Her Designer Baby

by Shawna Washington

  Just when I was putting it back, I saw that his home screen had a short cut for a voice recorder. Intrigued, I opened its playlist and began to play the recordings. First one was empty. Second one had a very grainy sound. I was out of hope when I played the third file. It had William’s voice. He was threatening to kill his father if he didn’t sign the papers. I had no idea what papers he was talking about, but it had something to do with the transfer of his assets.

  I played another file. It had sounds of things crashing and a man’s grunting. Mixed sounds of yelling and cursing. I had gotten my hands on solid evidence that day. Whereas for Margaret, David had gotten to her and she had spilled the beans that William had harassed Jason the entire time he had been ill in the last month of his life.

  She had told David that he always tried to get something signed from Jason which the old man refused. She said that William was sure that Jason’s death would give him access to his money. Margaret hadn’t readily confessed that William had tried to kill his father but later on when David used his ‘tactics,’ she had agreed that the ruthless son had attempted it a few times. She had witnessed it.

  Having all this in hand, I was assured that I was winning the case. Being in Williamsville with Adrian and working from his place, I felt so at home. Adrian was a considerate lover. He was everything I wanted. He was caring, he was passionate, he was loving, he was hard, he was rough, he was blunt, he was himself. What else could I want? I was swept from my feet and totally taken by him. I knew I wanted to spend my life with him. What I did not know was what he felt. Was I a passing fling for him or did he actually value our relationship? I know, he had given me no reason to think of the former, but what was I supposed to think then? I wanted a clear cut confession of love.

  Tomorrow was the court hearing. David and Rick were flying down to Illinois in evening. Margaret was with them. She had agreed to be the witness and I had demanded for her protection. I knew what William would do if he knew what we were upto. Everything was ready and in place.

  What wasn’t, was me. I had a terrible nausea. I had vomited three times since I had woken up. I was cranky and I had turned down Adrian when he had tried to reach out for me. I had a bad, bad inner feeling. I wasn’t right. I had even snapped at one of the ranch workers who had asked me if I wanted to go riding. Sure Adrian was concerned, that’s why he had sent his guy to invite me riding, he was trying to cheer me up.

  I appreciated his concern but I just didn’t want to do anything but sulk. I sat before my laptop and kept running again and again through the reports for the next day. I had every word memorized. I stowed it away and sat down with my head between my knees. What the hell was wrong with me? Maybe I am too stressed with work lately. Sure, I had worked insanely in the last few days but that was what I always did. But before I didn’t accompany it with mind-blowing amazing sexual activities. The thought of Adrian made me smile.

  “ I thought I wouldn’t see you smiling today.” I looked up to see Adrian standing with two mugs of coffee. I felt bad for treating him the way I did earlier. But he wasn’t complaining. “Here, I made you coffee.” He handed me one of the cups.

  “Thank you, Adrian.” I took it from him and placed it on the counter.

  “Are you okay? You look so pale.” He sat next to me and brushed a loose strand behind my ear. His face was filled with worry.

  “I just don't feel very good,” I admitted as I rested my head against his shoulder. He immediately pulled me closer.

  “Tell me what I can do, Tynice. To make you feel good.” I loved him so much that it hurt. He was too good to me.

  “You can just hug me right now.” He smiled and set his cup on the counter next to mine and put both his arms around me and rested his head over mine.

  “I can hold you forever.” He said the loveliest words.

  “I hope you do.” It slipped from my mouth before I could stop it.

  “I will, Tynice,” he promised. We stayed like that for who knows how long. I detached myself from him when my phone rang. He gave me a longing look. I could have taken it for something deep but I didn’t dare wish for what I might not get in the end.

  I looked at the caller ID, it was unknown. I answered it anyway. “Johnson.”

  “Tynice Johnson, I told you to stay the fuck away from me. You just couldn’t get that into your stupid little head, could you?” I didn’t recognize the voice but I got it from the words. It was William Parker.

