A/N: Hello, everyone! It's been a couple of years since my last story for downton abbey and I didn't know when I was going to write another one. I had a few ideas since I finished my last story and this is one that stuck for good. I wanted to write a modern story for downton abbey and I decided to give this one a try. I hope you like it.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything except from the idea and any characters that I created.
It was already May and the sun was shining very bright making the day wonderful for a walk or some shopping or a coffee with a friend. It was, also, a wonderful day for the children to go out and play. The playgrounds were full of children accompanied by their mothers or fathers or grandparents. You could see young or old couples walking side by side with their hands locked together and talking or laughing. A few people would stop by the playground, watch the children play for a few seconds, smile at them and then continue their way.
Unfortunately, she couldn't stay for long to enjoy the wonderful day or watch the children playing because her doctor had called her yesterday asking her to go and see her as she had some news for her. Although, it was frustrating not knowing if it was good or bad news and she was very nervous about it. She hadn't slept very well during the night because she was nervous and worried. She had lied to her husband when he asked her what was troubling her as she didn't want to tell him anything before she learnt anything.
She arrived outside of her doctor's office and stood there for a few moments to gather herself. She took a few deep breaths to calm her nerves and her racing heart. She took one last deep breath and entered. She walked to the secretary with a small smile. "Good morning, Penelope!", she said to the young woman. "I was stuck in traffic and I couldn't find somewhere to park.", she explained.
"Good morning, Mrs. Carson!", she greeted her with a smile. "Don't worry. Dr. Rivas was a little late today, so you haven't missed your appointment. Please, sit down and I will call you in a while.", she said to the older woman.
"Thank you, dear.", Elsie told her and went to sit down next to two women that seemed to be around her age.
"Are you alright?", one of the two women asked her with concern.
"Yes, thank you. I was stuck in traffic and then I couldn't find somewhere to park my car.", she smiled at the other woman. "Oh, where are my manners? I'm Elsie Carson.", she said as she offered her hand.
"Isobel Clarkson.", she offered her hand as well with a smile.
"Beryl Mason.", the other woman said to Elsie and offered her hand as well. "We were talking about our appointments.", Beryl said with worry evident on her face.
"Dr. Rivas called me yesterday asking to come and see her today as she had some news for me. I had some exams done a few days ago and I suppose that the results are back. Although, I am worried if it's bad or good news.", Elsie said and wiped her hand through her hair.
"We are here for the same reason.", Isobel looked at her with a smile. "She called me yesterday asking me to come here today. And the same with Beryl.", she looked at the other women at the other side of the room.
"I just hope that it will be good news because my daughter is getting married in August and I wouldn't like to have to tell her bad news.", Elsie told them with a sad smile on her face.
"Everything is going to be fine, love.", Beryl told her as she squeezed her hand. "Maybe we could go for a coffee after we are finished here.", she looked at Isobel and Elsie.
"I don't have anything to do.", Isobel said with a smile.
"Me neither. My husband will have lunch at work because he has a meeting today.", Elsie told them and looked at her hands.
"Mrs. Carson, you can go in.", Penelope told her.
"Come in.", the doctor called when Elsie knocked on the door. "Good morning, Mrs. Carson.", she smiled at the woman. "How are you?", she asked as she checked mentally the appearance of her patient.
"Good morning, dr. Rivas. I'm fine, although a little tired.", Elsie said as she sat down.
"Well, I have back the results of the exams you did a few days ago. It was a little surprising, so I asked them to check again just in case but it was the same.", she looked at Elsie with a smile. "Mrs. Carson, you are two months pregnant.", she informed her.
"What?", Elsie nearly shouted. She was so shocked after what she had just heard. Of all the things she imagined that she would hear, this was not one of them. "Are you completely sure? I'm 52 years old. I can't be pregnant.", she couldn't believe it.
"I'm very sure, Mrs. Carson.", she took a deep breath. "You still have your ladies and you are still sexually active with your husband.", she said with a smile.
"Oh my God!", she couldn't believe that she was pregnant at her age. She tried to remember when that could have happened and suddenly she remembered. The night of her birthday, two months ago, she and Charles had made love without using protection as they thought that she wouldn't get pregnant at her age. The irony.
"Are you alright, Mrs. Carson?", Dr. Rivas asked her concerned.
"Yes, thank you.", she took a deep breath and looked at the other woman. "What happens now?", she asked concerned about her baby.
"I will not lie to you, Mrs. Carson. Given your age and the small problem you have with your blood pressure, this pregnancy is considered high risk. I know that when you were last pregnant you went to the doctor once a month but now with a high risk pregnancy, I would like to check on you twice a month.", she explained as best as she could her condition.
"What about my work?", she asked knowing that she would have to do something about that too.
"Well, your work is very enjoyable but very tiring and stressful as well. It would be a very good idea to take your maternity leave from now.", she said with a sad smile. "I know how much you love your work but it won't be good for you or the baby.", the doctor knew that Elsie would do anything to keep the baby safe and alive.
"What happens now?", Elsie asked as she took a deep breath.
"I would like you to come again in two weeks, to check that everything is alright and we will go from there. Make an appointment with Penelope.", she smiled at Elsie. "Congratulations and please don't over tire yourself from now on.", she stood up to see her out.
"Thank you, dr. Rivas.", Elsie managed a small smile for the other woman.
"Penelope, please make an appointment with Mrs. Carson to come in two weeks.", the doctor said to her secretary. "Mrs. Clarkson, please come in.", she went back to her office with Isobel following her.
"Are you alright?", Beryl asked worried when she saw that Elsie was paler than when she went in.
"Yes, thank you. I just received some news that I didn't quite expect.", she smiled sadly at the other woman and sat down for a moment. "Do you mind if we arrange to meet for a coffee another day? I don't feel very good and I would like to go home.", she was feeling a little dizzy and she thought that it must be from the pregnancy and the shock she just had.
"Of course not, love.", Beryl told her with a smile. "Here is my card. You can call me whenever you are free and arrange something.", she handed Elsie her card.
"Thank you, Beryl.", Elsie took the card with a sad smile. "Here, this is my card.", she handed two cards to Beryl. "Give one to Isobel and tell her I'm sorry I couldn't come for coffee.", she stood up a little too quickly and felt light headed.
"Are you alright, Elsie?", Beryl stood up and grabbed her hand.
"Yes. I just stood up a little too quickly. Thank you.", she squeezed her hand. "I hope we meet again soon. Good bye.", she left without saying anything else.
She started walking towards her car and thinking of what she had just learnt. She was two months pregnant while her oldest daughter was getting married in a few months. She would be five to six months pregnant at the wedding and she would be showing a little by then. As she got in her car, a thought came to her. How she was going to tell Charles that they were going to be parents again? How she was going to tell him that they were expecting their fourth child at this age?
Anna, her oldest child and daughter, was 27 years old and getting married in August. Sybil, her second daughter, was 23 years old and finishing her studies to become a doctor. Margaret, her third daughter and youngest child, was 15 years old and still in college. Margaret had such an age difference from her sisters as she had come as a surprise for her parents. They had thought that they would only have Anna and Sybil but Elsie hadn't been feeling very well and thinking that she might have something serious, she had gone to the doctor. Doctor Rivas had told her that she was expecting a baby and a few months later, Margaret was born. Now, instead of enjoying her work and her life along with her husband and her daughters, she was going to start all over again. She wasn't going to tell anyone about her pregnancy yet. She was going to wait until the next appointment to be sure that everything was going to be alright and then tell her husband first.
Please leave me a review to let me know what you think. Should I continue this story?