The knock at the door had him spring up quickly from his slumber. Martin ran his hand over his face and looked around the room. It was dark now, but he heard the knock and moved quickly to the door.

"Louisa," he said, opening it, very surprised to see her. He'd left her place, walked around the city to think, and he'd finally ended up back at his hotel, where he'd decided to rest his eyes a bit before doing anything more. Now, it was hours later, and he realized he'd had an extremely long nap. He felt even more tired than before if it was possible.

"Hello, Martin," Louisa said with a small nod as she pursed her lips. She nodded to him, "I'm disturbing you."

"Ahh, no," he said, frowning as he looked down at himself-dress pants and vest. He'd removed his shirt, tie, and coat to take his rest. He had also removed his shoes, a very unusual sight to see Martin somewhat of a disarray. He looked around the hallway, seeing no one else, which was to be expected, and then, he extended the doorway opening. "Come through."

"Thank you," Louisa said, stepping by him. Martin ran his hand over his face as she stepped by him, and he closed his eyes as he got a whiff of that perfume she wore. He never could remember it exactly, maybe Kenzo Flower? Yes, that was it. He opened his eyes and saw she was standing nervously in his room. It was a spacious room, the king size bed taking up most of it, but there was a small sitting area by the window. For London standards, it was a large room, but Martin did not travel often. When he did, he wanted a room that was spacious so he felt more comfortable.

He nodded to the sitting area, "Emm, make yourself comfortable," he told her. She pulled her handbag off her shoulder and nodded.

"Thank you, but I feel I'm interrupting," she told him.

"I was just resting," he explained, looking around for his shirt. He remembered it was hanging in the lavatory, and as much as he wanted to pause the entire conversation to find it, he also didn't feel it was the best idea.

"I could freshen up," he gestured, his thumb hooking toward the lavatory.

"No need on my account, Martin," Louisa said, sitting down. "I'm sorry to wake you. I can tell you were sleeping."

"Yes, I hadn't realized I fell asleep. Did you, ahh, get some rest?" Martin asked, moving to the sitting area himself, where he sat in an upright arm chair across from the small sofa.

"A bit," she admitted. "I'm still tired, but I'm glad that my energy levels are starting to return. For several weeks, I was knackered all the time. I tried to tell myself it was just the rush of the holiday season and working two jobs and all, but I'm kidding myself if I don't admit that the pregnancy has really sent me spinning. I'm just glad that I'm starting to feel a bit better." With that, she gave him a small nod. Martin nodded and remained silent.

With her sitting there now across from him, no tables in the way and knowing the secret she'd been carrying around, literally and figuratively, he could see the slight changes in Louisa's figure. He always noticed each detail of her, memorized those details quite honestly, but he could see her changing figure. His eyes seemed to focus on her midsection which with her slim build, was changing rather quickly. She had a very visible bulge there now, partly due to how she was sitting and partly due to the solid navy dress she still had on.

"Ahh," he cleared his throat, realizing he needed to tread lightly here, "your medical, you are taking your vitamins and all yes?"

"Yes, Martin," she said, frowning slightly. "Just to answer what is probably your next question, they are watching my anemia. They might have me start taking something for that."

Martin's eyes flew open, "It's that low?"

Louisa picked at her dress, her way of deflecting the conversation, but she briefly glanced at him, her eyes telling Martin that it was, "It's on the low side," she admitted. "My doctor here wants improvement by next visit or yes, he's going to add something."

"Who is your doctor?" Martin asked, not expecting to know the person.

"My doctor is fully qualified, Martin," Louisa sighed. "I'm doing everything to take care of my baby."

"It's my baby too," he snapped quickly.

She looked at him, surprised, and she shook her head, "I'm sorry, but earlier today, you made it quite clear that you didn't want to be a father, not now, not ever."

"I DID NOT say that!" Martin exclaimed, his eyes widening.

"You told me the story about your father, that horrid story," she said sighing and shaking her head. "You said that you decided you would never do that, have children."

"I also said," Martin interrupted her before she could continue, "that nothing in my life has turned out how I expected. Nothing, Louisa. I expected to be a top surgeon in London the rest of my life. With that, I was resigned to the idea I wouldn't marry. I was committed to my work, to my patients. Everything changed, and I mean everything, Louisa, when I had to move to Portwenn. Not only did I have to rescue what was left of my career, I had to completely change everything I knew; Portwenn is about as far from London as one can be. Nothing was the same. I left my colleagues and all the comforts of London I'd grown accustomed to, but I did it to save myself and my career."

"It doesn't change what you said, what you believe, Martin," Louisa sighed. She bit her lip and looked down.

"It does, though," he admitted. "I also met you, Louisa," he said softly, his eyes changing as he looked at her. She wouldn't look at him, but he continued speaking anyway. "I met the most opinionated woman in that village, and she did change everything for me and is still doing so."

