Hey, so it feels extra weird, like I messed up the flow of my story but there is no flashback in this chapter. I started to write one but as I read over it, I thought it would be better suited for the next chapter I have planned. Besides, this chapter is still pretty long without the flashback. I hope you guys still like it. Once again, thanks for reading. XOXO
Chapter Ten
Naomi steeled herself as she pushed the elevator button for the fifth floor. It was her third day back at work and things hadn't exactly gone smoothly. There had been no arguments or confrontations, but the air was noticeably cooler in the office. There was no friendly conversations going on, it was just straight business. Naomi felt more like she was working with strangers than people she'd known for years. The only person who had continued to treat her the same was Charlotte; but Charlotte was the chief of staff at St. Ambrose's and worked at the hospital on Wednesdays. Naomi wished that wasn't the case because today was going to be the hardest test of all. Nervous, she readjusted everything she was carrying; two hands were not enough. She literally felt weighed down by the purse and briefcase she was carrying in one hand and the baby bag and child she was carrying in the other.
Bringing Isaiah to work was not Naomi's first choice, it had been her only choice. Her mother was gone, Sam's mother had left early that morning, and her babysitter had called at the last minute with a family emergency. Danielle was trustworthy and reliable so if something had kept her from coming to work, it must've have been serious. But it had left Naomi in a serious bind. She couldn't cancel her day; she'd already missed two weeks and repeatedly had to reschedule many of her patients. She just couldn't keep neglecting her work and patients because of the personal drama she had inflicted on herself. Nor would she give the illusion to her coworkers that she was avoiding them; she would not be broken. After taking five minutes to freak out, she'd packed Isaiah's bag with everything she could think of; extra clothes, bibs, diapers, wipes, bottles, blankets, toys, teething rings, and anything else that would keep him occupied. Taking her son to work was her only option. Naomi looked at him now as the elevator slowly rose toward the practice. Seeing the excited look on his face helped keep her calm; Isaiah had no idea what was going on, this was all some big new adventure to him. "You're going to be a good boy for mommy today, aren't you Zay-Zay" Naomi asked, kissing him on the cheek right as the elevator doors opened.
The evil glares she received were instantaneous. It didn't matter that both Sam and Addison were scheduled for back to back surgeries, it was the only break she had caught, and would also be at the hospital all day. Showing up at work with her son was a sign of disrespect and gloating to certain people in the office; especially Amelia, who was standing at the front desk staring daggers at her. Why couldn't she have been at the hospital today too? There had to be plenty of brains out there that needed fixing. Ignoring all the hard looks she was getting, Naomi hoisted Isaiah up higher on her hip and walked to her office, with her head held high. She refused to let anyone see her sweat. Isaiah's head swiveled back and forth, trying to take in everything he saw. When she entered her office, she didn't even bother to close the blinds; she would endure the stares, no one was going to reduce her to hiding in her own office. Setting Isaiah and the baby bag down carefully on the couch, Naomi slipped out of her blazer and hung it and her purse up in the closet.
"Aahhh, Aahhh" Isaiah squealed, his hands reaching for Naomi as he automatically became restless on the couch. He was too little to see out the window from where he sat and it was upsetting him. He wanted to be able to see everything.
"Mommy is going to pick you back up in a minute. She just needs to make sure she has everything she needs for her patients. You want mommy to be prepared, don't you" Naomi said, talking to her son in a sing-song voice to keep him calm. Taking out files from her briefcase, she set them in the inbox tray on the corner of her desk and put the briefcase in the closet as well. Next, she went back to the couch and picked up the baby bag, wondering where she should put it. She needed to be able to have easy access to it but didn't want it to be so easily visible either. Ultimately, she finally decided to push it under the coffee table in front of the couch. Most of her appointments would take place at her desk and if they did wander over to the couch, the bag wouldn't be in the way.
"Aahhh, Aahhh" Isaiah squealed again, louder this time, agitated that his mother had picked up the bag instead of him.
"Okay, okay" Naomi laughed lightly. Knowing he would be hungry soon, she dug inside the baby bag, grabbed a fresh bottle and bib before finally picking him back up. A drooling smile immediately returned to his face as he looked out of the window into the practice. All the stares seemed to amuse him instead of scare him. "You're such a happy baby. Where does your eternal optimism come from" Naomi wondered aloud kissing his cheek as he clung to her neck.
