*Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter they were greatly appreciated thank-you all so much*
After a few days back in New York and the holidays as well as numerous phone calls and facetimes to her family with an apology for missing Christmas with them because she needed to clean up Scott's mess and promises to make it up to them she was getting ready to return back to work. She felt terrible for ditching her family the way she did she didn't know how she felt about Scott and his DUI incident. He needed help but not the help she could give him. Sitting in the bathroom of her penthouse apartment by the toilet as Joe was knocking on the door. "Audrey, are you okay?" he asks. "Is there anything I can get you?" He had returned sometime in the middle of the night after taking a red eye flight out of Chicago so that he could be with Audrey for her first prenatal appointment.
"Just the usual morning sickness," she replies before she throws up again in the toilet. Audrey had only thrown up that much when she drank way too much in her college days and she was nursing a hangover now today she was nursing a child growing in her womb that made her mornings hell. Every scent made her sick and the sight of almost anything made her sick. She never expected pregnancy to be like this. "I'll be right out," she says as she stands up. She walks over to her sink and cleans her face with water. "Actually, I'm going to take a quick shower. I will be out then."
"All right, do you want me to make you some breakfast?" he asks.
"No. I can't even eat right now I will eat a little later," she says. "Thanks though, Joe."
"You're welcome," he says before he walks away from the door before she strips out of her clothes after turning on the water.
Joe turns on the TV while Audrey takes a nice refreshing shower enjoying the water as it hits her to wait for her before she goes to work that morning. He is still confused on what's going on between him and Audrey after Christmas Eve together he thought they were more than just friends; in fact he knew they were more than just friends but she was hesitant to start a relationship or start anything with him. He wasn't even sure what was going on with her and Scott but after their night at the hospital he got the idea that their sleeping arrangements had been going on a little longer than he expected. He admired Scott for his tenacity a few years is a lot of time to spend on one woman that won't date you or move in with you let alone have a child with you or even have a relationship with you but he kept trying and he was still interested in Audrey. He admired that tenacity. He also didn't really care for Scott too much and hated the idea of him ever being around his child. Audrey and Joe had many things that needed to be discussed but he wanted to get through their first appointment first to give her time.
"So what time did you get in this morning," asks Audrey as she comes out of the bedroom after dressing herself in a black business suit with a white blouse underneath her black jacket with her hair smoothed back into a low ponytail and a pair of black heels she knew she was going to regret later in the day. Joe couldn't deny that she looked beautiful. Her body was already starting to respond to the pregnancy with her breasts fuller than they were before making her blouse tighter in the breast area. He tries to keep his attention away from the area.
"I got in about 4:30 this morning," he says. "It wasn't a long flight."
"Doesn't seem like it," she says with a smile. "Did you have a good flight?"
"I slept most of the way but it was pretty good," he says with a smile. "You look nice today."
"Thank-you, is your family still upset that you missed Christmas with them to come back to New York with me?" she asks.
"No, they have gotten over it. I definitely owe them. I would have left the day after Christmas anyway for house shows. It wasn't a big deal," he says.
"I feel bad. I haven't spent Christmas with my family in years and then the one time when I do I have to leave so I can clean up Scott's mess. It shouldn't be my responsibility to clean up his mess. I'm not his wife, I'm not even his girlfriend."
"I thought you two had some type of relationship going on before you left at least that's how it seemed."
"Well, Christmas Eve changed a lot of things," she says looking at him with her dark brown eyes through her thick long eyelashes. Joe secretly hoped and wished their child had her eyes and eyelashes. He gave her nod knowing what she was talking about. "I don't regret it if that's what you think."
"That helps my ego because you surely don't want a relationship with me," he says. "That's kind of a blow. I don't know how Scott can hold so long and be so hopeful for so long."
"Can we not talk about this at least not this morning? I thought you and I agreed that you would give me time to deal with things and decide what I want to do."
"All right," he says putting his hands up as he stands up and rounds the couch standing face to face with his best friend. "I'm sorry," he says as he wraps his arms around her waist she looks up at him and smiles as she wraps her arms around his neck.
"It's okay," she smiles before reaching up and brushing her lips against his, kissing him softly. Joe smiles back at her and kisses her lips softly and passionately in a deep kiss as she grants his tongue access to her mouth.
"But can I still get the benefits?" he asks with a smile as he breaks the kiss, "you know like what you have going on with Scott?" He knew it sounded bad the way he worded so he tries to reword it a different way. "Sorry that was crude of me what I meant to say was…" he smiles against Audrey's lips as she kisses him again. "Never mind," he smiles as they break the kiss.
