Devon Beck was more and more grateful, as the summer months passed, to know he had reliable old friends to call upon. His original crew from the basement days were on his speed dial and came through for him whenever they could. With his plate full of a diverse selection of projects, he could not have managed to keep on track without their help.
On the back burner, but still valid in Devon’s plan, was the online game idea he had first envisioned in Mexico. A recent encounter with Portia’s paintings had awakened his interest in combining advanced 3D techniques with realistic objects to create an environment for interaction between gamers and their perceived surroundings. This would require expensive equipment including game headpieces to be worn while playing. He had a starter fund for this eventual purchase but more immediate projects had to be completed before he could afford to add to that fund. Meantime, two of his buddies were busy working out the parameters of the technology and devising virtual characters for the game. They were spending time watching and re-watching James Cameron’s Avatar movie as well as a 3D film of Cirque du Soleil made by the director.
Devon was able to enlist the help of another of his crew to scour internet sources for sales of the antique collections held by his grandparents. It allowed him to concentrate on more money-making schemes like advertising plans for new companies who had been impressed by his work for his father’s restaurant.
Abi had passed along the news that Portia was delighted to sell her paintings and she was really encouraged by his interest. He had gone ahead and mounted the finished foliage piece on the board box for his office wall and it was definitely garnering a lot of interest. Abi was informed she should keep their cousin busy with more paintings as he could assure her of more orders.
When he had a spare moment in his day, Devon remembered what seemed like ‘the old days’ when his buddies would gather for secret midnight sessions of Extreme Metal. From his present perspective, the ambitions they had to hit the big time of musical ambition were mere pipe dreams. The reality of his situation now, surpassed anything he had been able to imagine back in the day but he was glad the band had stayed together each pursuing his own talents and joining forces to help out when required. He was involved in so many innovative projects that stretched his mind. It was stimulating and enervating at the same time but he was discovering each exciting idea gave him more energy for the next challenge. He was a young man in the perfect place at the perfect time in his life and he was determined to make the best of every single minute of it.
Zoe Morton’s appointment with Dr. Ambrose was scheduled for the end of August following the doctor’s annual vacation. Zoe approached the date with a level of excitement based on her decision to do everything she could to bring a child into the world. Wesley asked to attend the appointment with her and declared he would not get in the way. He just wanted to be there to hear the doctor’s recommendations as soon as possible. Zoe warned him the waiting room would be full of pregnant women but he did not back down. He said if he felt uncomfortable he would find the coffee shop and wait there.
The appointment started on time, which was a good omen. The initial blood test and questionnaire about her nutrition and sleep habits went by without comment. Zoe knew there would likely be an internal exam to make sure all was well and she tried to relax during the process, encouraged by the soft voice and conversation of the doctor as she distracted her patient. Zoe wondered how doctors learned the skill of attending closely to what they could feel internally while simultaneously soothing the patient’s external concerns.
When she was dressed again, Zoe waited for Dr. Ambrose to return. She was prepared with a set of questions about vitamins and schedules for prime fertility periods but the doctor was delayed for several minutes. There was probably a crisis brewing, thought Zoe. It was one of the hazards of choosing a very popular doctor who delivered many babies.
The office door opened at last and Zoe sat up straight in her chair to begin the planned conversation.
“Zoe, let me explain the delay. I wanted to check your blood test for myself.”
A horrible suspicion attacked Zoe’s mind. Something is wrong. She’s trying to break it to me.
Something has gone wrong. Her heart began to beat faster and faster.
Say it! Tell me now!
“I don’t believe either one of us was prepared for this but it has to be considered acceptable news.”
Zoe held her breath. Dire predictions of imminent death were racing through her mind but in the next second it all stopped.
“I have just confirmed that you are already pregnant, Zoe. You are about two months along.
It’s a little ahead of our schedule, of course, and you will have to be careful for the next month or so but there’s a little one on the way, for sure.”
Shock set in.
For a minute, Zoe could not process the information. It was so far from the mind set with which she had entered the examining room. She stared at the doctor’s face to see if there was any sign of doubt. Two months! Two months! She was pregnant now. Right now!
Right this minute!
Dr. Ambrose had seen this kind of stunned reaction before. She enquired if Zoe had brought someone with her, then handed over a sheaf of papers outlining what to do next. Zoe managed to croak out her husband’s two possible locations and the doctor sent a nurse out to track him down and bring him to the examining room.
“Congratulations, Zoe! I am very happy for you.”
With this, the doctor left the room and Zoe was alone again. Or, not truly alone. She placed her hand over her stomach and began to weep tears of joy as she spoke silently to the tiny being inside her.
Wesley found her there in the chair and saw the tears and thought the worst. He kneeled down in front of her and took both her hands in his and swore it did not matter whatever the doctor had said. They would go on together and be happy without a child. What was most important was each other and the life they had made together.
It took a minute before Zoe could hear his words and understand what he was saying. She had to come back from a far off place to join him. As soon as she could focus again, she lifted their clasped hands from her lap and kissed them.
“Stop, Wesley! Listen to me. It’s all right. Everything is all right. I am pregnant. We have our baby on the way already.”