Accept My Baby

Amanda had her head buried in his shoulders.

“Amanda, it is only right that you tell Brett about the baby,” he said and she nodded.

“I know that is the right thing to do but do you really want me to do it?” she asked and he took a long deep breath.

There was something she had not told him. This was not the first time she was expectant. When she first started seeing Brett, they were not always as careful and when she found out that she was pregnant, Brett would not hear of it. All he cared for was the fact that they were not in a position to have a family at that moment. So at his behest, she’d had it taken care of even though she knew that they would have made it work. She didn’t think it was a good idea to let him know anything especially now that they were no longer together.

“I really don’t, but I would want to know,” he said.

“Even if you once knew that I was in the same situation and you chose a free life over the joy of parenthood?” she asked and he raised an eyebrow over the other.

“What?” he asked as he looked at her.

“To Brett his freedom has always come first above everything else. And it cost me my first baby.”

He held her neck and pressed his lips to her forehead.

“Then he shouldn’t cost you this one too,” he said in a whisper as he gently caressed her cheek. “But he should know about he baby. It is the right thing to do.”

She was silent for a long minute before she spoke again.

“I’m not sure I can do this,” she said and he smiled before he reached for his phone.

“Use my number,” he said in a soft voice. “Procrastination only makes it worse.”

She bit her lip and then took a long deep breath before she dialed Brett’s number. She could feel her heart racing as she waited for him to pick up. She had not considered telling Brett this soon, or ever for that matter. He was dead to her as far as she was concerned and nothing else mattered.

“Hello?” she heard Brett’s all too familiar voice.

“Brett, it’s Amanda,” she said.

“Amanda…thank goodness. Where are you? Are you okay….just tell me where …” he struggled to say but she was not interested in whatever he was saying.

“I’m pregnant, Brett,” she said in a soft voice and he suddenly went silent. She waited for a long second to hear him speak but he never did. “Brett, are you there?”

“I’m here,” he said in a soft voice. “But I don’t think I heard right.”

“Well, you did. I’m pregnant,” she said again.

“Wow, a few days away from me and you already got yourself knocked up. Being a floozy much?” he said and she rolled her eyes.

“It’s your baby, asshole!”

“Well, I have no way of being sure about that. Now do I?”

“You do know that I was not the unfaithful one in this picture, right?” she asked, getting more and more upset by the minute.

“And I have no way of knowing if you did the same thing to me,” he said as she looked at Rafael.

“I was hurt because I was faithful to you throughout the years but that stint with Sienna, that was the last straw,” she said as she put her hand on her tummy. “My baby does not need you as a father. I just wanted to let you as the donor, know that I am pregnant.”

“Donor?” Brett asked.

“Yeah, donor. That is exactly what you are. Because you clearly have no idea how paternity works,” she snapped before she hang up.

Rafael took the phone from her and placed it on the nightstand before he pulled her close to him. She rested her head on his chest as he gently stroked her hair.

“It was the right thing to do,” he said in a soft voice.

She knew he was right but it su*ked all the same.

*****

“I was about to send out a search party,” Emilia said when Amanda walked into the apartment. She could smell something delicious cooking…or was it baking? She smiled as she walked into the kitchen. “Brett has been blowing up my phone and email.”

“I’m fine,” she said in a soft voice.

“And Brett?” Emilia asked and Amanda shrugged.

“He is being an ass because I told him I was pregnant.”

“You what?” Emilia asked, surprised.

“I did…and I just needed to have some time to myself.”

“Some time alone with Rafael you mean,” Emilia said as she wiped her hands on the front of her apron.

“Same difference,” Amanda said, walking towards the fridge. She got a pitcher of lemonade and put it on the counter before she poured herself a drink. “Something smells good.”

“Chicken cordon bleu and you are playing ‘avoid the subject’.”

Amanda rolled her eyes as she took a sip of her lemonade.

“ No, I’m not,” she said, sounding a little more defensive than she would have intended to be.

“Well, the two of you are spending more and more time together lately.” Emilia untied her apron and pulled it off. “I’m assuming things are looking up, right?”