"Yeah," she answers anyway. "Whatever was happening with Scott and me is pretty much on a standstill. He needs to get himself help and besides as his lawyer I can't be intimate with him. There's a moral code against that type of thing. Besides," she says as she rubs his chest through his shirt with her small hand, "you and me are having a baby together. I'm not sure I like the idea of sleeping with Scott or having sex with Scott while I'm pregnant with your child. It's weird to me," she says.
"I'll take that," he says with a smile. "By the way, pregnancy is looking good on you."
"Thanks," she says with a smile. "I guess I better get to work since it is my first day back. I don't want to be late or anything. Plus I have to leave early because of our appointment. Did you want to meet me at my office? Or do you want to meet me at the doctor?" she asks.
"I can meet you at the office if that's okay. I don't want to run into Scott or anything but I'd rather arrive at the doctor's office together than to meet each other there."
"All right meet me at 1:15?" she asks.
"Sounds good," he smiles before he kisses her lips softly. "Have a good day at work."
"Thank-you," she says with a smile. "See you later," she says before they move away from one another. Audrey grabs her coat, purse and keys before she walks out of the apartment.
Audrey arrives to work just in time after fighting through the usual morning traffic in the city. She was just sitting down at her desk when her boss; the man that owned the company knocks on her door. "Good morning, Audrey, welcome back," says Mr. Peterson.
"Good morning, Mr. Peterson," she says with a smile.
"How was your trip to Florida to see your family?"
"It was fine until I had to come back to New York City for Scott's nonsense," she answers.
"So you are aware of Scott's misbehavior over the holiday weekend?" he asks.
"Fully aware," she says, "and he was discharged from the hospital a couple days ago as far as I know. I haven't really talked to him since I saw him in the hospital."
"So what has been going on with you two?" he asks.
"Nothing," she lies. "He's just a friend."
"Okay," he says, "but I'm probably going to need your help."
"My help with?" she asks.
"To take over some of his cases in the next few weeks you see with his pending charges he is on temporary leave and will not be able to return to work until those charges are clear."
"Mr. Peterson, you and I both know that Scott is not coming back as far as I know anyway but if you need me to take over his cases I can do so. I know a little bit about some of them," she says, "so it wouldn't be a lot. It's just his are a lot more high end cases than mine and he is far more powerful than me."
"I have faith in you, Audrey. I think you're quite as powerful as Scott and who knows maybe you could take his place if he doesn't come back you know make partner. How does Peterson and Romano Law firm sound to you?" he asks with a smile.
"I could make partner?" she asks knowing that making partner in a law firm was one of the greatest honors and it took a lot of hard work to make partner at a law firm. She had already been a Non-Equity partner for a couple years now but to become an Equity Partner in the law firm meant a lot she would have ownership in the firm. Scott was Peterson's partner but he threw it all away when he got behind the wheel of that car drunk. She was torn.
"It's a possibility," he smiles. "You do an amazing job, you put in the hours and you always put your job ahead of anything else that comes up. I see your dedication, Audrey. I would say there's a possibility in you making Partner," he smiles.
"That's amazing," she smiles as she thinks about when the best time to tell him that she's pregnant, will be taking 12 weeks of maternity leave and possibly cut back on her time in the office and the courtroom, she hadn't decided yet but it was a decision she would soon face.
"Well, I will let you get to work. I know you're leaving for a doctor's appointment today but you may want to reach out to some of Scott's clients and fill them in let them know you'll be taking over their cases."
"I will," she says with a smile. "Thank-you."
"You're welcome," he says, "the files are on his desk."
"I'll get them but Mr. Peterson, if I need custody papers drawn up would you be able to help me?"
"Custody papers?" he asks. "Why would you need custody papers?"
"I'm just asking for a friend," she says not ready to announce being pregnant just yet. She was only a few weeks along there was still a few weeks to go before she would have to tell anyone.
"Of course," he says with a smile before he walks out of her office. She walks out of her office and makes her way to Scott's office.
She felt bad for Scott in a way but she also knew he needed to be accountable for his actions. His files for his cases were laying on his desk like Mr. Peterson had told her. There were quite a few she knew she would be putting in extra time with Scott's cases as well as her own. As she was picking up the files and the flash drives she stops as she sees the pictures on his desk. He has pictures of his kids on his desk but one that surprises her is a picture of them together from a year or two ago when they took a weekend trip to the Hamptons together. They were sitting on the beach together and he had snapped the picture of them. She had no idea he still had it and another picture was of her drinking a glass of wine from the same weekend at the Hamptons. He obviously had more feelings for her than she realized which was making everything that much harder. She picks up the files and leaves his office to return to hers.
