Our Lovely Baby Bump (2 page)

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

“I came with your answer. I wouldn’t have been able to sleep unless I told you,” he said.

“I thought you meant more time than a few hours,” she said.

“I was thinking while I worked, every time you passed by, each minute since you asked me, from the moment we kissed,” John answered.

“So, what is it?” she asked. Her heart raced waiting for his reply.

“Yes, I’d like to be the father of our children since I plan to be with you forever anyway. It just gets us a jump on the future part.” John held up a white bag. “I even came bearing gifts.”

“Cronuts?” Charlie asked hopefully. It was her favorite bakery treat, and only one place in Atlanta had them.

“No, addict.” John laughed and stepped inside and pulled a box out of the bag. “Ovulation kit. The lady at the pharmacy said we need it if we’re baby making.”

Charlie threw herself in his arms, unable to find words to express her happiness and the fact that John truly cared and wanted this. He hugged her tight against him, and she kissed him, overwhelmed by emotion. She was getting her wish—she was going to be a mother, and the dance for her and John had changed from flirting to much more. The pleasurable thought was pushed to the back of her mind when his tongue penetrated her mouth and the kiss burned hot between them.

John slept over that night, not in Charlie’s bed but in her guest room. How many times had he slept there and ached for her, and now she was his for the taking. He wanted to take it slow, but hell, there was no possible way in this. Knowing that she could develop cancer in the future after how her mother died terrified him. The thought of losing her when she sat across from him, telling him what was going on, literally stole his breath.  He wanted to hold her to him protect her, but even in his arms there would be no stopping a silent killer. He understood her choices, stood behind her. The fact that she came to him first made him want to climb on her roof and roar, “She’s mine.”  The feelings weren’t one sided, for years he wanted Charlie to notice him, and it turned out she did. The thought that he would be able to hold her in his arms and feel her naked beneath him sent a sucker punch of desire to his groin.

The realization that he’d feel his child in her stomach filled him with happiness, terror, nausea? Would he be a good father, a good man in her life? Didn’t children need college funds and strollers, or vice versa? John pushed the panic aside and watched her in the kitchen.  Charlie with the smooth skin that always looked tan, a mix of her mother and father’s heritage. He knew how she saw herself, someone that felt she belonged nowhere. Too light to be black even though her mother was African American, but he always thought people were stupid to judge someone by skin color alone. To him she was gorgeous even if she was the brightest shade of orange. Her dark hair with a few blue streaks always dared him to slips his fingers between the tresses.  Not a sign of rebellion but her own style, Charlie was a self-proclaimed nerd girl, glasses and all. She could talk about any video game and could update their Internet network or computers like a dream. Her lips were full, and her eyes light brown.

She thought he’d say no? He gave a mental laugh at the thought. Charlie was a perfect package of intelligence, sexiness with innocence that was too sweet to pass up.

She was making French toast and an assortment of other breakfast foods. Angel and Caleb were coming over for breakfast with their son Lucas. He was almost four months old, and Charlie was amazing with the baby. She already had some weird little sailor suit picked out for spring so she could have his pictures done under the cherry blossoms. But their close friends were coming over for another reason. They wanted to fill their friends in on Charlie’s diagnosis and their plans.  When the doorbell rang, John answered the door. Angel looked up at him in surprise.

“Hey, you’re here early,” Angel exclaimed.  Her hair was up in a ponytail, and the red streak was visible. She wore it up lately so Lucas couldn’t grab her hair and put it in his mouth.

“I stayed here last night.” John stepped back and ushered them inside.

“Oh really,” Caleb said with interest in his voice.

“Get your mind out of the gutter,” John said and plucked the baby from his arms.

“Hey it’s my baseball baby.” John grinned at the baby whose toothless grin and baby drool enamored him.

“Yeah, you need to stop buying him baseball stuff for a few years. The catcher’s mitt is bigger than his head.” Angel dropped the baby bag on the couch and walked toward the kitchen.

“It really is.” Caleb chuckled. “I took a picture of it on his head, don’t tell Angel.”

“I already know. You sent it to me by accident on my phone,” Angel said. She kissed Charlie’s cheek as she stood by the kitchen island and dipped her finger in pancake batter. “Cheesecake pancakes, oh yes. Caleb, I told you it was good to come over here and eat.”

“Get the table ready, and we can eat,” Charlie said with a smile.

