Okay, I made this chapter nice and long. Originally, I wanted to make it even longer but it was getting out of control; so I decided to save the next scene I have in mind for the next chapter. Once again, thanks to everyone who reads this or any other thing I've written. I greatly appreciate it. XOXO

Chapter Eight

"I can't believe you're doing this. You have officially lost your mind" Ruth ranted, as she gingerly held her six week old grandson and stared daggers at her daughter.

Naomi rolled her eyes and sighed. She was sitting on the floor in her apartment amidst a sea of cardboard boxes. After two weeks of phone stalking, Violet had worn her down and persuaded her to move back to Los Angeles. If she was honest, Violet hadn't had to do that much convincing. As much as Naomi loved New York, the excitement, the food, the culture, the hustle and bustle of the city… California was home. Plus, she was a warm weather girl. She much preferred breezy sunny days by the beach than trudging through a snow covered concrete jungle. And perhaps the most important reason of all to move back… she didn't have a good excuse to stay. Maya was gone; so how could she stay put in New York when her whole reason for being there no longer existed? Naomi couldn't afford for everyone to wonder what her motivation might be; they might start asking questions and go looking for answers. She had to protect Isaiah at all costs. Sure, moving back and rejoining the practice was a huge gamble, but it was a risk she was willing to take. Why couldn't her mother understand that? "What would you have me do mom? I can't stay here without people getting suspicious".

"Gee, I don't know. Why not try this little known method I've heard of; the TRUTH! Why is that such a difficult concept for you to grasp? I know things didn't work out between you and Sam the way you wanted, but this is reaching new heights of ridiculousness I never knew existed. Keeping Isaiah a secret is bad enough but are you really about to move across the country with a newborn, work at the same practice as his father and STILL not tell him or any of your friends your son exists"?

"That's exactly what I'm planning on doing".

"Naomi…"

She held up her hand to cut her mother off. "Please stop. We've already been over this more times than I care to count. And knowing you and Maya, I'll probably have to hear how much you both disagree several more times. So can we please skip the lecture tonight? Can you please just pretend you agree with me for a couple of hours and help me pack? Can we spend the last few days of your visit in peace? Because amidst all of the craziness, I've really enjoyed and appreciated having you here with me and Isaiah; I don't know how I would've survived these first few weeks without your help".

Ruth looked down at her precious grandson then back to her daughter. She felt so conflicted. No matter how old their children were, mothers always wanted to protect and guide them. Naomi was a grown woman with children and a grandchild of her own. But Ruth felt like though her daughter was a strong, independent, and highly intellectual woman, she was making one of the biggest mistakes of her life. And all because she running from love; a love that had created the tiny human being she was holding. Ruth loved her little Zay so much; she never thought she'd get a chance to be a grandmother again. So, for his sake, she agreed to Naomi's terms. "Fine, I'll let it go for now. You can thank your son for this; because I've enjoyed being here more than you've enjoyed having me. Spending time with you and my new grandson was the perfect Christmas gift. So, I'll help you pack but after tonight, don't you dare think for a moment that this conversation is over".

Naomi smiled. "I wouldn't dare. Thanks mom. I love you".

"I love you too baby" Ruth smiled against her will. Despite some of her recent actions, she was so proud of her daughter and the woman she had become. Isaiah was lucky to have her as a mother. Ruth looked down at him again and saw his agitation start to build; he was becoming restless in her arms. He was making whimpering noises and puckering his lips like a fish. "Uh oh, looks like someone's hungry again". Standing up, she walked over to Naomi and handed Isaiah over.

Naomi took him and kissed him on the cheek. "Already? He just ate not even two hours ago. I don't remember Maya eating this much; I feel like a big fat cow" she said, shaking her head as she lifted her shirt. Isaiah found her breast fast and began sucking immediately.

"Boys are a whole different breed; they'll suck the life right out of you. They take more energy to carry, eat more and more often. Your brother nearly killed me".

"I'm beginning to see that. I would be upset if he wasn't so cute" Naomi cooed, her heart warm and full from looking at her son. "I look at him and it's impossible to be mad about anything".

"You'll change your mind when he hits puberty and starts ruining all your good towels".

"MOM! That's so gross"!

