"Jack I'm eight months pregnant; I am not going to play strip poker with you." I said as Jack and I entered the penthouse. Stan was out of the country on business and Jack offered to stay with me while he was gone.

"Come on Kare, you promised things wouldn't change between us just because you're having a baby. I should have known better." Jack said with a frown.

"Aw don't pout poodle, I can't play strip poker, but we can still have fun. Come sit with me and tell me what's new with you, we haven't talked in ages and I'm dying to know what's going on with your love life."

"Oh alright, there is a hottie I have my eye on down at the gym. He's an aerobics instructor. I've scheduled myself a few private instructions with him, so I'll let you know how it goes." Jack said with a devilish grin.

"How about you Karen, last time we talked things were pretty rough between you and the big guy, are things getting better."

"Ugh things are worse than ever. I think this business trip of his is just an excuse to get away from me for a little while. You know Jack, he would have done just about anything to get me to agree to have a baby, but it's different than I expected it to be. I thought he'd be doting on me and treating me special, but it seems like now that I'm pregnant he can't be bothered to do anything to make me happy. I feel so used, like all the talk about loving me was just a way to get me to agree to have a baby. I never would have gotten pregnant if Stan hadn't wanted it so badly, but now he doesn't even seem very interested."

"Karen I'm sorry things are so bad right now, I know there's nothing I can do, but I'm here for you. Anytime you need someone to talk to I'll be here to listen."

"Aw Jackie; my sweet Jackie boy," I said as I wiped a tear from my eye, "what would I do without you?"

"Now don't cry Karen, everything's going to be ok." Jack said as he wrapped his arms around me and held me while I began to sob. I didn't want him to see me like this, but Jack is the only person I was comfortable with expressing my emotions to.

"Jack I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do this in front of you." I said as I tried to wipe away at my tears. Jack handed me a tissue and rubbed my back as I tried to regain control of my emotions. "I don't know what it is with me I guess it must be the hormones."

"Karen, I'm just going to say this, I know you may not want to hear it, but I think you need to." I looked at him and nodded for him to continue. "Karen you can't live like this anymore. I think we both know there's more going on here than just an overabundance of hormones. You're miserable Karen and you've been miserable for a long time. The only difference now is that you don't have the drugs and alcohol to take the edge off of your misery. Marriage should be based on love and commitment, Stan manipulated you into having a baby, that's not what love is about. I'm not saying Stan is a bad man, but he is bad for you. You deserve better than this and so does he for that matter. I know you're afraid of what will happen if you file for a divorce, but Karen, I'm afraid of what's going to happen if you don't."

My head was spinning as I tried to take in everything Jack was saying. I knew he was right, but I couldn't divorce Stanley, I didn't have the nerve to do it.

"Karen, have you heard anything I've said?" Jack asked while I tried to think of something; anything to say in response.

"Jack you're right, I know you're right, but there's nothing I can do about it. I can't divorce him now. I'm eight months pregnant Jack, this is no time for me to file for divorce. I just need to get through this pregnancy and then I can think about what I want to do after the baby is here."

"But see Karen, that's just it, you won't do anything about it, you want to wait till the baby is here because you know once you give birth you can go back to drinking and drowning you're feelings again. If you want to kill yourself with this marriage that's up to you, but there's someone else's well being to think about now."

"Jack, you make it sound so easy, but it's not. I can't just pack up my bags and leave. I have no where to go. I have no money of my own, the second I walk out that door Stan will cut me off completely."

"If you knew everything would be ok would you leave him Karen?"

"In a heartbeat Jack," I said in a whisper.

"Then call him. Call him now and tell him how you feel. See if you can work something out. He's not going to leave you poor and destitute Karen, you are carrying his child and he has a responsibility there. But, I also think that deep down inside he does love you and he'll want to make sure you're taken care of."

"You're right Jack, you're right, but I'm afraid."

"Karen, it's ok to be afraid, it's not ok to be miserable, but it's ok to be afraid. Now are you going to call him?"

"Yeah, I'll call him I'll call him right now." I said as I gave him a tight hug. "You're a good friend Jack, no one else would have had the nerve to tell me what I needed to hear. I'm going to use the phone in the library I'll be back in a minute." I gave Jack one more quick hug before I started for the library.

My hands were trembling as I dialed the number to Stan's hotel in Hong Kong. The receptionist connected me to Stan's room and before I was ready to hear his voice he answered.

"Hi Stan", I said shakily. "I hope I didn't catch you at a bad time, I really need to talk to you."

"No" I said in response to his inquiry about the baby, "everything is fine with the baby it's us I wanted to talk about. I hate to do this over the phone Stan, I wish you were home so we could talk in person, but you're not. I'm going to make this quick, I want a divorce."

My statement was met with silence on the other end. "Stan I can't do this anymore." I whispered. "I've never been so unhappy in my entire life. This has nothing to do with the baby it has to do with us. Well, maybe in some ways it does have to do with the baby. I just want to be the best mother I can be and I don't think I can do that if I'm married to you. I love you Stan, but I'm not in love with you anymore. This marriage is toxic for the both of us, with my drinking and your overeating we're going to kill each other. We owe this baby something better than that."

Stan was silent for a long time but finally he admitted I was right and said he'd have the lawyer, meaning Will, draw up divorce papers. He promised me he would see that I and the baby were taken care of and said he wanted me to keep the penthouse.

I sat in silence for a few minutes after hanging up the phone and tried to relax. I could feel that my blood pressure had risen quite a bit and I wanted to slow it down before going out and telling Jack what had happened. Once I felt better I slowly got up and walked into the parlor where Jack was waiting.

"Karen you look flushed, is everything ok?" Jack asked as he grasped my hands and helped me over to the sofa.

"Jack everything is fine, better than fine actually. Stan agreed to the divorce and he said he'd make sure the baby and I were well taken care of. He even said I could keep the penthouse. He said he'd have Will draw up the divorce papers tomorrow."

"Karen that's great. I'm glad Will is going to be handling the divorce, he'll make sure everything is in order."

"Yeah, I'm relieved he'll be handling it too. Thank you Jack, I know I talk tough, but I never would have had the strength to do that with out your encouragement."

"You're welcome Karen. Now I want you to go upstairs and go to bed, you're exhausted."

"Alright Jackie, but I have a silly favor to ask. I know it's ridiculous, but I don't think I'll be able to sleep by myself tonight, would you mind camping out in my room with me? I may have some gay porn you can watch on the big screen." I said with a smirk.

"Sure Kare, as long as you promise not to put the moves on me, I know what the gay porn does to you."

"I promise to keep my hands to myself."

"Alright, it's a deal then. Oh and Karen, your water's not going to break or anything is it? Because you know there's only so much of this pregnancy I can stomach, if you know what I mean."

"I promise Jack, no inappropriate touching and no going into labor."

Jack put his arm around my back and held me close to him as we slowly walked up the stairs to my bedroom. At that moment I had more respect and admiration for him than I had ever felt toward another human being. Jack had just helped me through what had been the most difficult decision of my life and I owed him my life for it.