2.21 Terrifyingly Wonderful
Madeline sighed as she looked up at the moon rising over the house after her shift. The night air was cool and she was exhausted. She was also feeling bad about walking out on Laura this afternoon. She probably should have stayed. She probably should have talked to Laura about how she was feeling.
How she had been feeling for the last couple weeks.
Lately, as happy as she had been with married life, she noticed that at work little mistakes were bothering her more then normal. At home, it was easy enough to pretend everything was alright. She wanted so badly for everything to be alright. It was one of the reason she was cooking so much. She wanted--no needed-- to be a great wife. But on top of that...she had been gaining weight and she had cravings... At first, she told herself that it was just adjusting to being on the catering staff. It was that the new food looked good and she ate too much of it. Too much new, too much stress.
Of course, under it all, she had had a sneaking suspicion she might know why it was happening. When she had missed her period this month she was pretty much sure. This morning she had wanted to tell Laura. Then Cam had walked in and she hadn't wanted to say anything. Not yet. So she had put it off... She needed to verify it. She would tell Laura before she headed off to work to wait up and they could find out together. Of course, that was before Laura had made her own announcement.
Letting herself into the house, she sighed and looked at the convenience store paper bag clutched in her hand. Well, I guess, we will just have to find out by myself.
"You're back really late..."
Madeline looked into the dark living room to see Laura seated on the couch, her legs pulled up on the couch and curled underneath her.
"Laura, what are you doing up so late?" she hugged the bag to her chest defensively as Laura stood.
"Well, I couldn't sleep. You seemed really upset earlier. I thought.... we could..." Laura trailed off looking away awkwardly. "I was hoping we could talk."
Madeline looked down. All the feelings that she had been sorting through on the short walk to the house seemed to well up in her chest. She had wanted to talk to Laura about this. But Laura... Laura was here now, just like she always had been.
She wasn't even sure when the tears began to fill her eyes. She swallowed a couple times before she finally managed to nod. "Um... let's... let's go to your room..."
Laura frowned and then nodded. Quietly they walked down the hall and sitting on Laura's bed, Madeline set the bag she was holding down on the floor, next to her leg. Laura sat next to her and for a minute they simply looked at each other.
Laura glanced at the bag that Madeline had set on the floor obviously curious but she didn't ask. Something Madeline was thankful for. "So... this promotion... you accepted it...when exactly...?"
Laura looked at the floor, pursing her lips as if she was considering her answer seriously finally she sighed and looked over at Madeline. "Well...it's been a long time coming. My manager put in for it just before you moved in...? I didn't hear back from that until a month after that. Then Cam proposed and it was wedding planning like crazy. Somewhere in between all that I applied to the universities..." she smiled a lopsided smile which had a little pain underneath it. "All of them rejected me... my GPA from high school was less then impressive. The last letter came from the Academy, a week or so before the wedding. I opened it the night before the ceremony. I just figured it was another denial and that I would have to find another way to get the degree... I didn't say anything because, well, I thought why make a big deal about it if it wasn't going to happen?"
Madeline frowned. "But it did happen... Laura, it was happening... the excitement of the promotion, the applying to the universities... the denial from all those universities. All of that happened and you didn't say a word. You kept it to yourself...just like I kept my family situation to myself. You were livid when you found out...so why was it OK for you to keep a secret like that from me...?"
Laura frowned. "It's not that same thing."
Madeline looked at her best friend. "It was life changing...it was exactly the same thing."
Laura sighed and then she looked at her friend smiling. "It wasn't the right time, Mads. You just came from a horrible living situation and you were finally having something good happen. You... and my brother were in love and getting married. My Dad was working to finally being retired and Mom was happily enjoying just being around all of us. That mattered more then my maybe job."
Madeline looked down at the floor, her eyes falling on the bag beside her. "But Laura... you've always been there for me. Why didn't you let me be there for you...?"
Laura looked away, obviously feeling guilty. "I...I kind of knew you might feel like this. I'm sorry... I should have but... well, as a McGinnis, everything is about the family and what our name means. This is the first thing that I've done which has solely been based on me and my talents as an artist. Not because I'm the daughter or sister of the Mayor of Newcrest. I wanted to fail or succeed on my own and I didn't want to burden anyone with that..."
Madeline looked over at her friend quietly for a moment before she said anything else. "I... guess I sort of understand... But what you see as burdening... well, I see it as the strength of your family. You're stronger together... no one has to take on more then necessary because you work together. I want to be part of that... and... "
She leaned down and picked up the bag beside her setting it on her lap. Swallowing she pulled the small box out and held it out for Laura to see. "And I hope that....I can be that kind of parent too."
Laura's eyes widen as she saw the box. "You think... I mean...you're... Does Cam know?"
Madeline shook her head. "I've kind of been wondering for a couple weeks but...this is the first test."
Laura looked over at her and standing she pulled her friend towards the bathroom. "Well, then, let's find out."
* * *
Laura leaned against the wall, her arms folded behind her, waiting for Madeline to finish. "Hey, Mads..."
