by Katie Dowe
He saw her tightly clenched jaw relaxed just a bit. “When you said you were pregnant, I was already in love with you. You were more than just a good time for me Natalie, I truly love you. The timing was perfect, but the way it came out made me look sleazy and underhanded. I know that, and it’s the reason I’m here today. I want you to understand my perspective… I never wanted to hurt you and I don’t care that my mother won’t understand. I love you and the baby.”
She paused a minute before saying, “I felt like crap Brett… Used and broken. I’ve been through so much before. I’ve been pregnant once in the past… Jason my husband didn’t want children and he never knew about the baby… One day … all alone, I went to the clinic and just like that, it was over. I couldn’t bring myself to bring a child into this world with such a horrid man as a father. He was abusive and it took me years to repair the damage. You were the first man I had slept with since I left him three years ago. I trusted you… you hurt me like they all do.
My husband, just like you, claimed he loved me. I cannot take the heartache of anymore drama Brett. I need peace. My mind needs to be settled so I can raise my child and carry on my business.”
The words connected with Brett like a poison arrow to the chest. He knew she had been married before, but she seldom spoke of the details. He didn’t know how bad it had been.
He knew she was a straight talker and he loved it about her. She spoke her mind and took no shit. She was a queen in his eyes. Sorrowfully he admitted that he knew nothing of the lost baby. She never spoke about her failed marriage. He wanted to hug her and make the pain go away. The lost look in her eyes spoke of raw wounds, old and new and he knew he was to blame for some of them - at least those more recent.
In an act that surprised him, Natalie got up from the recliner where she sat and joined him on the couch. She was close enough for him to feel her body heat and smell the lotion she rubbed on her caramel skin. “Brett, would you like to see Joy? She’s asleep in the next room.”
Natalie didn’t wait for him to answer. She simply rose from her seat and held out her hand, beckoning him to follow. The warmth of her palm against his cooled his passion like a refreshing breeze. He tried not to smile and ruin his luck.
The pink little room was fit for a princess and that she was, Joy slept on her side, sighing every time she exhaled a tiny little breath. Brett stood next to her little crib afraid to touch her. Her mother, now an expert, scooped up the bundle of joy gently. “Would you like to hold her a moment?” She asked.
Brett, afraid this was a dream, simply nodded his head for fear that his voice would ruin the moment and wake him up. Joy was so warm and sweet. Her little mouth curled at the corners just like her mother’s full lips did when deep in concentration. Her long nose belonged to him definitely and maybe if her eyes were open he would see the hazel color. She was the most beautiful mix he had ever seen.
When he looked up from the perfect vision, Brett found the adult version smiling at them. It seemed he wasn’t the only one dreaming. Without knowing what he was doing, he tried to return the baby comfortably to her spot. He was successful, but barely.
As they closed the door with their sleeping child safely tucked in, Brett turned to Natalie and asked, “What do we do now?’
Smiling like a school girl she said, “Now we start over. I will tell you about my life and you will tell me about yours. No more secrets… and you’ve got to meet my parents.”
He struck out his hand to seal the deal but, she didn’t take it. Instead she tried to envelop his wide chest in her version of bear hug. Her breasts rested on his belly and her head leaned upon his chest, listening to his heart beat. Her man was home.
The baby woke just as he finished telling her about his collaboration with Priscilla. Natalie all but fell off the chair laughing at the ridiculousness of it all. She couldn’t understand how a woman could go along with such foolishness all for a quick dollar and a promise of material gifts. It was too much.
They both went to the nursery when their hungry little girl cried. She waved her hands and scrunched up her face until her mother picked her up. “Oh Joy… your daddy is here don’t cry.” That didn’t help and Natalie moved over to the rocking chair to sit with her.
It was the first time he had ever seen a woman breastfeed in person. He watched in awe as the little one nuzzled her mother’s breast even before it became free of the shirt. When she finally latched on, her little sighs of delight could be heard amid her suckling. This was the American dream.
*****
“It’s time William, the midwife is on her way. How soon can you get here? The contractions are ten minutes apart.”
This pregnancy thing was a bit much for him. He really and truly would have preferred just to pose for the family pictures and not participate in anything else. This baby was meant to seal the deal with his aunt, nothing more, nothing less. Brett’s birthday had passed and it was obvious that no baby was around to keep up his end of the bargain. It looked like William had hit a home run.
Apologizing to the mayor of the city with whom he golfed every Saturday morning, William hopped into his car and jetted off to Priscilla’s. Time to meet the baby. He had scheduled a press release for the announcement of the baby’s birth. He wanted it leaked that the baby was on the way. Publicity was the best way to show up Brett’s inadequacies. He needed to wallow in the pain of losing in a very public way.
He couldn’t understand why Priscilla insisted on having the baby at home. It seemed like a bad idea. He was sure with the amount of blood that was said to accompany these things, it was more suited for a hospital. He wouldn’t be cutting the umbilical cord if asked.
William also called Marilyn. She had an overnight bag packed since the baby’s due date became known. She would be there before he arrived.
