FYI: I will try my best to have "A Night to Remember" updated by Monday or Tuesday. I was going to actually wait a couple of days to post a new chapter for this story but I figured I owed you guys due to my slowness with the other story. Hope you guys enjoy :) XOXO

Chapter Four

"Could you please put another pillow behind me? My back is killing me" Naomi complained, wincing. She felt so uncomfortable in her own skin.

"Sure mom. Lean forward for just a quick second" Maya instructed, putting the pillow at the small of Naomi's back. They were sitting on the couch watching a moving but her mom had been too restless to pay attention so far. "Try putting your feet up on the coffee table, maybe that will help" Maya suggested.

Normally, Naomi didn't approve of anyone's feet being put on the table but at this point she was willing to try anything. It had been so long since she'd been pregnant; she'd forgotten how miserable the third trimester could be. "Thank you. I can't believe I still have six more weeks of this. I'm already the size of the Goodyear blimp" Naomi bemoaned, putting her feet up. She rubbed her huge belly methodically, feeling a tickling sensation under her ribcage as the baby kicked frantically.

Maya turned off the TV and looked at her mother. There were a few things weighing heavily on her mind; she'd been looking for a good time to talk to Naomi about it but there never seemed to be one. However, time was winding down; realizing there would never be a perfect moment, Maya had decided to jump right in.

"What's wrong? Why did you turn off the movie" Naomi asked, confused by the way Maya was staring at her.

"You weren't really watching the movie. So, I thought we could talk instead" Maya said, giving herself an opening.

"Okay" Naomi said slowly. "About what"?

This was it. "Who's the father of your baby" she asked abruptly, catching her mother off guard.

"Excuse me" Naomi gasped, taken aback by her daughter's nerve.

"You heard me. Who's the father? You got pregnant out of the blue but you never explained how it happened. Not only that, but you made me swear not tell anyone about your pregnancy. Why? I haven't seen any man lurking around. Was it a one night stand or something"?

"Maya" Naomi warned. "I realize you're a young adult who has a child of her own, but you're stepping on thin ice. I'm still your mother and there are certain things you still have no right to ask me. This is one of those things".

"I have every right to ask" Maya said, raising her voice. "That's my little brother in there. I haven't even met him yet and I already feel so protective of him. I want to make sure he's taken care of, given the best life possible. I know it's hard on Olivia to be so far away from her dad. She's out in California spending time with him now but I know she misses him when she's with me. I don't want my baby brother to have to experience the same thing".

Naomi sighed, grasped her daughter's hand. "He will be taken care of Maya. He won't have the traditional upbringing you did with a two parent household, but he'll never doubt that he's loved. You just proved that".

"But why mom? Why can't his father be a part of his life? Have you even told the father you're pregnant"?

"Maya" Naomi whined, wishing her daughter would let the subject drop. She'd made it through almost her entire pregnancy without Maya bringing this up; why now? "That's my business. It's complicated".

"Is it dad? Is he the father of your baby" Maya asked quietly. She was almost certain of the answer before she asked it; it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out. Ever since her father had come to visit her and Olivia in New York the previous winter, he'd been acting weird. Whenever they used to talk, he'd always ask how her mom was doing. Now he never asked and he hadn't stepped foot back in New York since, even though he'd promised to visit every other month. All of a sudden, he was too busy. And her mom…she never acknowledged her ex-husband had visited her though Maya was sure he had. She implicitly remembered speaking to the taxi driver after her intoxicated dad had handed his phone over. Not knowing where his hotel was, she'd given the driver the only address she knew. Something must have happened; they were both trying too hard to act like nothing had. But their strange behavior and the timing of her mom's pregnancy were too closely related to be a coincidence.

Naomi's mouth gaped open in surprise. "Have you been talking to your grandmother"?

Maya stared at her confused. "What does she have…..grandma knows? I can't believe you told her and not me! So dad is Isaiah's father! Mom, why haven't you told him"?!

