The infant grasped his finger tightly in its own, looking deeply into his eyes. He cooed, and Cory realized that he had never felt so much love for someone before in his life... Even the child's own mother.
In the corner of the room, Topanga stood with her back toward Shawn, his arms planted firmly on her waist. Together, they watched Cory bond with the baby - Michael - knowing that this was where their future would get even more difficult.
"He's beautiful... Isn't he, Cory?" Topanga asked, breaking the awkward silence. She thought it might be best to take her husband's attention off of the baby and bring him back down to earth - where they needed to discuss what would now happen.
"I can't believe he's really... really mine," Cory replied. He placed the baby back in its bassinet, returning his attention back to his wife and best friend. "So... What do we do now? Now that baby's mine?"
"Well, that's what we wanted to talk to you about," Topanga said, stepping forward. Shawn tried to follow, but she motioned for him to stay behind. "I wanted you to meet your son, and then discuss what we're going to do."
"Oh, I see," Cory began, "You didn't call me down here to celebrate the birth of our son... OUR son, Topanga. Not yours and Shawn's. You wanted me to visit you to tell me you want sole custody of Michael."
"Now Cory, that's not true. Please, stop jumping to conclusions." Topanga always knew how to calm him down, and she was positive that he would need a lot of calming today. "Now, listen to me. We just want to make sure... where you stand with the baby. Are you going to try and take him under your full custody?"
"Topanga, you know I wouldn't do that. It's not like I hate you. I hate what you're doing, but I could never hate you. A baby needs to be with its mother AND father."
"What are you suggesting?" Topanga asked. "Cory, I already told you that I'm moving out of our apartment to live with Shawn. We're going to be together. I can't stay with you."
"I know... I know. I just hate this pain you're putting everyone through. Me, you, Shawn, the baby... We're ALL suffering, and I don't know why you can't see that."
"Of course, I see it," Topanga said. "Do you know how much it's killing me to hurt you like this? As much as you probably don't believe me right now, I DO still love you, Cory. You will always be one of my best friends; we've experienced everything together, and I wouldn't want it any other way. And I'm really sorry things worked out like this."
"Me, too."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Topanga sat at the foot of the bed, her hands rubbing her arms fiercely, as if she was cold. But she wasn't cold; she just couldn't stop thinking about what she and Shawn had done to Cory; how hurt her husband must be, in that apartment all by himself... Without his son.
Together, Shawn, Cory, and Topanga had worked out a system. Cory would have custody of Michael every other weekend. They all felt it was more important for a baby to be with its mother most of the time. When Michael was older, they decided, they would work out a new system that permitted him to visit Cory more often. Cory was also going to be allowed to visit his son any time he wanted.
"Hey, it'll be okay," Shawn said, sitting on the bed next to Topanga. He rubbed her shoulder lovingly and kissed her on the cheek. "Cory seems fine with this arrangement, for now, and there's no reason he'd fight for sole custody right now."
Topanga looked over at the crib next to the bed, where Michael lay, sound asleep and snoring softly. "I know. Sometimes, I just wonder if we're doing the right thing. I never wanted to hurt him."
"I know, you didn't. Neither did I. But at least he'll still talk to you in the future. I'm his horrible best friend who stole his wife and kid, remember?"
"You're not horrible, Shawn. And it's not your fault I fell in love with you."
"Still... Maybe you should get some sleep. It's our first night hoe with the baby. Our first night home alone together without you being pregnant..." He raised his eyebrows, and Topanga giggled, playfully pushing him away.
"Why, whatever are you talking about, Shawn Hunter?"
"Why, nothing," he replied, nuzzling her neck, kissing her softly up and down her shoulders.
"You know, Shawn..." Topanga began, "This is the first time we've... you know... since the night Cory and I got into that fight."
"Oh," Shawn sighed, backing away, but Topanga pulled him closer. "What, you still want to?"
Topanga laughed. "Of course, silly. I guess I just said that because... well... Now we're together, and everyone knows about it. I guess I'm just a little nervous."
"Honestly, so am I," Shawn said, entwining his fingers in hers and staring into her eyes. "I love you, Topanga."
