The Way It Should Be
Chapter Seven
By: Carrie Verkman
carebear1025@juno.com

Anna was able to keep her pregnancy a secret for as long as she could. But of course as time went on, her front began to show. Anna wore baggier clothing to hide it. Anna planned on telling people when she was ready. She had an OB appointment today. I think I'll tell everyone the good news after I know things are going okay, she thought.  

"Anna? What time is your appointment?" asked John. The two of them were sitting in the lounge. 

"3:30. Why?" Anna replied. 

"I have to go to a meeting about being better prepared in the ER." John said. "Kerry wanted me to go and I can't miss out." 

"But you'll miss my appointment!" Anna whined. 

"I know sweetie, I want to go to see how things are going with the baby, but I can't. I'll meet you here after the meeting." John kissed her and left. 

Anna lied on her back as Dr. Coburn did another ultrasound. "Is everything okay?" asked Anna. "Is that my baby's heartbeat?" 

"Yes it is.  Isn't that a beautiful sound?" asked Dr. Coburn. "Wait a minute. Something's not right." 

Anna was worried. "What? What is it?"  

"Have we talked about the possibility of multiple births?" 

"No, why?" 

"I'm getting two fetal heartbeats. It looks like you're going to have twins Anna!" said Dr. Coburn. 

"Twins?" Anna asked. She was so excited. "I can't wait to tell John!"

John rushed out of Kerry's boring preparedness awareness meeting to find Anna. It was possibly the longest two hours of his life. John went to the lounge and found Anna lying on the couch eating grapes and reading a magazine. 

"Anna I'm so sorry I'm late. Kerry's meeting went way too long." John said.  

Anna put her grapes and magazine down on the table. "There is no need to apologize. I'm doing fine." 

"How did the appointment go?" asked John. 

Anna smiled. "Everything is fine." 

John let out the breath he was holding. "That is so good to hear." 

"Yes it is. I am doing fine and the babies are healthy." 

"Good, that's great… wait, did you say babies?" 

"Yes!  I'm having twins John!" Anna jumped up excitedly. 

"Oh my God that is great news! I can't believe it!" John picked up Anna and spun her around. Then he put her down. "Anna, twins? That is going to be a huge responsibility. Do you think we can handle it?" 

"Sure why not?" Anna said. 

John breathed a sigh of relief. Them his voice turned serious. "Anna, marry me." 

"What?"

"Anna, what else is there to do? We're perfect for each other. You're carrying my children. Let's get married!" 

Anna quickly thought it over. Yes, she liked the idea of living with John along with her two kids. "Yes! I will marry you John!" 

John kissed her. "I can't wait to tell my parents!" 

"There are so many things to do!" Anna said. "I need to tell my family. Oh and we have a wedding to plan. I need to buy a maternity dress and invitations and flowers. Not to mention baby supplies. John we're going to need to find a place of our own to raise a family!"  

John put his arms around Anna. "Calm down! We have four months to plan all this before the babies are born. Everything will be fine. All we have to worry about now is telling the others." John picked up Anna into his arms. Anna kicked open the door and John carried her out of the lounge. 

John cleared his throat. "If could have everybody's attention please? Thank you. As you all know Anna and I have been seeing each other for quite some time now and we have news for you. Anna is pregnant with twins and we're getting married!" 

"Surprise!" Anna said. 

Everyone's jaws in the ER dropped, but was soon followed by cheers of congratulations for John and Anna. Carol and Elizabeth hugged Anna and the male doctors greeted John with handshakes. 

"We need to have a baby shower for Anna." Chuny said. 

"Hey, are we invited to the wedding?" asked Dr. Greene. 

John nodded. "Everyone who wants to come can come!" 

Later that week Anna was over at Kerry's house planning things with John.

"Let's see," Anna said. "I've got the dress ordered and the flowers ordered." 