  “I too said you could kiss my ass for all I care.” I felt Adrian’s gaze boring into me as I replied.

  “Oh, you better look out for your ass now. It might need some aftercare. I hope you remember my words from earlier. By the end of the day, you are going to regret the moment you decided to take this case, Tynice Johnson. ”The line went dead.

  “Hey, you okay?” Adrian touched my arm tentatively. I looked at him and gave it a thought. I had just received a threat. But I didn’t feel threatened. I felt safe. Safe with Adrian.

  “Never been better.” I smiled at him and gave him a soft kiss. I turned to pick my coffee and took a large cup. As soon as the liquid hit the back of my throat, my body refused it and I had vomit building inside. I ran towards the washroom and emptied all the contents out. Adrian had followed me. He held my hair back as I kept disgracing myself in front of him. I shoved him to leave but he stood there. Once done, I washed my face.

  “I'm taking you to the doctor, right now,” he said, no, he commanded. I was too weak to refuse him so I nodded.

  “I’ll go and change.” I pointed at my ruined shirt. He helped me to the stairs and then turned after I convinced him I was capable of changing myself. I shut the door of Adrian’s room that was now ours. I opened my suitcase to get a change of shirt. And that was when my eyes fell on the blue box. Tampons. I stared at it, mentally counting the days. It was the second of July.

  I was five days late for my period. I was never late. Never once. My mind rushed back as it all came to me. Me and Adrian, we hadn’t used protection the first day we were together. On his couch. Could it be possible that I was pregnant, with his child? I fell back on the chair. Thousands of thoughts flooded into my mind. Of course I was pregnant .I was feeling pregnant.

  My change of behavior, the ugly vomiting, hating the thought of coffee that I crave so much. It was all because I was pregnant. And it was Adrian’s. Tears sprang to my eyes. He wouldn’t want a child. And I already loved the life inside me, more because it belonged to him. I couldn’t impose on him if he didn’t want it. All the negative thoughts clouded me as I started to cry silently and then in sobs.

  “Tynice? What’s wrong, baby?” I felt Adrian’s arms around me and I let him comfort me thinking it was the last contact we would have. He probably would have nothing to do with me once he knew I was carrying his child. He would think I set it all up to get some of his money. He’d hate me. He wouldn’t take care of me like he was doing now.

  Suddenly it was all too much. I had to get away from him. I struggled out of his arms. He let go of me. I searched for my bag and the Bugatti’s keys. The car was at my disposal the entire time I was here. I needed it right now to make my escape. “Tynice…” Adrian tried to come near me. I signaled him to stop.

  “I have to go,” I said as I made my way past him through the door.

  “Where are you going? You aren’t feeling well. We need a doctor to see you.” I didn’t stop and climbed down. Just when I was on the doorstep, Adrian pulled me back. “Damn it, Tynice! Stop running away from me every time!” he snapped at me and tears threatened to fall away. “Tynice. Don’t cry, baby. Talk to me. What’s wrong? Tell me. You’ve been on edge all day. What’s going on?” he said softly.

  I tried to get out of his arms but he just wasn’t letting me go. “You wanna know what’s wrong, Adrian?” I shoved his chest and said in a loud voice. “I love you, that’s what’s wrong with me,” I said through tears. “I am possibly pregnant. With your child. That’s what’s wrong with me. K
nowing that you wouldn’t want it, that’s what’s wrong with me. Knowing that I could never make you mine and have this child with you? That’s what’s wrong with me.” Adrian froze where he was. That was all the answer I needed. That was what I dreaded. But that was the truth. He didn’t want me. He didn’t want a pregnant woman imposed on him. My heart broke into a million pieces and I ran out of the door.

  Adrian

  July 2014, Williamsville, Illinois

  She was pregnant. With my child. She loved me. She thought I wasn’t capable of loving her back. She thought I wouldn’t want this child with her. I was dumbstruck standing on my doorstep. She was gone. My Tynice was gone.

