Building Blocks

Chapter: 4

Lou slowly pushed on the slightly open bedroom door. Mary was still sound asleep. He had heard her alarm clock sound at least a half an hour ago. "Mary?" his voice was soft as he made his way across the room. "It's seven thirty."

He got a mumbled response. "You've been sleeping for twelve hours." he sat down on the bed next to her. He gently rubbed her back. "Come on, I'll make you some breakfast."

"I am hungry." she sighed. "Can't you just bring it to me in bed?"

"I could but then you'd be late for work."

Mary rolled over to face him. "When am I suppose to get my energy back?"

"You're in the second trimester now, you'll get your energy back soon. You've already gotten your appetite back."

"I guess we're going to have to start telling people soon." she pushed herself up into a sitting position.

"We don't have to tell anyone until you're ready, you know." he told her. "I don't want you to feel rushed. You're not showing yet so we still have some time."

Mary smiled. "You're so very sweet."

Lou arched his eyebrow. "And why is that?"

"You're still so worried about protecting me from what other people might think or say." she said. "Just like you did when people found out we were married. But people were very accepting of it."

He reached out to touch her, his thumb delicately stroking her face. "I'm your husband, it's my job to protect you."

"But you don't have to. I can handle myself."

"Okay then, how about I protect you because I want to?" he smiled. "Because I can't bear the thought of you being hurt?"

"I would say that was bordering on romantic."

"Maybe so." his thumb swept across her full bottom lip. "Would you be okay with that?"

"I might even encourage it."

"Oh, yeah?" he closed in the space between them.

Mary leaned into him. "Yeah." she tilted her head ever so slightly and he followed her lead. His lips had just touched hers when the shrill ringing of an alarm clock cut through the silence.

Lou reached over and hit the button on the clock. "You should get up." he said, standing up. "I'll make us some breakfast. Eggs okay?"

"Fine." she watched as he got up and made his way to the door. She wanted to tell him not to go. She wanted to tell him that she wanted him to kiss her. She wanted to call him back to her. But she couldn't and she didn't know why. "Lou?"

He stopped at the doorjamb and turned to face her. "Yeah?"

"Don't forget my parents are coming for dinner tonight."

"I remembered." he said. "I'll pick up the cheesecake you like so well from that bakery across the street from the studio."

"Thanks." she smiled.

"No problem."

xxxxx

Lou poured a little more scotch in his coffee cup and then returned his focus to the budget report. Ed Schroeder had called and said he needed the report two days earlier. And he was struggling. The budget was usually something he and Mary worked on together.

He had asked for her help on last months but he had resisted the urge this time. She was preparing for a big guest on her talk show and the last thing he wanted to do was interrupt her. Especially when he knew the stress she was under because her parents were finally coming over for dinner.

Mary pushed open the door to the newsroom. Murray was trying to write and Ted was standing overtop of him attempting to critique him. "Good afternoon."

"Hey, Mare." Ted smiled. "What brings you to the newsroom?"

"I came to see Lou." she said.

"Good maybe you can do something about his mood." Murray said.

"His mood?" she questioned. "What happened between home and here?"

Murray put another piece of paper in his typewriter. "Schroeder wants the budget two days early." he told her. "Lou's been biting off heads left and right."

Ted folded his arms across his chest. "Yeah, I wouldn't go in there if I didn't have to."

"I think I'll take my chances." she said, making her way to his office door.

In response to her knock she got a snarled. "What is it?"

Mary looked back at Murray and Ted. "Even I don't want to go in there now."

"Told you." Ted shook his head. "I hate when Lou's in a bad mood. I really wanted to talk to him about a raise."

Murray rolled his eyes. "The last thing you need is another raise, Ted."

"It's me." Mary pushed open his office door. "Have a minute?"

His demeanor immediately changed. "Sorry, Mary, I didn't know it was you."

She closed the door behind her. "Murray said you're stressed out about the budget." she sat down in the chair "Need some help?"

