by Ancelli
She looked stunned. “Your friend, Shannon.” She jumped up off the sofa, shaking her head. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. All this time….”
“It happened once, we were drunk. I told you, and you didn’t react like this then. She’s just my friend.” He said getting up.
“A friend that you fucked, the one that’s like family.” She laughed sarcastically. “Why tell me now?” She glared at him. He saw it in her eyes she’d figured it out. “No, please don’t tell me…her baby…”
“Yes, he’s mine,” he said, trying to grab her hand.
“Don’t touch me.”
“Karen, this happened before we got married. I know that’s no excuse. It was a mistake, but I can’t regret my son.”
“You can’t regret him…why? I want you to get a blood test.”
“Karen, I don’t need a blood test. He’s the spitting image of me.”
“Newborns don’t look like anyone.”
“This newborn does.”
“Why didn’t she tell you? I bet she didn’t know who the father was.”
“She didn’t tell me because of us. She didn’t want what’s happing now to happen. She was going to tell me, but she found out we lost the baby, and then that we couldn’t have children. She didn’t want to hurt you.”
“Oh, so now it’s my fault? Because I can’t have kids?” she yelled.
“Karen, I didn’t say that. I’m just trying to explain her intentions. She should have told me the truth from the beginning, but I can’t change the past. He is here now.”
“Walk away from him.”
“Karen, how can you ask me to do that? What kind of man would I be to abandon my child? Sorry, but I can’t do that. I love that baby already.”
“You love him? But you just found out!”
“Karen, please don’t ask me to choose, please. I care about you, and I know we can work through this. Remember, for better or worse,” Matt said, trying to get closer to her.
“Get your things and get out!” Karen yelled at him.
“Karen, don’t do this, we need to talk.”
“I want you to leave this house.”
“Karen, I care about you.” He went up the stairs and quickly packed, throwing the first things he could grab into his gym bag.
Before he walked out of the house, she said. “You walk away from him, or me. Choose.”
He turned and left, looking back in guilt, but not regret.
***
Matt entered the hospital room, looking for the baby. “Where is he?”
“The nurse took him to nursery to clean him up. What happened? Are you okay?” Shannon leaned up on the bed.
“I just had to tell my wife, who can’t have a baby, that my friend and I just had one together. How do you think I feel?” He raised his voice, turning away from her, trying to get his emotions in check.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cause you any more problems,” she sighed. “That’s why I never wanted you to know.” She held on to the bed and slid off in pain, heading to the bathroom.
“Shannon, I’m sorry. It’s not your fault.” He turned around to face her, but she wasn’t in her bed. He looked around and noticed she’d gone into the bathroom. He walked over to the bathroom door and put his forehead to the wood. He could hear her crying. He felt bad for making her cry, it wasn’t his intention. He hadn’t meant to blame her or accuse her. He knocked on the door and opened it, to see her sitting on the toilet with her hands over her face. He walked over and kneeled down in front of her. “I’m sorry.” He moved her hands. “It’s not your fault.” He wiped her tears.
“I’m so sorry. This is what I tried to avoid. I don’t want you to feel guilty about him. You don’t have to be involved.”
“Shannon, he’s my son. He’s everything I’ve wanted and thought was gone.” He leaned forward, hugging her. “Everything is going to be fine. I promise.”
She whispered, “It’s not…my parents, you, your wife….” She covered her face with her hands. “They all hate me.”
He rubbed her back. “I don’t hate you. I may be disappointed, but I can never hate you, Mamita,” he said, pulling away from her. “We’re going to be fine, I promise.” He cupped her face, gazing into her red-rimmed eyes.
Andrew came into the bathroom too, holding a big wrapped box. “What’s going on? Is the baby okay?”
Shannon looked up at Andrew and started combing her hair with her fingers. Matt could tell she was uncomfortable with his brother being there.
“Yes he’s perfect. Andrew can you wait outside, we’ll be right out,” Matt said. Andrew backed out closing the door.
Matt helped her up, fixing her hair, and wiping her face. “You look beautiful for just having my baby.” He opened the door and helped her to the bed, where he tucked her in.
“Sorry about that, we just needed to talk.” He said pulling up the sheets on her legs.
“You needed to talk in the bathroom?” his brother said, looking over at the both of them with a grin on his face.
“What’s in the box?” Matt asked him.
“A gift for my one and only nephew,” he said proudly.
“Thanks,” Shannon said, yawning.
“I just saw him. He’s the most beautiful baby in that nursery.”
“I know, he’s my son.” Matt smiled from ear to ear feeling proud of his little boy.
“Shannon, do you need anything?” Andrew asked her.
“No, I’m just still a bit tired.” She yawned again.
“Go to sleep, Mamita.” Matt walked over and kissed her on her forehead. “I’ll be outside.”
Matt and his brother stepped outside the door. “Matt, do you have feelings for Shannon? Don’t bullshit me.”
“She’s always been more than a friend to me.” He placed his hand in his pants pocket.
“You didn’t say no.”