Ruth laughed. "But it's true".

"I still don't want to hear about it".

"Alright, but thirteen years from now, don't say I didn't warn you" Ruth said, as she sat down on the floor next to Naomi. She stared at all the half packed boxes. "Are you sure you want to do this"?

Naomi took a deep breath. In reality, she wasn't sure about anything. She listened to her mother's advice more than Ruth was aware of. A few times, Naomi had considered coming clean. It took so much energy and effort to keep things hidden; and she loved Isaiah so much, she wanted to be able to share him with the world. But no matter how close she'd come, something always pulled her back; she felt she had to keep her son away from prying eyes. And if concealing Isaiah right up under their noses was the only way to accomplish her goal, she had no choice but to do it. "No, but I'm doing it anyway" Naomi confessed.

Ruth lightly touched her daughter's face, steered it in her direction. "Then why"?

"I don't know if there is a why mom. This is an impossible situation. I'm just trying to move forward and this is the next step. Who knows how many steps I'll have to take before I feel like I've reached the end".

Ruth nodded; in many ways she understood. She didn't agree with how her daughter was choosing to deal with the situation, but she understood how it felt to be trapped in a maze searching for the exit. There were so many routes to take but only one led to the finish line; sometimes you could sail right through and other times you had to keep retracing your steps until you found the right path. Naomi was still exploring, trying to find the right direction to travel in. Ruth wondered if Naomi already knew that deep down inside she wouldn't reach the end until she went through Sam first; because right now, her daughter was being stubborn and trying every trail that didn't include him. "You'll get there when you least expect it and a new journey will be waiting for you".

"Right now, I'm focused on this journey".

"As you should be" Ruth said, refocusing her attention back to the boxes. "Okay, let's finish getting you packed. Where do you want to start"?

...

Naomi blinked and rubbed her tired eyes. She was trying to catch up on reading the latest medical journal studies but it was proving difficult. A headache was forming and the tiny words were starting to run together on the page. Seeing that it was growing dark outside; she clicked on the lamp on her desk. Naomi was too weary to keep reading but sitting in the dark unnerved her. She glanced around her office, looked at the shadows that had been cast from the light, and reflected on the recent events that had occurred in her life. It'd been two weeks since Isaiah had been rushed to the hospital but this was the first time Naomi had come back to the office. It was a Saturday evening and she had the practice all to herself; the solitude was calming. Technically, her first day back wasn't until Monday but Naomi just couldn't be at home right now; not with Sam there. She'd left before he'd gotten there and didn't plan on going back home until after he left. Ever since that explosive night at the hospital, Sam had visited Isaiah every day. When he wasn't working, he was at his son's bedside every possible minute. When Isaiah had been finally strong enough to go home, Sam had started making daily visits to her house to check on him and spend time with him. And in the process of doing all that had completely ignored her; she didn't blame him. Naomi could understand why he was upset; she had kept his son away from him. No matter what her intentions were, good or bad, Sam had the right to be angry. Naomi just wished he would express it; yell, scream, rant at her; just get all of his feelings out in the open. Anything was better than the steely looks, cold stares, and scornful sneers. The tension between them when they were in the same room was so thick, she could cut it with a knife. Thank goodness her mother was still in town to play buffer; but Ruth would be leaving in a couple days. How was she going to learn how to co-parent with Sam when he barely talked to or looked at her?

If Sam insisted on playing the silent treatment game with her, fine; Naomi just refused to be around to endure it. It wasn't like he was the only one with hurt feelings. There had been collateral damage on both sides. All Naomi had to do was reflect on the early months of her pregnancy to remember the heartache and pain she'd experienced. So if Sam thought she'd kept Isaiah away from him just to piss him off, he couldn't be further from the truth. Naomi had been too busy pulling herself out of despair to be that vindictive. Snapping out of her thoughts, Naomi checked her watch; it was nearing eight o'clock. Sam should have had more than enough time to spend with Isaiah and leave by now. Stacking up the journals she had yet to read, she tossed them in her bag and stood up, stretching her body. Clicking off the lamp, she grabbed her bag and purse and exited her office, closing the door behind her. As she waited for elevator, Naomi began digging in her purse for her keys; which explained why she didn't notice the people standing inside when the doors opened.