Audrey spends most of her day calling Scott's clients, telling them that Scott was on leave for a while and setting up meetings with them. A couple of them were concerned with a new attorney taking over their cases and she gave them the option to find another attorney or promised them she would do just as great of a job as Scott has done. She lost two of the 10 clients which wasn't bad for her stepping up in his place. She took a break to get some lunch her assistant had delivered to her from a deli a few blocks down the road along with a water and sweet tea. Finishing up lunch she saw Scott walking by with a box before stopping by her office. "What are you doing here?" she asks as he came into her office without being invited. He lays his box down on the couch and makes his way over to the desk.
"Peterson called me to come get my things. I think my time here is done," he says. "I mean I get it but I have been here for years," he says taking a seat. "I'm sorry, Audrey. I'm really sorry."
"Why are you apologizing to me?" she asks. "You haven't done anything to me."
"I fucked up," he says. "I fucked everything up."
"Yeah, Scott you did, I was pretty close to getting involved with you besides just in a sexual way. I was so close to having a relationship with you but I can't now, not after Christmas Eve. What you did was stupid. You could have killed someone which you almost did but thankfully you didn't and everyone is going to recover. You could have a vehicular homicide charge against you too," she says. "And you could have killed yourself, left your kids without your father. I get you were upset that you couldn't see your kids on Christmas Eve. I get it I would be pissed too. Elena has been fucking with you for years but you haven't done anything to stop it," she says. "What you did was stupid. I'm glad you're okay and I'm glad the family you ran into is okay but it could have ended so much worse for everyone. You are probably going to lose your job over this, Scott. I know how hard you worked to make partner here was that night worth losing everything for?"
"It was a stupid mistake and I am going to get help, Audrey. I promise I am going to get help."
"I hope that you do, Scott because you need help. Help that I am unable to give you. I do have to tell you something though."
"I'm listening," he says.
"I slept with Joe," she says not sure why she felt obligated to tell him that as they weren't in a relationship. "On Christmas Eve."
"I'm not surprised, Audrey. He can give you things that I can't I am too screwed up for you. You deserve someone better than me. I see the way you look at each other but for what it's worth I love you. I have loved you for a while now but I want you to be happy and with my drinking and ex-wife bullshit I can't make you happy," he says as tears form in her eyes. "If Joe is what makes you happy then be happy. I wish I could be the one to make you happy but if you truly loved me you wouldn't have sought the help of Joe to help you get pregnant you would have asked me or allowed it to happen between us. I get it, Audrey and I'm really sorry," he says as there are tears forming in his eyes.
"Scott," she says.
"No, Audrey, just be happy," he says and she can hear the hurt and pain in his voice. It breaks her heart for not having feelings for him she was feeling pretty heartbroken about him telling her to be happy with Joe. "And I know this may be asking too much but can you help me? Can you take my case, help me get out of jail time and then when I fix myself can you help me get my kids back?" he asks. "Help me get a better custody agreement?"
"I can," she says. "I can," she says before Joe appears at her door. She stands up. "Joe."
"Audrey," he says his dark eyes meeting hers. "Are you ready to go to the doctor?"
"Yeah," she says. "Scott, we'll talk okay?"
"Okay," he says as he stands up. "Thank-you."
"You're welcome," she says.
"Joe," he nods.
"Scott, I'm glad to see you're doing well. Hope that you get the help that you need," he says.
"I am," he says. "I am." He picks up his box and walks out of the room as Joe walks into the room and over to Audrey.
"Did he upset you?"
"No, he asked me to be his attorney and I am going to do it. I might be crazy but I am going to do it," she smiles.
"Good for you. I think he needs someone like you to take his case," he says.
"Thanks, so are you ready to go?"
"Yeah," she says grabbing her things before walking out of her office with him.
Audrey and Joe arrive at the fertility clinic where she was artificially inseminated for their first visit. She would find an OB/GYN once the pregnancy was confirmed by them for now she was using the fertility clinic. Audrey signs in and then takes a seat next to Joe. "It's been a long day."
"I can imagine," he says.
"I got offered partner if Scott doesn't come back and I have taken on all of his cases."
"How can you be partner with a baby, Audrey? Are we going to have a nanny for our child? If so then what was the point of putting in 2 grand to do this?" he asks.
