“We need to talk, I have something important to tell you.”

Those were Steph’s last words to him before he left for work that morning. ‘We need to talk’. What could that mean? What did it mean? Thousands of possibilities danced around his brain, one obvious one at the forefront of all the rest. Was the cancer back?

Max tried to remember what her mood was like when he last saw her. He searched his mind for some vague recollection of her tone of voice but he was concentrating so much on what she was saying to notice how she was saying it.

He sighed and put down a glass on the bar, the same glass he had been polishing for the last 10 minutes, staring into space at nothing at all. Connor calling him from the office snapped him back to reality.

“I’m going home now, you OK to lock up on your own?”

Max nodded. “Yeah, go ahead. See you tomorrow.”

The entire drive home he thought of nothing else but Steph’s ‘news’. Was it back? Was Steph really ill again? It had been nearly 2 years and everything had been fine, why now, when he had just proposed to her?

Was this the journey down that long, unpleasant road that he had traveled once before already? He didn’t even want to think about it.

The questions swimming around him subconscious were brought to an abrupt stop as he pulled up outside his house. Steph’s bike was in pieces in the driveway, she’d obviously been working on it today. Why hadn’t she gone to work? Max knew he was jumping to conclusions too soon but he couldn’t help it. He loved her.

He saw her through the gap in the curtains before he put his keys in the lock. She was sitting I the living room watching TV, a glass of water on the coffee table in front of her. She was wearing a casual red fitted T-shirt and jeans, and her beautiful blonde hair was in a plait, a few stray strands tucked behind her ears.

He smiled. She always had this effect on him. Even when they weren’t even in the same room, she still managed to make him go weak at the knees. I guess that was the power of love.

He stopped and looked at her, just taking a moment to fully appreciate what his life had become. From fearing loosing the woman he loved, they were now pledged to be together forever. He had 2 gorgeous kids and nothing could be better. He body language was relaxed, that put Max slightly at ease but the tension in his body wouldn’t truly be gone until he knew for certain what was wrong.

He leant on the porch wall, just looking at her and smiling. He was sure it would look a bit odd to anybody looking on but he didn’t care. He must’ve been standing out there for a little too long because Steph spotted him and walked over to the front door to let him in with a slightly bemused grin on her face.

She opened the door and he stepped inside looking a bit embarrassed. She gave that cute little half laugh that he liked and kissed him on the lips. “Good day at work?” she greeted. Max nodded as he hung up his coat and threw the car keys down on the table.

Steph looked at him with concern, Max smiled at her, trying to hide his worry. “Hey, what’s up?” Steph asked, putting his arms around his waist.

“Ummm… You had something to tell me?”

A huge grin spread across her face and she hugged him even tighter. Max’s worry had dissipated now and he just looked confused. “Steph?”

She finally pulled away from him and looked deep into his eyes. “I love you” she said and led him to the sofa. “So much. And I want to share that love with you in every way I can.”

Max pulled her on to his lap and flashed her a cheeky grin. “I’ve already proposed” he joked, “I beat you to it!”

She whacked him playfully on the arm. “No! Something else…” Steph paused, searching for the right words. This was one of the most important moments in their lives, she wanted to get it right. After a moment of silence, she decided to just come out with it. She knew Max would be far too surprised by what she was about to say to really care how he was told.

Max was looking round the room, searching for some clue as to what she was going to tell him. He spotted a candle burning on the kitchen table and a meal already laid out but turned his attention back to his fiancé.

“I’m pregnant” Steph blurted out before they had re-established eye contact. Max looked at her with surprise and she had an amused little grin plastered across her face. He just sat there with Steph on his lap, a rather blank look on his face.

“Uh, Max?” Steph shook him out of his trance. “Say something then.”

Max’s own expression mirrored hers. He picked her up and spun round, then put her down and threw his arms around her waist. “Oh god” he said, pulling her close. “I thought…”

Steph realised what he was about to say. “Oh, Max. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you. I was just so exited, but I wanted to do it right. Tell you I mean.”

“I can see that” Max replied, nodding towards the kitchen. Steph took his hand, leading him into the other room. She sat him down on one of the chairs and walked towards the fridge.

“Should you really be drinking that?” he asked when she started pouring their drinks.

“Relax” she said, kissing the top of his head from behind. “It’s apple juice.”

* * *

“Summer, do you hear that?”

Summer crept up behind Boyd and craned her neck around the corner, looking into the kitchen. “Hear what?”

“Dad and Steph you idiot. Laughing.”

Summer looked at him and raised an eyebrow. “So. They can laugh if they like.”

Boyd rolled his eyes and gave his sister a little whack on the arm. “Ow! Boyd, that hurt.”

