I meant to post this chapter last night, but I fell asleep, LOL! Hope you like it :) XOXO

Chapter Three

It was just two words, 'I'm pregnant'. All she had to do was pick up the phone, call Sam, and say two words. What he decided to do with the information after that was up to him. It should've been easy. Yet, Naomi found herself five months pregnant and no closer to telling him than the day she found out she was having a baby. Sitting on the edge of her bed, she looked down at her stomach which had grown and rounded out quite nicely. She'd discovered just yesterday at her doctor's appointment that she was having a little boy. A recurring debilitating pain hit her; her life was not supposed to turn out this way. In a perfect world, she'd still be married to Sam and she would be overjoyed at the prospect of giving him the son he'd always wanted. Instead, they were living in some horrible alternate reality where they were divorced, Sam was in love with her best friend, and she had accidentally gotten pregnant having a one night stand with her ex-husband. The worst part of her living nightmare was knowing that that night had meant absolutely nothing to Sam while it had meant absolutely everything to her. Naomi's life had all the makings of a primetime soap opera. Laying down on the bed, she curled herself up as close to the fetal position as her prominent belly would allow and tried not to cry.

She couldn't go on like this, always dwelling on what was, should, or could have been; it was time to accept the cards she'd been dealt and move on with her life. Before she'd found out she was pregnant, Naomi had been determined to leave Sam in her past. Maybe that objective was still a smart choice and a reachable goal. However, the only way to achieve her goal would be to keep the baby a secret from Sam. She would never be able to move on if she was forced to constantly talk to him and raise a child with him. Because of Maya and Olivia, he would never be totally eradicated her life, but Maya was older now. She and Sam didn't have to communicate as often as they would with a new baby. Naomi didn't have to worry about shipping Maya off to the other side of country to spend time with her father; or fear that she would bond with Addison more than her, if the fallout from Sam cheating hadn't driven Addison away. Or God forbid, getting sued and thrown into a nasty custody battle. But all of those scenarios were legitimate concerns for her son. That's if Sam wanted anything to do with a baby in the first place. What if he didn't want more kids? Would he completely ignore their child? No, that wasn't Sam. He'd come around, but only out of obligation. That would be the worst fate of all; having her son's father look at him as a burden or responsibility, instead of a blessing.

Either way Sam leaned, Naomi would have to silently endure the tortuous affair of dealing with a man whom she was madly in love with; endure loving him so strongly it caused her physical pain sometimes; endure possessing an intense love that was unrequited; endure him fawning over Addison. Just the thought of her supposed best friend receiving all the affection she craved made her twitch with irritation. The more she thought about it, the more Naomi rationalized keeping her distance was the best for her, Sam, and the baby. Sam was settled into his new life without her; he didn't need to be dragged back into the past any more than she did. And as much as she disliked his new relationship, she was not a home wrecker; it would kill her to be perceived as one. Her night with Sam had absolutely nothing to do with Addison, at least not on her end. So why start drama when it could be avoided? The last thing a baby needed was to be born into a contentious environment; it was better for him to have one devoted parent than two dysfunctional parents who couldn't agree on anything. Right at that moment, Naomi felt her son kick. She touched her belly, rubbing it where she felt the movement. "Can you read my mind? Are you agreeing with me" Naomi asked in a soft voice; she knew she was being ridiculous asking her unborn child such serious questions but no one was around to witness her shenanigans.

The baby kicked twice as if answering her questions. Naomi smiled as she continued to rub her belly. She wasn't so out of it that she really thought the baby had answered her, but the repressed Catholic in her did interpret it as a sign. "Looks like I'm going to be a single mom" she said aloud, trying to absorb the words and what they truly meant. As she tried to picture the future and what raising a child on her own would be like, the phone rang. Picking up the cordless phone off the nightstand, Naomi answered. "Hello".

"Did you tell him"?

