Second Chance: It's So Nice To Finally Meet You




"You're taking the whole day off?" Grace's voice questioned him on the other end of the phone.

"The whole day - we can do movie, food - everything."

"Can I lie down for awhile before we do anything?" Grace replied."How about at three....You're bringing your car, right? Because I'm not going if you don't have your car."

"Three's good - Of course I'm driving my car. You think I'd make you walk all around town?" He joked as he walked, phone in hand.

"You never know with you." She said letting out a snort.

"Come on, I wouldn't do that to you - Not when you're this big."

"Thank you John, that's such a great compliment." She quipped sarcastically.

"I didn't mean it like that, Grace. Anyone who's nine months pregnant is going to be big." He defended himself.

"I'll let you off the hook - This time. So I'll see you at three?"

"Yep - See you later." He said as she said goodbye.

She hung up, as did Carter. He slowly went through his apartment, straightening up things as he went along. He wasn't being a neatness freak or anything, he was just killing time - Something he seemed to be doing a lot of lately.

Grace was now nine months along, and Carter knew that she could go into labor at any time. Being her labor coach, not to mention transportation system and friend, was keeping him on his toes. Every time the phone rang, he expected it to be Grace telling him that it was time. He was prepared to run out the door at any moment to help his best friend deliver her child.

Was he enjoying this? For the most part, yes. Grace relied on him. It had been so long since someone had depended on John Carter, and he liked it. He liked it when he could help her out, when she would look at him and thank him, telling him what a good friend he was.

It was the least he could do, really. Grace had always gone the extra mile for him. She had done little things for him throughout high school, like leaving insane notes in his locker, or making faces at him from across the classroom. And there were the big things too, like when his brother had died. She took him into her arms, saying nothing except for: "Go ahead.". So he had cried, and for those few moments he had been safe in her arms. He just wanted to give her open arms to run to if she needed it.

He checked his watch, leaving when he saw the time. He pulled up to Grace's building, where she was already standing outside of. The size of her stomach seemed to have grown since the last time he had saw her. She walked - correction, waddled over to the car, getting into the passenger side.

"I hate shoes." She declared as she closed the car door.

"Why do you hate shoes?" He asked. It was practically a game they played. Every time he saw her, she would say that she hated something new. Yesterday, it had been root beer.

"I hate them because my feet are swollen and my shoes make it worse." She explained.

"Did you soak your feet?" He asked as he drove.

"Yeah, as best as I could." She said shortly.

"You try elevating them?" He questioned.

"Who are you, a quiz show host?" She asked sarcastically, "No - I didn't elevate them. I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to get back up and end up like a turtle on its back." She practically pouted.

When he stopped at a red light, he placed his hand gently on her arm, "Hey - are you okay?"

She sighed, "It's just that everything's either swollen or achy......I'm just tired."

"Do you want to go home, and sleep or something?" He questioned gently.

"No - I need to be out of my apartment for awhile. I meant that I'm tired of being pregnant."

The light turned green. "Well, you've only got two more weeks to go - You're tough, you'll make it." Carter said sympathetically as he pulled into the restaurant's parking lot.

When you're with a pregnant woman, people assume that you're the father. Carter had learned this the hard way. He had been congratulated on 'his' baby, or his 'wife's' baby countless times. Today was no exception - a bunch of little old ladies had called him 'dad'. He didn't even bother to correct them anymore. Grace didn't either. It was so much easier to just smile and nod, so that's what they did.

Emma's was the name of the restaurant. Grace and Carter had been there many times over the course of Grace's pregnancy. It was a friendly, diner-ish place, that served peanut butter apple cakes - one of Grace's many cravings. They were seated quickly, and soon ready to order.

"Hello, welcome to Emma's - our soup of the day is....." The blonde waitress started.

"Um, we're just getting something to drink." He interrupted, "I didn't think you'd want to give your speech about the soup and then not have us order anything."

"Thanks - So what can I get you?" She said, while pulling a pencil out that had been balanced on her ear.

"Apple juice." Grace said

"A coffee."

"Coming right up," The waitress said as she headed back to the kitchen.

"I feel so juvenile ordering apple juice." Grace admitted, shaking her head.

"I feel so grown-up, ordering coffee....." He smirked as he played with the napkins lying on the table, folding them into tiny squares.

The blonde returned, setting the tray of drinks on the table, handing the apple juice to Grace, the coffee to Carter. She handed over the receipt, and started to walk away, when Carter called out, "Wait, you left your tray!"

She returned, picking it up with a sheepish smile. "You would think that by now I could remember to pick up a tray. I've been here long enough."

"How long have you worked here?" He questioned.

"Too long - It's a family business." She replied with a short laugh, "But today's my last day - I'm starting the spring quarter in college.....I can't wait - It's a brand new start."

"Well good luck......" He checked her name tag. "Katrina - Good luck."

"Thank you." She smiled and headed back to the kitchen.

"I would kill to be eighteen and get to go to college and everything all over again." Grace sighed, "She has everything ahead of her."

"If I went back to being eighteen, I'd have to go through med school again.....No thanks." He said.

They quickly finished their drinks, and headed over to the movie theater. Grace had been talking about this movie every since she saw the previews, and was willing to be cramped in a tiny theater seat just to see it. About a half hour into the movie, Grace's voice interrupted him.

"Oh no." Grace said shakily.

"What?" He questioned - He thought she was referring to the movie.

