by J. P. Comeau
Here we go—another one of Ginger’s temper tantrums.
“You have no idea how much I’ve missed you, Margo. At work, after work, texting each other—everything. I’ve been filled with so much guilt and regret because I wasn’t there for you when you needed me most. Just knowing that you had to hide something as big as a pregnancy from me tears me up.”
My mouth fell open, completely surprised at everything Ginger was saying to me. She walked closer, took my hands, and then both of us sat down on the bed, where she continued to pour her heart out.
“I want to explain why I was so adamant that the two of you not be together. I think it’s important that you hear it, Margo.”
“Of course, Ginger. Please, tell me everything.”
“Before Chase met you, he’d only been serious and—to my knowledge—monogamous with one woman—Amber. The details of their relationship aren’t important, but he used to be a huge playboy. Chase went after a former friend of mine, and when I say ‘former,’ it’s because he ruined our friendship.”
I nodded while continuing to squeeze her hand.
“Anyway, her name was Aurora, and she was like a sister to me. Chase told her she was the one and that he was head over heels in love with her. Until one day, he stopped answering her messages, and she called me asking if something had happened to him. When I got the call, Chase was sitting right next to me.”
“What did he say about her?”
“Chase said that he had never intended on being serious with Aurora and that the passion had died. She cried on my shoulder for weeks, until finally, she ended our friendship. She said that she couldn’t stand the fact that Chase could show up at any moment while we were together.”
I nodded sympathetically. “Well, I can understand why she felt that way. But it’s a shame that he ruined your friendship because of a playboy moment.”
Ginger shook her head at me. “There were a lot of other ones, too, Margo. Chase slept with one of my college roommates after dating her for a few weeks. Before it happened, he kept telling her that she was ‘the one,’ and the two of us had spent several nights planning her wedding. Suffice it to say, Chase ghosted her a week after they slept together. I had to listen to both of them talking about the other one after it happened, too. Chase was defensive, while my roommate was an emotional mess.”
I continued to nod, wanting her to finish before I said anything.
“There were several other instances, but one, in particular, has always stuck with me. After the whole Amber situation, Chase went out with my childhood best friend, Courtney. She and I had been inseparable since kindergarten, and he had always flirted with her growing up. One night, while we were all watching a movie at my apartment, the two of them snuck off and had sex in the laundry room.”
I scrunched my nose. “That’s not very romantic.”
“They did it on top of the washer, too. Anyway, I didn’t know Chase and Courtney had been dating each other up until that point. Right after it happened, he went home, and she told me that she was in love. The next morning I woke up to a text message from Chase, asking me to break it off with Courtney on his behalf.”
I could feel the color draining from my face. “You didn’t do it, did you?”
Ginger threw her hands into the air. “How could I not, Margo? If Chase had done it, he would have either been mean or sugarcoated it so much that it gave her hope. And that’s when she stopped talking to me, too. So as you can see, this isn’t the first time I’ve been in this situation, and it’s why I didn’t want the two of you dating. Not because I was jealous of him, but I didn’t want to lose my best friend… again.”
The two of us hugged for several long minutes, both of us crying on each other’s shoulders. Everything was starting to make sense now. When we pulled away from each other, I reassured Ginger that we were okay.
“I can’t thank you enough for your protection, Ginger. But it really wasn’t necessary. Even if Chase had treated me the same way as those other girls, I wouldn’t have let it come between the two of us. Besides, I’m a grown woman who can make her own decisions.”
Ginger snickered at me. “That’s exactly what Chase said to me that night.”
“What night?”
“When Chase and I ran into each other as he was leaving your apartment.”
I racked my brain, trying to remember everything they had said to each other. “No, I overheard the entire conversation, Ginger, and he never said that to you.”
She shot me a surprised look. “Yes, he did. Right after our big blowout, where he asked if I wanted him to stop seeing you, he laid right into me. He pretty much said he was a grown man and to stay out of his life. And to be honest, Margo, I’d never seen him act that way with any other woman. I’ve never seen him so happy with someone before, and I sure as hell didn’t realize how serious you two were until that night.”
I leaned back on the bed as I realized that I had been wrong all along. Chase never had any intention of staying away from me. Regardless of what Ginger said or did, he was going to continue dating me.
“Oh my gosh, Ginger. I’ve been wrong this entire time!”
We embraced each other again, crying on each other’s shoulders as everything fell into place.
“We’re seriously overdue for some hangout time, Margo.”
“Well, it’s going to have to wait. Because I have to go see a man about a baby.”
Ginger clapped her hands enthusiastically while smiling from ear to ear. “I can’t believe I’m going to be an aunt!”
I grabbed her hand and helped her to her feet. “I need your help, Ginger.”
20
Chase
My private stretch of beach in Key Biscayne felt a little too quiet that morning. As I dug my feet into the sand, watching the sunrise, I repeatedly asked myself what I was doing with my life. My yacht was sitting at my dock, practically begging to go out onto the ocean. I had spent dozens of afternoons on it, just enjoying the day while getting some much-needed rest.
