It's Not Over Tonight

“It was great, Christina did a super awesome job with everything,” I say into my phone happily. Adam was making a habit of calling me after the shows, which I found sweet.

“That’s great Pay, I’m glad the baby shower was awesome. Next time I visit I’ll help set up the crib and other cool stuff alright?”

“Sounds like a plan. When are you coming by next anyways? Callie‘s been so weird since you left.” A knock on my door gets me off the couch and waddling over to answer. Callie beats me to the window and begins barking like crazy, running to the door and jumping at it. I glance out the window and see Adam hang up his phone. He comes inside and pets the excited dog.

“Do you really want to help with the crib and all that?”

“I want you to be happy so that baby is happy. And I have my names to consider, do you have your names ready?” I nod and lead Adam towards the nursery we had painted a light grey with soft blue accents the first time he came to visit. Adam opens the box the crib and takes all the pieces out.

“So only two more months, crazy right?”

“I can’t believe how fast it’s going by, seems like only yesterday when I found out,” Adam says while glancing at the large bump on the front of my body.

“Christina did a great job painting in here.” I glance around at the bright green walls and nod, a smile coming to my face as I recall the night.

“We had a blast, and for once we weren’t drunk.” I notice Adam has the base of the crib put together already. “Thanks for doing this by the way.”

“It’s the way it should be. The way I see it, things may never be right between us and I know that‘s my fault. But that baby deserves the best life that we as the parents can give, I’m not just going to pawn it all off on you because we’re not together anymore.” He slips the small mattress into the completed crib frame and holds his hands in the air victoriously.

“Hey Adam,” he drops his arms and turns towards me, “where are you staying tonight?”

“I figured my place, why?”

“You could stay here if you wanted to, watch some movies or something.” I say

“Only if you make dinner,” Adam says with a grin. I laugh and nod my head in agreement.

“You strike a hard bargain Levine, but I’m in.”

“Any idea what you’d like for dinner?” Adam shrugs, his eyes fixated on my belly, “Well then why do I have to cook?”

“Because the things you can do in the kitchen are almost as good as the things in the bedroom and I’ve missed it,” he says, “Oh how about lasagna.” I go over the list of ingredients needed and pull everything out.

“Are you gonna watch me the whole time?” I ask, raising an eyebrow at the man sitting on my kitchen counter. Adam nods and smiles.

“So lets hear your names,” he says while I preheat the oven.

“Well I only really picked one, I was thinking maybe one of us could pick the first name and the other could pick the middle.”

“Sounds good, now lets hear it.”

“Liam.”

“Liam Noah or Noah Liam?,” Adam asks after a moment of thought.

“I had a feeling you were gonna pick Noah,” he shrugs, “I think I like Liam Noah, but you can decide.”

“Liam Noah it is.”

“Just like that?” Adam nods as I repeat the name in my head a few times, “well that was incredibly easy.”

After putting the lasagna in the oven we migrate to the living room to pick out some movies.

“You’re such a dork,” I giggle as I see Adam’s superman underwear hanging out of his pants when he bends down to see the movies.

“You think it’s sexy,” Adam quips.

“Is that why you wore them? Or was it just coincidence?”

“The world may never know.” Adam adjusts his pants, the bright red waistband of the underwear no longer visible. He places a disc in the awaiting tray and gestures for me to sit on the couch. I take a seat and Adam sits next to me, not touching yet close enough to smell his cologne. I grab the remote and skip to the title page to see ‘I Am Legend’ on the screen.

About halfway through the movie I realize I’m leaning against Adam’s shoulder as he shifts a little so as to make us both more comfortable. I feel my eyelids growing heavy as I sink further into his intoxicating embrace.

“Hey Adam I’m home,” I call out, tossing my purse on the couch. “Adam?” I see his cell phone laying on the coffee table but after a brief sweep of the house determine he’s walking with Callie. Figuring he’ll be back soon I get comfortable on the couch and start flipping through the channels.

After determining there’s nothing worth watching currently showing my eyes pass over the abandoned cell phone. Knowing I shouldn’t but not being able to resist, my hand closes around the small device and pushes the appropriate buttons to reach the text message inbox. My eyes scan down the names of the people Adam had recently sent messages to and suddenly my stomach drops. My eyes stay glued to the only name I feared seeing. I take a deep, shaky breath and open the last message Adam sent to her.

Last nite was wonderful, can’t wait to see you again

As if on cue Adam walks through the door with Callie, his eyes going from the tears on my face to the phone in my hand and his smile falls.

“You’re dreaming Payson,” Adam says softly.

“What?”

“Wake up.”

My eyes open and I see Adam looking down at me with confusion all over his face.

“Were you having a bad dream?” he asks as I sit myself upright, the credits now rolling across the screen. I nod and wonder how long I’d been laying in his lap for. “Wanna talk about it?”

“Not really.”

“You were yelling some things in your sleep, ’filthy fucking man slut’ and ‘egocentric asshole’ or something like that…”

“Oh…”

“I’m really sorry for what happened Payson, believe me that last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt you. I don’t even know how it happened…. I got a text and I swore I was going to ignore it and delete it but for whatever reason I couldn’t. One thing led to another and somehow she ended up coming over, we were drinking,“ I stop him there, tears streaming down my face by this point.

“I’ve played the different scenarios in my head a billion times, I’d rather not know the correct details.”

“All I’m trying to say is that I’m sorry and if I could take it back I would in a heartbeat,” Adam places his hand on my belly, “I feel like this is our second chance and I really don’t wanna fuck it up. I love you Payson.” A million and two thoughts run through my head as the words settle in. I open my mouth to respond but the words seem to get caught in my throat.

The obnoxious sound of my cell phone vibrating against the table gives me a much needed distraction. I grab the device and see its Christina and tell Adam I need a minute. He nods and turns his attention towards Callie as I head to my bedroom.

“Oh great timing, thank you!” I answer the phone quietly.

“Why? Are you okay? Is it the baby?” Christina asks so fast I’m surprised I could decipher it.

“He’s fine, Adam pretty much just told me he wants to get back together though.”

“What did you say?”

“Nothing, you called,” I say as Liam kicks me in the ribs.

“Well what are you gonna say?” she asks eagerly. I sigh and sit down on the bed.

“I don’t know.”

“Yes you do, you’re just scared. Which is completely understandable, especially since you’re preggo. I can hear it in your voice though, ever since he came back there’s been a difference in the way you talk about him. Do whatever makes you happy, whatever’s best for my little nephew.”

“You always make it sound so simple,” I say as Callie pushes her way into the room.

“That’s what best friends are for,” she says in a ‘duh’ tone, “Plus if he fucks up again in even the tiniest way I’m going to castrate him and sell that shit on eBay, he‘s lucky he got away the first time.” I hear Adam’s footsteps heading towards me and my heart rate increases.

“I’ll call you later, I gotta talk to Adam. What’d you call me for anyways?”

“Oh we got a new puppy! He’s gotta have some playdates with Miss Callie, but go get your man back this can wait.” The line goes dead as Adam enters the room and I laugh softly. I sit up and motion for Adam to sit next to me and he obliges.

“I’m sorry I kinda bailed back there, but that was the best possible phone call I could have gotten. There’s no denying that I love you Adam, but I am still upset about what happened. I always said I would never come back to a cheater, but this is a kinda unique circumstance. I think we need to take things slow, at least until after Liam is born and my hormones stop telling me to do absurd things, but essentially that we should be together. What do you think about that?”

“I think that sounds like I’m a damn lucky guy.”