Chyna continued. “She had a plan for you. A plan that not only used you but destroyed my marriage.”
Her sister’s very grave tone of voice made Charisse turn. “How?”
“She was already sleeping with Parker. Making herself available to him, knowing his weaknesses and wants through me.” Pain filled her sister’s dark chocolate brown eyes. “Their affair lasted over a year before he told me he broke it off, but only after I made it known we were ready to have kids. In her journal three days after Parker ended the affair, she wrote a plan - a plan to get him to be with her forever. I made a copy of it.” She reached in her pants pocket and unfolded a paper to hand the copy to Charisse.
Opening up the paper, she recognized Cheyenne’s scribbling instantly.
1) Get probate court to ward Charisse to my custody.
2) Convince Parker that I can give him the baby, with Charisse help.
3) Convince Charisse to have Parker’s baby, by any means necessary
4) Turn Charisse against Chyna. Isolate her and then have Parker to myself.
There was even this weird drawing of a heart that had Cheyenne and Parker’s name in the middle of it. Obsessed, insane and something else came to mind, probably because Charisse had been around so many mental doctors in the past, but as she looked back up to the last sentence that was underlined, this opened a whole new speculation of things that were going on in Cheyenne’s mind.
“Are you going to help me?” Chyna asked. “Please, Charisse.”
“That’s why you took all the precautions? The locks, the redecoration of the house and the security. You wanted to make sure that I was safe - for the baby. So I couldn’t kill myself. That’s why you made sure Parker is so nice to me.”
“Parker nice? When?”
“Don’t play stupid.”
“You’re right about the precautions, Charisse. I wanted to make you safe for your own good.”
“Only for the baby, right? You could really care less about me.”
Guiltily, Chyna said, “Yes. It was all to ask this of you. I knew about my eggs viability way before this. I just pretended I didn’t know because I thought Parker would give up on this after so long. But he didn’t and he won’t. I know this and need to give him what he wants and that’s a child. You’re our only hope.”
Charisse turned to look back out of the back window. Her breakfast was forgotten and the need to eat was gone. Wondering deeply how to react and what to say.
Taking overly long to decide, Chyna assured, “They’ll wear gloves. No one will touch your skin.”
“And the baby?”
“If it goes perfectly, you’ll have a clean birth. I’ll be there the whole time, I promise.” Chyna stood next to Charisse. “Nothing good has ever happened to us. Ever. I’ve lived in a fairy tale all the while allowing you to live reality with the pain and suffering of the truth. She was a monster. She made us into what we are today, but I’ve got a chance with Parker to not repeat what has happened in the past.” She looked sincerely at Charisse. “If after nine months of it all and you still feel like killing yourself, I’ll let you. If you help me get a baby by any means necessary, Charisse, I’ll arrange for you to do it and make sure it’s done right. Just give me nine months, Charisse.”
Finally looking at her sister and liking what she heard, she said, “Fine, Chyna. I’ll agree to let you implant the egg.”
Chyna smile gratefully. “You really don’t know how happy you’ve made me.”
“And Parker can’t know about this deal either - about killing myself.” Charisse couldn’t understand why she could care about what Parker thought, but for some reason this seemed important to her.
“Fine,” she said. “Long as you don’t attempt to kill yourself.”
“Keep your promise, Chyna and I’ll keep mine. No one can know about me giving you the egg, either. And you aren’t tramping me in front of all your friends like some freak science experiment.”
“Really? That’s what you want? The secrecy is fine with you?”
“Yes. Do you think Cheyenne’s going to be at all happy knowing we took her plan?” Charisse asked.
“You’re right.” Chyna started clearing off the dishes. “So we’ll make the appointment as soon as I can get you to the doctor. I’ll call Dr. Redmond now and we’ll know soon if all this is possible.”
Looking back at the fall leaves, heavily wondering what had she really agreed to, Charisse said, “We’ll know.”
Chapter 7
“She agreed,” Chyna said triumphantly over the phone.
He almost dropped the phone because he was so stunned at what she had just said. He couldn’t believe Charisse had agreed to this. “And the doctor? What did Dr. Redmond say?”
“I called him right after Charisse and I finished talking. Charisse and I are on the way to see him for testing in about fifteen minutes.”
“Really? So soon?” Things couldn’t have happened any more perfectly.
Parker clung the phone to his chest. His fairy tale was coming true! He was so close to having what he wanted. Pulling the phone back to her ear, he asked, “How Chyna? What did you say to make her agree?” he asked perplexed.
“She’s my sister,” Chyna said obviously. “She understood how important it was for us.”
“But the touching. The doctor, nurses and the tests? What about that?”
“Their hands will be gloved. She knows that and they’ll be aware of her parameters. I know Dr. Redmond will work with us and get his staff to help us too. And if it’s a success she wants a home birth. I figure we could go up to the cabin. Out in the woods and use that place. It’s far away and secluded.”
“Really?” It couldn’t get any more perfect.
“But she said she wanted secrecy, Parker,” Chyna warned. “Even from Cheyenne. Charisse doesn’t want anyone to know.”
“How are we going to do that?” he asked.
