2.6: Little Surprises

     Negative. I stared at the test, sitting with my legs crossed on the bed, tears welling up in my eyes. What was wrong with me? It had been seven years since my accident. Francois and I had made the decision to start trying a year, almost two, ago.
With my thirtieth birthday looming a month away, I felt hopeless.  What type of idiot can't have a child? Plenty of idiots could reproduce...why not me? We'd visited a doctor a few months ago. I could have children. We knew there was other ways. We just couldn't give up hope yet.

   "Tiffani?" Francois crept into the room.
    "Hey." I sniffled, wiping the tears away.
    "Tiff." He whispered, sitting on the bed, holding me in his arms. "It'll be okay. We-"
    "Okay?! How can it be okay?" I began breaking down; crumbling. "Francois I love you...I just want you to have everything perfect. I can't even give you a damn adorable child. We're getting older and-"

     "Tiffani." He took my ring less fingers and intertwined them with his. "I don't need any of that. I have you."
      "Thanks." I smiled at him, as I wiped away my tears and polished myself up.
      "Tiffani, I was going to wait until our vacation to China to do
this, but," He bent down on one knee, "Tiffani Janes. Will you marry me?"

      "Francois?" I stood up, in utter shock. "I-I..."
      "I'm really hoping that that's a yes."
      "Yes! Yes, it's a yes! Oui, oui! I'll marry you." He slipped the ring onto my finger.
      "I love you so much." He whispered in my ear as he hugged me.
      "I love you too. More than you know." I fell backwards onto the bed, pulling him with me.

I was going to be married to Francois. My heart fluttered with excitement. There where so many details... when, where, who. We just had to tell my parents. My frail sixty and sixty-five year old parents. There health was slowly declining, day by day, I knew they'd appreciate the news. They'd appreciate it; love it, or they'd have a heart attack. I was hoping for reaction number one. We pulled away from each other.  "I just want to stay here all day." I whispered. "Curled up in your arms."

     "So do I." He whispered back, kissing my cheek. 
     "But we have to pack." I sighed. I stood up, slipped my clothing back on, and grabbed my suitcase. Francois followed suit.We were going to China! I was so excited; I'd never been to any other country other than France. I'd wanted to visit the Parisian outskirts again, but Francois insisted on China. "I lived in France my whole life. If we go there, it's like visiting my hometown. Not a real vacation." He joked.
       The day turned to night, then day again and soon we found ourselves hurrying to the airport, my parents driving us.
      "Mom, Harry." I said, nervously in the back of their car. "Francois and I have an announcement."
     "What is it?" My Mother, who was driving, turned to face me.
     "Eyes on the road! Eyes on the road!" I shouted as we swerved into the left lane, luckily no cars where coming.
     "How about we tell when we're at the airport?" Francois suggested.
     "Good idea." I agreed. We parked and Francois and Harry unloaded our baggage. We went into the airport, until my parent couldn't come with us any further.
     "What's your announcement, honey?" Mom asked.
    "Well," Francois put his arm around my shoulder, "Francois and I," I grew increasingly nervous. "Are getting married!"
     "Congratulations!" My Mom said. "This is so exciting, when will the wedding be? Oh and the cake and dresses-Tiff." She paused her rambling. "Are you pregnant? Because your other two siblings married because of children."
      "She's not-" Francois stuttered, embarrassed.
      "I'm not-"
      "So no grandbabies?"
      "You two better hurry on." Harry said.
      "Come here, you two!" My Mom hugged us both, then Harry did. 
      "Hard to believe," Harry whispered in my ear. "I've seen you struggle through high school and middle school, and now you're getting married...."
       "I love you all!" I said, as I walked away, my hand in Francois's.
       I fell asleep on the plane, my head resting on my fiance's shoulder. Fiance. I loved that word. Francois and I where to be married...we had decided that we would wait on a wedding ceremony, maybe a year or two. Enjoy the life we had right now, before the wedding bills piled up. There was so much to do. We both agreed on a private ceremony; something nice and quiet. I suggested we could sign the official papers in America, but have the informal ring exchange somewhere romantic. I knew it was a big hassle to get married in another country, so we could officially get married at Town Hall, in America, so we wouldn't have to deal with legal hassles and paperwork.
      China was wonderful. I loved the architecture and the Asian culture. My favorite foreign country  was still France, but China was a close second. Of course, I was still interested in visiting Italy and Hawaii, which wasn't a foreign country, but quite exotic compared to New York. We checked into the hotel, then went to our room.

