FATHERHOOD - Part Two
Written by Kirri Liepins

Andrew started guffawing at the doctor. "You're kidding me, right? You've been sneaking something into your coffees, haven't you?"

The doctor looked down on him sternly. "You can laugh all you want, Mr Tierney, but I speak the truth. My tests are always accurate."

"But surely there's a glitch in your computers or something! I mean, this just isn't medically possible!"

"Oh, it's possible, all right. Phillip gave consent to participate in a medical experiment taking part at the hospital he was admitted to recently."

"He wouldn't consent to something as outrageous as this!"

"Well, they wouldn't perform the experiment without his permission."

Andrew put his hand on the papered wall and leant against it, shaking his head. "How long does this have to go for?"

"The usual period. Nine months on average."

"Look, i'm sorry, Doc, but we're in the middle of making an album here. Isn't there anything you can do to stop this?"

"I'm afraid you'll have to speak to the hospital about that, Mr Tierney. It's out of my hands."

"But you can't just let them do that! Surely there must be something-"

"Andrew?" Phil appeared at the doorway, looking absolutely stunned. He was wearing a daggy gown provided by the doctor, and he held his stomach gently with his eyebrows crinkled.

"Tell me he's joking, Phil!" Andrew insisted, approaching him and holding him by the shoulders. Phil shook his head apologetically, and Andrew groaned loudly. "So what are we going to do about it?"

++++

Andrew and Phil returned to the studio to find Toby recording Mike's solo vocals in the booth across the room. Andrew had already broken out in a sweat, and was nervously clawing his hands through his hair. Mike abruptly stopped singing when he saw the pair enter.

"So?" he said into the microphone. "How'd you go?"

"Miiike! I'm trying to record you here!" Toby whined, flicking with a few controls, then turned his attention to Andrew and Phil.

"Um, well, we saw the doctor...and he checked me out...and i'm gonna be sick!"

"Well, talk about putting me on the spot," Andrew said.

"So what's wrong with him?" Toby tossed Mike a bottle of mineral water, unscrewing his own bottle.

Andrew took a deep breath. Oh, God, they're going to go crazy. "OK, you guys aren't going to believe me, so there's no point in telling you."

Toby practically threw himself onto Andrew, gripping his collar and shaking him in frustration. "Just tell us, damn you! The album's already running behind schedule!"

Andrew wriggled out of Toby's grasp and mentally counted to three as Mike began taking a sip of his water. Then he blurted it out.

"Phil's pregnant."

Mike loudly spat out his water.

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