On a hot rainy, late summer afternoon, Bob and Chris headed out for their yearly vacation. It was their annual get reacquainted, visit family and old friend jaunt over a large part of the countryside. It had been a harder year than most and they really needed this time. Bob had, had to search for a new job twice when the computer companies he'd worked for went belly up. They were fine now in that respect as he had gotten on with a very diverse software company at a good starting pay. It was just the fact of having to start at the bottom again that rankled Bob. Their most devastating problem came when Chris lost the baby they had both worked so hard to conceive. It had happened two months before when she was in her ninth week. She had slipped on the stairs and taken a fall. The next day she was in the hospital with a miscarriage. Both of them had been heartbroken.
Being married for almost ten years they had expected kids far earlier. After their second anniversary she had stopped the birth control pills; on this they had both agreed. They had expected to have their first child shortly there after, followed by a second a year or so later and then she would have her tubes tied and that would be that. They would have their family and live happily ever after or so they thought. Their lovemaking had taken on a whole new excitement once she was off the pill. The frequency, duration, and passion all three seemed to increase. Their sex life was wild and free, they both wanted a baby.
As time went on and Chris didn't become pregnant their enthusiasm slacked off and little nagging worries started to set in. Six months after she had stopped the pills, Chris made the first of many trips to the clinic. They even called Bob in for some tests. At the end of the third year the Doctors basically said that Chris had some scare tissue on her ovaries and may never have kids. But then again she could get pregnant at anytime; it was a crap shot.
They had gone home and gone about their business as usual but there was always that underlying depression about not having kids. They had even discussed adoption from time to time. The years passed and although their sex lives were good; they still felt there was something missing.
Early in February Chris went in for a check up and there was a new, younger Doctor on the staff that had seen her. Just for the heck of it, she asked him if there was anything new that could be done about her condition. Surprisingly, he said there were several possibilities. They had discussed them and set her up another appointment for later in the week. Bob had even taken off work to go with her. Hope was once again alive.
After a battery of tests on the both of them, it was decide Chris would take a series of fertility drug shots. After that the couple would monitor Chris's cycle and try to make love as often and as close to her peak times as possible. With renewed enthusiasm they went at it like two young kids newly in love. Chris was never without her thermometer and mobile phone and Bob was always sitting on go by a phone no matter what he was doing. It led to some hilarious moments; their friends thought they were nuts. Actually they had agreed not to tell anyone what they were doing, so that if it didn't work they wouldn't have to go through the "I'm so sorry about you not being able to have kids." phase again. It had been hard enough the first time.
At first Chris's cycle was very erratic, but over time it settled down to become fairly predictable. Bob even commented on it jokingly. "Yeah, you go into heat every time I'm in a meeting or we're stuck in traffic."
Chris had laughed and stuck out her tongue at him before saying. "But dear I'm beginning to love the conference table and the back seat of the car. Of course if your boss would quite sucking my toes, I wouldn't cum as quick and screw up your timing. Anyway look at all the entertainment we're providing both at the office and on the freeway."
Bob had laughed and shook his head. He was so happy that she had found her sense of humor again. Her depression and mood swings were getting to him to the point, he had thought about finding an outside interest, if you know what I mean. Where sex had gotten to be almost work before, now it was back to being loving and fun. He thanked God for that.
Around the end of May they were having breakfast on Monday, when suddenly Chris jumped up and dashed for the bathroom. He had followed her to see if she was all right, only to find her on her knees throwing up. She was also, alternately laughing and crying. Moving up close behind her, he had asked if she was alright. Turning around and coming into his arms, she had begun to cry. He held her and stroked her hair until she quieted. Finally she whispered those magical words. "I'm pregnant."
He had taken the day off and they made the trip to the Doctor for confirmation. It was confirmed and they celebrated; they also made slow gentle easy love several times that night. Not because they had to but because they wanted to.
They were so happy; as they got the nursery ready and bought all the stuff that it takes to take care of a child. The Doctor had asked if they wanted to know whether it was a boy or a girl and they had declined. All they cared about was if it was healthy or not. They liked the idea of not knowing and having to pick names for either case and choosing colors, toys, and clothes that would go either way. Like I said they were so happy and in love.
Then the unthinkable happened. Chris had been carrying a laundry basket from the bedroom bath down to the laundry room, when she dropped a piece and bent to pick it up and lost her balance and took a bad tumble down the stairs. Bob was at work and she was home alone. She was unconscious for a while and ended up crawling into the living room to use the phone to call 911. She was at the hospital and in surgery by the time Bob arrived. She had a minor concussion and two cracked ribs along with losing the baby.
They were both devastated. Bob threw himself into his work and she went into a sever case of depression and wouldn't talk to him about anything hardly. The doctors put her on medication and told her to find an outside activity. Bob did his best to cheer her up but his very presence seemed to make her worse. They were on the verge of breaking up. About three weeks after the accident bob came home late to find her gone, the house had been quiet and dark when he came in. He wandered around for several hours trying to find a clue as to where she had gone. The sound of the front door opening drew him at a dead run.
His mind was running amuck as he skidded to a stop in front of her. He wasn't sure whether to yell and scream or just to grab her and hold on. He chose the latter. After a moments hesitation she hugged him back. They stood this way for a long time before he said. "I was so worried, I thought you had left me."
She continued to hold him but he felt her stiffen. "The thought has crossed my mind." She whispered. Then her body relaxed and she asked. "But where would I go? I love you and running away won't help our problem at all. I would still be depressed, whether I was here or somewhere else. I decided to do as the Doctor advised and find an outside interest. I joined a gym today and started an exercise program. Maybe it will make me feel better about myself."