"Yeah?" Madeline's voice was muffled by the door.
"I think...another reason I didn't say anything about this is because... I'm terrified. I've been talking about leaving Newcrest since we were in high school... but up until now it's only been that. Talk... you know? But now...it's really happening... and what if I get out to San Myshuno and I just fail...?"
Laura heard Madeline sigh, even through the door. "I...I think I get that. After... after Cam found out about my family living on the streets...and I moved in... I have to admit, I felt like one day I was just going to wake up and it was all going to be a dream. Sometimes... I still feel that way. I never thought I would want be where I am now. Married... hoping that this pregnancy test reads that we're expecting... It's terrifying. And yet I think... the things you really hope for are like that. Terrifying, because when they become real... it's amazing and wonderful. Terrifyingly...wonderful."
Laura looked at the moonlight shining into her room and she nodded. "Yeah...That's a good way of describing how it feels. Terrifyingly wonderful. That we got here and everything is about to change. But... I'm kind of excited that it's going to change, you know?"
Laura laughed. "Ok, ok. Never again. So...what does it say? Am I an Auntie?" Laura looked at her friend excitedly.
Madeline shook her head. "It... just stopped blinking. I... I haven't looked yet." she swallowed. "I'm terrified to look alone..."
Laura smiled and walking over to the two desks pushed against the other wall, hers and Cam's old one that had been unceremoniously squished into the room when she had moved in. Flipping on the table top lamp she and Madeline moved into the center of the room.
Lifting the pregnancy test up, her thumb covering the small window, Madeline stood so Laura could look over her shoulder and check the test. Reassuringly, Laura put a hand on her friends shoulders and leaned in. "Ready?" she asked her best friend.
Madeline looked at the test held in her hand and shook her head. "No but..." She moved her thumb aside, looked in terrified joy at the simlish on the display. "It..."
"Pregnant..." Laura breathed putting her hand on the test and turning it so she could clearly make out the single word on the display. "Mads...you're pregnant."
"I'm..." a hand unconsciously went to her stomach as Madeline could only stare at the little test which changed everything.
For a moment they remained frozen like that, just staring. Then the door to Laura's room swung inward. "Laura... Madeline's still hasn't come to bed... has she--?"
Cameron stopped in the doorway, seeing Madeline and Laura standing close together. Laura looked happy but Madeline looked like she was caught somewhere between smiling and crying. Laura looked from Madeline to Cameron and carefully took the pregnancy test from Madeline's unnerved fingers. Stepping back she tilted her head towards her brother, who looked if possible even more confused.
"Madeline...what's..."
Cam's voice seemed to snap Madeline to and the smile finally won out, although her eyes watered. "Cam...Cameron McGinnis. You're going to be a father..."
"What?" Cam was shocked as Madeline ran to him and put her hands on his chest. "Wait, you're--we're... we're pregnant?"
Laura watched as Madeline's smile grew and she nodded her head vigorously. She marveled at how perfect they looked together. Of course, she had thought she had known how much Cameron loved Madeline. Seeing the look of shock and awe and love, she realized she was only seeing the surface of how much he loved Madeline.
It shouldn't surprise her. Cameron was made for this kind of life in the way that no one else she knew was. Except maybe her parents. And although Madeline might be terrified. She was always that kind of person too. She had shown it with every decision she had even made... even when she had betrayed the McGinnis' to the press. She had done it to support her family.
And now, even when she was angry... it was because Laura hadn't let her be her support, be her family as she wanted so badly.
Madeline lunged forward hugging Cam tightly her joy contagious and making Laura laugh.
No... Madeline was made for this kind of life too. In all the time that she had known her best friend. Even when she didn't really know what was going on with her... This moment, was when the true Madeline came through. The one who loved without reserve and who would make a great mom. No matter how terrified she might be that that secret wish was coming true...
Although everything would be changing from this moment on...It was terrifyingly wonderful.
Cam and Madeline would be ushering in the next generation of McGinnis' here in Newcrest and in a few short months, Laura would be in San Myshuno starting her knew life based on the artwork by Laura McGinnis. She might succeed and she might fail... but one thing she knew, she would enjoy every moment and she would always have family to fall back on.
Crossing the room, she looked at the test in her hand and set it down on the table, the one word that changed everything. Wonderful... it is all so terrifyingly wonderful.
Because the things that we desperately want in life....always are. They challenge you in ways you never thought possible until...they happen. And then all that's left is to jump in with both feet.
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A/N: And thus ushers in the beginning of Generation 3. So excited to see what this next generation brings. Also means that I am working on giving the spares there own side stories and lives outside of the McGinnis House. Hope you enjoy. This is my first generation of Sims raised from babies until adulthood. I really want to let them have the best lives before I let them go off into the world alone. Don't worry though, I won't forget in the end that this portion is Cam's story as heir. But Big Happy Family includes brothers and sisters in my mind as well.
Poses used in this chapter:
Meant to Be Yours by ClumsyAlien
Pregnancy Test Mega Pose Pack by Atashi77
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