Kendra kicked the covers off her ever expanding body and grunted as she got out of the bed. She was just about to drift into sweet oblivion when the pounding started on her front door. It made her angrier that it was already half past ten.
Her eyes were tired and so was her brain. Since signing the contract with Crown’s, she’d been overwrought with ideas; planning window displays throughout the year. Ten times a year… New Year’s, Valentine’s, Easter, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Back-to-School, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and of course, Christmas… Kendra would design and execute the windows in all 112 stores, according to region. Her first project was going to be Halloween, a mutually agreed start date after a generous maternity leave but she already had that designed and was already moving on to Thanksgiving.
After a couple of healthy gulps of the cold water from the carafe she kept on her bed table, Kendra stomped off to the door as she tightened the belt of her robe under her belly.
“Damn it! All right, I’m coming! Give me a damn minute. I’m extremely tired from carrying a six-and-a-half-month old fetus in my gut as well as--”
Kendra froze in mid-sentence and tried covering her belly after she wildly opened her front door. Her mind had to be playing tricks her and her lower half was joining in at the sight of her ex-lover standing in front of her. She should have known Les, and/or his connections would find her, especially now that he knew of the son they shared. God, he’s still sexy and entirely fuckable, she thought. And the pregnancy hormones had been kicking her ass lately. And now here he was… in his jeans and button-down shirt. She could just… once… tame her needs and… oh, God… was that him smelling that fucking good?
“Hello, Kendra,” Les grinned, mostly at the shocked look on her face.
Hmm, Kendra thought, what would he say to the thoughts that were going on in her head that very moment?
“Shit,” Kendra snarled, trying to shake off her mind and body’s response to his presence. “What are you doing here, Les?”
“I came to see how my kids are.”
“Kids? What kids?” Kendra scowled, folding her arms over her belly.
“You know you can’t hide that, Ms. Atkins.”
Kendra looked to Les’ left and finally saw an equally grinning carbon copy of Les standing next to him. She frowned, wondering how Les’ twin had absolutely no sex appeal whatsoever.
“Well, you must be the ‘gay’ twin.”
“Yeah, I must be,” Andy laughed.
“Are you going to invite us in or are we going to have this conversation out in the open where anyone that walks past us can hear?”
Kendra looked around then sighed. “Fine, Les. Come in. Shit!”
“I heard that, Mom!”
“Sorry, Shane! Uh, stay upstairs! Play your game!”
“Really?”
“Twenty minutes only, baby!”
“Cool!”
“It’s after ten, Kendra. Shouldn’t our son be in bed already? It is a school night, after all. Birthday or not.”
Kendra whirled on Les and, pointing her finger at him, she snarled, “Before you take one step in my home, let’s get one thing straight, Charles Ford! Don’t you dare question my parenting skills! Stop looking for reasons to take him from me! He was in bed and so was I but then you showed up banging on my door and disrupted the peace and tranquility he and I were both enjoying.”
“Again,” Les sighed then decided to ignore her first comments. “Excuse me for being anxious to learn the reason why you skipped out on me after telling me I had a son.”
Kendra let out a long, exasperated sigh then beckoned the brothers inside. She quickly shut the door after they entered. “Come into the den. I need to make sure Shane can’t hear this conversation.”
Chapter Twelve
Understanding
Les sat on the couch, nearest to Kendra as soon as he and Andy made sure she was seated comfortably in her chair and propped up her feet. Andy sat on the far end of the couch and stared at Kendra’s belly, thinking about the new life her and his brother created as he listened to the conversation silently.
“Were you going to tell me about this one?”
“Honestly,” Kendra smirked. “Nope.”
“Why?”
“Why should I?”
“Do you plan to make it a habit of fucking me, getting pregnant, disappearing and not telling me I have children roaming the earth?”
“I never plan anything when it comes to you, fool. Shit just happens with you. No rhyme or reason at all. Anyway, who said this baby inside me was yours?”
