Alexis and Jerry were looking for a house. They had stayed in Alexis' penthouse apartment so far, but now that they had a family, in the form of their infant son Jaden, they were interested in something with a yard.
"I'll have to drive to the office in the mornings," said Alexis. "For the first time in years." Alexis had recently discovered one of the great boons of self-employment; she could have her own daycare right at the office. So far it had worked out all right; the only problem being when she had to go to court or to some other office for a deposition. She'd made do with Zander as babysitter, or hiring one from among the various teenagers she knew through Zander, or taking Jaden over to his grandparents, who were staying in town for the bulk of their time now, owing to the existence of their first grandson and two brand new daughters-in-law.
"You could do an office at home," Jerry said, "If you're interested in that."
"Nah, the clients coming there would freak me out," Alexis said.
Alexis and Jerry took Jaden to Oksana's, where he would be able to hang with his grandparents, his uncle and aunt, and various cousins, while they went out with Glen Hancock, the real estate agent.
"You be a good boy for Uncle Jax and Aunt Oksana," she addressed an uncomprehending Jaden.
Oksana took the baby from Alexis. "He is so sweet," she said of the baby.
Alexis kissed the baby.
"Bye, sport," said Jerry fondly.
Oksana was pleased that the baby did not cry. He just looked at Oksana and then grabbed her hair.
Oksana had thought about what Paul had told her. One thing stuck in her mind; he's your partner, not your little boy.
It occurred to Oksana maybe she hadn't quite had one of those before. She'd had two little boys. And Sergei was much older than she. He'd been her coach. She had tried to equal him. She thought of his as a mentor somehow, and then later, as their marriage fell apart, as a competitor, one she tried hard to beat and was proud of being able to beat, on occasion.
But a partner was a new sort of thing for her.
Jax was seven years younger and much more good natured than Sergei. She and he were rough equals in the business world. So she supposed, she had defaulted into seeing him as the little boy rather than the mentor or competitor.
She put the baby down in his little rocker, and talked to him for a little while. Jax came in and sat down next to her.
"Isn't this great?" Jax said. "And we can give him back later."
Oksana thought it was going to be a little harder. But she knew he was joking. Trying to make her feel better. Now he had to know that might not be necessary.
"I gotta tell you something," she blurted out.
"Sure," he said, putting his arm around her. His face showed that he could tell that whatever it was, it was serious.
Jaden grabbed at a little toy Oksana had. His little fingers wrapped around the little leg of the stuffed dog.
Oksana thought taking it a step at a time might help.
"I went to the doctor," she started to say.
"You're sick?"
"No," she said, taking her free arm and touching his. She was going about it wrong. She was usually so good at talking to people in business matters, that she had a tendency to assume she would be good at it in personal matters, too, and was often wrong.
His face went from alarmed to curious.
"Dr. Webber asked me if I could be - pregnant," she said, slowly. "I said no, she said it is better to check when it can be possible, and then she did the test to check, and . ."
He was not quite taking in her drift.
"Did she find something wrong?" he asked.
"Yes. No. I mean, she find - I am pregnant."
He was still staring.
"Now," she added. "Right now."
"You mean," he said.
"We have a baby," Oksana said.
His face started to soften, light up.
"Really?" he said, half questioning, half stating.
"Yes," she laughed. Jaden smiled and reached towards Jax. Jax took his little hand, and then took the baby as Oksana unconsciously handed him over.
"After all," he said.
"Yes," she smiled. "Is it OK?"
"Of course!" He looked at her. "It's just unexpected. Are you - are you glad?" he asked.
"Of course!" she answered. They both looked at each other, and then at the baby, and laughed.
