Chapter Fifteen: Thomas

“She’s pregnant!” I tell Mason when I show up unannounced after work.

“You sound excited about this. Is this a good thing, man?”

“Yes, you see I didn’t tell you. My dad is giving away all his wealth. I had to have an heir or he wasn’t going to give me anything to get by. I told him to stick it, but then my mother brought up Dinah not having anything.”

“Dude, this is a terrible idea. She’s going to fall for you and sue you for I don’t know everything.”

“I’m paying her,” I tell him thinking somehow that makes it better.

“Wow, this is just. I can’t believe you’re paying someone to have your baby.”

“I know, but I’m excited too. I’m going to be a dad. Sophia is going to be such a great mother.”

“Are you sure, you haven’t fallen for her?” Mason asks walking to the fridge and grabbing me a beer.

“Yes, I’m sure. She’s cool with the arrangement.”

“It’s not like she’s pretending to be your lover. She’s having your baby. That’s a big deal dude.”

“I’m not taking this lightly,” I say, “I realize it sounds like it’s just a throwaway thing, but I am taking this seriously. Both of us are committed to making sure the baby has a good life.”

“Are you though? You don’t see it right now, but when he’s fifteen or sixteen and wants to know why his parents aren’t together you aren’t going to tell him the truth.”

“Of course, we are,” I argue, but I don’t know if we truly will. Now he’s put some doubt in my mind that I might not be doing the right thing. I don’t think I’ve been thinking of how the child is going to be affected.

My phone rings and I see Julia is calling me. I’d noticed she’d been avoiding me so to see her calling is a bit of a shock. She’d been out of town the month after she talked to Sophia in the lobby at work. This month she’d made a point of not being around.

“I’ve been waiting for this phone call,” I tell Mason showing him the screen.

He raises his eyebrows and nods going to sit in his chair to watch the show.

“Julia my oldest friend,” I start knowing this is not going to be a nice conversation.

“Yes, and as your oldest friend, I want to ask what the hell you think you’re doing. A baby Thomas? Your mother doesn’t even trust you to watch her dogs.”

She’s hitting below the belt, isn’t she? It doesn’t bother me, but in our many years of friendship, I’ve never heard her talk like this.

“Let me just stop you right there. As someone who I thought knew me better than anyone, it’s insane for me to think you’d say what you did. I would never make someone get rid of my child for my image or any other reason.”

“I never said that, Thomas.”

“Yes, you did. You’re someone I’ve always trusted Julia, and now you’ve lost that trust. Lose my number.”

I hang up as she’s saying, “You’ll regret this Thomas, I promise you.”

Mason shakes his head. “I hope you know what you’re doing, man. I’ve always thought Julia was hot, but she sounds insane.”

“I don’t know, it’s like her jealousy has made her a different person. Those things she said are unforgivable. Burning bridges and creating new ones.”

I do feel very protective of Sophia and if Julia even thinks her way I’ll put a stop to it. It’s Sunday and tomorrow I have a meeting that will last all day followed by dinner with my parents. Sophia is going to meet us at the restaurant. It’s been almost two months since Julia broke the news to them that Sophia was going to have a baby.

She was so vindictive she didn’t even give us the opportunity. We’d planned on waiting until we were further along, to make sure everything was okay. Sophia hadn’t wanted me to go to the first ultrasound with her, but I did. There had been paparazzi outside the doctor’s office so the rumor mill had been spinning on all the press outlets. The first visit was just to see if she was truly pregnant and she was. The next one will be after three months to hear the heartbeat.

The meeting goes a little better. The partners listen to my ideas although deep down I think they’re appeasing me to get my money. Neither has apologized for the awkward encounter with Mrs. Bernard, but they did give me the go-ahead to start fundraising for the theater.

Sophia has still been extremely encouraging which I’m happy for. She feels like I can do anything and it makes me feel like it’s true, at least when I’m with her. I call her to make sure she knows where we’re going to dinner. It’s a place my mother likes. My father has been trying to appease her as much as possible while his lawyers go through the best ways to distribute his wealth. He’s already given away a lot according to my mother.

I’ve seen some things in the paper. He gave a lot of money to the hospital which was great and then he turned around and gave a bunch of money to a miniatures enthusiast’s club.

“I just love that they make everything little. It’s like you can own a whole world of mini things.”

