Claire watches her son as he picks at the food on his plate. She carefully lays her fork aside, and takes a deep breath.
"You're being awfully quiet."
He looks up from his plate, "Sorry."
"Something on your mind."
"No," he lies.
"Is Wilhelmina feeling any better?"
"Somewhat."
"You could have brought her."
"You hate her."
"She's your wife," Claire points out.
"She's still not well enough to leave the apartment."
"She went to the doctor didn't she?"
"He told her that she just had a virus, and to rest, and drink lots of fluid."
"You can go, if you want."
"I'm fine."
"You seem preoccupied."
"Sorry. I didn't take the dog out before I left."
"Then go."
"No. It's fine."
"Daniel?"
"Hm?"
"What's on your mind? Trouble in paradise?"
"No," he shakes his head.
"Are you sure? You two weren't on the best terms for a while."
"We're fine now."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah," he nods.
"How are things going between the two of you?"
"Fine. No complaints."
"Really? I find that hard to believe."
"She's been really great to me."
"I doubt that."
"I'm serious."
"You really don't think that she's manipulating you?"
"I don't think so."
"What makes you so sure?"
"I just know?"
"How do you know? Wilhelmina is very talented at being deceptive."
"But I've known her long enough to know when she's playing me."
"Are you sure?"
"Mom..."
"I'm sorry. I guess I just don't want things to work out between the two of you."
"You're never going to be convinced that she's not pure evil, are you?"
"No," Claire answers quickly.
"You just don't know her like I know her."
"Just because you're sleeping with her, does not mean that you know her any better than anyone else."
"Why do you always have to be so negative? Why can't you just believe that things are going to work out? Would that be such a tragedy? It's it a crime for me to be happy...with her?"
"Daniel she's just not right for you."
"You don't know that."
"I'm your mother, I know a lot more than you think I do."
"You don't know as much as you think that you do."
"I don't want to argue about this."
"Can you please just try to be nice to her?"
"I have been trying."
"Try harder."
"Why are you so insistent that I like her?"
"I don't care if you like her or not, I just want you to try to be nice to her."
"Why?"
"Does it matter?"
"No, I guess not. Calm down."
"I'm sorry. I guess I'm just a little on edge. I didn't get much sleep last night."
"You were laying awake waiting for her to take the knife from under her pillow and stab you in the back?"
"Mom that's uncalled for."
"Sorry. Why didn't you sleep much?"
"I slept for a couple of hours, but I woke up when she jumped out of bed and ran to the bathroom."
"Daniel I'm not trying to intrude..." he shoots at look at her, she ignores him, and continues, "but I think you should make her get a second opinion. It's not normal for a virus to last this long, or be this nasty."
"She seems to be feeling a little bit better everyday."
"She's your wife, but she is Wilhelmina."
"What does that mean?"
"She's stubborn. Now that she's your wife," she nearly chokes on the word, "you have the leverage to make her do things that she doesn't want to do. Make her go see another doctor. There is something wrong."
"Ok," he agrees.
"Go home, try and take a nap."
"I doubt that's going to happen."
"Why not?"
"I've got too much on my mind."
"With work?"
"No," he shakes his head.
"With what?"
"I don't think I should tell you."
"Why not?"
"I value my life."
"Did you do something stupid?"
"I just don't think that you want to know."
"Why not? What did you do?"
"I didn't do anything, yet."
"What are you going to do?"
"I don't think it's a good idea for me to tell you."
"How bad can it be?"
"We've been discussing having a baby."
"Excuse me?"
"Wilhelmina and I have been talking about finding a surrogate, and having a baby."
"You're serious."
"Why wouldn't I be?"
"You really want to have a baby with her?"
"She's my wife."
"If you have children with her they'll be demon spawns."
"And on that note, I'm going to go."