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Past, Present and Future another NCIS story

(Revised items in bold and underlined)

(Initially described the pains as abdominal pains but now changed to pelvic pains)

Chapter 13      A Problem Arises (REVISED)

Three months later and my pregnancy is progressing well. Miranda has me in her office twice a month.  The babies are growing as expected.  The morning sickness ended, thank goodness, and I am feeling much better. Although I didn’t run in the marathon a few months ago I am still active.  Miranda advised against the high impact running and suggested swimming instead.  That wasn’t as much of a let down as I though it might be.  My Mom and Dad always talk about how much they enjoy their daily swims now I understand their enthusiasm.  The swimming still allows me to get a good work out and I still walk my miles even if I can’t run them.  

When Jethro and I married and I moved in with him I ran around in the neighborhood.  One day one of the neighbors asked me how far did I run and I told her that I run five miles out and five miles back for a total of 10 miles.  She asked if she could run with me.  She was a new mom and trying to get back in shape.  She ran in the past and wanted to return to it.  I quickly said yes and the next day she joined me in the run.  We had great fun and got to know each other although in my line of work you can only say so much.  From the two of us our running group grew to 10 consisting of both male and female.  There were two couples and the rest of us ran solo.  When I decided that I wouldn’t run while I was pregnant I told my group that I was taking some time off.  They understood and wished me well.  

I started walking on my own just as I initially did with the running. Three weeks in another neighbor stopped me and asked me how far did I walk.  By then I had reduced my miles to 3 miles out and 3 miles back for a total of 6 miles.  Because I did the swimming also I didn’t want to do too much and risk a miscarriage.  This neighbor asked if she and her husband could join me.  They both had knee problems but knew that they still needed to stay active.  Of course I agreed and we started walking together.  It’s nice to walk in a group, if nothing else for the talking that goes on and you don’t feel like it’s such a chore because it can get that way sometimes and because it cuts down on the earphones in your ear while you listen to music or books while running or walking.  You need to give your ears a rest.  

Our walking group has grown to 10 also.  We have fun and now we choose a topic a day to discuss. In order to keep the topic lively we ban discussions on politics, religion and sex.  Yesterday we all talked about our favorite Aretha Franklin song.  One or two of the younger ones in the group didn’t know about Aretha, at least they weren’t aware that they did until the older of us starting singing ‘Respect’ and then they joined in.  We had a great walk. I made it back home in good time to shower and change and cook dinner before Jethro arrived.  He called earlier to let me know that he would get home a little later than usual.  It worked out great for me because I got in a good walk.  I swim every other evening and I walk every evening. On the weekends I do both each day.  My body feels great. Miranda says that my weight gain is within normal range and the babies look fine.

So I’m in the kitchen cooking and singing and dancing, some of my favorite things to do.  I have my music blasting and I’m dancing to Enrique Iglesias, ‘Bailando’. I love the beat to this song. My hips are moving back and forth and I add some of my belly dance moves that I learned years ago during an assignment.  I’m dancing around in the kitchen but even with all the noise of the music I still hear when Jethro enters the house.  My job required me to keenly develop my senses and they have kept me out of harm’s way.  I continue to dance and sense Jethro in the doorway.  He doesn’t say anything he just stands there.

I hear the music playing as I enter the house.  Margie’s in the kitchen and I know that she’s cooking and dancing because I can smell the food and when there’s music then Margie’s dancing.  I walk to the doorway to the kitchen and just stand there watching her.  I know that she knows that I’m here but she doesn’t stop dancing and I don’t want her to.  She’s showing now.  Her pregnant belly is evident.  She has on a pair of shorts and one of my Marine Corps shirts and her hips are moving in such a tantalizing way.  She looks so sexy and alluring and I start to get a bit hot.  Cool down mister I think to myself.  ‘Your pregnant wife doesn’t need you ‘jumping her bones’ the minute that you walk in the door.’  Margie turns around and looks at me.  She sees the look in my eyes and then she goes to the stove and turns off the burners and walks to me.

“Hello love I’ve cooked a great meal for you, my hard working husband.  I want you to go and take a shower and then we can eat.”

She turns to walk away from me and I hold her wrist and say,

“While I am hungry and I could eat, I have something else in mind.  I do need a shower but if I take one now I will only need to take another one because right now, at this moment we are about to get dirty, both of us.”