And yet as I sat there looking at it, all I could think about was selling the damn thing.
My large, expansive, Spanish-style mansion was custom built and equipped with everything I could ever need. I had top-of-the-line kitchen appliances, the most comfortable mattress money could buy, and the biggest televisions on the market. And if I ever came across something I didn’t have, I wouldn’t even blink while purchasing it. My entire home was full of high-tech gadgets I barely used, anyway. Surely I could put my money to better use.
There was no point in having all of this stuff when I had nobody to share it with, and that was precisely what would happen.
I was going right back to the life that I had hated so much. Long flights, where I knew I’d open the door to an empty home. Drifting away aimlessly on a yacht, all alone as I tried to clear my mind. None of it mattered to me anymore. I might as well spend the rest of my days holed up in a tiny, one-bedroom apartment while sending Margo child support payments every month. Why did I even bother buying such a big house when it was just for myself, anyway?
I kicked the sand with my feet as I made my way back inside. Beaches were for families to spend time with each other, where kids could build sandcastles while their parents recorded it with their cellphones. What was I—a guy with no family—doing with so many material things anyway? What did I need a private stretch of beach for?
As I poured myself a cup of coffee and looked around my massive kitchen, I thought about just selling the place. It seemed stupid to have so much space for one person. My kitchen had two ovens, two refrigerators, an island with stools, and a soapstone sink that never got used because everything I ate came in a wrapper. I even had a wine refrigerator that never got used because I rarely drank wine.
Maybe I should purchase something much smaller in Orlando or Tampa. A place small enough for a solo existence.
I sank into my oversized couch and turned on the television. I usually appreciated the eigh
ty-inch screen in the vast living room, but it suddenly felt obtrusive and obnoxious. Who the hell needed eighty inches just to watch the news, anyway? I could watch television from a small bed or a television half the size. All it did was make the news anchors’ heads look big and funny. Plus, the speakers I had built into my walls were unnecessary. I didn’t need to be able to hear what was on the television from across the room.
I flicked off the television and walked into my dining room.
The dining room table and chairs were custom made, yet I had never even eaten a meal at it.
Why did I get a dining room set with a dozen chairs?
I gulped the rest of my coffee, barely wincing as the piping-hot fluid went down my throat. I found myself getting angry at my mansion and all that it stood for. People were starving in the world, and instead of helping them out, I had built a mansion with room for a dozen but only for myself.
It was time to sell that place.
I made my way upstairs and decided to take a cold shower, which had always been my way of pulling myself out of a slump. I started taking them back in college when I had to pull all-nighters just to pass an exam the following day. As the water hit my face, causing me to shudder at the frigid temperature, I had a revelation.
I needed to go after Margo.
Yuslan had given me plenty of good advice, but enough was enough. Margo was carrying my child, for crying out loud, and I refused to be one of those deadbeat dads! Several of my friends had become those types of fathers. It was disgusting to see them be so financially successful while barely contributing anything other than money to their child’s life. They needed to get their heads out of their asses before it was too late and their children grew up to resent their fathers.
It pained me inside just to think about our child growing up with little to no contact with me. Once I got through to Margo, then I was sure we could work out an arrangement.
But I didn’t want an arrangement. I wanted to be with Margo and raise our baby.
I kept thinking about the men I knew who merely sent child support every month and then acted as though that were enough. A child needs a father, a partner to their mother. I wanted to be there for their first word, first step, first haircut…first everything.
I slammed the water off and decided I’d go after Margo, once and for all. If Yuslan and Guadalupe wouldn’t let me in their house, I’d climb through the guest bedroom window.
I dried off, slid into a pair of jeans and a black T-shirt, and made my way down the stairs when someone jammed a key into my lock. Before I could access my security system, I heard Ginger’s voice.
Oh, hell, no! I am not in the mood for her drama today!
My hand gripped the handrail, prepared to tell Ginger to go home. After everything she had put me through, I couldn’t believe that she had the audacity to let herself into my home. I made a mental note to demand my key back, too, because someone like her sure as hell didn’t deserve to have a copy.
As I went to insist that she leave my home, she and Margo walked into my foyer.
It was like looking down at my angel, whose bright smile stared back up at me. Images of the times we’d spent together flooded my mind, and I knew what I had to do.
Margo waved up at me while smiling, mesmerizing me with her gorgeous eyes. I had never run down the stairs that fast before, nearly tripping over my own two feet, and once she was in front of me, I scooped her up.
I held her for several moments, not wanting to let her go for fear that I’d lose her all over again. Feeling her hair in my face was like being in heaven, and even though I knew Ginger was watching us, I didn’t care. Margo and I were together, and nothing in the world could ever stop that again.
Not if I had anything to do with it.
But Margo also needed to hear me plead my case.
I gently let her back down and then stood back a few feet, giving her plenty of room so as not to appear overbearing. Yuslan had made a huge impact on me, and I would never encroach on Margo’s space again.
