Just a Big Baby – Thomas Hunt x MC

After filming all day with a baby for her new role, Juliette confronts Thomas about something they’d never discussed before, kids.

—

Juliette arrives back to her Penthouse completely exhausted. Being a fake mommy was tiring, Juliette didn’t want to imagine how exhausting it must be to be a real one. Being so distant from her own mother brings up some unwelcome feelings. Juliette does her best to push them aside, Thomas’s dinner party is later in the evening and all Juliette wants is a glass of something deep red and a hot bath.

As Juliette sips her wine and soaks in her tub, it dawns on her that she absolutely does want children in her future. She’s only twenty-five, so not right away. Perhaps in a few more years, definitely before thirty-five. Juliette smiles as she closes her eyes and imagines littles toes running across Thomas’s hardwood floors, his deep brown eyes, and her black hair. A little bump as they prepare to welcome a second.

The water is room temp by the time Juliette snaps herself out of her thoughts, a place she’d been enjoying a bit too much. Especially seeing as she’d never had the “kid talk” with Thomas. They just sorta got together and called it a day. They regularly had dinner and sleepovers at his place, Juliette even had a key and a dresser at his home for her things.

Was it too early to have the “kids talk”?

Juliette slips into a short but flowy red dress, her nude pumps only helping the dress accentuate her already small curves on her slim frame as she sits down to fix her hair and dab on some lipstick. Before she starts pinning her hair back, she calls her car. Knowing that by the time she’s pinned her hair and grabbed her purse, the car will be ready for her downstairs.

Juliette checks herself over in the mirror once more before she grabs her purse and heads out of the Penthouse, the doorman waiting with a nervous expression as cameras begin to go wild outside of the doors.

“Would you like me to walk you to the car, Miss. Juliette?” The doorman asks in an uneasy voice.

“I’ll be fine Jacob, thank you” Juliette smiles calmly as she braces herself for the swarm outside.

Jacob gulps and pushes open the wide glass door for Juliette. Juliette had become a “Paparazzi Darling”. So much that when she decided she was done posing for pictures, most of the paparazzi actually left her alone, something that was unheard of. Especially when stories about paps being run over for trying to get a good shot were surfacing online every day.

Juliette strikes a few poses, letting every single photographer get a good shot of her. She blows a kiss to her audience and slides into the waiting limo. The driver shutting the door behind her as most of the paparazzi walk off, looking for another victim.

A short ride later, as Penthouse’s turn into Mansions, the limo pulls up in front of Thomas’s modest, but expensive home. The driver quickly opens Juliette’s door, a soft glow from the lights inside spilling out onto Thomas’s front lawn.

“Have a lovely evening” The driver chimes behind Juliette.

“Thank you, you as well,” Juliette says politely over her shoulder.

Juliette walks up to the front door and pushes the slightly ajar door all the way open.She’s immediately greeted by a group of people she doesn’t recognize and most of whom showed up in suit attire.

“It’s the starlet…” One whispers as she makes her way into Thomas’s home.

Juliette tries to brush them off as she sets down her purse in the small hall closet, before turning and making her way towards the kitchen. She needed wine. A lot of it.

“Juliette” Thomas says as he holds out a glass of deep red wine.

“Bless You,” Juliette says as she takes the glass from him.

“Are you alright?” Thomas asks as he takes in Juliette’s appearance.

“Of course I am, just in need of a drink. Thank you” Juliette replies quickly as she pecks Thomas on the cheek and turns away from him.

She makes her way through his home, towards the front door again when she hears the delightful squeal from no one other than Addison Sinclair.

“Julietttttteeeeee!” Addison jumps giddily as her arms fly open.

Juliette grins as she hugs Addison, her wine glass nearly dropping to the floor as Addison continues to jump around her. Addison steps back for a moment to twirl Juliette around.

“You look so hot, has Hunt seen you yet?” Addison asks as Juliette faces her again.

“He has, not that I gave him much of a moment to look” Juliette sighs as finishes off the last of her wine.

“What do you mean?” Addison asks, stepping closer to Juliette.

“Nothing, some people were mumbling when I came in and I guess it just threw me off” Juliette says quietly.

