Her Swedish Billionaire’s Baby

“I have a matter of importance I need you to investigate for me..discreetly.”

“I’m always discreet madam. State your business.”

“I need all the information that you have on one…” Inga snatched up the printout of the email, “Samara Khaled.”

“Do you have any other details aside from her name?”

“Well, I know that she is or was a student of UCLA as of five weeks ago and she attended a lecture given by Bjorn Fredriksen at that time. She was also at a cocktail party he hosted on his yacht therefore his California security firm will have her details. I will contact them as soon as this call is done to avail them to you.”

“Great. That’s a good start. And you need results…?”

“Yesterday.”

“Of course.”

Inga hung up and leaned back in her chair with a sigh. They did not need this sh*t right now.

*****

“….Samara! Samara!” Amy was shouting in her ear and she started with surprise.

“What?”

“Have you heard a word I said? I’ve been talking to you for the last thirty minutes and it’s like you’re somewhere else.”

Samara sighed, “I’m sorry. It’s just…I sent Bjorn an email two weeks ago about the baby and I haven’t heard back. Not so much as a word.”

Amy rolled her eyes, “Well what did you expect?”

Samara shrugged and grimaced wryly, “I guess I thought…I mean even my dad with his less than honest character didn’t abandon his kids.”

“Well for one thing, he was in love with the woman who birthed them. For another, by the time she died you were more than an abstract concept to him. You were his child. For another thing, he’d known your mother for more than one night before she declared she was pregnant!”

Samara grimaced again, “Why are you being so mean?”

“I’m trying to knock some sense into you!” Amy said.

“You sound like Alison,” Samara said.

“Yeah well…maybe she had a point sometimes.”

Samara gave her a look and Amy caved. “Sorry. I’m not saying she was right with the whole ‘don’t go to college thing’ but maybe you do tend to have unrealistic expectations about people. Which is weird considering everything you’ve seen in your life.”

Samara deflated. “You’re right. I know you’re right. And so was Alison…a lot of the time. I just…what am I supposed to do?” she wailed.

“Prepare for single motherhood,” Amy said and when Samara’s bottom lip trembled and her eyes shone with tears, Amy leaped over the space that separated them and gathered the taller girl into her arms. “It’ll be alright. You know we’ll help you as much as possible. Ma’s gonna be a doting grandma and Nanny can babysit while you go out to work…”

“I still can’t believe you still have a nanny,” Samara mumbled into Amy’s neck.

“Thank your lucky stars I do, otherwise you might have to consider day care.”

“Oh Amy, it’s great to hear you say all these things but I couldn’t possibly impose like that. But you’re right. I have to start thinking about the baby and how I’m going to manage this.”

“Damned right I’m right,” Amy said.

*****

Samara opened the door of her dorm room to find her sister standing outside, hands in leather jacket pockets, black jeans and boots completing the ensemble; her hair was dyed red and styled Rihanna circa 2009. She looked like the bad ass she was.

“Hey sis,” she said shyly.

Samara reached out and enclosed her in a hug.

They stood like that for a long time before Alison pulled away, wiping discreetly at the moisture on her face. If asked, she would say it was sweat so Samara didn’t bother. She stepped back.

“Come in,” she said.

Alison stepped shyly over the threshold like she was a vampire, unsure if she had permission. She slung off her jacket and laid it down on the bed, sitting down tentatively on it as well.

“It’s good to see you Samara,” she said.

“You too Alison.”