“Please don’t insult my intelligence, Kendra. What was that you shouted before you opened the door? Six and a half months? Funny, minus the two week allowance between a cycle and ovulation, I would have sworn that baby was conceived six months ago, right around the time you and I had that night together in my house. Did you leave my bed and jump in another’s that same night? Did you like that it was seven and wanted to keep it at that number for a while?”
“Seven?” Kendra said softly, her cheeks heating at the thought of their last time together.
“Yeah, you said you had seven lovers. Not true. You had me twice, so you’re at six, Kendra. Unless my earlier statement was true. Where are you? Six or seven?”
Kendra’s eyes narrowed. “Where are you?”
“I’m wherever I was after you. My number has not increased since that night with you six months ago.”
Kendra smirked, not believing that at all. “I don’t know what you’re talking, Les. What night six months ago? I only remember meeting you at the bar on speed dating night and I damn sure did not fuck you in that bar.”
“Kendra,” Les sighed. “Let’s not do this. We are about to bring another life in the world so let’s try to be a little mature.”
“Fine,” Kendra snarled. “It’s six and yes, you did it again.”
“I kinda figured,” Les said sarcastically.
“So much for maturity,” Andy murmured at Les’ tone.
“Maturity?” Kendra snorted. “Fine. How’s this? Les, you will never hear, see or think you and I made another baby after this one because I will never, ever fuck you again! What is up with your sperm anyway? How does it keep going through the fucking condoms?”
Les glared at Kendra, not liking one bit her ‘never, ever fuck you again’ remark. Andy frowned and smacked his shoulder.
“You two used condoms? Both times you were intimate?”
“Yeah, Andy,” Les snarled. Never be inside her again? Beyond unacceptable and the thought made him want to throw a chair out of the window in frustration.
“Shit,” Andy muttered. “What kind? I’m going to make sure I never use that brand.”
“Something lambskin.”
“Idiot! You might as well had went inside her raw. Some lambskin condoms can be sensitive and rip easily. Some aren’t even designed for protection, just as a deterrent to sensitivity. Sperm can get through those! Not to mention diseases!”
“Hey, you,” Kendra scowled. “I am always careful. Obviously Les is too since my blood tests came back clean.”
“I’m sorry, Ms. Atkins. Of course you are. I didn’t mean to imply otherwise. Why didn’t you use latex, Les?”
Les shook his head. “Kendra’s allergic to latex.”
“You are?”
“I am, Mr. Ford. Deathly. I didn’t know that about lambskin. Damn. Great, that’s the end of my sex life. No way could I risk it again and no man’s getting me raw. I have children to worry about and no amount of pleasure is worth me going into anaphylactic shock or getting a disease that can’t be cured and possibly die from it.”
“Trust I will never use lambskin again either,” Les smirked. “So since we’re both off the lambskin, are both clean and we have needs, let’s continue to fuck each other after you get on the pill. I’m willing to make you and me exclusive. And we already know we have chemistry.”
“Yeah, that’s going to happe
n,” Kendra smirks. “Like I said… sex life is over.”
“Just double up, you two. Christ. I cannot imagine not having sex. Even thinking about it… listening to her saying no sex for her is giving me hives.”
“Doubling, good idea,” Les nodded. “We should have done that but I’m more than okay with having this next one with you. Why did you take off, Kendra?”
“Speaking of another, me first. You didn’t answer my earlier question. Why is it only your sperm that gets through? No one else’s I’ve been with has.”
“Good question. I’m as clueless to that answer as you are. Now stop avoiding my question, Kendra. Why did you run?”
“Simple,” Kendra shrugs. “Because you’re not taking my son from me, Les. He’s mine and so is this one. Why don’t you walk away? I’ve been doing fine without you all these years and you knew nothing about him. You can keep that going. If you need to do something, you can take over with the sending of presents, if you want. Just walk away and let us be.”
“I can’t,” Les shrugs.