  I love you.

  I am pregnant with your child.

  You wouldn’t want me.

  I could never make you mine and have this child with you.

  She loved me and she was carrying a piece of me. She wanted a life with me. Do I want it? Do I want to get settled and start a life with her? A family? Could I do that? I was asking myself all these questions. An image of a young boy who was a perfect combination of me and Tynice. His hair was brown and his eyes were too. His smile like hers, his build like mine.

  A heavy feeling built inside me and in an instant I knew I wanted this. I wanted Tynice to have a child that would bear my name. Hell, I wanted Tynice to bear my name so every man in the world knows she belonged to me. I wanted Tynice here by my side for better or worse. If she was thinking I didn’t want her, she needed some sense rattled into her stubborn, self hating brain. I needed to get her before she got somewhere I couldn’t reach her. She was surely taken aback by the news of pregnancy and I had acted like a dumb fool. I had to get her back before I ended up losing her forever this time. I wanted my Tynice back.

  I snapped out of my frozen state and ran towards the garage and kick started my Harley. She must have driven towards the interstate .I sped out of the ranch and raced towards the highway. My girl needed a cross my heart and hope to die confession.

  Tynice

  I wiped the tears that wouldn’t just stop flowing down to my cheeks. I was so stupid to run away like that. I had hurt Adrian. The person I loved the most. I should have been more considerate before I had bombarded him with all the news and confessions. Adrian had been nothing but kind and loving to me. And I didn’t give him a chance to say anything. I had just run away like a coward. But I couldn’t go back because I was high-headed and stubborn with a sky-kissing ego that did not allow me to turn back and go into Adrian’s arms where I wanted to be.

  I put my hand on my stomach and covered it. I was having his child. The thought alone was blossoming. “You know I would always protect you, baby dear. Even if your dad wouldn’t want anything to do with us,” I whispered to the child that was now growing inside me.“He is a good man, you know, and I love him. And I love you, even when you are possibly just as small as a seed. But you are mine. And his. And it is the best feeling to have a part of him inside me. But I won’t blame him if he refuses to acknowledge you.

  We can’t force ourselves on him, can we?” I was talking to my baby. I was totally getting ruled by my hormonal-heightened brain that didn’t know what I was doing. A large honk took me off guard. I looked into the back mirror to see a large truck just behind me. I gave the indicator for him to pass me as I lowered my own speed. This car that I was driving was a total beast with a sensitive clutch. I totally loved it.

  The truck kept the lane and kept honking. Now I was getting unsettling feelings. Calm down, Johnson, and focus. I repeated the mantra. I increased pressure on the clutch and the Veyron shoot forward. I can do this, I kept telling myself. The truck followed with the ear bursting horns. And the distance was never too big between us.

  By the end of the day, you are going to regret the moment you decided to take this case, Tynice Johnson.

  Holy shit! Could this be William Parker’s attempt to scare me off? Shit! I shouldn’t have left the ranch. Damn, it’s not just me now. I had Adrian’s baby, our baby, to protect. I covered my stomach with one hand as tears threatened again. Stay strong. You can pull it off. My inner voice told me.

  Just then my phone began to ring. It was the tone I had specifically set for Adrian. He was calling me. My love was calling me. It rang and rang and then stopped. I couldn’t pick it up while I was trying to run from a truck who probably wanted to harm me. My phone started to ring again and I managed to put it on speaker. “Tynice?” Adrian’s loud voice covered the silence of the car.

  “Adrian.” I was crying and driving and everything and felt so emotional. The truck honked again. It was close now. Too close.

  “Tynice, we need to talk. ”Yes, talk. This might be the last time we talk, I thought through my tears as the horn behind me came in again and again. “Where are you? What’s that noise?”

