Chapter 35

After a fitful night sleep and the day from hell at work, Faith sighed as she pulled in her driveway. As she shut the car off her purse started ringing. She fished through and found her phone. She didn't recognize the number but answered anyway. "Hello?" "Hey Faith, it's Jon." He had found five minutes and decided to call her. She had almost forgotten that he was going to call her. "Hi Jon, how are you?" "I'm fine thanks." He got right to the point of his call. "I wanted to let you know that I took the liberty of making your arrangements for you. You should look for a FedEx package tomorrow. " Faith was dumbfounded. "Why did you do that? I told you I could pay my own way." Jon chuckled, "after seeing Rich today I decided that this would be my treat. You are good for him Faith, you have made him happier than any of us have seen him for too long." Faith flushed at the compliment. "I love him and all I want for him is to be happy. Now, what's the plan?"

Jon filled her in; her plane would get to Calgary on the 10th in the afternoon. He hadn't rented her a room, but someone would meet her at the airport to escort her to the hotel and take her to his room. They were going to be relaxing by the pool that afternoon and she could freshen up in his room before joining them. "I'll make sure he doesn't see you." Faith could hear the smile in Jon's voice. "You seem to be enjoying this a little too much." He laughed, "you have no idea. It has been way too long since any one of us could surprise him. This is going to be great." Faith smiled, "thank you so much for your help Jon. I really appreciate it." "My pleasure. Okay, I gotta go. Look for FedEx tomorrow and we will see you next week." "Bye Jon and hanks again." "See ya Faith."

Faith rested her head against the steering wheel of the car. The doubts were creeping in again. Would he really be happy to see me? She shook her head, he asked just the other day for her to come with him. She sighed, disgusted with herself for thinking like that. Gathering her things she got out of the car and went in the house.

Hannah and Faith spent a quiet evening together watching a movie and munching on popcorn. She had told Hannah earlier that she was going away and Hannah hadn't said anything. "Hannah, are you all right with me going away for a few days next week?" Hannah put down the popcorn bowl and turned to her mother "I guess. I'm going to miss you though." Faith hadn't left Hannah alone for more than a night before. "I'll miss you too but it is only for four days." Hannah looked at her mom "what if something happens to you? Daddy was only supposed to be gone for a couple of days and he never came back." The movie forgotten Faith pulled Hannah close, "oh honey, that was a whole different thing entirely. Daddy's had a dangerous job. I am not doing anything more dangerous than flying to Canada. I will be totally fine." Hannah hugged Faith tight, "promise you'll come back mom." Faith could feel the tears pricking the back of her eyes. "I promise Hannah. I'll come back and I will call you every day that I'm gone, okay?" Hannah shifted wet eyes up to her mother's face. "Okay."

Faith lay in bed that night and thought about what Hannah had told her. She hadn't realized Hannah was still so upset about Billy. She would have to talk to her pediatrician about that. Faith's thoughts turned to her own appointment in the morning. She'd had a spell that morning and then again at work. She hoped whatever the problem was it was easily fixed.

After another near sleepless night Faith was almost late for her appointment. She got Hannah settled with book and went to let the receptionist know that she was there. As she sat down her phone rang. "Hello." "Hi darlin'." It was Richie. "Now's not really a good time babe." Richie frowned at the phone "where are you?" The nurse called her in "at the doctor's." "Call me when you're done" he told her. She said she would and then they hung up. She looked at Hannah, "can you just stay here and read?" Hannah nodded her head, "I'll be fine mom." Faith got up and followed the nurse.

She got weighed, peed in a cup and had her blood pressure checked. Once she was in the exam room and wearing that worthless paper gown she started to get nervous. "Hi Faith" the doctor came in. "Hi Dr. Grey." "So what brings you in today?" Faith told her about the dizziness, the fainting, headaches and tiredness. Dr. Grey looked at her chart, "let's see, you've lost some weight and your blood pressure is a bit elevated. Under any stress?" Faith laughed, "I work three jobs, have a 9 year old, and I started seeing someone, you tell me if I'm stressed. Dr. Grey wrinkled her brow in concern, "three jobs?" Faith nodded. "I can tell you right now you need to slow down, but let's see what we've got." She put Faith through a short physical. "Have your periods been regular? She noticed a note in Faith's chart about her trouble conceiving.