As if understanding, Isaiah turned back to her and grinned wider. "Aahhh" he squealed in answer before he laid his eyes on the bottle in Naomi's hand. Bouncing up and down, he reached for it.
"You also have a bottomless pit for a stomach" Naomi teased as she deftly put the bib around his neck with one hand and uncapped the bottle. Repositioning him, she cradled him against her chest, put the bottle in his mouth and wrapped his small hand around it. At six months, his grip was strong enough to hold the bottle on his own. His head settled against her bosom and his body relaxed as he began to drink in greedy gulps. "Sometimes you act like I don't feed you" Naomi smiled, shaking her head as she rocked him back and forth. Naomi looked up when a nurse simultaneously knocked on the open door and entered.
"Sorry to interrupt Dr. Bennett but the Jacksons have just arrived" the nurse said nervously, trying hard not to stare at Isaiah.
"Oh great, bring them back" Naomi said, choosing to turn a blind eye to the nurse's behavior. Naomi could tell she was worried about overstepping her boundaries, not holding a grudge. If anything, she seemed curious. It didn't matter either way. Naomi had more important things to worry about. Like how she was going to get through a whole day of appointments with her child. Would Isaiah serve as too great a distraction to get anything done? Taking her time, she wandered over to her desk. She was about to sit down when the nurse returned with the Jacksons; quickly and courteously, she showed them in and closed the door behind them. Pushing back her nerves, Naomi greeted them. "Hello, Renee. Hello, James. It's nice to see you again; I'm so sorry I've had to reschedule so many times but…." Suddenly, Naomi was blasted with a squirt of breast milk all over her blouse. Isaiah had abruptly turned his head away from the bottle to look at the newcomers and babbled in delight. "Isaiah" Naomi admonished, embarrassed. Trying her best, she used her free hand to wipe milk off her top. Thank goodness she had extra blouses in her closet; she would change later. Naomi looked back at the Jacksons. "I'm so sorry. What I was about to say is that this little guy here has been sick. Let me just page the nurse to come get him for a little while".
Renee Jackson beamed at Isaiah. "There's no need".
"Are you sure" Naomi asked hesitantly.
"I'm positive. I didn't realize you had a baby; he's absolutely adorable".
Naomi breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you. Normally, I wouldn't bring him to work but the babysitter had a last minute emergency and I just couldn't bear the thought of canceling on you one more time. I want to make sure I do everything in my power to ensure you have one of these little guys" she said, smiling as she looked down at Isaiah. She tried to give him his bottle again, but he had completely lost interest. He was still staring at Renee.
"My wife and I really appreciate that. We're grateful for any help you can give us" James said, looking at Isaiah with a longing expression.
"Great, let's get started" Naomi said, pointing them to the two chairs in front of her desk. As they sat down, she noticed Renee could not keep her eyes off Isaiah, nor could her son keep his eyes off her. There was something so maternal and nurturing about her that drew Isaiah's attention. "Would you like to hold him" Naomi asked.
Renee gasped. "Can I"?
"Sure, it would actually be a great help. My hands will be free to go through your file as we talk".
"Then I'd loved to" Renee agreed excitedly as Naomi handed Isaiah over, who went willingly into her arms. "Oh my God, he's so soft and he smells so good" Renee cooed as she held him.
"Yeah, that baby smell is heavenly and addictive; it's like a drug" Naomi joked as she sat down behind her desk, knowing all too well what Renee was experiencing. She grabbed the Jacksons' file off her inbox tray. "Okay, let's see…."
…
Exhausted, Naomi sat on the couch holding an energized Isaiah. They were only halfway through the day but dealing with patients and taking care of her son had drained her energy twice as fast. There were so many new things for Isaiah to feast his eyes on; he'd been wired all day going between her and her patients, trying to get his hands on everything. To her great relief, he had been a huge hit with her patients. They couldn't get enough of playing and fawning all over him; his natural charisma must have come from Sam. But now that she had an extended break before her next appointment, she wished Isaiah would take a nap. Instead, he jumped up and down in her lap and laughed hysterically at Naomi's pleading expression. It looked like she wasn't going to get her wish but she still couldn't help but smile. Isaiah's bubbly personality was infectious. "I should be mad at you for not taking a nap but it's impossible" she said, ticking his ribcage, making him laugh louder. A knock at the door distracted her; she looked up and saw Pete. The real world came crashing back down around her. Somehow, even though she was at work, having Isaiah with her had made her temporarily forget that everyone else hated her and was ignoring her. In some ways, this day had been better than the previous two because she had been distracted from concentrating on all the negative feelings floating around the office. "Come in" Naomi said, not sure what to expect.
