“Do you want me to reach out to a search firm or just keep the posts on the standard sites?” Ricardo asked.
“Let’s do both. But I need to know if you’re interested in the job.”
“Me? I’m not who you need.”
“You know what has to happen around here, your paralegal skills are strong enough to…”
“You need a lawyer in that role, Michael.”
“Then maybe we talk about putting you through law school.”
“Look, I’m happy being the go-to guy around here, but Managing Director? No, that’s not me. What about Janine?”
“Her heart’s not in it. She loves philanthropy.”
“You know I’ll do everything I can until we find someone. I’ll reach out to the temp service to cover some of my duties until you find someone that you’re comfortable with.”
“You’re sure you don’t want it?”
“Absolutely. But I appreciate you asking me. It means a lot, man.”
“Okay.”
“Can I ask you something?”
“Yeah.”
“Did you at least try to talk her out of leaving?”
“Yeah, I did. But we couldn’t work out our differences.”
“Understood. I’ll get on this and hopefully we’ll get appointments on your schedule early next week.”
Gathering his bag and a few files from his office, he received a text from Jack Ramsey notifying him Congressman McIntosh had been acquitted on all charges. After a quick reply, he left for his out-of-office appointments. It was all finally over and a guarantee that Spectra would never face charges. There was no denying it was a residual load off his shoulders that left him feeling far more relaxed.
He’d had enough of courtrooms for a while. If he could negotiate a nice settlement for his new client and avoid going to court, that would make his day. With the weekend approaching, he wanted to take care of as much as he could so he wouldn’t have to come in. The thought of enjoying a quiet and play-filled weekend with Janine pushed him past the tiredness he was feeling.
Janine sat at her desk feeling a little lightheaded. Rushing out of the house, she didn’t get anything to eat nor did she have her normal cup of coffee. Even though she only had two appointments for the day, she had several briefs to complete. If she was going to make it through the morning, she needed at least a good strong cup of coffee. Making her way to the staff lounge, others were milling about chatting away. Reaching for the cup, the unsteadiness hit her again.
“Janine! Janine, can you hear me?”
Opening her eyes, she was confused to find herself on the floor with several people standing around her looking concerned. Frank Reynolds was on the floor next to her holding her hand. Turning her head she saw two paramedics rushing towards her.
“What’s happening, Frank?” she slurred.
“You passed out.”
“Step aside please!” the paramedic said as the other lowered the stretcher.
“Louise! Call her husband. His contact information is in her file,” Frank said.
None of it made sense. The paramedics were asking questions and she was having trouble focusing and then everything went black again.
“Mr. Josey, I’m sure you can appreciate the fact that our client wants a No Claim of Responsibility statement in this matter. Any agreement will also require Non-Disclosure and a penalty if details of any settlement are leaked.”
Michael listened attentively, but shook his head. “Your client is culpable. A court will certainly find their negligence resulted in severe harm to my client. You’re going to have to do better.”
“What do you propose?”
Back and forth they went, hammering out terms for a successful settlement. As they sketched out potential solutions, a receptionist tapped on the door.
“Excuse me. Mr. Josey, there’s an emergency. Ricardo Gomez is on hold for you.”
Thoroughly confused, Michael followed her out. She escorted him to a small room.
“You can use this phone.”
“Thank you.” Michael it picked up. “Ricardo? What’s going on?”
“I got a call from McKenzie Clark saying they’ve taken Janine to University Hospital. They said they tried to call you, but couldn’t get through on your cell. Then they called here.”
“What happened to her?” He was panicked but desperately trying to keep it together.
“Apparently she passed out. That’s all I know.”
“Okay, okay…take care of the rest of my meetings today.”
“Already on it!”
Michael rushed out stopping briefly at the reception desk. “There’s emergency with my wife. Tell him we’ll have to take this up later. My office will be in touch to reschedule as soon as possible.”
“Of course, Mr. Josey!”
Fortunately the hospital wasn’t far and he could be there within ten minutes. His heart was racing trying to figure out what could be wrong with her. One thing was clear. He needed to get himself together.
“Please tell me what’s happening?” she pleaded as the nurse took her vitals.
There was a tube in her nose with cool oxygen flowing. There was an IV in her arm and a monitor on her finger. The confusion she’d experienced before had abated and she felt more clear-headed. Trying to put together the pieces of what happened, the only thing she could clearly recall was lying on the floor and being told she’d passed out. None of this made any sense.
“The good news is, your blood pressure is stabilizing. Can you tell me about any medications you’re taking?”
The nurse fired one question after another at her. Fully coherent she answered each question until the doctor came in to examine her.
“Is there anyone we should call?” the nurse asked.
“My husband, but I think they called him from my office. He should be here by now. Please find him!”
“Certainly. The doctor will be in shortly to examine you.”
Michael rushed towards the information desk. “Janine Powell was brought in here not too long ago. I’m her husband. Where is she?”