If Naomi could get off the couch without help and run away from this conversation, she would. Maya had her trapped and she knew it. "First of all, your grandmother is nosier than you and she guessed. As far as Sam goes, I told you, it's complicated. What happened between your father and I was a mistake. Isaiah here" Naomi paused to rub her stomach, "was a happy accident. Part of me was afraid that if you knew the truth, you'd begin to think we were getting back together when that isn't the case. I didn't want to get your hopes up. On the other hand, it just doesn't make sense to tell him. Your dad lives across the country and is in a committed relationship. I don't want to throw a wrench in his life just because he had too much to drink one night".

"But it's his baby too" Maya exclaimed. "He has a right to know and my brother has a right to know dad. What is the big deal? If he's so committed to his relationship, why did he cheat in the first place? He must still love you mom. And I know you still love him, though you won't admit it. You said dad had too much to drink, not you; which means you slept with him because you wanted to".

Maya was too smart for her own good, Naomi thought. "I won't deny that maybe some old feelings resurfaced but it was just temporary. Your father and I have both moved on".

"I don't believe you; moving on does not include sleeping with your ex-husband or ex-wife".

"Watch it Maya. You're still not too grown to get slapped".

"I'm sorry but this makes no sense. If you've both moved on, why are yall trying so hard to avoid each other? How is Isaiah not knowing both his parents for the best? Mom, please just tell dad. I want to make sure both you and my brother are okay before I leave" Maya said.

"Leave? What are you talking about" Naomi asked, sitting up a little straighter.

"You know how I've been talking about studying abroad for the rest of my undergrad years? I wasn't sure I would be able to do it because of Olivia but I decided to look into it and apply just to see what would happen. They accepted me to the program and even found a host family in Barcelona that is willing to take me and Olivia. I just found out this morning".

"Oh wow that's amazing! I'm so proud of you" Naomi cried, hugging her daughter. "When do you leave"?

"Thank you. The day after New year's" Maya said sadly.

"But that's only a couple of weeks after…"

"After Zay is born, I know. That's why I brought this subject up. I kept waiting for you to do it but after a while it became clear that you wouldn't. Olivia and I can't pick up and move halfway across the world unless I know everything is okay. Mom, if I go, I'll be over there for almost three years. I'll try to visit as much as possible, like during summers and on holidays, but I won't be around like I am now. You were willing to sacrifice so much to move here and help me. I just want to return the favor".

Tears were streaming down Naomi's face. "You're going, there's no room for doubts or arguments, you're going. You've worked too hard to let this opportunity slip away. Isaiah and I will be fine, I promise. I know you don't understand why I've made the decision I have; grandma doesn't understand it either. But trust me; it really is what's best for all of us given the circumstances. Maya, I don't want you to worry about me or your brother; it's my job to worry about you, not the other way around. Just be a good mother, study hard, and live your life".

"But mom, if you just told dad…"

"Maya, this is not your burden to worry over. You have your own life to worry about. You might not agree with my decision but everything usually works out the way it's supposed to, no matter what either of us thinks".

Maya nodded, but she didn't say anything. Tears were now streaming down her face too. Her mother was right, she didn't understand. Part of her wanted to pick up the phone and call her dad, tell him about Isaiah herself. But somehow she knew it would only make the situation worse. She would just have to keep working on her mother, and hope one day she would break down and tell her dad; and then maybe her parents would finally admit they were still in love with each other. Maya hated to leave when her family was in such turmoil but her mother was also right about something else; she had to live her life.

"Don't cry baby girl; how am I supposed to stop if you keep crying. Besides, you're moving to Spain. You should be happy".

"I know, but I'm going to miss you so much. And I'm going to miss getting to know my baby brother".

"I'm going to miss you too and my precious granddaughter" Naomi said, pulling Maya close again. "Don't worry, we'll figure something out. Isaiah will know who his big sister is and how much you love him. Everything will work out" Naomi said softly as she and Maya sat there, hugging each other for dear life.

…

"So, you're the woman who has been stealing all of my patients".

"Excuse me" Naomi said, looking up from her desk. She was immediately caught off guard, not only by the rude accusation, but by the handsome Hispanic man standing in the doorway of her office.

"I'm only joking….well, mostly joking. My new patient referrals have slowed down since you came to town" the man smiled, walking further into her office. "But now that I'm checking out the competition for myself, I can see why. You're absolutely gorgeous Dr. Naomi Bennett".