John nodded to confirm what Anna said. "Invitations are taken care of, I've got a tuxedo, I called the caterer and the photographer. By the way, who are you're bridesmaids?" 

"Carol, Kerry, Elizabeth, Jeanie and Maggie. What about your best man and groom's men?" asked Anna. 

"I've chosen Mark as my best man and Peter and Doug are the groom's men." John answered. "Well, I see we have everything planned for the wedding except a date." 

"Right. St. Catherine's church only has openings left in August, so it has to be sometime soon." 

"But Anna that's around your due date. I don't want you to go into labor at our wedding." 

"I won't John, what are you so worried about?" Anna asked. "How about August 15th?" 

"Sounds good to me. You're not due until the week after." 

"Fine then. Where are we going to live?" 

John groaned. "I haven't found a place yet."

Anna got upset. "You told me you were going to look for an apartment!" 

"I have been looking!" John said. "But there are none close to the hospital. The search was harder than I thought." 

"But where will we live?" 

Just then Kerry entered the room  "I think I might have a solution for you guys. I have been noticing that my house is way too big for just one person. A three-bedroom house is made for a family, which I don't have. I've looked at some apartments around Chicago myself." 

"Kerry you're not saying…" John said. 

"I want you guys to take my house to raise your family here." Kerry said. "Your kids deserve it." 

Anna hugged Kerry. "Kerry we accept. In return you can have my apartment when I move out." 

"That is a great idea. Think of my house as my wedding gift to you." Kerry said. 

"This is the best gift I have gotten so far." John said. He gave Kerry a small kiss on her cheek. 

Everything was finally settled. The wedding plans were made, and the living arrangements were settled. Time seemed to drag on while John and Anna waited for their wedding and the birth of their twins. The nurses had thrown Anna a baby shower in the ER one day, complete with matching bassinets for the twins. John had a small bachelor party with Mark, Peter, and Doug. The three of them went to a bar. 

"So Carter, "asked Mark. "Are you ready for children yet?"

John took a swallow of beer. "Are you kidding? Anna is so huge it looks like she could pop at any moment and I'm all nervous about it." 

"Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. Prepared." said Peter. 

Doug laughed at Peter's comment. "I think we should have toast." The three men raised their beer bottles in the air. "To Carter, who is getting married and having children at the same time. Carter, tonight is the last night your life!" Mark, Peter, Doug and John laughed and clanked their bottles together. 

The larger and larger Anna got, the less work she could do at the hospital. Kerry wanted her to stay off her feet, so most of the time Anna was stuck at the front desk filling out charts. Anna was writing on a chart when Doug Ross came up to her. 

"Hey Anna haven't you had those kids yet?"

Anna pointed to her large belly. "Isn't it obvious?" 

"I see. It's a good thing you're staying off your feet."

"And why is that?"

"Because you look like an overgrown water balloon that's ready to pop!" Doug cracked up at his own joke, but Anna didn't. She glared at Doug. Anna felt tears in her eyes, her lip trembled. Anna burst into heavy sobs. 

"Oh Anna, don't cry! It was just a joke!" 

John came running when he heard Anna crying. He saw that Doug was the only one standing there. "Doug, what the hell did you do to my fiancée?"

"Nothing! I just said she looked like an overgrown water balloon ready to pop, it was a joke!" 

Hearing Doug's insult again made Anna cry harder. She buried her face into John's shoulder. John held her close to his body.

"Doug, Anna is nine months pregnant. Her hormones are high off the charts and everything makes her emotional! That was totally unnecessary!" 

"Anna I'm sorry. I take it back. You look great for someone who's nine months pregnant with twins! Honestly!" Doug said. 

John led Anna into the lounge. He sat her down and gave her a tissue.

"Am I really that big?" asked Anna. 

"Of course not." 

"You're just saying that."

"No, Anna really, you look great. Just because you're pregnant doesn't change the way you look. Now dry those tears." John said. Anna felt better, and went back to work. 

End of Chapter Seven