Andrew awoke to find himself alone in bed. He reached over but his wife, Colleen, was not there.


He began to smell breakfast being cooked downstairs. Colleen and Andrew had been married about two years ago. They were so happy together. The only thing that they wished was that they could be in Colorado Springs with their family. Or at least hers. Andrew was an only child and both of his parents had passed on some five or six years before. He often told Colleen how he wished they were here with them.


"Hey beautiful. You're up early."


" Yeah well I couldn't sleep so I thought I'd get breakfast ready before we left for town."


Colleen and Andrew had moved to Philadelphia so that Colleen could go to medical school. They missed everyone terribly. They hadn't been back since they moved. It was just lack of time.


" Smells great. I'll be right back. I'm going to get dressed." " All right. I'll be wait..."


Colleen took off so fast to the bathroom that he didn't have time to say anything to her. He heard her in there. She was vomiting.


"Colleen, honey, are you all right?"


Inside the bathroom Colleen sat on the floor thinking. Could it be she asked herself? Nah. It's just a bug she told herself. She splashed some cold water on her face and opened the door.


" Colleen are you all right?" Andrew asked very concerned for his wife.


"I'm fine Andrew. Really. It's just a bug. I'll be okay."


"Are you sure?" He asked still not convinced that she was okay.


"Yes. Now you get dressed and I'll get breakfast before it burns. Go,"she said giving him a little shove.


Colleen was getting very anxious. She was almost done with her medical school and when she was done she planned on practicing with her husband. She was so eager to see her family. They would all be coming out to see her graduation.


"Andrew we've got to go or I will be late to class, " Colleen hollered through their gorgeous two story home.


" All right, I'm comin'"


The first few minutes of the buggy ride was quiet. Andrew couldn't help but worry about his wife. But he didn't want to upset her by asking if she was okay again. He decided to talk about something else.


"What day is your family coming in?" he asked her


"This Thursday. The day before my graduation. I can hardly wait. Two days left of school until I can finally be Dr. Colleen Cook", she smiled.


"I can hardly wait either. I'm so anxious to have my wife with me all day. I miss you so much, " he said looking at her with a small smile.


Later that night, after dinner, Colleen and Andrew sat in each other arms by the fireplace.


"Colleen," he started, "I've been thinking."


"Oh, about what?" she asked


"Well, how would you feel about starting a family after you finished school."


"Andrew you know that I want to have children with you. And I have been thinkin' about the same thing, " she said turning to face him with a smile.


"What is that smile for?"


"Well what is it then?"


"While you were at the office today, I went to see a doctor. You know because I haven't been feeling well for the last couple of weeks. And I have been really tired."


"Is everything okay? What did he say? " It was just killing him he just had to know.


"Andrew, my dear husband, everything is more than okay. In fact we are okay, " after this she had a smile ear to ear.


"We? What you and me? Of course we are okay. Oh you don't mean you and me do you? " He said, his sentence trailing


"Nope. Andrew, I'm pregnant." She said very enthusiastically.


"Colleen that is such great news! Oh my god!" He said as he hugged her and spun her around.


"I'm glad that you're happy. I'm about six weeks pregnant." She said.


"Six weeks? And just now you went to see a doctor to confirm it? Why not earlier?"


"I wanted to be almost positive. I didn't want to be disappointed. I didn't want to disappoint you," She said looking down avoiding his eyes.


He gently lifted her chin to meet his gaze, " Colleen, sweetheart, I wouldn't have been disappointed. We are in this together. I love you no matter what."


"I know. I love you so much Andrew. Oh I forgot to tell you that my family is coming in tomorrow. Is that okay?"


"Of course. I'm looking forward to seeing them as much as you are, " he said with a reassuming smile.


"Good. I'm going to bed. I'm so tired, " she gave him a warm gentle kiss on the lips before heading upstairs to bed.


"Okay, I'll be up in a minute." Andrew watched his wife go upstairs. She was so beautiful. And she was carrying his child. He couldn't take his eyes off her.


When Andrew got upstairs Colleen was already asleep. She looked so peaceful. Her auburn hair cascaded on the pillow. He couldn't wait until their child was here.


Colleen anxiously awaited the train's arrival. Colleen and Andrew agreed that they would wait until they got back to Colorado Springs to tell the family about the baby. After all they were going back right after her graduation for a month.


"Oh where is Andrew?" She thought to herself.


She turned her attention to the train waiting for her family. She first saw her father, Sully step off. She hurriedly walked that way.


"Pa!, "she hollered.


Sully turned to see his daughter coming towards him.


"Colleen! Oh it is so good to see you after two years." He said as he hugged her tightly.


