by Shelby Clark
Colin took the present to open it so Monica could get herself together. Colin pulled out a large, multicolored vase of pinks, purples, and blues, made in India.
“No, all jokes aside, I’m sorry, Bernice.” Monica turned and noticed the vase. “Ooh, look, beautiful! I love it. I have plans for it. It will become very useful. You’ll see.”
“Now, for the gift of the year. Here, sweetie, here’s my gift to you. I hope you love it.”
“I’m sure I will.”
Everyone watched as he opened his gift. It didn’t take long because it was a small, flat eight by eight box.
“I wonder what it is?” Colin mumbled.
As he looked inside the box, his eyes widened and was accompanied by a huge smile on his face. He started running and jumping through the house with the box in his hand.
“Ah shit, damn, yes! Yes! Yes!” Colin yelled at the top of his lungs and grabbed hold of his manhood. “Yes, I’m the man!”
Neil and Bernice stood up and tried to calm Colin down. “Come on, Colin, bud, what is it? Share it with us.”
“OK, OK, let me recollect myself for a minute.” Colin leaned backward with his face to the ceiling, covered by his forearm. He took a small sterling silver frame out of the box. It was an announcement with a doctors’ signature and hospital stamp on it. It had a sterling silver ring with a black onyx crown with diamonds that spelled out DAD attached to it with a black satin ribbon.
“Let me read it to you. It says, Here Ye, Here Ye! This is a said statement to announce that Colin Bradford is the Father To Be of Baby Bradford, who will be making his arrival in about thirty-six weeks. Congratulations, Stephanie M. Sutton, Ph.D., M.D. & Denver Health.”
Colin put the ring on. It was a perfect fit. He formed his hand into a fist to display it to everyone. “How does it look, Neil?”
Neil walked over and extended his fist to tap Colin’s to congratulate him.
“You look like a king, my good man!”
“Congratulations you two! I’m so happy for you. And Miss Lady, all that talking we did, you didn’t even give me a clue. But then again you were a little whinny and that’s not you. I should’ve known.”
Monica could barely contain herself. Her face was full of smiles and redness. Colin walked over to her. “Aw, babe, this is the most wonderful gift you could ever give me.”
“Well, we shouldn’t be too surprised because you’ve been very frisky, sir.”
“And to think I was just mentioning to you about us having a family, but I didn’t think it would be this soon.”
“Yes, you were! I thought you must have found out before I could tell you.”
“No, I didn’t have a clue, that’s the funny part.”
She chuckle while holding her hands out and closing her eyes. “I’m almost afraid to ask, babe, but where’s my gift?”
Monica heard whispering, “What’s going on? Is this part of my surprise?”
Bernice interrupted. “Colin, you sure you want to give Moe her gift now? Maybe you can give it to her later.”
Monica opened her eyes. “No, why do I have to wait until later, Colin?”
“You don’t, babe. I just have to go out into the garage to get it. You can go with me if you want.”
Colin reached for Monica’s hand, but she noticed Bernice making strange faces toward Neil. Neil jumped to his feet and headed in Monica’s direction. Monica pulled back for a second. Neil and Bernice looked nervous.
“Colin Bradford, did you do what you promised you wouldn’t do? Did you buy something totally absurd, over-the-top expensive for me?”
“Babe, wait, it’s something you’re going to need though. Just come look.”
Monica swiftly walked past Colin and Neil as she flicked the garage light on. She stood there quiet and still. She could hear everyone in the background.
“I told you she would love it.”
“Colin, dude, she’s not saying anything.”
“Both of you are idiots, neither one of you have an inkling of what’s going on. She’s pissed. She doesn’t like it and she’s quiet because of her condition. But, Colin, call me if you need to talk. Come on, Neil, it’s time to go.”
She spun around on her heel. “Wait, Bernice, please don’t leave yet. I need to talk to Colin for a minute. Can you wait for me?”
