After Doctor Tora Tachibana told his patient the news, he left Martha Anderson alone to come to terms with the test results and went outside to the hospital's waiting room to consult with his colleague Doctor Frances Twist on both Martha and Julie Stovall back in Seattle.
"Want to share a ride back tomorrow morning?" he asked, after finishing the medical discussion.
"Logistically, that would be nice, but I'll have to see how things are by then," admitted Frances. "I might have to borrow my son's car in case something else happens here and I have to return to Moon Lake in a hurry."
"I understand. If I don't hear from you by tonight, I'll assume you're driving yourself. Meanwhile, if you need anything concerning Mrs. Anderson, just let me know. I have to start my evening rounds now," said Tora. After I call my grandmother with the news.
Martha Anderson was fully dressed and staring at herself in a mirror when her friend Frances entered the room, carrying two Styrofoam cups.
"Here you go honey. I thought you could use this," said Frances, handing Martha one.
Her sister werecat took a sip and said, "This isn't coffee. In the dream we had coffee."
"In your dream, you also thought you were having hybrid twins too. It's decaffeinated tea. Much better for you," pointed out Frances. "How you doing?"
"Physically? Fine, according to Doctor Tachibana. Emotionally..."
"I understand. It's a lot to wrap your head around. Want to talk about it?" offered Frances, knowing Tora promised them the privacy of the examining room for as long as they needed it, since it was pretty quiet in the hospital that afternoon.
"Doctor Tachibana figures it was either the night before or the morning of William's death," said Martha, trying to keep from crying, because even she couldn't say whether they would be tears of joy or sadness. "Which would explain why I'm just at the end of my first trimester and just now starting to show a little. With everything that's been going on with William's death, that damn rogue's trial, and trying to get our lives, let alone my own life, back together since, he says it's no surprise I never noticed the tell tale signs like starting to gain weight and not having my monthly period until the morning sickness hit today."
"I see," was Frances' only reply, privately kind of jealous that Martha would be experiencing something for the third time that she never got to experience even once.
"Then again, morning sickness was never as bad with Eric as it was having Nate, and being a werecat now, I honestly don't know what to expect," admitted Martha. "Doctor Tachibana gave me a card for a OB/GYN who specializes in pregnant weres, so this will definitely be a first. Just hope the insurance covers everything."
"Don't worry honey. Samantha and I will stand by you. That's what friends and sister werecats do," said Frances, before hugging Martha.
The neighbors and sometimes lovers stayed embraced for a while, until Martha decided to take a sip of her tea.
"Anyway, the test results were kind of mixed," revealed Martha. "On one hand, I'm definitely pregnant and it will be a girl!"
"Congratulations," said Frances with genuine warm and positive emotions.
"On the other hand though, there wasn't any test Tachibana could do at this time that would be completely noninvasive and not possibly risk the fetus. So until either they can safely run a test to confirm her status either way or she's actually born, there is a chance that instead of just a future female werecat, I might actually be carrying a true, natural hybrid were cat/fox-vixen!"
"I'm so happy for you Martha," declared Frances, as she hugged her friend again.
This time, neither woman could keep from crying, but they were definitely tears of joy.
MEANWHILE...
"And the test results are positive?" asked Akane no Tachibana.
"As much as they can be at this time," confirmed her grandson Tora over the phone. "Martha Anderson had to become pregnant either the night before or the morning of her husband's death to be as far along as she is at the moment. Considering everything that poor woman's been through, it's a minor miracle she even conceived and didn't lose the child before now."
"Agreed," was all his grandmother said.
"Since this is almost the end of January, I predict her due date as mid to late July, which should have her healthy enough to assume a full time teaching position when the new Moon Lake school year starts the Tuesday after Labor Day."
Provided she passes her recertification examination this Spring, thought the leader of the Skulk before saying, "And the possibility of the child's genetic heritage?"
"I have notified the OB/GYN I am referring Mrs. Anderson to. She is a good woman and will see both mother and child are healthy when the baby arrives. It is too soon to say with 100% certainty, but the chance of the Anderson girl being a feline/vulpine mix does exist," replied Tora.
"I see," said Akane, pausing to think a bit. When she spoke again, the answer did not surprise Tora. "Privately contact the doctor you are sending Martha to, and tell her that the Skulk will pay all medical expenses at least until the girl's legacy can be confirmed."
LATER...
As Frances was driving Martha home, since Doctor Twist was dropped off at the hospital by the local car service and Martha didn't feel like driving herself right now, the two ladies continued to talk.
"So, would you like some help telling Nate and Eric?" asked Frances.
"No. That's something I really should do on my own, especially since I'll need their help in the months to come. But at least things will work out so I can still get recertified and teach full time this fall," replied Martha happily. "William knew how important that was to me. I'll just have to waddle to some classes the last couple of weeks of the current school year."
"Well, depending how things go for me in Seattle tomorrow and Samantha still helping to cover Mayor Stovall's absence, we definitely intend to take all of you out to celebrate as soon as we can."
"Neither of us will turn down a free meal," quipped Martha, rubbing her stomach.
"Good. And if you need anything..."
"I will definitely call you," promised Martha. "But I wonder what I'm gonna tell Kat, let alone how this will affect whether or not anything should develop between us to begin with?"
"That's something only you can decide honey," said Frances. In one respect, the Twists were happy that Martha was starting to spread her wings so to speak, but both knew neither could interfere with their sister werecat's love life. The Twists just hoped they would still get to play with Martha from time to time.
"By the way," began Martha, turning to look at Frances, "what do you think of the name Wilma?"
Frances smiled and said, "I think everyone will be happy to welcome her into the world when the time comes."