by Cookie Jones
No kiss, not even a hug goodbye? Was she worried that I fall back into my ‘old ways’ when hanging out with Buddy? Hell, would I? I thought that would be the ultimate test then, if I went out to a bar, saw a girl my type and wholeheartedly ignored her, that would prove I was a complete goner for Clary. Buddy would definitely get a kick out of it. While I worked I was definitely distracted, thinking about Clary all day. I called before her lunch time, but she had a meeting and sounded distracted over the phone. I needed to somehow get her to know I was serious about my feelings for her and then win her over. But how the hell would I do that? She was great, but mostly I only knew her on the surface.
Buddy came by around seven, he took one look at me when I opened the door and then laughed.
“Problems with Clary?” he asked and I rolled my eyes.
“How can you tell?” I asked and he shrugged.
“You look like you’re sucking on a lemon while trying to figure out a quantum equation. So I figure…woman problems.”
I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair. “She’s…I don’t know, I want to get into her head, but I don’t know how. All we’ve done is have sex and like…I made her bagels…” I said and Buddy snickered, which got him a punch to the arm.
“Dude, what happened to you, you used to have fucking models eating out of the palm of your hand…literally, I have pictures,” he said and I threw my hands in the air.
“I get all responsible and lose all game,” I pouted and Buddy laughed even harder at me.
“You just have to get to know Clary is all, don’t focus on all the other crap going on in your head,” Buddy said as he wiped at his eyes.
“Whatever, lets go drink,” I grumbled and Buddy started chuckling all over again.
I pouted on the entire ride to whatever bar Buddy said had good barbecue, too.
“I just don’t get it, she’s pregnant with my baby…we have amazing sex, like, I just get so wrapped up in her it's great. Then I told her that I was going out for drinks with you tonight and she totally backed off,” I ranted to Buddy once we were seated inside. “I mean, one would think she’d feel this…I don’t know, connection that I feel?” I asked him and he shrugged.
“Dude, just talk to her and see for sure. Ask her if she likes you,” Buddy said and I snorted then grabbed the drink menu to see what I wanted.
“Excuse me? Can we give you guys some company?” A breathy female voice automatically grated on my nerves as soon as I heard it. Buddy looked up with an inviting smile and I pretty much scowled at the two busty women, one had fiery red hair and porcelain features, the other blonde and textbook bombshell, but really a textbook plastic bombshell.
“No, this isn’t an open forum,” I answered and Buddy looked at me with raised brows, but otherwise said nothing. The girls looked to Buddy who simply shrugged.
“Sorry, ladies,” he said and they turned to leave, walking haughtily away. But they were soon intercepted by two guys who glanced our way with expressions of thanks. Whatever, that wasn’t some guy solidarity moment.
“So, Clary really is under your skin then, huh?” Buddy asked and I bobbed my head in a nod.
“Dude, what did you expect? That I’d invite them to come sit with us?” I asked and he shrugged.
“I don’t know, I’ve never been in love,” he said and I sort of froze.
“I have to go talk to Clary,” I murmured and then got up.
“I thought you said she was working?” Buddy asked and caught up with me as I made my way to the exit.
“She is, but it’s late, she’ll be in her office,” I said and Buddy shrugged and let me drive the car to Clary’s building.
When we got to her office the janitorial staff had just gotten to the floor and there were a few lawyers still in their clear glass offices working or on the phone and whatnot. I noticed Jayce was in his office typing something up with a look of utter focus. I figured if he was in his office then that was good, Clary would either be alone or with Stacy.
Stacy’s office was empty by the time we reached the double doors of Clary’s office, one of them was slightly open and I heard her speaking excitedly on the phone.
“…Yeah, yeah definitely, I’ll pick you up from the airport tomorrow then! I’m so excited,” she said as we stepped into the room. She was facing the view of the city and her hand was rubbing her belly. I loved that she did that even though her stomach wasn’t showing anything yet.
