by Melody Anne
“Is this you and your husband’s first child?” the woman asked.
“This is my first child. I’m not married, though,” she said, though she didn’t know why she felt the need to explain herself.
“Oh,” the woman almost sneered at her. “I don’t really need anything after all,” she finished and turned to leave.
Trinity was in shock as the woman walked out the door. What century was she in, that someone would look down on her because she was pregnant and not married? She decided to close a few minutes early because her day wasn’t going to get any better. She walked toward the glass door and turned the sign, then saw a familiar face through the panel.
“Hello beautiful,” her best friend, Damien Whitfield said.
“You’re a breath of fresh air Damien, it’s been a rough day,” Trinity said as Damien threw his arms around her for a hug.
“I always like to hear that from a beautiful lady,” he said with his normal good humor. “I’m taking you out for a terrific dinner and the new horror flick,” he said as he helped her lock up.
“That sounds heavenly,” she replied. She needed to watch some zombies eating the human race, to help take her mind off her worries, especially that last customer. She followed him out to his vehicle and they were soon off.
They had been best friends since high school and were always there for one another, anytime one of them went through a bad break up. She didn’t know how she could make it without Damien.
“I’ve been trying to work up the courage to speak to you about something but haven’t known how to approach it,” he said to her, as they were eating their desert.
“You know you can talk to me about anything Damien,” she answered him, truly meaning it.
“Okay, I’m just going to go for it and I want you to really listen to me and seriously think about what I’m saying,” Damien started. She was starting to get a bit concerned. She reached across the table and took his hand in hers, encouragingly.
“I think we should get married, no wait, before you start shaking your head. Remember, you promised to listen,” he stopped her, when she immediately shook her head.
“Okay I’ll listen but you’re crazy,” she had to say.
“It’s really not that crazy if you think about it. We’re best friends and truly love each other. We’ve always been there for each another, plus we never fight. Neither one of us have been able to find the right person and now you have this baby girl coming in four short months and I’d make a terrific father,” Damien said in one breath.
“But Damien we have never been more than friends. There has to be more than just friendship,” she tried to reason with him. She didn’t feel any attraction towards her best friend but she didn’t want to say that to him. There was no reason to be hurtful.
“I’m simply asking you to think about it. I can take care of you and the baby and I think we could be happy,” he said, while staring into her eyes. Trinity did love Damien and he was being reasonable but she’d never been physically attracted to him. She wished she loved him romantically because he was about the most perfect guy she’d ever known. But he simply didn’t make her stomach quiver the way Drew had. She shook her head, to push that thought out of her mind. Drew wasn’t a factor in any of her decisions.
The baby kicked her as she had that last thought and she smiled. Her little girl was a huge reminder Drew was a factor. She couldn’t think about that right then. He’d lied to her and been no better than her cheating ex. She couldn’t possibly trust him to be a part of her life.
“Let me think about things, Damien,” she said.
“Take your time Trinity, I know it’s a huge decision but I really do mean it. I’ll take care of you and love every second doing it,” he said. Damien had pretty much given up on romantic love himself but he’d go to the ends of the earth for his best friend. He wished he felt more than friendship toward her but far more marriages had lasted with less going for them than what he and Trinity shared. He’d hated watching her suffer over the last several months. He couldn’t leave her all alone and pregnant.
“What happens if you meet the one and you’re stuck with me?” she asked.
“What if you’re the one but we never realized it?” he asked his own question. She laughed and promised to let him know soon. They went to their movie and the rest of the evening was relaxed as it always was. She had a feeling both of them would really regret it if she said yes but it was very tempting.
He pulled up in front of her apartment and walked her to her door, like he always did. They had never had one of those awkward moments but were having one right then. He took a deep breath and bent down to lay his lips on hers.
Trinity’s first instinct was to pull away and ask him what he was possibly thinking but the man had proposed marriage to her, so it stood to reason he’d want to share a kiss. She made herself relax as he deepened the kiss. His arms wrapped around her awkwardly and she laid her own hands on his arms as he drew out the kiss.
She was incredibly sad to realize she felt absolutely nothing. There was no spark, no quivering in her stomach. She wasn’t repulsed or anything but it was like kissing a cousin. He finally pulled away from her and she saw the regret in his own eyes. It was obvious he’d felt nothing either.
“Well, I’ll leave you for now. Let me know what you decide. Our marriage doesn’t have to be about passion and unrequited love, it can be about friendship and loving your baby girl,” he said to her. She wasn’t sure if he was trying to convince himself, or her. It didn’t really matter, she thought because it wasn’t about either of them, it was about her baby.
She reached up on her toes and kissed him softly on the cheek, then went through her door. She leaned against it, as a single tear fell down her face. She really wished she’d felt at least a smidgen of passion from her best friend.
Trinity was closing up her shop once again but feeling much better. Some of her swelling had finally gone down, helping her to feel a bit more human. It had been a week since Damien had proposed to her and she’d finally decided to accept. She’d tried and failed with romance and it would be really nice to have someone there to help her raise her child.
