College Star's Secret: A Secret Baby Romance

by Charlotte Sloan

How did one react in a moment like this? How was someone supposed to react to suddenly finding out they were a parent? It was not every day that a surprise baby entered someone’s life.

  Finally, Emma broke the silence by saying, “Y… you actually came.” Nolan couldn’t answer but nodded as he looked at her. He moved toward her, slowly, as his body took control as if attracted to the child bundled up in a mass of blankets in its mother’s arms.

  He looked at her and then at the bundle, his eyes asking a question. She seemed to understand at once what he wanted and slowly started to unbundle the baby, just enough so that its face became visible. At that moment, when father and daughter saw each other for the first time, Nolan’s whole world changed. He looked down at the baby and there was no doubt in his mind that the child was his. There was some primal instinct going wild inside of him, screaming: mine, mine, mine.

  Nolan didn’t know what to do. Was he supposed to hold her? Was he supposed to tell her he was her daddy? Nolan felt embarrassed for not knowing these things. He looked at Emma as if she could provide him with some guidance. She just smiled at him and said, “Do you want to hold her?”

  Nolan nodded before awkwardly taking up the bundle into his arms. He had never held a baby before and it felt strange to him but at the same time it felt right. He looked down at his daughter and smiled. This was his daughter. She looked just like him. He had created this beautiful baby girl, and that made him proud.

  He looked down at her now, walking around the room a bit, rocking her slightly. The baby looked up at her father, a happy look on her face. In those moments, a bond was formed between father and daughter that could never be severed. The baby already had her father wrapped around her fingers. From that point on, she would forever be a daddy’s girl.

  “What’s her name?” He asked softly, looking at Emma. He felt kind of sad that he hadn’t contributed to naming his own daughter. He just hoped that Emma had chosen a cute name for his daughter.

  “Sophia.” Sophia. Nolan played around with the name in his mind before deciding that he liked it. It was a beautiful, yet simple name, and as he looked down at his daughter, he decided she looked like a Sophia. He smiled at her.

  “I like it…” Nolan smiled again, before handing Sophia back to her mother and sitting down at the edge of the bed with her.

  Throughout the entire moment, the friend who had texted Nolan had been sitting there, awkwardly. He didn’t know what to do. Finally, he got up and said, “Well, I’ll just let you two settle things then. Goodnight Em. Goodnight Nol.” The friend grabbed his jacket and scurried out of the room.

  As the new family experienced their first moments alone together, it was a little strange. No one knew what to do, except, of course, Sophia, who just went to sleep. Nolan looked at her before looking back at Emma.

  “I’m sorry…” It was the first thing Nolan could think of saying. He was sorry. He had fucked her without a condom and now she was a mother. Emma’s life was probably ruined. He felt like he had destroyed her life by forgetting that stupid condom. How was she supposed to continue an education with a child?

  Emma shook her head before placing a hand on his. “Please don’t apologize, it isn’t your fault.” Emma’s eyes were large and sincere as she looked at him. Nolan could feel his heart strings tug toward her. Did he really have feelings for this girl? Maybe this was fate at work, showing them that their one-night stand had meant more than they thought. Still he shook his head.

  “No… I am sorry. I should have used a condom that night… there is no excuse for me forgetting because now you are a mom and your life must be a wreck.” He looked at her, his eyes full of concern as if he would cry at any moment. He didn’t want to crush all of her dreams, to ruin her life. Emma just shook her head again.

  “I wasn’t expecting or planning this, but I don’t regret it either. That night with you was one of the best nights I ever had. I thought at first that it was just the booze talking but now, as I sit with you again, I know that it was all in here.” Emma looked at him before pointing to his chest. Nolan could feel his cheeks redden as he blushed.

  “Do… do you really mean that?” Nolan asked breathlessly. He hadn’t expected this, but he felt it too. He wanted to hear her say it.

  “I… I think I love you… it doesn’t make any sense because I barely know you… and love at sight isn’t a real thing… but for some reason I know that deep down, I love you, almost as much as I love Sophia.” Emma looked at Nolan, her eyes blazing with passion.

  Chapter 6

  Nolan couldn’t believe his ears. This beautiful woman loved him? He couldn’t help but smile. The next thing he knew he was hugging her tightly. It didn’t make any sense, but he felt it too. He loved her. Who cared if it wasn’t logical? He could feel it in his chest that he loved this woman. He loved this woman and their daughter.

  He smiled a bit, before saying, “I know it must be hard for you, but just say the word and I will do whatever you need me to do in order to make sure that you and Sophia live a good life.” Emma smiled before hugging him tightly. They hadn’t expected this, but they were both glad that their feelings for each other were mutual.

  When Nolan had sat down to study for his economy final, he had not expected, not in a million years, to find himself sitting in a hospital with the mother of his child, but here he was. It was scary to think that he was now a father, but for some reason he was oddly okay with it. He knew, deep down, that he would never abandon these two beautiful girls.