“Knock, knock,” I said and Clary turned around quickly, her eyes a little wide from surprise. I couldn’t tell if it was a good surprise or a bad one.
“Hey, I’ll call you tomorrow okay?” she said and then hung up the phone a second later.
“Who’s flyin’ in?” Buddy asked as she came over to hug us both in greeting.
“My best friend, Gina, she’s moving to the city. It wasn’t supposed to be for another couple weeks, but she has to come early for her new job so we’re both excited,” Clary said happily. “What are you guys doing here, I thought you were going for drinks?” she glanced at me and I took her hands in mine and played with her fingers.
“Nick had a breakdown, so we came here for him to talk to you,” Buddy said and I glared at him.
“A breakdown? What happened? Are you freaked out about being faced with the realities of being a father?” she asked seriously and stared at me for about a minute before she dissolved into laughter when Buddy couldn’t hold his own in anymore.
“This isn’t funny…and it’s not that,” I pouted and Clary brushed some hair behind my ear and then gave me her full attention.
“What is it then?” she asked and I glanced at Buddy who nodded and then pointed to the door.
“I’ll just explore the office,” he said and then ‘smoothly’ made an exit.
“What’s wrong?” Clary asked me again and I sighed.
“I don’t know, I just want to know how you feel about me,” I told her and I watched her gaze. She seemed to retreat a little, though she stayed close and I still had one of my hands linked with hers.
“I don’t know I…I know you say you like me and I know for a fact you’re all in for the baby, but maybe do you think you’re just projecting some of the commitment you feel for the baby onto me?”
“How can you say that?” I asked her, but not angrily. My chest felt hot and I wasn’t sure what that was from.
“I just think…I don’t know it could be possible that you feel like you have to be with me for the baby or something.” I shook my head back and forth and she sighed. “What do you think you feel for me, what do you like about me? Don’t say anything about the fact that I’m carrying your baby,” she said and I huffed.
“Well, I love your eyes, I could stare into them until the day I die and still be fascinated, I fucking love your legs, you know that. You’re sweet and caring and forgiving and understanding. After the way I rejected you initially when you told me you were pregnant, no other woman on the planet would accept me into their lives. But you did. You’re also trusting, I don’t know who would give a slightly emotionally unstable man a key to their apartment, but you did…and my mom loves you. You’re the reason she talked to me again, the reason I’ll have her in my life, in our baby’s life. Your family is great, they are a normal, real family and I respect the hell out of your father. And…and…and yeah I think that’s it so far. Oh! Also you surprise me, I never would have expected you to want office sex and that was sexy as hell. You’re sexy as hell,” I said and then forced myself to shut up before I went off on a real tangent.
Clary was staring at me in mild shock and her eyes were filling with tears.
“Shit, don’t cry, what did I say? I don’t know how to do this feelings thing; I’ve never felt this way about someone before. What did I say?” I asked her and she shook her head and wiped at her eyes quickly.
“You didn’t say anything wrong, I just didn’t know…we’ve only known each other a little while,” she said and sniffed.
“I don’t think that matters for feelings, they’re pretty irrational,” I said and she laughed.
“I think you’re right” I pulled her close for a hug until she pulled herself together. “These hormones are just…I can’t stop crying!” she said and I laughed.
“So…now you know it’s real, can you…you know…have feelings for me back?” I asked her, like a seventh grader, but whatever. Clary laughed and pulled back a fraction so that I could see her eyes.
“Yeah, I think I can have feelings for you back now,” she said and I grinned.
“Okay, get ready for a lot of romantic shit, I can be a pretty suave guy,” I said and she cracked up.
“Oh yeah, I’ll be head over heels in no time,” she snickered and I kept grinning like an idiot.
“I hear laughing, I’m thinking things are on the up and up? Can we get something to eat, I’m starved,” Buddy knocked before walking in without an answer complaining about his stomach.
“Okay, sure,” Clary said with a smile in her voice.
“Nick and I were at this cool rib joint before we bailed to come see you,” he said and Clary became eager.
