Chapter theme song: "It Kills Me" by: Melanie Fiona
Phoebe
"Helga, are you sure it's alright?"
She blew a raspberry before downing her virgin daiquiri. I watched her rub her swollen tummy as she traced the outlines of her son's feet. He had been a lot more active now that it was almost time for Helga to give birth. She could barely sleep for more than three hours before he would grow restless. I smiled in remembrance of when I was pregnant. Haruhi was a restless baby as well when it was a few weeks in before my time to finally deliver. I would be up most of the night begging for her to go to sleep so I could. "Phoebes, chill out will ya'?" Helga burped. "God I hate how potent Arnold is. I just had our first son eight months ago and now I am pregnant again!"
I giggled, cradling little Arnold in my arm. He had his mother's beautiful eyes and Arnold's odd-shaped head. His hair was a sandy blonde-brown, with creamy ivory complexioned skin. He smiled, drooling lightly on my blouse but I did not mind in the least. Little Arnold was such a handsome young man. "Oh, Helga, Arnold is so cute. If you ever need a babysitter, you let me know."
"Oh believe me Phoebes, I will." She huffed, grabbing a handful of tortilla chips. She munched loudly while trying to fix the hem of her skirt. Helga hated maternity wear and insisted that if she ventured into the plus-size section more often than others she would be able to find things that not only had style but would be comfortable. Much to Helga's disappointment, she received the style and flare she had hoped for but was missing the practicality and comfort of it all. Much of her clothes did not come with an elastic waistband and Helga grew tired of wearing her single pair of sweatpants every other day. The color was beginning to fade as the more she grew in size, the more her thighs would come closer together; causing them to rub against one another more frequently. Almost all of Helga's pants had holes in the thigh part and watching her get frustrated about it was the best part. I insisted she could have my maternity clothes but she declined the offer.
"Godammit, I have another hole in my pants!" she roared, huffing as she tried to maneuver around her belly to survey the damage. I giggled, setting little Arnold down in his crib before coming to the aid of my best-friend.
"Helga, I told you to invest in maternity fashion."
"I'm a widely acclaimed author, Phoebes. My books are bigger than that Stephanie Meyer chick. You think I could walk around in some frumpy old maternity clothes to my sold-out book signings? Absolutely not." She answered for me. I smiled. "Besides, if Arnold would stop having super sperm I wouldn't be pregnant again after just having our first child."
"You are going to have two sons, Helga!" I squealed. I trotted over to her, rubbing her belly before lightly kissing it. I was genuinely happy for Helga. After years of stalking and terrorizing Arnold, she finally got her fairytale ending of a happy marriage and a loving family. If only mine were as simple and joyous… "I know Arnold is excited."
"Yeah, yeah." She dismissed, biting into a piece of leftover banana cake from her baby shower. "Ol' football head is estatic. He wants one more baby, a girl this time, but I told him let's wait until little Arnold is at least two before we bring another baby into the world. I want to be able to have raunchy sex at least one last time before I begin to put up the plywood. Having kids back to back is no walk in the park I tell you that." She took another bite.
I laughed. "Well, both ways, I am happy for you and I am so excited to meet my second god-child."
Helga smirked. "So, back to you Phoebes, what are you so freaked out about?"
I sighed, taking a seat next to Helga before I crashed into the cushion of my sofa. I removed a few of the stray streamers and half-deflated balloons. I kept staring at the 'IT'S A BOY' banner; trying to gather my thoughts. I figured Helga would persuade Arnold into asking him but I never thought he would actually say yes to me. I figured he would either pass me along to one of his partners in his firm or suggest someone he knew. I did not think, in a million years, he would actually say yes into taking on my case. I groaned, placing my hood over my head from my sweatshirt. I heard Helga stifle a small snicker.
"That bad, huh?" I nodded. I heard her shift to get closer to me. "Phoebes, don't worry about it. Gerald is a grown man and I am quite sure he knows that you know this is strictly business."
"But I overheard Arnold tell you that his fiancée wanted to darn near kill me when she found out I asked for his help."
"Correction, Phoebes." She snapped. "I asked ol' football head to ask tall-hair boy, not you. His prissy fiancée can take her issues up with me if she doesn't shove them up her…"
"Helga!" I shouted, giving her a stony look. I turned my gaze to meet the innocent one of little Arnold's. He was smiling at me, giggling softly as he laid on his back playing with his bare feet. "Children are present."
"He is too young to understand much anyway." Helga swatted, taking another handful of chips. "Besides, what does it matter what she thinks? Gerald is just helping you keep Haruhi, that's all."
"But as his future wife, she has every right to be a little suspicious about me."
Helga gave a light nod, thinking before she signed off in approval. "True, but just because you two are exes does not mean you two are not friends. You all were friends way before you two hopped in the sack together."
"Helga!" I squeaked, growing crimson in embarrassment. She laughed. "Not in front of the children."
"Yeah, yeah."
I sighed, pouring more cream into Mr. Phillips' coffee. I gave it a light twirl with my stirrer before I skated back over to his stool. He sat idly reading his newspaper. "Here is your coffee, Mr. Phillips. Just that way you like it."
"Four sugars and a whole mess of cream, my dear Phoebe?" I nodded, smiling. He returned the favor, along with a crisp five dollar bill that I earned as my daily tip. Mr. Philips always tipped me every evening after he had his usual breakfast special, small slice of cherry pie, and his piping cup of coffee to soothe himself after a long day at the office. "Thanks, doll."
I winked. "Thank you, Mr. Phillips. Let me know if you need anything else."
