Ok, its my turn to actually write one of these disclaimer things, which I read all the time, and I can't really think of what to say. The characters are not mine, I didn't do this for money, I don't have any money, so please don't sue me.
Thanks to Figgie for the proofread. This is my first fic, and I hope you like it.
You can email your comments to me at jacee506@yahoo.com

This story begins during Mom's the Word, right at the end of the bedroom scene where Fran breaks the news. I've always loved that face Max makes right there, and thought I'd look into what thoughts were causing it.

We're Having a Baby

by

JenDen
(jacee506@yahoo.com)

"I don’t understand a word you’re saying, why are you acting so irrationally?"

He heard the words, he heard the whining tone that indicated he’d upset his wife, but the full comprehension of what she had just told him took a few seconds to settle in. As the door slammed shut behind Fran, it dawned on Maxwell that she was pregnant. Pregnant! His wife was pregnant!

The weight of the shock that fell upon him dropped him to the bed, his mouth still open, and his eyes wide. It had been a few short seconds since she’d left him standing there in their bedroom, and Max now fully comprehended the meaning of the entire scene.

Why she’d lured him up there with the elegant meal and sexy negligee, why she’d commented on his baby picture, and why she’d been so upset by his reaction. She’d been trying to make this moment special for them, and he had ruined it.

Maxwell let out a great sigh as he lay back on the bed. A baby! Another baby! The thought that this feeling was all too familiar came to his mind. He closed his eyes and thought of a scene from 22 years ago, almost another lifetime away, in another world.

"Hello darling!" Maxwell closed the front door, set his briefcase down, and opened his arms wide for his beautiful wife of eight months.

"Hey sweetie, how was your day?" Sara replied, bounding into his embrace as they kissed quickly and then looked into each others eyes, a huge smile on both their faces.

"It’s so much better now that I’m home with you" he crooned as he held her face between his hands and kissed her once again.

"Max, I love you so much"

"Oh, well, I love you so much, too, and I missed you today. Maybe I should start working out of the house, what do you think?"

"I think now would be a great time to make that change honey" Sara replied as she grabbed her husband’s hand and started toward the staircase. The questioning look in his eyes brought an even bigger smile to her face. "Come with me sweetie, I thought we could spend a few minutes together before dinner. I gave Niles the night off, but he left us some food to heat up, we can just spend a quiet evening alone, how does that sound?"

Forgetting his slight confusion at her comment about working from home, Max’s mind suddenly lit up with thoughts of spending the rest of the evening in their bedroom, talking, eating, and making love without distractions.

"I think that sounds perfect, darling" he replied, as he allowed her to continue leading him up the stairs. Marriage was turning out to be the best thing that ever happened to him, he thought. How could he be so lucky as to have come home to this beautiful woman every day for the last eight months? Every moment he was with her was pleasure. Whether they were in bed together, as they often were in these early days, or sitting on the terrace looking at the birds, he was genuinely happy for the first time in his life.

This was light years above anything he had ever experienced with Chloe. How did he fail to realize what a difference being in love actually makes? He most certainly would not have wasted so much energy on that model if he’d known what it really felt like to be in love.

As they reached the bedroom, Sara closed the door behind them and fell into Max’s waiting arms. They kissed passionately, but just as Max tried to pull her closer into him, she leaned her head back and just smiled at him. "Max, I have something to tell you"

"Oh? Is it so important that it can’t wait a few…hours?" he groaned as he nuzzled her neck, giving her light kisses there.

"No, I want to tell you now, I’ve been waiting all day to tell you" This statement got Max’s attention, and a sudden wave of nervousness hit him. What could it be that she arranged for us to be alone all evening? Well, she seems to be in a very good mood, so let’s not worry just yet old boy, it can’t be that bad.

"Max, I’m pregnant"

The breath left his mouth in a puff, and the image of his wife went out of focus.

Pregnant? Wow! he thought. What do I do? Snapping back to the moment, Max looked at his wife. This is big, Maxwell, keep it together, make sure your reaction is the proper one.

"Max, say something …please"

"Oh, Sara, I can’t believe it"

"Are you upset Max, what’s the matter? You’re all white"

"No, darling, I’m not upset at all. I just can’t figure out what this is--this feeling. I think I’m…scared"

"Oh, honey, me too" Sara said in her comforting, almost maternal, tone. She threw her arms around his neck and buried her face in his collar. "I’m scared, but so very, very happy. I’m sorry I shocked you, darling, but I thought you knew we weren’t really trying to prevent it."

"I knew that, sweetheart, I just never really thought about the implications that much. You don’t know how it’s going to feel, knowing you actually have a baby on the way."

"I know. Come here, Max, hold me" Sara pulled him closer to the bed.

As they fell upon it, she tried to pull his shirt buttons loose as she kissed him fervently. Max pulled away slightly, and instead just held her to his chest as he lay down beside her.

He couldn’t explain it, but something about the news she’d just shared changed his feelings about their evening of passion. He knew he wanted to be with her, talk with her, look at her, but something held him back from touching her.

"What’s wrong now, honey?"

"Nothing, sweetheart. I guess it just makes me nervous. The idea that our baby is in there, I mean, what if I hurt you?" he finished the question in a sheepish whisper, turning his eyes down, knowing that this feeling was irrational.

"Our baby was in there this morning Max. You didn’t hurt me then. Come on, let’s just cuddle up and let you get comfortable with the idea of making love to your pregnant wife because, believe me, I’m going to be pregnant for longer than you are going to want to be celibate" Sara smiled at him teasingly and put her finger to his nose.

His face broke into a huge smile as he pulled her tightly to him. He was so happy he couldn’t put it into words, so he just tried to hold her as closely as he could.

"I love you so much, Sara"

"I love you, too, Maxwell"

Max grinned at the memory of that day. He had been terrified, a real bucket of nerves. He laughed out loud remembering how nervous he was to make love to her. Ironically, he thought that the months before Margaret’s birth had been some of the most passionate of their lives together. A life that was now only a memory. Max waited for the sadness to sweep over him, as it always had when he remembered the happy times with his first wife. But this time, it was only a faint melancholy mixed with nostalgia, not the searing pain he had once felt at these memories. He knew that even though his time here on earth with Sara was over, she was still watching him.

When she visited him the evening before he married Fran, he’d thought his nerves had gotten to him. But when she revealed that she’d sent Fran to the door that day more than five years ago, Max’s feelings had changed. He knew this was real, and that he had two wonderful women who loved him. There was no guilt in that. It was a blessing from heaven. That’s why the sadness had been replaced. That’s why he was happy now.

Those women, the two women he’d loved, had saved him from his sadness. Sara had saved him from his horrible feelings left over from childhood. Fran had saved him from his grief at losing Sara. And Fran had given him back his children.

Now, she was giving him another child, and he knew that he could do right by the new baby because of the love he’d been given in his life. This baby was so fortunate to have a mother with that much love, enough to save an entire family from despair, and hold on to her love for Max through all that he’d put her through before they married. Yes, he could do this. He could have a baby with Fran; because there was just as much love and happiness there as he’d had the first time he learned he was going to be a father.

He resolved to find Fran and let her know that he was thrilled at her news. He also knew he needed to apologize for the way he’d acted. I guess some things never change. Here I am three children and twenty years later, and it still scares the dickens out of me. He could handle this. This was good.

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