What's happened so far: After returning from their honeymoon, the Crane family have news - their numbers are increasing!

"What?" Lorraine Crane asked.

"That's right Mom, or should I say Grandma!" Martin smiled. Everyone cheered and the TV dinner quickly turned to a celebration dinner for Martin and Hester.

"When's it due?" Vivian asked.

"Sometime around March next year," Hester told her.

"You know what?" Martin told his wife on their way home. "We must have conceived the baby when we were on our honeymoon."

"Boston will be an important place for him then," Hester replied, "that is, if it's a he."

"My mom seems to think so," Martin said. "She knew I would be a boy, and she knew Walt would be a boy, and she knew Vivian would be a girl. Amazing. Actually, when she was pregnant with me, apparently everyone said I would be a girl, but no, my mom said it was a boy, and sure enough she was right."

-----

Hester Crane was feeling a bit sad. Martin was at work again. He was on a stakeout and as such was hardly ever home. Hester had to smile a bit. Martin was working all this overtime to get extra money for the baby, but at the same time she hardly got to see him.

Her bump wasn't showing yet - she was only 2 months pregnant, plus she still hadn't managed to lose all that extra weight she'd had before her wedding. She was with Mrs Cookson again.

"Mrs Cookson, the only way you are going to overcome your fear of radios is to accept that no, they are not really Russian spies who are spying on you."

"OK Dr Crane," Mrs Cookson said. Hester sighed. Mrs Cookson was here every week with a new phobia. Last week it was light switches, before that paper cuts. After Mrs Cookson, the last patient for the day had left, Hester packed up her things and left. She decided to go to her mother's. It was better than an empty house.

-----

"So Marty, are you ever going to go home?" Artie Walshe asked his friend. "You're here more than the criminals are."

"I just want the best for this baby," Martin replied. "I never want him to go without."

"Him?" asked Artie.

"It's a long story," Martin said.

"Anyway, go home for a bit. Take some time off. Trust me. You remember when Joe Pearson's wife was pregnant? He was home with her a lot and she said that really helped her."

"Maybe," said Martin, feeling torn. Artie decided to change the subject.

"You thought of names yet?"

"Not really, although if its a boy, he won't be Martin John Crane III. I always hated being a 'Junior'."

"Crane, Walshe, there's been a murder on the Seafront. Get yourselves over there pronto!" Lt Casey told the two. As they left, Martin decided that he would go home straight afterwards and make his wife a romantic dinner. With his mom's help of course, as Martin was a hopeless cook.

-----

"There we go son, I hope she enjoys it," Lorraine said as he left.

"OK Mom, thanks." Martin kissed his mother as she left. A few moments later, the postman arrived with a letter for Martin. As Martin opened it and read it, he let out a gasp.

-----

Hester was on her way home. The car had broken down and Duke, who knew how to fix it, hadn't gotten around to doing it yet. As such Hester was walking home.

It was a nice July evening, and Hester was enjoying her walk. She had read somewhere that if you are healthy when pregnant, the baby would be too.

"Hey missy, hands up!" Hester turned around to see a teenager, aged about 17, with a gun behind her. "I said hand up!"

Hester did so, but turned around so she was facing the teen. She knew what to do here. "Alright, but I might as well let you know, my husband is a police officer."

"Yeah right."

"Oh yes," Hester said calmly. "Whatever you take from me, he'll find it and get it back, and lock you up." The teen's arm started wavering.

Just as I suspected, Hester thought to herself. He doesn't want to shoot me.

"You know what, I'm not going to rob you," the teen said nervously, and he ran off. He tripped over a man walking past and dropped his gun, which Hester picked up and put in her purse. She then walked over to the police station to hand it in and report the boy.

-----

The police station was very busy, and Hester managed to phone Martin to let him know where she was. Martin sounded like he was feeling ill.

"Marty, are you OK?" It was odd. He had been asking her that very same question not that long ago.

"Uh, I have something to tell you. You're not going to like it. Come home, quickly."

Hester quickly made her excuses and left. Artie Walshe offered to give her a lift home, and as they drove Hester wondered what it was Martin wanted to tell her.

"Hester, my ex-girlfriend is pregnant with my baby."

"Hester, I've met someone else."

"Hester, I've got cancer and have got just 3 weeks left to live."

These three scenarios and more were swirling around in her head. Artie arrived at the Crane house and dropped her off, and Hester ran inside.

The dinner was on the table, uneaten.

"Oh Marty, dinner's lovely," she said as she sat down.

"Hester, you're not going to like this at all. But....." He showed her the letter he'd received earlier. "I've been drafted."