418Hey guys, as you can tell my updates have gotten more frequent. I'm a little excited about that too, don't worry. Hopefully I'll have the next chapter up soon. Please read, review, and most of all, enjoy!
Chapter 53
17 weeks
"Tris are you ready to go? We're going to be late! We can't miss out on this event. We've had tickets for months." Tobias yells up the steps, no longer patiently waiting for his wife to come down. They're supposed to be going to a fancy dinner at a new restaurant that opened up. He bought her tickets for it a long time ago. It was supposed to be an early anniversary gift, but at this rate it won't be.
Something gets knocked over, followed by the sound of groans. "Okay, I think I got it. Will you please just come here and zip up my dress? I'm having a little trouble."
He races up the steps, and walks into their bedroom. Tris stands in front of the mirror, struggling to reach the back of her dress. She looks nice in that skin-tight white dress. "Here don't strain yourself. I got this." Well, he thought he did. He got halfway up and started to struggling with the zipper.
"I thought you 'got this'?" She presses against the dress, trying to make it zip easier.
"I- I do. This zipper just sucks. I don't want to break it. Do you have something she to wear?" He glances over to the closet and bites his lip. This could be a bad idea.
She sighs and begins to whine a bit. "No, I don't. Nothing fits anymore! This dress was my only hope. I've gotten so fat! I can't fit into any of my clothes anymore. My boobs are huge and my back hurts. And guess what? I'm only going to get fatter!"
Despite another one of her many mood swings, the dress zips up. A noise escapes her lips like she's surprised. "Okay," she says breathing in deeply, "I'm going to start buying maternity clothes this week. The baby wins."
Tobias does not answer at all. He learned not to a few weeks ago. "Are you okay? Ready to go?"
She grabs the dresser and smiles. "Yep, just let me grab my shoes, oh, when you get downstairs grab my medicine and the small water bottle from the kitchen. I'll take my pills on the way. Are we taking a cab or your truck?"
"My truck is in the shop, I planning on taking your car."
She makes a face like she's sorry. "Oh, okay, but I'm low on gas." She hands a necklace to him, expecting him to help her.
Tobias rolls his eyes and undoes the clasp. Then in an annoyed-like fashion, he says, "do you ever fill your car up with gas? The last time I drove it you were on fumes."
"Yes I do. You always happen to drive it whenever I need gas. Why is your truck in the shop anyway? I thought you figured out what was wrong with it." As soon as the necklace is on she turns on him like a bear.
He sighs and calmly states, "no, the alternator is shot. In getting a new one. I told you this yesterday. Come on, we can argue about this in the car, were going to be late."
"No," she says stubbornly and throws her hands on her her hips. "I don't want to go with you if your going to be an ass tonight. I'd much rather be at home wearing sweatpants. You can go by yourself. Or with Zeke. I'm sure he'd love to go with you."
Tobias pinches the bridge of his nose, a habit he dies when he's extremely annoyed. "Beatrice, I want to go with you. Zeke is not my wife, this is not his anniversary we are celebrating. You are my wife. We are celebrating our anniversary. Let's go, I spent good money on this."
"Ugh," she grabs her little clutch purse and her shoes angrily. "Fine, let's go." At the bottom of the steps she starts to mutter curse words. "I bet you can't even name our anniversary date." Tobias wasn't supposed to hear that, but he most definitely did.
"It's June 4th." He looks down at her feet, where she wears these stupid black four to six inch heels. He groans. "Wait, why are you wearing those shoes? You're just going to take them off in an hour. Then in going to have to carry you back to the car."
She walks out to the garage, and hops into the passenger side of her car. Tobias shuts the door for her. As soon as he sits down in the drivers seat, she give him her answer. "Because, I'm 5'2. You are 6'4. I look tiny compared to you. These shoes make me look tall. They make me look 5'6. Plus, they also make my butt look good. That is why I'm wearing them."
Tobias backs out of the driveway then looks at the fuel gage. He deadpans. "You have a full tank of gas. You aren't empty."
Tris shrugs, "oh yeah, I guess I filled up yesterday after work. I forgot."
Right now, Tobias would like to do a face palm, but he doesn't. Or else that will spark another fight between the two, and he can't fight with her like this. She'll always win. She usually wins anyway, but now she can use her pregnancy as leverage, and then he'll never get close to winning an agreement. It's just that simple.
When they get to the restaurant, the two immediately get seated. They eat their appetizer, and go through the meal not arguing. Tris leaves halfway through to go to the restroom. When she returns, she's red. "Give me your coat.".
"What? Why?" He looks at her alarmed.
She calmly sits down. "I ripped my dress. Now I need to use your coat to cover it up. Please give me your coat." She hisses it at him. Tobias tries to hide his smirk, and calmly walks over to rest it on her chair. He did it swiftly. Others will think that she's cold. Not that she ripped her dress.
