Chapter 23: Custody and Divorce

Carly's POV

"So he just called you out of the blue and asked you to visit Sam?" Dylan was lying in our gorgeous California King Bed. He was topless and super sexy. I groaned inwardly and damned my curiosity. It was the main thing that fueled my urgency to get to Sam. I couldn't wait to see Sam pregnant!

"Well, it really isn't out of the blue, he has his business to handle and he didn't want Sam to be alone dealing with her pregnancy. I know I wouldn't want to be alone in that situation." I commented and then smile at my sexy man.

"Is that something you want to start working on?" Dylan asked with an arched eyebrow and I giggled as I put some more clothes in my pink suitcase. "Seriously Carls, when did you want to start making a family?" I looked at him a little dumbstruck. I was sure if it was because he'd threw his covers off his lower half exposing his black boxer brief or if it was because he'd just ask me something so important to our new lives together. I always thought it would be cool to have kids at the same time as Sam or Freddie. Who would have thought that they'd be starting a family so quickly after I got married? "Carls?"

"Dude, I'm thinking here? I wanted a little time to be married and you know… make love in every room of this big beautiful house." I pushed my suitcase to the side and crawled seductively up the bed and over his body.

"I can't argue with that!" He grabbed me and flushed my body close to his before flipping us so that he was on top of me. He began to kiss and touch the places he loved best. "By the time with christen every room in this house you will be pregnant!" He joked and I laughed so hard I snorted. After my wits had settled I had come to an acceptable decision.

"A year. I will be ready for a baby in a year," I said breathlessly and smoothed my hand over cheek, then along the contour of his back, and then I cupped his best asset. "Mrs. Scott, I'd say you're ready to get started making babies right now!"

"Actually I was thinking we should practice," I said as I played with the elastic on my husband's underwear.

"I can't argue with that logic." After that all thoughts of packing went out the window as my husband and I moved between the sheets.

Sam's POV

"I want to go home," Max whined as she placed her head on the keyboard. This case was taking it out of both of us. We had taken on this very eccentric female that was divorcing her husband. Normal we tried to stay away from this type of domestic law. Both Maxine and I had a very conservative view on marriage we didn't really like being a part of ending something that's supposed to be so sacred. Viewing marriage this way wasn't something I had to grow into. I didn't grow up in a conventional household and my mom struggled to keep us with a roof over our heads and fed. It wasn't until I became a woman and saw how a "good" man treats a woman, Maxine husband for example he treats her like a queen and then there's Dylan who practically worships Carly. To have a bond like that it truly something that shouldn't be tampered with. However, there are those instances where people get married for the wrong reasons or just fall in love for with someone that isn't right for them and rush into a bad situation.

This lady that we were representing, Mrs. Demi Leigh Simmons, she had fallen in love with Milton Fredrick Simmons, he was very suit and tie, she was a free spirited hippie. They both thought they could change each other. They would have parted ways gracefully if they hadn't had a daughter Gracie Sky Simmons. Both wanted their daughter raised differently both wanted full custody; they were determined to rip each other apart. I found the situation sad, they used to find their differences refreshing and alluring, now they couldn't stand each other and were determined to hurt each other by taken the one thing the other loved more than their own life. Gracie. I rubbed my stomach and sighed. I was getting bigger and it only been a couple weeks since Freddie had left. I already missed him like crazy. I missed having a companion and all the dorky things he would say. However, this case that we were handling had me believing that love and marriage was far too risky.

"How's your research going?" Max asked.

"It's going I have found at least five cases you can pull from." I placed the files on her desk. "I have highlighted…"

"Yeah you always do Sammy cake!" She looked through the files I'd put in front of her and she groaned again. "I do not feel like homework right now. Nathaniel had me up all night last night." I snickered; Max had been more vocal about her attempts to get pregnant lately. I personally couldn't wait for her to get pregnant, for completely selfish reasons. Max was so prepared to be a mom and it would be great to have someone to share stories with. Plus, Max would be a great mom. She was the most kind, sweet, and understanding with everyone, but she was firm yet fair.

"So Max can I ask you something a little personal?" I asked and she nodded.

"You know you're going ask anyway?" We both chuckled and I sighed.

"So how long have you been trying to have a baby?" She looked up at me; she seemed shocked and a little sad.

"Uh, well, that's a little unexpected … we've been trying for about four months, close to five. I don't know, I'm about ready to stop trying … if it's meant to be it will be." She shrugged.

"I think the problem is your stressing over it. You need to relax and open …" I stopped trying to find the right word.

"My legs?" She arched her eyebrows and giggled and her perverted joke.

"Yeah, those would have to be open to get the job done. How about Nathaniel do you know if he's shooting blanks?" I asked.

"Trust me, we've both been tested and we're completely healthy. My man is all man and does his job very well." Now I had to laugh. I loved how she praised him and watching them together you would've sworn they were newlyweds. "But how about you? How you doing?"

"Good, I'm starting to feel heavy and I haven't even made it to the half mark yet. You know strangers are a lot nicer to pregnant people, but they are so touchy feely. If one more person touches me without permission I'm going to rip there head off." I remembered the old woman I'd encountered at the gas station that stood with me rubbing my belly and singing to my babies. It was a little crazy to say the least and since I'd never been in the situation before I had no idea how to nicely tell this woman to get off my belly.

"Have you felt any movements yet?" Max had successfully changed the focus of our conversation to me.

"Yeah," I answered coldly because it was a bittersweet moment. I was lying in bed all by myself and then there was a little bump, bump, bump, and it was an amazing powerful little miracle, but nobody was there … Freddie wasn't there to share it with.

"Well, that's exciting!" She squealed and I nodded.

"Yeah," I croaked and then the water works threatened to start. "Crap, I gotta pee again. I'll be back." I snuck to my office and allowed myself a good cry. I seriously thought I was making up for all of the years I didn't cry. I just hit or yelled at the people that made me angry. I sat on my couch awkwardly and stared at my phone. I didn't know why I was hesitating I knew what I was going to do. I was going to call him, he wasn't going to answer and I was going to cry some more. I pressed three on speed dial and listened to the phone ring. My sobs had already started to intensify and then he answered.

"Hey Sammy? Sammy?"

"Hey," I gushed and then cleared my throat. "Benson, I was just calling you to say … hey." I shook my head knowing that I sounded like a pathetic sap.

"I miss you too," he breathed. "I can't wait to get back to you."

"Really?" My heart actually warmed by him saying that.

"Of course Sam, I wish I could get on a plane and come to you right now this second. I just have to be here while we do the initial set up for the movie and then I'm making a beeline back to you." I closed my eyes and allowed his words to repeat in my head. "I wanna see you tonight make sure you're online, kay?"

"Okay, think about me, it's not a request, it's an order." I snickered as I pulled myself together and wiped my face.

"Always. I'll talk to you later Puckett … I love you."

"Back at ya Benson."

Author's Notes: I hope you all like this little chappie. It sets the foundation for the rest of the story! Exciting! As always please read, review, and no flames.