“We can’t,” Andy interjects. “We won’t.”
“Why?” Kendra sighs.
“Ms. Atkins, these are my brother’s children. There’s no way me, my sister or parents will ever walk this earth knowing they are too and not want to be a part of their lives.”
“I get that, Mr. Ford, but neither him, you, your sister nor your parents are taking my boys from me. I am a good mother and I love them. They are mine.”
“Can you try to listen for two seconds, Kendra?” Les shouts. “I am not… we are not planning to take our kids… wait… did you say ‘boys’? There’s another boy in there?”
Kendra rolls her eyes and stares at the wall, cursing her big mouth. She hadn’t meant for that to slip out but she felt so beyond angry and intimidated with having them in her home, like an invasion.
“Ms. Atkins, please answer. Do I have another nephew coming?”
“Yes,” Kendra said through clenched teeth.
“No need for snarling, Kendra.”
“No need for the smug looks, Les. Whoopity-doo! Your XY’s are stronger, faster swimmers than your XX’s.”
“Damn right they are!”
“Not helping, Andy,” Les sighs. “At all. Control yourself or leave.”
“I’ll cool it but still,” Andy laughs loud. “Another boy. Fords! Dad’s gonna shit bricks! Congrats, little brother!”
“Enough, Andy,” Les scolds again with a huge grin on his face. “Look, Kendra, I promise, I am not trying to take them from you. I just want to be their father and be a part of their lives. I want to be hands on with them and not miss another day from either of our boys lives. I’ve already missed so much of Shane’s life, please don’t do this with this little one, too. Granted, the first one was because of both of us being young and stupid but we’re both mature adults now and we should act like it. If we can’t be together, then let me be a part of my boys’ lives.”
“All of us, Ms. Atkins,” Andy adds softly.
“Right,” Les nods. “All of us, Kendra.”
Kendra put her head down and played with the belt on her robe, trying to decipher if she could trust these two. It would be nice for her boys to know the other half of their blood line and eventually, fake presents would not be enough and she was sure Shane was already half there. Soon, he would want to meet his father and will want to know why he was not around, choosing to live and work outside of the country over him. Shane may never accept what he had to say to that and ruin what little chance they would have for a healthy father and son relationship.
Kendra’s tongue popped when the first tear fell. Seeing it, Les squatted next to her and held her hand.
“Tell me,” Les urged. “Let’s work this out. Why did you run?”
Andy passed her some tissue then sat in Les’ vacated seat and listened intently, wanting to hear the answer, too. He wanted to be in Shane and the new baby’s lives as much as Les, just as he is with Nicola, their sister Randa’s daughter.
“I don’t know. I just… I didn’t run right away. I Googled you. Then I ran.”
“Why would you Google me?”
“Because I had to know who Shane’s father was, without bias. I needed to know what and exactly who you were before I let you into his life. I didn’t… I don’t want him hurt.”
“I would never hurt my son, Kendra. What did you see that made you run?”
“Your father. He has money and from what I read, you’re a close-knit family. I’m sure if you said so, he’d move heaven and earth to get you the best, most expensive attorneys to take my boys from me when it suited you. My family isn’t broke but we’re nowhere near his caliber. We could not--”
“No one will ever even think to try to take them from you. I want to help take care of them. They are half mine and I believe I deserve something more than sending gifts. I believe I deserve to be in their lives daily.”
Andy clears his throat and sighs. “I want that, too. Then there’s our parents. They are beyond anxious to meet Shane and as soon as they find out about that little guy in there, him as well. Please, reconsider and let us in, Ms. Atkins.”
“Kendra,” Kendra whispers.
“I’m Andy.”
“Very well, Andy. I’m going to trust the two of you with my sons but I… I need…”
“You want something in writing?”
“Only if it’s iron clad. Share them, not one-sided, ever. And don’t even think about hurting them. If you’re in, then you’re in. No disappearing and no broken promises. I never have with him and neither will you. Either of you. You promise him something then you follow through. Deal, Les?”
