Chapter Text
The term is long past over, and he’s doing nothing but jotting down ideas for some paper or another. (Lately, everything has been meant only to meet quotas, nothing at all inspired). But he has a visitor, and he recognizes her immediately when she walks into his office. The woman who was in the bar a few weeks - no, maybe a month or two - earlier, all permed blonde hair and warm brown eyes and sweet smile. Even without words, she let you know that yes, she is most definitely an elementary school teacher and yes, she is most definitely from the midwest and yes, she is most definitely flirting with him, of all people. Except for today, she is not flirting. She is not smiling, and her eyes aren’t as warm.
She looks scared.
“Susan Connelly?” He asks as if this could possibly be anybody else. He knows better. He asks nonetheless.
“Thatcher Grey,” she half-laughs. The corners of her mouth are upturned for maybe five seconds before she raises a nervous eyebrow. “You remember, then.”
“Of course I remember. How did you…” he searches for words. “How did you find me?”
“There aren’t many people named Thatcher in Seattle. You also said you were a professor, and, well, there are even fewer professors named Thatcher in Seattle. So I narrowed it down.”
“Why did you…”
She cuts him off. “I’m pregnant.”
His jaw hits the floor.
She begins to ramble. “I may have had a one-night stand with you, but I am not a total whore. Hell, I haven’t slept with anyone else since, well, a long time ago. I don’t mean to hold you responsible or anything. We were very drunk, and I’m a strong woman and blah blah blah. I just figured you’d want to…”
“I’m in.”
“What?”
He smiles like a goon. “I’m in.”