The Only Answer

by Magan Vernon

  Chapter 6

  Monica

  Dinner with Trey’s parents wasn’t half the nightmare I expected. I thought there would be some big political rendezvous and we’d have to make some mass media plan. Instead it ended up being relaxed with his mother talking less about the political outcome and more about the rest of our lives, which was the way it should be.

  The next morning I had to face going back to work but Trey’s mom gave me some peppermints to take. She told me if I sucked on those and smelled the peppermint instead of the coffee it should help. I was hoping she was right because with a bun in the oven I needed something to get through my work days.

  “Whoa, hey, you made it back!” Nate smiled at me as soon as I walked behind the counter.

  “Yeah. I’m feeling better today. It must have just been some sort of a twenty-four hour thing.” I forced a weak smile back.

  “Good, because there is some kind of banker’s conference going on and shit’s gonna get real busy. I could use all the help I can get.”

  “No problem. I’m used to busy. The campus coffee shop during finals week look liked Grand Central station.”

  “I bet.” He laughed, securing his apron tighter on his back. “We may need to grab a drink after this shit storm is done.”

  First off, I didn’t drink. Ever. Drinking caused people to lose their inhabitations and that’s how I got in trouble. Second, drinking while pregnant was a no-no. And third, right after work I had to drive to the Chapman residence in the suburbs to see a doctor. It was like some celebrity thing to have your own doctor who made house calls. Usually I would protest to those sort of extravagances but I was still under my parents’ insurance until I found a job that had it and it was better to have someone who knew what they were doing and have it be in the comfort of the Chapman’s place.

  “Um, are you hitting on the chick that spent the day puking?” I asked, since that seemed like the better way to avoid the invitation.

  The grin widened on his face. He was cute in an alternative-punk way. I would have probably flirted with him and let him feel me up in the back of his mom’s Honda back in the day, but I wasn’t that girl anymore. I was definitely glad to be over that stage of my life as well.

  “Yeah. I guess I am. Not that I’m usually attracted to girls that puke or anything. Sorry that sounded really stupid.” He laughed nervously.

  “You’re sweet, and it’s nice to meet someone who has no idea who I am.”

  He raised a pierced eyebrow. “Am I in the presence of royalty or some shit?”

  I laughed a genuine belly laugh. It was refreshing that he actually had no idea I was the fiancée of the Republican Presidential candidate’s son. The photographers outside the restaurant was one thing and the fact that everyone on our own college campus knew about us, even if I didn’t want t hem to. Never mind that the guy didn’t even look at the giant rock on my finger either.

  “I’m engaged. Engaged to Kirk Chapman’s son, Trey. You know, the guy from Chicago who is running for President?”

  Recognition hit his face as he slowly opened his eyes. “No shit. I thought you looked familiar, but then again I just thought it was because you’re a hot redhead and, you know, I was maybe seeing things.”

  I shook my head. “I think that’s a compliment so I’ll just take it as that.”

  He leaned against the counter. “Man, I feel like such a dumbass right now. I can’t believe I didn’t know and then I used some cheesy ass line to try to get you to hang out with me.”

  “Let’s just get past that. It’s fine.”

  He shook his head. “It’s just weird. You don’t seem like the type of girl who would be with a guy in a suit.”

  This wasn’t the first time I’d heard that one. My family couldn’t believe I was with Trey back when I started seeing him my sophomore year of college. Neither could my old sorority sisters. They were all used to the fiery girl with her eyebrow pierced and the flower tattoos that went from my pelvic bone all the way up to my belly button. Few people knew about the second part though, unless they saw me in a bathing suit.

  “Yeah, well, I am. Sorry to burst your bubble.” I couldn’t even bother smiling. The smell of coffee was getting to me so I popped another peppermint in my mouth. At least it gave me something else to focus on instead of his ridiculousness at trying to pick me up and then in the next breath insult my fiancé.

