When You Read Between the Lines

Faith couldn’t help but smile as she saw Joe hold their baby. Their baby. She still couldn’t believe that everything had worked out the way she and Joe prayed it would. She watched as Joe’s fingers smoothed down the dark raven hair so similar to his. And how he looked into the eyes as blue as the ocean, so similar to her own. Quietly he cooed and she heard laughter. A lot of laughter… more than that of one child… then she felt a tug on her pants.

“Miss Faith! Come play with us!” Jenny said, an infectious smile on her face.

She had been daydreaming. It raised her hopes higher than they should be. She stood up and smiled down at the children who were enjoying their last day before Christmas break. They laughed joyously and ran to the other side of the room, looking back to make sure Faith was following. She took a deep breath before running after them and laughing along, her right hand absentmindedly drifting to her stomach.

****

Standing in front of her closet mirror, Faith smoothed down the slight wrinkles in her skirt. She and Nick would be meeting with their lawyers and the judge that morning to see if the judge approved of their written up Decree of Divorce. If he did and granted their divorce, all that would be left would be to sign the papers and then they would officially be divorced.

Divorced.

A soft knock on the bedroom door pulled Faith from her thoughts. “Come in,” she said quietly.

“Hi honey,” her mother said, walking in and standing next to her.

“Hi, Mom. How’s Daddy this morning?” Faith asked, turning away from the mirror to look at her mother.

“Well, it seems his ability to talk becomes smaller and smaller ever day,” she said, her eyes pointing towards the floor in sadness.

“He’s getting close…” Faith whispered.

“Yes, I’m afraid he is… but enough about that. How are you? Are you alright?”

“I don’t know yet,” Faith said, looking up at her mother, confusion etched across her face. “This is all so strange and complicated. The last time Nick and I talked was a week and a half ago when I told him about my ultrasound.”

“You two should talk,” her mother suggested.

“I know, Mom. I’m just… scared.”

“Of what?”

“If the baby’s Nicks,” she said slowly. “I’m scared I’ll lose Joe.”

“Oh honey,” Meg said, wrapping her arm around Faith’s shoulder and leading her to the bed where they both sat down. “You’ll never lose Joe. He loves you too much. And he already loves this baby even though he knows it might not be his.”

“I know… I’m just…”

“Pregnant? It’s alright, Faith. We all understand how difficult this is.”

“I feel like such a burden,” Faith said, letting out a sigh.

“Don’t you ever think that. This entire family loves you and we’re all here to help and support you.”

“Lizzy doesn’t love me.”

“Yes she does,” Meg said, squeezing her daughter’s arm. “She’s just a teenager and she’s being stubborn and rebellious. It’s her way of coping without you there with her.”

“Why do I not believe it?” Faith asked, looking up at her mother with sad eyes.

“Because you can be just as stubborn. Now come on, let’s finish getting you ready. It’s never good to be late for a court date.”

****

“Ah, here you are. Are you ready?” Faith’s lawyer, Stacy Hunt said as Faith walked down the hallway.

“As I’ll ever be,” Faith said, taking a deep breath as she approached Stacy.

“It’s just a finalization of the divorce. The judge is going to read over the Decree of Divorce that we agreed upon with Nick and his lawyer. If the judge finds it suitable he’ll grant the divorce, you and Nick will sign the papers, and we’ll all be out of here by eleven o’clock.”

“I know… it’s just… I never thought I’d get a divorce.”

“None of us ever do,” Stacy said, putting a hand on Faith’s shoulder and leading her around the corner to the small room. Nick and his lawyer were already sitting inside. Faith and Stacy sat across from them at the table; Nick kept his eyes on his hands resting on his lap. Within a few moments the judge entered and they all stood until she sat down.

“Hello all,” she said, placing her glasses on the bridge of her nose.

“Good morning, Your Honor,” they chorused.

“So, we’re here today to see the Decree of Divorce for one Mr. Nicholas Jonas and one Mrs. Faith Jonas, correct?”

“Yes, Your Honor,” Faith and Nick said.

“May I see the Decree, please?” she asked and the bailiff brought it over to her. It was silent throughout the room as she read through the decree. Faith could feel her heart hammering in her chest, hoping that they had been reasonable enough and the judge would grant the divorce.

Nick let out a small sigh and leaned back in his chair. His lawyer coughed into the crook of his elbow. Stacy took of her glasses and rubbed at her eyes for a moment. Faith bit her lip nervously, scraping her teeth along the skin.

“Well, this seems reasonable. This is completely agreed on?” the judge asked, setting the papers down and looking up at the four people in front of her.

“Yes, Your Honor,” they said in unison.

“Then, with no further adieu, divorce granted and all agreement approved,” she said. “I just need you both to sign this and then you are free to go your separate ways.”

“Thank you, Your Honor,” Faith said, taking the paper and writing her signature on the marked lines. Silently, Nick took the papers and signed as well. The four persons stood, Faith and Nick shook hands with their lawyers, then all departed.

“Nick, wait!” Faith called as he started walking down the hallway. His echoing footsteps slowed down and she quickened her pace to catch up with him. “Will you… um… go to lunch with me? We need to talk.”

“Fine,” he said quietly, not looking at her.

