Page 39 of Seven Minutes In Heaven
Chapter 13
The four-hour drive home from Vegas was interspersed with silence and discussions on how to handle their relationship going forward. Sometimes all Claire wanted was to put the top down and watch the contemplative scenery go by. Sometimes, like after they stopped to buy gas, it was better to put it up and figure out where they were going to live – because it would be cramped in his apartment, and that wasbeforethe baby was born.
At least they had a little time to find a place of their own. Jake promised to get his real estate agent on that as soon as they were back in town. Until then, Claire could tentatively move into his apartment while they searched.
By the time they reached LA, they decided to start ripping off the Band-Aids. The Finn house was the first to be hit by Hurricane Carter, since it was closer than Carmen’s villa, and they werenottelling Arthur yet.
Gloria would be a hard enough sell, but Claire figured her own mother had a right to know everything.
“How was your sojourn to Ve…” Gloria stopped greeting her daughter from the dining room as soon as she noticed Jake trailing in behind Claire.God give me strength. I’m going to need it.“What happened? Are you all right?”
Claire was taken aback before she entered the dining room. “What do you mean?”
Although Jake and Claire did not touch, their closeness must have broadcasted something unsavory to Gloria. “Has something happened with Arthur?”
The newlyweds exchanged glances. “Not to our knowledge,” Jake said. He held out his hand. “Pleasure to formally meet you, by the way. I’m Jake… Arthur’s son.”
“Yes, I remember.” Gloria removed her reading glasses and lightly shook his hand. “We met at the engagement party.”
“Yes. Well…” Had Jake forgotten?My mother wasn’t on his radar that day.Not only did Jake have no idea that he would soon be so closely related to Gloria Finn-Mathias, but by the time he met her, he might have already stuck it in her daughter and created hergranddaughter.
“I thought maybe something had happened for Jake to bring you by.”
Claire sighed. It was now or never. “Something has happened, Mom. A couple of things, but not what you’re thinking.”
Gloria’s face paled.She knows, doesn’t she?
“You might want to sit down.” Claire demonstrated by pulling out one of the chairs and motioning for her husband to do the same.
A few pregnant pauses commenced. Every time either Gloria or Claire opened their mouths, they interrupted the other, and soon they were in a series of impasses that frustrated Gloria and only put off the inevitable for Claire. Jake sat patiently beside his wife. They had decided it was best for her to take the lead when talking to Gloria. He could lead the charge with his own parents, although Claire was less worried about Carmen than she was about…
“I did go to Vegas, Mom.” She had told Gloria that she was going with “a friend” to “blow off some wedding planning steam.” Well, she had. Quite impetuously. “With Jake. He’s the friend.”
Gloria was still pale.
Claire and Jake had yet to purchase wedding rings. They only had the cheap rings that came with their wedding chapel package, but Claire couldn’t stand to wear it when her fingers fluctuated in size all day. Nor did Jake wear his.One more thing for us to do.Claire couldn’t even coyly show off a wedding ring to confirm her mother’s fears.
“Claire Finn, I swear to God…”
That admonishing tone made Claire do something she had not planned on. She took Jake’s hand and attempted to siphon strength out of his body.
“We went there to get married.”
The room was devoid of words. Yet heavy breaths, thumping hearts, and clacking nails against the dining room table littered the air-conditioned dining room. Claire thought her mother might keel over in shock.
But she wasn’t shocked, was she?
“You’re pregnant.” Gloria refused to look in Jake’s direction – until she sent him a scathing, accusatory look. “It’s his.”
Claire said nothing. Why bother, when her mother was right?
“I knew it.” Gloria slammed her hand against the table. “I fuckingknewyou were pregnant, but I wasn’t about to butt into your life unless you dragged me into it. Well, here we are.” The floral arrangement at the end of the table rattled with Gloria’s next ragged breath. “I simply didn’t expect it to be Arthur’ssonwho was the father. I thought it was Arthur… or some boy toy you were fooling around with on the side. I figured if you kept it, it must be Arthur’s. You wouldn’t bethatstupid to keep a baby that wasn’t his!”
Jake narrowed his eyes at his mother-in-law. “I can assure you that your daughter and I did not plan things this way.”
“No. Stupidity of this caliber is not often planned, is it? Now, tell me, does Arthur have any idea that you’re running around with his grandbaby in your womb?”
“No.”
