by King, Imani
I turned my phone on and was surprised to see a similar number of texts from Tiffany and several voicemails from my pop. Most of Tiffany’s messages were vague and hinted at something important that she wanted to tell me. I figured my dad’s most likely had to do with the new engagement photos that were probably already in his morning newspaper. The coward in me decided to listen to his messages later .
“I guess we better head back to the real world, now Blaize. We seem to be in desperate demand !”
He was busy listening to his voicemail. His sexy lips parted in surprise before the cute little corners of his mouth turned up into a very self-satisfied grin .
“Looks like the movie studio wants me to sign on as an associate producer! Ka-Ching! I’m most definitely down for that! But it does necessitate an even greater need for an extended visa .”
“How is the script coming along, anyway ?”
“I’m making good progress, but I have to tell you Chelsea, you are an abnormally time-consuming distraction. I really should be much further ahead with it than I am. Don’t you think we should set a date for our marriage pretty soon ?”
It was time for me to put my cards on the table .
“Blaize, do you think we might be able to take a trip up to San Francisco to see my dad? I feel like I just can’t be comfortable with everything, without him meeting you first. He’s just too important to me .”
27
Blaize
T he final Los Angeles area book signing promotion was at a very upscale bookstore in Brentwood. The line of fans outside the door snaked down the block as usual. But my mind was elsewhere. Chelsea had texted me earlier that morning saying she wasn’t feeling well, but would try to make it. She said at the very least, Tiffany would be able to do the event .
I nervously awaited French Chocolate. I knew Tiffany could easily handle the crowd alone but I couldn’t bear the idea of Chelsea being sick. I was expecting Rolande soon, as well. He had been consumed with all the legal meetings for the film the last few days and we had barely had a chance to talk. The store owner would be opening the front doors in less than 30 minutes .
Tiffany and Rolande both came in through the back entrance with carts full of French Chocolate pastries and candy. There was something different about their interaction with one another. It was flirtatious! After a few minutes observation it was obvious to me that their relationship had turned romantic. These two had clearly fucked each other !
Tiffany was all giggly and Rolande was buzzing around her like a little bee. They couldn’t keep their hands off each other for more than two minutes .
“Before I address the 2 of you, how is Chelsea? Is she okay ?”
“She has a nasty stomach flu, Blaize. She was green when I left her. I heard a lot of gut-wrenching noises coming from our bathroom .”
“And you left her by herself ?”
“She told me to go on without her. What could I do? She’s an adult. Adults get sick and have to stay by themselves sometimes. I asked our neighbor, Mrs. Macintosh, to check in on her in a couple hours and then call me .”
“Rolande, why can’t you go stay with her ?”
“I would happily do it, Blaize buddy, but the store owner wants me here for crowd control .”
“Fuck! I can’t stand the idea of Chelsea being home sick by herself .”
“She said she’d call me if she felt she really needed help. I’m sure Mrs. Mac will call also, if Chelsea starts feeling worse .”
I decided to give her a call before the people started stampeding in. Her phone rang a disconcerting number of times before she picked up .
“Hi Blaize. You really didn’t need to call me .”
“Of course I did! I have to hear your voice. How are you feeling ?”
“I’m feeling a little better. I’m thinking I might have eaten a bad banana .”
“A bad banana? Maybe you’re just eating too many fucking bananas! What else have you eaten this morning ?”
“Nothing. Well, besides some banana yogurt. And some coffee .”
“What? No banana bread ?”
“Don’t be silly. I just ate some crackers though. And maybe a banana muffin… That seemed to help a lot. I’m sorry I can’t be down there helping you today. And Blaize, thanks again for agreeing to go up to San Fran to meet daddy. It means a lot to me .”
“Don’t give it a second thought. I’m embarrassed that you had to ask. I should have insisted on it, myself. Anyway, you just stay home, rest and get well. Tiffany and Rolande can hold down the fort. Speaking of those two……..what’s been going on besides them obviously shagging each other ?”