"Well, if it isn't the baby mama herself" Amelia said snidely.

Naomi's head jerked up. Not only did she see Amelia, but Charlotte, Violet, Sheldon, Pete and Cooper were standing there as well. This was the first time she'd seen them since Isaiah's existence had been revealed. She'd received a few phone calls from a few of them; but for the most part, they'd kept their distance. "Excuse me" Naomi sputtered, taken aback. What were they even doing at the practice on a Saturday evening?

"Amelia was that really necessary" Sheldon exclaimed, shaking his head.

Ignoring Sheldon's admonishment, she continued to harass Naomi. "I'm not excusing anything you do. Not after what you did to Addison" Amelia said, as they stepped off the elevator.

"What I did to Addison" Naomi repeated in disbelief. "Look, I know Addison is like a big sister to you but not everything is about her. It's unfortunate that she got caught in the crossfire but my misguided actions had nothing to do with her. Now, if you'll excuse me, I was just leaving".

No one budged; they purposely blocked her way to the elevator. "I really need to get home" Naomi insisted.

"Not until you tell us why. If it wasn't about Addison, then why did you sleep with Sam, have his baby, and then keep it a secret" Violet asked, her voice unforgiving.

Naomi was taken aback once again. If she were a gambling woman, she would've assumed Violet would be the most compassionate one out of the group; especially considering their close friendship. But she looked almost angrier than Amelia. Maybe if Naomi hadn't been so distracted by her own imploding life, she would've seen it coming. Violet had not called her once in the last two weeks. The only ones she'd heard from were Pete, Sheldon, and surprisingly Charlotte. However, it was obvious they were equally curious as Violet, just not angry. Everyone wanted answers, with the possible exception of Cooper. He didn't look indifferent but he was clearly uncomfortable. Sighing, Naomi gave her standard half-truth explanation. "I'm sure you've already heard the story. Sam and I were drunk and it just happened. There was no thought behind it. We were careless and uninhibited and we made a mistake".

"And Isaiah" Pete questioned.

"Isaiah was completely unexpected. When I found out I was pregnant, I considered all my options and weighed the consequences. I just didn't see the point of causing so much pain and drama because of a drunken accident. Plus, I was living in New York at the time. Co-parenting with Sam would've been virtually impossible. So I made the decision to raise him by myself".

"But why didn't you tell us? Tell me anything about your son" Violet asked, not nearly satisfied with Naomi's answer.

"How could I tell you when I was keeping it from Sam? That would've put you in a terrible position. And even if you were willing to keep my secret, it still could've accidentally slipped out at any time. I had to keep my son protected".

"Protected? All you've done is…" Violet started.

"Yeah right…." Amelia began.

"Well, at least we know why Naomi has been so antisocial the last few months. She's been going home to take care of her baby boy. I have to admit, I'm relieved. I was starting to think you just didn't enjoy our company" Charlotte commented, effectively cutting them off. She could understand their anger. Amelia was fuming because she felt so protective of Addison. Violet was hurt because Naomi hadn't confided in her. But if they could get past their blinding emotions, they would see that in many ways, Naomi was suffering too. And taking all the blame for not only what she did, but Sam's actions as well, certainly didn't help. Charlotte wasn't about to stand there and pretend she agreed with Naomi's actions and subsequent choices but if she were put in the same situation, she couldn't say she would've handled it any better. And for that reason, Charlotte sympathized and harbored no ill feelings towards Naomi.

Naomi silently thanked Charlotte in her head. She'd been surprised by her over the last couple of weeks. She was still blunt and a straight shooter but Naomi never knew Charlotte could be so nice and thoughtful. It wasn't that Naomi didn't think Charlotte was capable, but she got the distinct feeling that Charlotte sometimes thought showing emotions were a sign of weakness. Naomi could relate to that. But that opinion had been formed before she married Cooper. Maybe Naomi didn't know the new Charlotte at all. She wanted to correct that; making a mental note, she decided to find a later time to sit down and have a talk with her; later, if she could get through this encounter. "No, it wasn't you guys at all. I was just being a mom. Isaiah had a hard time adjusting to his new surroundings and he needed me. And at this stage, they grow so fast. I didn't want to miss any major milestones".