I did a quick authenticity check- there have been a lot of fake currency floating around the diner lately- and quickly made my way over to the booth in the far left corner. I took a moment to let my hair down from my god-awful top bun and untied my apron. I announced to Suzie, my supervisor, that I was going to take my fifteen and waited for her to grunt in response like she normally does. I plopped down in the torn seat cushions before I took the crisp five dollar bill Mr. Phillips had given me and slid it on the table. I watched him look up from his stack of papers, confused.
"It's for you." I spoke sweetly. I took out my tips for the day and counted out a cool two-fifty. I was impressed with my earnings as it being the highest amount of tips I earned in a single day. I was proud of myself but also silently screaming at the fact that I had to let it all go just as quickly as I earned it. "I have more too at home if you want me to give it to Helga to give to Arnold."
I watched him smirk, pushing my five dollar bill back towards me. "Keep it."
I placed the rest of my tip money on top of the bill, pushing it back towards him. "No, I insist. You were kind enough to take on my case pro-bono and I want to at least give you something."
"I appreciate it, Phoebe, really but you don't need to give me anything. I want to help you."
I paused to look at him for a minute. I would have almost felt offended if I did not recognize the sincerity in his eyes and the genuineness in this smooth, deep husky voice. As much as I knew Gerald did not want nor need the money, I still felt guilty abusing his services for my benefit on the mere fact that we are exes. Gerald was a top-notch lawyer and I wanted him to know I greatly appreciated his help. He refused me serving him free food from the diner and did not want any of my tip money. Even the coffee he was quietly sipping on he paid for out of his own pocket. "But you don't want anything from me."
"Exactly." He deadpanned, getting back to reading over my case. Kato's lawyer sent over some classified legal documents expressing Kato's desire to have mediation with both our lawyer present to avoid having to resort to actually going to court. Kato's laundry list of demands was clear: he wanted Haruhi to live with him for a year or two in Japan and wanted to revise the court order than I had sole physical custody. Kato felt I was not only unfit financially to raise a child but also mentally and emotionally as well. He recently found out about my prescription drug and Benadryl addiction and used that-as well as my unsteady employment, unreliable source of income, and psychological history- against me. "So, about this mediation…"
"It's complete crap." I muttered. "He can't do this to me, can he?"
Gerald heaved a heavy sigh, searching through his documents. Both he and I know Kato was not as squeaky clean as his lawyer made him out to be but without concrete evidence, it was nothing but a bunch of hearsay. "The meditation is a step before actual court where both parties aim to find some common ground." He paused. "Are you sure you don't want to reconsider having Haruhi live with him for a while? You could demand that she only live there in Tokyo for six months while the remainder of the year she lives with you here."
"Of course not!" I barked. "She is my daughter."
"There is a pile of incriminating evidence against you Phoebe." There was a small pause, he beginning to shuffle through his endless supply of notes and files. "Kato has it out for you. Prescription drug addictions, records of psychiatric hospitalizations, written and signed documents disclosing scandalous events in your marriage…" he trailed off, not wanting to say more. He was referring to our affair. "Phoebe, consider his position."
"Why on earth would I want that?!" I defended, getting irritated. "Gerald, how could you even suggest such a thing? You and I both know I am no drug addicted lunatic."
"Phoebe…"
"Haruhi deserves to be with her mother!"
"Calm down, Phoebe. I am on your side." He breathed, closing his manila folder. He pushed it aside near the sugar canister before he stood to sit next to me on my side of the booth. Wrapping me in his arms, he cradled me close. I inhaled his scent, becoming senseless from his mahogany and citrus aroma from the mixture of his cologne and his personal fragrance. I have not been in Gerald's arms in over eight months, the last time being right after we made love for the final time after a spur of the moment picnic we planned on our drive towards the country side. We stopped off at a convenience store and grabbed whatever fresh food they had that did not look too wilted. After about another forty minute drive, we ended up somewhere on a hillside for hours on end ravishing in the essence of each other's company for what seemed like the last time.
I blushed, feeling a familiar warmth spread from my core and ignite a lustful flame that I have not felt since the last time he touched me. I moved gently to gaze up at him, my eyes connecting with his luscious hazelnut brown orbs that not only mesmerized me but hypnotized me as well. I felt my face grow even hotter at the electricity that coursed through the connection between both of us. He was the first to pull away, giving a small cough of embarrassment before he scooted towards the edge of the seat. I had to force myself to calm down in fear of showing mixed signals. As much as I loved Gerald, will always love Gerald for that matter, he was engaged to be married and I had sworn off men for good. I was tired of being hurt and I decided it was best that I embark on a sabbatical free of men indefinitely.
"So…the mediation…you should consider it. Just give me the green light and I can contact his lawyer so we can arrange a date and time."
"Sounds good." I whispered, turning away from him to face the window of the diner. I swallowed hard, my mouth suddenly grown extremely dry. I was playing with fire and I knew it needed to stop before either one of us ended up burnt. "I better get back to waiting tables. My fifteen is almost up and I haven't had the chance to even order my lunch yet."
"Oh." He spoke softly, removing himself from the booth to allow me the chance to get out. I wobbly regained my balance on those stupid skates the owner had the waitresses wear to go with the American 50's theme. I thought the large puffy pink skirts, ruffled socks, and low-cute white blouses were humiliating enough. The skates just made us look plum foolish. I nearly slipped until Gerald caught me. "Careful." He breathed.
I looked up at him, silently wishing I could become invisible and melt away into a puddle. I have a weak smile, thanking him for catching me. He stared at each other for a brief moment before we parted ways. I watched him gather his things before he gave me a warm hug and told me he would give me a call sometime tomorrow. I kissed him on his cheek as a 'thank you' before I turned and skated off briskly. I felt my chest tighten as the heat from Gerald's glare burned a hole through the thin fabric of my blouse. I chose to ignore it before I disappeared into the kitchen to make myself a sandwich.
