One answer seemed obvious. He should simply go over to his sister’s apartment and demand to know where April was. He wanted some kind of hint that he had April’s consent to talk to her first. He simply didn’t know what to do after that kind of fight. Clearly, she didn’t either, if it had caused her to separate completely from the elements in her life that touched his. How would that even be possible now that she carried a part of him with her?
And how had that even happened? Samson opened up his desk and started sifting through his condoms, looking carefully. It probably wouldn’t help. This box was a new one. He would have to examine the old ones, and those were long gone. Maybe Babette would know where they’d come from, or have a few extras squirreled away. She was the one buying them, after all, along with a number of his other daily supplies.
He went back out to her desk, and she jumped again when she saw him.
“Sir! Are you ready for those messages?”
“No. I have some fires to put out here, first. Do you happen to know where you bought the last batch of condoms? The Trojan ones with multicolored wrappers?”
“W-were they not what you wanted?” Babette peeped.
“The brand and type was fine. I just need to find out if they had a recall, or if something happened. I might call the company.”
“I can get you on the phone!” Babette said eagerly. Very eagerly. Why was she sweating?
Samson sat on her desk and looked at her square in the eye. “Babette? Do you know if something happened with my condoms? Did you get a notice?”
“No.”
“No, you don’t know? Or no, you didn’t get a notice?”
“I, um…” Babette looked down.
Samson leaned over and tilted her head back with two fingers. “Babette. What happened to them?”
She blinked rapidly.
His voice grew deeper and slower: “What. Did. You. Do?”
“I didn’t mean to do any harm. I was just angry because you brought me here, and then you were with all of these other women.” She jumped again as he began to lean forward. “I may have put a needle through some of your condoms.”
“You what?” Samson boomed.
“Maybe a whole box?”
For a moment, Samson couldn’t feel anything. Not a damn thing from head to toe. It was possible there for a moment that he would lift Babette up by the neck and slam her into the wall. Only his barely functioning higher brain structures kept him from launching himself at her. She would never understand the damage she might have done.
“Get out, and don’t come back,” was all he said before he flew out of the building.
***
The week since he had found out that he was to be a father had been one of the most stressful of Samson’s life. This day was competing for the worst. He tried to call his sister and was still sent to voicemail. He got a speeding ticket on the way over to the apartment. He still didn’t know if April was okay or even in the state.
If only he’d pulled himself together sooner.
Samson was a bit out of breath when he reached the door, which opened to reveal his sister holding a kitchen knife.
“Would you stop that? This isn’t funny,” he snapped.
“No, it isn’t. Unbuckle those pants, mister.”
“Get out of my way. I need to talk to April. Is she here?” His voice grew quiet. “Is she all right?”
“She’s broken-hearted, you asshole. She’s not all right. I can’t believe you!”
“Give me a minute to breathe, Lana! I had no idea this was going to happen!”
“You had the sex!” Lana pointed out, gesturing her knife toward him. “You can deal with the consequences!”
“We were using condoms! I didn’t know my secretary was poking holes in them!”
Lana let her hand drop. “Oh my God. Are you serious?”
“Yes.” Samson pushed his fingers through his hair and shook his head wearily. “I don’t know… I genuinely never considered she would go that far. I didn’t intend to lead her on. I was very clear when I told her about the job…”
“Don’t blame yourself. Who would suspect her to go that psycho over you?”
Samson pursed his lips. “So, April is here?”
Lana pinched her lips to the side and then finally stepped back. “Go easy on her. You don’t have any idea what it’s like to be in this situation.”
“I have some idea of what it’s like to shockingly be put in the position of a parent, yes.” Samson tried to fix his hair and his clothes.
“You’re fine. She’ll just be happy to see you.”
“She blocked my number.”