Her smile made John’s heart give a little trip in his chest. He’d long ago admitted to himself he loved her. He figured it out around year two in their long friendship. She’d dated a couple of assholes, and the last one John still had an urge to punch his teeth down his throat. He’d spent too much time in the friend zone, and he wondered if the transition for them would be seamless. She still needed romance, that was for sure. After the frogs in her life he was ready and willing to be her prince.

He watched her and Angel as they put food on the table, working around him dealing with the plates and utensils. She wore her long, dark hair down and had on yoga pants and a white tank shirt. On her feet was a pair of Christmas socks that were completely out of season in March. But that was one of the things he loved about her—no matter what, he could be assured she had on goofy socks. In the summer her toes would be painted in bright colors that belied the shyness she wore like a cloak of protection. From her skin to her brown eyes and her full lips, the warmth and love she showed those she cared about, John saw her as the perfect package.

“You can put the plate down, and then you could stare at her even more,” Caleb murmured.

“Shut up before I kick you,” John said through a wide, fake smile.

“Do it and Angel will get you,” Caleb said mildly and bounced Lucas on his knee. “Is that true, buddy, will mommy be upset at Uncle John?”

“Play nice,” Angel warned and sat before taking the baby from Caleb.

The rest of them sat and took hefty potions from the breakfast Charlie made. They talked and played with the baby as they ate, laughing when he almost devoured Angel’s finger when she dipped her finger in syrup and gave it to him. Finally, after the meal was eaten and the food cleared, Charlie told them about her visit to the doctor and what her diagnosis meant. Angel had tears in her eyes and vowed that no matter what they’d be there for her in all the choices she made.

“I’m going to have a baby,” Charlie said.

“Well, the doctor said you don’t have to make a choice for a few years…” Angel began.

“No, she’s having one as soon as possible, and I’m going to be the father,” John spoke and reached over to take Charlie’s hand.

“You bad man.” Caleb grinned and winked.

John rolled his eyes and chose to ignore Caleb for the moment.

“Oh!”  Angel looked at them both and then asked. “Is that why you stayed over?”

“Dude, we just go the news yesterday!” John exclaimed. “We wanted to tell you guys and get your blessing, so to speak, even though we don’t need it…”

Charlie cut him off. “You’re family, and we wanted you to be a part of this from the beginning. A few months after the baby I’ll have the surgery to have a hysterectomy.”

“To remove your uterus and cervix?” Angel asked.  “Honey, Barbara, said it’s not a serious concern right now.”

Charlie shook her head. “I’m concerned enough for me not to even risk a year or three. By the time my mom found her cancer she was in the fourth stage. The cancer was aggressive, and I saw her waste away like my grandmother did. When Gran died I had no clue what she had, except she was in so much pain. Then to see mom go through it… I don’t ever want to have any of you who I hold dear see me dying like that. I understand everything, Angel. I know what I want, and I want this.”

“Yeah, my mom had that in her forties, and it sent her into the crazy as my father called it,” Caleb said.

Charlie chuckled. “That won’t be happening to me. We’ve discussed my options and my ovaries get to stay, so I’ll have the hormones and won’t go into the crazy as you call it.”

“Menopause, Caleb, it’s called menopause,” Angel said.

“I know, I’m saying that’s what my dad called it,” Caleb retorted. “I know what it is, and I know there are advancements in stuff like this, so women don’t have to suffer the effects of menopause without treatment.”

Angel nudged him. “My Mr. Knowledge.”

“Thank you, I like to be appreciated,” Caleb said in a satisfied tone.

John snapped his fingers. “Hey, back to us please.”

“So, is this like a sperm donor thing?” Caleb asked. “Because I know how John feels…”

“No. We talked and kissed and then talked some more…” John said.

Charlie fanned her face. “In his eloquent way, John is trying to say we’re going to see if we click as a couple, and if we don’t he’ll still be a great daddy. You’ve seen him with Lucas.”

“And she will be a fantastic mom, this will work.” John lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it.

“Right now you’re embarrassing her,” Angel commented. “Only black girl I know that turns so red.”

“I thought she was Spanish,” Caleb commented, and Charlie laughed at his confusion.

“I’m both,” Charlie said. “Mom was black and my dad was Dominican.”

“Ah.” Caleb nodded.

“You know hands down you both have our blessing.” Angel smiled. “I was waiting forever for you to get done circling each other like fencers and figure it out. I almost thought I had to intervene.”

John laughed. “Like that would be an issue for you.”

“Shaddup,” Angel retorted.