  “Yeah, I’m sorry too,” he muttered.

  ***

  After a full day of work I just wanted to go home and crash on the couch. I’d never been so tired in my life. There was something about creating life that was absolutely draining. I didn’t know how I was going to get through nine months of it.

  But, of course, I couldn’t crash. As soon as I got off work Trey was waiting for me out front. He’d recently traded in the Mustang for a more grown up look: a Range Rover just like his dad’s. Why we needed something like that when we just drove in the city was beyond me.

  “Whoa, is that the mister?”

  I cringed when I heard Nate behind me. I just wanted to get in the car with Trey and drive to his parents. No small talk with my co-worker. Before I could even respond, Trey rolled down the window, raising his eyebrow at the spiky haired, tattooed guy.

  “Hey, you must be Trey, I’m Nate. I work with Monica.” He walked over to the car and put his hand out and shook Trey’s through the open window like they were old buddies. I could never see Trey hanging out with a guy who had a full sleeve and hummed songs by Blink182 when he thought no one was listening.

  “Hello, Nate. It’s good to meet you.” He looked over Nate’s shoulder. “Monica, are you ready? We need to be at my parents’ in an hour.”

  “Yeah. I’m ready.” I nodded.

  “Oh, sorry to keep you two away from the governor’s.” Nate put his hands up and slowly stepped back. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Mon?”

  “Yep. Bright and early for opening,” I replied.

  “Awesome.” He turned and jogged in the other direction.

  I walked around the car and got into the passenger seat. Trey rolled up the window before putting on his turn signal and pulling out onto the street. “So, the new co-worker seems fond of you,” he mused.

  “Yeah. He actually asked me to go out for a drink with him after work.”

  “What?” Trey’s jaw clenched.

  I laughed. “Don’t get jealous. The guy’s not the brightest crayon in the box and it’s not like I would have said yes. I told him I was engaged.”

  “I’m not jealous. I was more concerned about the drinking.”

  I rolled my eyes. “You know I don’t drink. Well except on rare occasions like that time your mother got us that bottle of Dom Perignon for your twenty-first.”

  “And that wouldn’t be right for a pregnant woman to be drinking.”

  “Seriously? Do you think I’m stupid? The stuff at dinner was ridiculous and now you’re going to keep on with it?” My nerves were on end as it was with everything going on and it didn’t help that Trey seemed to be scrutinizing everything I said or did.

  He sighed. “I didn’t mean it like that.” He put his hand on my knee and squeezed it gently. “You know how I worry about things.”

  “I know, but you don’t need to worry about me. I’m a big girl. I know how to handle things.”

  “Yes, you do, but that doesn’t mean I still don’t want to take care of you and the future little Chapman.”

  I groaned. “Are you going to call our baby that forever?”

  He shrugged. “Until he has a name.”

  “Or she.”

  He grinned. “Or she.”

  We were silent for awhile, just listening to the radio. Some talk radio was playing as usual. It wasn’t my favorite thing that he listened to and he knew it. He would usually change it when I asked, but today I didn’t feel like it. I kind of wanted to zone out. We were about to see a doctor and that doctor was going to tell us what was going on. Maybe all those preg
nancy tests were wrong. Maybe I was just going crazy and this was all from stress. Or maybe, just maybe, our world was about to change forever.

  ***

  We pulled up to the Chapman residence and there was already a black Mercedes I didn’t recognize parked in the driveway. Trey parked next to it and then got out, racing around to open my door for me. I usually complained when he did it, even though he did it all the time, but I didn’t have the energy to protest. My nerves were one tight ball and I felt like I was either going to collapse from exhaustion or bust from all the crazy feelings going through me.

  “You ready for this, Monica?” he asked, sliding his arm around my waist and guiding me toward the front door.

  I let out a deep breath. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

  Trey rang the doorbell and “Hail to the Chief” played. They really should have thought about changing that, but I guess they figured it was more appropriate than ever. It wasn’t more than thirty seconds before his mom, Mindy, was at the front door.

