Page 43 of Rigid

“Uh huh.”

I shook my head. “Not anymore, you don’t.”

She cocked her head to the side and stared. “Excuse me?”

“I want you to quit.”

“And when did you start telling me what to do?”

“If we’re going to try and make this work, we’ve got to have some ground rules. You working at a strip club isn’t good for the baby, for you, or for me.”

“I need the money.”

“I’ve got plenty of money.”

She shook her head. “I need it to pay my rent. Sometimes the restaurant, especially in the off season--”

I turned my palm to face her. “Just stop. That’s another thing we were going to talk about. I need to talk to Eddie, but I was thinking. Maybe in like two weeks. How about you move in?”

She stared at me with wide eyes and an open mouth. “Huh?’

“Move in,” I said. “Being pregnant ain’t easy, especially if you’re alone. Doctor’s appointments, being sick, and once you get to six or seven months--”

“Move in? You and me? Together?”

I nodded. “What else did you think we were going to do? Share custody or something stupid? You get the kid one week, me the next?”

“I didn’t--”

“Look,” I said. “In case I didn’t make myself clear before, I want to try and make this work. You and me. Relationship. Learn to live with each other. Have a baby. Raise it together. Have a family.”

She squinted and then stared. “But we don’t love each other.”

“Maybe we will in time.”

She appeared to accept my response. After a moment’s thought, she raised her index finger. “First rule. No other women. Ever. Not one. No excuses. If you ever cheat, me and the baby are gone.”

I shrugged. “No problem, I don’t cheat. My first rule. Quit the strip club.”

“Okay.”

I made a fist and held it over the center of the table.

She looked at it, and then at me. She clenched her hand into a fist, and pounded it into mine.

On that day, in the coffee shop, we made a pact.

An agreement.

I found it exciting in many respects.

Well, all except for one.

Telling Eddie.

THIRTEEN

Sandy