One Little Bit

by Tey Holden

  Rather than staying in a hotel, she arranged to rent a flat with all the comforts of home. Nothing would be spared. It was necessary that they felt relaxed and at home. The rental was arranged through a local realtor who had taken down all of Addy’s specifications. Addy had requested a furnished, two-bedroom, two-bathroom flat close to the medical facilities where the doctor was located, provided that the location was in a good neighborhood, and that pharmacies, supermarkets and restaurants were nearby. They also used the realtor to hire a cleaning service for the flat.

  The rental cost an arm and a leg, but Addy thought that the look on Karen’s face when they entered the place was worth every penny. Also, the time that would be spent there was too important, and Addy wanted the best for the mom to be.

  “Addy, this place is spectacular. Look at this terrace and this hot tub! I wonder if I can soak in here while this baby is being planted in me. I think I can stay here forever!” Karen had gotten into the habit of referring to the baby as a seed and to herself as the pot. She thought to be a mere receptacle where this seed was going to be dropped for nine months, after which her job would be done, and then it would be up to Addy to do whatever needed to be done with the kid. Every time Addy heard her mention the seed and the pot analogy, she laughed. She knew too well that eventually Karen would begin to develop motherly feelings for the baby, and change her whole attitude towards motherhood

  “I’m more amazed by the size of this terrace and all this vegetation than the size of the hot tub. I wonder which jungle was leveled to give the tropical look to this place.”

  “Addy, come and take a look at the gym! I think I’m definitely staying here. Forget Scotland, we are moving. I’m never leaving this place.”

  “Wow, no excuse for not working out. This is really going to make me feel guilty. Did you see the kitchen? It’s so professional, I wonder if it comes with a chef.” Addy was mesmerized looking at all the appliances.

  “It should! Look at that stove. It’s got to be industrial size. I always heard that winters here are cold, maybe people stay inside all the time and all they do is cook, eat, and soak in their hot tubs?”

  “Let’s check out the master bedroom.” Karen headed for the bedroom, and when she opened the door gasped. “Oh my God!”

  Addy ran to see what had prompted Karen’s exclamation. They both stared at the bed with their mouths opened. The bed was beyond king size. “Holy cow! That is the biggest bed I’ve ever seen! Maybe we should have told them that a queen size was enough for us. My God, how are we going to get out of it? Crawling to the edge? I might even get lost not knowing which side to get off from!”

  Karen grinned. “Maybe the idea is to not get out of bed.” She wiggled her eyebrows and grinned. As they walked closer their jaws dropped even more before they began to laugh in unison.

  “If it was humanly and biologically possible, I’m certain this would be the place where you could definitely get me pregnant.” Karen crawled onto the bed followed by Addy, and they lay on the mattress looking up at the ceiling. Hanging above the bed, there was a mirror as gigantic as the bed. They looked at each other with a look of mischief and laughed. “I don’t think I would ever want to get off this bed if you were naked here with me. Do you think this is somebody’s bachelor’s pad?” Karen chuckled as she looked at their reflection on top. Still, neither could stop grinning.

  “Well, it’s no church confessionary for sure!” Addy replied laughing and turned towards Karen who was still staring at their projection on the ceiling with a humongous grin. “Larsen, whatever idea that artifact is giving you, you better get it out of your system before the insemination because we haven’t asked if sex is allowed after the procedure is done, and I don’t want to jeopardize our odds for a baby over a sex maniac’s idea of putting that thing over this monstrosity of a bed!”

  “Well, we have three whole days before the procedure, sweetie pie.” She turned over and pinned Addy down on the bed. “Which I plan to spend on this playground of a bed looking at our naked assess in that mirror doing all sorts of fun things!” She again wiggled her eyebrows while Addy laughed. “So, Addypooh, we have no time to waste. Let’s go sign that lease, go to the hotel, pack our bags and move in here ASAP! I’m sold! That thing up there is worth every penny we are paying for this place! By the way, we are also eating in. Not wasting one minute of these glorious three days.” Karen was practically running to the door tugging a laughing Addy along.