"But you were content to let Sam miss everything".

"Violet" Naomi exclaimed.

"Don't 'Violet' me. It's the truth. Your little explanation is complete bullshit. I think you did all of this on purpose to sabotage Addison and Sam's relationship. It's no secret you've never liked them getting together. So why not throw a wrench in their lives; you know what they say, misery loves company".

"Are you really standing there and accusing me of planning this" Naomi shouted, fury rising from the depths of her soul.

"Violet, that's crazy. You know Naomi would never do something like that" Pete said, trying to reel his wife in. But she was too angry.

"I completely agree. Naomi is nothing but a selfish bitch" Amelia sneered.

"Shut up Amelia. You're not helping" Sheldon said authoritatively.

"I'm not trying to help. I'm just calling her out for the shitty person she is".

"Then shut up before I punch you in the mouth. One mistake does not make someone a bad person. Amelia, stop acting like a guard dog and look at the bigger picture. Naomi is not the only one at fault here. Sam played his part too".

"But Naomi certainly had the most to gain out of this fiasco" Violet said, not backing down.

"Yeah, so I made Sam come to New York, get so drunk he couldn't remember where his hotel was, then told Maya to give Sam's taxi driver directions to my house. And then I planned it all at the exact same time I was ovulating to ensure I would get pregnant. Yep, I was the mastermind behind all of that" Naomi spewed sarcastically before she turned serious again. "Seriously Violet? I didn't even know Sam was in town. Even if I could coordinate all of that, why would I go through such lengths to keep my son a secret? That's not sabotage. If anything, my actions have done the opposite. If it were up to me, everyone would still be in the dark regarding what happened".

"Then why did you move back to Los Angeles? You had to have known you would get caught sooner or later".

"Because you practically begged me to" Naomi screamed. "I was fine staying in New York but you wore me down. And believe it or not, I missed you. I missed all of you. California is my home. I knew I was taking a huge risk coming back here, but I wouldn't have done it if I thought I would get caught. There was no way to predict Isaiah getting sick which is the only reason we're standing here today".

"I don't believe you" Violet said coldly.

"Violet, just let it go" Cooper sighed, finally speaking up. "It doesn't matter what you believe, it's Naomi's life. The only person who has to believe anything is her".

"No Cooper, it's fine. Everyone can believe what they want. Violet can go on believing I purposely ruin lives. Amelia can go on believing I'm the shittiest person on the planet. Whatever the rest of you guys think about me, have at it. I don't care. You fine people enjoy the rest of your weekend". Since the pathway to the elevator was still blocked, Naomi turned around and headed for the stairwell. Just in time too; that way they couldn't see her tears begin to fall.

…

Naomi made sure her face was tear free before she got out of the car. As if her evening hadn't already been bad enough, Sam's car was still parked in front of her house. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing how much this whole debacle was affecting her; how even though she deserved some of the backlash she was receiving, it still hurt that no one tried to see things from her point of view, with maybe the exception of Charlotte. It was crucial she thank her in the near future. Quietly, Naomi entered the house through the garage. Automatically, she heard loud giggles and hysterical screams coming from her son. Sam was undoubtedly entertaining him and sending him into fits of laughter. Isaiah was always all smiles when his father came to visit. It was amazing how quickly they had bonded; any passerby would've thought Sam had been in Isaiah's life since day one, not just for two weeks. Taking off her shoes, she treaded silently down the hallway to the living room. Sam was sitting on the couch with a giggling Isaiah in his lap; her mom was sitting right next to them. Unnoticed, Naomi paused, stood in the darkened hall, concealed by shadows.

"He's so amazing" Sam said, shaking his head in awe.

"He certain is" Ruth agreed.

"I can't believe she kept him from me. How could she do that" Sam asked angrily, so mad he couldn't even say Naomi's name. "And how could you and Maya help her do it"?

"I have no control over my daughter Sam, you know that. She's just as stubborn as you. We wanted her to tell you, begged her to tell you but she refused. And Maya and I both agreed that it wasn't our place to say anything; that if you were to find out, it had to come from her".