The medicine has been doing it job, and the doctors are much happier with her progress in the pregnancy. Tris obviously feels a heck of a lot better, because she always seems to be fighting for her way. Last week Christina suggested that Tris should start shopping for maternity clothes. Tris obviously declined, because now she is in this position. Maybe it will make her less bull-headed.
"You're a mess," he whispers in her ear. On the other side of the restaurant, he spots his father, some girl that he's out with, Nita, and Al. They seem to be having dinner and laughing. From across the room, Marcus's eyes land on Tobias. "I just saw Marcus. Please use my jacket to hide the fact that your pregnant. I haven't exactly told my father that little detail yet." Tobias bites his lip and Tris nods. She understands that Tobias is only doing this to keep everyone safe. Though, the fact annoys her greatly.
He returns to his spot and Tris hisses to him from across the table, "you haven't told your father yet?"
He touches his brow as if he was stressed. "No, I've been busy trying to figure out when I should."
Tris deadpans and points at her stomach. "Well preferably before November 17th. We've got a time line on this you know."
Tobias rolls his eyes. "Well obviously."
A hand drops on his shoulder. Tobias freezes into place. "Son, it's been a long time. Why didn't you come say 'hello' to your father and his friends?"
"Because I'm having a nice dinner with my wife. I was planning on talking to you on our way out." That was a complete lie.
"Why don't you join us now? We'd love to have two of you." Marcus releases Tobias's shoulder and walks to the center of the table so he can see his son's face better.
"We've already ordered. It would be considered rude to switch places on the waiter." Tobias is tense, he hopes that his excuse works.
Tris watches Marcus nod in agreement. "Very well. Beatrice, I see you aren't drinking tonight, why would that be?" His hand returns to Tobias's shoulder. He looks like he's gripping it harder.
"I'm on call at ten. I would rather not show up to work intoxicated if I were to get called in, so no, I'm not drinking tonight." She is praying that excuse works.
Marcus nods again. "Very well, Tobias after your done you should join is for a little bit. I'd love to stay and chat about next weeks affairs. Please do come. Oh, I would also like you to meet my new friend."
Tobias nods, "we will sir. Just after we're done."
Marcus leaves and Tobias instantly relaxes. The rest of the evening leaves Tris and him to devise a plan so they can get out of there as fast as they can.
Though their plan isn't that lucky. They end up at the table, Tris sits between Tobias and Marcus's friend. Tobias wraps an arm protectively around his wife so she's no where near Marcus or the others. "Son, I hear you won't be joining us next week for the baptism. You're in California for training?"
"Yes." Tobias nods, in his right hand he spins the beer bottle around on the table. His fingers stay on the neck while the bottom twists. Next to him Al lights his cigarette. Hopefully the bottle will distract Tris from the fowl scent, and hopefully she won't throw up all over him. Cigarette smoke, eggs, and cantaloupe will set her off from time to time. Oh, and liquor if it's extremely strong. "I'm sorry, but do you really have to smoke that here?" He says it and looks at Al. He's trying to be polite, but it came out in an annoyed tone.
Al looks at him innocently, "what? This is one of the few restaurants in Chicago with a smoking area. I like to use my resources wisely."
"Tobias's grandfather used to some heavily. The smell still gets to me too, son." Marcus agrees with Tobias. Or, well he makes it look like he agrees.
Marcus used to get abuse by his father too. Instead of getting hit and beaten with a belt, he would get burned by cigarettes. The scars are all on his wrists. Marcus never told his son that story, Tobias was just smart enough to figure it out. He's going to break that trend in the Eaton family so no one has to worry about it anymore.
"Excuse me, when are you due?" Marcus's 'friend' asks Tris. The friend is younger than Tobias, that is for sure.
Tris looks at her surprised, and Tobias tenses even more. "What?"
She shrugs, "I noticed you weren't drinking tonight, and I also saw you in the bathroom."
"Tris is pregnant?" Nita asks loudly.
"I'm going to be a grandfather?" Marcus look at Tobias accusingly.
Al blows out a huge puff of smoke, and Tris sprints away. Tobias is left alone at the table. He doesn't want to be left alone at the table. So he spins towards Marcus and starts to talk very fast. "Yes, you are going to be a grandfather. No, you may not be in the child's life. Do not ever come near my child without my permission. If I find you as close as being in the same building as my child, I will kill you. Do you understand me?" Tobias spins towards Al's direction. He takes the cigarette out of his mouth and puts it out on the ash tray. "In case you couldn't tell, my wife is very sick. When I ask you to stop, you stop. Be courteous to those around you. Thank you."
Tobias walks away without another word. He coerced his wife out of the bathroom, and the two head home. "How do you feel?" He asks when they're nearly home.
"Okay, I didn't throw up or anything, I just dry heaved. Which I think is worse. I'm just in a lot of pain right now."
