TOM CRUISE and KATIE HOLMES‘ story-book marriage is imploding, fear friends – because she won’t give him another baby.
The 48-year-old Mission Impossible star thinks Katie is defying him and humiliating him by publicly declaring they have no plans to expand their family, say sources.
"It is as if the relationship has become a battleground over the baby issue," revealed a close source.
"Friends and loved ones believe if Katie doesn’t have another child soon, Tom will pull the plug on their marriage."
Cruise was reportedly furious after the Dawson’s Creek beauty told an interviewer that the couple – who have a daughter, Suri, 4 – do not have plans for another child.
"Maybe in a couple of years, but right now I want to make sure I’m really there for Suri," said the Katie, 31.
"I’m the youngest in my family – my closest sister is five years older than me, and the next one is nine years ahead of me, so I was a bit of an only child, and I liked it!"
But her husband "has gone ballistic" over Katie’s candid baby statements, the close source told The ENQUIRER.
"I think he’s furious because not only has Katie backtracked on a long-standing promise to produce another child, but she’s embarrassed the fiercely private actor to no end by saying so in the magazine interview. Tom assured Katie last year that she could focus fully on her career for a while, but he still hoped that she would get pregnant this year."
The busy couple’s baby fight blew up in early September after they got together in New York, where Katie was promoting her latest movie, The Romantics.
"Tom thinks she was acting selfishly with her about-face on having a baby," revealed an insider.
"I’m sure Katie often feels she’s under Tom’s thumb, and work is an escape for her," said the insider. "At one time, she did want more kids. But another baby will mean giving up freedom right now.
"It’s a standoff. Either Tom or Katie is going to give in, or the marriage is done for."