Louisa looked up briefly, and Martin continued to look at her, sitting across from her in his chair. She closed her eyes and let out a deep breath, "Martin, I told you about the baby because you do have a right to know. Regardless of how things ended with us, I won't keep something like this from you. It doesn't change that we are not a good fit."

"Louisa," Martin said in his low voice, the voice that actually did get her to look at him. He looked directly at her, "I never say the right things, but I do love you."

"I know you do, Martin. Thank you for saying that. I know that it isn't easy for you. I love you too, but as we talked when we called off the wedding, it's just not enough," she said sadly, shaking her head. "We can barely get through a conversation without wanting to shoot daggers at each other. I think we need to come to terms with the idea that sometimes two people are not meant to be together. They are just too different."

Martin looked down, not wanting to challenge her words, but he had to look away because he wasn't sure he agreed with her. He was glad he'd told her how he felt, but she'd turned that around, telling him it wasn't enough. He hated feelings. He hated discussing them. Happiness, love-all of it. He just mucked it all up and couldn't understand why women-Louisa, in particular because she was the woman who irritated him beyond belief-continued to analyze and reanalyze feelings. To him, it was simple. You told the person how you felt, and that was it. Why did it have to be discussed over and over?

"What do you want, Louisa?" Martin finally asked, looking her in the eye. His direct tone almost surprised her, putting her on the spot with why she'd come to his hotel.

"Well," she said, smoothing her hands over her legs as she thought for a moment, "I did come by to talk to you about some practicalities and such."

"Yes, money," he said with a grunt. "Hmm."

Louisa held up her hand, "I'm not here to shake you down for money, Martin. Plenty of mums do everything on their own just fine."

"That wasn't what I was inferring!" Martin exclaimed. "It's quite the opposite. I do want to provide, provide whatever you and the child need. Can we discuss you coming back to Portwenn?"

"No," she said firmly, locking eyes with him. "If I may ask, I do not want the villagers to know. This is my business."

He gave her an odd glance, "It's mine too."

"Not the same way," she shook her head. "That's my village. It's one thing that I'm a single mum carrying your child. I don't want to go back to Portwenn. I'll never be out of the gossip circles. I'm still linked to my father for the crimes he committed, and everyone still grumbles about how my mum left my dad for another man. No," she shook her head, "I need to make a break from the village. I won't give them more gossip. My baby, and I'm not going back there."

Martin frowned and tilted his head, "Louisa, I expect people will find out."

"Not from me and certainly not from you," she huffed, giving him a look.

"I don' think you are being reasonable," he said. "You're staying away from your home, determined to stay in London, a city you hate, just to keep your pride? That's feminist point scoring if I've heard it!"

"My decision, Martin," Louisa huffed.

"What about Joan? She's a villager, but she's family," Martin asked.
Louisa waved her hand and looked away, "Joan is fine, Martin, provided she can keep the information to herself. I expect she will."

"Yes," Martin said with a nod. "Ahh, thank you."

Louisa looked up at that touch of civility and nodded to him, "You're welcome."

"Are you really staying in London?" Martin asked.

"Yes," Louisa said through clenched teeth. "You aren't going to stop me. My school is okay. It's adequate at least."

"I insist you find a new flat," Martin said, locking eyes with her.

"I can't afford it, Martin! I can't expect you to know how expensive London is on your posh salary, but my flat is just fine, thank you very much. I don't need more space," she said with a snarky tilt of her head.

"Until you do!" Martin exclaimed. "Louisa, the two of us could barely sit in your flat together. What are you going to do when the baby arrives? You'll need a cot, a changing area, and well," he started to get flustered, "not to mention all of the other baby things a baby needs! There's nowhere to put it."

"Him or her, not it," Louisa jumped on his final pronoun instead of addressing his very valid points.

"Louisa, THE BABY," Martin said, enunciating the words, "deserves better than that. You have to agree. That is where I insist on helping."

Louisa looked to him, horrified, "What do you mean?"

Martin shrugged, "You want to stay here, fine. I won't stop you, but that is my child you are carrying, and I don't want it making friends with the local bugs in your flat. I am more than prepared to set you up in a proper flat. I should be providing for the child too, and that is one way I can do so."

Louisa narrowed her eyes, "So, you want to be involved then?"

"What choice do I have?" Martin asked her.

"Just great, Martin," Louisa said crossing her arms. She looked down as she did, uncrossing them because that movement just seemed to accentuate her changing curves in ways she didn't want to accentuate them right now.

"You're not understanding me!" Martin exclaimed. "Yes, I'll do whatever is necessary. Louisa, you know me well enough that I do not shirk away from responsibility. This," he gestured to her with his hand, "is ahh, my, ahh, doing, and yes, I will provide for the child."