"Do you want me to stop at the clinic?"
"No, I'll be fine. I should probably just get some sleep or something. God, my head hurts. Well you please hurry home?"
He does. Tris heads straight towards their bedroom and he follows her. She stops in front of mirror and gives him his jacket back. She turns around and looks at her butt a huge rip lies there. It goes from the bottom of her butt all the way to the end of the dress. "Yep, I'm definitely not going to wear this dress again. I can't wait to get it off, it's so damn tight." She struggles to grab the zipper but Tobias sits something better.
He reaches around the back and grabs the top by the zipper. Then be proceeds to rip the fabric in half, so when he's done Tris is completely free. A noise of pleasure escapes her lips, Tobias was a little surprised to hear it because usually he only hears it in bed. The next thing he knows, Tris is ripping his clothes off and she throws him onto the bed. Her lips begin to travel up his body, and so much pleasure jolts through him. Though, he pauses the mood to brush his teeth. Just in case he ate something that might set her off. When he returns, she's asleep.
21 weeks
"Did you get the box?" Tris asks, turning up the volume on the computer.
Tobias holds it up for her to see, "yep, and I've been patiently waiting to open it. Have you felt any moment from the baby yet?"
Tris shakes her head, "the doctor didn't seem worried. The baby should be moving soon. My mother says I should drink orange juice, but I feel sick whenever I drink orange juice. So I have to figure something else out. How's training?"
Tobias sighs, "it's okay. This is the only alone time I've had for the past four weeks. I've been-"
"Yo, Four! Where are you at?"
Tobias groans and turns around. "Mike, I'm using the computer! Give me a minute."
Mike comes up behind Tobias and makes an appearance on the screen. "Tris, I hate to break this to you, but Tobias wants a divorce. He's going to be leaving you for me. I know you're surprised, Meredith was just as surprised too. I don't know what you're going to do. You and Meredith will just have to raise the children together. Support each other during this hard time. It will be okay."
Tobias turns to look at Mike, "how high are you?"
Mike scoffs, "I'm not high. I'm just bored."
Tobias shoves him, "get away."
"Fine, but when you're done I'm going to challenge you to a game of darts. Plus they have pop. I'm getting a Mountain Dew, you want anything?"
"No, now stop pulls you please leave?"
Mike shuts the door laughing.
"See what I mean? He's scheduled for next week, I'm going to get him good."
Tris rolls her eyes, "whatever, just open up the package. We don't have that much time."
He nods, grabs his pocket knife and tears open the brown box. He holds up the gray balloon. "What is this?"
Tris smiles, "pop it."
He sighs and then pops the balloon. Blue confetti comes out, along with a small black and white picture of their baby. "Wait-wait." He surfs around the pile and then looks back up. "It's a boy?"
"It's a boy!" She cheers back laughing.
Tobias looks around dumbstruck. He quickly picks up the picture that was tucked into the balloon. "That's my son," he whispers it to himself.
"Are you excited?" Tris asks it in a timid manner. Tobias finds it slightly ridiculous that she asked the question like that, but he didn't say anything.
He nods, "yeah, just, someone help us if he's anything like me." He laughs a little bit and rubs the back of his neck.
"Okay good, inside your box you will find a series of books. One has name ideas in it. I want you to take a look at it and come up with some ideas before the he is born. I want to be prepared, you know?"
Tobias nods, "yeah." His voice sounds breathy. Everything is finally starting to catch up with him. He honestly wasn't prepared for all of this quite yet. Tris was, she's been preparing for this since Grace was born. "Honestly, I was thinking that we could make him after he was born. I want to know what he looks like before we decide on anything."
"But I don't like referring to out child as 'baby' or 'him' out whatever pronoun you want to throw in there. I would like to call him by his real name."
He raises an eyebrow and starts to fish around in the box. "But what if you call him 'Andrew' but after he's born he looks more like a 'Billy'?"
Tris crosses her arms, "I would never name my child 'Billy'."
Tobias puts his hands up in self defense. "It was just a for instance, nothing set it stone. Tris, I'm just trying to make my point."
"And I see your point. That is a bridge we'll just have to cross of it were to come up. Right now I would just like to come up with a name."
Out of the corner of the screen, a light starts to flash. That's Tobias's cue that his time is almost up. He has exactly a minute to wrap things up before everything is shut down. "Okay, we'll just have to talk about this later. I'm getting the signal. I love you, and stay safe. I want you to stay healthy for when the baby is born. Okay? I'll be home in August."
"I love you too. Be safe. Use sunscreen. Don't do anything stupid. And tell Mike that I'm keeping you as long as humanly possible. I love you, Tobias." The screen flashes black and that means the conversation is over. It's always Tobias's least favorite moment. Hopefully soon, he won't have to worry about it.