  Before I could tell him anything, my car jerked forward as the truck hit me from behind. I almost shrieked. “Tynice!” Adrian’s panicked voice came from the speaker. I tried to speed up but I was shaking. All shaking. I gripped the steering wheel hard. The truck hit me again. This time I hit my head on the wheel and I winced in pain. I was dying. I was going to die. No more fight was left in me. “Drive the car, damn it. Keep driving, Tynice, you can do it, baby. Just drive. I’ll be there with you soon. Just please don’t gave up,” Adrian said through the phone.

  “I love you, Adrian.” Another hit. I was losing it.

  “I love you too, baby. And I love the piece of me that’s inside you. I love you both. And I’ll protect you. I won’t let anything happen to you. Just hold on while I get there.” His confession brought some spirit back and I tried to concentrate on the road.

  Just when I was gaining it back, a car came from the front and I pressed hard on the brakes. My Veyron skidded in a semi-circle before coming to stop. “Get out, you motherfucking bitch!” Somebody threw open the door of my side and dragged me out. I looked up to see William Parker standing before me. “You just couldn’t do what you are told, could you? ”He walked up to me. He was ugly and I hated to see his face. Before I saw it coming, his hand hit my face and I half fell to the ground. I tried to stand back.

  “You are a fucking asshole!” I said to him. The hell if I was letting him bully me. I wasn’t in the best state but I was Tynice Johnson. I didn’t back down. Ever.

  He laughed. The two men behind him joined his ugly laugh. And then he grabbed my hair and pulled my head back. “Yes, I am an asshole. And I tried to kill my father for money. But the asshole that he was, he died of a heart attack before I could make him sign the fucking papers. And now you're in my way to get his money .I’ll kill whoever comes in my way. Now I’ll show you how hard I can be.”

  He hissed in my ear and then pushed my head down and jerked his knee up, in contact with my face. I gave a cry in pain as I fell on the ground, holding my nose that was clearly broken and bleeding. “You are such an arrogant slut!” he said and then kicked me in the ribs making me slide a good few feet back. I covered my abdomen to protect my baby.

  My head was throbbing, my nose was bleeding and my body was wincing in pain. Adrian. Adrian. Adrian. My heart called and called. William was coming close to hit me again. I wasn’t sure I could take it anymore. The darkness was closing. Pain was too much to bear. He was just two foot away from me. I won’t last this hit.

  Tears fell from my eyes as I closed them. A loud screech of a bike stilled the movements and my eyes opened just a little. I was too weak to open them fully. A Harley had stopped there. I looked up and saw Adrian charging towards me. He was here. Adrian was here. He had come to save me. Save us. He was hitting the two men that were covering William. He was fighting them. He was so strong. My love was strong, he could protect us. He won’t let anything happen to us. The two men were running away as I saw from my blurry vision.

  The truck was gone. Now it was just Adrian and William. William was trying to fight back. But Adrian was stronger and fiercer. He was saying something while hitting him. Wil
liam was covered in red. Adrian was still beating him. Darkness was having the best of me. My eyes were closing. I could hear a siren. A police siren. There was noise. And soon I had arms around me. I could hear Adrian’s voice. Was he crying? He was crying. Oh baby, don’t cry. It was all my fault we were here. I just prayed our child was safe. The last thing I heard was “I love you, Tynice, don’t leave me again. ”Oh Adrian, I would cling to you all my life if I could make out of this. You can have my word on that. And then I was out in black.

  * * *

  I tried to open my eyes and thankfully I could. All I could see was white everywhere. I looked around to see a monitor that showed a pulse. A drip stand, whose tube was leading to my hand. Okay, I was in a hospital. I gazed at the other side and my eyes stopped at the face that was rested beside me. Adrian. His head was bent down against my hand. I smiled at this sight. My hand stirred a bit and he immediately looked up. “Tynice,” he said. “Thank the lord.” He cupped my hand and kissed my fingers. “I thought I lost you,” he said in a hoarse voice.