Faith thought back to when her last one was. Right before she met Richie. Oh my God. I can't be. "Um, my last one was about 2 months ago." Dr. Grey just hmmed. "Okay, I am going to send you for some blood work and see what's what. We should know something possibly this afternoon, but definitely by Monday." Faith nodded and the doctor continued. "Here is a prescription for some vitamins, she laid a hand on Faith's arm, and a friendly bit of advice. Faith looked up at the doctor, "take some time off, relax for a few days. At this rate you are going to collapse from sheer exhaustion if you aren't careful." Before leaving the room the doctor handed Faith another piece of paper, "this for the lab, it's right downstairs. You can go have this done before you go home." Faith assured her she would. "Thanks Dr. Grey." She left the room and Faith got dressed.

After she had her blood work done Faith took Hannah to lunch and then headed home to wait. Hannah went to play with her friends and Faith just sat on the couch. "How could I be so stupid?" She berated herself over and over again. She hadn't thought another baby was possible because there hadn't been any after Hannah. Maybe it's not that. Her phone rang, glancing at it she saw that it was Richie. What could she tell him? "Hi." "Hi darlin', how'd it go?" She decided just to tell him what he absolutely needed to know at this point. "Well, I've lost weight, my blood pressure is slightly elevated, I had some bloodwork done and I have a prescription for vitamins. Oh, and some friendly doctor advice to take some time off." She didn't tell him what she suspected. "When will you know anything more?" He was still concerned about her. "Possibly this afternoon, but by Monday definitely." Shit, more waiting. "Well darlin' just keep me posted." They chatted for a bit more and then he had to go, rehearsals for the Live Earth performance were starting. "I love you Faith, I'll talk to you soon." "I love you too, bye."

Richie closed his phone and went in search of Jon. "Hey, can I talk to you?" Jon looked up, "sure, what's up?" Richie closed the door and proceeded to fill Jon in on the situation with Faith. Jon wrinkled his brow in concern, "is she all right?" "That's just it" he paced as he spoke, "she is still waiting to find out. All they told her was to take it easy and that is just not something she does." Jon could see the concern on his friend's face and tried to come up with some words of comfort for him. "Look Rich, I am sure she is going to be fine. You just need to trust that she will do what the doctor told her and that she will call you when she knows something." Richie sighed, "I guess you're right. It's just the waiting that sucks." Jon smiled at his friend, "well let's go play and take your mind off of this for a bit." They headed out to the stage to rehearse their songs for the next night.

When Faith's cell phone rang later that afternoon, she still hadn't moved from the couch. She glanced at the window and saw it was the doctor. Taking a deep breath she answered, bracing herself for the news. "Hello." "Faith, this is Dr. Grey. I have the results from your bloodwork." Faith steeled herself, "and?" The doctor went on to tell her the results and Faith just shook her head in disbelief. "Are you sure?" "Well, nothing is foolproof Faith, but we are 99% positive." Tears were prickling her eyes,"I don't understand. I didn't think I could... After Hannah there wasn't..." She was rambling, but this just wasn't making sense to her. The doctor softened her tone, sensing Faith's trepidation, "Faith, anything is possible. Your body has changed in 10 years time and maybe it wasn't you, maybe it was your husband." Faith hadn't thought of that. "I guess. Now what?" The doctor went on to tell her to schedule a follow-up in another two weeks and they would take things from there. "Thanks Dr. Grey." As she hung up the tears that had been threatening finally spilled down her cheeks. What is Richie going to say?

Faith didn't know how long she sat there with the Doctor's voice echoing in her head. Pregnant, how could I let that happen? She kept repeating that over and over, trying to make herself believe it. As she ran her hand over the stomach that was still flat her doorbell rang. Faith wiped her face and went to the door. It was FedEx. She had forgotten that an envelope was coming. She thanked the guy and went back to the couch and opened the envelope. She thumbed through everything, her flight information and tickets were there, along with an all access pass on a lanyard to wear around her neck and at the bottom of the pile was note from Jon,

Hi Faith, here is all the information you need for next week. Have a safe flight and we will see you soon. Take care. - J

She put all the information back in the envelope and took it to her room. Catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror as she turned to leave she just stared at herself and made a decision. I have to tell him, and whatever happens, I'll handle it. I have been doing all right for Hannah and I will continue to no matter what happens. Feeling better she went back downstairs, called Hannah home and got dinner started for the two of them.