They all walk into Elizabeth's room and find her sleeping. The nurse motions for them to be quiet, but just about that time Elizabeth wakes up. She looks around frightened and doesn't remember where she is.
"Paul Paul." she cries out moving her head and body all around looking for him. Paul walks over to her and takes her hand, and she stops moving around.
"Shhhh shhh Beth I'm here. Calm down your going to work yourself up and rip something out."
"Rip what out? Where am I?"
"You don't remember what happened?"
"I remember being at the mall with Amie and Ashlie. We were paying for a really cute teddy that Ashlie talked me into getting to keep you from having a heart attack from our spending spree. Then I remember getting sick and telling Amie I needed to go to the hospital. i don't remember much after that. What's wrong with me?"
"Your appendix burst and they had to do emergency surgery on you when you came in, but the good news is you are going to be fine and we have antibiotics in your IV. The Dr also says your baby will be okay to as soon as the antibiotics get into it's bloodstream." Says the nurse
"What? I'm not pregnant. I think you may have someone else's chart with the same health issue."
"No honey we did an ultra sound and this is your chart." Says the nurse writing something on it
"Paul tell her I'm not pregnant." Says Elizabeth looking at Paul who is just looking off into space "Paul is is is she right? Paul answer me."
"If you are finished with her could you please give us some privacy?" Asks Vin of the nurse
"Sure. I'm sorry I thought she knew." Says the nurse as she walks by Vin
"It's okay. They both just found out, so they are in shock. Not a good way to find out you are about to be parents." Says Vin
The nurse walks out shaking her head.
"Is it true?" Asks Elizabeth
Paul sighs and looks at Elizabeth "Yes it's true. The Dr. says you are around four or five weeks. Making the baby due in April."
"Oh My God. I should have made you bring me to the hospital this morning when my stomach was still hurting. I'm so sorry."
"For what Beth?"
"For lying about about how bad I really felt. Oh God I could have killed our baby. Oh my God we are having a baby. Paul I'm sorry." Cries Elizabeth
"Beth sweetheart it's okay. You didn't know. I'm not mad. I am shocked though."
"We were so careful though always using protection. How?" She wonders "Paul?"
"Yes Beth?"
"Do you want our baby? I mean Meadow is all most completely grown. Are you ready to start over and what about your career? How would we do shared parenting with your schedule and how am I going to finish school?"
Paul doesn't know how to answer. Vin clears his throat. "Pablo can I see you in the hall a minute?"
Paul and Vin walk out into the hall. "Bro Elizabeth needs you right now. But at the same time she doesn't need you to sugar coat how you feel. So either way tell her the truth. Now do you want this baby? Do you truly love Elizabeth? And can you be there for her as she heals from the surgery and deals with her emotions of a baby coming from the first man she ever gave herself too, because your answer can make or break her feelings for you and this pregnancy. So I am asking you all these questions now, because she will ask them too."
"I have never felt for anyone how I feel for Beth. She is everything I have ever wanted, and I was thinking of asking her to permanently move out here with me. We have both agreed that marriage is out until we have at least been dating a year, because a lot can happen in a year, but I would ask her now if I thought she'd say yes. Vin I am hopelessly in love with her. I want this baby with her and I want to be the only man she will ever need or want."
"Then go in there and tell her that." Vin says as he hugs Paul "Congrats Pablo you picked a great woman to have a baby with."
"Thanks man."
Paul and Vin walk back in the room and see that Elizabeth has fallen back to sleep. Amie walks over to Paul. "The pain meds they have her on are going to make her sleepy, so she may be out for awhile. Do you want one of us to take you home?"
"No I'm going to stay here. I need to be here when she wakes up. We have a lot of talking to do."
"Paul don't break her heart. I know you love her, and I know you will do the right thing. We love you guys." Says Ashlie hugging him
"I love Beth with all my heart and I am going to ask her to permanently move in with me here. I want to raise our baby together."