“Barbecue sounds amazing, let’s go,” she said and hurried to her desk to pack up.
“Hey, Clary?” That Jayce guy knocked on her door and stuck his head in, his expression cautious.
“Oh Jayce, did you finish with that file already?”
Clary sounded impressed and I stopped myself from rolling my eyes. Jayce walked into the office and nodded to both Buddy and I in greeting before going over to talk to Clary about work.
“So what’s his problem?” Buddy asked me in a low voice and I shrugged.
“Clary and I are fairly certain he’s gay, plus he’s not much competition for all this,” I gestured to myself and Buddy snorted a laugh.
“Such an idiot…” he said, but shook his head fondly at me.
“Alright, thanks, I’ll be driving up tomorrow then, see you in a few days,” Jayce said his goodbyes after they went over whatever it was and Clary gathered her stuff.
“So where is the future senior partner going?” I asked Clary and she smirked at me, having heard my only slightly jealous tone.
“To New Haven to interview with my dad and such, see where the firm started,” she said and I nodded.
“Okay then, so to ribs?” I asked and she nodded eagerly.
The place was even more packed when we got back, but luckily we were able to snag a table where it wasn’t too congested.
“So tell me about your job, Clary, what exactly do you do?” Buddy asked her after we ordered food and drinks and stuff, Clary had reluctantly ordered a ginger ale and Buddy laughed at her, which got him a punch in the gut from me. Slowly but surely, I was getting on Clary’s good side, I could tell.
“Well, basically, if a company, large or small, needs legal representation, advice, or any other services about the legalities of their business endeavors, we provide that service. Should a company have to face legal issues ranging from problems with local ordinances, to the IRS and federal business law provisions we make sure the company is on the right side of things…” she said and made it seem like that last bit was for the most part.
“Sounds lucrative,” Buddy said and Clary shrugged.
“Yeah well, now I have a huge firm to look after so it balances out, but even still it does pay off nicely,” she said and Buddy seemed to admire that.
“That’s cool, I like a woman with a high powered career and such,” Buddy said and Clary laughed.
“You’d like my friend, Gina, then, she’s almost officially officially a pediatric cardio thoracic surgeon. She only has one last certification to get through then she’s official,” Clary said proudly and Buddy quirked an eyebrow.
“Is she hot?”
“Dude, that’s her best friend,” I said and he shrugged.
“Um yeah, she’s pretty hot, but Gina is something else, she’ll give you a run for your money,” Clary said and Buddy’s smile widened.
“Sounds like my kind of girl,” he said and she shook her head with a smile.
“How much longer will you be in the city anyways?” Clary asked and Buddy shrugged.
“As long as I want…until I have to fly out some place for a consultation, I’m thinking of buying an apartment here so I can visit often, I have to be able to see my godchild,” Buddy said and Clary smiled.
“Gina will be his godmother,” Clary said and I quirked an eyebrow at her. “Oh I’m sorry…her godmother,” she amended. As we all hung out I realized another reason why Clary was pretty amazing; she and Buddy got along great.
“…no, Buddy, I don’t think I’d like to name my daughter Buday…” Clary was saying as we got back to her apartment.
“It’s like the female version of Buddy,” he said.
“Dude, you’re an idiot, that name sounds like bidet, like the fucking toilet,” I said and Buddy deflated.
“Oh, I didn’t think about that…” he said and Clary laughed.
“It’s okay, Buddy, if it’s a boy his middle name can be Buddy,” she said and I shrugged.
“We’ve got time to talk about names, as for now, Buddy, you can leave and Clary…please get naked in our bedroom,” I told her and she quirked an eyebrow at me.
“You’re ordering me to get naked?” she asked.
“I think I’ll stick around to hear how this turns out,” Buddy snickered and I glared at him before giving Clary an innocent smile.
“Yes…please?” I said sweetly and she shook her head.
“You can go back there and get naked…” then she looked at Buddy and smiled apologetically, “and Buddy I think it is time to call it a night,” she said and he chuckled.