Sam nodded; he didn't like what Ruth was telling him, but he understood. It still didn't stop his frustration from spilling over. "But why" he asked, as he looked down at Isaiah, who was now preoccupied with his hands. "Since when did she feel the need to keep secrets from me"?

Ruth didn't say anything. She just stared at Sam with a 'you can't be that oblivious' look.

"What"?!

"I can't speak for my daughter but I can tell you how I feel. You're dating Addison; that's not cool Sam. Sure, you're free to date whomever you want so Addison is fair game; but it still begs the question of why? Of all people, why would you date your ex-wife's best friend? Naomi never told you how she feels about the situation but I know you know it bothers her to some extent. And if you didn't, you should have and do now. No matter how much you both pretended everything was fine, it wasn't. Maybe on the surface, but naturally she wouldn't feel as comfortable talking to you; I know I wouldn't".

Sam sighed. Ruth was right of course; but he and Naomi had been pretending so long, a part of him had really begun to think nothing had changed between them. He'd been happy believing his relationship with Addison hadn't affected his friendship with his ex-wife. Now he felt downright foolish and inconsiderate. He'd gone to Naomi to discuss his problems with Addison like it was nothing; and she'd allowed him to vent, gave him advice. She'd also deliberately failed to mention Isaiah even though they'd discussed why they didn't have more kids. And to think Naomi had been upset at him for weeks for doubting her loyalty when she was keeping the secret of the century. How hypocritical could she be? Sam's anger boiled up again so quickly, his skin became feverish. "That's still no excuse. Isaiah is just as much my son as hers. I had a right to know".

"You're absolutely right; which is why I begged her repeatedly to tell you. But Sam, put yourself in her shoes for a moment. For unknown reasons, the universe threw you two back together, if only for one night; and then Naomi finds out she's pregnant. All of a sudden she finds herself stuck in a trio with her best friend and ex-husband, playing the role of the other woman. It doesn't matter what happened, what her intentions were, exposing the truth would've made her look like the villain, much like it does now. If there is one thing my daughter hates, it is people have the wrong impression of her. She also hates being the bearer of bad news. As much as Naomi might be bothered by you and Addison, she would never intentionally try to destroy someone's life. So she tried to take responsibility for the whole situation herself. Were her actions selfish? Yes. But they were also self-sacrificing".

Sam was shaking his head before Ruth finished. "There has to be more to the story. I won't dispute what you're saying, even if I think you're being bias, but I know my ex-wife. Maybe not as well as I used to, but I know her well enough to know she' still hiding something. And even without knowing what that something is, there will never be a good enough reason for what she did".

Ruth opened her mouth but nothing came out. She wanted so badly to tell him the truth. Not that what she had said wasn't the truth; it just wasn't the whole truth. Sam still had no idea that Naomi had been in love with him; was still in love with him in her opinion.

Naomi had heard and seen enough. She appreciated her mother's efforts but it was time to end this conversation before she shared more than she should. Naomi could see the conflict in her eyes. Scurrying back to the door, she opened it and slammed it hard to alert them she was home. This time when she approached the living room, they spotted her immediately. Ruth looked slightly guilty, Sam had the scowl especially reserved for her on his face, and Isaiah's eyes lit up as he reached for her. It warmed Naomi's heart to know he still got excited when she came home. She'd been a little worried that with Sam in the picture, he'd forget about her. "You're still here; I thought you'd be gone by now" Naomi said coolly to Sam, but not rudely.

"I guess it is time for me to go" Sam said, addressing Ruth instead of Naomi. He started to hand Isaiah over to her but Ruth stopped him.

"No, this stops now. I can't stay here forever, I'm leaving in a couple of days. You two have to put your personal feelings aside and start getting along for Isaiah's sake. So Sam, get up off this couch and hand your son to his mother".

Sam fought the strong urge to pout like a little school boy. Naturally, Ruth was right… again. Begrudgingly, he did as he was told. But he still refused to talk to Naomi as he witnessed Isaiah practically leap into her waiting arms.

"Hey Zay-Zay! Mommy missed you so much" Naomi cooed, kissing him all over as he clung to her. "Did you have a good time today" she asked playfully. She looked back at Sam. "I assume you'll be back tomorrow".

Not making eye contact with her, Sam just nodded.

