Sunshine and Nickolas sat at the doctor�s office in the waiting room. Sunshine really didn�t want to be there, but she was doing it for Nickolas and their future. She was looking at a health magazine and Nickolas was looking at a parenting magazine. He looked at Sunshine smiling and hoped she would get the hint. She looked at him and he continued smiling.
�What?� Sunshine asked.
�Nothing,� Nickolas replied kissing her.
�Why are you looking at that magazine anyway?�
�No reason.� He smiled.
�Do you think we�re going to have kids sometime soon?� He shrugged. �Nicky, you can wait another year or two. We agreed anyway until we are properly settled as husband and wife.�
�I know. It�s just that I really want us to have a family together. It�s been my dream ever since I met you.�
�It�ll happen, ok.� He grinned. �Do you feel left out, because the others are having kids?�
�In a way I guess I do. But I�m glad we�re waiting though. Our kids will be taken care of financially and what not, but that doesn�t mean we�re actually ready to have our own.�
�You have truth there.�
�I know.� She smiled. �If/when we do have kids I like the names Michael Aaron and Nickolas Gene for a boy and Summer Sky and Ocean Rose for a girl.�
�Ocean?�
�Yeah.�
�Ok, Nick.�
�What do you like then?�
�Nickolas Gene and Dallas Damien and Paris Jacqueline and Laekie Paradise.�
�Laekie?�
�Yeah.�
�Ok, Sunnie.� He smiled.
�Whatever, Nickolas.�
�Whatever, Sunnie.�
�Why don�t you ever call me Sunn or Sunshine? I�ve been wondering that.�
�Because I like the sound of Sunnie better.�
�Yeah.� He smiled.
�Mrs. Carter,� the nurse said. �Dr. Martin will see you now.�
�Ok,� Sunshine said as she and Nickolas got up and followed the nurse.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
�I wonder how Sunn�s doctor appointment is going,� Danielle said as she laid Adrianna down for her nap.
�We�ll know tonight at dinner,� Brian replied.
�I just hope it�s nothing too serious. I hate to see how Nick will react to it.�
�Sunn�s his life.�
�Exactly.� They walked out of Adrianna�s room and Brian closed the door. �Ya know this is hard for us to watch Sunn go through this so just try to imagine how Nick is handling this.�
�I can�t begin to imagine.� They put their arms around each other and walked downstairs.
�I�m glad everything is all right with us.�
�Same here.�
�I wouldn�t know how to handle it. I mean, all that Sunnie Jo and Nick went through the past six years. I would�ve gone insane trying to get through it all.�
�Their love was and is strong enough to get through it and they will no matter what�s wrong with Sunn or whatever.�
�I know, but what if their love wasn�t strong as it is? Could you imagine all the pain they would go through if they didn�t have all that love for each other?�
�It�d be hell.�
�Yeah it would. Everything�s going to be fine though, because nothing is seriously wrong with Sunshine or with Nickolas. They�re perfectly fine.�
�You�re most likely right. I just tend to over-react when it comes to Sunn and Nick.� Brian nodded. �But I�m usually right though, ya know.�
�I know, but you�re wrong this time.�
�I might be, but we�ll find out later during dinner at Kev�s.�
�Yep.� They walked into the kitchen. �So how�d it go at the doc�s this morning?�
�I ain�t pregnant. My cycle is just messed up.�
�We can try for another sometime.�
�Yeah.�
�When you�re ready.�
�Whatever. We don�t need to have another baby right now. We can wait.�
�Let time run its course so to speak.�
�Yeah. I guess so.�
�Alright.� They kissed. �I love you.�
�I love you.�
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Nickolas and Sunshine sat in the doctor�s office waiting for Dr. Barrett Martin to return. Nickolas continued to look at another parenting magazine and Sunshine stood at the window watching him. Nickolas looked at her and smiled as the doctor walked in. Sunshine walked over and sat beside Nickolas as he put the magazine down and the doctor sat across from them. Nickolas and Sunshine looked at each other then at Barrett.
