February Night

Chapter 80

One week after Spencer and Lucy were back in D.C. again after spending two days of sightseeing and watching two musicals – The Lion King and Phantom of the Opera – in New York City, Lucy woke up in the early morning and first couldn't figure out what had awoken her. For a second, she was just laying on her back, staring at the ceiling and letting a hand run over the empty space next to her. Spencer was already gone, out on a case. Suddenly, Lucy started to feel so nauseous, she had to jump out of bed and run into the bathroom. Just in time. She brushed her teeth and then took a shower before making herself a tea. She didn't dare to drink a coffee since she had just thrown up. Maybe she had eaten something bad or had caught a stomach bug. It would hopefully pass again.

But the next days, Lucy had to realize that it didn't seem to pass. Every morning, right after waking up, Lucy felt that nausea rush over her so fast and with so much power, that she had to run to the toilet. In the bookstore, she was incredibly tired because she still didn't dare to drink any coffee and throwing up every morning made her feel exhausted.

"You look pale. Are you alright?", Phoebe asked one afternoon when she came in after her lecture at the university.

"Uhm...yeah. I'm alright", Lucy murmured and then got up from her chair. She had to check if there were new books to order.

"Woah!" Phoebe ran over to grab Lucy's hand before she would fall. She suddenly was wobbling and it felt as if the world was spinning around her. Where the hell did that dizziness come from right now? Lucy started to feel annoyed.

"Don't lie to me, you're not feeling well", Phoebe said and examined Lucy's face.

Lucy sighed. "I don't know what's the matter, I might have caught some stomach bug a few days ago", she quietly said and rubbed her face. All these days Lucy had tried to hide that she wasn't feel too well. Now it wasn't able anymore, obviously.

"Go home. I'll stay here until six and then close the store, okay?", Phoebe offered and Lucy gave in. It would be the best.

~

"Oh, god." Lucy sat down on the toilet lid, holding a little package in her hands. For one week, she was suffering from sudden nausea and dizziness and only now a thought was forming in her head. A thought that was frightening. She should have gotten her period five days ago. But there was nothing. And when she looked at the small package with those little pills...she realized that she had forgotten to take it two times because of stress. She just had completely forgotten!

"Oh, my god", she replied under her breath. Her heart was racing in her chest and she felt nauseous again. What if...what if her carelessness would have consequences now? What if...she was pregnant? This thought made her feel all the feelings. Excitement, fear, doubts, insecurity...and so much more. Would she be ready to be a mother? Would Spencer be ready to be a dad? Anxiously, Lucy paced through the apartment for hours, it seemed. A thousand thoughts ran through her mind and she was wondering if she should tell Spencer already.

Exhausted, Lucy fell asleep on the couch sometime in the evening and only woke up when Spencer finally got home from the case. They went to bed together and Lucy snuggled into his arms; glad, that he was back.

The next morning, Lucy woke up due to sudden nausea once again and she ran into the bath room. This can't be just a stomach bug, she thought as she leaned against the bath tub and tried to breathe through the uncomfortable feeling of having to throw up once again.

"Babe? You alright?" Spencer knocked against the door and sounded a bit worried.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Give me a minute", Lucy said and hurried to brush her teeth before she left the bath room again and joined Spencer in the kitchen. He was making some coffee. The scent of it made Lucy feel sick again.

"Spence, I..." Lucy stopped and took a deep breath. Spencer turned around to look at her.

"You look pale. Are you really okay?" He came over and put his hands on her cheeks. Lucy slowly shook her head.

"I guess, I...I might...be pregnant, Spencer", she whispered and watched her husband's face go pale as well. For a moment, they just looked at each other, not sure, what they should think or what the other was thinking. Then Spencer let out the air he had been holding back in his lungs.

"You...did you already take a test?" His voice was slightly shaking. Lucy shook her head.

"The thought only struck me yesterday", she explained. "I...I'm feeling nauseous in the mornings, sudden dizziness overcomes me and...the scent of your coffee this morning...makes me feel sick", she explained with a shaky voice. Her heart was racing in her chest.

"But...how?" Spencer let go of her and let a hand run through his curly hair. Lucy sighed and went to the living room to sit down on the couch. Her knees had started to get weak. Spencer followed her – his morning coffee was totally forgotten.

"I forgot to take the pill two times during some stressful days and...oh god, I'm so sorry, Spencer." Lucy buried her face in her hands and tried to hold back tears. But Spencer wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his chest.

"No need to be sorry, darling", he quietly said. "Guess what? Let's...let's take a test."

"I haven't got any here", Lucy murmured.

"Then, let's go buy one", Spencer suggested and got up, pulling Lucy with him. She knew that he was right. They would only know for sure if she'd take a test. Or two. Or three. She would definitely take more than just one test. You could never know with these things.

Half an hour later, Lucy and Spencer were back home. They had bought three different tests and Lucy was glad, Spencer had joined her. She wasn't alone with this. While Spencer was already pacing nervously through the living room, Lucy locked herself in the bathroom to take all three tests at once. First, she read the instructions and then peed on the sticks.

Taking a deep breath, Lucy placed the last stick next to the other two and then left the bathroom again. Now they had to wait three to five minutes. Lucy couldn't remember when she had been this nervous. Not even on her wedding day she had felt like this. Her hands were sweaty, her knees weak and she felt sick to her stomach. Spencer didn't turn around when he heard his wife come into the living room. He was just standing at the window, staring outside with his hands in his pockets. Lucy wrapped her arms around him from behind and placed her head on his back. For a moment, they remained standing there like this before Spencer finally turned around and wrapped his arms around Lucy as well. They didn't speak for those five minutes. They were both too nervous.

"Five minutes have passed", Spencer suddenly said and although he had spoken quietly, his voice sounded loud in Lucy's ears. Hand in hand, they walked back into the bathroom to check on the pregnancy tests.