I gently rubbed Timothy’s leg and desperately wanted to free him, but I knew that I needed to take everything slowly. My strategy was successful so far, and I needed to avoid sabotaging myself.
We all jumped when Keith suddenly wailed, “It’s all her fault! Why did I listen? It’s her fault!” He started to cry.
In a quiet voice, Josh asked, “Her? I’m confused now. We’re in a shitload of trouble. Pull yourself together, man.”
Through a veil of tears, Keith looked at me. “Do you promise to help me? Can I get that on video? I want to have it to look at. I don’t need the rest. Timothy’s baby doesn’t deserve any of this. He wants to help.”
I promised to take Keith to my house and let him rest and keep sorting out his thoughts. I agreed to use Timothy’s video camera to tape a message of encouragement and support for Keith’s efforts to get pregnant.
Dobie stormed out in disgust before we finished negotiating. “Mail me my damned check. This is fucked up.”
While the authorities hadn’t yet found the evidence to link Keith directly to the bomb, we all knew that he was the culprit. I assured him that I’d do my best to call the cops off that case, too. “We’ve got a new clinic to finish. We’ll all be better off with the investigations out of the way.”
When he was finally free, Timothy slumped forward and rested his hands on his knees. His arms trembled, and tears began to roll down his cheeks. While snuffling, he said, “I only want to see things like this in movies. It’s too scary in real life. Can we go home now?”
Turning to Keith’s coconspirator, I asked, “Can you help me out, Josh? If you don’t, I can have you sent to a prison for a long time. On the other hand, if you help us out, I’ll keep my mouth shut around the authorities.”
21
Timothy
The remaining months of my pregnancy flew by. Inteus took on the task of learning how to walk again with a vengeance after the brace came off. Within a few short weeks, he could walk short distances without the cane, but he wasn’t steady on his feet. His physical therapist advised him to keep the cane for at least another year to prevent falls, and then they would reassess and decide what to do in the future.
In February, three days before Valentine’s Day, I was as big as a house. I still looked fabulous in my fashion-forward paternity clothes and top-line concealer that I used to hide the pregnancy-induced blemishes on my skin. In a unique twist to my blogging work, a designer approached me about creating a Timothy Coleman signature line of paternity clothing. I was deep in negotiations when the day for my delivery drew close.
As I waddled into the living room where Inteus was watching one of his favorite adventure series, he asked, “Am I crazy to think you look unbelievably sexy right now?”
I beamed. “I’m glad you feel that way, but you need to enjoy it right now. Maybe I should take a lot of pictures for you because I’m not having another one of these. I’ve had enough of the backaches, inability to find my knees, and bathroom issues to last a lifetime.”
“Any day now the baby should be here.”
“And not a moment too soon. Is Blaze around?”
Inteus pointed in the direction of the kitchen. “I think he’s working on something for breakfast tomorrow.”
“I’m famished.”
“But we ate only two hours ago.”
On the heels of a deep sigh, I said, “And I feel like I’m eating for a family of four. I love that I’m having a baby, but I’m terrified that it might be more than one.”
I started to turn toward the kitchen, but then I saw that sparkle in Inteus’s eyes. He asked, “How about we have a little bit of fun before you pester Blaze about cooking up another feast? He’s busy with his project, and my show just ended.”
Despite all the discomfort from carrying around an extra thirty-five pounds, I couldn’t resist that look. It reeled me in every time. I knew I had the sexiest alpha in the known universe. He was catching up for lost time, and practice was making him perfect in bed.
I said, “I guess I can wait a few more minutes.”
Inteus tried to walk by my side as we headed toward the bedroom. “Wow, it feels like the hall is getting narrower every day.”
“No, hon, that would be me getting bigger and bigger. Here, I’ll wait while you squeeze ahead, and I’ll meet you when I make it there.”
By the time I ambled through the bedroom doorway, Inteus was sitting on the edge of the bed with his shirt off. However he decided he wanted to have sex would be awkward, but to me, that made it hot. We were so into each other that we’d leap any obstacles to get each other off.