�Well, Sunn,� Barrett said. �We got your test results back.� Sunshine and Nickolas looked at each other again then at the doctor. �We got good news and bad news. What do you want first?�
�The good news,� Sunshine and Nickolas said.
�Well, it appears that you two are going to be parents. Sunn, you�re pregnant.�
�I�m what?� Sunshine questioned as Nickolas looked at her smiling.
�You�re pregnant.�
�That�s impossible.� She got up.
�She means how far along is she,� Nickolas said.
�Two and a half months,� Barrett stated.
�This ain�t happening,� Sunshine said. �It just can�t be happening.�
�Why not?� Nickolas asked. �This is wonderful news.� He got up and walked over to her. �Now we can have the family we�ve talked about.�
�I�m not ready for this, Nick,� Sunshine said. �I�m happy with it just being us right now.�
�Sunnie.�
�Don�t, Nick. Please not now. What�s the bad news, Barrett?�
�Please sit down,� Barrett said and they did so.
�What�s wrong?� Nickolas asked.
�Sunn, you have a spinal infection. It has spread around to your stomach and small intestine.� Sunshine just looked at him. �Have you ever been to Australia before?�
�A couple years ago to do a movie,� Sunshine replied.
�Then that�s how you came in contact with the infection. It actually comes from a bug surprisingly. They can land on you anywhere, but the infection goes straight to your spine. Only a few people get it and you are one of them.� Sunshine didn�t say anything. �It�ll spread unless it�s stopped before it does�yours wasn�t stopped after you got it.�
�What are the side effects?� Nickolas asked.
�Sunn�s symptoms�backache, vomiting, tiredness, not wanting to move. When did you go to Australia?� Sunshine just stared at her hands.
�The beginning of 2003,� Nickolas answered for her.
�But I was fine when I came back,� Sunshine said.
�You had this infection for four years,� Dr. Martin said. �The symptoms start right away. How could you have been fine?�
�I was fine. I only started feeling this way last year around Kev and V�s wedding.�
�Why didn�t you come see me?�
�I didn�t think it was anything life threatening.�
�It ain�t, is it?� Nickolas questioned quickly and Dr. Martin looked at them. �What is it?�
�This has a major affect on Sunn�s pregnancy,� Dr. Martin said as Sunshine and Nickolas both looked at him. �There are two things that can happen to Sunn if she has the baby.�
�What are they?� Sunshine wanted to know.
�If/when you have the baby; it can either paralyze you or kill you.�
�Oh God!� She got up again. �This ain�t happening.�
�You do have a choice. You can either go through with the pregnancy or terminate it.�
�What are the odds of neither happening id she does go through with the pregnancy?� Nickolas asked.
�It�s never happened. There have been sixteen known cases in the US which eleven are paralyzed, two died, and three terminated the pregnancy.�
�This ain�t fair,� Sunshine said. �Why me?�
�Sunnie,� Nickolas said getting up and walking over to her. �We�ll work this out.� He hugged her. �I promise.�
�If you decide you don�t want to go through with the pregnancy you have up until your fifth month,� Dr. Martin stated. �After that you�ll have to carry full term. I must warn you though that if you do decide to go through with it, it�ll be one painful pregnancy. Yours will be the toughest though since it spread.�
�Will this infection kill me?� Sunshine asked. �I mean if we decide not to go through with the pregnancy?� Nickolas looked at her.
�It won�t kill you, but it�ll keep spreading throughout your body,� Dr. Martin replied. �Eventually it�ll make your body weaker through the years.�
�Is there any medicine she can take to stop it from spreading?� Nickolas asked.
�There is, but she can�t take it since she�s pregnant.� Nobody said anything for a few minutes. �You guys really need to think about this. I know it�s not the best decision, but it still has to be made.�
�Yeah,� Sunshine said. �Are we through here?�
�If there are no more questions.�
�Not from me.� She picked up her stuff.
�Nick?�
�Um�no,� Nickolas said and Sunshine went out the door.
�I want to see her again in two weeks. I�ll call with a date and time.�
�Thank you.�
�Just doing my job.� Nickolas didn�t say anything and walked out.
CHAPTER 3 CHAPTER 5
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