Page 40 of Seven Minutes In Heaven
Gloria muttered, “The man is such an ignorant fool that he probably doesn’t even know you’re pregnant.” Then, louder, “You should’ve passed it off as his! What is thismessyou’re in? You’re supposed to be marrying the man who is now your father-in-law!”
“I couldn’t do that.” Claire meant both, but she focused on one thing. “I’ve never slept with Arthur.”
“Youfool.” Gloria shot Jake a heated look. He was willing to throw one right back at her. “What in the world do you get out of this? It wasn’t enough for you to knock-up my daughter… you had to go and ruin her life on top of it?”
“Mrs. Finn, I…”
“You should’ve had an abortion instead of ruiningeverything.”
Claire was too shocked to say anything. Never, ever had she heard her mother say something so callous!
“Mrs. Finn.” Jake rose from his seat, hand still holding his wife’s, his grip only faltering for a second. “I know this is a shock, considering my relation to your daughter’sformerfiancé, but I can assure you that this was not a wild and crazy whim of ours. Claire made the decision to go through with motherhood. I…” He looked down at his wife, who couldn’t help but smile with bolstered confidence. “I made the decision to have this family with her. I know you don’t know me from Adam. I intend to fix that in the coming months. You’ll think of me as your son by the time your grandchild is born.”
Gloria wasn’t as aggressive as Jake when she stood, but shewasas determined to have her point made. “You two have utterly gobsmacked me with this… news. Forgive me if I am not leaping in joy.”
Claire released her husband’s hand. “You knew I was pregnant?”
“I had my suspicions. The way you behaved, ate, and dressed even in this weather… a mother knows, Claire.”
“I was afraid of that.”
“Soon you will understand what I mean. Sounds like you’ll be a mother before any of us know it. Good luck.”
“Mom…” Claire rounded the table. She hadn’t felt this needy for her mother’s affections since she was a little girl, wondering why Gloria had to be so closed-off in a city already full of standoffish personalities. “Please don’t do this. I know you’re in shock, but I’m gonna need you.”
Gloria remained resolute in her silence until she finally caved, hand hitting her forehead and elbow smacking against the table. “My little girl, married and with child. Well, Mr. Carter,” she shot Jake yet another look, “at least you’re making an honest woman out of her. I rather wish you hadn’t, though. Would’ve been much easier to clean up.”
Jake didn’t flinch. “We’ll clean things up ourselves. Including with our father – and the press.”
“First, I want you two to tell me where you’re even living. Because we donothave room here.”
“I have my own apartment downtown,” Jake was quick to say. “I admit it’s very small for a long-term solution. We’ll have our own place by the time the baby is born. You have my word.”
“Jake is quite successful on his own in Hollywood,” Claire explained. “Don’t worry about me, Mom. Our baby is going to be well taken care of, even if Arthur is not involved.”
“That’s not what I’m worried about.” Gloria snaked her arms around her daughter’s midsection, her ear placed directly upon her grandchild’s home.
Claire couldn’t begin to guess what her mother was worried about. Probably because there were any number of candidates, and each one in turn frightened Claire to her core.
***
The newlyweds had a much different reception at Carmen’s villa. When they approached the door with that bedraggled, travel-worn look, Carmen instantly knew what had happened and welcomed Jake and Claire into her arms. She insisted that they stay overnight.
A few hours passed before Claire realized her new mother-in-law was distracting her from the reality of tomorrow.I’m grateful for it, though.The evening was like a fun, candlelit Thanksgiving dinner with intimate family. Carmen brought out photo albums from her childhood in Peru, Jake’s babyhood, and her travels around the world. She also imparted more wisdom about childbirth and rearing than Gloria ever would in the years to come.
“I know Jacob pretends he’s not from my side,” she shot her son a half-bemused look from across the salon, “but you should give your baby a good, strong name. My father Roberto would be honored to know his first grandchild from me was named after him.”
“We’re not naming the baby Roberto, Mom,” Jake announced from the bookshelf. He was searching for an old recipe book that his childhood chef had used – he harbored fantasies of hiring a chef good enough to replicate the meals of his nostalgia. “Besides, it might be a girl, and all the women in your family are Maria this and Maria that. Including you.”
“My name is Carmen Maria, not Maria Carmen. That was my own grandmother.”
“I think Maria is a lovely name,” Claire said.
“Of course you do, because it is.”
“We’re not naming it RobertoorMaria.”
“I’m sure we’ll figure something out.” Claire closed the album she perused.