“Come with me” Addison grins as she pulls Juliette outside “So here’s the thing, Hunt’s dinner parties are infamous. He used to only invite a select groups of students and professors, but now he only invites certain alumni”

“I’m not alumni…” Juliette answers quizzically.

“Exactly. You are someone even more select to Hunt than them, but he still threw his dinner party, I guess he thought you’d just kinda know about it” Addison sighs “I should have filled you in too, sorry Jules.”

“Want to make it up to me?” Juliette asks as she arches an eyebrow at Addison.

“I am going to regret this aren’t I?” Addison smirks “But yes, what do you have in mind?”

“Help me change out of this red carpet, movie premiere outfit and into something more…collegiate…” Juliette nods as the words leave her lips.

“My fashion expertise is at your command!” Addison chuckles as she pulls Juliette towards her car “You’re in luck, I have the van today because I picked up a bunch of outfits for a shoot later tonight. We have a few suits and things that I think would look perfect for tonight”

Juliette walks around to the opposite of the van so no one inside will see her and Addison slides open the door. Both of them quickly getting in the van as Addison combs though garment bag after garment bag looking for just the right item of clothing.

“Aha!” Addison grins as she pulls out what looks like a jumpsuit.

“Um…” Juliette groans as she tilts her face to the side.

Addison laughs and tucks the garment away, taking another moment before she pulls out a long black dress. She hands it to Juliette before she can change her mind. Juliette quickly slips out of her red dress and into the black dress while Addison tucks away all of the garment bags.

“We’ll have to be standing for you to zip me” Juliette laughs as she slides open the van door.

Addison follows, quickly zipping up the long black dress as Juliette takes in her appearance. She looks completely different. The off the shoulder top of the dress makes her feel elegant, the length perfect for something like a dinner party. Addison drapes a small pearl necklace over Juliette’s neck as Juliette slips her feet back into her heels.

“Okay…now I owe you one” Juliette smiles as she twirls around.

“I’ll think of something, now go get em!” Addison grins as she playfully spanks Juliette.

Juliette makes her way back into the party, most people not even noticing her this time around. As Addison enters Thomas’s house, Thomas calls everyone to dinner. All of the people make their way to Thomas’s backyard where garden lights fill the yard. A very large table with rustic decorations sits in the middle of the grass. Juliette walks around the table, finding her card on the opposite end of the table from Thomas.

Not only does she find herself sitting all the way down the table from him, but she also spots Marianne Delacroix sauntering down the table. Marianne barely glimpses at Juliette as she sits down in the chair, exactly opposite to Thomas.

Juliette’s jaw hits the table as she tilts her head towards Thomas, her eyes wide but he doesn’t notice. Juliette grabs the glass of water in front of her, nearly gulping down the whole glass before she dares even glance at Marianne.

Marianne Delacroix had been the Editor-In-Chief at Faux Pas for over a decade and is engaged to Lars Shroeder, who left the Princess of Monaco for Marianne. Lars is an Austrian supermodel who Juliette had the biggest crush on in high school and now she was sitting next to the woman who approved articles that literally shaped Juliette into the woman she is now.

“Ms. Delacroix, it’s an honor to be seated next to you,” Juliette says as she bravely makes eye contact with Marianne.

“And you are?” Marianne asks, barely moving her eyes to look at Juliette.

“Juliette Everette…” Juliette says nervously before puffing up her chest slightly “You probably hear this all the time but I am such a huge fan of Faux Pas and you and your work.”

“Actually I don’t, however, I’m sure one of my many assistants do” Marianne replies dryly.

Juliette closes her mouth, deciding it’d be better for the sake of the dinner party for her to just shut up.

“Juliette…from “Tender Nothings”? And Thomas’s latest piece “The Last Duchess”? “Marianne says as she glances at Juliette.

“Yes,” Juliette gulps.

“Ah” Marianne nods before turning her attention back to the man sitting opposite of her.

Juliette waves down the bottle of wine, pouring herself a hefty amount as Thomas glances at her from the other end of the table. Juliette raises her glass subtly in the air towards Thomas, before downing the whole thing. Thomas turns his attention back to his dinner guests, Juliette trading subtle funny faces with Addison as the dinner seemingly lasts forever.

