by Young, Sage
“No, go back to sleep, I always wake up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, thanks to my two little bundles of joy. Do you have something I can sleep in that’s a little more comfortable?”
“Look in the second drawer there are t-shirts and shorts help yourself.”
She grabbed a white tee and drawstring shorts both of which were a little too big but it would be comfortable on her big belly.
“Do you have an extra toothbrush?”
“In the medicine cabinet.” He said before dozing back to sleep. After exiting the bathroom she thought about going into the guest room but decided against it and climbed back in bed beside Mark. He made her feel secure. Once she settled back into bed, Mark’s arm came around her waist again she did not protest.
She just settled in and went back to sleep.
DECEMBER 6th
Mark and Stephanie woke up the next day and there was no awkwardness. They made the bed together, ate breakfast and he took her home to change for her doctor’s appointment. Mark was in awe when he heard the babies’ hearts beating in unison. The doctor told her she was progressing nicely and scheduled her next appointment. As they were leaving Ashley spotted Stephanie and turned her head so that she would not see her. Ashley heard the gentleman with her say “I can’t believe you are almost six months,” Stephanie smiled and said “yeah but I look like I’m nine
Months”. “You look beautiful Steph.” They walked out the door.
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Ashley couldn’t believe Ivan was going to be late again for her appointment. She had her back to the reception area when she saw Stephanie coming from the back. ‘What’s she doing here?’ She overheard the handsome black man with her mention that he could not believe she was almost six months. ‘six months; Oh My God it can’t be. I can’t believe that Bitch is pregnant.’ She started to feel her heart race. She thought about all the condoms she left behind in Ivan’s condo. I can’t believe she is pregnant by Ivan. She had to sit down she was feeling light headed. Her name was called and it took a few seconds for it to register. She needed to think fast on how she was going to take care of this problem. She walked back to the examination room. After her appointment, Ashley went home and hoped her plan to get rid of Stephanie would work.
She loved living with Ivan even though they were sleeping in separate bedrooms, but that was only temporary. Eventually he would be back in her bed. When Ivan arrived home he did the usual walk to the bar and made a drink. He did not acknowledge Ashley sitting in the living room. “You missed another appointment.” She said disappointed.
“It couldn’t be helped I had a meeting.”
“Eventually you are going to have to talk to me. We are having a baby and I don’t want our baby to feel this hostility.”
“I am not in the mood for this conversation. I have work to do I will be in my office.”
“I saw Stephanie today at my doctor’s office.” Ivan stopped in his tracks.
“I overheard her talking to a really handsome man about starting a family. I think they just found out they were having a baby. She’s just 5 weeks five weeks but they looked so happy.” Ivan never turned around he continued to walk to his office and slammed the door.
I don’t believe it. I can’t believe she would sleep with someone so soon after our breakup. He sat in his chair leaned his elbows on the desk and dropped his head in his hands and rubbed his eyes. He then laid his head back on the headrest of his chair and closed his eyes. He still remembered her wonderful scent. He picked up the phone and dialed Stephanie’s number.
“Hello.” Stephanie said softly.
“So I hear congratulations are in order.” She could hear the harshness in his voice.
“Ivan, how are you?” She said nervously needing to tell him about the babies.
“I wanted to call and tell you.”
“Did you Steph and what were you going to tell me, that you could not keep your God damn legs closed.” He yelled.
“What?” Stephanie gasped and Ivan continued his tirade.
“We were only broken up a couple of months and you were already fucking someone else. Were you even a virgin or was that part of your bullshit lies.”
He knew she was a virgin when they first made love but he was hurting and he wanted to hurt her. He continued. “So what did you do Stephanie, screw the first man who brought you dinner? You just couldn’t wait to fuck your new friend could you? You were over me so fast that you can just gave it up.”
“You are a bastard Ivan.” Her voice was shaking and she felt nauseous. ‘How could he believe I would sleep with someone else so soon?’ “I don’t know where you are getting your information but….”
She was crying hysterically. Ivan interrupted her before she could finish he did not want to hear an explanation.
“Just fucking tell me - are you pregnant?” He yelled in the phone.
“Yes, but…”
He interrupted her again he was furious. “Fuck you Stephanie, I’m sorry I ever got involved with you. Have a good life.”
He slammed down the phone. His chest tightened he couldn’t breathe. He loosened his tie in hopes of getting more air into his lungs, but it didn’t work. He closed his eyes and laid his head back so that he could regulate his breathing.
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Stephanie hung up the phone, shaking and crying uncontrollably. “What’s wrong Steph?” Mark asked really concerned. She was too shaken up to explain right away.
“You need to calm down Stephanie, breathe baby you are going to make yourself sick. Who was that on the phone?” She couldn’t answer her breathing was erratic.
“I’m calling the doctors.”
“No, I…I’m fine.” She choked out between sobs.
“Who was that?”