"Ma! I've missed you so much. And Brian and Katie!" As she hugged them all. She observed how big Katie was now. It just made her think even more about her own baby. And finally Matthew was the last to step off.


"Where's Andrew?" Sully asked.


"I think he just got caught up at the clinic. How 'bout we go by there and see if he is there and then we can head home."


"Okay that is fine, " Michaela said


They got all of their luggage and headed toward the clinic.


"Come on we can all go in and see if my husband is here."


"Andrew? It's me are you here?"


He came from the examining room in the clinic.


"Hey beautiful, "he said as he pulled her into a kiss, "how are you doing today with the . . . . "


She cut him off. "My family is waiting outside."


"Outside why don't you just bring them in?" He asked her


"I will I just wanted to see you first, " she said with a seductive smile.


Colleen opened the door and told them all to come in.


Katie was the first to come running in yelling, " Andew! Andew!"


"Katie! My have you grown in two years. You're a big girl now."


Matthew came running in after his little sister. Then Brian, Michaela and then Sully. Followed Katie in to his office.


"Matthew how are you? " He asked


"Good," the two men exchanged a handshake and a friendly hug. "Now Andrew you have been good to Colleen haven't you? If not you'll answer to me." He said with a friendly smile on his face


"He has been very good to me Matthew. You don't have to worry, "she said with a smile and slipped an arm around his waist.


"Andrew my have we missed you and Colleen greatly, " Michaela said hugging and giving her son-in-law a kiss on the cheek.


"I've missed you guys too. Sully how have you been? "


"I've been good, " he said hugging Andrew.


"Hey Brian, you they have a big candy shop and ice cream parlor a couple of streets over. Maybe we could go bye later. Hm?" Colleen asked her little brother.


"Sounds good to me, " he said with a smile.


"We should head home so that they can get settled in and Colleen can get ready for her graduation.


They all piled into the buggy and headed home. As they approached the huge house everyone was awed.


"Oh my goodness!" Michaela said, " your home is absolutely beautiful!"


Colleen showed everyone around. They were all very impressed.


"It has been so long since the entire family has been together." Michaela said with a smile


"Colleen we are so proud of you. You've worked so hard for this. And I bet that no one is more proud of you than your husband." Sully said


"I can guarantee you that, " Andrew said grabbing Colleen around the waist.


"Well, lets get you guys settled in. Andrew and I can point you to your rooms."


"Ma and Pa you'll stay in this room," Colleen said, " Brian and Matthew follow me." Andrew said.


He took them down the other direction of the hallway.


"Brian, you'll stay in here," Andrew said opening the door for him. Matthew followed him in.


"Matthew, come on, I'll show you your room."


"We have our own rooms? " He asked surprised.


"Yeah, " Andrew simply stated. After he showed them their rooms he headed back to Colleen.


"Colleen have you showed Katie her room yet?" He asked entering the room.


"No not yet, " she said.


"I'll do that. Katie do you want to go see your room?" He asked squatting to be at eye level with her.


"Yes!" She said enthusiastically clapping her little hands together.


"Okay let's go! " Andrew took her small hand into his large hands and led her down the hall.


After Andrew left Sully left to get the luggage from downstairs. Leaving Michaela and Colleen to talk.


"Colleen, you and Andrew have done very well."


"Yes we have. But only because of Andrew's practice. "


"But soon it will be his and yours." Michaela told her daughter


"I know I'm not sure if I'll go into it right away though." Colleen said.


"Well why not? You have no reason not to. You don't have any obligations or children."


Colleen looked down for a second after her mother said that. " No we don't but there is so much going on and. . ."


"And what?" she asked


"And we have been talking about having children soon, " Colleen said.


"Oh well that can be a good reason, " Michaela said with a smile.


Just then they heard Katie giggling down the hall. They both looked at each other with a look of bewilderment. When they got to the room they found Andrew tickling her.


"Andrew what are you doing to my little sister?" Colleen asked with her hands on her hips .


"Nothing. Katie and I were having just a little fun. Right Katie?" He asked turning his little sister-in-law.


"Wite!" She exclaimed squishing Andrew's face together. Michaela and Colleen looked at each other and burst out laughing. Sully came down the hall asking what was so funny.


"My husband is acting like he's four. This is why we don't have kids. I've got him," Colleen said laughing. Katie was about to jump off the bed when Andrew caught her just in time.


"Hey, hey don't do that you could be hurt. Okay?"


"'kay," Katie responded running to her father


"Well we should all get ready to go," Colleen said.


An hour later they were all dressed in their best and ready to go to Colleen's graduation. When they arrived at the school, they all wished her their best. They left Colleen and Andrew alone for a moment.


