Operation Sex Kitten

by Tess Summers

Her dad was looking at his calendar on his tablet when he casually said to his wife, “Don’t be jealous, honey, but guess who I’ll be spending time with today?”

  Her mother looked suspiciously at her father, expecting he was teasing her and it was really someone she didn’t care for. “Who?”

  “Travis Sterling.”

  Her mother raised her eyebrows, “Why on earth would Travis have a case in Federal Court?”

  “It’s an eminent domain case against the government.” Robert Ericson wiped the corners of his smiling mouth with his napkin and stood up. “I’m going to have to admit to everyone my wife likes the plaintiff’s attorney more than she does me.” He kissed his wife on the lips. “Thanks for breakfast, my love. I’ve got to finish getting ready.” He looked at Ava. “Bear, try to eat something. I don’t want you back in the hospital! My grandbaby needs some food.” Then he reached over and pulled his daughter against the side of his hip, hugging her. “Feel better, kiddo,” he said before he headed upstairs to get dressed.

  Her father must have confused her sudden pale cheeks for morning sickness. The minute the Ericson patriarch said Travis’ name, Ava felt all the color drain from her face. Just hearing his name set off alarm bells, but the fact he was going to be trying a case in front of her father made her dizzy, for so many reasons.

  She jumped up from the table, with her hand over her mouth, and ran to the bathroom. Miraculously, she didn’t get sick. She sat on the side of the tub for a few minutes, just in case, then got up and splashed cold water on her face. Patting her skin dry, she looked at her image in the mirror. The face staring back looked about how she felt—worn out. Ava took a deep breath and sighed. It was time to face the music.

  Knocking on her parents’ bedroom, Ava called out, “Daddy?” as she walked in, then shut her eyes tight. Damn it, she only called him that when she was in trouble. He was the one who brought that to her attention when she was trying to sweet talk him out of grounding her when she was fifteen.

  He came out of his side of the suite as he was looping his tie around itself, his brow furrowed. He knew something was up. “What’s wrong?”

  She crossed the room and sat down on his bed. He finished his Windsor knot, looking at her through the mirror’s reflection as he made the final adjustments.

  “I need to tell you something.” Ava knew she had no other choice. Her father’s career and reputation demanded it. If it ever became known the father of his daughter’s baby was an attorney in his court without it being known to all parties, it could wreak havoc. He disclosed the relationship his wife had with Travis, for goodness sake. Granted, he did so not because of the crush her mother had, as he liked to tease her about, but rather because of Travis’ generosity with her charities. Judge Ericson never wanted to leave a doubt of impropriety, and he felt it was better to disclose everything. He was the most ethical man she knew.

  She lowered her head and whispered, “I need to tell you who the father is.”

  “Okay.” He sat down on the bed and looked at her, waiting for her to continue.

  Almost inaudibly, she said, “It’s Travis Sterling.” Ava quickly glanced over and saw a look of shock on her father’s face. She implored, “Don’t say anything yet to Mom, please!”

  Robert shook his head, “How…” He stopped to correct himself. He already knew how. “When…It’s not…Does he…” She had never seen her father at a loss for words. He sat for a moment in silence while trying to regain his composure. Swallowing hard, he started again slowly and quietly. “When did this happen?”

  “Over five months ago.”

  He continued, “Are you still involved?”

  “No, it only lasted a little more than a month.”

  Her dad sat thinking for a few seconds. “But, I don’t understand. You’re only two months pregnant? How…?”

  With tears streaming down her face as she shook her head, he gently stated, knowingly, “You’re farther along than that.” Ava nodded yes.

  Her dad sat thinking for a few seconds. “How far along are you?”

  “Twenty weeks.”

  He took a deep breath. “I’m assuming he doesn’t know?” Ava again shook her head.

  “You’re going to have to tell him, Bear.”

