Julianna sat in her car. She looked out at all the shoppers walking around. Julianna was seven months pregnant and she obviously showed. The public didn't know about her pregnancy and she was sick and tired of hiding. She decided to let them have their fun with the newspapers. Julianna opened her car door and pulled her purse out behind her. She heaved herself up out of the seat and she stood. She brought her purse up, slinging it over her shoulder as she shut the door behind her, finally ready to face the world.
----
During her outing, she had bought a few things. Some maternity clothes for her and even a few things for the baby. She had done it all with an air of pride, even when she had seen two cameras taking pictures of her, with the possibility of more. She pushed her sunglasses higher onto her face as she walked along the sidewalk.
----
George looked out the window of his limo, boredness overcoming him. He looked at a pregnant woman walking down the street as she pushed her sunglasses up. He looked away from her, before his mind registered who it was and he quickly looked back at her. "Hey, Gary, pull over somewhere, quick!" George says. The driver gives him a quizzical look but he manages to park the limo just a block ahead. George grabs his baseball cap from beside him in the limo. "You can do ahead, I'll get there some other way. Remind me to pay you big later!" George says and jumps out of the limo. He turns in the direction he saw Julianna and started to walk quickly, pulling his baseball cap down over his eyes, shoving his sunglasses on, hoping not to be recognized, although he knew he was attracting attention to himself as he almost ran.
He craned his neck, looking over the crowd of people and he saw her. She was pulling the door open of a baby shop. A small smile fluttered over his face before he continued walking, and went into the store. He looked around until he saw her dark mass of curls moving towards the clothing section. She stopped and fingered a sleeper as a store clerk walked up to her.
"May I help you?" George heard the woman ask as he stood back, trying to be discreet.
"No, thanks, I'm just browsing." Julianna said, smiling. The store clerk nodded.
"If you need me, I'll be around." She says.
"Thank you." Julianna says as the woman walks off. Thankfully, the woman doesn't see him so he makes his way towards Julianna, coming up behind her.
"Ma'am, is there something I could help you with?" George asks, changing his voice, trying to disguise himself. She began to speak.
"No thank you." She says and she turns around to find him grinning madly at her. She sighs and smiles slightly. He chuckles lightly as she turns around, her hand still on the sleeper. She had been avoiding him to the best of her ability and he knew it. He was going to make the best of this time. "Actually, you could help me." Julianna says.
"What do you need? If I can't help, I'll ask the manager." He says. She grins, not able to hide it. She lowers her voice.
"You could always pick out an outfit for your child." She says quietly, not turning to face him, not wanting him to see her face. His grin softens, but doesn't fade.
"I'd love to." George says. She smiles, her head still down as she shifts the bags in her hand. "Here, let me take those. You can take a break." George says, touching her hand and sliding the handle of the bag onto his own hand. She smiles.
"Thanks." She says. He smiles.
"No problem." He says. "So, are we hoping for a boy or girl, here?" He asks. She shrugs.
"Doesn't matter. Pick one of each." She says. He grins and begins moving around the clothing, showing her various things he liked, his excitement shining through. George eventually narrows it down to two outfits, one boy and one girl outfit.
"Alright, let's see." George says. He holds the girl's outfit up to her stomach. She grins and he chuckles. "Any reaction?" He asks. She shakes her head. He switches arms, putting the little boy's outfit up against her stomach. He looks at her expectantly before she nods.
"I think we have a winner." She says. His face lights up.
"Did he kick?" George asks. She nods.
"Yeah." She says. George shifts the little blue outfit into his left hand, along with the pink outfit and the bags. "Can I?" He asks, reaching his hand out slightly, but not making contact with her. She shifts uncomfortably and swallows, as she nods slightly. "Sure." She whispers. His smile widens as he presses his hand against her stomach softly. A few seconds later he felt something slide across his hand.
"That was an elbow!" He exclaims. She can't help but smile at his enthusiasm. "Wow. That's amazing, Jules." He says, his smile wide as he takes his hand away from her stomach. She nods, still fairly uncomfortable. He senses it.
"So, why don't we go buy these outfits." George says.
"George...nobody knows..yet." She says. He nods.
"I figured as much. Jules, you've forgotten, I'm an actor. I'll take care of it." He says. She sighs.
"Alright then, let's go." She says. He smiles.
"Jules, we don't have to. I can always just go if it makes you uncomfortable." He says. She shakes her head.
"No, it's okay. You're an actor, remember?" Julianna asks. He grins softly and nods.
"Alright. I've got it covered. Let's go." He says. She nods and follows him to the counter. He puts the stuff up on the counter and he turns to Julianna as the lady looks at them curiously.
"So, have you decided on a name yet?" George asks Julianna, facing her slightly. She clears her throat.
"Nope, I'm still working on that." She says, looking away from him.
"I don't think I could pick a name out for someone that they would have to keep the rest of their life." George says, handing the cashier his credit card. She shrugs.
"Yeah, it's a tough decision." She says, still not looking at him.