Naomi sighed. "Your timing is impeccable. No mom, I didn't tell him". She swore her mother, Ruth, was psychic sometimes. How had she managed to call right when Naomi had made up her mind about not telling Sam about the baby? Naomi supposed she would figure that out when she discovered how her mom had known when to pop up for a surprise visit; or how she'd guessed Naomi was pregnant in seconds though she wasn't showing; or how she'd known that Sam was the father without any clues or hints.

"I see. When are you going to tell him? If you wait any longer, you'll be going into labor before he ever finds out" Ruth said sardonically. Her daughter was one frustrating creature sometimes. She couldn't understand what was taking Naomi so long to tell Sam; Ruth was hoping learning the baby was a boy would motivate her to finally call him.

"Actually mom, that's the plan. I've decided not to tell him. I'm going to raise this baby on my own" Naomi said.

"Naomi…." Ruth started, surprised.

"I know you probably think it's a bad idea" Naomi interjected, cutting her mother off. "But I've had a lot of time to think about this; this is the right decision. Sam and I lead separate lives now. There's no need to complicate his life or mine any further over something that should have never happened. I'm successful and independent; I'm fully capable, I know I can do this".

"I know you can do it on your own but you shouldn't have to do it on your own. And you don't have to do it on your own; Sam has never shied away from his responsibilities. A child, especially a boy, needs his father Naomi."

"Sam was raised by a single mother and he turned out great" Naomi pointed out.

"Yes he did, but you know better than I do that he still wishes his father was around. There were things in his life he had to learn the hard way because there was no man around to teach him. How do you think he's going to feel when he finds out you kept his son away from him? He'll never forgive you for making his child fatherless especially when he hated being fatherless so much himself" Ruth reasoned.

"He's not going to find out. We live on opposite ends of the country. Maya is practically her own woman now; she doesn't need us to communicate as much as we used to. The only thing Sam and I need to discuss over the next decade is her college graduation and her wedding day. Other than that, I'm not obligated to talk to or lay eyes on Sam ever again".

Something about what Naomi said struck a chord with Ruth. She'd always had the strong suspicion that her daughter and Sam were not over; their divorce had come out of left field and they had left way too many loose ends. The love was still there; even a blind man could sense the chemistry that still existed between them when they were in the same room together. That's why Ruth hadn't been surprised to learn that Naomi was pregnant with Sam's child. But she had always assumed that they were living in denial about their remaining feelings for each other. So why was Naomi trying her hardest to avoid Sam at all costs, even to the extreme of becoming a single mom? Had she finally acknowledged her feelings? "Naomi" Ruth said slowly, "Are you still in love with Sam"?

"What" Naomi shouted, feigning ignorance and shock.

"Don't play with me little girl" Ruth warned.

"I don't know what you're talking about".

"You know exactly what I'm talking about. You're still in love with Sam! How long have you known you still loved him"?

"Mom, please….don't…..I don't want to talk about this" Naomi pleaded, her bottom lip starting to tremble.

"That long" Ruth asked surprised. She was greeted by silence until she heard the quiet sobs her daughter was trying to muffle. "Oh baby girl, talk to me" she cooed softly, really starting worry.

"I had every intention of telling him….that I still loved him. And the next thing I knew, he and Addison were standing in front of me declaring their love. I didn't know what to do. I tried to stick it out, act like it didn't bother me. But when Maya begged me to come to New York, I jumped at the chance. I couldn't take it anymore. I still can't take it" Naomi confessed through gut-wrenching sobs.

"Oh my God, Nae" Ruth gasped. She knew about Sam and Addison but she hadn't realized how much it had affected Naomi. Personally, Ruth would have choked any friend who had even looked at her late husband the wrong way. But Naomi had always been much more forgiving, a gift inherited from her father. However, to now realize her daughter had been in hell watching the man she still loved date her best friend, Ruth's heart broke. She was ready to strangle Addison with her bare hands. She would have been willing to strangle Sam too if Naomi still didn't love him so much; and he had been a good son-in-law. "One day, he'll realize the mistake he made" Ruth said, trying to comfort Naomi.