Priscilla considered this to be her finest moment. Paid by both parties to destroy the other while receiving gifts for her imaginary baby. She was the star of the show. The camera’s had been set without his knowledge and each actor had his or her part. Brett would be watching from afar.
The midwife fussed over Priscilla as she lay there with sweat dripping off her face fresh from the mist bottle hidden behind her pillow. The warm towels sat at the ready while Priscilla moaned and groaned in agony.
William became genuinely concerned when her legs began to spread and she writhed in pain. It was too much for him. He watched in horror as the midwife moved between her legs and prepared for the birth. He couldn’t see anything because he sat at the top of the bed, holding Priscilla’s hand-as instructed.
“We are going to push now mom… Stay with me here. William this could get a bit messy and you'll smell something extremely raw. Just hold on and in case there is any poop coming out we will let you know.”
Brett laughed from his side of the camera. His cousin was so gullible; it was amazing what a little acting could do to shake things up. Of course they were aware of William’s fear of blood- he nearly lost a toe in a freak accident as a teenager and since then he avoided all things gruesome. When William swooned and landed on the floor with a thud, Brett almost fell out of the chair in amazement. As soon as he landed the set changed. The fake belly helping Priscilla appear very pregnant was quickly removed and hidden. A baby from Kmart was bundled into blue blanket and placed in a waiting crib. The midwife slapped William across the cheek yelling, “Are you all right Mr. Haughton?”
His eyelids fluttered and he came to. The woman helped him to his feet and he came to focus on Priscilla, who now looked refreshed, cuddling her baby. “You have a son,” the midwife said, smiling, pointing him to the happy mother and baby. “I’m sorry I passed out, I’m not good with the idea of blood and so on.”
The midwife led him to the bed where he attempted to see the baby’s face. As he approached Priscilla exclaimed, “There is something wrong, come quickly!” The midwife/actress released a still wobbly William and dashed to the baby’s aide. “Let me see!” In an
effort to hand the baby to the midwife there was a scuffle and much to Williams surprise the baby fell flat on its face. He tried to run, but ended up landing just underneath the two women catching the toy doll on first hop.
As if on cue, the eyes of the doll popped open and looked directly into Williams face before saying an automated, “Dada”. The doll fell again or rather, William threw it. “What the fuck is this? What the hell is going on?” The phone rang and the brilliant actress of a midwife answered sweetly before passing it to William. “It’s for you Mr. Haughton
Confused at the weird situation, he cautiously answered, “Hello?”
”Hello my good cousin!” Brett said in an upbeat tone, “Quite a quandary you find yourself in today. How’s the baby?”
“What the fuck are you and Priscilla up to… you tricked me…?”
“No William, you tricked yourself. You see, when you deal with a woman like Priscilla she’s always for sale to the highest bidder. She needed money and I needed you to understand what it’s like to have someone mess with your life. This little scenario has been recorded and it would be a shame to have it released. Priscilla’s publicist has already arranged for a press release saying she had a miscarriage and you fainted leaving her alone. We also have footage of you with that particularly delicious maid from the office. I’m sure the tabloids would understand how your cheating caused undue stress to the mother of your unborn. It could get quite nasty.”
William’s mouth fell open in shock as he looked around frantically for confirmation of the lie. The midwife smiled and Priscilla waved while William tried to make sense of the fake birth and his even faker child.
“Of course,” Brett continued, “We can arrange it so you don’t have to go through public humiliation… Hold your side of the road William, and don’t meddle in my affairs. When the final hearing regarding this silly will comes around next week, you will, without challenge, hand over legal ownership of the company to me. Do you understand?”
William nodded and Brett saw him. “Thank you William. It was nice doing business with you. Now piss off!”
Like a scared little rabbit William scrambled to his feet and ran out of the room passing Marilyn on the way. The old woman smiled and then frowned as he zoomed past her at top speed. Confused, she started toward the door he had emerged from. The midwife met her with the sad news of the miscarriage. Priscilla requested to be alone, she said. This was a hard time, she said.
Brett sat back from the screen satisfied that his critter of a cousin had bothered him for the last time. Getting up from his office chair, he picked up his cell phone. It was time to arrange the final meeting for the probate of the will. This chapter of his life was over and a new one was about to commence. Cheers to that, he mumbled to himself.
Chapter 10
The boardroom of Haughton companies was a place of gossip. Who married who for money, and who had tried to get around their own particular caveats for the will. Marilyn had the power to restrict or allow certain matters with advice from the attorney. The matter of the company leadership however, was not under her jurisdiction.
The meeting was called to order by the familiar southern drawl of Coggins the attorney, and all the relatives with interests took their seats. Marilyn sat to the attorneys left while Brett sat to his right. William tried to blend in somewhere along the line.
The matter of a group of his cousins donating their time to charity was discussed. Daddy Haughton found them too self serving during his lifetime and decided they could use a lesson in humility. From the looks of things it hasn’t worked. Wavney and Chevonne ‘s nails would not have allowed them to peel potatoes in the soup kitchen and their excessive perfume and makeup would be off putting to any child they tried to help with homework at the community center.