"And exactly who are you" Naomi asked, standing up and walking around her desk. There was an odd sensation occurring in her stomach; was it butterflies? When was the last time a man had given her butterflies? "You seem to know who I am but I can't say the same about you".

"Oh, I'm sorry. The name is Jake, Dr. Jake Reilly. I have a practice across town. I'm a fertility specialist as well" he said, holding out his hand.

Naomi took his hand, feeling a small spark pass between them. Once again, she was taken aback. "It's nice to meet you Jake. What brings you to Oceanside Wellness"?

"Curiosity. I wanted to meet the woman all the doctors at St. Ambrose are suddenly referring their patients to. Before you appeared, they used to send everyone my way. But like I said, you're gorgeous. No wonder the masses are flocking in your direction".

Naomi laughed; he was flirting with her and it made her feel like a teenager inside. "Thank you for the compliment but I highly doubt my looks play a part in a woman choosing me to help her conceive. If anything, good looks would be to your advantage. I'm sure you've used that smile of yours on more than a few patients". Wait, was she flirting back? When was the last time she'd flirted?

Jake laughed too. "I use it for emergencies only. Your looks might not sway the women but I'm sure it sways their husbands. And being a woman is more of an advantage period. You can relate to them, make them feel more comfortable than any man can, including me. And I'm as nice as you can get, if I do say so myself".

"I believe you".

"Do you believe me enough to have dinner with me on Friday" Jake asked.

Naomi was actually tempted to say yes. Not too many, but a fair amount of men had asked her out over the last couple of years, even while she was pregnant. She'd even been hit on in the short time she'd been back in Los Angeles. This was the first time she'd ever considered giving an answer that wasn't 'no'. But it just wasn't a good time; she was a single mom with a five month old baby to take care of. Plus, she was actually enjoying being single. The freedom was nice; she liked being able to make decisions without having to consider other people's thoughts and feelings. "I'm sorry but it's really not a good time. My life is really hectic right now. I appreciate the offer though, truly".

"You're a heartbreaker too I see" Jake said, shaking his head. "You've managed to steal my heart and crush it in less than five minutes. That has to be some type of record".

Naomi smirked; his natural charm was lethal. "Somehow I get the feeling you'll recover quickly" she guessed. He was too good looking and too smooth to be lonely. Naomi was sure he could have another date in five minutes if he wanted.

"I'm not so sure about that" he said. "Tell you what, if you change your mind and ever want to go out, give me a call" Jake suggested, pulling a business card out of suit pocket and handing it to her.

Taking his card, Naomi said "I don't think I will but you'll be the first one I call if I do".

Jake nodded. "I'm going to go home and charge my phone. Since you apparently have a whole list of suitors to choose from, I want to make sure I don't give them a chance by missing your call".

"Oh, I didn't mean…" Naomi started.

"Relax, I'm just teasing you. But seriously, it wouldn't surprise me. A woman like you doesn't stay single unless she wants to. I'm sure my hat won't be the only one in the rink. Have a good day Naomi" Jake smiled, leaving her office.

Naomi walked to the doorway and stared after him as he strolled down the hallway and got on the elevator. Something about him intrigued her; she was so entranced, she didn't notice Sam until he was standing in front of her.

"Was that Jake Reilly? What is he doing here" Sam asked.

The involuntary smile Naomi had on her face faded quickly. She was still upset with Sam for accusing her of blabbing to Addison; he should have known better. She'd done more than he would ever know to keep from interfering with his relationship. "He was just checking out the competition".

"It looked like he was doing more than that. He asked you out, didn't he"?

"What if he did" Naomi asked, feeling defensive.

"What did you tell him"?

"Not that it's any of your business but I said no" Naomi said, turning her back on Sam and walking into her office.

"Good. Now I don't have to tell you to call and cancel on him" Sam said, sighing in relief.

"And why would I do that? What makes you think I would do anything just because you told me to" Naomi said, turning back to face him. Her words were lined with a little more anger than she'd meant to express.

Sam's eyes popped open wider, surprised by her intensity. "Take it easy, I'm just looking out for you. Jake is a nice guy, I like him, but he's not your type. He's a playboy who will chase anything in a skirt. You deserve someone better; a monogamous guy who's funny, sweet, considerate, confident but not arrogant, and maybe a little nerdy".