"No he won't" Naomi cried. "The only mistake he made was sleeping with me. I knew he was drunk when he showed up my house that night; I knew the things he was saying about still wanting me weren't true. But I wanted so badly to believe him, I tricked myself into doing just that". The tears were beginning to ebb as a cold hardness settled into Naomi's voice.

"How do you know they weren't true? Sam still loves you, I know it. He's just in denial".

"The only one who is…was in denial was me" Naomi said defiantly, wiping her tears away. "And now I have to live with the consequences. I have to move on with my life without him. Sam and I are over and I'm raising the baby on my own".

"But Nae…."

"I love you mom and I know you mean well but this was a decision I had to make for myself. I know it might not be a popular choice or the right choice in other people's eyes. But it's the right choice for me and my child. Please respect it, and if you can't, at least tolerate it. Please don't tell anyone I'm pregnant".

"What about Maya? She already knows you're pregnant and she's going to figure the rest out sooner or later. What about Dee? You know Sam's mother and I still keep in touch; she's one of my best friends. How can I keep this from her"?

"I'll deal with Maya if the subject comes up. I know how close you and Dee are but I'm begging you not to tell her. I love her too, she's like a second mom to me. But there's no way you or I could tell her without her telling Sam".

"Naomi, please think about this a little more. Maybe if you just told Sam how you feel….."

"What, he would come running back to me? I don't think so mom. I'm done living in a dream world where everything turns up rainbows and blue skies. I have to face reality and the reality is that Sam doesn't love me anymore" Naomi said, her voice cracking. "I've made up my mind".

Ruth sighed; her hands were tied. As much as she vehemently disagreed, Naomi was right about one thing. It was her life and her child; Ruth had no right to interfere. "Alright, I still don't like this, but I love you and my grandchild to be more than I hate your decision. I'll respect your wishes".

"Thank you mommy" Naomi whispered, feeling like a little girl. Suddenly she wanted to crawl into her mother's arms and be held. "I know I'm putting you in a tough position but I really appreciate it. I love you".

"I love you too baby. I would do anything for you; please call me day or night if you need anything, even if you just need someone to talk to or listen" Ruth implored.

"I will, I promise".

"Good. I'll talk to you later" Ruth said.

"Talk to you later, Bye" Naomi said quietly hanging up the phone. Closing her eyes for a moment, she prayed she was making the right decision because there was nothing on earth that could change her mind.

…

"He acts like I just sprung this on him two days ago. I've given him a month to stew this over and he's known since day one that this was a possibility. I was very clear about what I wanted. I thought we were moving towards…." Addison stopped talking as soon as she saw Naomi walk into the kitchen.

Unbeknownst to Addison, Naomi had nearly caught everything she said. Addison had a habit of speaking loudly when she was upset. "Please, don't stop on my account" Naomi said. "It's not healthy to hold your frustrations in, let it out".

"Are you sure" Addison asked nervously; she looked at Violet, Amelia, and Charlotte to confirm she wasn't the only one who felt uncomfortable. Naomi hadn't exactly jumped back into the normal swing of things since rejoining the practice. And Addison still wasn't sure what topics regarding Sam were okay to discuss in front of her.

"Yes, this is a free country with freedom of speech and all that" Naomi said, grabbing an apple off the kitchen island and biting into it. "You don't need my permission". Naomi thought it might be interesting to hear Addison's side of the story anyways; especially since she'd already heard Sam's side. If she couldn't escape her surroundings, she had might as well embrace them as best she could. It was better to see the blows coming than get caught off guard again.

"Well okay" Addison sputtered. She took a deep breath and continued, "I thought we were moving towards the same goals in life. How can he pretend like this wasn't part of the deal? It's time for him to man up and grow a pair. We've been together for over two years, that's more than enough time for him to figure out if he wants to have a baby with me".