Pete came in and plopped down in a chair like it was the most normal thing in the world. "You haven't left this office all day except for when you've taken your patients to the medical exam rooms. I was just coming to check on you".
"Why"?
"What do you mean Why" Pete asked.
"Why are you coming to check on me? You haven't been remotely interested before" Naomi said, skeptical of his motives.
Pete sighed. "I owe you an apology. I should have never opened my mouth about Isaiah. That wasn't my place. It's no excuse, but I was in a state of shock. I couldn't believe you had a baby no one knew about. I thought maybe you'd confided in Violet at the very least so I asked her about it. And then I saw Sam; Isaiah looks just like him so I thought he for sure knew. You're not the type to keep secrets like this. Everything was just one big misunderstanding and it snowballed. I'm truly sorry".
"Aahhh" Isaiah shouted, pointing at Pete wondering who he was. He'd recognized his name and Sam's coming from the man's mouth.
"It's not polite to point. That's your daddy's friend Pete" Naomi said, pulling his hand down. She looked back to Pete. "Look, you don't need to apologize. Now that I've had time to think, I was a fool for ever believing I could keep him a secret. It was bound to get out sooner or later".
"Just Sam's friend" Pete asked, taken aback. "I thought we were friends too".
"So did I. After Saturday, I'm not so sure".
"Saturday was unfortunate and should have never happened. We had actually come to the practice that evening to discuss the whole situation. With you coming back on Monday, I was going to calmly suggest that we stay out of you, Sam, and Addison's business; that we should be neutral and not take sides. But as soon as Amelia and Violet spotted you, things immediately went wrong".
"Yeah, they did" Naomi said in a clipped tone.
Pete hated being caught in the middle but in this situation, he felt he didn't have a choice. There was no way he could take sides when both women meant a great deal to him; but he couldn't idly sit by anymore either. Blowing out a frustrated breath, he explained "Look, Violet is my wife Naomi. I'm not defending her actions but she's hurting. I know you didn't meant to hurt her, and deep down she knows that, but she is hurt. She's one of your closest friends and you didn't confide in her about something so monumental" Pete said, glancing at Isaiah. "And you've known her long enough to know she doesn't think rationally or fairly when she's upset. I've been keeping my distance to keep the peace, not because I agree with the horrible things she said. I was hoping she would have cooled off by now but she seems to be getting angrier. However, as much as I love my wife, you're still my friend. Hell, I've known you longer than I've known Violet. I care about you; if I didn't, I wouldn't have called last week to check on you against my wife's wishes. And as soon as she gets past her anger, Violet will realize she still cares about you too. So I'm just going to have to endure her wrath because how you're being treated is not right and I refuse to be a part of it anymore. You and Sam made a mistake but it doesn't make you a bad person; nor is it fair that you're being persecuted for something two people are responsible for. You might not want an apology but I'm giving you one anyway. I'm truly sorry for the role I played".
Naomi swallowed thickly, trying to suppress the sudden burst of emotion clogging her throat. She'd been working so hard to stay strong, she'd forgotten just how alone in the world she felt. It was overwhelming to receive such love and support. "Thank you Pete, I really appreciate it" she said, her voice tight and shaky.
"Don't thank me. I should have come sooner".
Isaiah, noticing the change in Naomi's voice, looked at his mother and saw the raw emotion in her eyes. He didn't understand what had upset her but he didn't like it. In an attempt to comfort her, he reached up and touched her face. "Mommy's fine" Naomi told him. "She's just talking with an old friend. Say hi to mommy and daddy's friend. Say hi Pete" Naomi said, turning Isaiah towards him.
"Hey little guy" Pete waved, smiling. "So why did you bring him to work today"?
"The babysitter had a last minute emergency. Come on Zay-Zay, say hi to Pete" Naomi repeated when Isaiah just continued to stare.
Instead of curiously, Isaiah was now looking at Pete skeptically, not sure what to make of him. He was about to turn away and bury his head in the warmth of his mother's body when Pete started making funny faces, causing him to laugh. Squealing in delight, he reached for Pete.
"Do you mind" Pete asked.
"No, go ahead" Naomi smiled.