“It was Ivan. He knows I’m pregnant but he thinks I’m pregnant by you and he would not let me explain. I have never heard him talk to me like that. He came just short of calling me a whore.” She grabbed her stomach and started crying again. Mark sat beside her on the sofa and pulled her into his lap. He cradled her and rubbed her back until she calmed down. Mark was so angry He wanted to find Ivan and beat his ass. ‘He doesn’t deserve her.’ He thought. “Shhh..... just relax.” He rocked her while rubbing her back until her breathing was under control. Mark kissed her forehead. “You okay?”
She responded “No, but I will be.” She got up. “I need go to the bathroom.”
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Ashley couldn’t take it any longer. ‘Did he believe me?’ She walked to his office door and tried to hear if he was on the phone. She quietly opened the door. She saw him sitting in the chair with his head back. Was he crying? Ashley was shocked. In all the time that she had known him she couldn’t ever remember him crying. She didn’t think he was capable of such emotion. ‘Over that bitch, he is crying for that whore.’ She was fuming.
He picked his head up and dialed the phone again. He dialed his brother’s number. “I need to talk to you” “Ok.” …“I’m on my way.”
‘Who was he talking to? Was that Stephanie? Why was he so calm?’ Panic sat in her body, she was momentarily immobile. ‘What’s going to happen when he sees her and she is already showing? He will know that Stephanie is carrying his baby.’ She regained her sense of awareness, stepped away from the door, and went to her room. What was she going to do? She needed to stop him. Just then she heard the front door close. “Shit,” she dressed quickly and dialed Stephanie’s number. Maybe if she told her Ivan was on his way over she could warn her so she would not open the door. A male voice answered the phone.
“Hello,” he said and hoped it was Ivan calling back.
“Hello, you don’t know me but I am Ivan’s fiancée and he is on his way to see Stephanie. I know he is really angry and it would be best if you made sure he didn’t see her because I don’t know what he would do.”
“If he does come here, I can guarantee you his ass will be leaving in an ambulance, so lady
I would advise you to tell him not to make that trip because if he comes near Stephanie I will fuck him up!” Mark slammed down the phone and tried to console Stephanie.
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Ivan arrived at his bother house. Adam opened the door with a drink ready for Ivan in his hand. He grabbed the glass and sat on the sofa. They sat in silence for ten minutes. Adam knew when his brother was ready to talk, he would.
“She’s pregnant.” Ivan said as he gulped his drink. Adam looked at his brother confused.
“I know she’s pregnant that’s why you are in this mess.”
“No not Ashley, Stephanie, Stephanie is pregnant.” Adam looked at him totally stunned.
“You are having another child?” Adam said confused.
“No, she’s not pregnant by me she’s pregnant by the clown we saw her with in the restaurant.”
“What are you talking about? You guys just broke up.”
“That was my thought exactly.” Ivan said as he drained his glass and walked over to the bar to pour another drink. “But I guess Stephanie got over me faster than I thought.” He said and sipped his new drink and settled back down on the sofa.
“I am such a fool. I can’t believe I fell in love with that whore. I can’t believe she fucked someone so fast. Why would she do that to us, to herself?” Ivan heard the hurtful words coming out of his mouth but he also knew he still loved her. Adam could not believe the hateful things his brother was saying about Stephanie nor could he believe what he was hearing about Stephanie.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes I called her and she did not deny it.” Something didn’t sound right to Adam.
“How did you find out?”
“As it turned out, Ashley and Stephanie go to the same doctor. Talk about a fucking coincidence.” Adam did not comment but something did not sound right about this story, he kept his comments to himself until he could prove differently. Ivan sat and talked to his brother for a while before heading home.
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Ashley sped off heading to Stephanie’s home. She had driven by their many times in the past to see Ivan’s car sitting outside. She needed to catch him before he confronted Stephanie. ‘I will not allow that whore to ruin what I have with Ivan.’
She loved Ivan and Ivan loved her. Stephanie was not going to come between them.
Ashley was so preoccupied with getting to Ivan that she drove through the red light and a SUV slammed into the driver’s side of her car. It spun around and slammed into a street light. Everything happened in slow motion for Ashley. She saw the SUV heading towards her but she could not stop it, the last thing she remembered was the impact of the other vehicle and the warm and wet feeling just before she was surrounded in darkness.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Ivan left Adam’s home and decided he needed to see Stephanie. He just needed to see her, to hear her say that she did not love him anymore. He really just wanted to hold her and apologize for what he said. God he still loved her so much so that it hurt. ‘I will just talk to her again, I want her to tell me to my face that she moved on and that she is truly happy with her new man.’ He arrived at the door and knocked. After a few seconds Mark answered the door and Ivan’s mood instantly changed.
“What the fuck do you want? Haven’t you upset her enough?” Mark spat.
Ivan got in his face.
“I want to see Stephanie.” “Stephanie.” Ivan yelled. “I need to see you now.”
Mark pushed Ivan away from the door. “What the fuck is your problem? It’s out of respect for Steph that I don’t whoop your ass right now.”
