The Tie

Week 12: Day 4

Super sorry for the late update! School has been slow, but finally! I am done with my work and I can finish the book now as it is almost coming to an end.

Let me not keep you waiting. Enjoy! :)

Monica furiously knocked on the apartment door. She was so angry right now and needed to hit something. Preferably the man that just opened the door.

"What do you want?"

Monica rolled her eyes pushed her way into James's apartment.

"You are so selfish, James Ecker!" The woman heavily breathed out through her nose.

James rolled his eyes and ran his fingers through his short hair. He had an idea of why Monica was here, but he made it clear to her when she came to his office. James didn't want to come to any appointments she had.

"Selfish?" James scoffed. "I made my intentions clear to you when I told you that I don't want to be part of your pregnancy."

"Yes! And for that you're selfish and childish! All I asked you to do is put whatever you're feeling aside and do this for the baby."

"A baby that's not mine?"

"Oh my God, it might be yours!" Monica lightly yelled in frustration.

James's eyes fell to Monica's stomach and he noticed a slight pooch through the tight dress she was wearing. His eyes soften a bit as he thought about all those times he imagined Monica pregnant with his child.

'It might be another man's baby in there.' His mind echoed and as quickly as his soft gaze came, his eyes hardened again.

"Get out."

"No." Monica defiantly said. "I am not leaving until you reassure me that you're coming to my next appointment. My guilt may have let me, let you push me away, but this time around I am standing my ground."

James shrugged. "Fine then, but I'm not going to entertain you. I have work to do."

The older of the two stormed off to his  study room, but halfway there he stopped in his tracks when he heard sniffing behind him.

"I'm sorry." Monica cried a bit, trying to contain her sobbs.

Damn it, she'd never been such a crier all her life and she hated showing this side of her, but she was vulnerable and her feeling harmonal didn't help either.

"I don't know how many times I'm going to say it, but believe me when I tell you that I'm going to regret ever cheating on you." Monica said as James turned around to look at her.

"I still love you, so much." James softly said.

"Then why are you trying to get rid of me so quickly?" Monica frowned. "The divorce papers. Irreconcilable differences? Giving me everything? The money we saved? The car, spousal support, the house?"

"It's your house."

Monica quickly shook her head. "You bought it so-"

"It's in your name." James said, his eyes meeting her shocked ones. James never told her, but the house was hers. It was not only a wedding gift for her. He wanted her to keep it, have a something of herself that she could call her own.

"It's yours, not mine. Look I don't mind giving you all those things. You might have cheated on me, but Monica I still care about you and I want to make sure you still live the same way you lived when I was with you."

"I don't want your money." Monica angrily said all of a sudden. "Keep it! So tell your lawyer the truth, that I cheated so that you can walk away with everything! I don't want you shit!"

"Your going to take all of it, whether you like it or not!" James yelled back, his brows pulling together.

"You see! You want to get rid of me!"

"If you know that then what are you doing here!"

Monica sighed. This shouting that they were doing was not helping her cause. She needed to calm down, not for herself, but for the baby.

Her eyes landed on the inviting couch and she took the offer and sat on it, worrying James.

"Are you okay?" James worriedly asked, rushing to her side and sitting next to her.

"Don't touch me." Monica lightly shoved the hand he tried placing on her shoulder. "I'm fine. Just tired of arguing with you. I didn't come here for that."

"Then why are you here. I told you that I wasn't going to be involved. Me not coming today to your appointment should have been an indication. I was serious."

Monica silently reached into her handbag and James curiosly followed her movement. She produced a few dark pictures and faced them in his direction.

James glanced at them and guessed what they could be. His fingers twitched a bit and his eyes met Monica's, who was giving her a pleading look. Reluctantly, James grabbed the pictures and took a moment to compose himself.

"Everything is fine so far. I wish you were there to see that. It's so tiny now, but I'm bound to get even more bigger."

"Thats good to hear." James adoringly looked at the picture in his hand and ran his fingers over the pictures. He swallowed the big lump on his throat and slowly let out. "C-can I keep it?"

"It's yours. I had them make a lot of copies." Monica smiled, but inside she was doing to a back flip. She was one step closer to her goal.

"I apologise for what I did. I know I put you in an unfair situation, but I don't want you to miss anything."

"I still can't come." James painfully said.

"Please. Not for me, but for the baby. What if it's yours? I don't want you to feel guilty when the baby comes and have that you missed everything. I want you there to hear it's heartbeat. To have a stupid debate with me about who the baby looks like just by looking at the 3D scan. Every experience, I want you there for it."

James said nothing and Monica scotted closer to him and placed her her hand in his palm.

"I love you and I can't let you make a mistake."

Monica watched the unsure look in his eyes and held her breath, waiting for his answer.

"I'll think about it." James replied and Monica pursed her lips. At least she tried. It was up to him now to make an effort.