I pull her to the sofa and that ‘was all she wrote’.  We both took a nice long shower after that and ate the delicious dinner that Margie had prepared.  This wife of mine does things to me, makes me feel such things that I surprise myself but it’s a good surprise.  She looks even more beautiful to me now that she is pregnant, if that’s even possible.  

Margie always had this beauty about her even when I met her all those years ago in Paris.  She took such good care of me back then and that just added to her beauty. And now that she’s pregnant it has just magnified.  Her eyes sparkle, her lips I just want to kiss all of the time, and her body was always fit and trim and you would think that with the weight gain from the pregnancy that would change her but she looks more fit and trim.  I know that she doesn’t run now so as not to risk any complications with the pregnancy and in a way I’m a bit sad about that because Margie loves to run but she said to me, 

“Jethro I can always run later but I can’t have babies later.  This I know is my only opportunity for babies. Miranda’s already alerted me to the possibility that once this pregnancy ends that my body will probably blast into menopause with a vengeance to make up for lost time.  I’m good not running.  I will not do anything to jeopardize our babies.”

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One month later I am seven months pregnant and still things are progressing well.  I continue to work and everyone in the office is so happy for me.  My supervisor and the Director insisted that if I wanted to work from home that I could.  They would have the IT staff set up whatever I needed.  I appreciated the offer and acquiesced. I knew that some days it grew a bit more difficult to make it to the office.  That only confirmed for me the wisdom of building that addition in the back of the house.  When Jethro and I decided to marry and I would move into his house I knew that I would need a designated office.  I do use the dining room table a lot of the time but that’s just to be near Jethro when he’s sitting on the sofa reading.  When I have serious work to do I do it from my office.  We extended the back of the house several feet in order to add an office and to increase the size of the master bedroom and bathroom and to add a walk in closet in the master bedroom.  We made certain not to damage the garden where Kelly had buried her time capsule.  It was most important to maintain that area.  Even with the addition we still have a nice yard and garden.

I was home alone today and working from home.  Jethro was out of town on a case with his team. He was in Roanoke, VA.  I asked him to stop by Black Dog Salvage and say hello to Robert and Mike for me.  ‘Salvage Dawgs’ is one of my favorite shows.  I took a break for lunch and went to the kitchen.  Just as I made it to the dining room to sit and enjoy my fruit, chicken salad and glasses of water and milk I felt a twinge in my belly.  The babies had been moving all morning so I didn’t think anything of it until it happened again and didn’t ease up.  “Oh Lord please don’t let me lose my babies, please!”  I have Miranda’s number on speed dial and I called her.  I described the pain and she told me that she has called for an ambulance and they will take me to the hospital and she will meet me there.  She asked if anyone was here with me and I told her no.  She said just unlock the door and wait for the ambulance.  She told me to sit down and wait and take deep breaths to calm myself.  I told her that I was calm and I would wait for the ambulance.  I made it to the door to unlock it and just as I did the doorbell rang. I opened the door and there stood my mother.  She took one look at me and said,

“My baby what’s wrong?”

“I don’t know Mom.  I’m in pain. I just called the doctor and she called for an ambulance.  It should arrive any minute now.  Oh mommy I don’t want to lose my babies.”

“I know baby, I know.  I know Jethro is out of town that’s why I stopped by.  Oh here’s the ambulance!”

I am so glad that my mother’s here.  I won’t have to go through this alone.  I whisper a prayer and relaxed my body.  The EMTs took my vitals and loaded me in the ambulance.  My mom followed in her car.  Miranda met us at the hospital and they rushed me into an exam room.  They set up a fetal monitor and took blood work and took several other tests.  

I was concentrating on breathing and talking in my mind to my babies.  “Don’t be afraid my darlings, mommy won’t let anything happen to you.  It’s going to be all right.  I love you two so much.  Mommy and Daddy love you so much.  Don’t be afraid.”

The pain began to subside.  The medical staff didn’t want to give me any kinds of meds until they knew what caused the pain.  Miranda returned to the exam room with the test results.  I introduced her to my mother. I only call her Miranda when no one else is around otherwise I respectfully address her as Dr. Stevenson.  