"Yep. Thanks." George says, smiling at the cashier.
"No problem." She replies and he begins to walk away from the counter, Julianna following him.
"Did I do okay?" George asks as he opens the door of the store for her. She nods.
"Yeah. I don't think she caught on." Julianna says. He smiles and walks out of the store behind her, still carrying all of her bags.
"So, Miss Margulies, may I treat you to lunch?" George asks. She doesn't answer.
"How did you know I was in there?" She asks. He shrugs.
"My limo was driving by and I saw you. I made him pull over." George says.
"If you were in a limo, weren't you going somewhere important?" Julianna asks. He shrugs.
"Not really. I was just going to go out with the guys. My jeep's in the shop and I didn't feel like taking out my other car, so I was taking my limo. I told the guys that I might not be able to make it, they'll understand." George says.
"You should go out with them." She says. He shrugs.
"You haven't been returning my calls and I've only seen you twice," He lowered his voice, "since Dr. Reed's office and I can see the guys anytime." He says. She doesn't look at him, avoiding his gaze. "So, where would you like to go to lunch?" He asks. "It's on me." She sighs.
"I don't care." She says, finally looking at him. He grins.
"C'mon, there's nothing you have a craving for? No pickles and ketchup? Or french fries and ice cream?" He asks. She can't help but laugh.
"You're impossible." She says. He grins.
"I know." He says.
----
George sat across from Julianna in a booth. He twirled his straw through his iced tea.
"So...have you thought of any names for the baby?" George asks her, looking up. She looks down, letting her finger trace invisible patterns on her glass.
"I..no. Not really. I guess...No." She says, still not meeting his eyes.
"You had to have thought of some names you like. C'mon. Tell me." George says. She sighs.
"George, really, I haven't thought about it." She says. He grins.
"Fine. Then..hmm, well, let's see. If it's a boy, you can always name it Frank or Fred. If it's a girl, you could name it Julia or Jewel, like the singer." George says. She rolls her eyes.
"Remind me not to let you choose the name." She says. He grins.
"Then tell me what you like. If you haven't thought about it, think about it now." He says.
"I don't know, George." She says.
"Well then, let's start with A. Aaron, Andrew, Adam for boys. Amy, Anna, Anita, for girls." He says. She laughs.
"Creative." She says. He chuckles.
"B's?" He asks.
"Bob, Bernard, Beavis." She says. He laughs.
"Betty, Brenda, Belinda." He says. "Anything spark your interest?" He asks. She grins.
"Well, I like Frank and Betty." She teases. He chuckles.
"I'm sure whatever you pick will be wonderful." He says. She smiles, looking down, becoming uncomfortable once again. He smiles, noticing this.
----
"Why don't you come in?" George asks as he sits in Julianna's car.
"I really should go." She says.
"C'mon, just come in for something to drink. I owe you. You gave me a ride home." George says.
"You don't owe me anything." Julianna says.
"Just come on this once and then you can go home and continue ignoring my phone calls." George says. She gives him an exasperated look. He reaches over, turning the key of her car, shutting the car off. She sighs.
"Fine." She says. He smiles.
"Just for a little bit." He says, opening his door.
----
Julianna shifted uncomfortably on the couch. George gave her a concerned look.
"You okay?" He asks.
"Yeah, uh, the baby's just kicking my ribs." She says. Without thinking George reaches over, placing a hand on her stomach. She doesn't move, turning her head away from his gaze.
"Do you want a boy or girl?" George asks softly as he feels a soft movement against his hand. He smiles. She shrugs.
"Doesn't matter." She says shakily. His brow furrows and he takes his hand away from her stomach.
"Hey." He says. She doesn't answer, her head turned the other way. "Jules, look at me. What's wrong?" He asks. He reaches over, hooking his index and middle fingers under her chin and tilting her head towards him. He sees the tears in her eyes, threatening to spill over. Her chin quivers and a single tear escapes her eye, racing down her cheek. It lands on his wrist. "What is it?" He asks softly. She shakes her head, closing her eyes tightly. "Jules?" He asks, confused. She opens her eyes, her vision blurred.
"I'm sorry." She whispers.
"Hey, no. C'mere." He says, drawing her into his arms. She buries her face into his shoulder, taking comfort from him. He rubs her back as she cries silently. "Shhh...it's okay." He says, rocking her gently. He pulls her away from him gently, looking at her. "What's wrong?" He asks. She shakes her head, trying to clear her thoughts.
"I can't do this, George." She says. He gives her a confused look.
"Do what?" George asks.
"I can't raise a baby. I can't take care of a dependent little human." She says, a small sob escaping her lips. He smiles.
"Yes you can, Jules. I know you. You're strong. Once you see your little baby, once you hold it in your arms, you'll know. You'll know that you wouldn't ever let anything bad happen to your child. You'll be the most wonderful mommy to this baby. And you'll love it. So much, Jules. And...I'm going to be here for you and the baby all the time. If you ever get overwhelmed, you've got me and your loving family who will always support you and help you. All you have to do is believe in yourself, because you can do this, Jules." He says. She nods, bending her neck, her hair falling in front of her face.
