Chapter 3
Tabitha slowly took a deep breath as she pulled the towel off the small test. It had been ten of the most agonizing minutes of her life. The test was lying on the bathroom counter.
It had come out blue.
Tabitha chewed her lip, and grabbed the box. Just as she had suspected, the blue meant positive. She was pregnant.
"Oh lord…" Tabitha muttered to herself, looking down at the test.
"Tabitha?" Sam called from their bedroom. It was nearly ten o'clock at night, and they were getting ready to turn in for the night. Sami was fast asleep down the hall
"Yeah?" She asked, stepping into the bedroom in her nightgown.
"Are you alright?" Sam asked, his face worried.
Tabitha nodded, nervously twisting her hand together. Sam noticed and held out a hand to her, beckoning her to sit down on his knee. She sat down, and looked at him with large blue eyes.
"What's wrong?" Sam asked, kissing the top of her head.
"What do ya mean? I'm fine!" Tabitha told him, her voice lacking conviction.
"Are you sure?" Sam asked for what seemed like the fiftieth time.
"Yes!" Tabitha snapped, getting up off his knee. "Would you stop asking me that every five minutes?"
"Tabitha…Ah'm just worried about you." Sam said, his voice hurt. Tabitha crossed her arms over her chest, and sniffed softly.
Sam stood up and walked to where she stood, wrapping his arms around her neck. Tabitha sniffed again, and leaned against his chest.
"What's wrong?" Sam asked, his voice soft in her ear.
"Sam…I'm pregnant." Tabitha said softly.
"Your what?" Sam asked, his hands clutching her shoulders.
"I'm going to have a baby." Tabitha said again, turning to face him.
Sam stared at her for a long minute, and then collapsed onto the bed. He sank his head down into his hands and asked, "You're sure?"
"Pretty sure." Tabitha said softly.
"Mah god." Sam moaned.
"What's wrong? I'd thought you'd be more excited." Tabitha said, putting her hands on her hips.
"Ah am…it's just that Ah didn't think we would be havin' another child for awhile." Sam said, finally looking up at her.
"What are you saying? Do you want me to get rid of it?" Tabitha asked, her voice nearing hysteria.
"NO!" Sam cried, leaping to his feet and striding to where she stood. "NO."
"But you seem so unhappy…" Tabitha started, staring at him with big blue eyes.
"Ah'm FINE, girl. Ah'm just in shock." Sam told her. "Though Ah feel like Ah should have expected this. You've been sick all day."
"Yeah, that's the fun part of pregnancy. When I was pregnant with Sami, I threw up all day for about the first four months." Tabitha told him.
Sam smiled, but then looked away. His eyes were glowing with a horrible sadness that tore at Tabitha's soul. She touched his shoulder lightly, and raised and an inquiring eyebrow.
"Ah was just thinkin' about everything Ah missed with Sami." Sam replied to her unspoken question.
"Oh…well, you'll get to do all of it with this baby." Tabitha said softly.
"Ah know…but it still hurts sometimes." Sam told her gently.
Tabitha turned away from him and looked out the window, her eyes filling with tears. "I told you why I left Sam."
"Ah know, honey, Ah know…it just hurts." Sam said softly. "She's only really been mah daughter for not even a year."
Tabitha turned to look at him with horrified eyes. "Sam…why haven't you ever told me you felt that way?"
Sam looked over at her and smiled a slow sad smile. "Because, Ah didn't want you to think Ah was blaming you for what you did. Ah wish you hadn't though." He said the last part so softly that Tabitha barely heard him.
"Sam…" Tabitha cried, reaching out to touch him.
"Hush." Sam commanded, pulling her into his arms. "That's just an old shadow pain…Ah've got you and Sami and now this baby. Ah'm content."
"Are you…" Tabitha started, but was cut off, when Sam kissed her deeply, running his hands over her back. Quickly, Sam bent to sweep his bride off her feet and carried her to their bed, and convinced her that he was quite happy to be with her.
The next morning, Tabitha awoke to find Sam sitting up in bed, watching her with glowing blue eyes. She smiled at him, and reached out to kiss his lips softly.
After a minute, he pulled back and lay his head on her stomach, much to her amusement.
"Sam, you can't hear anything! I'm only a couple months, if that, along!" Tabitha laughed, running her fingers through Sam's hair.
"What's your point?" Sam asked, looking up at her with wide blue eyes.
"You certainly seem to be happier about the baby." Tabitha pointed out, smiling at his expression.
"Ah am. Ah've been up all night thinkin'." Sam told her, his voice serious.
"And what were you thinking about?" Tabitha asked quietly.
"How happy Ah am. How much Ah love you, and our children." Sam said softly, taking her hand.
"I love you too." Tabitha whispered, wrapping her arms around his back.
"Ya know, Ah ain't gotta go in fer trainin' this mournin'…" Sam trailed off smiling at her slightly.
Tabitha smiled and pulled her husband down for a long kiss.