  “Come in, come in.” She ushered us in, looking behind us and closing the door.

  “No one followed you, right? You two are alone?” she asked.

  I raised an eyebrow. “Um, not that I know of?”

  She sighed. “Sorry, just being careful. Doctor Stadtler had some questions at the hospital as to why he needed to check out the ultrasound machine. He usually doesn’t have a problem with these types of things, but now we’re being extra cautious.”

  It was as if I was some kind of big government secret and I wasn’t exactly sure how I was supposed to feel about it. Angry? Nervous? It was a mix of the two of them. I was just ready to do whatever we had to do because I had no idea what I was doing and I wanted someone to help me figure it all out.

  We followed Mindy up the grand staircase where she made a quick beeline for one of the guest rooms. They had what seemed like a dozen of them. I didn’t even know what was in half of them. Only the one that I slept in when Trey and I had visited in college. And where his room was, which I had only been in once. His mother walked in right after we had sex in his walk-in closet and she frowned on us being alone in there ever since. Something about boys and their fantasies about having sex in their old bedrooms was weird, yet exciting at the same time. Of course those types of things are what got us into all of this.

  I could pinpoint the exact moment I got pregnant. The proposal. The way he said my name and then threw me against the wall. It was so un-Trey like to throw caution to the wind and let go like that. And damn was it hot. Of course with throwing out caution we also forgot about a condom.

  Mindy took a deep breath and then opened the door. There was a queen sized bed in the middle of the room and instead of a night stand there was an ultrasound machine with a short, redheaded man sitting in a chair in front of it. As soon as we entered the room he turned away from the screen and smiled brightly.

  “Hello, you must be Monica and Trey.” He stood up and walked over, extending his hand. Trey shook it briskly, but I took a moment. I wasn’t even paying attention to him but stared at the screen behind him. The screen that would soon show me exactly what was inside of me. Prove that this was all real and I wasn’t imagining it.

  “Let’s get this started,” Dr. Stadtler said and pointed toward the bed. “Monica, I’m just going to have you lie back on here. Trey you can sit next to her on the other side if you wish.”

  I nodded and did as I was told with Trey sitting next to me. As soon as I was positioned he took my hand, squeezing it gently.

  “Okay, Monica, I’m just going to need you to lift up your shirt and if you could unbutton the top button of your jeans.”

  I slowly lifted up my shirt and watched Mindy’s eyes graze over my tattoo. I’d always kept it covered, even gone as far as to get a one-piece swimsuit for the lake house. If she was judging my ink now, she was definitely doing it silently.

  Dr. Stadtler took a thin paper towel and slid it into the waistband of my regulation work khakis. “This is to make sure we don’t get anything on your pants, this gel tends to stain.” He offered a smile before taking a plastic squirt bottle and squirting a warm blue gel on my stomach. I sucked in a deep breath.

  “Are you okay? Does it hurt?” Trey asked.

  I looked over to see his usually statuesque face was now full of panic. His eyebrows raised and he was staring at me with his eyes wide.

  I offered him a small smile. “I’m fine. It just is a different feeling.”

  “Oh, okay. Sorry. Just. Nerves.” He squeezed my hand.

  “I meet a lot of first time fathers and they all have the same nerves. You’ll both survive it. Are you ready to see the future little Chapman?” Dr. Stadtler asked, holding up a small wand that was attached to the computer.

  “Yes,” we both said practically in unison.

  He pressed the wand to my stomach, spreading the gel around. He pressed down on my stomach and I sucked in a deep breath as he pressed low on my stomach, staring at the screen. He tapped a few buttons on the computer and then turned the screen toward us with his free hand. “See that little dark mark.” He circled the bean shaped blog on the screen that was surrounded by a grey area. “That’s your baby.”