The report from both centers concluded that over the past few years they hadn’t visited, but one soup kitchen and the house mother of the community center for troubled girls said Chevonne told one overweight girl she was ugly. The foolish woman in question tossed her well maintained blonde tresses as though she had just been given an accolade.
Wavney knew better than to gloat. She had the smarts to calculate the losses. It would be in the millions. As the attorney declared them flouters of the rules and thereby ineligible for their endowment, Chevonne stormed out of the room. Wavney sat there crying.
All around the room he went, accessing the performance of each person. William didn’t have any caveats on his endowment. He only had to pray Brett screwed up bad enough. Even though he had been humbled by the staged pregnancy, he knew there was no way Brett had a baby to stop the turn of the wheels. It could still be his day.
Brett’s turn was rumored to be the biggest display of failure ever if his required offspring didn’t appear. He stood to lose everything if this baby didn’t pop up from the woodwork. There were none as far as they knew. The old man heading the attorneys was his father’s friend for years and knew the old man’s intentions were good. The method however was brutal.
“Brett,” he said deliberately. “You were required to have a little bundle of joy by this time, but I am afraid I haven’t been made aware of any such events. Unfortunately, this means you lose the position as controlling shareholder of Haughton Companies. William will now assume that role and all aforementioned shares will be transferred to his ownership. You will be the second in command.”
A rousing shout erupted from the back of the room where William hid. Like a mad man, he rushed to the front of the room. “I knew it would all be mine! I knew it! All these years I held my tongue, but now I can say it. I hate you Brett… You had a father, I had none and over the years you gave Aunt Marilyn nothing but stress and headache… good riddance to you and your dictator ways.”
Brett allowed him his five minutes of fame. He ranted and rambled over things that happened as boys and lamented over the girlfriends Brett stole from him as men. When the bloodletting was over, William walked back to his seat, chest puffed and shoulders broader. He was the winner… finally.
Brett watched him take his seat before he stood. He walked over to the door of the boardroom and disappeared for a few seconds. All present thought he had given up the ghost… but then he returned. He stood at the doorway for a while before a woman appeared with a baby on her hip. The child gurgled and cooed while relentlessly chewing on a pink teething ring. The trio entered the room and all present had a minor heart attack.
Brett made silly faces while taking Joy from her smiling mother. Her little white dress had too many ruffles for him, but Natalie assured him it was the cutest thing she had ever seen. Brett agreed that his little princess with her streak of gray hair looked smashing. Her Afro puffs stuck out stubbornly from the sides of her round little head and the tiny diamonds in her ears glistened for all to see.
“This,” he announced, “is Joy Johnson -Haughton. She was born the day before my thirtieth birthday and this stunning queen here is Natalie Johnson…” he let that sink in before adding dramatically, “My fiancé.”
Jaws dropped and people struggled to breathe the air that was still abundant in the room. Brett’s mother clutched her chest, trying to keep the pending coronary at bay. The attorney smiled and nodded approvingly at the couple before saying. “I hope the good lady at your side doesn’t take this in the wrong way, but we will need proof of the baby’s paternity. I must say though it’s evident that there is a great resemblance.”
Brett knew how these things went and already had the paperwork. From his pocket he took a sealed envelope and gave it to the old man. “It hasn’t been opened… came straight from the doctor’s office and you can call him for confirmation. Hell… you can do your own tests. And while I have you all here, let me tell you of our pending nuptials. In the summer of next year we will be married. All of you can expect your invitation in the mail!”
Someone sprang to their feet and ran to a wailing William, who had found himself, once again, on the floor. The fetal position seemed to
bring him no comfort as he quietly cried as he rocked from side to side holding his knees to his chest. This wasn’t going the way he planned at all.
Ignoring his psychologically injured cousin on the floor, Brett turned his attention to his mother, “Mom, would you like to meet your grand daughter?”
Marylyn’s face, white as a ghost focused on her son. This was how he repaid her? By bringing the equivalent of a maid into family affairs? To make matters worse, he had reproduced with this person. This would never do.
“Of course I don’t want to meet her Brett. What the hell are you doing with someone like her? And a baby…? Have you lost your God damn mind?”
She didn’t wait for a response. The old lady got to her feet more agile than when she sat down. Her kitten heels clicked on the floor as she left the scene behind her. She didn’t care that it was 2015, in her world some things were like oil and water - they just didn’t mix.
*****
The baby slept soundly in the nursery down the hall and the nanny slept in the adjoining room. Tonight was special for mommy and daddy. Even though they were officially engaged Natalie found it hard to lay down with Brett again and hence, they were yet to make love. She understood now after the family meeting, just how difficult it was to be him. From the outside looking in, he was rich and handsome. Inside, he was a tormented soul, striving to be all the world thought he was, and all his father said he wasn’t.
Manhood was important to him and winning his family back had been his most significant accomplishment to date. In the shower, Brett said a secret prayer to his father thanking him for the push to grow up. The pains of stretching to become a man were excruciating and damn near sent him to suicide. But he had survived and come out on top. The beautiful woman waiting for him on the bed loved him and even though he had hurt her, she forgave him. So many lessons he had learned in the last year and a half. So many priceless lessons.
