“Good?” I asked.
“Great,” she said breathlessly.
“Valentina gave me sole custody of the kids.”
Emma’s eyes whipped open as the tea paused at her lips.
“What?” she asked.
“I signed the papers yesterday. Apparently, the hospital transferred her to a rehab facility, and she ducked out. Again.”
“Where is she? Is she okay?”
“She’s back home. Still running the pharmaceutical company. But she left a note and formal paperwork behind with our family lawyer about how she knew she couldn't raise those kids on her own. She admitted she was trying to get sober for them and it wasn’t working because… she didn’t want to be sober.”
“Ryan, are you okay?” she asked.
“Actually, I’m kind of relieved. I’ve had those kids for two and a half months now, and I was very nervous about handing them back over to Valentina. Now, I don’t have to.”
I watched shock roll over Emma’s features and I furrowed my brow.
“What’s wrong?”
“You have three kids.”
“I do.”
“You’re… going to have…”
I leaned forward and reached my hand out for hers. She took a long pull of her tea before she settled her hand within mine. I curled my fingers around her soft skin and brought it to my lips, kissing the top of her hand. My eyes rose to hers and she looked shell-shocked. Her face was paling, and I could see the hesitancy rising back up into her stare.
“I want his with you,” I said. “That woman you saw me with at lunch? Her name’s Layla Patterson. She’s a prominent journalist looking for a story, but I was scouting her for a position with my company. She’s ruthless, but she’s good at spinning stories. And with the way I’ve positioned my company, I’m going to need the public on my side with the rebranding of my hotels.”
“Rebranding?” she asked.
“Yes. I had her in a while back for an interview, but I didn’t get to finish it because all of this stuff kicked up with my sister. I hadn’t had a chance to get back with her on finishing the interview, and I took her to lunch to see if she was still interested in the job I was offering. That hand gesture? She wasn’t holding my hand, Emma. She was slipping me a note. With the media always out to photograph me with people, we had to keep thing discreet. It was simply a note telling me she was taking the job. Nothing else.”
Emma slipped her hand from mine as she took another sip of her tea. Our food was set in front of us and I gave her the space she needed to process. To eat. To fill her stomach with something she could keep down. But I knew she was still hesitant. Guarded. Processing all the information I’d thrown her way. And all I could do was hope she believed me.
Because it was the truth.
Twenty-Two
Emma
I needed some time to breathe. It wasn’t that I didn’t believe Ryan, but what he was offering was, well, not what I expected. Not only would we be taking on a child we created, but I would be taking on three other children he’d signed on to raise and protect. Could I do that. Raise that big of a family? His penthouse apartment was a good size, but it wouldn't fit all of us. If he asked me to move in.
I was getting ahead of myself.
“One step at a time,” I said breathlessly.
I slept through the majority of the weekend, but Monday morning came around and I had a lunch date with Natasha and Catherine. I knew they would want to know how things went with Ryan, and I was preparing myself for an onslaught of questions.
But the second Natasha came around the corner with the twins in their stroller, I was derailed.
“Oh, hello there,” I said as I picked one of them up. “You look so big. You're growing up so fast!”
I held the child close to me, cradling the tired two-year old in my arms.
“I’ve got sandwiches!” Catherine said. “And soup for the lovely pregnant woman.”
“Thank you so much,” I said. “This morning was a nightmare.”
“You can keep that stuff to yourself,” Natasha said. “I didn’t have the kind of sickness you’re battling.”
“Good. Maybe that means I’m not having multiples. Because looking at your twins gives me the creeps.”
“Scared you can’t handle multiples?” Natasha asked with a grin.
“So, I need to fill you guys in on some stuff,” I said.
“Have you talked to Ryan? Because girl, you can’t keep-”
“Yes,” I said. “I have.”
Catherine fell silent as a broad smile ricocheted along Natasha’s cheeks.
“And since you’re not in tears, I take the conversation went well?” Natasha asked.
“It… went,” I said.
“Define ‘went’,” Catherine said.
“So, I sort of blurted it out to him at that meeting we had last week. Thursday night?”
“Is that why you came back from the bathroom in tears?” Catherine asked. “Did he say something to you?”
“No. He was pretty shell-shocked. He saw me run out of the auditorium after a bout of sickness rolled through my veins, and he knocked on the bathroom door. It just, fell out of my mouth. Right there. Without any warning. He kept asking to talk and it just... boom.”
“Sounds about right for you,” Natasha said with a giggle.
“Anyway,” I said. “He called Friday night and I decided to finally answer. We went to dinner this weekend and… he said he wanted to support me in all this.”
“Oh yes! See! I told you it wouldn't go to shit,” Catherine said.
“Oh, no no. It’s not that simple,” I said as I bounced the child in my arms. “He just signed for full custody of his nephews and his niece.”
“Carter told me something about that yesterday,” Natasha said.
“Wait, what happened with Valentina? Is she okay?” Catherine asked.
