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corners as she conveys this information to Meredith. Relief washes over her. Maybe things will be okay. “We’ll do an ultrasound and some blood work when we get to the hospital just to be safe, okay?” She brushes Meredith’s soot-covered hair out of her eyes and Meredith nods in response.
    Meredith pulls Gracie to her side as a few other paramedics help load them into the ambulance. The bumping and shifting causes Grace to stir at Meredith’s side. Gracie pulls at the child-sized oxygen mask strapped to her face. Her lips are less blue and as she coughs up some of the smoke she inhaled, some of the color returns to her plump cheeks. “It’s okay, Gracie. We’re going to be okay.” For the first time since this horrible experience started, Meredith actually believes those words.

    The McCann’s spend the night in the hospital for observation – just as a precaution the doctors tell them, but Walt knows the real reason. They’ve got no home to return to.
    The next morning, after Meredith is wheeled out of the room for a few tests, Walt and Grace watch some cartoons and wait for her to return. He’s concerned that they still need to run tests on his wife. Maybe her smoke inhalation was far worse than his and Gracie’s. Or maybe it was the cut to her side that has the doctors worried.
    A half an hour later, Meredith returns with tears streaming down her pink cheeks. “What’s wrong, Mer? What’s the matter?” Walt stands from his bed and practically runs over to his crying wife.
    “The baby…” is all she can work out past the lump in her throat. Walt’s initial worries instantly morph into elation and then raw fear.
    “What did you say?” he whispers, shocked by this news. Unable to speak past her sobbing, Meredith cries into the blankets. Walt looks up to the doctor who came in with Meredith, hoping that she can offer some small sliver of information – something to make his mind stop racing.
    Extending her slender hand to him, Dr. Meyers introduces herself. “We performed a routine ultrasound this morning to check on the baby, to make sure everything is okay.”
    “What baby, Mer?” He skims his knuckles across his wife’s cheek, brushing away the flow of tears. “Please talk to me,” he begs and she wraps her fingers around his hand. Bringing his hand to her lips, she plants a soft kiss there.
    “I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you. I wanted it to be a surprise, but I’m…Walt, I’m pregnant.” Giving herself over to her emotions, she wraps her arms around his neck and hugs him as tightly as she can.
    “So then the tests came back okay?” His words are muffled by her soft, brown hair. He sees the doctor nod as she steps away from the stretcher to give them a minute of privacy.
    “Yes, everything is okay, for now. I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you.” Her chestnut-colored eyes beg for forgiveness, but there’s nothing to forgive. They’re going to have another baby.
    “Shhh, sweetie. There’s no need to apologize.” He kisses her temple.
    Before she leaves, the doctor goes over a few last minute instructions – no heavy lifting, drink plenty of water and see her regular doctor in a week or so for a follow-up ultrasound, at which they should be able to hear the heartbeat.
    Grace is too entranced by the television to even notice that her mom has returned, so Walt and Meredith decide not to mention anything about the baby to her, just in case.
    The rest of the morning is spent making arrangements to move in with Walt’s brother until they can find an apartment of their own. Meredith calls Penny Andrews, her neighbor and newest friend, who promises they’ll be up there shortly with some new clothes. Hating to rely on others for support, Walt almost tells them not to worry about it, but they’ve got to rebuild everything. Somehow, refusing a few new items of clothes when they don’t even have a roof of their own seems somewhat foolish.
    An hour later, the Andrews come to visit and