CHAPTER TWELVE

 * One year later *

Elana struggled to get up. But no matter how hard she tired it was useless.  She couldn't believe being pregnant could be so hard. Worse, she was only 4 months. She was happy that she was going to be a Mom, but it was just so hard. Finally she was able to get up and she waddled over to her vanity and
sat down to brush her hair. After a few different changes with it, she decided to keep it as red. She thought back to a few years ago at the 2000 Olympic games where her hair was a deep red and she wore gold glitter in it.

She studied her face in the mirror. That had also changed a bit. Back then, she had shaved two arches in her eyebrow to be different, now it was normal, just like any other eyebrow. Elana sighed, but she wasn't unhappy. She loved Nick and being married to him. But now everything was so different. Now she
was more grown up, she wasn't constantly training or doing wild things to change her look. Elana thought about it and realized that even though things were very different for her now, especially living in America, she was happy with her life and her decisions.

Nick sat in the living room thinking about his life now. He was still with the band and loved his music just as much as he always had, but he realized that he had grown up. He wasn't constantly doing boyish things. He was still the same Nick Carter everyone loved and knew, but now he just had a little more serious attitude. He smiled at the thought of Elana upstairs, four months pregnant. He couldn't believe that in just 5 months, he would be a dad. Then he frowned.

In 6 months, he would have to go with the band on tour. He bit his lip and wondered what to do. If she wanted, Elana and the baby could go along with him. If not, then as often as he could, he would come home in between everything. He wondered if it were going to be a boy or a girl. He glanced up
as he saw Elana coming down the stairs. "Hey." He called out to greet her.

"Hi Nick," she said with a tired voice.

"We need to think of names for the baby," he pushed.

She grinned. "All right Nick. Let's think of names. Do you have any ideas?"

"Well," Nick started looking thoughtful, "if it is a boy, then how
about... James? And if it is a girl, I like the name... actually I am not sure of a girls name. If it is a girl, then we should give her a Russian name."

Elana smiled.  "OK let me think. Um how about Tatiana?"

"I like that name," Nick answered her, "How did you think of it?"

"Well, I want to name her after Tatiana Gutsu, one of my favorite gymnasts that was a gymnast before me."

"Good idea," Nick agreed.

They continued to talk until it was time for Elana to leave
for the doctor. They were going to find out if the baby was going to be a boy or a girl.

 

Elana got into the car and backed out. Nick was going to stay home to take care of something's that he had to get done. She turned on the radio. The Backstreet Boys song "Quit Playing Games With My Heart" was playing. Elana sang along with Nicks part. She tapped the wheel with her fingers at the red light. Finally 15 minutes later, she made it to the doctors. She walked in, signed in, and sat down until they called her to a back room.

"Hello again Elana," the doctor greeted her with a smile, "how are we doing today?"

Elana smiled. She really liked Doctor Myer. "I'm fine, she answered, "just a bit tired."

"Well that is understandable," the doctor told her.  "So are you ready to have the tests taken?"

Elana nodded.

The tests took awhile and they tired her out. Elana lay down to rest until she got the results.

The door to the room opened and the doctor came back in with some papers.  "Well Elana, I'm happy to tell you that you are going to have a little boy."

Elana smiled and thanked the doctor. After she signed a few papers, she got back into the car and began the drive home. She began to flip through the stations again trying once more to find a good song. Finally she settled on one station playing some good songs. As she was just about to pass the railroad tracks, her car died out. She was confused. What was wrong with the car? she wondered. She tried over and over again to start the car, but no matter what, it just wouldn't start.

A sound meet her ear and her head whipped up. Elana's eyes grew in terror as she recognized the sound. It was the sound of a train whistle. She tried harder and harder to start the car
and move it off the train tracks, but the car still refused. Elana glanced up once more and she saw the train speeding towards her. She began to panic as it began to pour. The rain danced upon the windshield. Elana knew she had only one choice and that was to get out of the car and quickly. She reached
for the handle, but the door would not open. Franticly, she reached to unlock it, the train baring down on her faster and faster.

Elana put her hand on the lock to pull it up so she could get out. Elana managed to unlock the door.  She looked up once more as the train was right there at her. Her hands flew
to her face and she screamed as the train hit the car. It flew off the tracks spinning wildly. Elana hit her head on the dashboard and blood began to trickle down. She slumped over the wheel as the car began to slow down. The door opened and she fell out, the car tipped on it side. She lay there
thinking of Nick, thinking of the baby and she blacked out as the ambulance raced to her and the car, the radio playing the song by Enya. The words floated into the night...

"Who can say where the road goes, where the day flows, only time...
 And who can say if your love grows as you heart chose, only time...
 Who can say why your heart sighs as you love flies, only        time...
 And who can say why your heart cries, when your love lies,    only time...
 Who can say when the roads meet, that love might be in your  heart
 And who can say when day sleeps, if the night keeps all your heart, night keeps all your heart...
 Who can say if your grows, as your heart chose, only time...   And who can say where the road goes, where the day flows only time...
 Who knows, only time, who knows, only time..."

"Only Time," by Enya.