The next morning, Reid walked into the kitchen as Christine was busy making omelets for their breakfast. "I read your book," he told her. "You really created your own fantasy world!"
"So, that's where you went," Christine commented as she looked over at him. "I should have known when I woke up and you were gone. And, yes, I created my own world. Then, I crawled into it and hid. I was doing just fine there until Dave pulled me out and forced me back into the real world."
She handed Reid two plates of food. "Why don't you take these over to the table," she suggested. "I'll bring the drinks. There are some things we need to discuss, and we can do that while we eat breakfast."
As Reid stood in front of her holding the plates, she reached up and ran her hand over his unshaven cheek and chin. "Still love the scruff," she commented with a smile. Reid blushed.
Once they were sitting at the table and Reid had finished doctoring his coffee, Christine began the conversation.
"We need to talk about the twins," she stated.
"The twins?" Reid questioned. "Which set and what about them?"
"David and Diana," Christine clarified. "We need to figure out how much I owe you in back child support."
"What?" Reid stared at her.
"Spencer, you have been taking care of my – our - children for three years. You have been paying all their bills. I definitely owe you something to help cover their expenses."
"But – But - " Reid was stuttering.
"I mean it, Spencer. I intend to pay you what I owe for the past three years!" Reid had never heard her sound so adamant.
"I've been handling everything for the past three years and I don't need your money and I don't want it!" he protested loudly.
"Okay, maybe you don't want the money, but what about David and Diana?" Christine asked reasonably. "They are going to need help paying for college."
That stopped Reid. He had gone through college, receiving his numerous degrees, on scholarships and grants. He had never had to come up with much actual money.
"Um –m – m - ," he was thinking.
"Tell you what," Christine followed up on his hesitation. "Let's figure out what I should have paid in child support for the past three years. Then, I can put that amount of money into a trust fund for the two of them. That way, when the time comes, they won't have to worry quite so much. And, I will add to it on a monthly basis to cover what I owe."
"That sounds fair," Reid agreed slowly.
"Now, about the new twins," Christine moved on to the next issue.
"They are my children and they will be staying with me." She wanted to make sure she repeated what she had already told Aaron. "I have no objections to your visiting as often as you like. Just give me at least 10 minutes warning so I can make sure I am decent. Taking them for an extended period of time, however, may be a problem at first, because I intend to nurse them. However, once things get organized, we'll see what can be arranged."
"That sounds workable," Reid commented. "Now, about my child support."
"No! I don't expect any child support!" Christine snapped at him. "Remember, I owe you child support! And, at this point you don't even know if you are going to be a father."
"But, if I am, I'll owe you." It was Reid's turn to protest.
"Okay," Christine was willing to compromise. "If, after the babies are born, someone forces a DNA test and it does prove that you are a father, you can figure out what you would be paying in child support. Then, we can deduct that from what I owe you for child support for David and Diana. I will then put the difference into their trust fund."
"If that's what your want. That sounds fair," Reid was getting uncomfortable with the discussion of money.
"That is what will make me happy," Christine declared. "And, you do want me to be happy, don't you?"