by Tia Siren
Chapter 33
Evan
I awoke happy with a smile on my face. It had been forever since I’d felt that way. The last time had been when me and Piper spent a night together when we were younger. Over ten years since I woke up happy! Wow, that must be some kind of record.
I laid there and basked in the feeling. It felt good, and I could easily get used to it. The peaceful silence broke when my phone burst into life. I’d received a message from the Baby Maker site. Piper stirred and pulled the bedsheet around her. She rolled over. I wrapped her in my arms and pulled her closer to my body. I was going to disable the message service from the site, and I wanted her to be a witness, just for her peace of mind. We needed it to be over.
“What are you doing?” Piper asked, her voice thick with sleep.
“Look, I’m disabling the messenger service from the Baby Maker site,” I replied, tightening my grip on her.
“Wow, you’re serious?” she asked.
“I have never been more serious about anything in my life,” I said, hugging her harder.
“That will be a refreshing change,” she said, grinning.
“Maybe I can’t change the past, but I can make sure the future is okay. Our future.”
Piper reached up and placed her warm lips onto mine. I held her close while we embraced.
“What happens when I become pregnant?” Piper asked.
“We will cross that bridge when we come to it. I’m sure we’ll find a way around whatever we may face.”
“You won’t leave me?” she asked, her eyes madly in love with mine.
“Never,” I said. “I’ll always be with you and be by your side.”
Me as a dad. Are you sure, Evan?
As good as the conversation felt, I could still not picture myself being a child’s father, no matter whose kid it was. Maybe my personal history still messed with my mind, but the feeling wasn’t there.
“When I think about it though, I think the child will be better off without me being around,” I said. “I’m not the best fatherly figure in the world.”
“I can’t believe you feel that way,” Piper said. “I can’t believe you even said that.”
“But that’s the way I feel,” I said. “I can’t picture it.”
“I thought you always wanted to be with me. I figured I was the one.”
“I did, and you’re all that I ever wanted. It’s just, I’ve never felt the urge to have children.”
“Well, I am never going to give up on my dream, no way,” Piper murmured.
“I would never expect you to,” I said. “That’s one of the things that makes you unique, Piper. You never give up on what you believe. Rest assured, though. I’ll be there, no matter what you need. I’ll always provide and do the best I can.”
I’ll be there for you, even if we are not together, baby girl. I love you, Piper.
“You never know,” she said. “You may change your mind at a later date. It could be different if you actually see a child of yours.”
My defenses were starting to go up. This wasn’t the right time to be talking about this. I didn’t want kids. Full stop. The more she tried to convince me to want them, I would push harder against the idea.
“Piper, can we please put a pin in this conversation? It’s little too heavy and too deep for this time of morning.”
“We can, but why leave it till later?” she asked, seriously.
Keep your calm. Shit! Not again.
“If we keep walking down this road, we will end up arguing and fighting again. That is the last thing I want.”
“Okay, it makes sense, I suppose. It’s still a bit early.”
“I’ll tell you what it’s time for, though,” I said.
“Go on, tell me,” she said, grinning.
“Shower time!”
“Shower time?” she asked, biting her lip. “You know what that means?”
I rolled over and kissed her heartily; I pulled her close. Piper flung her arms around my neck, and her breasts pushed into my chest.
“No time like the present,” I said.
“Get the water warm, and give me a shout,” Piper said.
I kicked off the bed sheet and swung my legs from the bed. I walked toward the bathroom and I heard Piper behind me.
“Nice firm ass you have there,” she said, laughing.
I looked over my shoulder and slapped my ass playfully. She giggled and gave me a whistle.
Piper rolled over and pulled the bedsheet over her head.
“No rush,” she said. “I’ll just snooze while I’m waiting for the water to warm up.”
I turned on the faucet, and the water began to run. I rested my hands on the basin and looked at myself in the mirror.
Evan, can you believe this is happening to you after all this time? You have always loved Piper, and now after ten long years, there is a chance. But she’ll have a child. How do you feel about that? Can you actually handle being able to see a child grow up, knowing it’s yours? Christ, or are you going to put it in the box with the rest of your offspring?
My mind drifted as the water warmed up. The mist on the mirror slowly blocked out my reflection. I wiped the mirror for one final glance at myself. Beads of water gathered and ran down the steamy glass. The dripping water looked like tears superimposed onto my image.
I tested the water temperature; it was nice and hot. It was just the thing to warm our bodies from the coolness of the apartment.
“Water’s ready,” I called to Piper.
“Okay, coming now,” she called back.
I stepped into the shower and waited for her to arrive. Piper placed her hands on the doorframe and smiled at me.
“So, are you ready for me now?” Piper asked with a sly wink.
I looked from the shower, her body silhouetted against the light behind her. Her womanly curves aroused me. I glanced over her body, the small bulge of her pussy outlined by the shadow from behind her.
Fuck, she’s so sexy.