Of course, my father doesn’t own any miniatures so it seemed like a strange choice to give charitable donations to. I show up to the restaurant at around fifteen til six and wait outside for Sophia.

“Hey Thomas, is Sophia meeting you here? When are you guys getting married.” The first photographer starts as he snaps pictures.

I try to just ignore them while I stand and wait.

“There’s a rumor she’s pregnant Thomas. Are you going to be a daddy soon?”

I still don’t say anything. I see Sophia drive up and find a parking spot on the street. She’s refused so far to let me get her a new car, but that will be the next thing I get her to give up. I swear that pile of metal could break down any minute.

The photographers don’t notice her at first but when she starts walking towards me they catch on.

“Sophia you look gorgeous tonight. Sophia where’s your dress from.”

She’s gotten pretty good at ignoring them too. The apartment we’ve moved into is gated like my parent’s house so she doesn’t have to worry about them bothering her while she’s at home. I’ve been letting her deal with the movers and decorators and asked her to take responsibility for them when she’s not working.

Another thing I can’t control is she still works at the bar. I don’t want her to think I’m trying to control her life, but I wish she’d work in a safer environment.

“Ready for this?” I ask as I let my hand fall to the small of her back and guide her inside. My parents are already seated so it’s a matter of being led to our table.

“Hello dear,” my mother overdressed in a black cocktail dress and a headband that borders on tiara stands to hug me.

“Hello, mom, dad. How are you two camping enthusiasts this evening?”

Dad says, “Great,” as my mother says, “not drunk enough.”

My father ignores her, “Sophia darling, you’re practically glowing.”

“Thank you,” she says and I look at her to see she is indeed glowing.

“Just beautiful,” I tell her squeezing her hand. She looks into my eyes and I think I catch a moment of something I’ve not seen before, but it’s gone before I can tell what it is.

“I’ve been a little out of sorts because Julia hasn’t been around to watch the dogs. I think they feel lonely.” I try to think of a response that will sound like I care, but I really don’t.

“She was a,” I start to tell her exactly what I think when I feel Sophia grab my leg and squeeze.

“A bit busy. I’m sure she misses Mintzy and Pepper a lot.”

I don’t question why she interrupted. One look at mother beaming with pride and I know. She loves those dogs much more than her family.

“What about names. Clearly, you’re going to name him Thomas if it’s a boy, but I quite like Gloria if it’s a girl.” Mother says looking at Sophia.

“We haven’t actually discussed names, Mrs. Henry. I like Gloria but I’m just not sure about that for my little girl.”

“It’s her name, Sophia. Mother, we are not naming our child after you.” I tell her pointedly.

“Okay well what about Ophelia? It’s a nice name, sophisticated. Will go well with Gloria in the middle.” She shrugs and takes a sip of wine. Ophelia was her mother’s name.

Sophia looks at me with a look that says over my dead body and I chuckle.

“Like I said we’ll talk about it and let you know what we come up with.”

The rest of the dinner goes the same. My mother makes suggestions for the baby that Sophia politely smiles at. None of them are good suggestions. I’m impressed with how patient she is especially when my mother tells her she wants to be in the room when her grandchild makes its appearance.

“We are going to discuss our birth plan once we get closer to the due date. At this point it’s just me and Thomas in the room,” Sophia says smiling at me. I feel a little chill go through me as I think of being by her side as she delivers my baby.

“That’s just ridiculous. Doesn’t your mother want to be in the room?”

“I’m going to visit my mother once we find out what we’re having and tell her. She doesn’t know we’re pregnant yet.” My mother gives her a look that I can’t quite read.

“You wouldn’t have either,” I say, “If Julia hadn’t told you.”

“Is that why you aren’t speaking to her?” My mother loves to be in the middle of all the gossip.

“Among other things,” I say.

My father starts talking about miniatures and promises Sophia if it’s a girl he’ll have some custom doll house pieces made for her. I sip my drink and watch my mother’s face. If she suspects anything with Sophia and me, she isn’t showing it.

As we part from my parents I walk her to the car. “See you at home,” I smile and love how right it sounds to say that to her.

“See you at home,” she says and gets into her car as I yell at the photographers to back up and let her drive out.

“It’s nice to hear her say that. It’s nice we’re going to the same place. Everyday that passes I enjoy spending time with her more.