  Going out, Karen was already planning. “If we like it, we have to have one installed at home.”

  “Well, if that is going to make you this happy—.”

  Karen stopped flat on her tracks, leaving Addy moving ahead. When Addy noticed that she was walking alone, she looked back. “Can we? Really?”

  Addy didn’t reply, she rolled her eyes and laughed. Karen loved to hear her laugh. She walked next to her and smiled. The question went unanswered, but there was no need for one. This was one that Karen knew she could win, but it was unnecessary to pursue it now, and she kept her thoughts to herself. She knew Addy too well and knew that no answer was a possible ‘yes,’ in contrast to a ‘no’ which was a definite “no.” Silence always opened possibilities and sometimes that was just enough. Karen smiled as she looked at Addy and the sway of her hips. “Umm! So looking forward to see that on the ceiling!” Addy shook her head and laughed.

  As Karen planned, they spent that night in the flat. They also ate in. Although the mirror was fascinating, they soon found that they didn’t need that kind of incentive to have a ‘hot’ night. The mirror, for sure, added an element of eroticism, but the truth was that there were enough sparks between them to light a forest fire. They really didn’t need outside help to get the flames going.

  “I’m glad you like the place, I wanted it to be perfect. I want you to feel at home and to be happy here. I almost feel that you are more excited about the place than about the reason for being here, certainly about the mirror!” Addy chuckled.

  Karen became serious. “I’m just frightened, Addy. I’m sorry, I can’t help it I’m afraid, for me, for you, for both of us, and for the baby too. What if it’s not normal? What if it comes with a problem?”

  “Ker, the baby is going to be closely monitored. Everything, will work out. All your fears are normal. We all have fears. Tough decisions may need to be made. We have faced difficult situations together and have handled them successfully. We will make it through, like we always do.”

  Karen didn’t seem too convinced by Addy’s optimistic views, but she curled into Addy’s arms. A change of subject was necessary to change the mood, and she knew just what to do. “Wanna do the mirror thing again?”

  Karen smiled and came on top of her. “Only if you confess that you like it also.”

  “I confess.” She laughed and squirmed when Karen began to tickle her.

  “What? I don’t think I heard you well?”

  “Oh God, Ker, please stop! I like it. Please, stop!”

  Karen stopped, and at that very moment she felt overwhelmed with joy. She thought Addy had never looked so beautiful, so joyful, so true, and so sincere. It was as if she was looking at a picture of all that was good in her life, and she loved it. She loved the moment, and the woman who made the moment special. She couldn’t help how her eyes misted.

  “What is it?” Addy asked, still panting from all the wrestling.

  “Nothing bad, it’s just that you fill my heart in ways even I can’t comprehend. You are the best of my life, Addy.

  Addy ran her fingers through Karen’s platinum hair. “If we only have three days to play on this bed, I think you are wasting precious time, lover girl!” Addy’s words were the equivalent to lifting the gates of the Hoover Dam.

  Karen said no more. Anyone who knew Karen would describe her as a calm, level-headed, calculative person, but no one ever saw the side of her that Addy saw. When making love to Addy, Karen became wild, frantic, and passionate. She had a total loss of self. There
was no her, there was no Addy. There was just them, lost within each other totally, completely, endlessly. Sometimes during her climax, she’d cry unable to control the intensity of her feelings. Even after all the time they had been together, it was always the same. She shivered, trembled, smiled, laughed, and cried, sometimes all at once. Addy was her heaven and she lost all control with her. Addy cherished the intimacy of those precious, private moments when Karen lost herself to her.

  For the next three days, which they did spend on the playground-bed, they exhausted each other. Addy sat on the bed, as she reached out to take a look at the clock. “Ker, I don’t think we’ve ever had so much sex in such short period of time.”

