The last couple weeks had been a whirlwind.
Every reporter from here to LA was calling our house, sending gift baskets, asking for the exclusive story about August's paternity and our cheating on our former spouses as well as the fact that Chris referred to me as his wife in public. Nobody knew we were married. And now they do. Even more people are asking for the exclusive on the wedding and the honeymoon.
It was only in the last couple of days that the paparazzi were finally gone from outside of our house.
I turn on the Tv and all the news is about us. As I'm flipping through the channels I see glimpse of Peter's face. He's wearing a suit and walking into a press conference.
"Chris, Honey, can you come in here?" I ask.
He comes down the hallway with a confused look on his face.
"Is everything okay?" He asks worriedly.
"I don't know, Peter's holding a press conference, it just started." I say, un-muting the Tv.
"Good evening ladies and gentleman." He says, "The reason I've called this press conference today is to speak to you about my ex-wife, Mariska Hargitay."
Chris takes my hand as we wait for him to say something nasty.
"Ms. Hargitay and Mr. Meloni are at no fault here." He says, "During our marriage I was unfaithful to Mariska. I wasn't deserving of the woman she was or the love that she gave me. The women I was with will remain unnamed. I was aware that she and Mr. Meloni were involved. She kept no secrets from me. I cannot speak to Mr. Meloni's marriage, nor his opinions on any of this." He says solemnly, "What I can say is that Mariska Hargitay does not deserve the treatment she is getting from the world. I am the one at fault here. The way she is being treated is unfair and quite honestly horrifying. I was aware that August was Chris Meloni's biological son. At the time of his conception my ex-wife and I were separated but we had not yet made our separation public. Although August is not my son, I care for him deeply. He's a child. He certainly does not deserve any of this. August Meloni is a sweet little boy who is being criticized by the world for being born. Frankly you should all be ashamed of yourselves. I ask that you respect not only my privacy but Ms. Hargitay's and Mr. Meloni's. Mariska Hargitay is a woman of class and decency who has done nothing but good in the world. I am appalled at the way she has been treated because of what is simply a misunderstanding."
He stands waiting for questions as reporters stand up.
"Why are you so quick to come to your ex-wife's defense after she gave birth to a child during your marriage who was fathered by another man?" One woman asks.
"We were separated for a great amount of time in which August was conceived but we didn't wish for our personal lives to be subject to so much scrutiny." He says quickly.
She looks at him eagerly waiting for him to answer the rest of her question.
"Mariska Hargitay is a tireless advocate for those who don't have a voice." He says, "As I said before. She is a woman of class and decency. I didn't deserve her. But Chris Meloni does. He's a good man, a good father, and a better man than I am. Mariska Hargitay and Chris Meloni are just trying to live their lives and raise their kids. Frankly all of this is beneath them. They are far better people than anyone in this room. They don't deserve any of this. Especially not her. Have any of you seen the video of the way she was grabbed outside of the filming studio? I am absolutely horrified that anyone thinks that's an appropriate way to treat another person especially a woman. I'm not going to answer anymore of your asinine questions or listen to anyone else talk about them that way. If you have any more questions for Mariska, Chris, or myself, gladly shove them up your ass."
He leaves the room as reporters squawk at him. Of all the people who have come to our defense. And the lies. The lies he told that humiliated himself but saved our family from embarrassment.
"That was..." Chris says.
"Not what I was expecting." I finish.
There's a knock on the door and I open it without looking to see who it is.
"Peter." I say, stunned.
"I don't know if you saw the press conference..." He says.
"I did." I say.
"I know the part about the separation wasn't true but, I wanted to save you and August the embarrassment. Despite what you think I loved you guys." He says, "I realize I should have talked to you about it before I went on TV but I couldn't listen to it anymore. You didn't deserve any of that and neither does Chris. And I didn't deserve you. I hope that helped some."
Chris comes to the door and shakes Peter's hand.
"Everything I said was true except for the piece about the separation, but for all intents and purposes we were separated. Congratulations on both the new baby's. And uh, I'm sorry." He says.
"Thank you." I say genuinely.
"Yeah, man, thank you." Chris says.
He nods his head and leaves quickly.
"What the fuck." I say simply.
"That's one way to put it." Chris says.
"I never thought I'd say this but thank god for Peter." I say, "I mean that came out of nowhere, but maybe this will quiet the hoards of reporters for awhile."
We both sit on the couch still kind of in shock, our phones blowing up.
"Hey, where's Connie?" Chris asks.
"Oh, we can't be around each other right now." I say.
"What? What happened?" He asks.
"Nothing happened." I say, "Connie didn't have morning sickness in the beginning of her pregnancy, she has it now, and it's really bad. Every time we're in the middle of a conversation she has to run to the bathroom and when she gets sick, I get sick. Which neither of us can handle."
He laughs and shakes his head.
"You let me know when that's over." He says still laughing. "God today has been the weirdest fucking day."
"It really has." I say, resting my head on his chest.
"How are my babies doing?" He asks, kissing my temple, and rubbing my belly.
"We're good." I say with a soft smile. "This little guys going crazy though."
Chris laughs as he feels the little kicks.
Today really has been the weirdest day.