As I drew close, he stood up. “Here, you sit on the edge of the bed. I know what I want, and I’m confident you’ll like it, too.”
I watched and felt my heart start to pound in my chest as he fell to his knees. I was already powerfully aroused. Gripping the soft cotton fabric, Inteus lifted the bottom hem of my shirt and kissed my round baby bulge while he worked at removing my pants. I’d worried that he wouldn’t find me as sexy while the baby bump grew into a massive bulge. Fortunately, he found me more and more desirable the closer I got to delivery.
While Inteus continued to caress my belly with one hand, he slipped the other down between my legs. “You’re hard already, Timothy. I love that.”
“And I love you. As soon as you look at me that way, my body’s off to the races. It never fails.”
As the fingers wrapped around my stiff cock, I spread my legs wide and rolled my head back, letting out a long, low moan. My aching back quickly drifted out of my consciousness. Ardent lust for my alpha replaced it.
“Oh, my God, Timothy!”
I didn’t know if it was shock or distress I heard in Inteus’s voice, but I knew that something else was going on other than sex. I pushed against the bed and raised my head back up, so I could see his face.
He wore a broad grin. “Timothy! I think your water broke!”
“Oh, hell! We’ve got to go then. Find Blaze!”
The trip to the hospital unfolded as a comedy of errors, but no harm was done. I learned that we weren’t as organized as we thought. Blaze and Inteus kept trying to do the same thing at the same time instead of distributing their tasks. Somehow, we managed to arrive at the hospital well before I gave birth.
While the nurses attended to me at the hospital, I started barking my own orders. I turned to Inteus, “Contact everyone and tell them I’m at the hospital. That means your staff, our relatives, and everyone else that should know.” Looking at Blaze, I said, “You operate the video camera. I’ve got to share some of this with my fans. They’ll want as many details as possible. Don’t shy away from the nitty-gritty. It’s all important.”
Once I took over, everything unfolded as planned except for the reaction of my body. When my labor grew longer than expected, my blood pressure began dropping, and my doctor expressed his desire to take the baby by Cesarean section. Inteus held my hand while we listened to his reasoning.
Looking into Inteus’s emerald green eyes, I said, “Please, no. Of course, if there’s no other way, or the baby is in danger, I want to give birth the natural way. That’s what I’ve dreamed about for all these years. I don’t want surgery.”
Inteus talked to the doctor in private. When he returned, he said, “We’ll do it your way, but the doctor wants you to agree that if anything else goes wrong, he can put you under and take over.”
I nodded. “Yes, we’ll do that,” and then I yelped in response to the pain of a new round of contractions. I squeezed Inteus’s hand tight enough that he cringed.
When I let up, he said, “I might need to get Blaze in here. He’s got bigger hands. I’m worried you’re going to crush my fingers.”
I growled, “You should have thought about that before OBU got us pregnant.”
Inteus stuck by my side through the entire process. I was proud of my alpha. He helped me with my breathing, and he scowled along with me as I had to push. In the end, th
e baby arrived without any serious complications. He was healthy, and I grinned from ear to ear when I heard his first cry.
The doctor handed our newborn son to Inteus. I heard him say, “He’s an alpha like you.”
With my hair pasted to my head soaked in sweat and my body exhausted by the ordeal, Inteus held the baby close enough that I could kiss his forehead. Inteus said, “You look fabulous, Timothy. You’re glowing.”
We named our baby Andreus in honor of my grandfather Andrew. He was born at 4:00 a.m., and over the next twelve hours, dozens of people visited the hospital to meet our newborn son. The news spread swiftly throughout Harbor, and some passing acquaintances drove the half hour down to Portland to catch a glimpse of our baby.
As they stood by my bed gazing at Andreus while I held him in my arms, Daniel and Rhonda had a disagreement. He said, “I think the baby looks so much like Timothy.”