“Look, I have so much respect for you. Knowing that you want to do this on your own without coming after my money speaks volumes about your character, Margo. But that’s not what I want. I want to be there for you and the baby during this whole pregnancy. I’m going to find you the best doctor, build you the best nursery, and do whatever else we need to do to put you in a better setup for raising a child.”
Margo started giggling while nodding her head. It felt amazing to see her so happy, once again, as I tried to forget everything we had been through. It was all falling into place.
“I don’t know what your benefits package is like at the spa, but I’m going to take care of all the medical bills. The only thing that I want you to focus on is being happy and healthy. And I mean it, Margo. I don’t want you to stress out about a single thing when it comes to your pregnancy. We have so much to do. But that’s all right; this is what I have assistants for. I’m sure one of them can get you in right away with the best obstetrician in town. I want to make sure both you and the baby are perfectly healthy!”
In between bouts of laughter, Margo nodded toward Ginger, who was staring at me with her arms folded across her chest.
I looked back at Margo, suddenly worried that she hadn’t told my sister the good news yet. “Does she know you’re pregnant?”
Margo smiled and nodded. It was hard to tell how Ginger felt about the situation. As usual, she was standing there with a pouty look on her face.
I braced myself for how she’d answer my next question, turning my body to face Ginger, I said, “Well, little sister, how do you feel about it?”
She put her hands on her hips and took a few steps closer to me. “How do I feel about you knocking up my best friend, or how do I feel about becoming an aunt?”
Oh, thank God!
All three of us came together, right there in my huge foyer, and hugged each other. We all shed a few tears, too, which was abnormal for me. But it was impossible not to become emotional at that moment, especially since my home was finally starting to fill up with love. Not only was Margo back in my life, but so was Ginger. The two of us had been close all of our lives, and even though I would have chosen Margo over our relationship without any hesitation, I was relieved that we were back to normal.
After we pulled away from each other, I looked at Ginger and held out my arms. My little sister jumped right into them, and Margo looked just as relieved as I that we were going to be alright. Just knowing that she was concerned about Ginger and me proved we were meant to be together. Other women I had been with over the years would have reacted differently, but not Margo. She was one in a million.
I finally let go of Ginger, and then I remembered a question I had meant to ask her. “By the way, did you ever call Jorge?”
“Yes, but we can talk about that later on, Chase. I’m going to head on out and let you two, well, get caught up. You’ve been apart long enough.”
We watched her leave my mansion, and as soon as the door shut, Margo ran straight into my arms. The two of us kissed passionately as she wrapped her arms around me. I carried her into my living room and then placed her on my oversized sofa. The same sofa I had spent so many nights on all by myself, watching television and wondering if I’d ever have someone to share my life with. And now I was with Margo on that sofa, getting ready to make love to her. Getting ready to fill her with my seed all over again, because I knew that she and I were meant to be together.
Margo looked utterly breathtaking in that white dress, but it desperately needed to come off. I ran my hands up her legs, slid off her panties, and then she arched her back. As my hands reached around and unzipped her dress, my mouth pulled down the top and exposed her swollen, aching nipples.
I took my time making love to her breasts while slowly undressing her until she was completely naked and in front of me. I stood back and took off my pants, and her eyes widened the moment she saw my swollen cock. The same swollen cock she had sur
rendered her virginity to not long ago and would soon be back inside of her.
I placed my ripped chest on top of her soft stomach, pressed a button on the sofa's side, and then watched as it turned into a bed. I slowly ran my hands up her legs while positioning my shaft against her pussy, kissing her gently on the lips as I made my way inside her. Both of us moaned as we connected, our bodies moving back and forth as pleasure overcame us.
There was no way I’d be selling my mansion now, not with so many rooms where I wanted to make love to Margo.
Her knees went up to her chest as I pushed us to the brink of an orgasm, and when it finally happened, both of our heads tilted back as we screamed in pleasure.
We laid there for a few minutes, trying to catch our breath until I rolled over and cradled her head against my chest.
“Thank you,” I said to Margo once I regained my composure.
She looked up at me and smiled. “For what?”
“For bringing meaning into my life.”
21
Margo
It felt so good to be back in Chase’s arms. Occasionally I’d be hard on myself for assuming the worst from him, but all that mattered was that he’d be with me every step of the way. I believed everything he had said in the foyer, too. He would step up to the plate and be the best damn father he could be, come hell or high water. I no longer had to go through this alone, and it wasn’t going to be just my baby.
It would be our baby.
I was so relieved to see him and Ginger make up, as well. That had weighed just as heavily on my mind as the pregnancy. As much as I was attracted to Chase, I could never come between two siblings. They had been through a lot together, and they seemed so close that it made me want my own siblings. In fact, I was fully prepared to raise the baby on my own just so it wouldn’t be a strain on their relationship.
Chase and I agreed that we needed to discuss our situation that night.