"I don't want to be a bad mother." She says. He smiles.
"You won't." He says. She looks up at him and smiles weakly. He smiles wider.
"I'm sorry." She whispers.
"Don't be." He says, pulling her into his arms and hugging her once again. "Now, I wasn't planning on showing you this now...but, c'mon." George says, standing and pulling her into a standing position beside him.
"Showing me what?" She asks.
"Follow me." He says.
"Where are we going?" She asks.
"Upstairs." He says, walking to the stairs, holding her hand and pulling her slowly behind him. He helps her up the stairs a little bit and walks down the hall to a closed door. "Close your eyes." He says.
"George, what are you up to?" She asks, even though she closes her eyes.
"Just wait." He says. She hears him open the door and he walks behind her, his hands covering her eyes and he nudges her foreward gently and she walks into the room a few steps before he stops her. "Okay, open them." He whispers in her ear, taking his hands away from her eyes and stepping up beside her. She opens her eyes and gasps. The ceiling is painted sky blue with white clouds sponged on them. The rest of the walls are covered in a mural with animals and trees. Her eyes fill with tears and she turns to him.
"George.." She whispers, swallowing. He smiles at her.
"I had some friends of mine come over and do it. They obviously know I'm going to be a Daddy, but I didn't tell them who the Mommy is because I wanted to respect your wishes, since I had already figured you didn't tell anyone." George says.
"It's beautiful, George." She says. He grins.
"Don't give me the credit." He says. She smiles softly, soft tears trailing her cheeks. "I didn't know if it was a boy or a girl, so I told them to do something 'naturey', but for a baby. Then I let them have the room to do what they wanted with it."
"I love it, George. Thank you." She says and steps forward, giving him a hug. He feels a strong kick against his stomach and he pulls away.
"I think someone else likes it, too." George says, grinning like a madman as he places his hand on her stomach again. This time she lets him, not feeling as uncomfortable as usual. It was obvious he wanted this baby and was excited about it.
"I forgot to ask you earlier, George." Julianna says.
"What?" He asks, looking up at her.
"Do you have any names you like picked out?" She asks. He smiles.
"Are you ready for this?" He asks. She giggles.
"I suppose." She says and he smiles.
----
"Aiden, that is adorable." Julianna says. She and George were down on George's couch, drinking iced tea as they discussed baby names.
"Don't you think?" George asks. She nods.
"Mmm. What about a girl?" She asks.
"I think we'll have to keep discussing that." George says. She nods and giggles.
"Yeah, but Aiden is definitely an option." She says. He nods.
"Definitely." He says.
"Y'know, if you would have asked me a year ago if I ever thought I would be discussing baby names with you, I would have said no way, let alone discussing names for our baby." Julianna says, looking down. He nods, becoming serious.
"Yeah, I probably would have said the same thing, but...if someone would ask me if I regret all this happening, I would tell them no way. I mean, look at me. I never in a million years thought I would become a father but here I am. And I am loving this. I am so excited. I don't know what kind of a father I'll be, but I think I'll do okay. And if anyone, I'm glad you're the mother, because I know you. I know you will be the best mother ever." George says. She smiles softly.
"Thank you." She says. He smiles.
"You're welcome." George says.
o----------------------o
Julianna walked into the Entertainment Tonight building. She sighed, brushing her hair out of her face as she walked. She really didn't feel like doing this interview. Not today.
----
"Hello Julianna." Julie Moran of ET said to Julianna from her sit across from Julianna.
"Hello." Julianna replies, smiling.
"How are you?" Julie asks.
"Good, I'm good." Julianna says.
"That's great. So, you're pregnant." Julie states bluntly. Julianna laughs shortly.
"Yes. I am." She says.
"Congratulations." Julie says.
"Thank you." Julianna replies.
"How far along are you?" Julie asks.
"7 months." Julianna says. Julie nods.
"It's amazing that you've kept it from the public view for this long." Julie says. Julianna smiles.
"Yeah, well...once I started to show, I basically cut myself off from the public, but I got bored and I knew everyone would eventually find out, so...I'm letting this be known." Julianna says.
"Why would you want to hide this from the public for so long? Most celebrities are thrilled to announce they are pregnant." Julie says.
"I guess I just wanted to relax and not have the stress that comes along with it all." Julianna says. Julie nods.
"So, your boyfriend, Ron Eldard is the father, correct?" Julie asks. Julianna shifts slightly in her seat, becoming uncomfortable.
"Uh, no. We're not dating anymore. We haven't been for awhile." Julianna says, her voice confident although she was turning to mush inside. Julie nods.
"So, he's not the father?" She asks. Julianna shakes her head.
"No." She says. Julie nods.
"You know who the father is though, right?" Julie asks.
"Yes." Julianna says, a small smile on her lips, knowing she will never reveal who it is. Julie catches on that Julianna is not about to say who it is, so she turns the questions towards Julianna's work.
o----------------------o