“I don’t know what I feel for her, but something changed when she gave birth to my baby.”
“Are you sure you have feelings for her? Or is it just about the kid?”
“Andrew, I really don’t know.”
“You have to figure that shit out. Look, let’s go check on Matthew.”
***
Karen stopped by the desk and told the nurses she was family, given them his full name and they let her by.
Karen swung open Shannon’s hospital room door. “You bitch!”
Shannon opened her eyes and looked over at Karen. She sat up in a little bit of discomfort.
“How could you do this to me? What have I ever done to you? You fucked my husband and gave him a child.” She moved closer taking long strides over to her bed.
“Karen, say what you came to say to me because this is going to be your only chance. I know you’re hurt, and for that, I’m sorry. I can’t change the past.” She stared at her with sympathy. “I’m not even going to try and explain myself because I know nothing I say will make you feel better. We’re just friends.”
“Did you get pregnant on purpose? Is it child support? He is not going to leave me for a woman like you—look at you. I can’t believe you would seduce my husband. You’re nothing more than a whore, a gold digger!” she yelled, moving closer and balling her fist.
“Karen, what the fuck is wrong with you?” Andrew snapped coming through the door, with Matt behind him. “You’re at a hospital yelling at a patient. I know you’re hurt, but that doesn’t give you the right to come here and accuse Shannon of being a gold digger. It takes two to tango. Matt is just as guilty as Shannon.” He stared at Karen.
“How did you get in?” Matt walked up to Karen. “Let’s talk someplace else.”
“No!” Karen yelled.
“Look, Karen, take your husband’s advice and step out the room. What made you think that Shannon wants Matt’s money? Just in case you didn’t know, Shannon has more money than the three of us put together. She doesn’t need his money.” He walked over to Shannon’s bed. “Karen, you�
��re my sister-in-law. I like you, and like I said, I know it hurts, but right now is not the time.”
Matt looked over at Shannon. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay, Matt. I deserve it, but this is the first and last time I will let Karen talk to me like that.”
Matt grabbed Karen by the arm and led her outside. “Karen, what was that? She just had a baby. I know you’re mad at us, but here, now?”
“You must be kidding me. I’m your fucking wife, Matt, me not her. She might have given you a bastard son, but you’re mine.” She grabbed his hand.
“Karen, I’m not turning my back on my son. You need to decide if we can work through this or not.”
The nurse walked up to the room with the baby in her arms. “Good morning, Mr. Johnston. Your son is all cleaned up. May I see your id bracelet?” The nurse asked, and then check to make sure it matched with the baby. “Do you want him or should I take him in?”
“I’ll take him.” He extended his arm, as she handed the baby over. “Thank you.”
“He might be hungry soon.” She went towards the nursery.
“Karen, this is my son, Matthew,” he said proudly.
“He’s precious.”
“Karen, I know we can work through his. He didn’t ask to be here. He’s not to blame. Don’t take it out on him.”
“He has your eyes. I guess he’s what you always wanted. I should finally be happy I don’t have to worry about adoption or surrogacy.” She paused between tears. “I can’t do this right now. I have to go.” She rushed away to the elevator.
Chapter Thirteen
Karen reached for her cell phone on the way out of the hospital. "We need to talk. I’m coming over.”
Half an hour later, she ran breathlessly up the stairs and knocked on his door.
He opened the door, and she jumped into his arms. “I’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you too. What happened?” He closed the door behind her.
“Our plan is falling apart.” She threw her purse on the chair. “He just found out he has a baby.” She sat down on the loveseat. “I can’t compete with a baby.”
“Karen, our plan is working. He’s in love with you.” He sat next to her. “You only have to hold on a year and a half more. After that, you’ll file for divorce and half of everything he owns will be yours, including the trust his grandfather left him. He refused the trust fund because he didn’t want anything from his mother's family, so his grandfather made changes to the trust, and I saw the stipulations, it stated that any children he may have will get half and the other half would go to his wife if he ever got married, if they stayed married more than two years.” He sat next to Karen. “It’s not our fault they didn’t pay attention to the clause in the pre-nup I had changed.” He laughed.
“He married me because he thought I was pregnant, and at the time I faked that pregnancy, I didn’t know how much he really wanted kids until I told him I’d had a miscarriage. Maybe we should’ve had a baby and told him it was his before I got sterilized.”
“Karen, we agreed—no kids. They would only be in our way.”
“I know, but you should’ve seen the way he looked at that baby. I can’t believe he slept with that black bitch. When he told me he’d cheated on me before our wedding, I never imagined it was with her. ”
“Do you have feelings for him?” He just looked at her, waiting for her answer. “Because if you do, it would spoil everything we’ve worked so hard for.”
“I don’t have feelings for him,” she lied. “I love you.”
“You’re going to go back to him and tell him you’re willing to forgive him, and you better be the best wife. You can’t have kids, and he has one. Shouldn’t he finally be happy? It will be over soon.” He moved closer, kissing her. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” she said, kissing him back. In that moment she began to realized that she also cared for Matt. This can’t be happening, I can’t have feeling for him.