  A strangled, exasperated cry escaped her. “I know I am. I was going to, but I’m too tired to fight with him right now.” She needed to make her father understand. “When he found out I was pregnant, he came to my office and threatened to sue me for full custody. He said he’d move heaven and earth to make sure I didn’t have custody. I lied so he wouldn’t know it was his. I don’t have the energy right now, Dad.” Her shirt was wet from where she kept wiping her tears.

  Her dad’s expression showed he was still trying to put all the pieces together. “And there’s no possible way it could be Ron Thompson’s?”

  “Not unless I got pregnant through immaculate conception,” she sobbed. Her shoulders shook as she cried harder, and her father hugged her tight.

  She stopped crying, took a breath, and drew herself up tall. “Steven and I have talked about me going to stay with him for a while.” She let out a deep sigh of defeat. “Maybe he’ll let me stay forever. Then I’ll never have to deal with Travis.” She felt so helpless about the situation.

  Her father was always the voice of reason. “Honey, ignoring it isn’t going to make it go away. Your baby deserves a father, and Travis deserves to know the truth.”

  “But he doesn’t even want to be a father! That’s what I’m trying to tell you! He’s going to be spiteful and take me to court!” she cried. Her unsettled voice grew louder. “I know how expensive custody cases can be. You and I both know Travis has infinitely more resources to do battle than I do.”

  She held her hand up to stop him when he started to say, “Your mother and I…”

  “No, Dad. I’m not going to allow you and mom to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to fight this. It’s just easier right now if I go to Connecticut with Steve.” She continued talking, as if she were trying to convince herself about what a great plan she had. “I can get a job in the private sector anywhere. I’ll have the baby, stay there for six months, and when I come back, Travis will have forgotten all about me.”

  “Ava, that child needs a father too.”

  She closed her eyes and shook her head and started crying again. She was an emotional roller coaster. Absent mindedly, she rubbed her stomach and said, “I know he does, Dad. I know.”

  A huge smile spread across her father’s face. “He? You’re having a boy?” He hugged her again.

  Ava laughed and wiped her eyes. “Yes, you’re going to have a grandson.”

  Mr. Ericson let the happiness of learning about the sex of his first grandchild soak in, then gave a sigh of resolution. “Honey, this is your decision and I will respect it, but I have to be on record as saying I think this is wrong. You have to let Travis have an opportunity to know his son.”

  She shook her head violently. “He was awful, Dad! Awful! He hates me, and he will use the baby to get back at me. You know Travis’ reputation. He will not rest until he’s won.” She started crying again.

  “Ava…” Her dad stopped then nodded his head as if in acceptance of her decision and slapped his knees. “Okay, kid. I’ve got to get to work. I’ve got a trial I need to recuse myself from!”

  “What are you going to say is the reason?” Ava sniffled.

  “If I’m asked for a reason, I’ll blame it on your mother.” He winked and started to put his suit jacket on.

  “Please don’t tell Mom yet.” Ava got a tissue from her mother’s nightstand.

  “I won’t.” He took a deep breath. “But don’t wait too long. Your mother is going to have a fit when she learns she only has four months to prepare for her grandsss—” He corrected himself and winked at her again. “Grandchild.”

  She stood up and hugged him. “Thanks, Pops.”

  He hugge
d her back. “I love you, Bear.” And he headed downstairs.

  She knew she was going to have to tell her mother the truth. Nestea-plunging onto her parents’ made bed, she thought, Maybe tomorrow.

  * * * *

  Her big brother, Steven, announced he was taking her to the mall that morning. Christmas season was going to officially start on Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, and he posed that it was to get a jump on things, yet the only thing he bought was new clothes for Ava. Not that she was complaining; she needed new clothes. What little she still had that wasn’t destroyed in the fire were all too small for her now.

  He also treated her to pampering with a haircut and pedicure, since she was starting to have trouble reaching her feet. Every time she would protest at the money he was spending on her, he would grab her by the chin and emphatically say, “You’re worth it.”

  In the middle of getting her toes done she got a call from Ron.

  That is odd. He hadn’t called her once since leaving for overseas.