"Contraction." She said dully

"What?!" He repeated.

"I need to get to the hospital." She said blankly.

"Okay," He helped her up and escorted her out of the theater. "Are you sure it isn't false labor?"

"This is it, John." She said, sounded very assured.

In a flash they were at the hospital. Carter helped Grace into a wheelchair, then called out for Abby when he spotted her down the hall.

"Abby - Grace went into labor - can you check her out before we take her up to OB?" He questioned excitedly. He trusted Abby since she had worked in OB for so long.

"Breathe Carter - Breathe." She instructed as she took over Grace's wheelchair. "That goes for you too, Grace."

Abby pushed her down to one of the exam rooms, and began to examine her. Carter couldn't believe the baby was almost here. He was expecting it to be another two weeks before this happened.

"Grace, your water broke, but there's no placental abruption, which is good." Abby said as she took off her gloves, "I'd like to get you up to OB now, because trust me, you don't want to deliver down here."

"Okay," Grace nodded, looking overwhelmed.

An hour later, Grace was settles into an OB bed. A bewildered look covered her face as she sat, staring at the wall.

"Penny for your thoughts," Carter said, standing next to her bed.

"I'm scared." She whimpered.

"Of the delivery?"

"No" She shook her head, breathing in. "What if the baby looks like him?"

":Looks like your ex?" He clarified.

"Yes. I'm so afraid the baby will come out looking like him....His blue eyes, his blonde hair. I don't know if I could handle it."

"Oh Grace - You're going to love this baby no matter who he looks like." He comforted, when Grace's face suddenly contorted with pain. "Contraction?" He asked, taking her hand.

"MmmHmmm. It hurts, oh it hurts." She cried.

"Okay Grace, I need you to think about something happy......Remember when we went to the beach with Mike and Linda?" He said, trying to distract her.

She nodded through the pain, "The time when Mike knocked over the ice cream stand?"

"I really thought the ice cream man was going to kill Mike." He continued, "And do you remember what you guys did to me when I fell asleep?"

"Buried you in the sand." She laughed as best as she could.

".....I think there's still sand in my suit." He said, as the contraction ended, and Grace's face returned to normal. He smoothed her hair back down. "Good - You're doing so well."

Just then, Grace's doctor entered the room, saying. "Grace, with the next contraction I want you to push."

Grace nodded, and suddenly her next contraction began.

"Alright Grace, push -" The doctor said.

Carter stood next to Grace, holding her hand. Push, 1...2....3...4...5...6...7....8...9...10. And again, and again. He finally heard the doctor announce that the baby was crowning. He held on to her hand still, as she squeezed the life out of it, until he heard it: a baby cry and the announcement: "It's a girl!"

They both watched as the baby was placed on Grace's stomach as the doctor cut he cord. Transfixed, they looked at the little girl - a dusting of dark hair, green eyes, ten fingers, ten toes. The picture of perfection.

An hour later, Carter sat next to Grace's bed as she cradled the tiny baby in her arms. "Looks like she turned out well," He smiled as he watched the baby.

"Yeah." Grace agreed. The pride shone in her eyes, but Carter could see the fatigue behind them.

"She's got your eyes." He commented.

"And Andrew's nose." Grace remarked bitterly.

"There's always going to be something to remind you, Grace. Whether it's his nose or not." He said, and Grace nodded. "So does she get a name, or are you going to just call her 'Baby Girl Micheals'?" He asked, changing the subject.

"I suppose she does need a name. You know, I couldn't think of a single name that suited her?" She shifted the baby in her arms, "You name her. You decide."

"Alright," He said, looking at the girl. "Emma. Emma Katrina." He declared, looking up at Grace for approval.

"Hello Emma." She kissed the baby's cheek and handed her to Carter, "You be good for John, Emma - okay?" Grace smiled and closed her eyes.

Emma's eyes remained open and looked and Carter. A blanket wrapped around her tiny body, he looked straight back at her. It was incredible that this little girl had come from Grace. It's just amazing, he thought as he smiled and looked up to see Grace fast asleep.

"Well Emma, it looks like your mother had fallen asleep. She deserves to sleep. Looks like you're stuck with me for now." He spoke quietly to the baby in his arms. "Listen Emma, I want you to know something. You are one of the luckiest babies. You have the greatest mom - she loves you with all of her heart. Don't feel bad if sometimes she looks at with a little bit of sadness in her eyes. It's not because she doesn't love you, or doesn't want you here - It's because of the things that had to take place for you to get here." He knew it would take years for Emma to understand this, yet he continued, "But you are still the luckiest baby. Your mother - she's so kind, and funny.....When she smiles, you'll smile....She'll take wonderful care of you, and she'll want make you want to be the best person just so you can make her proud......Emma - can you keep a secret?" The baby's eyes seemed to be saying yes, "I lied to your Mom, Emma. I told her that I only loved her as a friend. I lied because I do love her. I've been in love with her since high school." He closed his eyes in shame for a moment. "You know, back in high school I always pictured your mom and I having kids together.....And I visioned that I would hold our baby like this......But now, it's just Grace's baby. She doesn't want me to love her - She can't handle it now. Not that I'm blaming you, Emma," He assured, looking down at her, "I'm just sad that things didn't turn out the way I planned.

From the baby came a tiny wail. Emma had started to cry.

"I hear you." Carter related as he sat down, try to rock the baby's sadness away.



Part 5
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