By the time most people file out of Thomas’s house, Juliette finds herself curled up on the back porch swing. Her eyelids heavy as staff quickly clean up all around her. It isn’t until her eyelids nearly close that Thomas appears in the doorway and sits down next to her.

“Juliette, what is going on?” Thomas asks as he notices her change of clothes “I do love this dress on you, very elegant”

“Yes, I figured that’s what you wanted” Juliette croaks out, her voice deep from exhaustion “Not sure why you sat me by Marianne though. I’ve never been snubbed so hard in my life”

“I thought you and Marianne would compliment each other, while we still remain friends, we often criticize each other far too much and thus cannot be seated next to each other for that long of a period of time,” Thomas says, his gaze drifting out to his yard momentarily.

“Wait…you remained friends with Marianne? As in you used to date her?!” Juliette shrieks as she pushes herself up, her eyes once sleepy now suddenly very wide.

“Well yes, I thought you were aware” Thomas replies, a bit startled.

“No wonder! She probably knows we are dating and probably thinks I’m just some Hollywood bimbo!” Juliette groans as she buries her face in her hands “You should have never invited me”

“Excuse me?” Thomas asks as he turns to face Juliette.

“You should have never invited me! Everyone knew me the moment I walked in and Addison had to fill me in on your legendary dinner parties!” Juliette cries out “Why do you think I changed halfway through the evening!?”

“I figured you have come from set or another dinner function. I don’t assume anything” Thomas replies dryly, further agitating Juliette.

“Yes, completely logical I’d leave set where I play a single mother, in a tiny red dress!” Juliette yells a bit too loudly for Thomas’s taste.

“Why don’t you go lay down, you can throw on one of my shirts. You look exhausted” Thomas says as he holds out a hand for Juliette.

“Don’t baby me. You’re ten years older than me, not my father” Juliette huffs as she turns away from him.

“Well, when you act like a child, how am I supposed to treat you?” Thomas asks as his eyebrows crease together.

“I’m leaving” Juliette croaks out as she blinks back tears. Her throat burning as she stands and trips over her heels.

Thomas barely catches her, Juliette falling onto the wooden deck as staff members in the kitchen turn to see what the noise is all about.

“Nothing to see here!” Thomas barks as Juliette stands and runs inside.

Juliette grabs her purse from the closet and calls her car as she runs outside. Thomas follows her, her high heels in his hands.

“Juliette please, I apologize for not telling you more about the dinner party, I apologize for not telling you about Marianne,” Thomas says as he leans down to slip Juliette’s feet into her heels “Please give me a chance and let me explain”

“No, I want to go home” Juliette hisses as the tears roll down her face “Since I’m just a big baby”

“That is not what I meant…Juliette…” Thomas pleads “What is going on?!”

“I want to have a baby! With you and I feel stupid because I feel like there is so much of your life I know absolutely nothing about unless I ask and how am I supposed to know to ask!?” Juliette yells, tears streaming down her face “You used to date women like Priya and Marianne! Why on earth are you with me?! Do you even want to have kids with me?!”

Thomas’s face goes pale as he tries to come up with the words to calm Juliette.

“You are nothing like Priya and Marianne and that is exactly why I am so in love with you!” Thomas says back a bit louder than he meant to “I would discuss having a family, but…”

“But?!”

“But I don’t think it’s for me…”

The car pulls up a second later, Juliette dashing around Thomas and nearly throwing herself in the limo. A moment later, Thomas standing on his front lawn becomes nothing less than a blur, before all Juliette can see is the big city lights.

—

With no idea how she got home or who is banging things in the kitchen, Juliette slowly climbs out of bed. A robe on her vanity chair with a post-it stuck to the top that says “Wear Me”.

Juliette slips out of the dress and into her robe, to find Chazz and Matt over a waffle machine. Seth flipping bacon and eggs, while Victoria sits with a mug of coffee on the couch and Teja cuts up some fruit.

“You guys,” Juliette says softly, startling everyone except Victoria.

“Almost lost a finger to bacon grease…totally fine with it” Seth chuckles as he lowers the heat under the bacon.

