Chapter 13

Catching Up

Half an hour later they were all comfortably seated in Billie and Richard’s living room. The house was a wedding present from Richard’s parents. It had four bedrooms, a large living room, a study, a not so frequently used kitchen, two bathrooms and to Billie’s delight a porch with a view to the park nearby.
“Okay” Billie said “Lynn and Denny will have the larger bedroom, Kathy and Abby the smaller one. Alex gets the couch in the study. Sorry about that” she apologized to him “And … um …”
“Your mom and dad should have the master bedroom and we’ll sleep in Andy’s room” Richard suggested.
“You think you can fit in the baby’s crib?” Kathy grinned.
“Very funny” Richard said “We’ll sleep on a mattress on the floor. Quite romantic, huh?”
“Especially if the baby wakes up in the middle of the night and starts to cry” Ellen said. “I tell you what, why don’t you keep your bedroom and James and I will sleep in the baby’s room. By the way, you two” she pointed to Billie and Richard “Should sleep in separate rooms. It’s the night before your wedding”.
Billie and Richard looked at her in disbelief while the others tried to suppress laughter.
“Isn’t it good to have mom home” Kathy chuckled. The others smiled.
They talked and joked and exchanged information on each other for a while.
“So, where’s my grandson?” Ellen asked smiling warmly at Billie and Richard “Tell me about him”.
“Well” Billie started “his name is Andrew – Damien and he’s four months old, no teeth yet, likes the car seat, hates the pacifier, loves spending time with daddy when he’s back from the hospital… And right now he’s with Richard’s parents, they’ll bring him home tonight.”
“So, Richard” James cut in “surgical intern, huh?
“Yes, Dr. Winston. I’m a first year surgical intern and doing my best to convince your daughter to join me next year”.
“That’s a good thing. You shouldn’t postpone your residency anymore, Billie-bear” James told her.
“And you … Denny right?” he turned to the other couple in the room.
“Actually Denny’s just a nickname. It’s Daniel Hampton” he said.
“Oh …” Ellen gasped.
“Related to Dr. Remington Hampton?” James asked raising an eyebrow.
“He’s my father. You know him?” Denny asked surprised. Lynn was as surprised as him.
“Let’s say he used to make my wife’s life a living hell” James said smiling and squeezing his Ellen’s hand at the same time.
“He was my attending …” Ellen began to tell them but was cut off by her eldest daughter.
“Mom, about this separate rooms thing …” she said blushing as seven pairs of eyes turned to her “I mean, it would be easier for everyone if we share the room … We won’t … um …”
“Honey, it was a joke” Ellen saved her “You’ve been living together for quite a while now, believe it or not I know how things work” she said giving the young couple a wink. “Been there, done that.”
“Whoa, what?” both Billie and Kathy asked.
“Your daddy and I have been living together before we got married. Never asked yourself when you were conceived?” she explained smiling.
“I … I thought I was a … preemie …” Billie said.
“Sweetheart you were born at exactly nine months and two days after you were conceived, which makes seven months and two weeks after our wedding.” Ellen’s answer came.
“I heard you once telling aunt Corine that one of us was a preemie … I assumed it was me …” Billie said.
“That would be Lynnie – Doe” James cleared for her. “Your mother went into premature labor during a valve replacement surgery performed by Dr. Hampton. After she had you” he said looking at Lynn “she gave up cardio and went to OB.”
“So you were a preemie, huh?” Denny said rubbing Lynn’s arm gently. “No wonder you’re so small” he continued smiling.
“Excuse me?! I’m not small.” Lynn said.
“Actually you kind of are, sis” Kathy interfered “You’re smaller than me and I’m a skater. And you’re anemic, too.” Denny nodded only to be noticed by his girlfriend.
“My … anemia” she said emphasizing on the word “Has nothing to do with me being born preterm. Don’t you agree?” she asked turning to Denny.
Denny opened his mouth to answer but closed it back. Ellen saved him. “About the anemia … how did that happen?”
“She fainted in the cafeteria” Denny blurted.
“Denny!” Lynn scolded.
“What?!” both Lynn’s parents asked with concern.
“See what you did?” Lynn said tears already gathering in her eyes “Now they’re worried …”
“Baby angel, it’s okay. We’re your parents. It’s our job to worry.” Ellen said seeing how upset she was.
“Except you do it from another continent” Kathy said “Sorry, couldn’t help it.”
Ellen was speechless, but James seemed to be able to respond to that. “Believe it or not, Kathy – Lee, worrying from a distance is far worse.”
“Um, I think we all need a little break” Richard interrupted. “Some of you had a long flight so why don’t we all try to rest for a while”.
“Good idea” Denny agreed looking at Lynn who’d manage to hold back the tears but was still upset.
“I’m not tired” Kathy muttered.
“But your ankle is” Alexander spoke and was greeted with an angry glare “And little Abby is tired” he said hoping to redeem himself. Abby had indeed fallen asleep on the couch between her parents earlier.
“Okay” Ellen said “You two” she pointed to Billie and Richard “Can have your bedroom. We’ll take the mattress” she said smiling “And Abby too, in case you can’t sleep and want to watch TV or something” she told Kathy. “Sweet dreams everyone.”