Chapter 9 - The Departure
"What in the blazes are you talking about," Arthur continued. Tommy put one hand on his desk and the other on the back of his chair. Tommy stood up. He didn't have his coat on. He couldn't hide behind his desk any longer. The slightly large waist band of his new trousers hugged just beneath the football sized orb. Tommy turned his head to look Arthur in the eye.
"Arthur, I'm having it, not Grace. The same child that we thought we lost," Thomas said slowly.
"That is not possible," said Arthur in disbelief as he backed away. Tommy's stomach was in view, but he refused to look at it. Panic took hold of Ada and she fled the room. Polly stood up in response to her departure.
"Well, I wasn't expecting her to leave," she said surprised. Tommy swallowed hard. He would have expected his brothers to flee, but Ada? She cut him deep.
"Nether was I," said Tommy sadly.
"Tommy, it has to be something else," John pleaded.
"It's not John, and what would you rather it be? A tumor?" Tommy spat.
"I don't believe this. I don't believe any of this!" declared Arthur.
"And I don't expect you to," Tommy simply put.
"What is that suppose to mean?" Arthur said insulted.
"It means, Arthur, that I honestly didn't expect anyone in this room to believe that a man could be pregnant," Tommy hissed in his face.
"Don't put those words together," Arthur winced.
"And why not, aye! Let's call a spade a spade!" exclaimed Tommy as he furiously put his coat on.
"Look, Tommy, it has to be something else," said John trying to keep the situation calm.
"Like what John?" Aunt Polly interjected. "It does not cease to amaze me the things men are scared of … and your sister I suppose," she added. "Now your brother just shared with you personal information. How often do you ever get that?" Polly added.
"Never again, that's for sure," said Tommy putting on his hat and locking up everything of importance in his desk.
"What are you doing?" Polly asked afraid.
"I am doing what I said I would be doing. Leaving."