  ******

  After that eventful night at the hospital the family’s relationship only deepened. Nolan found himself falling more and more in love with the two girls every day. Soon enough they had moved in together in a small apartment that was midway between both of their universities. They had arranged a system where Emma took morning classes and Nolan took afternoon classes so that there would always be someone available to take care of Sophia.

  As time went on, Nolan even asked Emma to be his girlfriend. It was evident it would happen eventually, but it was pleasant to experience nonetheless.

  ******

  It had been a weekend. Sophia was about a month old. It had been a difficult month. Both of them were novice parents who had no idea what parenting was. They knew nothing about babies but through the power of the internet and friends they managed to get through the first month together. Still, it had been a lot of sleepless nights and hard work. However, now, after a month of being parents, they felt like they were finally getting the hang of things.

  Now Sophia was about a month old and very healthy. Their doctor had praised the young couple for their great work at raising the child as they did.

  The day Nolan asked Emma to be his girlfriend was a warm day in January, a very warm day, almost spring-like in the Florida climate. They had decided to take Sophia for a stroll around the park since they all needed some fresh air after so much time cooped up indoors.

  So they had walked around the park together before Nolan gently grabbed Emma’s hand. Even though they both had feelings for each other they never expressed it again since the night the baby was born.

  For some reason, while Nolan was walking with Emma he felt compelled to take hold of her hand, to touch her. Emma blushed at the gesture but then squeezed his hand gently as she smiled. They continued to walk through the park with Nolan pushing the stroller with one hand as he held Emma’s hand with the other. They seemed to be the picture perfect family.

  After a walk around the park, they decided to sit down and enjoy themselves on one of the park benches. Nolan gently rocked the stroller to and fro with his foot, rocking Sophia who was slowly falling asleep in her cocoon of blankets.

  The wind started to pick up, and the temperature dropped. Emma shivered a bit. She was a small girl and therefore easily susceptible to the cold. Nolan noticed her shivering and so pulled her closer to him. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders before bringing her even closer until her head was on his shoulder. She
smiled before nuzzling into his warmth.

  She really did have feelings for Nolan, she was sure of it. He was cute, nice, and amazing with Sophia. It was hard being a mother in college, but Nolan made it bearable. She wanted to be something more to Nolan but didn’t know how to press the issue without the fear of pushing him away. What if he didn’t want to be anything more than a father to Sophia? What if he just wanted a no strings attached relationship with Emma? They hadn’t even kissed or touched since the night of Sophia’s conception, surely if he wanted more he would have made a move by now, right? Holding hands today was the most intimate thing they had done in over ten months.

  To be honest, Nolan couldn’t stop thinking about how to advance his relationship with Emma. She was beautiful, compassionate, and an amazing mother. Who wouldn’t want to be her boyfriend? But, Nolan was scared. What if she rejected him and then took Sophia away from him? He loved Sophia. Nolan didn’t want to take the risk of losing his daughter, but he felt like he had no choice at this point. He couldn’t suppress his feelings any longer.

  He looked over at Emma who was smiling. He could feel himself getting nervous as he looked down at her. Her light blonde hair was fluttering in the wind and the way she was laying her head on his shoulder just made her look so beautiful. He had to ask. “Hey… Emma…. Can I ask you something?” Nolan’s voice was barely a whisper. He was terrified of rejection, but this was something he had to do.

  Emma looked up at Nolan, wondering what he wanted. She nodded at him before blushing a bit. Their faces were so close. All she needed to do was lean up, just a tiny bit, and she would be able to kiss him. Despite this thought, she restrained herself from kissing him and instead waited for him to continue.

  “Would you… you… be my girlfriend?” Nolan asked nervously, as he looked into Emma’s beautiful eyes. Her eyes widened. Nolan couldn’t help but stare into those beautiful oceans. He started to look nervous the longer she took to answer. He could feel his heart race in his chest.

  Emma’s heart was racing just as fast. Had he just asked her out? Was this real? Was she dreaming? Emma couldn’t believe it. Had Nolan liked her all along? Yes, there was the night at the hospital, but they had never spoken of feelings again, so Emma had assumed they were nonexistent. Emma suddenly started to smile like an idiot before nodding. She lunged forward and hugged him tightly.

  “Yes… of course I want to be your girlfriend!” She squealed excitedly.

  Chapter 7

  Nolan couldn’t believe it. She had said yes. Emma was now his girlfriend. How lucky could he be? He could now call the gorgeous mother of his child his girlfriend as well. He smiled before wrapping his arms around her in a deep hug. He leaned down and kissed her tenderly.

  It was a different sort of kiss than their first kiss. Their first kiss had been sloppy from the alcohol. This kiss was much different. This one was meaningful and passionate. Their lips were gently caressing together, not pressed hard into one another. This felt right. This was love, not lust.

  They continued to kiss for what felt like an eternity, neither one of them wanting to stop. They didn’t care that they were in the park and that other people could see them. All they cared about was expressing the emotions they had held back for so long. They continued to kiss and eventually it became passionate but stayed loving all the same.

