by Rachel Burns
“I want to stay where I am and work my way up as best as I can.”
“To get to the top you need a college degree.” Marshall was feeling perplexed.
“My decision stands.”
“Give me one good reason why not. I don’t understand any of this. First you say you want to work here for a year, and then you say you want to go to college, and now you’re refusing college again. I’m confused. You better explain yourself young lady.”
“I don’t know how to explain it. Maybe in a couple of months I’ll be able to put it into words.”
“Elise, this can’t be your final word.”
“I’m afraid it is. I’m so sorry I’ve disappointed you so much, Daddy.”
“You aren’t disappointing me. I just wanted better for you.”
“I understand that.” Elise had wanted better for herself too, but she’d ruined that for herself.
Marshall wasn’t ready to give up yet. It was clear that Ashton had been right before. Elise was suffering from a depression. She needed help. He would see that she got it, and he wouldn’t place her under any unnecessary stress. “I have an idea. If the thought of college is too much for you right now, we won’t talk about it. We will have another talk in a few months. How does that sound?”
“I’m not going to change my mind,” Elise told him. She felt guilty about doing this to him. She simply wasn't ready to confess that she was pregnant.
“Do you want to go home now? Perhaps you should lie down. You might be coming down with a cold.”
“No, I wanted to talk to you about my salary.” Elise still had a hidden agenda.
Marshall thought about that a moment. “I’ll pay you what Ashton gets. It’s only fair.”
“That’s very kind of you, Daddy. Nevertheless, I think it would be better if I got paid what the others in my department get. I don’t want to provoke hostility.”
“You’re my daughter. They would think something was wrong if I didn’t give you a little more.” He didn’t want to point out that the others in her department all had a college degree.
Elise knew she would need the money, but she couldn’t take what Ashton got. Ashton was educated. She had a degree, whereas Elise didn’t. That ship had sailed.
Marshall agreed to what Elise wanted. He was kicking himself for not realizing sooner that his baby needed professional help. This was most likely a delayed response to her mother’s death.
What else could explain her odd behavior?
Chapter 15 – Impossible To Hide
Elise couldn’t believe that her father wanted her to see a shrink. In fact, he was insisting she go. He told her he would fire her if she didn’t go. He was very strict about it. She was certain that he wouldn’t fire her, but it showed her how much this idea meant to him.
Because she couldn’t think of a way out of it, she went to one every Friday afternoon before they went home. Elise got to see a nice lady doctor, so it wasn’t that bad. The good thing was they talked about her mother.
Being pregnant was making Elise overly emotional. She went to her shrink and talked about missing her mother at this important time in her life. Elise didn’t tell her doctor about the baby. Soon, she wouldn’t be able to hide the truth.
Elise could hardly think about anything else. She did her job as well as she could, but she often thought about Derrick too. She would see him in the canteen sometimes. He never looked at her.
Elise felt like she was walking around with matches and setting fire to every bridge she had ever walked across.
There was no way back.
By the middle of May Elise was starting to show to the point that it was obvious that she was expecting a baby. It would be clear what had happened. Derrick would see her, put two and two together and know she’d tricked him.
He would hate her.
It was time for Elise to talk to Ashton and ask for help. Naturally, she would leave out the fact that Mr. Davis thought she was Ashton while he was making love to her.
Why did this have to happen?
Elise couldn’t do it. Every time she opened her mouth to say something, she chickened out. She would wait until someone said something to her.
She didn’t have to wait long. Several people at work asked her if she was seeing someone. When she answered no, they looked at her tummy and then back at her face confused.
Ashton was telling Elise she needed to go on a diet. The thought that little Elise might be pregnant never entered Ashton’s mind.
However, it was on everyone else’s mind. They carefully mentioned it to Ashton.
At first, Ashton dismissed the idea, thinking it was too ridiculous. Elise didn’t even have a boyfriend, she told them. Nevertheless, when the rumors went on for a couple of days, Ashton called Elise into her office to get everything settled.
“Darling, sit down we need to talk.” Ashton pulled out a chair for Elise. She was hard put not to stare at Elise’s rounding tummy.
“We do?” Elise sat down in the chair across from Ashton’s desk. She feared she knew exactly what her sister wanted to talk with her about.
Ashton closed the door to her office, so their conversation would be private. This wasn’t a conversation for nosy secretaries’ ears.
“There is a nasty rumor going around about you. I thought it best if I talked to you about it, and hopefully, we will be able to clear it out of everyone’s minds.” Ashton looked at Elise’s face and saw pure innocence. It couldn’t be true.
When Elise said nothing, Ashton continued. “They’re saying that you’re pregnant. I know you aren’t, but something like that can spread like wildfire. People hear a lie, and then they think it’s true, especially if lots of people are spreading the same lies. You need to let people know it isn’t true. I was thinking you could suck your tummy in and do lots of sit-ups. Get back into shape and people will stop talking.” Ashton gave Elise an encouraging smile.
Elise shook her head. “Sit-ups won’t make my tummy go away. It takes nine months to cure what I have. I’m already over five months along.”