  I stared at the screen. It was real. There was another life growing inside of me. I’d felt the sickness of being pregnant, read all three tests that said I was pregnant, but actually seeing it on the screen made it so much more real. There was something inside of me and I knew there was no way I was letting my little bean go.

  Dr. Stadtler pressed a few more buttons and a loud sound, almost like ocean waves came through the computer speakers. “Do you hear that?”

  “Yes. What is that?” Trey asked.

  “That’s your baby’s heartbeat,” Dr. Stadtler replied.

  I looked over at Trey. He had the biggest smile I’d ever seen on his face. His eyes went from the screen and down to me. They glowed in the light from the screen. “We’re having a baby,” he whispered. “It’s real.”

  The tears sprung from my eyes. Not tears of sadness or worry like the last time, but tears of genuine happiness. “It is. We’re having a baby.”

  Chapter 7

  Trey

  April 13th. That was what the doctor said Monica’s due date was. That meant she was about seven weeks along.

  Seven weeks she’d been growing another person inside of her and she still had another thirty-three to go. The whole concept of fatherhood and everything that came along with it was completely foreign to me. Sure, I thought maybe someday I’d want kids, a house, and all that came along with it. This just put me on the fast track. It also bumped up the wedding I hadn’t even thought was happening anytime soon. I wanted to wait until long after the election was over and Dad was getting sworn into office. Most guys don’t think about their wedding and all of that, but I kind of had it in the back of my head that mine would be at Camp David, or even crazier: The Bush Ranch.

  Now we just had to take the next step in the process of moving forward with our lives: telling her parents.

  I wouldn’t exactly say I didn’t get along with her parents, but her dad always seemed leery of me like he never fully trusted me. I knew Monica had a past that wasn’t exactly pleasant, which was why I thought her dad might have accepted me a little more. I was the type of guy that girls usually dreamed about taking home to meet their parents. At least her mom adored me.

  “Mom said she made you an apple pie. I think she thinks you’re marrying her and not me.” Monica laughed slightly from the passenger seat.

  It was about a two-hour drive to her parents’ house and I counted just about every minute of the drive. Mainly because it was filled with silence. Neither one of us was ready to tell her parents, but it had to be done. I didn’t think either of them would have been happy to have us call them on delivery day, and it would be even worse if the media found out first.

  We were both extra careful so far, even setting up all doctor’s appointments with our
private family doctor at my parents’ house. The whole thing seemed like it was turning into a big political rendezvous instead of being about our future together. There were constant meetings and phone calls about what the next steps were with keeping things under wraps and eventually notifying the public. Even our wedding felt like it was a political stepping stone instead of holy matrimony. If this was what life as a political couple would be like I wasn’t sure if I wanted it.

  “Nah. I prefer the younger Remy. Well, unless she made me some carbonara to go with the pie then I might be willing to give her a little wink.”

  Monica nudged my elbow. “A wink, ey? Winks will get you in trouble. The next thing you know and you’ll get a text from your dad’s social media manger who will have to have an hour long conversation with you about how you should act in public when you’re representing the Chapman campaign.”

  I winced. “Is it really that bad?”

  She blew out a big puff of air and I glanced at her as she pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. She’d barely been able to keep food down the past week and she looked so fragile. I did everything I could to make sure she was as comfortable as possible and ended up just ordering something for delivery because I definitely wasn’t a great cook.

  “Yes and no. It’s just different. Like we’re under an extreme microscope. We had a hint of this in college, but nothing this extreme.”

  I reached across the center console and grabbed her hand, squeezing it gently. “We both knew there would be some extra scrutiny during the campaign.”

  “Yeah but ever since we told your parents I'm pregnant it’s been nuts. I feel like I’m some sort of toddler who has to be told how to do everything and then reprimanded when I don’t do it correctly.”

  I frowned. “I’m sorry it feels that way. Dad and his team are just trying to do what’s best for us.”

  “Yeah, well it’s a tad bit annoying.”