"I love you, Shawn."
In the corner of the room, Topanga stood with her back toward Shawn, his arms planted firmly on her waist. Together, they watched Cory bond with the baby - Michael - knowing that this was where their future would get even more difficult.
"He's beautiful... Isn't he, Cory?" Topanga asked, breaking the awkward silence. She thought it might be best to take her husband's attention off of the baby and bring him back down to earth - where they needed to discuss what would now happen.
"I can't believe he's really... really mine," Cory replied. He placed the baby back in its bassinet, returning his attention back to his wife and best friend. "So... What do we do now? Now that baby's mine?"
"Well, that's what we wanted to talk to you about," Topanga said, stepping forward. Shawn tried to follow, but she motioned for him to stay behind. "I wanted you to meet your son, and then discuss what we're going to do."
"Oh, I see," Cory began, "You didn't call me down here to celebrate the birth of our son... OUR son, Topanga. Not yours and Shawn's. You wanted me to visit you to tell me you want sole custody of Michael."
"Now Cory, that's not true. Please, stop jumping to conclusions." Topanga always knew how to calm him down, and she was positive that he would need a lot of calming today. "Now, listen to me. We just want to make sure... where you stand with the baby. Are you going to try and take him under your full custody?"
"Topanga, you know I wouldn't do that. It's not like I hate you. I hate what you're doing, but I could never hate you. A baby needs to be with its mother AND father."
"What are you suggesting?" Topanga asked. "Cory, I already told you that I'm moving out of our apartment to live with Shawn. We're going to be together. I can't stay with you."
"I know... I know. I just hate this pain you're putting everyone through. Me, you, Shawn, the baby... We're ALL suffering, and I don't know why you can't see that."
"Of course, I see it," Topanga said. "Do you know how much it's killing me to hurt you like this? As much as you probably don't believe me right now, I DO still love you, Cory. You will always be one of my best friends; we've experienced everything together, and I wouldn't want it any other way. And I'm really sorry things worked out like this."
"Me, too."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Topanga sat at the foot of the bed, her hands rubbing her arms fiercely, as if she was cold. But she wasn't cold; she just couldn't stop thinking about what she and Shawn had done to Cory; how hurt her husband must be, in that apartment all by himself... Without his son.
Together, Shawn, Cory, and Topanga had worked out a system. Cory would have custody of Michael every other weekend. They all felt it was more important for a baby to be with its mother most of the time. When Michael was older, they decided, they would work out a new system that permitted him to visit Cory more often. Cory was also going to be allowed to visit his son any time he wanted.
"Hey, it'll be okay," Shawn said, sitting on the bed next to Topanga. He rubbed her shoulder lovingly and kissed her on the cheek. "Cory seems fine with this arrangement, for now, and there's no reason he'd fight for sole custody right now."
Topanga looked over at the crib next to the bed, where Michael lay, sound asleep and snoring softly. "I know. Sometimes, I just wonder if we're doing the right thing. I never wanted to hurt him."
"I know, you didn't. Neither did I. But at least he'll still talk to you in the future. I'm his horrible best friend who stole his wife and kid, remember?"
"You're not horrible, Shawn. And it's not your fault I fell in love with you."
"Still... Maybe you should get some sleep. It's our first night hoe with the baby. Our first night home alone together without you being pregnant..." He raised his eyebrows, and Topanga giggled, playfully pushing him away.
"Why, whatever are you talking about, Shawn Hunter?"
"Why, nothing," he replied, nuzzling her neck, kissing her softly up and down her shoulders.
"You know, Shawn..." Topanga began, "This is the first time we've... you know... since the night Cory and I got into that fight."
"Oh," Shawn sighed, backing away, but Topanga pulled him closer. "What, you still want to?"
Topanga laughed. "Of course, silly. I guess I just said that because... well... Now we're together, and everyone knows about it. I guess I'm just a little nervous."
"Honestly, so am I," Shawn said, entwining his fingers in hers and staring into her eyes. "I love you, Topanga."
"I love you, Shawn."