The two of them had spoken several times on the phone since their awkward kiss and were fine. They didn’t discuss it but focused on their friendship, like they always had. She was lucky to have such a wonderful man in her life.
It was far more important to have security and love, than to have passion. She’d loved Damien for a long time and was sure it could grow if she wished for it. She’d just demand of her body to respond to him. She held her head up high with that thought. She was a stubborn person and she’d will herself to obey.
Damien started walking towards the shop, as soon as she was finished locking the door. She took a deep breath and got ready to tell him her decision. He seemed to know she was ready to talk to him because he said nothing as he approached. He just waited for her to gather her breath. She finally looked up into his beautiful eyes. He really was attractive; she didn’t understand why she didn’t desire him.
“I’ll marry you, if the offer’s still on the table,” she told him with a tentative smile.
“That’s wonderful,” Damien told her, as he wrapped his arms around her expanding body and kissed her forehead. She felt like she was at home when she was in his arms and she thought she’d made the right decision. She refused to acknowledge the doubts trying to enter her mind. She also refused to acknowledge his hug did nothing more than comfort her needy body.
“I think we should do it before the baby is born. If you want a big wedding that’s fine, it’s all up to you. I want your wedding day to be special and you know money isn’t an issue. We’ll have a good marriage and I don’t want you to have regrets about the wedding itself,” he told her.
“No, we can just do it at the courthouse, I don’t have anyone I’d invite to a real wedding anyway,” she said a bit sadly. He reluctantly agreed with her and they start
ed to head down the street together. Her apartment wasn’t far away. Their hands slipped together as they made their way down the sidewalk. That was a natural thing, as they were comfortable touching one another. Heck, she’d fallen asleep in his arms before, while watching movies. They were comfortable with each other, which was why their friendship had always worked out.
“I didn’t even think about getting you a ring. I’ll do that tomorrow,” he said as they climbed the stairs and turned the corner. She hadn’t thought about a ring either, as she didn’t really think of the marriage as real. She really had to fight back tears because she was settling and making him do so as well.
“I don’t need a fancy ring Damien, just a simple band,” she told him, right before they turned the corner.
“What do you need a ring for?” she heard Drew ask, before she stopped suddenly and looked up at the deep blue eyes she hadn’t seen in five months. Her world seemed to stop spinning for a moment and she felt the panic start deep inside her gut. She hadn’t expected to see him again and certainly not in this situation. She couldn’t believe the rush of attraction washing through her from just the sight of him. Why couldn’t she feel the same with Damien?
“What are you doing here?” she was barely able to whisper at him.
“I asked you a question first,” he said, as he glared from her to Damien and then down to her stomach. Drew had thought of no other but her over the last five months and wasn’t happy to find her with another man and very obviously pregnant. Had she gotten over him far more quickly than he would’ve liked? She was very pregnant and it was either his, or she had jumped into the arms of another man right away. Either way he wasn’t happy with her at that moment.
She could see he was trying to figure out exactly how far along she was. She heard her neighbor’s door, across the hall, open and she wanted to get away from her nosy neighbor, before having this personal conversation.
“I’m tired Drew and don’t want to talk right now. The shop is open tomorrow, why don’t you come over there around noon,” she said, as she opened her door and stepped inside. Damien followed behind her slowly, with Drew right on his heels. She glared at him, as he entered her sanctuary and looked around.
“I think we’ll talk now and I’d still like to hear why you need a ring,” he stated to her. She couldn’t believe she’d ever thought the man was simply a resort employee. He exuded raw power, in both manner and dress. She was horrified at her traitorous body for its response to him. He was even more impressive than she remembered, if that were possible.
“We’re getting married,” Damien said, since it was obvious she wasn’t going to say anything. Damien could tell at once this was the baby’s father. He’d stand by her side no matter what, but he had a feeling their story wasn’t quite finished. He stood aside to offer his support but if Trinity could work things out with the man he’d be happy for her. He hated to admit it to himself but he was somewhat relieved the man was stepping back in the picture. He loved Trinity and would do anything for her but he knew she deserved so much more than a passionless marriage.
“I see it didn’t take you long to bounce back after our relationship, or is this the man who cheated on you?” Drew sneered. Damien was close to taking a swing at the man but he didn’t want to make the situation worse for Trinity. He didn’t like being compared to the bastard who broke Trinity’s heart.
“None of it is any of your business Drew. You need to leave now, we have nothing to talk about,” she said, as she glared at him. He looked down at her rounded stomach again, then back to her face and she could feel the heat redden her cheeks. His eyes narrowed even more.
“How far along are you Trinity?” he asked her. He was well aware their first time in the pool, they hadn’t used protection. He was never so stupid as to have unprotected sex but he’d lost his mind a lot that week. He’d thought she’d get ahold of him if there were consequences from their week. Hell, for that matter, he’d tried calling her for a month. He wasn’t used to being rejected and hers had wounded his pride, more than he’d ever admit.
