Lovers’ Quarrel
Charlotte unlocked the door to Matthew’s apartment since she had a spare key.
“Charlie, what are you doing here?”
“I have a spare key, Matt!”
“Oh right, I forgot. I keep forgetting I gave you that.”
“Like you forgot to notice my new haircut.”
“What? How do you expect me to notice when you just got here?”
“I got it cut last week. Come on, we’ve seen each other every day since.”
“It looks nice.”
“Thanks, but you could’ve told me that a week ago. I told you I was getting it cut. I had it cut last Tuesday at three. You even picked me up from the hair salon.”
“I thought you were getting your nails done.”
“I got them done two weeks ago.”
“You’ve changed since I first met you. You were kind and listened to me when I talked.”
“And you were twenty pounds lighter.”
“Alright, I’m outta here. Call me when you’ve changed for the better.”
“Stop your whining and get out then.”
“I will.”
Charlotte stormed out and slammed the door.
Weeks later, there were no calls between them, except for a text from Charlotte.
I need to see you.
Why? I thought you were mad
at me.
It’s important!
I’ll be right over.
Matt drove to Charlotte’s apartment building. He parked in front of her building.
He knocked on her front door and she let him in.
“Good, you’re here,” Charlotte said. “I have something to tell you.”
“What is it? Why couldn’t you just tell it to me over the phone?” Matt asked.
“No, I wanted to tell you in person.”
“Out with it.”
“I’m — -pregnant.”
“Is it mine? We haven’t had sex in months.”
“Of course it’s yours. I haven’t had sex with any other man.”
“I’m going to be a father!”
“I have something else to tell you.”
“What?”
“I’ve decided to take care of the baby on my own.”
“But I’m the father. I can help you and I promise I’ll be a good dad.”
“I don’t think so. You’ve treated me poorly. Why would treat this baby properly?” Charlotte asked as she rubbed her belly.
“I’m seeing a therapist, Charlie!”
“So, what does that have to do with anything?”
“I’ve been working on myself with her for the past few weeks.”
“Good for you, but a few weeks of therapy doesn’t change a person.”
“I will change. Give me a chance.”
“I gave you tons of chances. Call me when you’ve changed for real.”
“I will,” Matt replied with his head down. He left.
Months later, Matt heard Charlotte was having a baby shower, so he decided to make an appearance.
As the last guests entered the Rec Hall, Matt snuck in. He leaned on the far wall like a wallflower.
One of Charlotte’s friends came up to her and said, “Isn’t that your baby daddy?”
“Yes, it is.”
She walked over to him.
“Hey, what are you doing here? This is my day!” Charlotte shouted at Matt.
The party-goers looked toward the drama.
“I just wanted to stop by and find out the sex of our baby. Maybe mingle a little.”
“It’s a boy by the way.”
“A boy! I can’t wait — oh — right.”
Charlotte smiled and then frowned at Matt.
“I have to get back to the party, but I guess you’re welcome to stay as long as you don’t cause any commotion or chaos.”
“It’s cake time!” shouted Charlotte’s older sister, Daria.
Charlotte walked away from Matt and toward the cake table.
The cake was blue and had three tiers. The top tier had a blue background with white clouds. The second tier had a white background with different shades of blue polka dots. The bottom tier had a blue background with white zig-zag lines. And to top it all off was a little fondant baby boy.
Daria cut the cake and gave everyone at the party, including Matt a slice of chocolate cake.
Matt kept his distance from Charlotte by sitting at a table far away from her.
“How do you know Charlotte?” Charlotte’s co-worker said.
“I’m her baby daddy,” Matt said as he stroked his jet-black hair.
“Oh.” she walked away.
“How do you the baby mama?” he turned his head toward her. “And she’s gone.”
Everyone at the party gathered around the gift table.
“Here, open this one first,” Daria said.
Charlotte untied the dark blue ribbon and opened the blue box. “Pacifiers! He’ll definitely need these.”
She opened a few presents, baby clothes and toys sat next to her chair.
Then she got to Matt’s present, a big rectangular box covered in wrapping paper with little babies in diapers. She unwrapped it and it was, “A crib! Thanks, Matt! You shouldn’t have!”
The party-goers were surprised, they looked at Matt with smiles and widened eyes.
“I didn’t know the sex of the baby, so I thought I’d get you something practical,” Matt said.