Rhonda insisted, “He has Inteus’s forehead and his mouth.”
I suggested, “Maybe he looks like both of us. Isn’t that possible?”
Both Inteus and I chuckled when they continued to disagree and took verbal shots at each other.
My doctor decided to keep me in the hospital for an additional night for observation. My breath caught in my throat when two of my last visitors appeared shortly before the end of visiting hours.
Inteus reached out for a hug. “Keith! It’s great to see you, and it won’t be long before you’re here saying hi to your new son.”
Keith was four months pregnant, and he was starting to show. Standing by his side was Josh. Keith was the first client through the doors when OBU reopened. His donor opted to remain anonymous. The day after Keith heard about the decision, Josh asked him out on a date.
Keith went out of his way to apologize to both Inteus and me in the weeks after the kidnapping. He said he was sorry for putting us through hell, and he would figure out some way to repay us if it took the rest of his life. After the pregnancy test was positive, we helped Keith move out of his mother’s house and into a modest apartment in Portland. She fought the decision, but in the end, it wasn’t her choice.
Josh apologized, too. He bought a huge bouquet of roses for me when he heard I was pregnant. After a few dates, Josh and Keith fell in love. Josh had his own family issues, and they were solid emotional support for each other. They understood each other’s problems and admirably dedicated themselves to building a better life in the future.
I asked Josh, “Do you have the colors of the baby’s room picked out yet? That’s an important decision.”
Keith laughed. “He’s been crazy about decorating that room. I think our new baby will live like a prince.”
“We stopped by and looked at little Andreus. He’s adorable.”
I smiled at both of them. “We’ve got the beginning of a great playgroup once your baby’s born.”
Keith said, “It’s the beginning of a whole new life, and we’ve got the two of you to thank for that. Nothing would have changed if you didn’t get us steered onto the right track.”
I said, “Thank you for that, but you have to promise me something. You will never, ever let me go through anything like that again. I’m not wandering into danger on my own, and from now on I’ll leave the grand adventures to the movies.”
22
Inteus
The hospital released Timothy and little Andreus at noon two days after we made our madcap dash there when Timothy’s water broke. When we arrived at the house, I carried our newborn baby strapped to my chest while I encouraged Timothy to enter the house first. I knew what was waiting.
The gathered crowd shouted, “Surprise!” as soon as Timothy opened the door.
He clutched at his heart. “Holy fuck! You’re all going to send me back to the hospital—the cardiac ward. And man, I’m sorry about the language.” Timothy glanced around the room. “Some of you might be a little sensitive to that.”
More than twenty of our best friends and closest relatives gathered together to celebrate the new baby and throw a party for our arrival. A broad smile spread across my face while everyone filed past to offer Timothy a huge hug.
I had discussed the celebration with Blaze while Timothy slept in his hospital bed. Blaze took care of streamers and decorations while we split the calls to invite fellow revelers.
Mary said, “Don’t miss the awesome spread of food in the kitchen. I think Blaze outdid himself this time. He’s got a cake in there, too. It’s the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen.”
One person at the gathering was new to us. Daniel wrapped his arms around Timothy for a massive hug while a shy, sweet, very pregnant omega stood quietly at his side. Daniel said, “Peter arrived while you were in the hospital. He’s decided to move to the East Coast. I’m over the moon about that. Last Friday was his final work day, and he’ll be out here living at my place until the baby comes.”
I gestured for Mary to join us. “Get over here future great-grandma!”
Mary wrapped an arm tightly around Peter. “Isn’t he the sweetest? And so handsome, too. Daniel has good taste. I thought I would be sorry that we couldn’t find a match for Daniel at OBU, but if we did, then Peter wouldn’t be part of the family, and I wouldn’t give him up for anything.”
I said, “A combination of these two will make one handsome baby.”
Peter smiled. “That’s very sweet of you to say.”
Timothy asked, “How do you like it out here in Maine so far?”