Louisa narrowed her gaze again, "What kind of involvement do you want?"

"I don't know," Martin said honestly. "I suppose that a proper place to live and a proper education would be things I insist upon."

"A proper education will not include sending my baby off to boarding school at six!" Louisa exclaimed.

"I didn't say it would!" Martin fired back. The two grew quiet and just looked across the room at nothing in particular, both avoiding eye contact.

Finally, in his quite tone reserved for Louisa, Martin tried again, "Louisa," he said waiting for her to meet his gaze. She finally did, and he continued. "Would you please allow me to find a suitable flat for you? Please," he added. "I will work hard not to convey my opinions on everything, but that is one thing I insist. I promise to keep my opinions of your pregnancy to myself and only interject if I feel there is medical negligence."

Louisa raised her eyebrows, realizing what a huge promise that was. She thought a moment, "So, you would not comment on my prenatal choices or decisions?"

He nodded in agreement, "I'll do my very best, promise. I will offer comments only if there is medical negligence."

"Alright," she nodded, "because good. I'd decided to do a home water birth."

Martin's eyes flew open, and his mouth dropped open. His face turned red, and he couldn't hold it in, "Louisa!"

"Ahh, Martin," Louisa pointed to him. He snapped his mouth closed, and he closed his eyes. She started to chuckle a few seconds later. "That was good, Martin. You do seem serious." He looked at her, and she was for the first time, smiling, "I was only joking. It was a joke, Martin. I know you would not think a home water birth was medically safe."

"It was a joke?" Martin asked, the color in his face returning to normal. Louisa nodded, a small smile still on her lips.

"Yes, Martin, and I'm sorry about that. I did need to see if you were serious, though, about keeping your opinions to yourself," she admitted. "I'm not looking for a handout. I'm fine on my own."

"This is not a handout, Louisa," Martin frowned. "I did not appreciate the joke, but I do feel strongly about a suitable place for you to live. I don't like your flat. I don't like that area, and it doesn't seem as safe as I would prefer. You and the baby need to be somewhere that is larger and safe. Besides," he said his eyes meeting hers, "your home water birthing tub would not fit in your current flat."

Louisa's eyes opened widely, and she grinned, "That was a joke, Martin, very good!"

"Yes," he said, dropping his head again. "Ahh, this baby, all of this, though, Louisa, is not a joke, not a laughing matter."

"No, Martin," Louisa said, serious again, "it's not. I did want to apologize for earlier. I know I dropped all of this on you. I didn't really know how to tell you, but it's all in the open now."

He grunted and looked to her, "I'm sorry about it all," he frowned. "I'm usually more responsible."

"Oh?" Louisa asked, glancing around like she would see someone. "I see, so are there other little Martins then probably running around London?"

"No!" Martin exclaimed, realizing how his statement had sounded. "That's not what I meant. Err, ahh, Louisa, no, I am not like that."

Louisa sighed, "I know Martin. I know. It was another joke."

"I simply meant that I do not like to make medical mistakes, and this," he gestured to her with a nod, "ahh, very life altering medical mistake."

"I will say," Louisa started and then cleared her throat, "I cried for days when I found out. Here I was-alone and pregnant in London, having a baby with my ex. It wasn't exactly the fairy tale I'd imagined. Leaving Portwenn, I planned on a fresh start, was determined to find a good job and really put myself out there, to find a good man." She looked over at Martin who was red now and squirming. "Sorry," she corrected herself, "I realize how that sounds too. You are a good man, Martin. I just need to find someone who makes me happy, who wants to be married. With this now," she patted her stomach, "I suppose that changes all my dreams, my plans. I'll be a single mum, and it will be just fine."

"Louisa, I really think we should discuss other alternatives-" Martin started to say, but Louisa cut him off.

"This is my decision, Martin. It's quite simple, as I told you. You don't make me happy, and as you've said in different ways, I don't make you happy. We can learn how to be parents together."

Martin looked away and grumbled, finally swallowing the lump in his throat. The room was quiet again, and he finally spoke, "Is it agreed, though, that you will allow me to provide a suitable flat for you?"

Louisa narrowed her gaze and stared at him for several seconds. She finally let out her breath, "I will, with conditions," she said putting up her hand.

"I already stated I would hold my tongue on medical decisions for now," he admitted.

"Yes, and thank you for that," she said with a nod. "I would like to live near my school. Whatever flat you find needs to be near the school. In fact, I'll be glad to find my own flat."

"No," he shook his head. "Out of the question, you finding it, not the school bit. I'll search for one near your school, but quite frankly, I want it to be up to my standard. I insist on that for you and the baby. Safety, security, and cleanliness are top priorities."

"Do I get any other say in this flat?" Louisa asked.

"Such as?" Martin asked her back.

