An Important Date

Addison contemplated telling Mark about the baby. He would find out sooner or later. There was no way of hiding another human being from him. The father should know about his own kid right? The truth should come out. That's what Addison had been telling her patients for years. Of course it's easier said than done. She had never expected she would get into this situation; at least not under these circumstances. This was supposed to be one of the happiest moments of her life. This was so unbelievably surreal.

The sound of the door closing snapped Addison back to reality. "Addison? You home?" Mark found her sitting on the couch with a hot mug of cocoa.

"Hey." Mark sat down next to her. "You weren't at work today."

"I went to the doctors." Mark looked at her questioningly, waiting for an explanation. There was none.

"Are you okay?"

Addison laughed, "No, Mark I'm not." She handed Mark a piece of paper.

He looked over it, "A due date? You're pregnant?" Addison nodded. They sat there in silence for a while. Then Mark got up and put on his coat.

"Mark? Mark. Where are you going?" He said nothing. He put on his coat and just left an exasperated Addison.

- - -

Mark hopped into his car and sped away, his mind was racing. He looked for the nearest convenience store. It took him nearly half an hour to find one still open. He sprinted out of his car and to the door. The shopkeeper stood near the entrance. He was about to close up.

"Hey wait! Wait don't leave yet." Mark exclaimed.

"Sorry. We're just about to close."

"Do you have calendars?" The shopkeeper nodded. "Well then you can't close just yet. I need to buy one."

"It's nearly midnight! I'm sure you can wait until tomorrow."

"No I can't. I have to get it now."

The man sighed. "Come on buddy. I'm tired. I want to go home. I want to see my kids."

"It won't take more than three minutes. I promise. I need to mark an important date."

"What can be so important that you need to run out in the middle of the night just to get a calendar?"

"I… need to mark the due date of my baby." The man gave a tired smile. "Please. Let me just buy a calendar."

"Fine. Fine." He opened up the doors to his shop. Mark went in and picked up a wall calendar indiscriminately. It had a bunch of babies on it. He didn't care as long as it had days and months he was fine with it. He took out his wallet to pay.

"Don't worry about it buddy. It's on the house. Congratulations."

"Thank you."

- - -

This was not good. Mark had walked out on her. She knew she should have kept her mouth shut. Mark freaked out and left. He wasn't ready. She wondered when he would be, never probably. He wasn't a family type guy.

What am I going to do? Addison set her half empty mug down. Everything seemed half empty these days.

She expected Mark to run out. She thought she knew him. He hadn't changed. But Mark did something Addison didn't predict. He came back. He came through the door and went directly to the kitchen. Addison followed wondering what he was up to. She saw a calendar on the wall. He had written down the due date.

"What are you doing?" Addison wondered aloud.

"We need a calendar. I never remember dates."

"You're not leaving?" It was more of a statement than a question.

Mark looked at Addison, "You thought I would leave?" She nodded, "I would never leave you."

Addison gave Mark a sad smile.

"I'm going to be a father."

- - -

A/N: Just a one shot fic.