“Well, that’s about it. That was Tiff’s important news she was dying to tell me about. When the limo stopped at our house to drop her off the other night…….well, they were both drunk and horny and she said they had been makin’ out in the backseat like teenagers. Anyway, she invited Rolande in and you can pretty much guess the rest .”
“I don’t know why, but I did not see that one coming. I guess I’ve been too caught up in my own French Chocolate affaire .”
“Blaize, I hate to cut you off but I’m feeling kind of nauseated again. I need to get to the restroom .”
“Can’t you just take me in there with you? This is a cell phone for Christ’s sake !”
“No! I’m not gonna have you listen in while I wretch! Good-bye Blaize !”
I put my phone in my jacket pocket and composed myself the best I could before the throngs of people were let in. Rolande was over at Tiffany’s dessert display, eyeing more than just the goodies on the table. I couldn’t resist lobbing a snide remark their way .
“Hey get away from her treats Rolande, don’t you think you’ve had enough free samples ?”
“You should talk, your royal dickiness !”
Tiffany burst out laughing .
“Snappy comeback Rolande! Touché Frenchman !”
The doors swung open and the crowds poured in. The event was going swimmingly, as expected. That pacified me for the afternoon, but it was certainly not enough to keep me from popping in to see Chelsea on my way home from the bookstore .
28
Chelsea
T he doorbell rang and I peered out through the lace curtains of the window. Mrs. Macintosh again? What did she want now? It was sweet of her to check on me earlier but there really was no need for a second visit. I opened the door and politely welcomed her back into the house .
“Mrs. Macintosh, how thoughtful of you to drop by again, but I’m doing much better now, really I am .”
“Chelsea, I thought maybe I should bring this over for you ?”
She held a small box in her outstretched hand .
“You brought me a pregnancy test ?”
“Yes dear. You seemed too sick to go to the drug store yourself .”
“So you went and bought this for me ?”
“No dear. You know, my niece Allie lives with me and she had this in her medicine cabinet .”
“Mrs. Mac, I’m not pregnant. I can’t be. I just ate something that disagreed with me .”
“Chelsea, god love ya, you poor naïve girl. Of course you’re pregnant. You have all the signs. Isn’t your period late dear ?”
“I’m can’t have kids, Mrs. Mac, and my period is highly irregular. I don’t even try to keep track of it anymore .”
“How about your breasts? Aren’t they sore and tender ?”
“Well, now that you mention it. They are actually .”
“Take the test Chelsea. You’ll see. I’m 78 years-old, and believe me, I know pregnant when I see it .”
“Okay, I’ll take it. But I’m sure you’re wrong. Wait here. I’ll be back in a few minutes and prove it to you .”
I had never taken a pregnancy test before, so I figured I had better read the directions. All I knew was that I had to pee on something and then wait for the results to appear .
I balanced precariously on the toilet seat and followed the
instructions. Then I placed it on top of the box I had set on the sink and began waiting the designated 3 minutes .
It was the longest 3 minutes of my life. I sat on the toilet seat, tapping my feet and chewing my nails. Why was I so nervous? Mrs. Macintosh was crazy! I couldn’t be pregnant. The doctors had told me it was a million to one. But why did she seem so adamant about it? And what was with that smug, know-it-all smile? Just cuz she’s old doesn’t mean she’s an expert !
I knew she had to be wrong. Damn that nosy Mrs. Mac. What business was it of her’s anyway? This whole thing was really making my stomach queasy, now. I looked at my watch. Time was up, but I was afraid to look. I picked up the tiny stick and held it in disbelief. A plus sign? A plus sign!! I read the box again, in denial. Sure enough; a plus sign meant positive. Just like it always does in math. And positive meant positively pregnant. I read the box a third time. 99% accurate! Huh? It couldn’t possibly be. Still holding the stick, my hand started to shake and I suddenly became too weak to stand up. I sat on the toilet in a complete daze .