"I haven't said yes or no and besides maybe Scott will come back. I don't know. I never thought I would be a mother to be honest but making partner has been a dream of mine. I don't know I have a lot to think about."
"Yes you do," he says with a snippy tone.
"Why do you have an attitude?" she asks.
"I don't mean to have an attitude but after everything I can't help but not to have one. If you are in a sexual relationship with Scott why didn't you ask him to get you pregnant, why did you go through this?" he asks, "and with me?"
"Joe, in all fairness I was just going to do an anonymous donor but you and I agreed to do this as friends I never thought I would develop feelings for you and that makes everything all the more complicated," she says. "I didn't plan for it to all happen like this and I am SO sorry."
"I never expected to get feelings for you either," he says, "it wasn't supposed to be this complicated."
"I know," she says before they call her back.
Joe and Audrey made their way to the back with the nurse. The nurse had Audrey pee in a cup so they could do their own pregnancy test along with a blood test to check her levels. "How are you doing today?" asks the nurse.
"We're okay," says Audrey. "Just ready to get this confirmed, I know they said it could be like 2 or 3 attempts but for it to happen at the first attempt I'm a little shocked. I just want to make sure it isn't a false positive."
"I understand," says the nurse, "but you should find out soon. The doctor will be right in we need you to change into this gown first."
"Thank-you," says Audrey with a smile. Once the nurse leaves the room she changes into the gown and waits for the doctor to arrive. Anxiousness and excitement runs through her body before the doctor comes in.
"Good afternoon Audrey and Joe," he says.
"Good afternoon," they say together.
"So," he begins, "usually it is unlikely for a pregnancy to happen on the first try of insemination process however we tested your urine and it came back positive. As far as we know you are pregnant but we want to do a blood test to determine your levels and we're going to do an ultrasound today to see how everything is going but congratulations. You two are having a baby," he says and Audrey smiles.
"Joe, we're having a baby!" she says as he stands up to hug her. "You're going to be a daddy."
"And you're going to be a Mommy," he says with a smile. "Congratulations."
"Congratulations to you too, Daddy," she smiles as she looks at the pride in his eyes and the pride covering his face. She sees the joy in his smile. She imagines she has the same pride and joy on her face. They share a hug with one another as the doctor watches on with a smile. Audrey and Joe are the only ones that don't see their connection, the love they show to one another that everyone else sees. It seemed as if they were a married couple celebrating and enjoying the news of a pregnancy instead of two best friends that used artificial insemination.
The doctor performs a blood test on Audrey before leaving the room. He comes back in a few minutes later with a chart. "Is everything okay?" asks Audrey.
"Your levels are just a little high," he says. "A little higher than usual."
"Is that a bad thing?" asks Joe.
"It does call for some concern because it could mean that there is more than one baby in the uterus."
"Um, excuse me?" asks Audrey. "How many are we talking here?"
"I don't know that's why we are going to do an ultrasound and go from there," he says.
"All right," she says nervously she signed up for one baby not more than that. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Joe moves over to stand next to her as the doctor prepares her for an internal ultrasound.
"All right," says the doctor as he begins the ultrasound and Joe takes Audrey's hand into his intertwining their fingers. Audrey cringes as the wand is inserted inside of her. He moves it around a little as Joe and Audrey look at the screen. "Well, I haven't seen this happen very often just in the cases of fertility treatments but this is something I haven't seen before not like this," he says.
"Is that what I think it is?" asks Audrey as she looks at the screen.
"Twins?" asks Joe.
"Well, you are indeed pregnant, pregnant with what looks like identical twins," says the doctor. "Surprise!" he says. "I have seen two eggs fertilized or more fertilized but that's obviously not what happened here. Do twins run in your family, Audrey?"
"Twins?" she asks. "We're having twins?" she asks again in shock this was a lot more than she bargained for. "Joe, we're having twins!" she says. He couldn't tell if she was happy or upset. Joe was just as shocked as she was. "TWO babies we're having two babies!" she says, "that explains a lot all that morning sickness no wonder it's so bad. And yes twins run in my family. My mom is a twin," she says. "Surprise, Joe we're getting TWO babies." She never even realized it was a possibility and then she broke down crying at the news.
*AN: What is Audrey doing with her life? She can't figure out if she wants to be with Scott or Joe, who would you choose? What about the possibility of her making partner with the firm? What do you think of Scott telling her to be happy? Do you think she should continue helping him? What about the pictures he had on his desk? What do you think about their surprise at their doctor's appointment? What do you think of them having twins? It obviously didn't go the way they expected. Please, please review and thank-you for reading.