Amie and Ashlie hug him. "Do you want to tell our parents or should we?" asks Ashlie
"I'll tell them as soon as Beth and I have talked. I want to be able to answer all the questions you know mom will have."
"all right. We are going to leave. We love you. Call if you need anything." Says Amie
Vin stays behind to keep him company.
"Man I still can't believe I'm going to be blessed with another baby. I just wish it was under different circumstances. I mean I've thought about what it would be like having a baby with Beth. I really think she is going to make a great mother." He says looking at her and smiling. "I'm really hoping since she has no blood related family back in Ohio that she will move out here with me."
"I can't speak for her bro, but the look in her eyes every time I see you two together tells me she will say yes. I think more than anything she is just going to want to hear the fact that you do want this baby with her, and that you aren't going to run off because you got what you wanted. You are taking on this responsibility of a life that you both made together." Says Vin "She isn't like Meadow's mother and you have grown up a lot since Meadow was born. I have faith that no matter what Elizabeth decides you will both do what is best for this baby."
A few hours later Vin walks down to the cafeteria to buy Paul some food. Paul is left by himself.
"Lord if you find it in your will to save this baby that Beth and I have created I will be a good father, and support system for Beth. I would love for her to marry me, but only if she wants it out of love like I do and not because we are having a baby together. I would however like for her to move in with me and raise this baby together. In your son Jesus' name Amen."
"Paul do you really mean it? Do you really want me to move in with you and raise this baby with me?"
Paul looks up from praying to see Elizabeth looking at him with tears in her eyes. He gets up and comes to her bedside takes her hand in his kisses it, and places it on her stomach gently.
"Beth I have never been so sure of anything in my entire life. I love you and I want you and this baby here with me. So what do you say?"
"I say as soon as I am well enough to travel we check me out of apartment Beth and into house of Paul." She says with a smile
"all right Pablo. Congratulations my man." Says Vin as he walks in with food for him and Paul with a big grin on his face. He puts the food down hugs Paul and then Elizabeth. "How are you feeling Elizabeth?"
"Like I've been cut open and something ripped out and then sewn back up."
"Well I see you haven't lost your sense of humor." Says Paul
"Well you two have a lot of talking and planning to do, so I will leave you all to it. Pablo again congrats. Call if you need anything. If you need a ride later let me know."
"Thanks man. I'm probably going to just camp out here tonight make sure everything is okay with Beth and our baby."
"Well all right then. Elizabeth congrats and get well soon." Vin says and leaves Paul and Elizabeth to talk.
About an hour later Elizabeth and Paul have everything worked out and a plan written down.
"I just have one issue though. I've signed another years lease in May."
"I'll just pay if off, and before you say no I'm doing it. You are fixing to have my baby. So that makes your responsibilities mine too, and vice versa. We may not be married yet, but you are still mine. Beth I love you. Let me do what needs to be done to get you out here, and don't stress. It's not good for you or the baby."
"Okay Paul I'm not going to argue with you. I've learned in the last three months that it does no good. I just keep losing. But there's just one other thing. I have no health insurance."
"That's not an issue. I'll just have you added to mine." He says taking her hand "Beth! When you were in surgery I was really scared. i realized I just couldn't think of not having you here every day with me. Then the Dr said you were pregnant and the baby might be poisoned and all I could think of is she is going to be hate me."
"Paul why would you think I would hate you?"
"Because I was your first experience in well everything, and I ended up getting you pregnant about the first week we did anything sexual. now you will be tied to me forever."
"Paul I am not mad. Shocked yes, because even in our hastiest moments for each other we remembered to use protection. I was once told by my grandmother after my parents were killed that God plans everything. There is no accidents everything happens for a reason. There is a reason this baby is coming. There is a reason you and I met and fell in love. Even if for some reason you and I don't last as a couple we will always be friends and share a special bond due to this precious life inside of me. I will never hate you for this we are both adults and I am just as responsible for this as you are. I made a choice to make love to you knowing full well all of the consequences. Paul I am in love with you. Not because of who you are, but because of who I have come to know over the last three months."
Paul leans in and kisses her.