Chapter 3 Damn Confession

Alicia got to the café first, anxiously waiting for Will. She stuck to water, knowing that anything else would just make her sick. She kept touching her stomach, self conscious that it might show. Total paranoia, obviously you can't be more than a month along. She needed to stay calm, but waiting for Will left her to worry about everything. Getting pregnant while her marriage was on the rocks was bad enough, but with another man. Her boss. What a perfect drama show this would be, borderline soap.

Whether Will wanted the baby or not it was going to be a bumpy mess. She may have contemplated a life involving Will if she divorced Peter, but the odds were always stacked against them. All she could do was sit and wait for him.

She remembered finding out she was pregnant with Zach and Grace and being so happy. She honestly wished she could feel happier, but with her future was so uncertain that it just wasn't a good time to bring a child into her turbulent world.

He walked up to her, dressed in a nice suit ready for court. His face portrayed the concern of the unknown. It wasn't her intention to make him freak out before they met, but the anticipation had taken its toll on him. She choice to sit in the back where no one could see or hear anything. There was no telling where this discussion would go.

"So what's going on? Is something wrong with Peter or the kids?," He asked as he sat down close to her, ready to console whatever was bothering her. Damn his caring for her made this almost worst. She wondered if he would ever be ready for the news she was about to deliver to him. Could he handle being a father? Does he even want to be a father? Did she want to be the mother to her bosses baby?

"Alicia, please tell me what happening," Will said pulling Alicia out of her daze, "Whatever it is I promise not to flip out about it."

Alicia nervously chuckled at that notion. Flipping out was inevitable.

Will grabbed her hand to reassure her that everything was ok. She couldn't look him in the face; the fear was eating her inside. It was getting harder and harder to think of how to announce to him she was pregnant. Subtle and calm would be the best approach, but in her state of panic that was unlikely to last long.

Before she could start to talk the waitress came around. "Good morning, could I get you something to drink," said the cute blond waitress eyeing Will up and down. Will didn't even look up; his gaze was transfixed to Alicia, almost as if any minute she would disappear without a trace.

"Can we have the wine menu," Will asked the Waitress without looking up.

Alicia's head shot up instinctively "No, I can't."

"You can't what? Drink? I would think whatever was bothering you required a little liquor courage," Will said trying to lighten the mood, but giving Alicia a suspicious look and holding fast to her hand. She looked back down, trying to calm herself. She had almost slipped up. In front of a stranger no less.

"Just water please," Alicia told the waitress.

"Same," said Will, still eyeing Alicia with confusion, trying to piece together the puzzle. The waitress left, obviously discouraged not to have gotten a glance back from Will. Alicia knew she couldn't delay any long. The truth just needed to be said, whether she liked it or not.

"Will, we've always have had bad timing," She said trying to smooth the waters before letting the bombshell go, "And I know neither of us were planning on this, but you have a right to know." She looked up at his face. What a perfect poker face, making it impossible to determine how he was feeling. There was an awkward pause between them, but Will kept holding her hand.

"Will, I'm so sorry but I'm pregnant." She said, almost chocking on the words as they came out. The tears started to roll down her cheeks, but she refused to let the stress get to her. The ball was in his court now.

…..

At first he didn't react, but the facts where slowly starting to seep through. His face turned from disbelief to confusion and finally landing on realization. He had gotten her pregnant. He looked at her and then around the room to make sure that this wasn't some dream. He was stumped, honestly not knowing how to feel. She had shocked his system. What do I say?

When he didn't respond Alicia panicked. "Damn it, I never expected that this would happen Will. This wasn't suppose to happen. I don't know if you want this child or if you rather have me abort….." Will stopped her rambling, pushing his chair closer to her own and wrapping his arms around her.

"No! I mean, I don't think that's what I want," He didn't know what to do, but her getting an abortion just seemed almost unfair to him. 40 years old and married to his job, he envied all his co-worker with baby pictures. He didn't have that, but he convinced himself that it was for the best. Can I do this? Be a father?

He looked around, most of the café was empty, but it wasn't really private for such an emotion situation."Let's go back to my place, we can talk there with a little more privacy." Will suggested

"Is someone going to argue our clients case for us?" Alicia joked, thinking that a little humor was needed to break up the tension.

"It's hardly an argument, Lomond Bishop is obviously guilty. It's just a matter of him getting off on a lesser charge. I'll ask Diane to fill in," Will found it more comfortable talking about work. It was his safe zone, a familiar topic that seemed to make sense. On the other hand, Will becoming a father was a strange comparison. In a million years he would never had thought that this would happen. She had left him to spend more time with her kids, not to have his. What irony.

"Thanks," Alicia muttered getting up to leave with him.