“Yes, sir. She’s being examined now. As soon as we can get someone down here, they’ll escort you back, if possible.”
“Just tell me is she conscious?”
“I honestly don’t have that information, but again, we’ll notify the ER team that you’re here.”
Not being able to see her immediately was maddening. What the hell happened?
The doctor stared at the chart, checked her pulse again and listened to her heart.
“I see there’s no date since your last menstrual cycle,” he said.
“I just don’t remember. A lot’s been going on lately.”
“Have you missed periods before?”
“Sometimes when I’m stressed, my periods become irregular. I also had a laparoscopy about two months ago.”
“Okay, we’re still waiting on all of your blood work to come back. But with your permission I’d like to do a gynecological exam.”
“Why?”
“As a precaution. It may shed some light on what happened to you.”
“Fine.”
He called for the nurse then instructed Janine to lie back on the exam table. She took a deep breath in preparation for the uncomfortable insertions inherent in a gynecological exam. As he examined her, it felt very tender. Fortunately, the examination was relatively brief.
“Okay. Your cervix looks like its risen a bit and there’s mucus present.”
“What does that mean?”
“It strongly suggests you’re pregnant. I’d like to be sure.”
“I don’t think that’s right.”
“You’ve been sexually active since the Lap, right?”
“Yes, but…can it be something else?”
“It could be an infection, but it doesn’t look like that at all.”
Turning to the nurse he said, “Please bring in the ultrasound equipment. Ms. Powell, I’d like to take a
look, okay?”
“Sure.” She steadied herself and tried to wrap her head around what was happening. “Is my husband here yet? Nothing happens until he’s here.”
“I’ll check,” the nurse said.
The nurse went to the lobby calling Michael’s name. Walking briskly back she explained to him that Janine was dehydrated when she arrived and was now receiving a saline drip. He had a number of questions, but he knew they were best reserved for the physician. Upon seeing her, he immediately went to her side kissing her.
“Baby, how’re you feeling?”
“I feel all right now.”
“What happened?”
“I don’t know. I got a cup of coffee in the staff lounge and woke up on the floor with people freaking out around me.”
“Why the ultrasound? Do they think something’s wrong from the laparoscopy?” Michael asked.
“He’s not sure, but he thinks I’m pregnant.”
“Pregnant?”
Taking her hand in his, he held it tightly before giving a light kiss. He needed a minute to wrap his head around what she said. Once the machine was set up and ready, the doctor applied the cold gel to her lower abdomen causing her to wince. They both watched as the doctor moved the wand over her belly. His face was focused as he searched one area then another. Finally settling into a spot, he turned the volume up on the machine.
Neither was entirely sure what they should be listening for in the middle of the rapid whooshing sounds. And then they heard it.
“There we go. Definitely pregnant. Take a look. The fetus looks to be about six to eight weeks along… a pretty good heartbeat, too.”
“Oh my God!” She burst into tears.
They looked at the grainy black and white image and the little pulsating spot on the screen. It looked so foreign with its large dark spot and tadpole like shape. The more she stared at the screen, the more her heart felt like it would jump from her chest from elation. Michael leaned over kissing her entire face over and over.
“We weren’t expecting this,” Michael beamed.
The doctor smiled handing her a tissue. “I understand. You’ll need to get in touch with your OB/GYN as soon as possible. They’ll want to get you started on prenatal vitamins and monitor you closely given your age. But I think, this coupled with the dehydration is the reason you passed out. As soon as I get the rest of her lab work, and you finish the saline, you can go home.”
“This is just…”
“It’ll be important to get plenty of rest, avoid stress and eat well. And of course avoid any alcohol.”
“Of course.”
She still couldn’t believe it. Looking at Michael, all the stress he’d been carrying over the past few months seemed to instantly give way to hopefulness.
“If you have any problems, don’t hesitate to call your doctor or come in to the ER.”
“Thank you!”
Finally alone, their embrace spoke volumes. Her eyes were drawn to the image now frozen on the small square strip of paper. Michael walked over to the machine tearing the strip from the roller. He stood staring at it as a broad smile spread across his face. Against all hospital protocols, he laid next to her wrapping his arm around her and gently rubbing her belly. She entwined her fingers to his.
“Did you have any idea about this?” he asked.
“No. I’m stunned.”
“Baby…this is…”
“I know.”
By the time they reached home, they were both still in a joyful daze. He wanted her in bed and resting. As she slipped into her loungewear, she climbed into bed extending her hand to him indicating she wanted him to join her. Quickly loosening his tie and tossing his jacket on the chair, he laid down next to her. Pulling her close, he spooned with her resting his hand on her belly again.
“So when do you want to tell everybody?” he whispered.
“My mom would say its bad luck to do it before getting to three months.”
“What do you think?”
“I want the world to know, but let’s wait and make sure everything’s okay.”
“Everything’s going to be fine.”
She truly hoped so.