Chyna answered. “If we could make it happen then we’ll have to some way hide her birth – even from Cheyenne.”
It sounded simple enough, yet thwarting Cheyenne didn’t seem right to Parker. Even if things had not been good in the past and still weren’t good between the sisters – partly because of him – Cheyenne was still a part of the family and had expressed recent concerns about Charisse, but he didn’t let his wife know this.
“You think that’s right to Cheyenne?” he questioned.
“Do you, Parker? Or do you really think Cheyenne would be on our side like she’s always been?” Chyna asked sarcastically.
Parker knew what her sarcasm was from, but as always he chose to ignore. “She’s your sister, Chyna. Your twin.”
“I’m not going to discuss this with you, Parker.” Her tone of voice was clearly angry.
Parker knew he had crossed the line, but she alone could push it farther.
She didn’t, but instead Chyna said, “I’m going to leave it at that, Parker. You decide what you’re going to do and whatever it is, I hope it’s in the best interest of our baby. I’m actually fighting for us.”
He almost asked why, but bit his tongue.
“We’ll meet you at the doctor’s today by three. They should be all done by then and the results should be ready.” Chyna said before disconnecting the line.
Parker knew what he had to do as he looked through his phone book and found the hotel where Cheyenne had checked herself in.
She answered on the second ring, but he was hesitant about speaking. “Parker, is that you, darling?”
“Yes, Cheyenne, it is,” he said. “We have to talk…seriously about us.”
***
Parker arrived just as the doctor was just receiving the test results at the lab.
Dr. Redmond was a short, bald black man with a gray goatee. He walked as if one leg was shorter than the other by one inch and he wore the thickest bifocals Parker had ever seen on a human. His voice was nasal as if he always had a cold.
“Hey there, Parker. Y
ou’re just in time. Your wife is joining me in the office, while Charisse is washing up. She wanted to clean herself thoroughly.”
Concerned, he asked in a little bit of disbelief, “She was alright with everything?”
“After I placed on double gloves because she said she could feel the warmth of my hands, she was almost comfortable. Before I proceeded I spoke with her doctor and he gave me some pointers, but as long as I was double gloved, she was fine throughout everything. She even allowed us to extract several viable eggs to test with your sample.”
Parker followed the doctor into the room to hear the test results. He greeted Chyna with a kiss on the cheek. She smiled stiffly just as nervous as he was.
“You could have gotten here sooner,” she snapped.
“You know I’m without an assistant and I haven’t had time to hire another one,” he explained.
She huffed in spoiled annoyance. “I hope this isn’t going to be your excuse for eighteen more years, Parker Sean Mills.”
Parker sat beside her and told himself just a few more minutes. A few more minutes until his fairy tale would be complete.
***
Light gray tailored fitted suit, with black shoes, black tie and a gray shirt. Perfectly dressed as always, she thought sneaking a peak at her brother in law.
Charisse closed the door she had cracked and walked slowly back over to the bed. She was very sore from the extraction, but the doctor had complimented her for her “beautiful eggs.”
The extraction hadn’t been what had caused the soreness, though. Dr. Redmond had almost jumped back in shocked once he had started the procedure.
“You’re a virgin?” he asked amazed.
Shyly, she said, “Yes.”
He frowned very concerned sitting back apprehensively. “I don’t think I would have agreed to this if I’d known you were a virgin.”
“You’re just implanting the egg. I don’t need a man rutting in me in order to have a baby,” she said obviously. “I was reading all your literature out there in the lobby.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m fine,” she said focused on the thought that in nine months everything would be over with. This pain was fine and if she had to deal with this in order to get the results that she wanted then she would gladly go through this.
He moved back up to her legs and finished the procedure.
Gripping the table now, she climbed back on the bed to wait for them to come in and let her know she could help them.
Unfolding the paper she had been clutching, she carefully read the journal entry. Convince Charisse to have Parker’s baby by any means necessary.
She repeated these last three words out loud.
“What will you be up to when you find out that your plan is thwarted?” Charisse wondered, talking to the mirror across from her bed.
Cheyenne was not the type to just give up. Obviously she had designs on Parker for a while and it did not start at the affair she seduced Parker in. Her sister had always been a planner.
Cold calculated and if wronged – deadly.
Memories of the time she spent with Cheyenne made her shudder. Cheyenne wanted her dead for only one reason and one reason only. That was her motivation for taking custody of Charisse.
“You’re better off dead,” whispered in her ear and Charisse closed her eyes to fight off the daymares.
***
Another blow.
“Her eggs were healthy, but they couldn’t be fertilized outside of the womb.”
“Shouldn’t we try the other methods now that we have the healthy eggs?” Parker questioned.
“And spend another five years doing this? Do you really think she’ll agree to that?!” Chyna jumped from her chair and hissed a vicious curse. “We have less than nine months Parker and we need to figure out something or we can kiss having a kid goodbye.”
Parker couldn’t think of any solution and looked at the doctor helplessly.
“Why is there a time limit?” Parker asked.
