Baby on Board

28

Sam stared at me, mouth agape as he processed my words. Suddenly, he frowned and opened his mouth to say something only to wisely pick up his beer and drink it in large gulps. "Well, that's not ideal," he finally said, stating the fucking obvious. "Is he ok with her being around?"

I scoff. "Not really but he's tolerant enough of it," I grumble. I glare at the soda water in front of me and curse the fact that I'm pregnant. As much as I tried to persuade myself that the drink was something stiff and heavy, it was still soda water at the end of the day and drinking it was not going to help fix the problem. I miss the days of downing gin and tonic. "Who does she think she is? Just as Martha was settling and Isaac is happy and we're building a life and family together, she waltzes back in and thinks that organising a birthday party for Martha is going to solve everything! That, my friend, is the definition of crazy. She is a crazy bitch. Cray-zee."

Ever since Isaac came home and admitted that he'd met up with Alyssa last week, I've been fuming on the inside. As much as I want to appear cool about the situation, I really am far from being cool with it. Why the hell is she back now? Where has she been these past few months while Martha's been living in London? She hasn't made much of an effort to keep in touch before now, so really, what is her motive?

I think Isaac can see past my demeanour, too. He's not buying my I'm so chilled with this attitude when really, I want to beat the crap out of him for meeting with her behind me back and agreeing to them hosting a joint birthday party for Martha. 

"Does Martha know that Alyssa's back on the scene?" Sam asks, genuinely worried for the girl. Or really, he's worried about himself. 

We both know that once she gets to know about her mother's reappearance, she'll hit the roof and we'll all be in the firing line. Martha's only just calmed down enough that we're not constantly putting up with her sarcasm every second of the day. Her defence mechanism has very nearly gone into retirement but this would just bring it to the fore again and I, for one, am not ready to deal with that again. 

"No," I laugh humourlessly. "Could imagine how she'd be if she did know? Urgh, Sam, I'm just so... there's no word for it. I hate the whole situation. Why can't she fuck off back to Sydney and be gone?"

While I can blame my attitude on wanting to protect Martha from her mother, there is another issue that's plaguing my mind. It's silly but at the same time, totally understandable from my point of view. With Alyssa in Australia, I can pretend that she doesn't exist and that Martha is almost like my own child. But having Alyssa around drills home to me that I am not the mother of Isaac's children; I'll only be the mum to one of them. 

This experience is a first for me but parenthood, the joys and pitfalls of pregnancy and giving birth, well, it isn't new to Isaac. He's been here before and I can't help but feel that he isn't as excited about it as I am. 

I mean, if you've been to Disneyland once, are you as excited about going the second time around? 

"Well, as long as she fucks off back but lets Martha stay here, I'm on board with that plan," Sam mused. I shot him a look and watched as he withered under my stare. He drank the remains of his beer and motioned to the waiter for another round of drinks. "Do you know how impossible it is to find an assistant like her? Impossible, I tell you. What you told me a few weeks back, about how I underappreciated her, it was true. She knows what I need before I even know that I want it. It's creepy but indispensable. The day Martha moves to another country, I'll be on the first flight following her, that's all I'm saying."