"Hey buddy" Pete exclaimed, taking Isaiah into his arms and sitting back down. "This is one cute kid Naomi".
Naomi smiled reflectively, thinking about what her son represented. "He's more than cute. He's my karma, the good and the bad all wrapped into one".
"I don't understand".
"He's a result of everything I've done good in my life; despite my many flaws, I must've done enough good to be blessed with him. But he's also a reminder of what I've lost and can never have again" Naomi answered, staring at her son in a slight daze.
Pete studied Naomi closely, intrigued by her choice of words. Maybe Violet was right; Naomi wasn't telling the whole truth. The look in her eyes told him there was a lot more to the story; however, he was sure it had nothing to do with sabotage like Violet had accused. He'd never believed Naomi was capable of such vile behavior anyway. Following his hunch, he quietly asked "Like Sam"?
"What" Naomi gasped, breaking out of her trance. She'd forgotten Pete had the uncanny ability to make people feel too comfortable around him. Case and point, he'd managed to mollify both she and her son in less than five minutes. Perhaps that's why practicing alternative medicine worked so well for him. She'd also forgotten how observant and perceptive Pete could be. How had he picked up on her old feelings for Sam that quickly? Regardless of whether he believed her, Naomi decided to play dumb. "I have no idea what you're talking about".
"Really"?
"Really".
"Then what does Isaiah remind you of that you've lost and can't get back"?
Not being able to come up with a good reply, Naomi sidestepped the question. "What's with the third degree? I think you've been living with Violet too long. She's rubbing off on you".
Pete smiled at the evasion. Looking down at Isaiah, he said "First lesson about women…they're the most mysterious creatures on earth. And your mother just happens to be one of the most mysterious ones of all". Isaiah giggled, looking at Pete like he was mentally challenged for not figuring that out sooner.
"Don't go putting sexist thoughts in my son's head" Naomi teased. "If he turns on me, I don't know what I would do. He's my whole world".
"I have an idea".
"What"?
"We just got back on speaking terms but I'm going to take a risk and say this anyway. You need to get a life".
"Excuse me" Naomi bristled.
"I know you've been stressed out because of all the practice drama and before that, you were busy trying to raise Isaiah by yourself but that's no excuse not to have a life; especially now. As soon as you and Sam get through this rough patch, Isaiah is going to be spending more and more time with his father, leaving more free time for you. What are you going to do? Sit on the couch and eat ice cream"?
"That's not a bad idea" Naomi muttered, suddenly feeling depressed about being away from Isaiah.
"Oh come on Nae! It's okay to feel like Isaiah is your whole world, but he's shouldn't actually be your whole world. Live a little. Do you know how many men have seen me talking to you at the hospital and have asked about you"?
"Why does everyone assume I need a man to be happy or have a life? Maybe I should branch out a little, I'll give you that, but that doesn't mean I should start dating. I like being single".
Not interested in dating Pete thought, the hunch in his head growing into a full blown theory. Yes, Naomi was most definitely hiding things; like still having feelings for Sam. But he wasn't about to call her out on it or share his suspicions with anyone. He'd already done enough damage. But he also still wanted to see Naomi happy. "You don't have to go throw yourself in a relationship but what's wrong with going out and having fun with someone of the opposite sex once in a while? At the very least, it's a free dinner. I'm sure Jake wouldn't mind buying you dinner".
"Jake? Jake Reilly"? A small swarm of butterflies danced around in Naomi's tummy. She hadn't seen him since he'd visited her at the office, but on the rare occasions she had thought about him, a nervous energy consumed her.
Pete was surprised by the spark he saw in Naomi's eyes. And the plot just keeps thickening he thought. Even with her lingering feelings for Sam, a new guy had managed to catch her interest. She just didn't want to act on it. "Yep, that's the one. He asks about you every time I run into him. I think he genuinely likes you".
"Yeah, along with half the woman in Los Angeles" Naomi said, shrugging off Pete's words. "He is nice though. He heard about Isaiah being in the hospital and sent flowers, balloons and huge stuffed animal to the room. It was really sweet of him. With all the chaos going on, I haven't even gotten a chance to call and thank him". Naomi remembered how surprised she'd been but hadn't gotten a chance to revel in Jake's kindness before she was bombarded with questions from her mother Sam; it was one of the few times Sam had talked to her, or more accurately yelled at her, since finding out about Isaiah.