"Sam, you just described how you see yourself".

Sam laughed. "Maybe I did, but I'm not a bad catch right? I managed to get you".

"Yeah, you did and we see how well that turned out. So maybe you're not my type either" Naomi reasoned. "Sam, why are you here? I'm sure it's not to give me dating advice".

"You're right; I was coming here to apologize. I know you would never share what I confided in you. Loyalty runs through your bloodstream; it's who you are. I just panicked when I saw Addison's face and jumped to stupid irrational conclusions".

"It's whatever Sam. I don't need your apology" Naomi said, staring at him.

"Then what do you need" Sam implored, moving closer to her. "You're obviously still upset. I hate when you're mad at me. I really am sorry. What can I do to make it right" he asked, grabbing her hand.

"Nothing. Just give me a little time and a little space. That's the only thing I want from you" Naomi said, freeing her hand. Leaning on Sam in any capacity was not a good idea. She was going to have to work through her anger without his help. Letting him help her would only complicate their already complicated relationship.

Sam nodded his head, knowing it wasn't worth a fight. She was stubborn. If she needed time and space, he would give it to her. "Fine, but I'm here whenever you're ready to talk. You're my best friend, I'll always be here for you Naomi".

"Thank you" she said, as Sam left her office.

…

"Say Hi Isaiah" Naomi said, pointing at the computer screen. He giggled instead, bouncing up and down in her lap as he stared at his sister, niece and grandmother. With Maya and Olivia being in Barcelona and her mom in Miami, they all made it a point to stay connected through video chats. Naomi wanted Isaiah to know as much of his family as he could; she wanted their faces to be familiar to him.

"He looks just like Sam" Ruth said, like she did every week. "Besides the eyes, all you did was carry him. Sam did the rest. Well except for the dimples, those remind me of your father" Ruth smiled nostalgically.

"I can't believe how big he's getting" Maya exclaimed. "I know we have these chats every week but I swear he looks bigger every time I see him. Hey Zay-Zay" she cooed. "Tell Zay Hi Olivia".

"Hi" Olivia said smiling, waving at the screen.

"I can't believe I have a baby that's younger than my first grandchild" Naomi said. "Life sure does throw you some curveballs".

"Is he sleeping through the night yet" Ruth asked.

"Not quite" Naomi laughed, as Zay started bouncing even faster on her lap, distracting her. She picked him up by the waist and let him stand up on his fat little legs with her support. "Ever since I started letting him sleep with me, he's been doing much better. I still put him in his crib first, then in my bed after he wakes up the first time. But he's been sleeping longer and longer; I usually don't have to go get him until close to 4 A.M. and then he's out until right before I leave for work. He's such a good and happy baby, aren't you Zay"?

"It's too bad daddy doesn't know that" Maya said, rocking Olivia, who was falling asleep in her arms. It was the middle of the night in Spain.

"He sure is missing out" Ruth agreed.

"Don't you guys start" Naomi groaned. "We've been over this a thousand times. Why would I suddenly change my mind about telling Sam"?

"Umm, maybe because you work with him and see him every day" Maya pointed out. "I don't understand how it's not burning at the tip of your tongue to tell him. You're going to get caught mom. One day you're going to bump into him at the grocery store or at the mall and it's going to blow up in your face".

"Listen to your daughter Naomi" Ruth said. "I never liked this plan of yours but it was different when you were in New York. It would have been nearly impossible to raise a child together with a country between you. But now you're back in the same city. You have no excuse not to tell Sam the truth or his mother. Not being able to talk to Dee about our mutual grandson is killing me".

Isaiah was still bouncing up and down, trying to put weight on his legs, completely oblivious to the conversation unfolding in front of him. In his world, everything was happy and normal. "I'm sorry mom, I really am. I would love for Dee to know all about Isaiah but it's not possible without telling Sam too; and no matter how much you guys harass me, I'm still not telling Sam. In the grand scheme of things, all that matters is that Isaiah is happy and well cared for which I'm doing fine providing on my own. There's no need to bring up drama and mass confusion, especially since I have to work with Sam. The last thing any of us need is a toxic work environment; it's not good for us or our patients. You two need to get it out of your idealistic heads that I'll tell Sam about Isaiah and he'll come running back to me so we can be one big happy family. It's not going to happen, and furthermore I don't want it to happen. He can go on living his life with Addison and contemplating having a child with her. I'm happy with just me and my son" Naomi ranted, turning Isaiah around and hugging him close. Even if she wanted to tell Sam the truth, it wasn't a good time. She was still mad at him for accusing her of disloyalty. He'd apologized, but she still felt hurt.

