Playing by the Baby Rules

He’d tried to dismiss it. He’d tried to ignore the voice inside telling him it would be the right thing to do, that he owed it to Marisa for all she’d done for him. For being his best friend. His only family.

But he hadn’t been able to shut the voice out. The big question was, would Marisa go for it? Would she think he was good enough?

“I was wondering,” Marisa said, breaking the silence. “How would you feel about coming to the wedding with me. I could use the moral support.”

He understood completely. “Sure, I’ll go.”

When they reached her building, she stopped and pulled out her keys. “Thanks for walking me home. Do you want to come up for a bit?”

He shoved his hands into his pants pockets, suddenly filled with nervous energy. This was his chance. He forced the words out. “Sure. I kinda wanted to talk to you about something, anyway.”

“Okay.” Marisa started up the stairs to her apartment above the shop. As they stopped in the hall outside her door, the door to the adjacent apartment opened a crack, snapping tightly against half-a-dozen security chains. A single eyeball peered out.

“It’s just us, Mr. Kloppman,” she called. “Marisa and Jake.”

“Hand please,” a muffled voice ordered, and a small metal cheese grater slid through the opening. Obediently Marisa held out her hand and the grater hovered briefly over her palm. “Next.”

Jake did the same. When Mr. Kloppman appeared confident they were who they claimed to be, he slid the chains free and opened the door.

“Can’t be too careful,” he said, his eyes shifting nervously up and down the short hallway. “I saw it on the news. They can change shape, look or sound like anyone.”

Behind her, Jake chuckled and Marisa elbowed him sharply in the gut. “Have you been watching X-Files again, Mr. Kloppman?”

He shook his head. “Heck no. This was on the late news last night. You keep your doors locked. It’s not safe.” He backed into his apartment, again checking the short stretch of the hallway. “Trust no one,” he said as the door snapped shut.

“That guy is certifiable,” Jake said, after they were safely inside her apartment with the door locked. “I’m afraid he’s going to snap one of these days and hurt someone.”

“He’s harmless. Besides, his daughter pays the rent on time every month and as long as he lives next door I never have to worry about an alarm system.” Clearing a week’s worth of newspapers off the couch, Marisa collapsed onto the overstuffed cushions, stretching out her legs. “So, what did you want to talk to me about?”

Jake sat across from her in the leather recliner and leaned forward, hands clasped between his knees. “It’s about what happened today at lunch.”

Marisa’s heart began to hammer wildly in her chest. “I’ve been thinking about that, too.”

“It’s pretty much the only thing I’ve been thinking about. How about you?”

“Me, too.”

“Is it just me, or do you get the feeling that somehow the dynamics of our entire relationship have changed?”

She didn’t want things to change, but she couldn’t deny that something was different. Looking down at her hands, she nodded.

“In that case, I think Lucy is right,” he said. “I should be the father of your baby.”

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