Suddenly, a light tapping on the bathroom door woke me from my trance of utter disbelief .
“Chelsea dear? Are you all right? You’ve been in there a long time ………”
It was time to face the inevitable “I told you so” from my neighbor .
“Come on in Mrs. Macintosh.” My voice was quivering. “It looks like you were right. I am pregnant .”
“Of course you are dear. There was never any doubt in my mind .”
She placed her aged hand on my tummy. My eyes filled with tears .
“Are those tears of joy or tears of woe, sweetie ?”
“I’m not sure……. I don’t know how the father will take the news. Or my father either !”
“Well, congratulations anyway dear. Having a little one living next door is going to be wonderful! I’ll be on my way now, Chelsea. Do you need anything else ?”
“No thanks, Mrs. Mac .”
“Call me Edna, dear. And if you need anything at all, you just call me, ya hear ?”
“Thank you so much……Edna. I really appreciate your thoughtfulness .”
Before Edna could head out the front door, I stopped her and hugged her tightly. I felt like an ungrateful brat for the way I had prejudged her earlier. She really was a lovely, well-meaning lady and I was lucky to have her for my neighbor. Closing the door behind her, I contemplated what a huge deal this was. I had so much to think about. My head swirled with a dizzying myriad of thoughts .
A baby? Blaize and I made a baby together! We were going to be parents! I had given up on the idea of ever being a mother years ago. What will Blaize say when I tell him? Will he think I just trapped him into life-long support because he’s rich? Was there anything in that marriage contract about a pregnancy? How does he even feel about kids? He seemed to enjoy them, that day at the pier. But how did he actually feel about fatherhood? Did he have future plans of resuming his infamous playboy image ?
What about Tiffany? What was this going to do to our French Chocolate business plan? Could I successfully balance my career with motherhood? How will she feel about living with a baby in the house ?
And daddy! Oh my god, daddy! He would be disappointed in me, for sure. I needed to break the news to him in person. If he reads about it in the paper beforehand, he will have a heart attack. Blaize and I needed to keep the lid on this until we could tell him. It would be best not to tell a soul besides Tiff and Rolande. But shoot! Edna! Could we count on Edna not gossiping ?
29
Blaize
T here I was again, walking up to Chelsea’s house with flowers in hand. I had turned into quite the respectable suitor since I met her. A realization suddenly swept over me: The act of courtship was significantly different then the act of seduction. My heart was on my sleeve now, for everyone to see. I rang the doorbell and waited for my sick little sweetheart to open the door. Curiously, a neighbor lady stuck her head out onto her porch and waved and yelled “Congratulations!” at me. I smiled and waved back at her. Venice Beach was full of odd people !
Chelsea finally opened the door and I could immediately tell something was amiss. She had the strangest expression on her face; a peculiar combination of dread and secrecy. She took the bright spring bouquet from me and kissed my lips softly and lovingly .
“Thank you, Blaize. These are so pretty! You’re so sweet! Here, sit on the couch while I put them in some water .”
“I thought flowers might lift your spirits .”
“I’m sorry I’m still in my robe. I just didn’t feel quite up to getting dressed .”
“Please don’t apologize for wanting to be comfortable.” I yelled to Chelsea out in the kitchen. “Besides, you look lovely in that robe. Are you feeling any better, Chelsea? You still look a bit ill. Are you able to hold food down at least ?”
She came back into the living room carrying a colorful glass vase with the flowers spilling from it, and set it on the windowsill. Then she took a seat next to me on the sofa. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but there was just something unsettling about her. Her demeanor seemed evasive. She was avoiding eye contact with me .
“I’m feeling better than this morning, but still a little queasy. I had a small salad for lunch .”
“Why was your kooky neighbor shouting congratulations at me, by the way? Is she senile ?”