She held her breath, wondering if he could read her mind. But he leaned down and picked her up, then carried her into the bedroom and closed the door behind them.
Chapter Fourteen
“Dad,” Matt said, getting up from the chair next to Shannon's bed. He walked over to his father and hugged him.
He hugged him back. “Where’s my grandson?”
Matt moved to the bed. “Here he is.” His father followed.
Shannon turned him over so his grandfather could see him. “Hi, Mr. Johnston. Meet your grandson, Matthew.”
He bent down and kissed her cheek. “May I?”
“Of course.” She handed him over.
He took the baby in his arms and began rocking him. “I don’t care how he got here. I will not judge either of you. I’m a grandfather, even if you gave me short notice,” he said, looking at both of them. “He has the Johnston stamp. Look at those big green eyes! You can’t ever deny he’s your son.”
“I would never, Dad.”
“I know, I didn’t raise you like that,” he said, gazing at the baby and then watching his son. “I have a grandson. My son is a father.”
“I still can’t believe it myself.” Matt glanced at Shannon.
“Sorry I can’t stay longer. I have a meeting.” He kissed Matthew and gave him back to Shannon. “When will you be leaving?”
“We leave tomorrow. Two days in here was long enough,” she said, taking the baby.
“Can I come by and visit my grandson?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Thank you.” He hugged her. “Matt, can I talk to you for a second? Shannon, I’ll call you to see when I can come by.”
“Okay.”
The two men stepped outside to talk.
“Matt, did you talk to your wife?” His dad looked at him.
“Dad, I tried. She wants me to walk away from him,” he said, placing his hands into his pockets.
“You need to put yourself in her shoes, son. Give her some time to let everything sink in. She just found out a few months ago she can’t have kids, and now you have one. Shannon gave you the one thing Karen will never be able to.”
“So you’re trying to tell me to abandon my son?”
“I would never tell you that. I raised you to take care of your responsibilities; it’s not the baby’s fault you screwed up. He is the only innocent person in this mess. She’s just mad at you right now. She’s not thinking straight. If you did what she asked you to, then you’re not the man she thought you were. I have to leave, but we’ll talk more. He is precious. By the way, your mother called me and asked me if it’s true you’d made her a grandmother. Why haven’t you called her?”
“She’s never really been a mother to me. She might have given birth to me, but that’s all. You’re the only parent I have.”
“Son, she is still your mother. Call her.” He hugged him. “I love you, son.”
“Me too.”
Matt walked back into the room. Shannon was up, putting the baby in the Isolette. “Why didn’t you wait until I came back?”
“I’m not impaired. I can do things for myself. I’ll be going home tomorrow, and it will be him and me.” He could tell she was in a little bit of discomfort, by the way she gripped the sheets as she leaned on the bed.
“I know you can do things by yourself, but you just had a baby.” He stared at her.
“A lot of women have babies every day. I’m fine.”
“Did I do something to you? I’ve tried to be understanding, under the circumstances.”
She couldn’t look him in his eyes. “Sherry is going to pick us up tomorrow morning. You don’t have to come by.”
“But I wanted to take you guys home.” He moved closer to her.
“I don’t need you to. Please just go home and work things out with your wife. You can call me when you want to come see him.”
“I know you don’t need me to, but I want to. What’s wrong? Where did this change in attitude come from?” He touched he
r hand.
She pulled her hand away. “Please leave.”
“Shannon.” He said confused. What happened to make her act like this?
“Matt, I will never keep him away from you, now that you know….”
“I don’t know what happened from the time I stepped out of this room and came back in, but since you asked me to, I’ll leave. I’ll be by your house tomorrow to see him.” He walked over to the Isolette, kissing Matthew. “See you tomorrow, mi ángel. Te amo. See you tomorrow, Shannon.” He turned and left.
A tear ran down Shannon’s cheek. She should have told him his mother had called while he was outside the room speaking to his father. His mother had started talking, not letting her get a word in.
If you think you’re going to trap my son by having his bastard child, you’re mistaken. Neither your son nor you will get your hands on my money. What type of woman are you, opening your legs for a married man and letting him get you pregnant? I believe you didn’t know who the baby’s father was until you gave birth. You will never come close to a classy woman like Karen. My son will never leave her for you. He just needed to get his fantasy of sleeping with a black woman out the way.
At that point, Shannon had hung up the phone.
Why didn’t I hang up sooner?
“Matthew, what have I done?”
Chapter Fifteen
Three days later
Matt parked his car behind Shannon’s car, watching her house, trying to figure out why she wouldn’t answer his phone calls. He went by Shannon’s every day, wanting to see Matthew, but she was never there. He tried calling her parents’ house, and her dad would hang up on him. His thought was interrupted when his cell rung, picking it up.
“Hello,” he answered.
“Hi son, it’s your mother.”
He was surprised to hear from her.
“Is it true?”
“Is what true?” He knew what she was asking, but wanted to hear her say it.