"No, I just a little break, that's all." he told her. "How are things on your set?"

"We're taking a lunch break and then we're going to tape." she told him. "I thought I would come down and see if you wanted to get some lunch."

Lou glanced at his watch. "I'd love to, but I really have to get this finished."

"Why don't you let me help you?" she suggested. "I have an hour and a half we can order in and work on it together."

"You helped me last month. I don't want to rely on you every time I have to do the budget." he told her. "If the rest of the people in this office could do their jobs then it would be easier for me to do mine."

"You really need to hire an associate producer, Lou." she said. "You're putting entirely too much stress on yourself."

"I know." he sighed. "I just can't find anyone I like. I don't know, maybe I'm setting my standards too high."

"Maybe just a little." she smiled. "Why don't you put out another ad and I'll help you interview."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." she said. "Anything to get you home a little earlier."

"Like my company that much?"

"It gets lonely without you." she admitted.

Lou nodded. "I'll have to keep that in mind." he said. "Use it to my advantage."

xxxxx

Lou closed the folder on the finished budget. "I can't thank you enough for helping me out." he said. "And you're right I do need an associate producer."

"I thought you would see it my way." she cleaned up their trash from lunch. "I think the rest of your staff is going to be relieved as well."

"Too bad you're not available." he said. "You're perfect for the position. But you're not so bad as a wife. In fact I think I'll keep you."

"Not so bad?" she sat down on the edge of his desk. "I think I'm evolving rather nicely."

"You're getting there." he said. "I like the way you iron my shirts."

"You mean you like the way I send them to the cleaners?"

"Here I thought you were slaving away with an iron." he walked around to where she was sitting.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you."

"Please don't tell me you farm out that fantastic lasagna."

"No, that I've mastered over the years." she told him. "We're having it for dinner tonight. It's my dad's favorite too."

Lou hated to admit it but he was a little worried about how things were going to play out with her parents. He knew that they didn't exactly approve of their situation and honestly if it were one of his daughters he wouldn't be so happy about it either.

He knew that it shouldn't matter to him what the Dr. and Mrs. Richards thought but it did. Because it mattered to Mary. "I want things to go well tonight." he said. "I want to get to know your parents."

"I think things are going to go fine." she said trying to convince them both. "And once my parents get to know you they'll see what a warm, wonderful, sweet man you are."

Lou smiled. "God, you flatter me."

"I'm trying to earn wifely points."

"You're doing a damn good job." he leaned into her, their lips mere inches apart. He softly kissed her lips. Once. Twice. And just as he was about to deepen their kiss his door flew open and a sugary sweet voice filled the air.

"Oh, I'm so sorry." Sue Ann smiled. "I didn't know you were in here, Mary."

"That's alright. I really have to get back to work." she said, standing up. "I'll see you tonight." she told Lou. "Bye Sue Ann."

"Mary, dear, I don't mean to be nit picky but you should really watch your weight." she told her.

"You're still a newlywed."

"My weight?" she questioned.

"Yes, our weight always goes to our hip and thighs first." she said. "You really have to be careful."

"Thanks for the tip, Sue Ann." Mary smiled. "Have fun, darling."

xxxxx

Mary's parents were early. And Lou had called to say he was running a little late. Ted's newscast had enraged one of the sponsors. She tried to bide her time as best she could. She fixed her parents a drink and they made small talk.

"Does Lou work late often?" Dottie asked.

"No, not usually." she replied. "He's usually home by seven thirty."

"You don't mind staying here all alone, dear?" she asked. "You don't get lonely."

"No, mom, I don't." she turned her attention to her dad. "How's your golf game coming, daddy?"

Walter's eyes lit up. "It's coming along just fine." he replied. "I have a new approach to the game, I go into it as if I'm going into surgery. I examine everything before I make any swings."

Mary smiled, her father could never truly leave his profession behind. "Maybe you could play with Lou sometime."