“All I’m comfortable telling is that she realized she couldn't raise the kids on her own while traveling the path she was. Ryan signed for custody last week.”
“So it’s not just you two and the baby. There’s three other kids in the mix,” Catherine said.
“Yep.”
“How does that make you feel?” Natasha asked.
“Worried. I don’t know if there’s room for me and another child in all of the chaos going on in his life,” I said.
“But he said he wants to help. To support you, right? That’s what he said?”
“His exact words were ‘in any way he could’.”
“Then that’s a good thing. Take him up on his offer,” Catherine said. “If anything, you’re going to be slapped with some insane medical bills because of our crappy insurance plans. He can help you with that kind of stuff.”
“I don’t want his money,” I said.
“Trust me, Ryan’s a lot like Carter. You’ll get his money whether you want it or not,” Natasha said.
“I wish I could have someone’s money,” Catherine said with a grin.
“Anyway,” I said as I cradled Natasha’s child close, “that does have me worried. I don’t know if I can raise four children.”
“So you’ve already had an ultrasound?” Natasha asked.
“The appointment’s on Wednesday,” I said. “And I’m not going to lie, I’m worried about multiples.”
“Do they run in your family or something?” Catherine asked.
“I have two sets of twin cousins,” I said.
“Uh oh,” Natasha said.
“And I don’t know if I could handle multiples. I mean, four children? That’s enough as it is. Natasha, you can vouch for that one. But throwing multiples on top of that? Even if Ryan was serious about supporting me-- and go with me on this train of thought for a second-- his apartment wouldn't be big enough for all of us. We’d have to move. Find another place in the city. I’d have to quit my job here because I’d balloon quicker than usual, and I’d have to run around behind three kids while growing two
more. That’s double the stuff for a nursery and double the clothes and double the diapers-”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Natasha said as she scooped her child from my arms. “First off, breathe. If there’s anyone who understands your plight, it’s me. And the worst thing you can do is spiral into that train of thought.”
“But I have to be ready, right? Nat, you were on bedrest the entire second half of your pregnancy. That would drive me nuts.”
“Trust me, it drove me nuts. But once you stop panicking about the fact that you’re pregnant and start tapping into your motherly instincts, it’s not going to be as bad as you think it will be. But you will need Ryan’s support. So if he’s offering it, take it. Even if things aren’t romantic between you two, you’re going to need a partner.”
“Yeah. Even if you’re only pregnant with one child-- and let’s hope to heaven you are,” Catherine said.
“Whatever comes your way, know that you’ve got this. If there’s one thing I could change about what happened with Carter and I, it’s accepting his help much sooner than I did. Things were so much easier with him than without him. Take Ryan up on his offer. Take him to this appointment with you so you aren’t doing it alone,” Natasha said.
“Wait, so you guys aren’t coming with me to it?” I asked.
“No,” Catherine said. “We’re not. You can’t keep shoving Ryan off on the sidelines for this. We know you want him around. We know you’re struggling. Those ultrasound appointments? They’re for the mother and the father. If Ryan didn’t want to be in the picture? Different story. But now that we know he does, we’re taking a step back.”
“Come on, guys. It’s just one appointment,” I said.
“And it’s the most important one. You’re going to be seeing your child for the first time. That’s a moment for both you and Ryan. No one else,” Natasha said.
I knew they were right, but I didn’t want to admit it to them. It was easier, doing this with them. Ryan and I had been through so much and experienced so many blunders. And I still wasn’t sure about his story with Layla what’s-her-face. It felt way too much like my college days. But it also wasn’t fair to keep holding a grown man to the standard of a twenty-year old boy.
“Okay,” I said. “I’ll take Ryan to the appointment Wednesday.”
“I expect pictures of the ultrasound,” Natasha said.
“And I’ll be waiting at your desk when you get back from your lunch break. I’m assuming that’s when the appointment is?” Catherine asked.
“Yep. That’s it,” I said.
“Good. Then I’ll be right here in this spot.”
“Your kids that rough this week?” I asked.
“More than you could ever imagine,” Catherine said with a giggle.
My exhaustion was worse than ever and I decided to take a risk. Instead of making my appointment for my lunch break and trying to work around it, I took the entire day of Wednesday off. Since I didn’t take many days off and never cashed in my vacation, the principal was more than willing to find me a substitute for the day.
Which meant Ryan and I could do a little more talking before the appointment.
I hadn’t actually asked him about the appointment yet, but I figured I could still use the day off. I sent him a text message and told him about what was going on. About the appointment and my day off and how, if we wanted, we could get together and talk a little more. If he had the time to.
And the text message he shot back to me brought tears to my eyes.
Took Wednesday off. See you for breakfast. Can’t wait to talk.
Twenty-Three
Ryan
A knock came at my door and I smiled. When Emma had messaged me about her first obstetrician appointment, elation sparked in my gut. I hoped this meant she was taking me up on my offer of helping her and supporting her. And her willingness to get together and talk was also a good sign. Especially since she had initiated it. I swung my door open and saw her standing there in a pair of old jeans and a loose shirt and I pulled her into my arms.
