedule could coincide with that."

"Okay well, I'll just send you the information and you can see if that works for you."

"Thanks hopefully it does. I need to get out the house."

"What have you been doing?

"Well just going to work and home to my kids."

"You got to get out and do something for yourself."

"I am at the gym today."

"Not like that, something fun. What do you like to do?"

"I don't really know. I don't do anything. I like surgery that's fun to me. I like learning, watching documentaries and scary movies, I also like reading, and going out to eat, maybe music." She listed out thinking.

"That's all good things to do especially in Seattle. There's a place called the venue down on the 35th street and they do poetry, music, different arts and entertainment. There is also a place not to far from here that have live bands, different genres. I have been to their jazz and R&B night."

"That sounds like fun."

"It is. I will send you the information to those places too."

"Thank you. Did Madison choose a college?" She knew she had time because her mom died and the colleges were very lenient with her time to pick one.

Ben, Joey and herself already picked his classes and she was excited for him, not at first since he wanted to stay on the campus.

"Yeah the same as your son SU."

"I can't believe they're even old enough to be doing all of this." Miranda groaned.

"I know they grow up so fast."

"In deed they do." Miranda answered and thought about the conversation she had with her husband over the phone a week or two back.

"I don't want him to go." Miranda said sternly typing up and email at work.

"Miranda he has to go to college." Ben said seriously.

"And I know that, but I think he should do online for a while."

"He needs the experience."

"He will get the experience, but it's so much going on this year alone. Covid numbers are rising with this new variance. I don't want another shutdown to happen and he can't get home because he has to quarantine at the campus."

"Miranda we will just get him a covid test and the campus is 20 minutes up the road."

"Ughh." Miranda groaned frustrated.

"It's going to be okay babe." Ben assured.

"Why must they do that?" She stressed.

"Do what?" He asked.

"Grow up. He wants to stay on that stupid campus where I can’t be there to see him and make sure that he is okay."

"Miranda you and I both know that you will call or text him everyday."

"I am, but he could just stay home."

"You didn't stay home and you went further than he did."

"It also wasn't a deadly virus out either."

"He's going to be okay and when we drop him off and move him in you are going to smile and keep your tears to a minimum."

"I'm going to try."