“Deal, Kendra.”
“Deal, Andy?”
“It’s a deal, Kendra,” Andy grins. “Nicola has no complaints about her Uncle Andy or her Uncle Les.”
“All right. Let me talk to Shane for a minute. Stay here, I’ll be back soon.”
“Thanks, Kendra. You won’t regret this, I promise.”
“I hope not, Les.”
Kendra made several attempts to stand then giggled.
“A little help, please?”
Les and Andy laughed with her as they stood.
Chapter THIRTEEN
Nice to Meet You
After the guys freed her from the comfortable recliner, Kendra went up the stairs and stopped at the landing, breathing heavily as she rubbed her belly. Walking to Shane’s room, she paused at the door and prayed that this would go well. Her son, if he agrees, is going to meet his father tonight and the outcome could go either way.
Kendra took a deep cleansing breath and entered the room. Shane was too engrossed in the game to notice her as she sat behind him on his bed.
“Shane? Shut that off. I need to talk to you.”
“Now? But Mom, I just defeated--”
“Now, Shane.”
“Okay,” Shane sighed as he stood. He shut off the game with a long face then sat on his bed and held his chin as he watched his mother carefully.
“Shane… um… your father is here and he wants to meet you. In person. Him and his twin brother.”
Shane’s eyes widened. “They do?”
“Yes, baby boy, they do. They’re downstairs and they want it to happen right away. That was them knocking on the door.”
“Why now, Mom?”
“Your father, he loves you and misses you. They both feel that way.”
“Do… does my father still want to take me from you?”
“What are you talking about, Shane?” Kendra frowned. “Who said that?”
“I figured it out, Mom. When we came here, you said someone wanted to take something that belonged to you. The only thing that you brought with you is me.”
Kendra held back tears as she rubbed he son’s soft curly hair. “Shane, you are too smart for me,” she whispered. “No, baby boy, he doesn’t want to take you from me. I got it wrong. He just wants to be in your life.”
�
�He missed my birthday this year. I didn’t even get a card, Mom. I thought he forgot about me.”
“No, he didn’t miss it,” Kendra sighed. “It’s my fault. I didn’t tell him we were in Daytona for your birthday and he’s late with your gift. His present this year is him; he wanted to surprise you. He’s living in Thousand Oaks now and he wants to be around you and the baby forever.”
“He’s my brother’s father, too?”
“He is,” Kendra nodded.
“That’s cool,” Shane grinned then frowned. “Where’s Thousand Oaks?”
“It’s about forty-five minutes away from Santa Monica.”
“That’s a lot closer than the Philippines, huh?”
“It is,” Kendra laughed. “He’s going to be so close to you now and he will always make himself available, whenever you or your baby brother needs him. He promised me that. And his brother.”
“Okay,” Shane nodded. “Do you want me to meet them, Mom?”
“I do, Shane. I think that would be the greatest thing to happen to you. Outside of your brother, that is. But the decision on whether or not to meet them is yours.”
“I want to, Mom. I want a dad, too. When can I see him?”
“Now if you want, baby. He’s in the den. So is his brother.”
“What’s my uncle’s name?”
“He’s your Uncle Andy.”
“What’s my dad’s name again?”
“Charles Christian Ford, but most people call him Les.”
Shane nodded then smiled nervously. “Okay, I’m ready.”
“Good, let’s go,” Kendra smiled at her little boy who was not so little anymore.
“Nervous much?” Andy chuckled at his brother as he paced Kendra’s small den.
“Cool it, Andy,” Les snarled. “It’s not every day a man meets his ten-year-old son.”
“True, but he’s going to love you. You remember how we were at ten about Dad.”
“I do remember but Dad has been in our lives since our birth.”
“That’s true,” Andy nodded. “You didn’t bring up the name change with Kendra. Change your mind about that?”
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