"You've recited that speech so much, it's actually starting to become believable. But I'm still not falling for it" Maya said.

"Isn't it way past your bedtime" Naomi asked.

"I'm grown, I go to bed when I feel like it".

"Hold on Maya, that's still you mother" Ruth admonished. "Treat her with the respect she deserves; even if she is acting like the biggest baby out of all of us".

"MOM" Naomi shouted in protest.

"I'm just speaking the truth about my daughter. However disrespectful Maya just was, she was right…again. Your little monologue has become very convincing but that's only because you've fooled yourself into believing it. You don't want to face the real truth that you're still in love with Sam".

"That's not true"! Naomi couldn't believe her mother had just accused her of still loving Sam after she'd worked so hard to let him go. Angry tears threatened to flow down her face.

"I'm afraid it is; it's so blatantly obvious. All anyone has to do is just look at your life. When's the last time you went on a date? You're an attractive woman Naomi; your dad practically had to swat guys off of you when you were a teenager. Men must have hit on you in the last year; they're not blind. If you're so over Sam, why haven't you said yes to any of them"?

Naomi's earlier encounter with Jake flashed through her head. "Mom, I just had a baby; I'm knee deep in bottles and dirty diapers. I don't have time to start dating. And even if I did, who says I need a man to be happy? I'm actually enjoying being single; dating doesn't interest me right now". Naomi looked down at Isaiah who had become interested in trying to eat her necklace. She gently pulled the drool covered gold chain out of his mouth and gave him his pacifier.

"Don't use Zay as an excuse. Just because you had a baby doesn't mean you're life stopped; Isaiah needs your attention but he doesn't need all of it. It's time for you to get a life" Ruth said, refusing to let up.

"It's like you're not hearing anything I'm saying. I don't want a boyfriend; I don't want to even go out on a date. I was just pointing out Isaiah would make it difficult if I chose to date. But it doesn't matter because I'm happy being single. What is so hard about that to understand mom" Naomi said through gritted teeth; it was taking all her strength keep her rage in control.

"There's nothing hard to understand at all; I just don't believe it. You can keep spitting all the excuses you want but I stand by what I said; you're still in love with Sam. You originally kept Sam away from Isaiah because you didn't want to deal with your feelings and you're keeping a father away from his son now for the very same reason. You're a great mother but a boy needs his father. It's time to grow up Naomi and do what's best for Zay".

"I am doing what's best for him" Naomi exploded. "How dare you"?!

"No, you're doing what's best for yourself" Ruth corrected her, unfazed by her daughter's reactions. Ruth had let her daughter live in denial for way too long. It was time she heard the harsh truth and put her son's needs first.

"How could you even say that"?!

"Mom, just please talk to dad" Maya pleaded, interrupting the conversation. She hated to see her mother and grandmother fight and it nearly broke her heart to see her mother fight so hard against her feelings. Why couldn't her mom admit she was still in love with dad?

Naomi held Isaiah closer to her; the argument she was having hadn't affected him at all. Sucking on his pacifier had soothed him and made him sleepy. Naomi felt his breathing against her neck grow deeper as he drifted off to sleep. It was barely seven o'clock which meant he would wake up sooner than usual later that night. Naomi didn't care, he didn't need to hear any more than he already had. She was tired of having the same discussion over and over with her mother and daughter; they just refused to let it drop. However, tonight had been the worst double team she'd received from them; she didn't feel like being their punching bag for a minute longer. Maybe she should go to bed early too. "This conversation is over. Have a good night ladies" Naomi said abruptly, ending the video conference. Standing slowly from the desk in her home office, she wandered up the stairs with her son to her bedroom. Needing his warmth, she decided to skip the crib tonight and let him spend the whole night with her.