  “Hello, beautiful,” he greeted her when she answered.

  “Hi!” she replied enthusiastically. “Is everything okay?”

  “Well, I take it you haven’t told Travis yet he’s going to be a father?”

  Taken aback at how he could possibly know this from however thousands of miles away he was, she cautiously responded. “No?”

  He chuckled and the line began to get staticky. “Didn’t think so. He called me today to congratulate me.”

  It was a good thing she was already sitting because she might have fallen down otherwise.

  “Oh, Ron. I am so sorry.”

  “Ava, I’m actually the one who’s sorry and that’s why I’m calling. I told him he was barking up the wrong tree when he started accusing me of things against my character.”

  What a mess this had turned out to be. This was not at all what she envisioned her life was going to be like when she was pregnant with her first child.

  “Don’t be sorry, Ron. I should have dealt with this, and I didn’t. I am the one who is sorry.”

  The line started cutting in and out. “I’ve got to go, but I hope everything turns out all right for you.”

  “You be careful and come home in one piece! I’ve got a girlfriend I want to fix you up with!”

  She was pretty sure she heard him say goodbye before the line went dead. Taking a deep breath, she simply sighed with resignation at what she knew was coming in her near future.

  * * * *

  Utterly exhausted, Ava put her packages on the couch, sat down, and slumped over sideways onto them. She was just going to lie there for a few minutes…

  Ava woke up, completely disoriented. It was dark outside and her face was sticking to the shopping bag she had been using as a pillow. She had her jacket draped over her as a blanket and shoes still on her feet.

  This growing a baby inside of you business isn’t for wimps, that’s for sure. She stood up and switched on the lamp next to the couch, knowing she needed to eat but had to get into some comfy clothes first. Making her way to the little bedroom, she rummaged through her drawers for anything that could classify as comfortable. She attempted to put on the biggest pair of yoga pants she owned but found even those were too tight.

  Hmph. So much for comfy.

  It seemed everything she owned was suddenly too small. Forget any kind of pants, shorts, jeans…she was now more appreciative of the granny panties she had begrudgingly bought a few weeks ago. Her belly seemed to have popped out overnight. She groaned, glad she’d gotten some cute dresses today she could wear for at least another month or so until she got even bigger. She’d had to have gotten pregnant by someone whose baby was going to be as broad chested as he was. She didn’t want to even think about what a natural birth was going to be like with his son.

  She caught a glimpse of herself in the bathroom vanity. She still looked tired, but had to admit, she loved her new haircut and was glad Steven pampered her today. Remembering the cute sleepwear she had splurged on while waiting for her hair appointment, she dug through the bags in the living room until she found the one with the pajamas in it. Looking at the pile of bags, Ava felt a twinge of guilt before shaking her head. I deserve it! She smiled, thinking about what Steven had said repeatedly to her earlier that afternoon. She still didn’t quite believe it but did know one thing, she was glad she had at least bought the PJs because they had to be more comfortable than what she was currently wearing.

  Changing into the silky ensemble, she stood, hands at her side, checking herself over in the full-length mirror. Her boobs were getting huge! She put her hands on her hips and twisted back and forth from the waist. Other than her boobs and protruding belly, she was still too skinny from the morning sickness, but there was no more hiding she was with child, that was for sure. She turned around and looked at her backside. Actually, if you only saw her from behind, you wouldn’t be able to tell she was pregnant. Maybe she could just walk backwards for the next four months.

  She grabbed her old, ratty robe and put it on while walking toward the kitchenette. She felt guilty when she poured herself a bowl of cereal. The kid wasn’t even born, and she was already feeding him cereal for dinner. In order to assuage her guilt, she cut up a banana to put on top of her frosted flakes before pouring milk over it. And I’ll have a piece of cheese with some spinach and peanut butter crackers later, conscience, so shut up!

