Page 26 of Knocked Up By the Silver Fox

"My God," she hissed again as she slammed her door shut and locked it. I walked up to it, knocked, and pressed my forehead against the wood.

"Abby, open the door." I jiggled the handle but it was pointless.

"Go away," she screamed, and then I heard her radio turn on. It was loud enough to vibrate the door, and I knew even if I screamed at the top of my lungs, she wouldn't hear me. I'd have to kill the power to her room to make her shut it off.

I stood there for a second with my head hanging before Beth walked up to me and took my hand. "Is everything okay?"

I turned to face her and she looked sad. "No…" I sighed hopelessly and pulled her against my chest. "It's not."

"Maybe I should go…" Her timid surrender made my heart break. This wasn't at all how I hoped for Abby and Beth to meet. I thought maybe they'd really connect, that Beth could be someone Abby looked up to, but maybe I was asking too much too quickly.

I followed Beth back into the bedroom with both cups of coffee in my hands. I set them down on the nightstand and by the time I turned around, Beth had shed my clothes and was searching for hers. I helped her find her skirt and sweater. She put the skirt on as I clung to her, caressing her skin and wishing we could back time up a few minutes.

"I'm sorry if me being here caused problems." Beth took her sweater and slipped into it.

I stopped her as I cupped a breast and pressed my thumb into her nipple. "It's not your fault. I just didn't plan things well. Abby will have to adjust; that's all."

Beth hissed and moved my hand, sliding it over her hip and up under her skirt. "You can come to my apartment if you want? We can finish this there…" Her suggestive tone, and the wayher pelvis rocked against my palm made me want to accept her invitation, but I knew better.

"As much as I want to do that, I shouldn't. I have to talk to her somehow." The thumping of music was still vibrating the walls of the penthouse.

Beth leaned down to grab her shoes, and as she stood, she kissed my lips. The kiss was hungry and passionate, and I really wanted to pull her onto my lap and have my way with her, but my conscience wouldn't allow me.

"Then another time?" she asked, and I slid my hand down her thigh and straightened her skirt.

"Yes…My driver will take you home, okay? I'll have him ready at the curb by the time you get there. I'm really sorry about this." I hated sending her away, but it was the only thing I could do.

"It's alright…" She kissed me again and smiled. "I hope you can work that out…Let me know if there's anything I can do."

I reached around and squeezed her butt and she snickered. "Just be you." I winked at her as she walked out and then I stood and followed her. She went toward the door and I walked toward Abby's room.

I wanted to be upset but I knew my little girl was just having a hard time wrapping her mind around this. Maybe she just wasn't ready to move on, but I was, and I needed to. But I also needed to give her space to process and to be patient with her as she realized her dad wasn't going to stay single forever.

"Abs," I said, knocking again. "Can we talk?"

The music grew softer, but I knew the volume in this penthouse was going to rise again the minute she opened her mouth and started talking. It wasn't going to be an easy conversation, that was for sure.

17

BETH

Ileaned over my desk feeling nauseous and tired. For days, Rachel and I had been snacking on leftovers from our small Thanksgiving meal—which was more like way too much takeout that we couldn't eat. The warmed-up food was still delicious, but something told me it had gone sour and my stomach was paying for it.

I felt queasy a few times yesterday, but this morning was the worst. I should have called in sick, but there were a few reports Will was counting on me to have done, so I came in early and I'd been sitting here working on them between bouts of nausea.

"Morning beautiful," Will said as he walked into my office. He shut the door before he spoke, but it still made me a bit nervous when he said things like that at work, even in privacy. He carried a cup of coffee in hand and set it on the corner of my desk, as had become his normal routine.

"Good morning," I said, fighting the urge to yawn, which I knew would only make my nausea worse.

"Ah, great," he said, eyeing the reports on the printer tray. I hadn't had a chance to collate them or put them in folders butthey were there. "Thank you," he said, then he kissed the top of my head as he scooped them up. "These are fantastic."

"You're welcome," I managed right before I belched. I hated feeling sick; I just wanted to go home.

"Stop by my office in about an hour. There's something I need to go over with you…Oh, and dinner tonight?" he asked and I nodded, but I didn't say much. He seemed distracted and that was okay with me. I didn't want to have to explain why I felt sick from eating old leftovers from Thanksgiving more than a week ago.

Will went into his office and shut the door, and I slumped over on the desk and rested my head on my arms. I closed my eyes briefly, feeling so tired I could nap. It was only 8 a.m. and I felt like I'd been awake all day already. I figured it was just from my body fighting whatever was going on and I hated it.

"Oh," I heard, and I sat up to see Sarah walk in. She wore a pink cardigan and gray slacks. Her hair was tied back in a bun so tight it made her eyes narrow into slits, and she scowled at me. "I thought you were gone." She moved toward the filing cabinets at the end of the office and typed in the code to open them.

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