“Ready when you are,” I replied.
Piper walked seductively to the shower. She placed her foot inside.
“Nice and hot, just like my man,” she said.
Piper stood with the hot water cascading over her body. Her long, wet, auburn hair clung to her back. I reached for the loofah; the soap fell to the shower floor.
“I’ll get it,” she said.
Piper bent for the soap; she stood up straight. She wobbled and placed her hands on the glass of the shower.
“Evan, I don’t feel right,” she said.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
I steadied Piper on her feet. She placed her hand on her head.
“I think the change in temperature is too much. I feel all dizzy. I’ll be okay.” She paused and smiled. “Maybe you should grab me a pregnancy test.”
Her words shocked me. I’d never heard them before. They were totally alien to my ears.
“Of course, let’s get you off your feet, first,” I replied.
I grabbed Piper’s bathrobe, and we stepped from the shower. She wrapped it around her wet body. I steadied her as I walked her back to the couch.
“There is a pharmacy one block down,” she said. “They will be open now.”
I quickly dressed and headed to the pharmacy. The pharmacy was still closed; ten more minutes and they would be open. The fresh morning air misted my breath. I was so nervous. I could see a person walking toward the pharmacy. Thank god, they were coming. My fingers and toes started to feel the effects of the chill on my body.
Or am I nervous?
The pharmacy opened, and I dashed inside.
“Pregnancy test, please,” I said to the lady.
“What type do you want, sir?” the woman asked.
“Is there a difference?” I asked.
“Sure is. There are ones that are manual check. You have digital, and then there are the ones that you test at the time of your cycle.”
Geez. So many choice
s for something so simple. There should be an app for this.
“From the look of you, you need an immediate result,” the lady said.
“That’s the one, a quick result,” I replied, feeling more nervous than before.
“Digital or manual?” she asked.
Fucking hell, woman. Hurry up! I was becoming really agitated; this was taking the woman too long.
“Just give me one of each,” I said quickly.
“You’re in a rush,” the woman said as she handed me the change.
I ran back to Piper’s apartment. Shit. I had forgotten the key. I pushed the button on the intercom.
“Hello,” she said.
“Open up, I have the tests.”
The buzzer sounded, and the lock on the door pinged open. I rushed up the stairs and ran into the apartment.
“What you got in the bag?” Piper asked, grinning. “Evan, did you go get breakfast?”
“The damned woman in the pharmacy, she was taking forever,” I replied.
I handed Piper the paper bag. She tipped the contents onto the couch beside her.
“I just bought one of each to be safe,” I said, smiling.
Just think if you had done this with all your clients?
I helped Piper to her feet. She slowly walked to the bathroom. I heard the door close behind her. Silence filled the room, and I thought about the situation. I had not wanted kids, but I was excited for Piper. The whole feeling felt very strange. It was difficult not to be caught up in Piper’s excitement. This was what she’d always wanted. The chance to have a child. My child.
Piper was still in the bathroom, and my cell phone rang.
“Hello,” I said.
“Susan Reynolds,” the voice said on the other end of the phone. “Remember me?”
How the fuck could I forget? Dear lord, you are a freaking psycho.
“I told you not call me ever again,” I snapped.
“I see your attitude hasn’t changed,” she snapped back. “Once a dick, always a dick.”
“Think whatever you want. You broke the agreement. Not me.”
“Still think you’re Mr. fucking know-it-all?” she asked.
“I’m just following the agreement,” I said. “The letter of the law will always be right.”
“I just wanted—”
I hung up on her and turned off the cell phone.
Fuck her; there is no harm she can do.
I threw the cell phone onto the couch. I heard the door open on the bathroom.
Piper walked into the living room and sat beside me on the couch. She placed the test on the coffee table, and we waited. She inched herself closer to me, and I took her hand. She gripped my hand tight and gazed into my eyes.
“How long?” I asked.
“Just a few minutes,” she said.
I checked my watch; it was as if the world had turned to slow motion. The second hand moved slowly around the face of the watch.
One minute.
I stared at my watch. The seconds ticked by.
Two minutes.
The second hand moved toward the twelve. Just one minute to wait and we would have the result.
Three minutes.
I looked at Piper, and she looked at me.
“What now?” I asked.
“We look,” she replied.
“And how do we know?” I asked.
“I used both,” she said. “The digital is still in the bathroom, and this one here has a mark that shows up.”
Piper reached for the test and looked at the gauge. She turned her head and looked into my eyes.
“Well, what is it?” I asked.
Piper’s face was neutral, no sign of emotion.
“Oh, fuck!” she said.
“What?” I asked, nervously.
“I’m pregnant!”
Chapter 34
Piper
I woke up after having cried all night, just like the past few mornings. I walked into the bathroom and glanced at my reflection in the mirror. God, my eyes were all puffy from the countless tears I’d shed throughout the night.