"Colleen I'm so proud of you. You know that don't you?" Andrew told her


"Yes of course I do. I just a while I can finally say that I am Dr. Colleen Cook." She said proudly. He gave her a quick kiss and left to join the family.


". . . Dr. Colleen Cook." Colleen gracefully walked across the stage and accepted her diploma. Andrew and the family clapped proudly. Matthew could hardly believe that his little sister was a doctor now.


When Colleen found her family she waived her diploma at them. Andrew reached her first. He gave her and huge hug and a passionate kiss.


"Dr. Colleen Cook. It has a nice sound don't you think?"


"Hmm. I say it does too. " She said and gave him a kiss.


Colleen hugged the rest of her family. They went to a fancy restaurant for dinner to celebrate. When they got home Colleen was very tired.


"I think I'm going to head on up to bed. I'm very tired. Goodnight everyone. Andrew are you coming?"


"Not right now. I'll be up in a little while. Goodnight sweetheart."


"Well Sully I think that it is time for us to turn in. Katie come on. Mommy will tuck you in. Brian and Matthew go to bed too. Okay?"


"Michaela I think I'll stay up for a while. I need to talk to Andrew anyway." He looked at Andrew for a second, " goodnight."


After they had gone to bed, Andrew and Sully headed into the parlor to talk.


"So Sully what is it that you wanted to talk to me about?" Andrew asked curiously.


"It's Colleen. She's been so tired ever since we got here. Her appetite has doubled, from what I have ever seen. Is there something going on that we don't know about?" he asked concerned for his daughter


"No. She's just been tired since she became . . . . , " Andrew stopped himself before he finished. He couldn't believe what he did. He wasn't thinking about what he was saying.


"Became what?"


"Um, nothing," he was trying to work his way out of this.


"Andrew what is it? I want to know. Colleen is my daughter and I have a right to know as her father! "He took a threatening step towards Andrew while saying this.


"All right. Sully, I'm going to tell you something and you have to promise you won't tell anyone. Not even Michaela. Colleen wants to wait for us to tell everyone in Colorado Springs."


" What is it?"


" Well, Colleen, well we're, she's pregnant," Andrew said


" What?!" Sully exclaimed with a smile.


" Yeah, she is. The doctor confirmed it yesterday. I was as surprised as you. She suspected it for a month or so. I thought something was wrong, but I brushed it off. Colleen is a doctor and all I knew she would go see a doctor if she thought something was really wrong. So I didn't ask her, " after he finished all of his explaining, he had a huge smile on his face.


"Andrew this is great!" He pulled his son-in-law into a big hug, "Congratulations! So how does it feel to know in nine months you'll be a father?"


"It's the best feeling in the whole world. It'll be eight months. It's amazing." Andrew was just ecstatic about the thought of being a father.


"Well, I wish you two all the luck in the world to get through her pregnancy together. You don't know how happy you have made Michaela and me. She's going to be thrilled when you tell her," Sully was so proud.


"But we aren't going to tell her until we get back to Colorado Springs," Andrew said sternly. He didn't want the surprise ruined for his wife.


"Okay. I think it's time we head up to bed," Sully said heading for the stairs


When they reached the separate rooms, Sully was about to go in when Andrew said, " Goodnight Grandpa, " with a comical smile on his face.


Sully responded with " Goodnight Pa, " but Sully meant it more seriously but still had a smile on his face.


Colleen was already asleep.


"God she's so peaceful and beautiful. I'm so lucky to have her and our baby, " Andrew thought.


He quickly changed and slipped into bed. He gently got one arm around Colleen. They slept peacefully the entire night.


The next morning everyone had to catch a train back to Colorado Springs. Colleen had a tough bout with morning sickness that particular morning.


"Colleen I'm so sorry you have to go through this, " he said pulling her into a warm embrace.


"Andrew it's okay. At least I'm going through this for a good reason," she said with a small smile, " for this little one here," she said rubbing her barely bulging abdomen.


"Yeah. When do you want to tell everyone? If we wait much longer they're going to notice, " he responded


"Hmm. I guess we should tell them. Why don't we wait until after dinner tomorrow?" She asked waiting his approval.


"Whenever you want to sweetheart. This is your decision."


"Is everyone packed? We have to get going. Where are Colleen and Andrew?" Sully asked


"I think they're still upstairs. I'll go get them, " Matthew said as he hurried up the stairs. He knocked on the door, " Colleen? Andrew?"


"Come in, " Colleen said


"We have to go if were going to make the train."


"Okay we're coming."


The train was very comfortable. But because of the seating arrangement Katie sat with Colleen and Andrew. About an hour into the ride Colleen was getting uncomfortable, so she got up for a walk.