"Maybe you should thank him by going out on a date with him" Pete suggested.
"Pete" Naomi whined, tiring of the subject.
"Okay, okay, I'll back off. But just think about it. I want you to be happy Naomi".
"Thanks Pete, I know you do and I will" Naomi smiled, feeling grateful to have Pete in her corner again. Feeling alone had made her feel so tired. It exhausted her mentally, emotionally, and physically. Yawning, she stretched out her limbs, relaxing her body further into the couch.
"You look tired. Are you done for the day"?
"I wish. I have a window of back to back patients starting up in about half an hour".
Pete glanced at Isaiah, who was jumping up and down on his lap; he was a ball of energy. It couldn't have been easy for Naomi to simultaneously take care of him and tend to her patients that morning. "Well, I'm done for the day. I was about to pick Lucas up from pre-school. How about I take Isaiah with me and he can spend the afternoon with us in the park? That way you won't have any distractions and can get your work done faster".
Naomi was hesitant. "I don't know Pete. That's really sweet of you to offer but I don't know if it's a good idea. And besides, you're already in a heap of trouble by just sitting here and talking to me. I appreciate your support more than words can express, but you know Violet is probably thinking you're taking my side over hers". She looked out the window behind Pete and Saw Amelia, Violet, and Cooper congregating in the door of the kitchen blatantly staring. Amelia and Violet looked absolutely livid while Cooper looked annoyed; annoyed by her or them Naomi didn't know, but annoyed nonetheless. Naomi knew the only thing that kept Amelia and Violet from storming into her office was the fact that when they weren't sending evil thoughts her way, they liked to pretend she didn't even exist.
"I'm not. I love my wife but I also love my friend and want to help".
"I love you too Pete but like you said, Violet doesn't think straight when she's mad. She won't see it that way".
"Have you seen these dimples" Pete asked, tickling Isaiah to make him laugh so they would appear. "How could anyone be mad at these dimples? Whatever issues she has with you, there's no way she could be upset with a face like this. And if she is, I have no idea who I married. Trust me Nae, let me do this for you".
Naomi was still unsure but the thought of being able to concentrate on one thing at a time was appealing. "Fine, take him and go before I change my mind. There's his bag and I'll give you my spare key so you can get his car seat out of my car. I should be done with work by five".
"Great" Pete exclaimed, grabbing the bag and standing up. Isaiah's eyes widened in excitement as he clung to Pete; what was going on? "We're going to go pick up my son Lucas and go to the park. Doesn't that sound fun" Pete said excitedly, making Isaiah even more giddy. "Say by to mommy, we'll see her a little later".
Naomi stood up and went to the closet and dug her spare key out of her purse. Walking back, she handed the key to Pete and kissed Isaiah on the cheek. "Bye baby, have fun with Uncle Pete". She turned away before they were fully out the door for one reason; so she didn't have to see Violet's reaction and be forced change her mind.
…
The day went by quickly after Pete left with Isaiah. Like Pete had guessed, she was able to concentrate and get through her work much faster. And Violet had not burned her office down, so maybe Pete wouldn't suffer too badly at home tonight for helping. Before she was aware, it was after five o'clock. Wondering why Pete had yet to return with her son, she was about to call him when a text message appeared on her phone: Lucas and Isaiah are having too much fun. Decided to let them stay at the park a little longer. Hope you don't mind, should be back by six. Pete.
Smiling, Naomi texted back: Sure, I'm glad the little ones are having fun. Thank you so much for taking Isaiah with you. Take your time. I'll be here whenever they're ready. Naomi XOXO. Closing her phone, Naomi looked at the files on her desk and contemplated some of the work she could catch up on. She honestly wasn't in the mood and she was tired. Getting up from her desk, she wafted over to the couch and laid down. Maybe if she closed her eyes for a few minutes, she would find her second wind. However, when she opened her eyes, the sun had sunken much lower in the sky than she'd expected and her office was cast in several shadows as the sun continued to set. What time was it? Sitting up, she glanced at the clock on the wall and saw it was almost eight. Eight?! Where was Pete with her son? Naomi was so discombobulated and confused and in a state of near panic, she didn't notice the person sitting in the chair underneath the window.
"Hello Naomi".
Jumping, she turned in the direction the voice came from. Still disoriented, Naomi squinted her eyes and looked hard, trying to determine who had been watching her sleep. "Addison"?