“Sure, Moe. I’ll be in the sitting room.”
Monica tried to clear her throat to prevent it from cracking. She was determined not to cry so she blinked her lids to stop the flow. “Thanks. Colin, can you please meet me in the bedroom upstairs.”
“Moe, you don’t like the gift? I can return it. You don’t have to keep it.”
She didn’t say a word, just walked upstairs. They entered the bedroom and closed the door behind them.
Colin’s voice got a little stern. “I’m not a child, Monica London! I’m a man and we need to talk this out like grown adults. You don’t have to keep ignoring me. I was trying to do something nice for you, celebrating our anniversary. Like I said, if you don’t like it I can return it.”
She took a deep breath to try to stay calm. Her hormones felt like a roller coaster, and she noticed that they got more intense when she allowed herself to get upset.
“How did I treat you like a child, Colin?”
“By ignoring me when I was asking you questions.”
“Colin, I was giving you the utmost respect because if I had opened my mouth with my body feeling more out of whack by the second, there wouldn’t have been any respect.”
“You don’t like the gift?”
“What happened to the promises? You said no more overly expensive gifts. You just don’t get it. I keep saying you can’t buy me, my love, or our relationship.”
“Why do you keep saying that? That I buy things to express my love?”
“No Colin, those things are just empty materials. If you didn’t have those things how would you express your love then? I don’t need those things, I need you to love me.”
“It’s something you’ll need anyway.”
Monica grabbed her bag and started shoving her things into it. Colin took her bag from her and dumped everything out of it.
“Don’t even try it. You bought it before you knew about the baby. So don’t try to fix this with the baby. And lately all you’ve been doing is returning gifts. When is the light bulb going to go off?”
“I’m not letting you leave like this. It’s just a gift, Moe!”
“No, you can’t stop me! And it’s an overpriced, excessive Porsche, Colin. Why do I need that? Did I ask for that? At what time did you hear me say, ‘oh I sure would like to have a four door covetable Porsche.’?”
His jaw line tightened again. He constricted his fist in frustration at his side.
“I’m asking you! Don’t do this, Moe, don’t leave and take my baby. You just gave me the best news of my life. Stay so we can work this out.”
Colin tried to pull her toward him, but instead of complying she resisted.
“No, I have to go. I can’t take it anymore.”
“Moe, I love you, please, just stay until tomorrow. This can’t be good for the baby.”
“No! And I’m beginning to believe you don’t know me either, Colin. You don’t listen at all to me.”
He begin to get aggravated and hit the wall with his fist.
“Stop saying no!” he yelled through gritted teeth.
Monica flinched. “Is this something else I need to worry about?”
Colin grabbed and hugged her, holding on tight. “No, no, never. I’d never hurt you or my baby. Moe, you know me. I’ll do whatever you say. I’m listening now. Come on let’s talk now!”
Moe looked up at Colin.
“I know you would never hurt me or the baby, but I can’t be with you until we can figure out what this is.”
“Moe…” He touched her chin to direct her to look into his eyes, while guiding her hand to caress the side of his face. “We can do whatever you want.�
�
“Not now, Colin. And why exactly do you feel you have to keep buying me things? Why can’t you understand what I’m saying to you? Love don’t cost a thing, Colin. You don’t have to always spend money to express yourself or your love, but you don’t get that.”
Monica looked at her engagement ring and went to remove it, but Colin stopped her by locking his hand around hers.
“Don’t…” He took a deep breath before finishing. “Bernice told me you wouldn’t like the Porsche. We can take some time apart, but don’t take my ring off.”
“No, I think I should until we’re ready to make this commitment work. I don’t want a long, drawn out engagement. Do what you need to make us a family, if you really love me and want us to be one.”
“I’m already losing out on the baby, watching it grow inside of you, and being there to share the experience of your pregnancy. I hope I can be there for the birth. I don’t want to lose you too.”