“That doesn’t matter,” she snipped in frustration, but then seemed to bite her tongue and force herself to calm down. “Charisse is only willing to do this one time for us and I don’t want to go through a lot of testing like I had to. It might upset her or further depress her if she’s repeatedly unsuccessful. So we have to try a method that we know without a doubt would work.”
Parker’s gut told him that his wife was hiding more to that false concerned story, but he chose not to go into it with her in front of the doctor.
Chyna suddenly snapped her fingers. “I got it!” she exclaimed and turned to the doctor. “Procreating is possible with him naturally, right?”
“Yes,” Dr. Redmond said uncomfortably. “But are you suggesting what I think you’re suggesting, Chyna?”
“What is she suggesting?” Parker asked confused, not at all liking the way the doctor was looking rather sick.
***
Charisse heard the bellowing and she became nervous. What could possibly be happening? The test results were bad.
“HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND WOMAN?!” Parker bellowed more.
What could have made Parker so angry? Unless Chyna waited until he came here to let him know Charisse had volunteered and he felt this was a crazy idea because Charisse was mentally unstable and he didn’t want any part of her.
That would be understandable. After a few more minutes Charisse couldn’t hear anything and her head was about to burst from trying to listen so hard.
Just as she stepped away from the door tired of trying to listen, the door to the room opened abruptly and Chyna came in.
“What’s going on? Why is Parker upset? Are you sure he agreed to this in the beginning?” Charisse knew she had said some evil things to him last night and then on top of that he knew she was insane. It would be easy to accept Parker not wanting anything to do with her having the baby.
Why would he want her to have his baby?
“He’s fine. He’s good,” Chyna assured her.
Charisse was no fool and she knew when Chyna was just blowing smoke up her ass. “He doesn’t sound as if he’s happy about it.”
“Charisse, please. Parker’s good, but … the results came back and– “
“You promised. Nine months you promised,” Charisse said angrily, thinking her sister was about renege on their agreement.
“It’ll just be nine months. You’ll get your nine months, just like I promised, Charisse, but how you’re getting pregnant has changed… slightly.”
***
Parker was still pacing when Chyna left the room to speak to Charisse. When he heard the scream he swore a gray hair shot out his dark brown hair and he stopped pacing to grip the back of the chair his wife had just been sitting in.
“The touch issue,” Dr. Redmond said. “Have you thought about the touch issue?”
“Yes…no…hell I don’t know.” He started to pace again. “I haven’t thought about anything. This is crazy. I shouldn’t– “
Another scream came from the room and he was tempted to go in there, but stopped himself.
“What should I do?”
“Do you really want this child, Parker?” Dr. Redmond asked.
“You know I do. And if Chyna says we don’t have time, we have to go with the fastest method.”
“But the touching– ”
Frustrated, he asked, “What? What do you want me to do? What the hell are you hinting at?”
Dr. Redmond sunk in the chair. “I don’t know. Her condition is more mental than physical and getting to her will be much harder, but if Chyna doesn’t feel we have that many months to test on her, then somehow you’re going to have to get to her faster than any other doctor has tried to get to her. And there’s one more thing that I promised I would never tell her sister.”
“One more?” he asked strained not knowing if he could take anymore bad news.
“She’s a virgin.”
Parker heard raised voices and he started
out the door, not knowing how to mentally digest that piece of information the doctor had just told him.
***
“He agreed to this?” Charisse asked incredulously, not believing what her sister was asking her to do after explaining why the process had failed. “You want me to have sex with your husband?”
“It’s not sex. It’s procreation. It’s a big difference,” Chyna said apathetically. “You’re not Parker’s type and you don’t like him. If I have no problem with it, then neither should you.”
“But it’s your husband!”
Chyna spoke as if it were obvious. “Parker’s willing to do whatever it takes to get a baby and if it’s that, then we’ll do it.”
“I’ll have to touch him. He’ll have to touch me.” The room seemed to be freezing all of a sudden and her vision had started to get fuzzy. She gripped the bed and turned her back on her sister and closed her eyes to gather her equilibrium. Parker touching her… She wasn’t sure if the thought made her sick or …
“You’ll both wear clothing and …” Chyna stopped what she was saying and blushed.
When her sister didn’t say anything else, she asked, “And what?”
“A condom with a hole in it.”
Charisse turned back to her sister to make sure she looked as if she was crazy and then she screamed at the top of her lungs.
Chyna covered her ears. “What?!”
“What?! What?! You have lost your mind, Chyna.”
“And you’re one to talk.”
“I can’t! I…” She couldn’t breathe and crawled up on the bed because her legs didn’t feel strong enough to support her weight. Lying on her back she felt her heart was never going to calm down.
“Parker will be gentle,” Chyna encouraged.
“Shut up! Just shut up for one damn moment Chyna, and let me get my head together.”
Her sister did shut up and through the small slits in her eyes, Charisse could see genuine distress in Chyna’s face.
“You’ve really thought this through,” Charisse asked quietly.
“No, I haven’t. When Dr. Redmond said your eggs were only viable inside then I got to thinking about our touch issue and I knew that natural conception was the only way. Please, Charisse. I don’t know anything else, but if I come up with something else I’ll let you know.”
His Substitute Wife... My Sister Book One Page 6