  Nolan held onto Emma’s face gently as he caressed her cheeks with his thumbs. He felt like he could have kissed her for an eternity. As a popular jock, he had kissed plenty of girls but none of them had ever felt like this. This was different. This was love.

  Finally, when they ran out of breath, they pulled away and looked at each other. Their eyes locked onto each other’s. It was as if there was nothing else around them. Then they both smiled like idiots, knowing they would have a flawless relationship together.

  Chapter 8

  And in fact, their relationship was flawless. They were faithful and loyal to each other at all times. They treated each other with the utmost respect and care. They were perfect for each other. Best of all, they were great parents.

  By the time the two of them had finished their junior year of college, Sophia was already six months old and thriving. She was growing up fast and Nolan and Emma were wondering where the time had gone. It felt like just the other day Nolan was freaking out about a text message, the onslaught of sudden fatherhood, and now she was already six months old. He couldn’t believe it. He thought that having this baby in his life would ruin it, but actually Sophia had made his life a thousand times better.

  Emma was a genius and with her help Nolan was able to ace all of his classes. He had also matured greatly in the last six months. He was just generally much happier lately since he knew there was always two people on Earth that were happy to see him.

  The only problem the couple had was support. Their parents were irate at first about the baby. Both sets lived far away and so the pregnancy and baby were a complete surprise. Angry they were left out of the loop and disappointed that their children had been so irresponsible. They came to visit and of course love their grandchild but there is definitely a rift at the moment. Friends are of little help. Who can blame them? They are in party college mode.

  This was hard at first, especially for Emma. She had always been so close to her parents and she felt betrayed they were so unaccepting. However, after a while, the dust settled and hurt feelings seemed to subside.

  ******

  During the summer months, the couple grew closer. Without school, they had more time to spend together as both parents and lovers. They would watch movies together, go on dates, cook dinner together, or just spend a day cuddled in bed with Sophia between them. It wasn’t the life they had planned, but it was still a good life.

  By the time their senior year approached, they were sure that they were soul mates. They knew they wouldn’t be happy with anyone else. So Nolan made a big decision.

  Professional football scouts had contacted him early in the summer, telling him that he needed to make up his mind about joining by the fall season or he would lose the possibility of being drafted into the league. However, Nolan knew he couldn’t just abandon his family to play in New England; that wouldn’t be fair to Emma or Sophia. It had been a difficult decision, but Nolan knew, in the end, that he had made the right one.

  Nolan knew he had to tell Emma. He planned it all out well in advance. He had called a babysitter and with some extra money he made fixing up some houses around the neighborhood, he was able to get the sitter to stay with Sophia overnight. Then when Sophia was gone, he went to work preparing everything for Emma.

  He started with dinner. He took his time following the recipe to the T, wanting it to come out perfect. He hummed and sang happily as he cooked, knowing Emma wouldn’t be home for a while since she had picked up a double shift. She would work until eight which meant he had plenty of time to prepare everything. Nolan didn’t know why he was putting so much effort into all this, but for some reason he wanted to give Emma something she could remember.

  After dinner was done, he left it in the oven so that it could stay warm until Emma was home. Then, he went into the living room and set up the couch with copious amounts of pillows and blankets in order for optimal cuddling. Next, he went over to the TV and prepared a romantic movie. He looked around and placed some candles around the room, before lighting them.

  Nolan looked around the apartment, wondering if he had missed any important detail. He smiled, satisfied before sitting down. A moment later his eyes went big, and he shot out of his seat, remembering the one part of his plan that he had forgotten: the bedroom.

  It was already seven o’clock and so he rushed up the stairs and started to prepare everything as fast as he could. He popped a CD into the stereo before making the bed and setting up some candles. He grabbed some rose petals and sprinkled them over the bed and floor with care. Rushing back downstairs, Nolan grabbed a bottle of champagne and placed it on the nightstand.

&n
bsp; He looked around the bedroom, smiling at his handiwork. If this wasn’t enough to impress Emma, he didn’t know what would. Okay, maybe the whole set up was a little cliché with the candles and rose petals but surely she would appreciate all the effort he was putting into this. Nolan hoped she would.

  Now, looking around Nolan was finally convinced he hadn’t missed anything. He sighed in relief, going down stairs and sitting on the couch. He was exhausted and decided to close his eyes, only for a few minutes. He didn’t realize it was 7:59.

  ******

  Emma was exhausted. She had worked a double at the nursing home. She was a registered CNA and worked at the local nursing home. It was hard work, but at least it was rewarding to see her residents happy and well cared for.

  However, tonight she was happy when her shift was finally over. She was eager to go home and be with Nolan and Sophia for the night. She knew that they would be waiting for her at home, eager to see her, and she smiled at the thought.

  Emma got home around 8:15 and opened the front door, stepping inside. She instantly saw all the candles and gasped. She looked around and saw the living room decorated with blankets and pillows, a movie ready to be played, and a sleeping Nolan on the couch. She moved to the kitchen in a state of awe. She was blown away when she saw the table set up for a romantic candlelit dinner. She checked the oven and saw the spaghetti, her favorite meal. Emma smiled happily.