She pulled away, took off her ring to place it on the dresser, and walked toward the door. “I think we need time to figure out what’s going on with us.”
Colin went silent. A straight line formed across his mouth and his eyes narrowed as he watched her turn the knob. She noticed that he never once put down the present with the announcement frame. He was still holding onto it. His jaw drawn tight. Monica could see the pain in his eyes, but her frustrations were even stronger.
“I will talk to you later, Colin. I will ask Neil or Bernice to pick my car up in the morning.”
Colin didn’t say a word and Monica walked out the house with Bernice and Neil.
Chapter IX
Monica put in for some volunteer service time on some of the special projects to get away from the possibility of running into Colin. She was so furious with their relationship, the last thing she wanted was to interact with him. Being pregnant with out-of-control hormones didn’t help matters either. Her vulnerability made her long for and miss Colin when she least expected. Monica knew she had to stay busy.
Bernice ran into Monica in the Briefing Room before they were shipped off to the airport.
“Hey, how are you two?”
“We’re OK. Just my body and mind are taking me on a trip I don’t want to go on. Most of the time I’m alright and some of the time I miss him terribly.”
A voice came over a speaker. “All agents get in line to retrieve your clearance cards and information for you assignments. Further instructions will be given to you once you board the aircraft at 4:00 hours.”
“We are the Red Group, so you listen out just in case they call us to line up.”
“Why me, Bernice? I’m sleepy too.”
“Because we’re talking and I don’t pay attention when I’m talking.”
“Oh, alright.”
“Have you seen daddy yet?”
“No, but do me a favor, don’t do that. That makes me long for him and I refuse to give in.” A tear rolled down her cheek. “Damn, these hormones! Sorry, not you little LB.”
Bernice looked around to see who Monica could’ve been talking to. “Who’s LB?”
Monica whispered, “Hello! I was talking to the baby. LB stands for London and Bradford. I don’t know what I’m having yet so that’s what I call him, him meaning figuratively speaking.”
“Aw, Moe, that’s so adorable. You know what, pregnancy becomes you. Look at you, you’re glowing.”
“Sh… don’t talk so loud. I don’t want anyone to know yet.”
“Oh no, Moe, the Director doesn’t know yet either? What if this assignment is dangerous? Well, all assignments can run a risk of being dangerous, but you need to confer with the Director, Moe.”
“Bernice, get a grip. I would never endanger my baby. We have been to these things dozens of times and they all turn out the same, boring as hell. When we return I will let him know then and go on light duty.”
“And talk to Colin too, right?”
Monica rolled her eyes. “You’re really pushing it now. I’m not ready to do that. We will work it out. Whether it’s before the baby is born is up to him.”
Bernice gave Monica a small nudge on the shoulder. “Moe! Staying away is not good for the baby or you. You know the baby can sense when its parents are bonding, therefore making it easier for it to enter the world.”
“Bernie, do you want a puddle of tears right here before us? Because if you keep going on about Colin you’re going to have me crying and carrying on hysterically in front of everyone!”
“Hell no! Really, I got the message. I’m sorry. I won’t say another word about that.”
“And I hear you too, Bernie. I know it’s up to the both of us.”
Monica couldn’t wait to get on the plane. She felt that at any moment Colin was going to come bursting into that Briefing Room riding on a Harley Davidson with a Clint Eastwood poncho on with an automatic shotgun over his shoulder. She had to go. She was one of eight chosen after twenty Agents volunteered for the special assignment as a translator for the Russian Diplomats. Her assignment was to work with, Boris Karl von Keyserling in Iraq at the U.S. Embassy. He came to work at the US Embassy in Bagdad, Iraq on special assignment to promote a World Peace Campaign. He wasn’t able to speak any English. So as a Linguist, she was immediately snatched for the job. Her fluency in multiple languages was one of her greatest assets.