Chazz, Matt, and Teja scoop Juliette into a hug first, followed by Seth who wraps his arms around everyone. Matt clearing his throat and Seth clearly ignoring him.

“Get a room” Victoria laughs from the couch.

“What are you guys doing here?” Juliette asks as she steps back.

“Someone caught your fight with Hunt last night and posted it to Pictogram…” Chazz says weakly.

Juliette walks away from them, plopping down on the couch next to Victoria. Juliette pulls her knees up to her chest, burying her face in the plushness of her robe as Victoria sets down her mug of coffee on the side table.

“Look at me” Victoria commands.

Juliette wipes her eyes and lifts her face, turning just enough to meet Victoria’s stern gaze.

“That man loves you. I didn’t even know he owned a cell phone until I saw his name flash across your phone’s screen this morning” Victoria let’s out a deep breath of air “We all have our moments, the downside of fame is sometimes others get to see those moments too.”

Juliette nods as she wipes her face again,

“Thomas called me?”

“Several times and Thomas Hunt does not try to get into contact with people like that…ever,” Victoria says, a slight grin on her lips “I’ve known him for a few years and he lives up to his reputation, except when he’s with you”

Chazz, Matt, Seth, and Teja all nod behind Victoria. Juliette let’s out a low laugh as Victoria pulls Juliette into a quick hug, both of them standing and heading into the kitchen to eat.

“Thanks again for making breakfast” Juliette smiles.

“You know we’ve always got your back” Matt winks at Juliette.

Breakfast lasts all morning. Laughter filling up Juliette’s apartment. Chazz is the first to leave, followed by Seth and Teja. Matt and Victoria both check their phones, glancing at each other before Juliette.

“Guys, it’s fine” Juliette chuckles “Go be superstars”

“Call you later” Matt grins as she leans over and hugs Juliette.

He and Victoria leave, Juliette finally deciding to check her phone. Victoria was right, Juliette had nearly a dozen missed calls from Thomas. Instead of calling him back, Juliette slips into a pair of leggings and decides to go down the street for a cup of coffee. A moment to think before she went to Thomas’s house.

Juliette walks down the sidewalk, letting the paparazzi swarm her like mosquitos as she makes her way to the coffeehouse. She steps inside, the smell of fresh coffee beans and sweet cream fill the small space. Juliette walks up to the counter, a man with thick-rimmed glasses smiles at her from behind the counter.

“I’m not sure what the HollyWood Brew is, but I’ll take it with a splash of almond milk” Juliette grins.

“We have a new bean, you’ll like it. Good choice.” The man smiles as he rings up Juliette “Your name?”

“Juliette”

Juliette tucks away her wallet in her purse and turns and walks down the short counter. Standing behind a large espresso machine as she waits for her coffee and checks her phone. When it feels like she’s been waiting too long for coffee, Juliette looks up to find Thomas standing in front of her. Two to go mugs in his hands. He double checks the sides before handing one to Juliette.

“Mrs. Hunt” is scribbled on the side of the cup as Thomas turns his mug to show Juliette “Mr. Hunt” scribbled on his own cup.

“Before you ran off, I was going to say we should get married before we think about having a baby,” Thomas says sweetly as his arm loops around Juliette’s waist “For the record, things didn’t work with Priya and Marianne for a reason, I was meant to find you”

Juliette blinks back tears as the paparazzi go crazy outside the cafe. Thomas leaning forward and pressing his lips to Juliette’s as she lets her free hand caress his cheek.

“I’m so stupid” Juliette whispers as she pulls back slightly.

“You were drunk” Thomas smirks “I had them add a little something to your coffee”

“What?!” Juliette says as she looks through the tiny hole in her lid.

“Just spiked it for you” Thomas let’s out a low chuckle before his stern expression makes it’s way back onto his face.

“Well thank you, very thoughtful” Juliette grins as she takes a sip “Wow…they don’t really get the whole spiked concept do they?”

“You do know I own a French Press,” Thomas says quietly as his lips find Juliette’ ear “I could brew you a better cup of coffee at my place…”

Juliette presses her lips to Thomas’s cheek as both of them make their way out of the cafe. The paparazzi no longer even noticeable.