“I’ll meet you at Rivera’s?”

“Sure,” he said. After waiting half a second and realizing she had nothing else to say he set off down the hallway again leaving Faith behind.

“Great,” Faith said under her breath.

****

The two sat across from each other at the dimly lit table in the restaurant both of them favored. The mahogany wood and the deep purple paneling were comforting and the glow from the lamps was just perfect enough to see each other, the menus, and the food. Their drinks had already been ordered. Faith took a sip of her water as Nick cleared his throat. The waitress came over to take their orders and they gave her their usual favorites. When she had walked away, Faith knew it was time for her to talk.

“I’m so-”

“Don’t,” Nick said, taking a deep breath. “What do you want, Faith?”

“Nick… I am pregnant and this baby might be yours. We need to talk about what will happen if it is,” she said, saying each word clearly and carefully.

“I thought we agreed that I will pay you child support and whatever you need,” he said, finally looking up at her.

“You are not going to be an absentee father, Nicholas.”

“But you already have Joe lined up to take my place.”

“First of all, I don’t appreciate that tone. You know we don’t want to hurt you,” she said and he opened his mouth to say something but she held up a finger and his mouth closed. “Secondly, you know it won’t be the same for him. Every time he’d look at this baby he’d think I’m only the uncle or he’d feel like he’d be living a lie acting as the father with you just giving us money. If you are this baby’s father… you are going to be active. There’s no saying otherwise.”

“So what are you saying? I get it one week you get it the next?” he asked and she shook her head and adjusted her silverware. “What is it you want Faith?”

“I feel… if you are the father… now this is going to sound crazy, mind you, but I think that you should move in with us. I don’t want to shuffle my baby back and forth between homes right after he or she is born. You will live in the house in one of our guest rooms. You will wake up in the middle of the night every other night. You will feed the baby when I’m not there. You will change diapers. You will give baths. It’s going to be hard work.”

“You want me to move into the same house as you and Joe, that we lived in when we were married? That is sick, Faith. That is one of the most twisted things I’ve ever heard.”

“Now listen to me, I never said that. Joe and I… are buying a new house. It’s around the corner from Kevin and Danielle’s. I know if this has to happen that things will be awkward. But this is a small helpless baby we’re talking about. This is a huge responsibility. And we are going to work our asses off doing our job. Okay?”

They sat in silence, Faith staring Nick down, waiting for his answer. Nick took hold of his straw and swirled it around in his drink, the ice clinking against the glass. The waitress came over and set their food down in front of them, asking if they needed anything before walking away.

“Nick. Do you understand?” she asked slowly.

“Yes. I understand clearly,” he said. She nodded her head and picked up her fork to take a bite of her salad.

****

After the semi-awkward lunch, Nick and Faith went their separate ways. With a sigh Faith started her car and started to drive. She just followed the yellow line dividing the two sides of the road, anticipating where it would take her. She ended up at a park… the park she and Joe had gone to a few months earlier where he took that infamous photograph.

Her breath hitching in her throat she set the car in park and got out. She stood in front of her car and looked out at the mother’s and their children playing together. One mother sat on a bench talking to another mother. On her lap sat her baby girl who looked happy as could be. Faith couldn’t help but smile as the baby reached her arms out and grabbed at the air around her. Her hands crept to her still flat stomach and she closed her eyes, imagining her stomach growing and feeling her child inside her.

For the first time, she felt absolutely sure that Joe was the father.

****

“Hey.”

“Hey, where are you?” Faith asked Joe as she pulled up to a red light. She lifted a finger to her ear to adjust the blue tooth and with her other hand she lowered the volume of the radio. “I called your apartment and got your machine.”

“I’m sitting in your driveway.”

“And you’re not sitting inside because…?” she asked as the light turned green and she turned left.

“Your parents aren’t here. I think they’re doing some last minute Christmas shopping and it seems I still don’t have a key,” he said in a teasing tone and Faith bit her lip.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Well I’m on my way now. it seems after getting divorced I had a bout of compulsive shopping hit me,” she lied as she made her way through the maze of suburban streets.

“Nothing crazy I hope.”

“No, just some last minute Christmas shopping like my parents it seems. But I’ll be there in about three minutes.”

“Okay, I’ll be waiting,” he said and she smiled.

****

“Hey,” she said, climbing out of the car and walking up to the front steps where Joe was sitting.

“Hi,” he said, standing up. Once she reached him he placed his hands on her hips and stared into her eyes. She smiled up at him and put her hand on his cheek.

“You look cheery.”

“I am,” he said, smiling back at her.

“Why?”

“Because now I can kiss you without feeling completely guilty for ruining my brother’s life,” he said before leaning down and capturing her lips in his.

“Don’t be so dramatic,” she said once she pulled away. “His life isn’t ruined.”

“True,” Joe said, lacing his fingers with hers. “Come on, let’s go inside.”

“Okay,” she said, noticing his look of… anticipation?

He did seem oddly enthusiastic. She turned the key in lock and pushed open the door. Joe followed her in and closed the door behind them. Faith turned towards the living room and her eyes widened in surprise and her breath caught in her throat once her brain recognized the person who was standing up from the couch.

“Lizzy?”