“Thanks, honey,” Charlotte said, but the “honey” slipped out. “I mean, Matt.”
The guests realized the mysterious and only man at the party was the baby’s father.
Months later, Charlotte was having contractions and Matt heard through the grapevine of his mother, so he rushed to the hospital.
He asked the receptionist where Charlotte Davis’ room was.
She replied, “Room thirty-four.”
He rushed and followed the sounds of huffing and puffing or heavy breathing. He opened the door to her room and said, “I’m here, what do you need?”
“Matt, what are you doing here?” Charlotte asked.
“Sorry, I told his mother. I thought the father should be here to his child being born,” Charlotte’s mother said.
“Mom, why would do that? I told you I didn’t want him here,” Charlotte replied.
“I mean, he bought you that crib and I heard you two have been talking on the phone.”
“Mom, how did find out we were talking on the phone?”
“A mother knows and I heard you talking on the phone with him when I came to visit a few weeks ago.”
“It’s okay, Charlie. I’m here for you,” Matt said.
“Alright, just hold my hand before the next — -con — traction.”
“What’s wrong?”
“She’s having a contraction,” Charlotte’s mother said.
Matt felt Charlotte grip his hand. “Oh.”
The nurse walked into the room, “Oh good, the father is here. The doctor told me your six centimeters dilated. We’ll keep waiting.” She adjusted Charlotte’s pillow and gave her some ice chips. She walked out of the room.
“Ahh!” Charlotte screamed as the next contraction came and went.
“It’s alright, we’ll get through this,” Matt said, realizing the statement to be true and imagining the events after the birth. “We’ve been through worse.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean — Let’s change the subject. Have you thought of any names?”
“I was thinking James or Paul.”
“How about Kyle or Michael after my father.”
“There you go again making it about yourself and your family again. This day is about me, us, and the baby that’s about to pop.”
“You’re right, you’re always right. I will be by your side throughout this birth and the life of Michael.”
“We’re not naming him Micheal. How about Steven?”
“You know that’s my brother’s name!” Ah! You’re hurting my hand!”
The contractions get closer together with time.
“Tobias?” Matt suggested.
“Can we talk about this later? I’m having — ah-baby!”
The doctor entered the room and said, “And how is the mother to be doing?
“Fine, I’m ready for this baby to come out.”
“Good, how close are the contractions?”
“They’re a few minutes apart,” Matt said. “What? I’ve been keeping track on my watch.”
“Great, when the cervix is fully dilated you can start pushing.”
“And how many centimeters is it now?”
“Well, let’s check.”
The doctor asked Matt and Charlotte’s mother to leave the room. When they were asked to come back, the doctor said, “It looks like it’s at eight centimeters.”
“How much longer, doctor?” Charlotte asked.
“A few more hours. Be patient, he will be here soon,” the doctor replied. He walked out of the room.
“A few more hours? I can’t wait any longer. I’m — ”
“Honey, we’ve waited this long. What’s a few more hours?”
“Don’t call me honey! — ”
“I thought we were back together?”
“I never said that.”
“I thought it was implied.”
“How about Anthony or David?”
“No, what about — -Henry or Samuel?”
“No.”
“What about Scott?” Charlotte’s mother added.
“Stay out of this Carol!”
“Don’t talk to my mother like that!”
“Sorry, this is just stressing me out.”
“You’re telling me, I have a — baby coming out of my vagina!”
“Calm down, hun. Have an ice chip!”
“I don’t want any damn ice chips — -”
“Let’s keep thinking of names to keep your mind off it.”
“How about Ben or Hunter?”
“No, Jared or Gregory?
Hours went by and they kept thinking of names. The doctor returned and checked the mother to be’s cervix. “It’s at ten centimeters! Okay, Ms. Davis, it’s time to start pushing.”
Charlotte pushed with all her might.
“You’ve got this,” Matt encouraged.
After a few pushes, the doctor told her “One more big push!”
Charlotte screamed in agony as the baby pushed out of her cervix.
The doctor cut the umbilical cord and handed Charlotte the baby. “So, have you two thought of a name?”
“Alex,” Charlotte replied.
“Are you sure? I did choose that name,” Matt said.
“I know, but I decided I like it.”
The next morning, Charlotte and Matt left the hospital with their baby.
They raised their baby together and Matt moved in with Charlotte. They later got married and lived happily ever after together with Alex.
