I was a man with a lot on my mind. In no particular order, I was preoccupied with Martha and her job at Courtenay Galleries, the whole Xavier-May thing was giving me headaches, the knowledge of the Nugget's gender was keeping me up all night, and Charlotte's presence in my life was making me question my sanity. 

Ever since I saw her on Sunday, I've been mulling over our situation, even more so because I'd accidentally referred to her as my girlfriend. We haven't discussed the finer points of our situation but to me, it feels as if she's my girlfriend. We're constantly together, she stays over at my place at least four nights a week, and I'm not seeing anyone but Lottie. If that's not a relationship, then I don't know what is. When I told my colleague, Ben Copeland, this on Monday, he simply looked at me as if I was an idiot and told me that I was clueless when it comes to relationships if that was the criteria for defining one. 

I disagreed.

However, I was still trying to work out how Lottie saw this going. When Aunt Stephanie had made a comment about whether or not I was planning on marrying Lottie, I didn't know what to say. I passed if off by saying that if we were to get married, then it would have to be on Lottie's terms but the more I thought about it, the more confused I became. Yes, I want to marry Lottie. Do I want to marry her because I love her or is it because we're about to have a baby together? I'm not sure. I had to decide quick sharp which way this was going, though; I'd planned a date for us this evening so that we could define what we are to each other. Does Lottie see me as boyfriend material or not?

Before our planned date, there was one other thing we had to get out the way. 

Due to Nugget's VSD, Lottie was had to have more regular ultrasounds so that Ben could keep an eye on the progress in the condition. Or lack, thereof. Today, Lottie was coming into the hospital and I was determined to make it to her appointment, despite the fact that I was cutting it close due to an operation I was performing on a week old baby girl. I'd been keeping an eye on the time and knew I was running about ten minutes late but I couldn't rush. I had to take my time and be patient, knowing that Lottie would wait for me. 

She was, too. Sitting on an uncomfortable chair in the corridor of the hospital, when I reached her, Lottie was surrounded by a few nurses, all of whom looked as if they were giving her the grilling of her life. It reminded me of the time that her grandmother had cornered me after the St Patrick's Day party, which is how I knew that I had to go and rescue Lottie as soon as possible. The nurses on my floor were a mixed bunch- you had the older nurses who looked at me like a pesky little brother that they loved and wanted to protect, while the younger ones looked at me like I was the forbidden fruit that they wanted to take a bite out of. Knowing those ladies, they are more than capable of eating me alive. One such nurse is Rachel. 

I can't say that I'm a particular fan of Rachel. Actually, I hate her. She annoys me to death and is always trying to flirt with me, ignoring the fact that I cannot make it any more obvious that I have no interest in her. 

"So, you and Fletch, huh?" Rachel said, crossing her arms over her chest in a sign of hostility. The force behind her words irritated me to no end, too. And let's not even discuss the way she looked at Lottie. "You know, when I heard that he'd got some random woman pregnant, I thought that you'd be, I don't know, more... spectacular?"

"Rachel," Monica, one of the older nurses, chastised the younger woman. I heard Monica order Rachel back onto the ward, telling her to go and check on one of my patients. When the other nurses followed suit, leaving Lottie with Monica, the nurse turned to Lottie and said, "Ignore them. Their noses are out of joint, that's all. Fletch is the doctor all the nurses want."

Lottie's eyebrow quirked. "All the nurses?"

"Well, not me," Monica scoffed. "I've worked with Fletch since he was a newly qualified doctor so I remember him in his awkward, growing up stage, and trust me, there was nothing attractive about him then. I suppose because I've known him that long, and I know what he's been up to, I can say with certainty that I have no interest in him, what so ever."

Approaching the two women, I gasp to make my presence known. "That cuts me deep, Mon," I say to the nurse. Giving her a sideways hug, I make the formal introductions between my colleague and Lottie. They both give each other polite smiles before Monica announces that Ben was ready for us, whenever we wanted to head into the examination room. Extending a hand to Lottie, I give her an encouraging smile so that her newly acquired frown would disappear. Placing a hand over her growing bump, I feel Nugget gently push against my hand, and I can't help the shit eating grin that forms on my face. Nugget knows who its Daddy is, that's for sure. "It'll be fine, Lottie. You'll see. Babies don't give kicks like that unless they're strong."

Just as I had promised her, the baby was in perfectly good health. While the hole in the ventricular septum hadn't closed, it hadn't opened further, either. This was a good sign, Ben told us. He did a thorough scan of the heart and updated his notes, muttering to himself as he went about his work. This trait of his was nothing new to me but Lottie would send me worried glances as if to ask me if Ben was entirely sane. I'd just nod my head and laugh, wishing I had a camera so I could take photos of Lottie's face.

"I'll just show you the rest of the baby," Ben said. He pressed a few buttons on the monitor until finally, we could see Nugget fully. "Ok, here's the head, arms, legs, feet... Yep, that's a very healthy looking baby."

"Apart from the heart thingy," Lottie pointed out, making Ben laugh. "But she's ok, otherwise?"

Ben frowned. "I thought you two hadn't learnt the sex."

