Love You Too: PART THIRTY

-TIFFANY-
"Hello again" I said, coming in with a chair, Sandy following closely behind with another. We set them down on the floor, before I thanked Sandy and sat down on one, the one closer to Nate's bed.
"We've got something we want to tell you, mum" Nate said, reaching down to take my hand. He rested it on the bed alongside him and began to stroke it.
"We're engaged" I blurted out, too excited to hold it in anymore. Mrs Cole's jaw dropped.
"Are you serious?" she said, looking to Nate for confirmation.
"Yes" he said, breaking into a smile.
"Oh my goodness" she said, getting up and kissing her son on the cheek, before remembering he's injured and apologising. She got up and walked around the bed. I stood up and she hugged me. "Congratulations. I really do hope you'll be happy together. You'd better call me Cecelia from now on"
"Thank you, Cecelia" I said, hugging her back.
"You've got a great girl here Nate, I'm so proud of the two of you" she said, sitting back down and taking a sip from the water by the side of Nate's bed.
"And we have more news" I said again, looking to Nate to reveal the second part.
"Well, we found out this morning that Tiffany is expecting our first child" he said, beaming at his mother, expecting a similar reaction.
She turned a deathly pale shade and sent the mouthful of water spraying across his bed.
"You what?" she said in horror.
"I'm pregnant" I confirmed, beginning to stroke Nate's palm.
"Oh my dear," she said "You do realise what you're getting yourself into?"
"Yes of course. In fact, I couldn't be happier with it" I replied confidently.
"Mum, please. At the end of the day, it's Tiffany's decision, and mine, and she's decided that it's right" Nate interjected.
"So you don't want it?" she said, picking away at everything he said.
"Yes, I was the one who first suggested we tried for a child"
"Oh gosh, I've heard enough. Tiffany, if this is what you want then I'm happy to support you, but I can't help but feel you're making a mistake" she said, getting up and pulling the curtain aside. "I have to go, I'm sorry"
After watching her drift down the corridor in a state of shock, Sandy came in and sat on her seat. I pulled my hand away from Nate's and I looked down at my lap, feeling the tears welling up again. Why couldn't the world support us?
"Don't worry" said Sandy, "I'm sure she'll come round".
She moved the chair around to come an sit next to me. I was sheltering my face from Nate, remembering what Sandy said about letting him see me upset. She out her arm around me, and let me bury my head in her shoulder. "It's going to be okay" she said "I'll stay with you both tonight"
For the rest of that night, Sandy sat next to me, allowing me to sleep on her shoulder. Not once did my hand leave Nate's, and I continually woke up, to make sure he was sound asleep and not in too much pain. I looked at his beaten up face, and I looked through all the bruising to remember the beauty that lay beneath: the man I was marrying.
I didn't sleep very well that night, constantly waking myself up so I could check if he was alright. I finally gave up sleeping when Sandy left at 5am to go back to work.
I sat up alongside the bed, edging myself closer so I could look at his peaceful face. I leant down and kissed his hand, knowing that was one of the only areas that wasn't injured.
"I love you" I whispered as quietly as I could, before sitting back in my chair and gazing at him whilst he slept.
After about 10 minutes of staring at him, he started to stir.
"Morning baby" I said, putting my hand on his again.
"Good morning" he said, holding my hand.
"How are you feeling?"
"Better now I can see you again. I've been dreaming about you"
"Aww, what happened?"
"We had our child. I can't believe that 24 hours ago we had no idea we were having a child"
"24 hours ago we weren't engaged" I said, squeezing his hand harder.
"I promise that as soon as I'm discharged that we'll go and buy you a ring. Anything you want"
"You don't have to. I'm happy just to say that we're getting married"
"I'm still getting you a ring. But on the subject of telling people, have you told your parents?"
"No. After seeing your mother's reaction I'm dreading my mother's reaction..." I said, looking down into my lap.
"Hey hey hey" he said, letting go of my hand and reaching across to place it under my chin. He lifted my chin back up so I was looking directly back at him. "You should tell her. Don't be scared of what she thinks; if you want to get married and have this baby then you should, and if she doesn't like it, then that's her loss. She needs to support her daughter, especially at this time"
"I know. I don't know if she'll see it that way though"
"She has to. I know she has a heart in there somewhere" Nate said, lying back and closing his eyes.
"Do you need to sleep again?" I said, growing increasingly concerned.
"Just a little one. I'll be awake again in 10 minutes. I just need to dream of our little baby girl again" he said, smiling as he drifted off.
I decided to go for a little walk around, and to try and track down some green tea.
"Tiffany!" a voice called from down the hall.
"Ellie?" I asked, as my half-sister came running down the hall after me in six inch heels.
"Where's Nate?" she said
"I'll take you to him, is Joe here?"
"He's just in the bathroom"
"Well Nate's asleep so we'll wait for Joe" I replied, sitting down and gesturing for Ellie to follow. After a long pause, I decided to start a conversation flowing. "So why are you back from Los Angeles?"
"Mother called to tell us what happened, and then Joe's mother called to tell us, so we decided to come and see the two of you. His mother also told us that you have some things to tell us?"
"Yeah. Well it didn't go too well with Cecelia, so we've halted telling people until Nate's better" I said, trying to avoid the disappointment of knowing our families weren't supporting us.
"Come on, T. You can tell us. I promise we'll be supportive" she said, putting her arm around me.
"Well we haven't told mother yet, so please don't tell her before I do"
"I won't, I promise"
"Okay, well Nate proposed yesterday"
"And you said yes? Oh my god Tiffany, that's amazing!" she said, hugging me. "I never knew I'd be the second sister to get married!"
"I know, it's all been a bit of a shock, but there's a second thing" I said, still holding Ellie. It felt good to be hugging someone other than Mollie or Nate, and to have this level of support from a family member.
"What's that?"
"I'm pregnant" I said, resting my head on her shoulder, and feeling her body tense up.
"It's Nate's right?"
"Of course it is!" I said, breaking the hug, slightly shocked.
"Well what's the problem then?" she said, smiling at me and hugging me again.
"Thank you Ell" I said, hugging her tighter. "I just needed someone to think like that"
"I'm happy to stay in New York if you need a member of family to come to scans and the birth" she said, kissing my cheek.
I hadn't thought about that: I'd always assumed that Nate would be with me every second of the way, but that couldn't be the only support I had. The thought of having Ellie there was amazing, and it brought a slight tear to my eye.
"Thank you" I said, quietly but genuinely.
"Come on you two" Joe said from behind us.
"Sorry" we both said, making our way into the room Nate was in.
"Nate, sweetie" I said, shaking his hand gently. "Joe's here"
His eyes gently opened, and he smiled. "Joe! Come in, it's okay"
"Mate, you look pretty rough" he said, stepping tentatively in.
"Yeah, it isn't as painful as it looks! Sit down"
I leant down to whisper in Nate's ear "Nate, I've told Ellie but not Joe, so why don't you tell him now and I'll go and talk to Ellie?"
"Sure, you girls go and walk around, I'll be fine!" he said, smiling and allowing me to leave.
"So, let's talk baby names!" Ellie said, walking arm in arm with me to the corridor.