"Maybe he just needs a little more time" Violet suggested. "I know two years is a long time but until last month, it was only a possibility. Now it's a reality and he has to adjust accordingly. Sam is coming from a completely different perspective Addison. He's already done the daddy thing; he knows what it's like to raise a child. He has to decide if he wants to do it again as opposed to you, who is trying to become a parent for the first time. I'm not excusing his actions, I'm just pointing out the fact he has a lot more variables to consider than you do".

"I understand that, really I do; but shouldn't he have been spending the last two years thinking about this? Why did he wait until I brought the subject up to start weighing his options" Addison complained.

"Because he's a guy" Charlotte said bluntly. "Men don't like to think about or face anything until they're forced to. If you give them an out, they'll take it every time".

"And you let so much time pass Addison. He probably got too comfortable, thought you had decided to drop the baby thing." Amelia added.

"He knows me better than that" Addison said. "He knew not only would I eventually bring up the baby subject but that I would be adamant about it. The only reason I waited so long was because I didn't want him to feel rushed; clearly, it backfired. This whole smoke and mirrors routine he's pulling is driving me crazy; he's acting like he was completely blind sighted. This has always been part of the plan".

"Has it? I heard you say you told Sam what you wanted but I never heard you say he agreed to it. Did you ask him what he wanted? Hypothetically, what if Sam doesn't want a baby? I think most people are assuming he's just dragging his heels; that he'll eventually come around. What if he honestly feels like he's done having kids; what does that mean for your relationship" Naomi asked, surprising herself. She'd had every intention on keeping her mouth shut but couldn't help herself. Either Sam and Addison were having serious communication issues or Addison had assumed Sam was on board with having a baby without ever consulting him. Either way, Naomi hoped they came to an agreement soon; she didn't want to hear the constant back and forth or get stuck in the middle.

Instead of answering Naomi's question, Addison asked one of her own. "Have you been talking to Sam? Did he say he didn't want kids"? Inwardly, Addison was beginning to freak out, her brain was going in several different directions.

Case and point; Addison was already trying to stick her smack dab in the middle. "I was just responding to what you said. I would think that if Sam knew a baby was the plan from jump, he would already be on board. It wouldn't be some big debate. Assuming he's going to eventually come around might be setting yourself up for failure. He might come around, but he might not" Naomi responded, cleverly avoiding any mention of her conversation with Sam.

"She's got a point Addy. You might need to brace yourself; the fact that he's taking so long to make a decision is not a good sign. It could be Sam already has an answer and just doesn't know how to tell you because he knows you won't like it" Amelia said.

"This cannot be happening. I finally found the one, the guy I'm supposed to spend the rest of my life with and he doesn't want kids" Addison cried in distress.

"Let's not jump to conclusions. You still don't know which way Sam is leaning. I think Naomi was just cautioning you not to put all your eggs in one basket" Violet said, looking at Naomi to gauge her reaction. That couldn't have been easy for her to hear.

"Exactly" Naomi said taking the final bite out of her apple. Thank goodness there was food in her mouth to hide her grimace. Once upon a time, she'd thought Sam was her soul mate. Never in a million years did Naomi think she would live to see the day where Addison would be feeling the same way about the same person.

"But he knew" Addison continued to complain. "Why is he even with me if he doesn't want kids"?

"Because he loves you" Charlotte said bluntly, trying not to roll her eyes. "People love each other and want different things all the time. Look at me and Cooper; we're as different as night and day and somehow, we still work. Maybe it's time you grew a pair too. Whatever Sam's decision is, you're going to have to put on your big girl panties and talk to him like an adult. You're never going to make it as a couple if you can't work through your problems".