“The neighbor on the North side of me? In the white house with all the pretty rose bushes ?”
“Yes, that’s the one. Do you know her very well ?”
“That’s Mrs. Macintosh. She’s a sweet old lady .”
“Chelsea, what’s going on? You’re driving me fucking nuts! What aren’t you telling me ?”
We sat facing each other, knee to knee now. I lifted up her chin and turned her face toward me with my finger, forcing her to look me in the eye .
“What’s the matter ?”
I tried to make her laugh .
“Do I need to take you over my knee and spank it out of you ?”
That got a small smile out of her and she finally cracked .
“Blaize………..I’m pregnant. There, I said it. That’s why Mrs. Mac was congratulating you. She suspected that’s why I was sick and she brought me over a home pregnancy test. I took it and I got a positive result……..or a negative one, depending on how you feel about it .”
Her words rang out in my ears. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I, Blaize Simon, was going to be a father! Well, what do you know about that! I sat speechless on the couch as I processed the news until it finally occurred to me that every second gone by without a word, was probably torturous to Chelsea. Beautiful Chelsea……the woman carrying my baby. Our baby .
“Chelsea, I love you. You’ve made me the happiest man in the world !”
Her face lit up like I’d never seen it. She became positively radiant, exactly the way an expectant mother should look .
“Blaize, are you sure? I’ve been worrying all afternoon about how you were going to take the news. I never imagined this type of happy reaction .”
“Happy? Chelsea, I’m thrilled! I can’t wait to tell the world !”
I swept her up into my arms and waltzed her around the living room while she laughed .
“Stop Blaize, you’re making me dizzy .”
“Sorry! What was I thinking? I shouldn’t spin a nauseated pregnant lady around !”
I steered Chelsea back over to the sofa, and went to the kitchen to get her a glass of water .
“And you also shouldn’t tell the world about this yet, either. I will not have my daddy reading about this in the newspaper. We’ve got to go up and break it to him in person, before anybody else. Except Tiff and Rolande, of course. We can tell them .”
“You’re absolutely right!” I yelled back from the next room. “Well, we were planning on going up there this weekend anyway. Now we’ve really got some news for the old man !”
“So………it looks like my doctor
was wrong about me not being able to have kids. How ‘bout that ?”
I handed Chelsea her drink, chuckling at her comment .
“Perhaps you just never met a man with swimmers strong enough to crack one of your seriously hard-boiled eggs !”
We snuggled on the couch for a bit and then I treated the future mother of my child to a relaxing lavender lotion massage. Chelsea relaxed horizontally on her back while I rubbed the soothing scented cream into her smooth shapely legs .
“How is your nausea? How does your body feel overall? Any discomfort ?”
“My stomach is feeling much better. The only parts of me that feel uncomfortable right now are my breasts. They are pretty tender .”
“I can massage those for you too, if you want ?”
Chelsea undid the loose belt on her silk robe, displaying her luscious pendulum shaped breasts. My dick reliably hardened on cue .
I bent down over her and lightly kissed and licked her swollen tender tits. Fuck! She stirred my desire and carnal cravings like no other woman. But this time, my eyes looked upon her in a new and wondrous way. Her normally flat tummy was slightly swollen as well. It was now the awesome vessel that contained our child. Holy fuck! That was suddenly the sexiest fucking thing in the world to me .
“I’m looking a bit plump, aren’t I ?”
“Chelsea, you have never looked more fucking sexy .”
I gently rested my ear against her delicate navel .
“I think I hear the baby …….”
“No you don’t Blaize. It’s way too early for that .”
“Yes I do! It’s already talking……..it’s saying ‘My daddy is a horny bastard.’ Can’t you hear it ?”
“Now that you mention it, I think I do hear it .”
“I promise, I’ll be gentle with you, so I don’t make you sick to your stomach .”
“Slow and gentle. I don’t know if it’s the hormones or what, but mommy is feeling pretty horny too .”