"I feel I should pay for it, but I can't afford it, Martin," she told him.

"That's why I'm finding the flat. It's for you," he told her. "If you are so stuck on money because I know you are, you may contribute the same rent you are paying now. I'm not asking for that at all, and whatever money you feel you need to contribute, I'm only going to turn around and put into an account for the baby's future, schooling or whatnot."

"Martin, that's ridiculous and unnecessary!" Louisa exclaimed.

"So is feeling you need to pay for the flat," he told her. "Look, Louisa, I'm giving you some of the latitude you want, but you will do the same for me. It is my child you are carrying, and I can want the best too."

"Even if you don't want the baby?" Louisa asked.

Martin pursed his lips, "A baby was not in my plans. A baby was not in your plans. As you pointed out, you wanted to come to London and find a worthy man," he said, rolling his eyes. "Plans change, Louisa, as I was trying to explain earlier today. With the new course, we need to work out the new plans until they change again. We don't know when that will be or what plan will change, but for now, yes, I'll find a suitable flat near your school. It will have a proper two-bedroom setup for you and the child. Is that satisfactory?"

Louisa gave him a small smile and nod, "Thank you, Martin, but I will be paying for the monthly rent as I normally would."

"Fine," Martin said with a small shrug. "I'll get an account set up for you to deposit that money each month. The money will sit there, untouched, for the future until the child needs it."

"It's really not-" Louisa started to say.

"Look at it this way, Louisa," Martin eyed her. "You can tell the child the money that has been saved is all yours for the child, that you put that money away each month. I don't care what you tell the child, but that is what I'm going to do with it."

Louisa shook her head but remained silent. They were both stubborn. Both knew it, but neither would challenge the points they had discussed. Louisa yawned and covered her mouth with her hand.

"Have you eaten?" Martin asked, eyeing her.

"No, I'll best be going," she said as she stood. "Thank you, Martin. I am glad we could talk like normal adults."

"Yes," he said as he stood. "Ahh, Louisa, it's too late for you to get home and prepare supper. Why don't I order something here, and we can both eat before you go. We can both get a proper meal and maybe discuss a few other things?"

Louisa gave him an odd look, "Martin, I don't want to interrupt your evening dinner. I know you are very particular about when and where you eat."

"Here in the room is fine," he nodded. "The restaurant downstairs is satisfactory. Would that be satisfactory with you?"

"Ahh, yes, fine," she nodded. "Can I request no fish, at least for me? It's been making me queasy." Martin gave her a horrified look, wondering how his favorite food could do such a thing, but he nodded. She spoke again, starting with a chuckle, "Would be quite ironic if your child, Martin, hated fish, hmm? Maybe the little one is telling me that."

"Highly illogical," Martin shook his head. "The baby will learn to eat many things."

"Just joking, Martin," Louisa chuckled. "It is quite funny, though, being pregnant with your child and not being able to stand fish."

"Hmm," he said. He walked to the room phone and picked it up, "Steak, yes? I thought with your iron levels-"

Louisa's eyes widened in surprise, "What about your blood phobia? You couldn't stand to watch me eat steak as I like it the few times I ate it around you. What a sight we are-I can't stand the smell of fish, and you can't stand the sight of blood."

"I'll be fine," he said quickly, his eyes locking on hers. "Steak is good for you and the child. I will deal with it, just as you have to deal with this pregnancy. I suspect we are both forcing ourselves to do things we'd rather not."

"Agreed on that," Louisa said with a nod. "Yes, then, steak. Thank you," she gave him a small smile.

Martin turned to the phone, "Yes, steak dinner-medium rare. Yes, the rice and vegetables are fine with that," he said into the phone as he looked to Louisa for approval. She nodded. He continued, "Ahh, your house soup is fine along with a salad too, please. Yes, yes," he said into the phone answering them. "Cheese and apples for afters and ahh," he looked to Louisa and then continued, "do you have custard? Yes, that too, please, fine."

He hung up, and Louisa shook her head, "You don't like custard."

"You told me it's your favorite," he said.

"It is," Louisa nodded with a smile. "Thank you, Martin. I know you believe things like custard are empty calories."

"Yes," he nodded. "I do believe that. Your weight with the pregnancy is satisfactory, and I know you would enjoy the indulgence tonight. It's been a long day."

Louisa wanted to roll her eyes at the weight comment, but he was already moving about the room, heading toward the lavatory to collect his shirt. She narrowed her gaze as he walked away, "I hope that this new flat you are going to find for me has a grocer nearby. I'm suspecting I'll fancy chocolate digestives almost daily during the pregnancy, and I am so glad you won't be commenting on my medical choices then."

Martin froze in his movements. She could see he wanted to turn around and address that, but to her surprise, he started walking again and just uttered, "Yes."