“You rock, Clary, see you tomorrow, I’ll bring the cranberry juice for dinner with Gina,” he said and Clary rolled her eyes.
“I can’t wait until I can have a nice glass of wine again,” she said wistfully and we both hugged Buddy goodbye. Once the door was closed and locked Clary gave me a pointed stare.
“I’m going, I’m going…” I said and jogged to the bedroom.
I pulled off my clothes as I made my way to the bathroom and decided to draw a bath. Clary had one of those Jacuzzi tubs next to the stand up shower and I figured that a nice bath would be the perfect romantic starter for rolling around in the sheets. Once the bath was ready, I walked out into the bedroom in all my glory…to find Clary knocked out at the foot of the bed, with her work clothes on and everything. I chuckled and then went to wake her up.
“Hey, you’ll get a stiff neck sleeping like that,” I said and she moaned a bit before her eyes sort of opened.
“I was just resting my eyes, I’m coming for sexy time…promise,” she said and turned over on the bed.
“Sure, how about I change you into some pajamas and you have a nice sleep?” I asked and she nodded.
“If you insist…” she mumbled and I chuckled again then went to pull on some boxers and get a tank top and a pair of those boy shorts she usually wore to bed.
After tucking Clary in, literally, I went to drain the tub and for some reason I couldn’t really sleep so I continued my work on the mock up project. I hadn’t realized how much time had passed until I realized that the sun was coming up.
“Wow…no more of that Cuban coffee for me,” I mumbled to myself.
Forcing myself to take a break I went to cuddle up with Clary, but she was in the bathroom throwing up…man that morning sickness stuff was brutal. I went to get her bagel and such ready, my cell was ringing and I ran to grab it. It took me a second to answer as I was shocked as to who was calling.
“Mom?” I answered and she took a deep breath on the other line.
“Yes, it’s me, Nick…I know it’s early, I hope I didn’t wake you?” she asked and I shook my head, then remembered that I was on the phone with a bag of bagels in my hand while standing in the guest bedroom.
“No, I’ve been awake…how are you?�
�� I asked and slowly walked out into the kitchen.
“I’ve been thinking…that it’s time for us to talk about things,” she said sort of awkwardly.
“Yeah, I uh…” I paused, unsure of how to even start.
“Nick, I just want you to know that I think you were right. About your father and I not taking into account that you are your own person and may not have wanted what we wanted for you. In truth, we pushed you away and the rift that grew was mostly our fault, for not listening to you. And I was wrong…I was wrong for not telling you that your father was sick and dying and for all of that, I’m sorry,” she said and my chest felt like it was going to explode, I felt like a tornado was forming out of my heart and lungs. That was all I had wanted to hear from her…from Dad, all I wanted to hear.
“Thank you for that, Mom…” I said hoarsely and then took a deep breath. “I—I’m sorry for all the crap I said to you, you didn’t deserve it, especially right after Dad dying. I was a bad son.”
“Nick, I never blamed you, you were hurting as well and in many ways you were hurting more than me. I know that in the end your father was sorry that he didn’t make things right with you and I know that he’s proud of you now. For stepping up for Clary and choosing to be a father, I’m proud of you, too,” she said and I let out a tremendous sigh. It felt like a huge weight was taken off my shoulders.
“I love you, Mom,” I said and then heard her sniffle through the phone.
“I love you, too, honey, you and Clary should come up one of these weekends for dinner, just the three of us,” she said and I promised to let Clary know and set up a date. After that and catching up a little we ended the call. Then I realized that Clary was in the kitchen eating a toasted bagel and sitting up on the breakfast bar, her legs swinging a little.
“That was your mom, huh?” she asked and I grinned.
“Yeah…we had that talk I’d been hoping for,” I told her and she nodded.
“And she wants to have dinner,” Clary said and I nodded. Clary’s smile was growing from a smart grin to a genuinely happy beam and she opened her arms to me. “Well, isn’t this a hugging moment?” she said and I laughed then went over and hugged her.