Monica couldn’t help spending her down time thinking about Colin. She wondered if she had overreacted herself. Did she really want to or was she even capable of going through her pregnancy alone? She’d been gone for a couple of weeks without speaking or calling him. She was missing him dreadfully even though her blood boiled at the thought of his financial habits.
“I’ve talked to Neil. Do you want me to share?”
Monica acted as if she didn’t care. She waved her hand for Bernice to continue.
“Neil is fine.”
Monica looked at Bernice with a raised brow. “Really, Bernie!”
“Oh yeah, you only want to hear about Colin. Look, this is going to be a long flight and you’re looking all serious. I needed to add some humor.”
“Alright, ha, ha, that was real funny.”
“Moe, you’re getting mean and moody already. I won’t be around much if this is how it’s going to be.”
Monica tried to compensate Bernice for putting up with her craziness. “Hm, so what did Neil say? Is Colin alright?”
“Neil said he didn’t come to work for a week. So he stopped by and he said the house is a mess and Colin was out back cutting up all these logs.”
“That doesn’t sound like Colin.”
“There’s more. He didn’t take the vehicle back yet because he wouldn’t leave the house. He said he felt like he lost everything.”
“Wait. I don’t think I can handle this!”
A voice came over the intercom. “Groups Red, Black, and Orange get ready for departure.”
All the groups that were called were boarded and waiting for takeoff.
****
After the plane lifted in flight, the stewardess began to serve refreshments and drinks. Monica began to think about Colin again.
Hm, I did drop some awesome news on him and then turned around and snatched it away from him. All because I think he’s being irresponsible and overexploiting with his money. But he must learn and my hormones will not have their way with me.
Monica turned to Bernice to try and get more information about Colin without seeming obvious. “So how’re things going with you and Neil?”
“Surprisingly, we are doing better than I really expected. I think Neil wants to start getting serious, but at the same time he don’t want to rush things. We look at you and Colin and we don’t want to mess up.”
Bernice turned her head slightly to the side with a shocking expression as if she wished she could’ve retracted the words she just released from her mouth.
With a raised brow Monica refuted. “What are you trying to say, Bernie? You’re not being sympathetic
at all.”
“Sorry, Moe. I shouldn’t have said that and I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings.”
“No, say what you really mean. You all were Colin’s friends in the first place.”
“First of all, I’m both you and Colin’s friend. I love both you guys. But you too need to work this mess out before that baby gets here. You have an opportunity to be a beautiful family.”
Monica lost this round. Her emotions took full control and her eyes felt like faucets as the tears poured. She buried her face in her pocketbook to appear as if she was looking for something. There were some tissues in her bag were in hand-reach as if they were jumping to her aid and rescue.
Monica cleared her face and dried her eyes without being seen.
“Your right, Bernie! At least for the sake of our baby.”
“I mean I do understand what you’re trying to convey to him, but there has to be another way. Like I said maybe you guys can get some professional help with this issue.”
“No, I got this. I know exactly what I need to do. I don’t know why I didn’t think of it before.”
Looking eager to know, Bernice leaned closer to get the details of Monica’s plan.
“Sorry, Bernie, this plan is only for Colin, especially since you and Neil are getting even closer now. I want to be the first to share my thoughts with Colin. No offence, love. I will say that a trip out of the country together may do Colin and me both some good.”
“None taken, girl, I’m just glad we’re trying to get back on track. Things aren’t the same without you guys.”
“Yeah, I know. I can’t wait now for this project to be over and we haven’t even started yet. We have two whole weeks of this shit and I can’t get in touch with Colin over here. I wonder if he’s given up on us.”
“I talked to Neil before we left and he said that he had just got off the phone with Colin. He said Colin told him that he took a special detail because he couldn’t stand being away from you and the baby. He needed something to occupy his mind as well.”
“Did you tell Neil where we were going?”
“No, because when I did talk to him it was just before we got our orders. Plus, you know we’re not supposed to, and I don’t want to find out they have been monitoring me to see if I’m comprising orders.”