"Andrew how's Katie doing?" Michaela asked from her seat.


"She's fine, " he responded with a reassuring smile.


"Andew! What's that?" Katie asked pointing out the window.


"Katie that's just a deer."


Just then Colleen came back. She took one look at them and knew that Andrew was going to be a wonderful father to their children.


The train arrived about four that day. They were greeted by Dorothy and Grace. Colleen and Andrew were the center of attention since it had been two years since they had been back. "Should we call you Colleen or Dr. Cook?" Grace asked jokingly Colleen just smiled at her. "Gosh, it's so nice to be back. I missed it so much being in Philadelphia for two years."


"Who took over my position in Preston's chateau?" Andrew asked.


"Some other guy from Boston. I feel sorry for him. Havin' to work for Preston and all, " Dorothy said.


"Well, as much as I'd like to stay and chat I've got to get back to the restaurant."


"Grace, Andrew and I will be by later save us a slice of pie." Colleen told her.


"Will do. It's so nice to have you two back," she hugged both Colleen and Andrew and left.


Everyone went home. But Colleen and Andrew decided to walk around and see how much things have changed.


They made the rounds. Going to say hello to Loren, Horace, and Robert E. Neither Jake nor Hake were on their list. Jake did come over to say hello. They talked for a few minutes. Both were curious to see the Chateau after so long. When they arrived. Both were shocked.


"Wow, " was all Colleen could say.


"It's impressive. I can't believe Preston did all of this."


The Chateau was now twice the size that it was before they had left. The grounds were even more grand than before.


"Do you want to take a walk in the garden? " Andrew asked


"I'd love to, " Colleen said and took her husband's hand.


They walked for a few minutes and decided to sit for a few minutes on a bench. There was a young woman at the next bench with a small baby. Colleen couldn't help but look. She couldn't believe that that would be her and Andrew in a few months. Andrew noticed this.


"Isn't it hard to believe that that will be us in a few months?"


"Yeah, it is. But I couldn't be happier with my life. I have the most kind, caring and loving husband in the whole world. Who loves me more than I could ever imagine. And a beautiful baby on the way. It couldn't be more perfect."


"Colleen I love you more than life itself. I would do anything for you. You know that. And I know that you love me. And I will love our baby no matter what."


Colleen was in tears now. Andrew just smiled and wiped them away with a handkerchief. They sat and talked for a few more minutes. Just as they got up to leave a man approached the woman and kissed her on the lips and smiled at the tiny baby.


It was no one other that Preston Lodge. Andrew and Colleen glanced at each other very surprised. As they slowly made their way towards the two, Andrew asked, "Preston?" The man turned.


"Colleen, Andrew! How nice to see you. Hasn't it been two years or so?"


"Yes it has. We just got back from Philadelphia. How are you?" Colleen stated


"I'm doing just great. I'd like you to meet my wife Anna and our daughter Rose," Preston beamed proudly.


"It's very nice to meet both of you. Your daughter is beautiful, " Andrew said.


"Thank You, " Anna stated with a sweet smile.


They talked for a little while. Colleen and Andrew left for home. It had been a long day and they were tired. They had changed their minds and decided to announce their news tonight. They couldn't wait any longer. When they arrived home, dinner was already started. But they were so tired that they decided to take a small nap before dinner.


Sully and Michaela were in the kitchen talking. "Colleen seems to be really tired lately," Michaela stated.


"Yea. I'm sure she's fine. She's probably just tired from traveling and the graduation. They have so much going on."


"I don't know. But she's a doctor, and if she thought that anything was really wrong I'm sure she would see one, " Michaela said.


Sully just kept quiet. Because he knew exactly what was causing Colleen's fatigue.


Michaela lightly knocked on Colleen's door. After all she was married now and did not want to interrupt anything. "Colleen, Andrew? Dinner is ready."


She came into the room. They were sound asleep in each other's arms on the bed. She gently shook Andrew. "Andrew. Andrew, dinner is ready."


"Oh, okay. Give us a few minutes and we will be down. Thank You."


Andrew shook Colleen awake. "Colleen? Dinner is ready. You have to get up sweetheart."


"All right. I just need to freshen up."


"Are you ready to tell them about the baby? " Andrew asked her.


"Well if we wait much longer we won't have to tell them, " she said with a smile, " I'm beginning to show already."


"No you're not, " he said getting up and wrapping his arms around her waist


"Yes I am. I think that they will all be very excited. What do you think"


"Colleen, we know that they will be very happy for us, " he turned to face her, " there is nothing to be unsure about." He gave her a reassuring kiss.


"We'd better get goin' or we'll be late," Colleen said as she led him downstairs by the hand.