Tess

[cottoncandypink]

The door does not open up to the condo, unfortunately. Because Wilford has not been to the condo since the last time he brought someone through the door. It opens up from his office, into an area nebulously defined as a dining room.

At least, there is a table there, which someone has taken a passing effort to keep clear. The stack of mail, hastily picked up toys, and a couple of coats on the table suggest nobody does any eating at the table.

The house is what passes as small in the neighbourhood. Windows look out on the sloping hills and sprawling city in the distance. Inside, brushed steel kitchen, slate grey walls, and leather furniture are betrayed by tiny hand smudges on the windows, peanut butter stains in the carpet, crayon scribbles in places that nobody seems to have the energy to deal with.

The house is also unusually quiet. How interesting.

Comments

[have_no_mercy]

"That would be ideal, yes."

Putting the iPad in her lap, she starts searching for OBGYNs who might not freak out on her.

[cottoncandypink]

Wilford nods, letting her at it while he wanders off again.

"Couples draw less attention," he shoots back as he walks down the hall. "If you're going to be pregnant, don't be wealthy and single while doing it in a place like this."

The bedroom door closes again.

[have_no_mercy]

"That's sexist."

She calls down the hall, then get back to her search.

After about twenty minutes, she has it down to three.

[cottoncandypink]

When Wilford wanders back out, he is not himself. He's wearing khakis, a well-pressed shirt, different glasses with far less-stylish frames. His moustache has been painted black and styled completely differently — much less flair, and just kind of there for the sake of existing.

"How often do you travel under an alias?" he asks, pulling a comb through his hair in an attempt to style it.

[have_no_mercy]

She gives him a wide-eyed look, trying to take this all in.

"Uh, it varies. When I was a spy I did it all the time."

[cottoncandypink]

"And I bet people noticed. Nobody looks twice at couples."

He decides he's got his hair as good as it's going to get, and gets comfortable in a recliner, facing the door.

"You find what you're looking for?" he asks, pulling his phone out of his pocket to fiddle with it.

[have_no_mercy]

"That more depended on how I was dressed."

Although they did occasionally travel in couples.

"I think so. This one looks... appropriate."

[cottoncandypink]

Wilford nods and hands the phone over. His role in this scenario is the distant husband who's barely noticed his wife is even pregnant. To illustrate this, he opens the drawer in the end table and pulls a book out.

"You should have something with the address in there," he says, pointing at her envelope.

[have_no_mercy]

She takes the phone and eyes the screen for the telephone number.

"Some husband you are. Chances are this is not your baby."

[cottoncandypink]

Wilford is already positively engrossed in his book.

"Yes, yes, that's nice," he says, letting his natural accent come across a bit more heavily.

[have_no_mercy]

She chooses to ignore him and dials the number.

She speaks to the receptionist for a few minutes and rattles off the address from the diver's license and other pertinent information.

When she hangs up, she stops ignoring Wilford.

"They'll be here in about an hour, so drop the act."

[cottoncandypink]

"Oh, I thought we'd started when you implied it might be mine."

Because implying it might not goes both ways.

He puts his book down and leans back to get comfortable.

"They'll have to be buzzed in," he says, reaching back for his phone.

[have_no_mercy]

She stretches, handing the device back to him.

"Marilee? Really?"

[cottoncandypink]

"Nick picks her own names. Take it up with her."

Hell, this is one of the more subtle names Wilford uses.

[have_no_mercy]

She sets the iPad aside and crosses her legs, sitting back in a huff.

"Nothing with you is ever easy, is it?"

[cottoncandypink]

"Where's the fun in that?" he asks.

He thinks the situation is perfectly straightforward. It's not his fault Tess and Nichola have fundamentally different views on names.

[have_no_mercy]

Nothing in this world is straightforward.

"Could I get a glass of water?"

[cottoncandypink]

Wilford checks his phone. "Fridge. Don't drink from the tap," he says. "We don't actually keep much around. You hungry?"

[have_no_mercy]

"I just threw up. Food is the last thing I want."

She stands and heads for the kitchen, finding a glass and water in the refrigerator. She pours out the water and sips it slowly, leaning against the counter.

She's gone an awful long time.

[cottoncandypink]

While she's gone, Wilford grabs the iPad and orders food anyway. Not from some fast food place, but from a proper restaurant. He orders some chicken and rice thing, in case Tess changes her mind, and steak for himself. Once that's done, he gets up and heads to the kitchen to set things up, since people who live in a place like this probably don't eat out of Styrofoam boxes.

"You're not going to puke on my floor, are you?" he asks as he pulls a couple of plates from a cupboard.

[have_no_mercy]

"I'm fine."

It's said quietly from the floor where she's sitting with her head between her knees.

"Just pass me my water, please?"

[cottoncandypink]

He grabs her water and passes it down to her, still unsure why anybody would want to do this.

"You don't look fine."

He takes the plates over to the dining table. It's not the most natural thing in the world for him, since the only time he ever eats at a table is when he goes out.

[have_no_mercy]

She takes a large gulp of water, staying where she is.

"I'll be fine. I just need to sit here for a minute."

[cottoncandypink]

"Well, we don't have housekeeping."

He cleans up enough puke at home. He's not in the mood to clean up adult puke.

"I'm not feeling so convinced this was a good idea, suddenly."

He comes back for silverware and one of the last cans of Coke from the fridge.

[have_no_mercy]

"Well, we're here so we might as well go through with it."

She leans her head back against the wall.

"The first trimester is the worst, I think."