Spaces in between (Stockholm Syndrome: Extended chapters)

November 2021

~Archer~

"Do you think that's enough?"

"That's more than enough. You do know it's just two people coming right?"

"I know, but Emily is pregnant. She probably eats a lot".

Felix chuckled. "If she finishes that platter she's having twins".

I placed the platter of food on the great room table and went back to the kitchen to pick up another platter. The first platter had sweet and savory pastries; and the second had skewered fruit and yoghurt sauce.

It wasn't too much as Felix thought it was.

It was a little before 12 pm. Felix and I were relaxing at home. Well, one of us was relaxing. I was preparing everything while Felix sat lazily. In a few minutes we had an interview with our adoption agent and potential baby's biological mother. It was the second interview with the agent, but the first with the child's mother present.

We'd done well on the first one, but this time the decision solely rested on the mother. If she didn't like us, there was no way we were getting a baby.

"Do you really think it's too much?" I asked, adjusting the platter a few times.

Felix pulled me down onto the couch next to him.

"It's fine. Too much is better than too little anyway. Hey, it's going to be fine", he assured.

"I don't know babe. Helen did say I'm young and...what if Emily envisioned a heterosexual 30 year old couple raising her child? What if..."

"Shh. If Emily doesn't think we are a fit, that's her loss. Helen will find someone else", Felix said stroking my hair.

I sighed. "This is too stressful".

Just as I finished talking, the bell rang.

I was about to stand up, but Felix put his hand on my thigh, pushing me down.

"I'll get it. You look like you are about to faint".

I smiled slightly at him. He was so calm I was envious. I knew he wanted the baby just as much as I. He was able to reign in his emotions. I wasn't. I was too scared of being rejected. I'd seen it before –albeit on shows like Modern family and House – but I knew it could happen in real life. Felix and I weren't the ideal couple in many people's eyes. Whenever someone envisioned a family, they saw a mother and father and kids.

We were a gay couple. Just to marry we had to wage wars. People out there still believed our marriage was disgusting. Raising kids was an abomination.

But Emily had agreed to meet us. Of course Helen had told her we were gay. Why would she come if she wasn't considering us?

There was hope.

I watched as Felix walked to the front door. I stood up and took a deep breath. Felix opened the door. I couldn't see the women there but I heard Helen's voice as she said her greetings. Felix allowed them in.

Helen was a brunette woman in her early forties. We'd met countless times before. Next to her stood a visibly 5 months pregnant Emily. She was according to her file 22 years old. Looking at her then, she was tall and beautiful with blond hair, brown eyes and enchanting dimples.

"This is my husband, Archer", Felix did the introductions.

"Hi", Emily said, a bit shyly.

"Hi, welcome" I said.