"We haven't," Lottie said. I made sure to bite down on my tongue and say nothing, and I had to keep my facial expressions blank, too. "Martha did that ring test, though, and because the ring moved in a circular motion, it's a girl."

"And you believe in that stuff?" Ben asked curiously. Lottie nodded. "Right, well, it's not at all scientific. Have you both thought of names?"

This simple question led to a five-minute lecture from Lottie on how every name she's come up with has been mooted by almost everyone. She's now considering Eleanor as a name but likes the nickname, Nell. When Ben suggested naming the baby Nell, if that's what Lottie was going to call her regardless, you could practically see the steam coming out of Lottie's ears. Turning to me, Ben asked if I'd settled on a boy's name. I shrugged my shoulder.

"I think Benjamin is a great name," he smoothly offered. He hit one of the buttons on the machine and printed off a few photos of the ultrasound, handing them to me before turning the machine off entirely. "Benjamin Fletcher sounds good, right?"

"Peachy," I retorted. Ben laughed at my reaction and quickly left the exam room when he announced that he had to prep for theatre. "Right, let's get you home so we can get ready to go out. Martha's over with Mick tonight and I think she's staying the night. Something about a movie marathon."

Between leaving the hospital, arriving at Lottie's house and getting ready, three hours passed and it was almost time for us to leave. I'd changed into a pair of black formal trousers and a white shirt, the sleeves rolled up to my elbows. I patiently paced the living room, waiting for Lottie to come out of the bedroom, mentally going through the speech I had prepared earlier. 

Throwing caution to the wind and not caring an iota what Lottie thought, I was going to tell her that I wanted her to be my girlfriend. That's the definition I chose to describe what we are. She is my girlfriend and I want to be her boyfriend. It was that simple and that honest, so really, the ball is in her court. 

"I can't believe you won't tell me where we're going," Lottie grumbled as she walked the short distance from her bedroom door over to where I was stood in the middle of the hallway. My eyes roamed her body as I took in what she wore, unable to stop the smug smile that formed when I noticed that her legs were on display once again. "I really do love your legs, you know."

Lottie rolled her eyes at my comment. She was well aware of my fixation on her legs. "Eyes up here, buddy," she tells me, snapping her fingers close to her face. When our eyes locked, her face softened. "I look alright, though? I think I'm putting on too much weight."

"Too much?" I scoffed. "Charlotte, you're not putting on enough weight. Because Nugget isn't developing as expected, she's on the small side, which means you're on the small side, too. Stop worrying about how you look, anyway! To me, you're as beautiful as ever."

"Smooth talker," Lottie blushes. Pushing a strand of hair behind her ear, she looks up at me from under her eyelashes and asks, "Ready to go?"

I'd booked us a table at a restaurant that I heard Lottie rave about, Sebon. She'd been there before and it served French cuisine, something that I had come to like since our trip to France a few weeks ago. When we were seated, we talked about random things, including my surgery from this afternoon and the ideas Lottie had for new menus at the café. She was still fighting some American guy who wanted to buy her out and was determined to not to let him take over. We spoke about Martha, Martha's job with Sam, as well as Martha's trip with Jimmy. Lottie and I were in the dark about it but while Lottie thought it would be a good idea, I was terrified for my daughter. I remember the stag party that Jimmy had organised for Daniel last year. Things will not end well. 

"Uh, Martha mentioned that Jimmy had called her his grandkid the other day," I took the opportunity to say. 

"He did," Lottie confirmed. Suddenly, she looked panicked. "Wait, was that ok? I mean, it was presumptuous of Dad to do that but it was only because he really likes Martha and she's going to be part of his family because she's going to be part of my family because you and I are..."

Her words hung in the air. 

"You and I are, what?" I pushed when the silence became unbearable. "What are we, Charlotte?"

She gulped audibly before she spoke. "Well, according to you on Sunday, I'm your girlfriend. Talk about a spoiler alert!"

"Spoiler alert?" Confusion was clouding my head and I had no idea what was happening. I blinked my eyes closed before opening them and looking at Lottie with sincerity in my eyes. "Look, Charlotte-"

"Yes," she spoke.

"I wanted to-"

"Yes," she said again.

"You and I-"

"Yes!" Lottie all but shouted.

"Stop interrupting me, woman!" I whisper yelled at her. "I'm trying to ask you if you want to be my girlfriend!"

Lottie shakes her head laughingly. "I got that already. And I wasn't interrupting you. I was answering your question."

"What question?" 

Once again, she giggles. "Isaac Lachlan Fletcher, you're so dense, it is unbelievable."

Voila!

Here's your midweek update.

Boy?

Girl?

Animal?

What do we think of the names:

Benjamin

Eleanor

Nell

Who thinks that Isaac should fess up to knowing the baby's gender?

How did the first part of everyone's week go?

Does anyone else call Wednesday, Hump Day? Because it's the middle of the week? (Over the hump of the week?)

Also, does anyone call Thursday, Friday Eve? I think it sounds so much better than Thursday!

See you all on Sunday! (Incidentally, I call Sunday, Sunday.)

Sarah, xx