Bear My Babies

Thomas smirked. He knew she was bluffing when she mentioned going out with Tilly. A strange warmth flooded through him when he realized she got all dressed up for him. What the hell was up with that?

“Why did you tell that animal we were going to try for a baby?” He decided to curb that train of thought and go for something that he could actually resolve.

“What animal?”

“Your ex-husband, Nathaniel Burr. I know all about him Melissa. I know about the people he was around. Is still around. The people you were around. I know about the mob, the drug dealers. Why would you tell him?”

“What makes you think I told him anything, Thomas?” Her voice had hardened. He’d made her angry. Good, that made two of them.

“He sent two goons after me today to tell me to back off. Called the baby an abomination. Our baby. I can only imagine those have to be some of the people he would hang around. I really hope you are trying to get away from him. I know we don’t have a say in who we’re dating, but my child will not be around someone like that. I just don’t get why you would confide in him like that.”

“Listen, I am very much trying to get away from him.” Her voice sounded harsh as if she was pushing every word through clenched teeth. “Just because you’ve been around for, what, less than two months, you think you know my life? If you don’t think of me any better than that Thomas, then maybe we shouldn’t be doing this at all.” She hung up.

He stared at the phone for a minute, not sure what to do. What if he’d been wrong? Was it possible he jumped to the wrong conclusion? Who else would come after him like that, though? It didn’t make any sense. Who else would have known about Melissa’s research and their baby?

“Ready to get back to it?” Saul came out and clapped him on the back.

“Actually, man, I think I’m just going to call it a night.”

Thomas didn’t think he could come up with anything else for the evening. He was too consumed about what was going on. He needed some time to think about everything before he jumped to any more conclusions.

***

Melissa trembled and clenched her fists as she sat on the couch. She couldn’t believe he’d said that to her. Who did he think he was? He didn’t even ask if she’d told anyone he just started in on her. Of course she hadn’t told Nathaniel her plans. He’d have an absolute sh*t fit, and she was not ready to deal with that. He was her ex and refused to accept it. Telling him would be a disaster.

There was one person she could call and ask to know for sure if Nathan had been behind whatever happened to Thomas. It wasn’t really a phone call she wanted to make, but she would for a little peace of mind. Then she could tell Thomas off for calling and yelling at her without any proof. The thought of sticking it to Thomas made her determined to make the call.

It rang four times before he finally picked up. “Marco?”

“Holy sh*t, Melissa? I didn’t think I’d ever hear from you again since you and Nate are on the outs. How are you?” Hearing Marco’s voice reminded Melissa of the good times she had when she was with Nathaniel.

“I’m fine, listen, I have to ask you a question.”

“Anything, babe, what’s up?”

Sweet Marco, a mutual friend of hers and Nathaniel’s, and a complete criminal. He always treated her with respect, and never let Nate get too far out of hand when she was around. She couldn’t condone what he did, but she would always trust him to have her back. Marco had been there for her more than once, and she wouldn’t forget it.

“A friend of mine had two big guys come after him tonight. Would Nathaniel do something like that? Does he have anyone left who’d come after someone for him?”

“Melissa, Nathan is in jail right now. He went on a big drinking binge and drove when he shouldn’t have. The dumbass drove into a store front. I don’t think he could have orchestrated anything like that from the drunk tank. I know he doesn’t have anyone on his side anymore. He’s pissed off everyone we know and some we don’t.”

“Okay, that’s what I needed. Thank you, Marco.”

“Melissa, don’t be a stranger. Just because you’re a fancy doctor and no longer with Nathan doesn’t mean you can’t come see your old friends.”

“I know, Marco, talk to you later.” She hung up knowing she wouldn’t. That part of her life was over and Thomas had been wrong about who was after him, but now she was a little worried. Someone had threatened not only her research, but her unmade baby. She needed to get some more answers before she talked to Thomas. There was no point in telling him about it right away; she was still mad at him. She would let him know eventually. And she would make him grovel for yelling at her.

As she sat on the couch, she thought back over her time with Nathaniel. Marco had always been in the middle of it when anything bad started to go down. One particular time started playing over in her mind, and though she didn’t want to remember, it came to her in vivid detail like a movie. A movie where she lost the remote and couldn’t pause it if she wanted to.

Melissa sat on the couch watching day time television and smoking a joint. She wasn’t long out of medical school and her new husband had convinced her to take some time off because he had a business opportunity that would set them up. Of course, that was selling coke and she had an inkling it was something like that. She just pretended to be dumb. It was easier that way.