“I would love to see you try.” Ivan said and looked into Mark’s eyes each man refused to back down both had fire in their eyes. Mark stepped back inside the doorway and slammed it in Ivan’s face. Ivan banged on the door and yelled Stephanie’s name when her neighbors started opening their doors he looked around and realized he was making a fool out of himself.
“What the hell is wrong with me? Get it together Ivan.” He said to himself and ran his hand through his hair. ‘Walk away Ivan, just walked away.’ Once Ivan reached his car his phone rang and he grabbed it and hoped it was Stephanie but it was a number he did not recognize. “Hello.” Ivan said harshly. “Hello I’m looking for a Mr. Quinn.” “This is he.” “Mr. Quinn my name is Dr. Wright, I am calling from Franklin Memorial Hospital, Ms. Ashley Ross was brought in by ambulance and she was unconscious. She has you listed as the contact person; we need you to come in….” Ivan could not hear anything else the doctor was saying. ‘What was he talking about Ashley was home in bed.’ His brain was fuzzy and he could hear the person on the phone calling his name. “Mr. Quinn, Mr. Quinn.” “Yes I’m on my way.” He hung up the phone and immediately dialed his brother. He arrived at the hospital and questioned the nurse at the emergency desk; the doctor came out and escorted him to the back of the emergency room. He was explaining that there was a car accident and Ashley had lost a lot of blood and they needed to operate and the baby had to be delivered.
“Wait what are you talking about it’s too soon to deliver the baby.” Ivan said stunned this entire ordeal was so surreal. “Ms. Ross suffered a placental abruption.” The doctor continued to explain but Ivan was having a hard time comprehending what the doctor was saying.
“Is my baby alive?” He asked the doctor.
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Stephanie took a long hot bath and enjoyed the smell of lavender as she listened to her favorite music on her IPod. At some point she dozed off and she could hear knocking at the bathroom door. “Steph are you alright? You’ve been in there almost an hour.” She yelled back that she was fine and would be out in a few minutes. Stephanie struggled to get out of the tub she contemplated getting Mark to help her but decided against it. She finally lifted herself out of the tub, towel dried, and moisturized her body before putting on her pajamas. She exited the bathroom feeling refreshed.
“Steph we need to talk.” Mark said as she came into the living room.
“What’s up?” She said feeling better after her confrontation with Ivan on the phone.
“You had a visitor while you were in the tub. Ivan came by shouting and demanding to see you. I told him to leave.”
Stephanie did not respond immediately. She really did not know how to feel. Instantly she felt anger towards Mark for sending Ivan away, she felt anger towards Ivan for leaving her and treating her like shit. She still loved Ivan so much that it hurt to think about him, and she loved Mark for being her protector. This pregnancy had her emotions all over the place.
Breaking the silence, Mark spoke. “You don’t need that kind of stress Steph, it’s not good for the babies.” Moving the conversation in a slightly different direction. Mark continued. “Have you thought about what you are going to do when your due date is close?” Stephanie gave Mark a confused look.
“Not really, I thought about moving back in with my parents but I was hoping that would be my last option.”
“I have an idea.” Mark said. “And please think about it before you give me an answer.” Stephanie looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “Just hear me out.” Mark pleaded with her. “Why don’t you come and live with me?”
“No. No. Mark that would not….”
He cut her off before she could finish. “Look, you will be closer to your parents, but not having to actually move in with them. I have more than enough room for you and the babies, if you decided to stay after they are born. Let me take care of you for a while.”
“I can’t do that Mark. This is not your responsibility and I won’t burden you with it.”
“It’s not a burden, I actually like the idea of helping you through this. It will give me a chance to atone for the hurt I caused you.”
“Your apology was enough. Thank you for the offer, I love you for that, but this is a situation that I have to work out with Ivan.”
“Steph…” She cut him off
“No, but thank you for the offer.” She walk
ed over and kissed him on the cheek.
“Now, let’s see what we can find for a late night snack
before you head home.” Stephanie said making it clear that he was not staying the night. Mark went home and Stephanie settled in bed but could not go to sleep. She thought about Ivan coming to her home earlier. Maybe he was ready to hear her out. She looked at the clock, it was eleven o’clock. I’m sure he’s still awake, maybe I should call him. She picked up her cell phone and dialed his number. His phone went straight to voice mail.
“Hi Ivan, Mark told me you came by, call me I would like to explain everything to you. Okay, bye.” She hung up the phone and said, “I love you” softly.
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After Ashley came out of surgery, Ivan and Samantha waited in the recovery room to see her. The doctor informed them that the surgery was successful and they were able to control the bleeding. The next forty- eight hours would be tricky for both Ashley and the baby and if they pulled through their chances of a full recovery would greatly improve. Ivan called his family to let them know about the baby and Ashley. Ivan’s mom wanted to come and help out but Ivan told her not to come, he said he would keep her informed. Ivan spent the next several days at the hospital. He had Betty bring him files to work on and had her retrieve the messages from his phone. Betty came by the hospital daily to deliver Ivan’s files and his messages.