He had also decided after five months, her anger would’ve been cooled off. He couldn’t get his mind off her and finally decided he had to see her again. She’d just have to get over the fact he owned the resort. If she found out he actually owned many resorts, she’d probably really freak on him.
Trinity realized he wasn’t going to leave until he had his answers so she reluctantly decided she may as well get it out of the way.
“I’m five months along,” she said, with her head held high. Drew blew out his breath as if he was surprised she’d tell him the truth.
“The baby is mine then,” he said, as fact rather than a question. She couldn’t tell how he was feeling about his child being born in a few months.
“It doesn’t matter, Drew. We had a week together and it didn’t work out. I don’t expect anything from you, so you’re free to leave. I know how you like your papers signed though, so if you have your attorney fax them to my shop, I’ll sign whatever you need to be released from responsibility and you can be on your way,” she said, suddenly too exhausted to stand anymore. She walked over to the couch and sat down, before her knees gave out.
“Trinity you need to figure some things out, so I’m going to leave. Call me if you need me and I’ll be here within a few minutes,” Damien said, before glaring at Drew. He walked out of the apartment, leaving her alone with the man who had changed her life forever. She didn’t want Damien to leave but it wasn’t fair for her to have him stay and deal with her problems. She watched as he walked out the door and blew out a breath, as she waited for Drew to say what he needed.
Drew began to pace the small apartment. He was so furious. There was no way he could sit down. Finally he turned to face her, when he felt he had his emotions more under control. He couldn’t believe she’d keep something as important as the creation of their baby from him.
“Were you going to tell me about the baby?” he asked her. That was the first thing he wanted an answer to. He had a really bad feeling the answer was no.
“I would’ve, eventually,” she said. She didn’t see how it mattered either way as they weren’t a couple. She’d have thought he’d rejoice that she wasn’t asking him for anything. Didn’t most men run in the other direction when women so much as mentioned a child?
“Who was that guy you were with?” he asked. He was angry about many things but the guy talking about getting her a ring was at the top of the list. She was carrying his child and no other man had a right to take his place. He would’ve been there so much sooner if she would’ve just been honest with him.
“That’s Damien, we decided to get married,” she said in a matter-of-fact tone, like she was discussing going to the grocery store, or the weather. She didn’t seem like a bride to be.
“How long have you been seeing him?” Drew asked between clinched teeth. The thought of her with another man caused him physical pain, especially considering she was carrying his child in her womb. They were his family, not some other man’s.
“He’s my best friend,” she said, before really thinking about her answer. She was so used to Damien and she as friends, to think of them romantically was nearly impossible. She thought later maybe she should’ve sounded more like they were a romantic couple.
“Why are you marrying him?” he asked her calmly and because she was still not thinking properly, she answered him honestly.
“He wants to help me with the baby,” she said simply. If she would’ve looked up and seen his face, she would’ve realized her mistake in being honest.
“You want another man to raise my child?” he asked her. She finally realized there was something wrong, by the tone of his voice. She looked up at his face and what she saw took her breath away. She could understand now how he was the business man he was. He could make all men quiver at his feet with the look of pure fury in his eyes. She stared at him with wide eyes, as she wondered what to say.
/> “Look, we both know the week we had was a mistake. I’m not going to punish my child by trying to pretend otherwise,” she finally said.
“Tell your friend the marriage is off because the real father will be doing the right thing,” he sneered at her.
“Don’t be ridiculous, Drew,” she snapped back.
“I’m the one being ridiculous? You were trying to keep my child from me. If I hadn’t shown up here, you would’ve never told me,” he said incredulously.
“I’m exhausted and I’m done with this conversation,” she said as she stood up. “Please lock the door behind you,” she finished and left the room. She climbed into bed and let the exhaustion take her away.
Chapter Four
Drew watched in amazement as Trinity walked away. He wasn’t used to being defied by anyone and he was certainly not used to someone dismissing him, like she’d just done. He heard the click of her bedroom door, before he thought to go after her.
He thought about breaking her door down and demanding they finish the conversation but she had looked exhausted and he was sure that wasn’t good for his son or daughter. He looked around the tiny apartment. There wasn’t any room for a baby. Hell he could barely move more than a couple of feet from wall to wall.
He didn’t think it was possible but her apartment was even smaller than the home he had grown up in. He’d been incredibly poor growing up but his family had taken good care of him. He was still closer than brothers were, with his two cousins. He couldn’t wait to tell them he was going to be a father.
He sunk down onto her couch, since his legs no longer wanted to support him. The more he sat there, the more it sunk in he’d have a child in four short months. He wasn’t ready for it but then again who was ever ready. He wished he had more time to prepare.
He noticed a weird looking picture on the coffee table and reached for it. He realized it was a picture of his child. He could see the full shape of the head and body. It had some weird numbers on it, which he didn’t understand. He stared for who knows how long, thinking his child already had his nose.