“The ocean is very different from how it is in much of California, but it’s beautiful. I think Harbor is an adorable little town. I didn’t have so many great friends out there, but they are coming out of the woodwork here in Maine. I’m a little on the shy side.”
I said, “It’s good you’re with Daniel. He can talk to anyone. We all love him.”
I let some of the well-wishers hold Andreus, but I didn’t want to completely exhaust the baby on his first day home. For those who were disappointed, I suggested they visit on another day when the crowds were gone, and then they could spend plenty of time getting to know the new addition to the family.
As the commotion quieted down, Blaze appeared. “I’ve got an announcement to make. We have cake and ice cream out in the kitchen. I’ve put one candle on the cake for Andreus, and I’m requesting that Timothy blow it out. We’ll wait until everyone gathers around.”
Timothy found his video camera and handed it to Daniel. After quickly showing him the important buttons, Timothy led us all to the cake.
I reached for a ribbon of frosting along the edge with my index finger, and Rhonda gently slapped it away. “We’ll make sure you get an edge piece with plenty of frosting.”
She pointed at the decoration on the cake. “That’s amazing!” It was a line drawing executed in frosting of the heads of Timothy, Andreus, and me. We were the new happy family.
Blaze lit the candle. “Now, Timothy, make a huge wish and blow the candle out.”
He puffed his cheeks out and blasted a huge gust of air across the cake. The candle snuffed out instantly.
I asked, “And your wish is?”
He said, “No, you won’t get it out of me. If I tell anyone, then it won’t come true, and I want this wish to come true.”
* * *
For our first night home with our new baby, Blaze volunteered to take a 3:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. shift taking care of Andreus. “Before I started wrestling, I helped my older sister take care of her first baby. I know all about feeding, burping, and changing. Leave it to me in the wee hours, and the two of you can get some sleep.”
Both Timothy and I were too excited and nervous to get to sleep early. We headed for the bedroom by 8:00 p.m. and both lay flat on our backs listening for sounds from the nursery. At the first hint of a cry, I jumped out of bed and raced to the nursery with Timothy close behind.
I whispered, “He’s asleep. What was that sound?”
“You make sounds in your sleep.”
“I do?”
Timothy said, “Sometimes you talk. I can even pick out words sometimes.”
“You can? Damn, I hope I don’t embarrass myself.”
“No, you ramble on through entire sentences, but I can only pick out a word here and there like ‘building’ or ‘meditate.’ I distinctly heard ‘Zen’ the other night.”
I chuckled. “You’re almost silent. Sometimes I hold my hand in front of your mouth to make sure you’re still breathing. You don’t even snore.”
“I’m such a sound sleeper, too. I think I could sleep through a tornado.”
I looked at Andreus one more time and said, “Let’s go back to bed. Maybe we can get a wink or two of sleep.”
We crawled back beneath the sheets, and I rolled onto my side. Timothy spooned up behind me. It was one of my favorite positions for falling asleep. I was in the twilight world where impossible thoughts drifted through my mind when a distinctive cry woke me up.
This time, Timothy beat me to the nursery. I padded after him rubbing my eyes. Little Andreus was lying on his back fussing. It wasn’t a cry, but he was on the verge.
I watched Timothy consult his watch. He said, “Let’s go ahead and feed him before he gets upset. Then we can go back to bed. Were you asleep?”
“Not quite, but close.”
“Yeah, me too.”
I vaguely remembered helping feed Andreus a second time before I heard Blaze’s voice and felt a beefy hand on my shoulder. “Hey, Boss, wake up! What are you all doing out here?”
I opened my eyes and furtively glanced around. I was in the living room on the sofa. Timothy was asleep with his head on my shoulder and Andreus cuddled against his chest. “Oh, damn, I guess we fell asleep out here.”
Blaze chuckled. “The two of you are too sweet. I think I’m going to get a cavity in a tooth from watching you.”
I held a finger to my lips. “Don’t talk too loud. I don’t want to wake them up.”
His Big Secret: An MM Contemporary Mpreg Romance Page 12