  Karen was reclined on her back exhausted but grinning. “Well, how about that time in Thailand when we were caught in that monsoon weather and the river crested and we couldn’t get out of our room for an entire week? How about that other time when there was that avalanche in the Swiss Alps and we were unable to leave the ski resort until they opened the roads and that took how long? Was it about nine days? What about that time in Cancun when that hurricane hit and we couldn’t leave the hotel because there was no way to get to the airport, didn’t that take about a week to clear also? Hum, how about that time when …”

  “Oh, Lord! Stop! You’ve made your point. We are maniacs! That’s what we are!” Addy chuckled and leaned forward pretending to be embarrassed.

  Karen laughed and pulled her on top of her. “Addypooh, come here! Do you want me to continue to refresh your memory?” Addy kept laughing and shaking her head as Karen tickled her.

  “Stop it, Ker! Stop, please! Oh, my God, I’m yelling. What are the neighbors going to think?”

  “Are you forgetting this is somebody’s love pad? The neighbors are either used to hearing all sorts of noises coming out of this place, or the walls are soundproof. ”

  “Ker, we need to behave.”

  “Really? Why? I have an idea.”

  “No, no more ideas! Now you listen to me.”

  Karen was trying not to grin, but couldn’t. She was looking at Addy’s butt on the mirror. “You behave now or, am I going to have to make you cry?”

  The green eyes never looked more gorgeous as they looked at the image on the ceiling. “I can see you are misbehaving, Ms. Larsen. You leave me no alternative!” When all was done, the green eyes had shed plenty of joyful tears.

  ***

  Although Addy was very supportive in trying to dispel Karen’s fears, she secretly had fears of her own. How could she not? There were inherent risks no matter how she looked at it. She was concerned, thinking of all the possible things that could go wrong. More so, because this had been her idea and she would feel very guilty if anything went wrong. On the other hand, she felt convinced that this was the right thing for them to do. The day of the interview, Karen was a nervous wreck. She tried not to let on and did what she could to hide her fear, but Addy knew her too well, to not feel her anxiety.

  “Addy, I know that you know that I’m frightened, but I want you to be at ease in the sense that I agreed to do this, just in case something unexpected happens. So, don’t even think about blaming yourself, if anything goes wrong.”

  “Ker, stop saying that! Nothing is going to go wrong. I have a very good feeling about this. It will be fine and we are going to have ourselves a baby and that’s that! Women get pregnant every day. You are neither the first nor the last!”

  Karen looked at her with a worried face. “Addy but I’m a little old and what if—.”

  “Says who? Look at the Bible? The most famous people of the Bible were born to older women!” Karen couldn’t help chuckle. She was not too convinced that this was an appropriate analogy, even though it was true that the Bible spoke of such happenings, she was not so sure how holy she felt.

  The day of the interview they met Dr. Reiken, and her staff, and took a tour of the clinic. Dr. Reiken was delighted to welcome them to her practice giving them all kinds of special treatments and reassurances. She also insisted on being called Helena on account of their shared family history. On that day also, they filled out all the required paperwork, among which was the specific characteristics they wanted from the sperm donor. To the extent possible, they guaranteed that they would try to match all specifications.

  Helena, with all her explanations and kind manners, was able to put them at ease over the process. By the time they left the clinic, they were very much reassured about having done the right thing by coming to her. Helena not only had the best credentials in the field but also seemed very reassuring and easy going.

  The clinic personnel, as well as Helena, had explained the process and the science behind the procedure, how the sperm donors were screened and selected and how the sperm was determined and guaranteed to be safe and of the best quality.

  Before the insemination, Karen had to go through a battery of tests to make sure that she was healthy. The testing lasted an entire day, and after all was completed, they went home to relax and to get ready for the next day. The following day they were going to receive instructions to follow in preparation for the procedure.

  Prior to having come to the appointment, actually a few months earlier, they had received by email instructions on how to take, and record Karen’s basal temperature every day. The basal temperature would indicate the time of Karen’s ovulation every month. This temperature was to be taken first thing in the morning in total rest.