“Dr. Stevenson am I losing my babies?  What’s wrong?”

“No Margie you’re not losing your babies.  Your babies are fine.  We’ve ruled out any serious conditions and have concluded that you were having muscle spasms.  That’s not common but it does happen.  You already know that yours is a high-risk pregnancy due to your age but due to your great health you have not experienced any of the usual ailments that come with high-risk pregnancies such as high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, or the sort.  What we’ve determined is that with the weight of the babies it caused strain on your pelvic muscles and you had muscle spasms.  That’s not to say that the babies are too heavy for you to carry, no, all that means is that your body is trying to adjust to this new phenomenon.  We will keep you overnight for observation but we don’t foresee any additional problems.  We have a room for you and they will come in shortly to move you to it. Don’t worry everything will be all right.  You and the babies are fine.”

“Dr. Stevenson, thank you so much for meeting us here.  I don’t know how relaxed I might have been if another doctor, someone I don’t know, was treating me.  Do I need to make any changes in my routine as a result of this?”

“No I don’t think that you do.  It’s good that you have continued your exercise routine and that by all measure was the reason that the muscle spasms didn’t occur sooner.  I do have a brochure on some additional muscle strengthening exercises that will assist you.”

“Dr. Stevenson I know that this might sound inappropriate but what about sex. Will that cause a problem? I have such an appetite these days.  Every time my husband is in the room I’m like a heat seeking missile.”

“No, Margie that shouldn’t cause a problem, in actually that might help.  Just no pressure on the babies if you ‘get my drift’.”

“I ‘get your drift’, no missionary, understood.  That’s a relief because I don’t know if I can go four months without sex. Have you seen my husband, he’s like a poster child of, ‘Sex me up’.”

“TMI Alexis, I don’t need to hear all of this.  My mother ears are ringing now.”

“Sure Mom like I believe that.  Anyway thanks Dr. Stevenson.  Will I see you again before discharge?”

“Yes you will. I will check in with the floor doctor tonight and will check on you in the morning to sign your release forms.  Have a good night and rest.  It was a pleasure meeting you Mrs. McGregor.”

“My pleasure Dr. Stevenson and thank you for taking such good care of my daughter.”

Miranda left and the staff came to move me to my room.  They had me all settled by the time my mother made it to my room.  I felt so much better.  Mom had called Dad and he was on his way.  I have to call Jethro.

“Hello Jethro, how are things going with the case?”

“We just finished up the case and are headed back to DC.  Oh the people at ‘Salvage Dawgs’ said hello back to you and said that they were glad that you liked the show.  They sent you a souvenir.  How are you?”

“Oh that’s great a souvenir from ‘Salvage Dawgs’.  Jethro are you driving?”

“Yes I am why do you ask?  Margie what’s wrong?”

“Jethro pull the car over and stop now.”

“Okay I’ve pulled over, I’m in the passenger seat and McGee’s driving, what’s wrong?”

“I’m in the hospital, the babies are fine, I am fine, and I go home tomorrow.  My mother is with me and my Dad is on the way. I had some pain in my pelvis and I called Miranda and she called an ambulance.  They brought me to the hospital.  Miranda met me here and took a lot of tests.  All the tests came back okay.  The babies are okay.  It seems my body is still adjusting to the pregnancy and the weight of the babies caused my pelvic muscles to spasm.  She gave me some exercises to do.  She told me to keep up my usual exercises and that I can still have sex.   Whew! I said that all on one breath.  I’m okay Jethro.  The babies are okay.  Are you okay Jethro?”

Jethro sat and listened to Margie but he felt like he was in a tunnel and then he saw a light ahead and he heard Margie, ‘I’m okay Jethro.  The babies are okay.  Are you okay Jethro?’  Then he reached the light and all sounds returned.

“I’m okay Margie, I’m just glad that you weren’t alone.  Was your mother there with you at the house?”

“Yes she was, she came just as I finished talking with Miranda and before the ambulance came.  When will you make it back to town?”

“We’re about an hour out.  I will have McGee drop me off at the hospital.  I’ll see you soon.  I love you.”

“I love you too Jethro, see you soon.”