CHAPTER 34
Successfully reaching sixteen weeks, they finally told their parents during dinner under the guise of celebrating Janine’s birthday. Shrieks of joy from their mothers and whimsical pride from his father were followed by a barrage of questions about the type of birth experience they were considering. Of course they also wanted to know the baby’s gender. Choosing not to share any other details, they let them know they’d have to wait until the big day. The joyous celebration was made even more so when the Josey’s unexpectedly handed them signed documents turning over a substantial portion of their wealth for the Josey Family Foundation. With their contribution, the foundation was seeded with over three hundred million dollars.
Janine worked furiously over the next two months closing out assignments in preparation for her resignation from McKenzie Clark. With a reduced workload, she also concentrated on getting the remaining elements in place for a successful foundation launch. Working closely with Michael’s mother on the gala and pre-selected inaugural gifts to charities, she planned to spend the last two months of the pregnancy working from home. There was little doubt she’d have plenty to do without over doing it.
By the sixth month, Carolyn and her mom planned a lavish baby shower at the Josey home. The celebration included Michael’s brother and sister, Janine’s family from Charlotte and a dozen or so area friends. Of course their closest friends Kelly and Jason, Monica, Dave, Jamal and his wife Denise were on hand. The assembled men kept Michael more than busy laughing, drinking and smoking cigars. The women lovingly teased Janine while they sipped Mimosas cooing at all the stunning gifts. With the festivities lasting through the weekend, it was a fabulous time for all.
Nearing the seventh month, the pregnancy was wearing on her. Looking as if she’d give birth any day, Janine was often exhausted when she came home. There were days when she could barely make it up the stairs without stopping, catching her breath and continuing the climb. Deeply concerned, Michael convinced her to consult with her doctor. It was determined that she should stop working at thirty-two weeks, assuming the tiredness didn’t force the issue sooner. Fortunately she was healthy and the pregnancy was proceeding well. That was a blessing neither of them took for granted.
As they left the birthing class, the gravity of it all hit her again. Their lives would never be the same. All the things they’d hoped for and more would soon come to pass. She couldn’t be happier. There was nothing Michael wouldn’t do to make her comfortable and happy through it all. From massaging her feet to cooking, he made every effort to be home by six each evening. Conversely, she still did everything in her power to cater to his needs. The only thing they missed was play, but their sexual discoveries didn’t end.
When exhaustion didn’t overwhelm her, Janine’s libido seemed to be in high gear. With no restrictions on sex from the doctor, it was Michael who felt he couldn’t keep up with her at times. In fact she could be down right insatiable. It always seemed to start with her saying, “Baby, I’m feeling a little warm.” He’d smile knowing what was coming next.
Gazing lovingly at her nakedness, he was fascinated by the changes in her body. Understanding them all intellectually, he was still struck by how much her body changed. Her plump belly with the navel now poking out limited the sexual positions they could enjoy, but there were still so many others at their disposal. Already full breasts were made even more so in preparation for the birth. Now highly sensitive, the slightest touch would cause her nipples to harden. However, the change in her ass intrigued him most. Janine wasn’t a particularly hippy woman, but the pregnancy made her ass more than ample, round and lusciously full. She still enjoyed a light spank, but they both knew anything more rigorous was out of the question.
For the first time, he understood why some men had fetishes about sex with
pregnant women. Her external genitalia were full, inviting and highly sensitive. Soft blows on Janine’s clit could bring her to full orgasms. The intense warmth coupled with a cushy softness due to the thickening and expansion of her vaginal walls felt extraordinary. He often found it difficult to contain his orgasm whenever he entered her. Both enjoyed the heightened sexual experiences the pregnancy afforded.
Admittedly, they’d stop when little hands or feet kicked and pressed against her becoming visible across her belly. No matter how many times it happened, it still captivated them both. But they discovered as soon as the rhythmic movements of their lovemaking began, things settled down considerably. Michael would teasingly say, “That’s right go back to sleep. Mommy and Daddy are busy!”
One evening following their lovemaking, Janine posed an interesting question.
“Did you ever catch your parents having sex as a kid?”
“I’ve rarely seen them kissing, let alone catching them fucking. Why?”
“How are we going to handle privacy with kids in the house.”
“We’ll teach them not to come in our bedroom without knocking.”
“My parents had the same rule. But one night, I think I was about seven, I went in their room. I was terrified by what was happening—what he was doing to her. I thought he was hurting her.”
“We won’t be the first parents to deal with it. If and when it happens, we’ll deal with it too.”
“So what happens if they catching us playing? That’s definitely different.”
“Stop worrying. We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.”
“That’s just it. That’s not something I want them to see. Sex is hard enough to explain.”
Seeing her genuine concern he said, “We have time to figure it out…and we will. Together.”
”Okay…so how’re we going to handle it when my mom’s in the house…down the hall?”
Their Now and Forever (Book III) (The Allen Trilogy 3) Page 24