“Shut up dummy” he warned her, “I don’t what them to know we’re listening.”

“Why not?”

“You don’t get this at all do you?” he asked, sighing. He puzzled look told him she didn’t. “Think about it” he continued, “the last time they seemed this happy was when…”

“…When Dad proposed” she finished off. “But so what, it’s not like he can propose again. Maybe they’ve set a date for the wedding.”

“Nah, I don’t think that’s what it is” Boyd said, looking confused as well. “It has to be something else.”

Both of them looked at each other for a moment then turned their attention back to the adults in the kitchen. They couldn’t see much, they didn’t want to lean round anymore for fear of being seen but they could see enough to know they were having dinner. Without them. Which, from past reference, meant there were candles and wine involved.

“So, what do you think is going on?” Summer asked.

“I dunno, but whatever it is, they look happy.”

Summer thought for a moment then her face lit up. “You don’t think…”

“What?”

“Steph’s having a baby!” she paused for a second before turning towards her brother. “Duh!”

“Well, how was I supposed to guess that?” he asked in defense. “We’re not all as obsessed with playing happy families as you.”

“Am not!”

“Oh, come on! You so are! Who else spends their lives dropping hints at every given moment?”

“I do not Boyd, shut up!”

“Summer, stop being such a baby.” Their voices had risen above a whisper now and Max and Steph stopped. They looked at each other and smirked, but didn’t turn around.

“So, how do you think the kids will react?” Steph asked Max in a raised voice and winked at him.

“Oh, I don’t know.” He stopped and they both stood up, carefully creeping out of the kitchen, hoping that Summer and Boyd were to preoccupied in tearing each others hair out to notice them. They walked up behind them until they were standing round the corner before Max continued.

“Perhaps they’ll hide round the corner whispering to each other before ripping each other to shreds for no apparent reason.”

Boyd and Summer both stopped, before turning around with sheepish grins on their faces. Boyd looked a bit embarrassed but Summer got over it pretty quickly.

“So, is it true?” She wasted no time in getting the answer she was looking for.

Max rolled his eyes at his daughter and put his arm around Steph, still holding a wine glass in one hand. “Yeah, it is.”

Steph started to giggle. “Yeah, we’re having a baby.”

Summer threw her arms around both of them and Boyd stood up. “So, how long did you know we were here?”

“Long enough” Steph replied.

“Yeah” Max added, “Long enough to know who left a doll under our bed covers.”

Summer said nothing.

* * *

“So Oscar, how would you like a new playmate?”

Steph bounced her 1 year old brother up and down on her knee as they sat together in the living room waiting for Lyn to bring through the tea.

Oscar giggled and continued to chew the ear of his teddy bear. Steph smiled. She couldn’t believe that all this was true. A year ago she thought she was going to die, but now she couldn’t feel more alive. She had a beautiful baby balanced on her knee and another one growing inside her. The promise of new life was all that was needed to lift her mood.

The thought that this baby was because of her and Max’s love was all the more amazing. If this whole experience taught her one thing, it was to treasure every moment as if it was your last. Because any moment now you could have everything you loved snatched away from you and Steph shuddered at the thought that all this wasn’t forever.

Steph placed a hand on her stomach and sighed deeply, grinning as Lyn carried a tray of drinks through from the kitchen. At the same time, Joe, Jack and Max came through the front door.

“It was a fowl!” Jack protested, “there was no way he dived!”

“Yeah, whatever” Joe said back, you’re just bitter because your team lost.”

“That ref was a joke” he continued, “Isn’t that right Max?”

Both men turned expectantly towards him and Max shook his head, taking his place besides Steph on the sofa. Steph put Oscar down on the floor and snuggled into him.

“Oh no, I’m staying out of this one.”

“Wise choice Steph replied as Max kissed her hair. “Never come between a Scully guy and his footie.” She paused and bent down. “Isn’t that right Oscar?”

Lyn rolled her eyes. “I just made some tea, come and sit down. Stephy had something to tell us.”

Max looked at his fiancé. “I thought you wanted to talk to your Mum first, you haven’t told anyone?”

“Told us what?” Jack asked.

A huge grin spread across Steph’s face and she felt Max hug her tightly in excitement. She looked at the confused faces of her family and couldn’t help but laugh.

“What’s so funny?” Asked Jack.

“We’re having a baby.”

“And that’s funny?” Jack retorted sarcastically.

“No, but the looks on your faces were!”

“Well, this is a Kodak moment if ever there was one” Joe grinned, moving forward to hug his daughter.

“Oh Steph, I’m so happy for you.” Both her parents embraced her and they stood in the middle of the floor hugging. Steph looked at Max over her Dad’s shoulder and he winked.