Picture Perfect

Chapter 10

Loud peals of laughter emerge from the living room, alerting Andrew that there is a visitor in his house. He sets his briefcase beside the shoe rack before entering the occupied space, curious to find out who is making such a joyful ruckus in his home. Cora's voice can be heard from as far away as the hall, but Andrew is unable to distinguish her words through the noise. Whoever she is talking to, her voice sounds equally as cheery as those of her guests. The closer Andrew gets to the room, the calmer he feels, his emotions settling as he absorbs the contagious merriment he's intruding upon. As he enters the living room, Andrew immediately notices the pleasant aura surrounding the occupants, Cora appearing to be just as happy as her companions. Even after the day he's had, it brings a smile to his lips to see Cora acting so lively and vibrant.

Sitting beside Cora is her mother, the gray-haired woman looking like an almost exact copy of her daughter, if only you add in a few wrinkles to her aged face. She excitedly encourages Cora to name the baby after her; her blue eyes are lit up in wonderment. "Marlys is a fabulous name!" she exclaims, earning a loud guffaw from the man across the room, much to her displeasure.

"I'm sure that name is too outdated for these youngins," says Cora's father, Tom. His balding head reflects the lights on the ceiling, but it isn't nearly as bright as the smile on his face. "People these days are naming their children after carrots and alphabets," he continues, a twinkle of mischief reflecting in his eyes.

Obviously offended by this remark, Marlys scoffs. "I suppose you prefer our first grandchild be named after a vegetable than her own grandmother," she complains, folding her arms across her chest as she leans back into the sofa cushion.

Tom replies in a teasing tone with a sly smile, his eyebrow quirked in amusement, "Isn't that the same thing?"

The comment draws a chuckle from Andrew, quickly averting everyone's attention to the new addition to the conversation. "Now, Tom," he says, eager to add his own musings to the discussion, "while I don't think I'd mind calling my child after your wife, I certainly wouldn't want to eat a 'Marlys.'" The uproar throughout the room is enough to threaten the safety of Andrew's eardrums, and he can't help but chuckle to himself that the double meaning behind his words has clearly gone over the elderly guests' heads. Still, the entire scene has a fondness spreading through his chest. While his mother-in-law pouts childishly on the sofa, the others have difficulty containing their laughter. Crossing the room, Andrew leans down to kiss Cora softly on the cheek. "Please excuse me," he apologizes sincerely before a burning sensation begins pooling in his stomach. "Unfortunately, I've had to bring work home with me tonight. There was an incident regarding my secretary today, and the office spent a significant part of the afternoon in disarray."

Frowning with concern, Cora asks, "Is Maria all right?"

With a slight nod, Andrew replies, "I believe everything has been sorted." Although it hasn't yet been sorted even remotely, that's the more pressing problem here. He kisses Cora once more before excusing himself to his home office, offering a polite goodbye to his in-laws. However, Andrew isn't entirely sure if he intends to work or continue brooding about the new information he learned today. Either way, the quietness and time alone will be beneficial in sorting out whichever problem he finally chooses.

Looking around the room that will shortly be a nursery, Andrew instantly fills with thoughts of the precious baby that will soon be blessing his life. Almost immediately, though, his mind drifts to Maria and the unexpected and entirely unwelcome information he gained today. Is she really pregnant with his child? What is he supposed to do? With a frustrated groan, Andrew leans against his desk with his head in his hands. He should be over the moon right now. Unfortunately, Andrew can't bring himself to be excited, understanding that Maria could end everything with a few simple words. He could lose all that he's worked so hard for. Tomorrow they'll know the truth, then maybe things will settle down. Go back to normal. It can't be his baby. It just can't.

As his exasperation erupts within him, Andrew begins pacing throughout the room, brainstorming the best way to deal with the inconvenient situation that has suddenly evolved and is threatening to take over his life. However, the mental pep talk he's giving himself seems to do little to calm his nerves. In fact, it may be making things worse. With an angry huff, he plops onto his chair and opens his briefcase, hoping that work might distract him.

"Everything okay?" a soft voice asks from the doorway, redirecting his attention from the stack of files before him.

Andrew looks up, his gaze drifting directly to Cora. She looks worried, judging by the frown on her face as an indication of her feelings. Forcing a smile, he replies, "Everything is fine. It's just the case." The lie slips off his tongue with ease; unfortunately, it isn't the first time he's lied to his wife. Andrew's chest stings with the realization, a powerful discomfort rolling within him.

Her features returning to a neutral expression, Cora's eyes soften at her always hard-working husband. While she fully supports his efforts, she sometimes feels as if he's pushing himself too hard, like he's trying to prove himself when that isn't necessary. "Well then," she says, her voice taking on a playful yet suggestive undertone, "perhaps we should retire early tonight. I might know a thing or two that could ease your frustration."

Those words are the only prompt Andrew needs, instantly igniting a fire within him. He quickly ushers Cora from the room, the two escaping to their bed. The thought of passionately loving his wife is the only thing on his mind at this moment, all previous worries about his newly-developed predicament cast aside to enjoy the impending intimate encounter.