"Hi ladies, how's it going" Sam asked as he walked into the kitchen, unaware they were talking about him; that is, until he failed to get a response and looked around the room at each of their faces. Everyone's expression of concern looked pretty much the same except for Addison and Naomi's. Addison looked distraught while Naomi looked….he couldn't describe how she looked, but it wasn't good. There was only one subject that could have all the women looking various degrees of pained; babies. Of course Addison had gone running to the women to whine; he'd done the same thing with Cooper, Pete, and Sheldon. Hell, he'd even spoken to his ex-wife about it. He looked at Addison again; something wasn't right. She was looking as if she'd already gotten an answer, one she didn't like. A sudden thought occurred to him. Turning to Naomi he impulsively asked "You told Addison what we talked about"?! He was feeling angry and indignant. He'd confided in her.

"So he did talk to you" Addison cried. "Naomi, why didn't you tell me"?

Naomi didn't like all the eyes that were drilling into her skull. Regardless of what they were thinking, the attention was unnerving. Sam had just shot his own self in the foot and everyone was looking at her like she'd done the shooting. Sticking to herself, like she'd been doing, was sounding like the better plan going into the future. Playing the go between and scapegoat for her ex-husband and best friend was not about to happen. Tossing her apple core into the trash can, Naomi simply said "No Sam, I didn't tell her anything and Addison, it wasn't my business to tell" before she politely excused herself and left the kitchen.

…

Naomi sat on the floor with her son and watched him play with a blue stuffed teddy bear; it was his favorite toy. A nurse had given it to him the day he was born. Naomi didn't understand why he liked the bear so much; it didn't make noise or have any flashing lights, but it still managed to capture his attention like no other object. Often times when Isaiah was crying or in a cranky mood, she would grab the bear and it would instantly calm him. Mr. Blue, as Naomi referred to him, was his best friend. Lying flat on his stomach, Isaiah continued to grab at and push the teddy bear around until he accidentally pushed it too far out of his reach. Once he realized he could no longer reach the teddy bear, Zay paused as if confused then instantly began to cry, his little legs kicking furiously in frustration. "It's okay Zay-Zay, Mr. Blue is right there. He's not going anywhere" Naomi cooed softly, lightly rubbing his back. She was about to reach for the bear herself when she felt Isaiah moving beneath her hand. Focusing her attention back on her son, Naomi eyes opened up in shock. Using the momentum of his flailing legs, Isaiah had managed to roll himself over onto his back and move closer to Mr. Blue.

"Oh my God, Zay" Naomi shouted with glee, picking Isaiah up off the floor. She hugged him close and kissed his face all over. He was too busy trying to eat the nose of Mr. Blue, whom he managed to grab before Naomi scooped him up. "Mommy is so proud of you" she said, continuing to hug and kiss him. Naomi looked at him as he kept attempting to eat the bear's face. She felt so lucky and blessed to be his mother. It was so funny how life had played out in the last couple of years. Earlier that day, she'd listened to Addison's obsession about having children. Though the whole conversation had irritated her, particularly how it ended, Naomi could relate in many ways. For over a year, she'd harbored lingering feelings for Sam, desperately wishing he'd come back to her. The obsession had nearly destroyed her. She didn't know how she'd found the strength to move on, especially while she was pregnant with Sam's child, but somehow Naomi had miraculously managed to do so. Yet through some weird cosmic twist of fate, irony had played a cruel joke on all of them. Naomi and Addison were experiencing each other's dreams. Though Naomi was over Sam, she couldn't help but think that her iffy best friend had taken the one thing she'd wanted. And looking into her son's eyes, Naomi also couldn't help but think that she'd gotten by accident what Addison had been actively trying for years to accomplish. Despite their mixed up fortunes, Naomi knew beyond a shadow of a doubt in her heart that she would never trade Isaiah for anything; not even if time could be rewound and she could be with Sam again. Her son was her whole world. Listening to Addison's struggles only reinforced how grateful she was to have him in her life. "I love you so much Zay-Zay" Naomi whispered. "You are one of the best things I've ever done in my life. Never forget that" she said, looking down at him and rocking him back and forth as he continued to play with his bear.