“Elise, you can’t be pregnant. You don’t have a boyfriend, and you’re constantly here or with us at home. There hasn’t been an opportunity for you to get pregnant. Honey, you’re just a little sad about losing mom, but you’re seeing someone about that.”
“One night there was an opportunity,” Elise admitted. “Now you know, I’ll get back to work.” Elise stood up and went to the door.
Ashton jumped ahead of her and laid her hand on the door, so Elise couldn’t leave. “I don’t believe it. You were with a man?” Ashton was more likely to believe her sister had an immaculate conception before she would believe that sweet little Elise had had sex with a boy.
“Yes. It’s over now. I don’t want to talk about it.”
Then Ashton had another idea. Elise maybe kissed a boy and thought she could get pregnant from that, and now she had a false pregnancy, convincing herself that she was really pregnant. “You know you can’t get pregnant from kissing and touching. There is more to it than that. Perhaps, you only think you’re pregnant when, in fact, you aren’t.”
Elise could see that Ashton was grasping at straws. “I’m pregnant. I’m sorry I did this to you and Daddy. If you want, I can leave the company. You can tell people whatever you want.”
“You had sex?” Ashton asked in disbelief, unable to believe her ears.
“Yes, Ashton. His penis was inside of me. It was real sex, and this was the outcome.” She looked down at her tiny bulge.
Ashton’s face change to hate, wanting to kill whoever had done this to her little sister. “When did it happen?”
“Around Christmas,” Elise replied.
“Who? I want to know his name.”
“I’m not going to tell you.”
“Did he force himself on you? You have to tell me if someone did this to you.”
“I love him, with all of my heart. He doesn’t love me back. It was my fault. I don’t wan
t to talk about it.”
Ashton saw red. She was enraged. How dare some boy sleep with Elise and then dump her. He needed to be found and made accountable. “Well, you’re going to have to talk about it – with Daddy.”
“Ashton, I can’t. He’s going to be so disappointed in me, especially with things being the way they are.”
“If I heard the rumors, then he has too. He has to be told the truth before you make him look like a fool.” Ashton took hold of Elise’s hand and pulled her to the elevators.
“Ashton, don’t.” Elise tried to free her hands.
“Shut up.” Ashton hoped her father would have more luck talking to Elise than she’d had. Whoever was responsible for this had to take responsibility.
Derrick saw what was happening. He too had noticed that Elise was rounding out. She was obviously pregnant. He felt sorry for the kid, but it made it easier for him to tell them apart.
Office gossip wasn’t something that he approved of. He had an interview soon that he hoped would get him out of Montfort Industries.
Usually, he avoided Ashton at all costs, dealing with her only by e-mails. Thankfully, she didn’t have anymore weird ideas. Ashton was growing up, but it was too late for the two of them.
Derrick gave Ashton’s secretary what he’d signed. Normally, he had his secretary drop things like that off for him, but he wanted to see Ashton and find out if she was still going out with that helicopter guy. Only a show off would pick up a girl with his helicopter for dates on a regular basis. Didn’t that jerk have a car?
Derrick knew perfectly well that Fletcher had a car. He had an overpriced European car that was loud, expensive and something every man wanted. Fletcher would often stop by and visit Ashton. He was loud and he had inherited his money exactly like Ashton had.
Fletcher wasn’t the serious kind. He was perfect for Ashton. Both were very extravagant. They deserved each other.
Ashton yanked Elise into her father’s office, ignoring Mrs. Linus’ attempts to tell her that her father was in a meeting.
“This is more important than any meeting.” Ashton informed her, while she stormed into his office. “Daddy, we need your undivided attention immediately.”
Marshall sprang to his feet when his daughters came in. “Gentlemen, I’ll have my secretary call and reschedule. I’m sorry for the inconvenience. Please, accept my apologies.”
The men nodded and left quickly. They were surprised, but it was clear that Mr. Montfort was one of the few people who meant it when they said family came first.
Once the men had cleared out, Ashton stepped forward. “Elise admitted she’s pregnant, but she won’t tell me who the father is.”
Marshall sank back down into his chair. He too had noticed that his daughter was filling out. He hoped that she was overeating. A baby at her age would make it almost impossible to have a happy life.
Ashton wanted her father to take action. “The father has to take responsibility. He can’t leave her to take care of everything all by herself.”
Elise could see that her father needed a moment to get accustomed to the idea of her having a baby. It hadn’t sunk in yet, but it was starting to penetrate his heart.
Elise feared he would kick her out of the house. This was why she’d wanted him to pay her, in case she needed money to fall back on. She’d been thrilled when she had received payment for all the months she’d worked here.
It was only a nest egg. It wouldn’t last her very long. The most important thing was that he didn’t fire her. No one would hire her when she was pregnant.
“I’m so sorry about this, Daddy. I didn’t mean to embarrass you. Forgive me.” Elise wiped her eyes with her free hand.
“This wasn’t your fault. Someone got you pregnant. We need to know his name.” Ashton let go of Elise’s hand and brushed a lock of Elise’s hair tenderly behind her ear.
“Why?” Elise asked. Wasn’t it enough that they knew she was pregnant?