I should have met Jules to see how the final preparations had been going in the nursery. Not my nursery. The one I’d been working on for the client who first told me about the Baby Maker. The work had progressed well and would probably only take a few more days before it was completed. Jules had been busy painting the final mural scene on the wall.
I thought back to Monday morning when Evan and I had found out the results of the pregnancy test. I had been excited at the result until I looked at Evan’s face.
He showed no reaction whatsoever, and it dawned on me. He must have heard those words hundreds and hundreds of times before. For me, it was the first time, but Evan was a seasoned veteran in that department. He sat on the couch with an entirely blank expression. It should have been a time for celebration, but he sat there with a face that wouldn’t be out of place at a poker table.
I’d asked him why he wasn’t excited and happy; he said he did not want to deal with it at that moment. He’d asked if I was okay and grabbed his things. He left my apartment without any sign of being happy or even any acknowledgment. It was weird. I had just told him I was pregnant.
I pulled out the designs for my own nursery. I’d been designing it ever since I found out Evan was the Baby Maker, and I’d signed the agreement. I was super happy with how the design was going.
I laid out the plans in front of me on my desk and ran my hand over the design sheets. I looked over the drawings and sketches, and I thought of how it would be once the child was born. Did I need to supply Evan with a sealed photo of my child? Was he going to go to his secret hiding place to file my child’s picture along with all the others?
The worst thought that entered my mind was that Evan would never want to see my child. Even though he had said he would be there, that would be more for support and financial needs. Physically, he would keep his distance and never be a part of my child’s life.
Piper, what sort of situation have you gotten yourself into? The concept was okay. But Evan knew how to complicate matters. You have known him all this time, and you’re having his child. The one person you had always dreamed of being with has no intention of wanting to know the life you have both created.
I should have gone with an anonymous father. Then, the amount of emotional aggravation would be far less.
I sat at my desk with my hands just running over the designs. I embraced the silence of my apartment until it was broken. Then my cell phone rang.
“Piper, its me Evan,” he said.
“Sorry, I’m not in the mood to talk to you at the moment,” I replied.
“I just want to say—”
I hung up on him and decided to call Jules. I had to let her know I was pregnant, and I had to tell her everything. I was ready for the tirade of abuse she was going to dish out.
“Nice to see you have finally made an appearance,” Jules said.
“I had a bad night,” I replied.
“You sick or something?” she asked.
“Or something,” I replied.
“You mean you’re actually pregnant?” she asked.
Yes, Jules, I’m finally pregnant. I’m closer to my dream.
“I am. I found out on Monday.”
“Well, congratulations,” she said, excitedly.
I smiled. Of course, Jules would be over the moon for me.
“And who is the father? Or is that a dumb question?”
“It’s quite silly,” I said. “Its Evan’s.”
“So, a fairytale in the making?” she asked with her overly happy tone.
“Not exactly, it’s a little more complicated than that,” I answered.
“Why?” she asked.
You will not believe how complicated it has been.
Get ready for the millions of questions and aspersions that will be cast.
“He owns a business that impregnates women,” I said.
; “I thought you wanted the more natural, sexual way of doing it,” she replied, confused.
“I did, and that is what he does,” I said.
“You mean, Evan’s job is fucking for a living?” she asked. She was actually shocked.
“Sort of,” I said. “Well, yes.”
“Geez Piper, how did you ever fall for that one?” she asked.
I have no idea how it happened actually. It just happened. Not even me or Evan could have expected this.
“I’m not sure,” I said, truthfully. “I found this website called Baby Maker, and applied.” My stomach tied itself up in knots.
“Yeah, and how did you end up with Evan?” she asked.
“Well, I had to send my photo,” I said. “And then you remember the day after the party? You know, I tried to call as I was going to meet him, and you never answered your phone.”
“So, it’s my fault?” she asked.
“Don’t be silly. I went to the meeting place, and Evan walked up to me. I was so excited to see him after all that time. He asked to join me, and I told him I was waiting for someone. He slipped me his Baby Maker card.”
“So, he works for this company?” she asked.
“No, there is only him,” I said. “He has a lot of children roaming about.” My stomach made a rollercoaster loop.
“Holyfuck, and you’re having another one?” she asked.
“It looks that way now, and I’m scared he won’t want to see it once it’s born. The contract says—”
“Contract? God, what contract?”
“I had to sign a contract saying he is not liable for anything once the child is born,” I said. Okay. My stomach felt really sick now.
“The fucking worthless piece of crap. This is your baby, not just some stranger’s.”
“Don’t blame him too much,” I said. “It’s more my fault.”
“He’s just using women for sex. That’s all this is. He just fucks them and lets them go.”
“Jules, stop it,” I said. “He’s been good to me.”
“Well, I think it’s wrong. How can he treat you this way? God, the jerk off.”
“Jules, can you please stop talking about him like that,” I said. “It’s more complicated than you think.”
“How many other women has he cheated on you with since you’ve been seeing him?” Jules pressed angrily.
