Chapter 94: Media Mumblings

Sophia and Warren walked down to the dining hall for supper together. Paul and Cait were already there.

"So, what's the verdict?" Cait asked Sophia.

"Well... you're going to be an Auntie." Sophia said with a broad smile.

"You're going to have it?"

"Yeah."

"All right, what is going on?" Paul bellowed, making the other three laugh.

"I'm pregnant," Sophia told him.

"Ah," Papa Bear said. "Is this a good thing or a bad thing?"

"We've decided that it's a good thing," Sophia told him. "An inconvenient and difficult thing, but a good thing."

"You gonna be able to go to the Olympics?"

"Yup. Talked to a doctor about that today. The only problem is I'm dealing with morning sickness. That won't affect us much--we have no competitions in the morning--except that it makes me lose my appetite. So, I have to force myself to eat so I don't lose strength."

"No cravings for pickles yet?" Papa Bear joked.

"No, silly, that comes later, after the morning sickness," Sophia grinned.

"Who knows?" Paul asked.

"My mother knows. She was cool. I have to tell my dad. And Warren's parents know."

"Oh, and what a pleasant conversation that was," Warren said ruefully. "They're OK about it, now, after reading me the riot act."

"We need to tell Crash and Jessie," Sophia reminded him. Then she turned back to Cait and Paul. "The only other people that know are you two."

"We're not keeping it a secret, though," Warren said. Sophia nodded agreement. "In fact, we need to tell the USFSA."

"Yeah, the medical staff they bring along with them to the Olympics has to know."

On the ice later that day, they told Kathy, their coach in Wisconsin.

"Oh, Jesus. Now I know why you've been so weak."

"Yeah, that's what we're most worried about--the doctor says we can go and compete, but the morning sickness is making me weak," Sophia told her.

"Listen to me. I have a two year old, I know what I'm talking about," Kathy said. "I didn't take my hiatus from coaching until the kid was almost born, so I coached through the first eight months of the pregnancy. Sophia, you absolutely need to eat. Even if food is unappetizing. Fruits and vegetables are best. The morning sickness sucks, but if you eat, you will not feel weak. Trust me."

"That's pretty much what the doctor said," Sophia told her. Then she smiled. "I had a massive salad for lunch, I held it down, and I feel pretty good."

"Good. Now let's see Romeo and Juliet, OK?" Kathy commanded.

The morning sickness actually got better over the next week and a half. Sophia did manage to remember to eat, and their practices were good.

Word about Sophia's pregnancy had not spread to the wider world yet, though Sophia and Warren had no doubt that it would. In fact, they had no intention of hiding it, and would be making it public when they got to Switzerland and were interviewed.