“Because, he could get custody of the baby if he wanted to. You have to protect yourself, as well as the baby.”
“He doesn’t want me or the baby. I’m sure of it.” Elise felt a tear run down the side of her face.
Ashton’s heart was breaking. “Who wouldn’t want you?”
“He doesn’t. He’s in love with someone else. I don’t want him to know about the baby. I’m prepared to take responsibility. I’ve decided to raise the baby by myself. If you want to kick me out, I’ll understand.” Elise looked at her father and waited for the verdict.
“No one is going to throw you out,” Ashton protested. “How could you think something like that?”
Elise left her eyes on her father.
Marshall forced himself to his feet. “There will never come a day when you or your child aren’t welcome at our home. I’ll stand behind you whatever you decide. I’m sure I speak for Ashton as well. If you don’t want to tell us who the father is, you don’t have to.” Marshall looked at his oldest daughter, telling her with his eyes that he expected her to agree with him.
“Of course. Elise’s health is the most important thing at the moment.” Ashton looked at her baby sister who looked so breakable. She needed help with this. It was clear she’d gotten herself into something she couldn’t get herself out of. “I’ll do everything in my power to help you.”
“Promise?” Elise asked Ashton, knowing she would need all the help she could get.
“Yes, I promise.” Ashton hugged Elise.
“Let’s go home. We need to have a sit down talk.” Marshall reached into his desk and got out his wallet and his car keys.
They went home treating Elise like the delicate egg she had indeed become. Ashton cuddled up with Elise on the sofa, sharing a blanket. Marshall lit a fire in the fireplace to keep them warm.
Elise admitted that she knew that he had loved another woman when she slept with him. She had hoped that he would change his mind. He hadn’t.
They hugged her and made plans for Elise and the baby. They talked about whether Elise should continue to work.
Their unconditional love was giving Elise the strength she needed to make decisions. Her decision was the final one with everything. They stopped asking about the father.
Marshall spoke of night class at the college of Elise’s choosing. It only needed to be nearby, so they could babysit. They spoke of Elise still being able to do everything she wanted to do.
Ashton asked about what the doctor had said. Elise admitted she hadn’t seen a doctor yet. Ashton gave Elise the number of her gynecologist.
Both Marshall and Ashton were careful not to put any pressure on Elise. Both understood that she was too young to do this on her own.
Before Marshall fell asleep that evening, he turned the events of the day over in his mind. Maybe this wasn’t so bad. Elise didn’t want to have anything to do with the baby’s father. That meant she would stay here with him.
Fletcher would be asking Ashton to marry him soon, and then she would leave. The baby was probably a guarantee that Elise would stay with him. He didn’t want to be alone.
“I told my family that I was expecting a baby,” Elise admitted to her psychologist, Barbara.
“Finally. How did they take the news?” Barbara asked.
“They were very supportive. I get to do what I feel is right about everything. It was nice getting it off my chest.”
“I’ll bet it was. Tell me about your plans for the future?”
“I’m going to have the baby and take care of him myself. I saw a gynecologist yesterday. The baby is a boy. When I feel ready, I’ll take night classes and get my degree. I’ll stay living at home. ”
“That’s fantastic. I’m so glad that weight has been lifted off of your shoulders. Tell me how you feel about the baby. Have you started bonding with him yet?”
“No, but I do see him as a real person now. Still, I fear that he will look like his father, and everyone will know who he is.”
“Can you tell me who th
e father is?” This was a question Barbara had been asking Elise since she confessed she was pregnant. Elise was being so tight-lipped that Barbara feared Elise had been raped.
“He’s just a guy from work.” He wasn’t just a guy to her, but that was what she was to him, just someone from work.
“Tell me about him.” Barbara was careful not to sound too pushy.
“I’d rather not.”
“Did he hurt you so much that you can’t talk about it?”
“No. I’m the bad guy in all of this. He didn’t do anything wrong. It was my fault.”
Barbara was surprised with that answer. “I’m sure you’ve heard the expression it takes two to tango.”
“Yes, I have. The problem is I wasn’t one of the two people. At least not in his mind.”
“I don’t understand, Elise.”
“I can’t tell you what I did. It’s too awful.”
“You make it sound like you raped him.”
“I raped his heart,” Elise confessed.
Chapter 16 – Confessions
Elise entered her psychologist’s office and sat down on the soft pink sofa. She moved a pillow behind her back and adjusted it around until she was comfortable. It was impossible to believe she still had over a month to go. She already felt like a beached whale.
Barbara smiled at her. Elise was getting bigger by leaps and bounds.
Elise was getting excited about motherhood. She had decorated a room at her father’s house for the baby, picking out beautiful and safe things for him.
“Elise, I would like you to tell me about the baby’s father. You told me he’s just some guy from work. That means he sees you every day. He must know he’s going to be a father. Why isn’t he stepping forward?”
“Because he doesn’t know.”
“Was he drunk?” Barbara asked.
“No, we had coffee to drink, but I stopped drinking that when I found out I was pregnant. I don’t want anything to happen to him.” Elise laid her hands over her tummy and smiled down at the baby.