  Addy had been in charge of this operation. She took on that duty because she didn’t want Karen to move at all before taking the temperature, and also because she wanted to show Karen that she was committed to the pregnancy from the start. At first, she’d forewarn Karen, “don’t move, baby, open your mouth. I need to insert the thermometer.” After waiting the required time, she’d remove it and record the temperature in a chart provided by the doctor’s office. As this became a routine, sometimes Addy took Karen’s temperature even before Karen opened her eyes in the morning.

  A few times Karen woke up startled thinking that they had forgotten to take the temperature. But she always found a very smiley Addy. “Been there, done that.”

  “What?

  “I already took your temperature. You looked so cute all sleepy, I didn’t want to wake you.”

  “You are sneaky, How come I didn’t feel it?”

  Addy smiled. “Worried that I can do things to you in your sleep?”

  “No, I’m sure that if you did any of those things you are thinking about, I would wake up. Besides, you wouldn’t because it’s more fun when I’m awake.”

  When the time came for the appointment, they already had all the charts and could specifically determine Karen’s ovulation time of the month. Karen was very regular and that was extremely helpful.

  “Maybe I’ll keep this thermometer handy, ovulation time is the equivalent of being ‘in heat’ this way I’d be able to tell the days when you are really ‘hot’ and we can have wild sex.”

  “Really? And just how would I measure you since you don’t ovulate anymore?” Karen had that naughty girl look.

  “Honey, you don’t have to worry about that, I’m hot for you every day of the month.” Addy made a sound with her tongue and opening her mouth, she wiggled her tongue from side to side.

  “You are such a perv!”

  Addy laughed. “A perv, huh? I’ll have to remember that tonight when you are all sweaty and throbbing with your favorite perv.”

  Karen grinned. “What? How can I possibly respond to something like that?”

  Addy smiled. “Nothing, just be glad that you have such a ‘hotty’ in bed with you every night.”

  Karen chuckled. “Hey! I don’t think you’ve heard me complain about that, have you? And for the record, if wild sex is what you want, I don’t have to be ovulating to provide it.”

  Addy beamed. “I know.” She came close to Karen and whispered in her ear, “but not wildness for me, you know that I like it slow and long.” Addy smacked her w
ith a kiss and hugged her from the back. Karen grinned to the point that it hurt, and shook her head. A silent Karen was a beat Karen, and Addy knew it. There was nothing to do, but enjoy the glory of the moment.

  “Come on, woman, let’s get ready to get you pregnant!”

  ***

  The day of the insemination they were nervous, even though Helena had reassured them that the procedure was very common and that everything would go well. They had also been told that sometimes there had to be several attempts before the insemination actually was successful. This was another reason why they had decided on a prolonged stay and had made sure they had the right accommodations.

  A nurse entered the room and began preparing the equipment and medical supplies needed. When Helena came into the room, Addy noticed Karen’s panic-stricken face and held her hand.

  “Hi ladies, are we ready to start?”

  “No,” Karen replied.

  Helena grinned. “Come on Karen, this is nothing, trust me. I’m really good at this.”

  “I hope.”

  Helena patiently explained every detail of what she was doing, as it was taking place. She knew about Karen’s fears and concerns and laughed every time Karen made any remarks, or cursed while undergoing the procedure.

  Addy asked about whether she could do the insemination. However, Helena was not too keen on anyone other than her performing the medical procedure. She didn’t like to leave anything to chance for the thrill of one parent saying that they had actually done it. Helena had explained that she allowed no room for error. Karen and Addy agreed that this was a serious matter and that ultimately, the success of the procedure was the only thing that really mattered. So, while Helena was making all the preparations, Addy held Karen’s hand and came as close as she could to her and leaned her forehead on Karen’s. Karen closed her eyes. “Adriana Marcos, I still can’t believe that I’m doing this, I think I’ve gone mad.” Then she addressed Helena. “Helena, I don’t want to feel anything. If you need to give me drugs, I’ll take them, and also make sure I don’t see anything because I might just get up and make a run for it.”