I kissed the top of her head, melting as she snaked her arms around my waist.
“Good morning,” she said.
“Morning. How are you feeling?”
“Nauseous.”
“We can bypass breakfast if you want. I made up some of that peppermint jasmine tea from the restaurant.”
“You have some of that here?” Emma asked.
“I was going to have it delivered to your place, but when you suggested coming here I picked up some last night to have for you.”
“Tea sounds wonderful,” she said.
I ushered her to the couch and helped her to sit down. She sighed as she leaned back into the couch, her eyes closing and her hand falling to her stomach. She looked absolutely worn out, and I was glad she’d taken the day off work. She needed to relax. To sleep. To allow her body to do what it was working hard to do, which was grow a fucking child.
Women were incredible.
Especially the one sitting on my couch.
I poured her a cup of hot tea and went to sit down beside her. I grabbed my mug of coffee and inched my way over to her until our thighs were settled together. We sat there in silence, staring at the blank fireplace as silence settled around the room.
“This is such good tea,” Emma said.
“I’m glad you like it,” I said.
“So the appointment’s at twelve thirty. There’s an obstetrician I found downtown that is supposed to be good.”
“So long as you have an address, I can get you there.”
“I’ve got it and the main number saved in my phone. I figured after the appointment, I could come back and take a nap or something.”
I panned my gaze over to hers and took in her serious face.
“Come back here?” I asked.
“If that’s okay. I can go back home if-”
“No. No, no. That’s fine. I just… does this mean you’re taking me up on my offer?”
Emma’s eyes flickered over to mine before a small grin crossed her face.
“I’ve had some time to think about it, and I think that raising this baby together will make for a better situation. This pregnancy is already kicking my ass, and I’m going to need help. I don’t…”
I turned my body towards hers, hiking my leg onto the couch.
“I don’t want our child growing up without either parent if we can somehow rectify that,” Emma said.
I reached for her hand and took it within mine.
“Anything you need, Emma, it’s yours. If you need a new mattress as your body changes, done. I’m paying for your medical bills, that’s not even a question. I’m getting you the best prenatal vitamins on the market. And if you want, I can have those premade healthy meals or whatever sent to your door every week. Or you can come here and I’ll cook for you. All soups. Every single kind of soup you could imagine.”
Emma giggled and the sound filled the living room of my apartment.
“You could even move in, if you wanted.”
I watched her tense as her hand fell from mine.
“I don’t know if we should be jumping into things that quickly,” she said. “I mean, you just took over custody of the kids. They’re getting settled in, right?”
“They’ve been settled for the past month and a half,” I said. “Right now, all we’re doing is decorating and painting their rooms.”
“But what if there isn’t room for me and the baby?” she asked.
“My library can be converted into a nursery if necessary. And there’s an entire half of this apartment you haven’t seen yet.”
“Wait, what?”
“Yeah,” I said. “If you walk through the kitchen to get to the library-- which I don’t think you’ve even seen yet-- there’s another door off in the corner. That opens up the entire backspace of my place.”
“Can I see it?”
“Of course. Follow me, beautiful.”
Emma flushed at my
words as I helped her from the couch. I walked her down the hallway and through the kitchen, then opened the door and dumped us into the library. She gawked at the high-vaulted ceiling of the room and the sheer amount of books. It was the darkest room in the house, but it was my favorite room. The shelves were filled with books I’d read over and over again, from the time I was a teenage boy up until the time my company took off in the marketplace.
“I didn’t know you read,” Emma said.
“There’s a lot about each other we still need to get to know. And I can’t wait,” I said.
I squeezed her hand and guided her towards the door. I threw it open and led her into the second half of my apartment and her jaw hit the floor. She walked into the massive expanse of the room and just stood there. Dumbfounded. Shocked at the sheer size of it. The place didn’t have a lot of furniture. I didn’t know what to do with the space honestly. It had two other empty rooms, each with their own decadent bathroom, and a massive space that could be categorized as a second living space. It even had its own electric fireplace.
“How do you just not use something like this?” Emma asked.
“Never had a reason for it. Until now. Emma, there’s more than enough space in this place for all of us. And with a few tweaks to this massive wall that separates the two living spaces, it can all be easily conjoined. You don’t have to make a decision now, but the offer stands if-”
My phone rang out in my pocket and I groaned.
“Hold on,” I said. “This is Ryan.”
“Mr. Aaron, my name is Gloria Whiffenpoof. I’m Miss Gentry’s substitute teacher.”
“How can I help you?” I asked as I glanced over at Emma.
“You need to come pick up Zoey. She’s gotten into an altercation with another student.”
“What!?”
Emma whipped her head around as I stood there dumbfounded on the phone.
“What happened?” I asked as I held out my hand.
Emma ran to me and we both started jogging through the apartment.
6+ Us Makes Eight_A Teacher and Single Dad Romance Page 15