Naomi blew out a frustrated breath. She really wasn't in the mood for this; especially after what had happened at the office. "Sam, would you just say something? I know you're mad, you have every right to be but all the silent treatment in the world won't change what I did. We can't go on like this. Sooner or later, it will start to affect Isaiah in a negative way".

Sam abruptly turned to her, his eyes drilling into her face. She'd kept his son away from him and now she wanted to act like the co-parent of the year? He was so angry he could strangle her. Being the mother of his children was her only saving grace right now. "I'll be back tomorrow afternoon" he said before walking to the front door and leaving, forgetting to tell Isaiah goodbye.

"Asshole" Naomi mumbled as she plopped down on the couch next to her mom. The cushion was still warm from Sam sitting there.

"Can you blame him"?

"I don't care that he's upset. Like I said, he has every right to be but I wish he would just yell at me and get it over with".

"He can't" Ruth said.

"Why not"?

"Because, if he releases the full force of his anger on you, other emotions might bubble up to the surface too; feelings he has kept repressed for a long time; like being in love with you".

Naomi rolled her eyes and let out an exasperated sigh. She stood Isaiah up on his chubby little legs and let him bounce up and down. "Your grandmother is crazy, did you know that? First she insists that I'm in love with your daddy and now she's claiming daddy is in love with mommy".

Ruth was unfazed. "If Isaiah could talk, he would agree with me. Your ex-husband is still in love with you. How would Isaiah even exist if his feelings for you weren't still so strong? There's no way he would be this angry if he wasn't in love with you. He would be upset, maybe a little annoyed, but not ready to explode".

"Mom, these fantasies of yours have got to stop. Sam didn't come running back to me once he found out about Isaiah like you thought he would, so now you're grasping at more straws. Let it go. He loves Addison and still wants to be with her. I don't know how she feels, but that's their business, not mine".

"Addison is only who Sam thinks he wants because he's afraid to look too closely at his feelings. But what he really wants is you. Why do you think he was still here when you got home? He kept saying he should get going but never got off the couch. I'm sure you tried to wait him out but he was determined to stay until he saw you, even if he was too angry to speak".

"Or he could've just wanted to spend as much time with his son as possible" Naomi rationalized.

"Fine, I'll just wait to say I told you so. How was the office? Did you get caught up on your reading"?

"No. But I did run into the other doctors and get ripped a new one. Having Violet, one of my closet friends, drag me through the mud by my hair was quite the experience. I've never had so much fun" Naomi said sarcastically.

"Can you …."

"Yes, I can blame them" Naomi shouted so suddenly, it scared Isaiah and he began to cry. "Oh no, mommy is so sorry" Naomi said, pulling him to her chest and rocking him until he calmed down. By the look on his face, Naomi could tell he was getting sleepy. "Did he eat" she asked her mother as she contemplated breast feeding him.

"Yes, Sam gave him a bottle about an hour ago" Ruth answered.

Naomi continued to rock him as she finished explaining her point to Ruth. "I didn't expect them to give me a free pass or not be upset but Violet and Amelia treated me like I'm the scum of the earth. Not only did they not try to understand my perspective, but they acted like I was the only one to blame; like Sam was just some pawn in my game or he wasn't aware of what he was doing. All of this chaos just because I had a baby".

"Naomi, you didn't just have a baby. You had Sam's baby. I hate to kick you while you're down but keeping Isaiah a secret was no small matter. You and Sam are equally to blame for having sex, but you were the only one who knew about Isaiah. They can't blame Sam for that the way they can blame you".

"Maybe not, but at the end of the day, I didn't make Isaiah by myself" Naomi argued, feeling dejected. She turned to her mom. "You were right about one thing. This all blew up in my face just like you and Maya said it would. But it still feels so unfair".

"Well, maybe if they knew the whole truth, people would be a little more understanding. You shouldn't be ashamed or feel vulnerable for still loving a man you were married to for over a decade. You and Sam would probably be together if Addison hadn't put herself in the middle".

"Mom" Naomi whined, not wanting to go down that path, play what ifs and could have been. Thankfully, she was saved by the doorbell. Standing up, she hurried to the door and opened it.

"Hello Naomi. That must be my grandson you're holding" Dee Bennett said, standing on the front porch.