"Is he any good?"

"Terrible."

He nodded. "Seems like we would make a good team."

Dottie took another drink of her martini. "Mary, I think we should really talk about your situation."

"Situation?" she asked. "What situation would that be, mom?"

"You know what I'm talking about." she said. "Just how long do you and Lou plan on staying in this sham of a marriage?"

"Dottie." Walter scolded his wife. "Mary, sweetheart, your mother and I just want what's best for you. And for our grandchild. We want you to be happy."

Mary shook her head. "But I am happy, daddy." she told him. "Maybe not in the conventional way, but I am happy. I wouldn't be here if I weren't."

Walter smiled. "That's all I need to hear."

Dottie however remained very quiet. She didn't share her husbands views. And she didn't approve of her daughters marriage. Or the fact that she hadn't gotten pregnant not only out of wedlock but by her boss. A man she wasn't even involved with. The whole situation was just in poor taste.

And Mary knew her mother thought this. She didn't even have to ask her. She just hoped that she would change the way she thought about her and about Lou. The silence between mother and daughter spoke very loudly. Loudly enough that Mary had to get out of the room.

She excused herself and went into the kitchen to check on her lasagna. She was beginning to think that this entire idea was a mistake. Some things were just better left alone.

Walter took a drink of his scotch. "Well, Dottie, I think that went well."

"Oh, Walt." she sighed. "I'm trying, I really am."

"But?"

"But?" she questioned. "There is no but."

He sighed, heavily. "Of course there is." he said. "William and Elizabeth Tyler would be very disappointed if there wasn't a but rising to the surface."

Dottie couldn't deny her upbringing. "This just isn't like Mary." she started. "She's always been such a good child. So levelheaded and responsible."

"Mary's not a child anymore." he said. "She's a grown woman. And she is levelheaded and responsible. Maybe not in the way it pleases you or your parents, but she is. I don't know why you're having such issues with this. By the Tyler's standards she has taken responsibility for her actions."

"She wasn't even dating Lou." she stressed. "It was just something that happened. Now they're married and going to have a baby. He was grown children. Grandchildren even."

Walter just shook his head. "I have faith in Mary." he said. "I trust her and her judgement. I think things are going to work out just fine."

xxxxx

Lou came in the kitchen door just as she was seasoning the salad. "Sorry I'm late." he sat the bakery box down on the counter. "They didn't have the blueberry so I got strawberry instead."

"That's fine." she said. "I like the strawberry too."

"How's it going in there?"

Mary exhaled heavily. "It's going." she pushed the bowl of salad to the side. "My father seems to have come around. My mother not so much."

"Maybe she just needs a little time."

"I don't think all the time in the world would change her mind." she told him. "It's just not the way she was raised. My grandparents are...well, quite snobby to be honesty. Wealthy, well educated, well-bred. Catholics that go to church twice a week. They're heads of foundations and social clubs and give extravagant parties. My mother had to live by certain rules growing up and she's forced them onto me."

"Hmm." Lou sighed. "You'd think you would be a better party giver then."

A small smile played on her lips. "Very funny." she said. "I'm miserable and you're making jokes."

"But it made you smile." he reached out for her, drawing her into his arms. "You just need to relax and not worry so much."

She straightened his tie. "Easier said than done, Lou."

"Let's just try, okay?" his hands on her face pulled her closer. With a tilt to his head he leaned in and kissed her. Kissed her the way he had been trying to all day. Delicately. Exquisitely. Indulgently. Almost desperately.

Mary wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him closer still. She could feel the counter top pressing against her lower back. His strong arms holding her close. And he was right. She was relaxing. The stress and the worry melting away. The only thing she could think of was him.

"Better?" he asked when he ended their kiss.

"Mmm." she sighed. "Much. I've been waiting for you to do that all day."

"I've been trying to do that all day." he smiled. "Now do you think you're relaxed enough to make it through dinner?"

"I think so."

tbc...

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