John had no doubt that Angel and Caleb would’ve supported them, but it was still good to get that small worry off the table. The next thought was the bigger concern that caused him to gulp down a half glass of orange juice.  The act of making a baby with Charlie—would their first time together be as pleasurable as he thought? A lot was at stake.

* * * *

Ten days later Charlie was reading the ovulation kit directions while sitting on the closed lid of the toilet with a thermometer in her mouth. She read about the basal method of watching her temperature.  She was following a chart for peaks and ebbs and peeing on an ovulation stick each day to see if it was time to make a baby. Each time she hoped, and each time it scared the crap out of her. It meant that she’d be naked with John…
Eeep!

It wasn’t the fact that each time she was in the same room with him lately heat infused her body, or each time he kissed her good night he left her knees weak.
What if I’m not what he likes in bed or
I can’t please him?
That was her major concern, she was never good at the sex thing. Her last boyfriend told her he cheated because she was so boring. 
I should let John punch him in his stupid head
, she thought mercilessly. She didn’t want to disappoint John. He was giving her what she truly wanted, and she was so pleased to be the woman that had his attention. She hoped she could keep it.

Charlie sighed and took the thermometer out of her mouth.
Ninety-eight point six.
Not even a spike in her temperature.  John was being so amazing. He sent her flowers and took her out to dinner the night before. They knew everything about each other, and she just wished she knew more about what men wanted between the sheets.

The timer went off and she could finally check the ovulation test.  Her heart soared and plummeted at the same time. She was on the first day of ovulation, and from what she’d read the next five days would be the best time to try to make a baby.
Holy shit!

Charlie rushed out of the bathroom and looked around.
What do I do now?
She calmed herself enough to find her cell phone and press John’s number on speed dial. She wanted to shout,
it’s time
but she’d hold on to that until she was in labor, fingers crossed. Her hands trembled as she turned the phone and found John’s name in the recent calls list. There were a lot of calls back and forth. They talked a few times each day even though they saw each other at work. She pressed it and listened to the phone ring before he answered.

“Hey, honey.” His voice held warmth.

“John, the kit said it’s a go.” Charlie heard the tremble in her voice.

“You mean we can…” John’s voice trailed off.

“Yes,” she answered. “So, should we meet at your place or my place?”

“It’s not a business arrangement,” John said gently. “Charlie, how about I get a nice bottle of wine and make you dinner.”

“Okay, that sounds nice.” She pressed her hand against her chest, hoping to stop the wild beating of her heart.

“Baby, we don’t have to do this. We can wait for another month or two,” John said.

“I want to, John.” Charlie sighed in frustration. “I just don’t think I’m good at this or you know…sex.”

John chuckled. “How about you let me be the judge of that? Besides, I probably suck at it, too.”

“You seem to forget that we’ve seen a slew of your crazy exes,” Charlie pointed out. “Could it be because you were a sexual dynamo?”

“Or they were just crazy,” John pointed out. “Let’s just worry about us and what we can do together.”

“I don’t want to disappoint you,” Charlie said softly.

“Baby, when you kiss me, I’m already in heaven,” John said. “We’re going to eat and drink wine, watch a movie, and if it happens it happens, if it doesn’t then I’m completely satisfied getting to hold my girl all night.”

“You re sweet, do you know that?” Charlie asked.

“I like you telling me,” John said. “I’ll see you around seven?”

“That sounds perfect,” she answered.

“See you then,” John said.

The club was closed for the day. They did it every two to three weeks at random times to clean, update their security system, and take money to the bank. They picked a random way of doing this so no one watching the club could ever know if or when they’d have money in the safe or if it was already deposited. Charlie, Angel, and John all used to run the streets, and in Atlanta people noticed success. Both good and bad entities, so basically anything could happen. John always did the bank runs. He was adamant on that, and he always took special care, different routes, etc.

She had a few hours to get ready and decided to take it. She went to the hair salon for a wash and blowout. When she got home, she looked for one of her nice, simple sheath dresses and laid it out on the bed.
Shit to formal, we’re eating in and watching a movie.
Charlie was decidedly nervous and sat on the corner of her bed. She pulled her cell phone from her purse and pressed the speed dial button for Angel.

“What’s the word?” Angel’s usual phrase instead of hello made her smile.

“The word is help,” Charlie answered.  “Talk me out of the panic I’m in before I take a flight to Timbuktu and am lost to you all.”

“Ummm, okay, let’s not do that.” Angel gave a chuckle. “Lucas is down for a nap. Tell me what’s going on.”