  Looking at her day’s haul still sitting on the couch, she had a dilemma. If she took the time to take everything into her bedroom, her cereal would get soggy. Instead she just pushed it all on to the floor, propped herself against the throw pillows, and put her feet on the couch. Soon she realized she had another dilemma: she couldn’t reach the remote control. Straining and stretching, she was finally able to get her fingertips on the end and inch it close enough so she could grasp the whole thing. Whew, that was a lot of work.

  She was munching her cereal, wiping the occasional milk drip off her chin, and enjoying her favorite gameshow with her feet now propped on a pillow, when there was a knock at her door. With a mouthful of mushy frosted flakes and bananas, she sputtered “Come in!” After no one came in, she switched the TV off, put the bowl on the coffee table and rolled off the couch, yelling, “Good grief, I told you before, just come in!” while walking toward the door.

  The door opened before she reached it, and Travis stepped through the pool house threshold. She knew this was coming; she just hadn’t expected it tonight.

  The room suddenly got smaller, like it had a tendency to do when he was in it. He looked haggard. Finding out you’re going to be a father can do that to a perpetual bachelor. They stood there, looking at each other. She wasn’t sure what was coming, but she knew she didn’t have the energy for it, whatever it was.

  “I can’t fight with you tonight, Travis. I’m too tired, and I’m too pregnant,” she said flatly and turned, defeated, to waddle back to the couch.

  The next thing she knew, he had spun her around and seemed surprised at how hard he had turned her as she wobbled back and forth. Putting his hands gently on her arms to steady her, he searched her eyes for the answer he needed to know. The reason he was standing before her.

  “I didn’t come here to fight. I need to know—is it true?”

  She had no idea why, but she decided to play dumb. Maybe to buy some time until she could think straight. “Is what true?”

  He shook his head vehemently back and forth. “Don’t, Ava. Don’t do that.”

  She looked down but stayed silent. She wasn’t going to give him any ammunition to use against her later. He let go of her arms and rubbed the back of his neck hard, obviously frustrated.

  “I talked to Ron today,” he said matter-of-factly.

  Ava needed a barrier between them, so she picked up the cereal bowl still full with milk and the last remnants of her dinner flakes and carried it to the sink.

  “I know. He called me.” She didn�
�t offer anything else.

  “I thought it was odd your father recused himself from presiding over my case when suddenly, the pieces fell together.”

  She didn’t say anything, instead, rinsed her bowl and ran the garbage disposal. After she shut it off, she looked over at him, waiting for him to continue before starting to wipe the counter.

  He came around to where she was standing in the kitchenette, took the dishrag from her hand and tossed it on the counter, then guided her to a bar stool. She looked at the stool, then at her belly, then at him, and started laughing. If he thought she was going to be able to get onto that, he obviously hadn’t seen her try to get off the couch.

  Putting his hands around her waist, he boosted her up, then grabbed her hands and scanned her face. He looked almost…desperate.

  “Why Ava? Why didn’t you tell me that’s my baby? I have a right to know.”

  She thought of the conversation she’d had that morning with her father. Of course he did, but she had her reasons and they were perfectly acceptable ones as far as she was concerned.

  Out of nowhere, tears started streaming down her face. These goddamn hormones. “You said you didn’t want children, remember? That you’d ask someone to get an abortion if they were pregnant with your child. I didn’t want to go through that with you, and then in my office you said you didn’t want anything to do with me, remember? That if this baby was yours, you’d get full custody and never let me see my child. I couldn’t risk that, Travis. Not with how much hate you have toward me right now. I thought maybe in a year, maybe you’d be more reasonable, and I would tell you then.”

  He took his hands away from hers and paced the floor in front of her. He was now visibly angry, like he’d been in her office that dreadful day. “And let me miss out on the first year of my child’s life? How do you think I’d react then? You think I’d be okay with that?” He hissed at her, “How pregnant are you exactly? I thought you were supposed to be on birth control? Was that a lie too? Was that what Operation Sex Kitten was? A ruse so I’d be your little sperm donor, and you could go off and have a baby by yourself?”