      "M'lady." Francois said,  carrying me out onto the balcony as I giggled at his Olde English accent.
      "Look at the scenery..."  
      "Beautiful isn't it? Almost as beautiful as a certain girl I happen to be marrying."
      "Francois," I giggled, blushing. I kissed him, slowly.
      "Get a room." A blonde American sneered, who was standing on the balcony a few down from us.
     "Come on." I sighed, not wanting to stop. We rented two bikes, then we pedaled to The Scholar's Garden.
      "Something about the garden...it makes me feel peaceful."
      "Zen." I commented.
     "Exactly. Zen." We held hands and walked through the garden. "Look! A chess table. Want to play?"
     "Sure." I said, even though I only had a vague knowledge of chess. The queen was more powerful than the king, just like a real relationship, and the ponies where knights. 
     We sat down, and I went first. I moved a pawn forwards two, he moved his knight. Time ticked away, as we played. 
      "Check mate!" I exclaimed.

     "Check mate?" He asked, shocked; stumped. "You win." He smiled.
     "Do I get my prize?"
     "Prize?"
     "You silly." I kissed him. "It's getting dark. We better go back to the hotel."
     We pedaled into the darkness. In our hotel room, we celebrated a little. We had two weeks in China, which we spent exploring the gardens and temples, shopping for souvenirs, and celebrating a lot. 
      "Tiffani, are you all right?" It was the tenth day or our vacation and I had felt sick since the seventh. 
       "I'm fine." I lied. I had been stuck leaning over the commode half the morning and my period was late.
       "Are you sure?" He propped me up on the bed. "Tiffani, we could go back to New York."
       "We still have four more days left. I'll survive." I joked.
       "Are you sure?" 
      "It's probably just something I ate."
      "Tiffani. I'm a doctor. You can't lie to me. This could be something serious. 'Something I ate' does not last this long."
       "Francois." I smiled. He was so protective. It was sweet of him to worry, but I honestly thought it was nothing. I hadn't told him that my period was late, right now he just assumed serious food poisoning. I should have been able to put two and two together, but I didn't. "I love you. Don't worry."
        "I love you, too. That's why I'm worried." 
       "That's so sweet-Bathroom! Bathroom!" I stood up. He helped me to the bathroom. 
       "Tiffani." He said after I cleaned myself up again. "We're going home."
        "Okay." I didn't argue this time. We packed up and drove to the airport. I bought last minute tickets back to New York, USA. On the flight, I stood silently, in the airplane's restroom. I was waiting. I'd bought a test from a store at the airport. Another minute. Then I'd know. I took a deep breath when my iPhone timer went  off. I looked at the test, nervously. I stared at the results. This is fabulous! I squealed in my head.  I just had to tell Francois.
      I walked back to my seat, nervous. Should I tell him? Now or at home? What would he think? We'd wanted this to happen. I felt nervous and sweaty. I rubbed my stomach. Life was growing in there! Even though I was only a week along, I felt jitters. I'd tell him at home. Somewhere special. 
    As we hopped into our taxi and drove home, I felt excited. I couldn't wait  much longer to tell him. We wanted this for two years. It's cruelty to keep it from him much longer. 
    "Francois." I said, slowly as we stood in our backyard. "I-I have something to tell you." 
    "Do you fell alright? I promise, we're taking you to the hospital, soon." 
    "Francois...I don't need to go to the hospital. Well, I probably will. But I know why I was all blah!"
    "Are you alright?" Concern flooded his face. 
    "Yes. I have fabulous news." I smiled, excitement pouring out of me. "I'm-we're- we'll be adding a new member to the family! I'm pregnant!"

     "Tiffani!" He smiled, hugging me. "This is great. I'm-we've-two years-" He rubbed my belly "Bonjour petite chérie." Hello little darling. He was going to be a great dad. "I can't believe that we're going to be parents..." 
      "I know...it's just that. We're ready. Aren't we?"
      "I don't think that anyone can be completely ready for parenthood...Tiffani. I know you'll be a great mum."
      "And you will be a fabulous papa." I said, using the French term for dad.
     Mommy. I was going to be a mommy. Realization hit me. Mother. Mama. Mom. Mum. Ma. This is what I'm going to be! There isn't any turning back now. As I chatted with my fiance by the pool, I knew everything was perfect. The pieces where falling into place. And I loved it.