Jethro breathed a sign of relief.  He thought,  ‘She is fine and the babies are fine. But I wasn’t there for her. I need to make some changes. Even if I take that Assistant Director position it does require travel but it won’t have me out chasing people who will shoot back at me.  I have to talk with Margie about this and then I have to talk with Leon.’ Jethro simply told his team that Margie was in the hospital but everything was fine with her and the babies.  Jethro arrived at the hospital and went straight to Margie’s room.  Her mother and father were there and when they saw him in the doorway they excused themselves and left Margie and Jethro alone.

When I saw him I just opened my arms to him and he came to me and I cried.  I don’t cry often but this time I did.  I cried because I was relieved that he was here with me.  I cried because I was so thankful that our babies are okay.  He hugged and kissed me and as he did the babies kicked.  They knew that their daddy was home.

I saw here lying in that bed and my stomach dropped.  Her mother and father saw me and left the room to give us some time alone.  She didn’t say anything just opened her arms to me and I walked in hugged and kissed her.  Just as I did the babies kicked as if saying, ‘welcome home daddy, we are fine’.  She was crying and I started to cry too.  I don’t cry ever.  But I cried then.  I cried because I was glad that she was okay.  I cried because the babies are okay.  I cried because I was okay.  My world remains intact and I am thankful.

“Don’t scare me like that again Margie.  I’m glad that you told me to pull over before you told me what happened. We would have had an accident. You look good, how do you feel?”

“I feel good. They’re just keeping me overnight as a precaution.  I’ve already started some of the strengthening exercises and guess what, sex is a strengthening exercise?  Do you want to help me exercise?”

“Not in the hospital! Do you want us to get arrested?  Now I see that you are just fine and you are just your horny self”

“I am not horny.  I just have a fine looking husband and I am taking full advantage of that fact, mister. Well if you don’t want me just say so, don’t use me as being horny as an excuse.  Am I no longer appealing to you?”

“Stop it right there missy.  You’re just trying to pick a fight.  There will never come a time that you are not appealing to me.  With you carrying my children, to me you are the most beautiful woman in the world.  Without you carrying my children you are the most beautiful woman in the world to me.  Now settle in and let’s call it a night.  I’m tired and want something to eat.  I see that your food has arrived.  I’ll go down to the cafeteria and get something for me and come back up.”

Just as I turned to leave in walked her parents with food for me.

“We thought that you might be hungry so we brought something for you.  We’re glad that you’re back.  We’ll leave now and give you two some time alone.  Call us tomorrow when you make it home. If you need anything just let us know.  We’re glad that everything’s all right.  Good night you two.”

“Thanks Mom and Dad for coming and keeping me company until Jethro arrived.  That was so thoughtful of you to bring food for Jethro.  You two are the best. We will call you when we make it home tomorrow.  I doubt that we will need anything but thanks for the offer.  Good night.”

“Good night Amanda and Thomas.  Thanks for staying with Margie and thanks for the food.”

Amanda and Thomas left and Margie and Jethro were alone in the room. Jethro went to the bathroom to wash up and relieve himself.  He returned and pulled up the chair next to the bed and ate his food while Margie ate hers.  They talked about the case and then Jethro talked with Margie about his idea of accepting the Assistant Director position.

“Are you thinking about this now because of what happened today Jethro?”

“Margie we talked about this when I was shot.  I just think that it’s a good time before the children are born.”

“If that’s what you want to do Jethro I’m all for it.”

‘It’s what I want and better yet it’s good for our family.  It’s more pay and less danger.”

“Jethro you know that financially we are fine.  You don’t need to work for the money.  I want you to be happy with your work.  Please be sure of this decision.”

“I am Margie, I am and it means the world to me that you support me in this.”

“I will always support you Jethro.  We are a team.  A soon to be team of four you know.  Have you thought any more about what we want to name these little ones?

“Okay I see you yawning so I know that you are sleepy.  Let’s go take a shower and then you can go to sleep.  No hanky panky in the shower I warn you.”

“Oh please, you say that like I’m the only one of us who initiate ‘hanky panky’.  You don’t fool me for one moment Jethro.”

“Anyway let’s shower.  I’m glad that I had the mind to bring my overnight bag with me from the car before McGee drove the rest of the team back to the office. Now I have something to wear.  I see that the other chair lets out to a bed. Good.”

They showered and settled in for the night.