Baby Fever

by Landish, Lauren

  So the only thing I had to do was make sure I screened every piece of mail that came through the house before Bella and I left off to our own place. Then, we could tell them and not care how they reacted.

  “I don’t know,” I finally replied. “But we’ll think of something.”

  Bella

  “The governor is throwing a party this weekend to open the new theater, and he’s going to be giving me an award for it,” Terry announced at the dinner table one evening over a plate of steak, rice, and potatoes.

  I was seated on one side of the table with Mother, and Stefan was on the other side with his father. He hadn’t given much eye contact throughout our meal, and I was a bit disappointed. A part of me, the naughty part, wanted to stick my foot across the way and massage him with it. I could only imagine the look on Stefan’s face if I did.

  My mom let out a startled gasp. “Why, that’s wonderful, Terry!”

  “Congratulations, Dad,” Stefan chipped in, grinning and clasping hands with his father in a bro-like manner.

  “Congratulations, Terry!” I added.

  Terry beamed at all the praise we piled on him for the next five minutes before dropping another bombshell.

  “And you all are expected to attend.”

  Stefan and I let out a groan simultaneously, but my mom clapped in an excited fashion.

  “There is no negation here,” Terry warned the both of us, seeing our sour expressions. “You both have to go.”

  “But I don’t even have anything to wear,” I blurted. I regretted the words as soon as they left my mouth.

  “You know what that means, don’t you?” asked my mom.

  I knew if I didn’t answer, she would say what she wanted anyway. “What?”

  My mom beamed. “It’s time to go shopping.”

  * * *

  “My gosh, Bella, are you gaining weight?” my mom asked as she struggled to zip up my size-two ball gown, a beautiful white, frilly number that reminded me of a wedding dress.

  Of course I was gaining weight, but I didn’t want to tell my mother that.

  I sucked in my breath, trying to become as small as possible. I wanted to fit in the dress as much as she wanted me to. Not being able to fit in it absolutely terrified me, and it meant I was saying goodbye to one of the things that had been permanent in my life.

  My precious size two.

  “Finally,” my mom huffed as she managed to pull the zipper all the way up my back thanks to my efforts. “I hope that holds.”

  I held in my breath as long as I could.

  “I can’t breathe,” I gasped, letting go of the air. The dress made several popping sounds, and the zipper unzipped itself halfway down my back.

  “Lay off the donuts, why don’t you?” Mom half-joked.

  I can’t, I thought. The baby is hungry.

  I decided to remain mum on the issue. I couldn’t argue that I wasn’t pigging out every five seconds. I thought about blowing up at her about shaming me but decided not too. It’d come off as too fake. Mom was getting wise to my fake rants and my real ones.

  “All right, let’s get you out of that thing and let’s try some other ones that are, um, maybe two sizes bigger.”

  Two sizes? I about fainted.

  I must have tried on several different gowns, a couple of size threes and a couple of fours. Unfortunately, I felt the most comfortable in a four.

  When I finally found the one I wanted, I quickly forgot about the disappointment of going up two dress sizes.

  “This is the one!” I proclaimed.

  “That looks great on you!” my mom exclaimed at the dress I decided on.

  It was a dashing red lace number that showed off my new curves in such a flattering manner that even a blind man would be impressed. The bottom part of the dress flowed behind me in a train. I would have to be careful with it at the party, but I suspected there would be other women there with similar dresses.

  I twisted my body around, checking out my back side.

  Eat your heart out, Stefan, I thought, shocked at the new fullness of my ass.

  Baby got back.

  “Thanks, Mom,” I replied.

  Mother wrapped her arm around my waist and beamed into the dressing room mirror. “I’m sure you’re going to turn heads.” Ruffling my hair, she kissed me on the cheek.

  The only head I want to turn is Stefan’s, I thought in protest, but I knew better than to say so.

  “Now,” my mom said with a grin, stuffing all the dresses I had tried on into my hands to put back on the hangers. “My turn.”

  * * *

  I was filled with giddy excitement when we arrived back at home in my mother’s black Mercedes Benz. I had a new dress that I was sure would knock Stefan off his feet, and I actually looked damned good in it despite gaining weight. I had been dreading going to the party before, but now I actually had something to look forward to.

  “Bella, can you get the mail?” my mom asked when we were halfway to the front door.

  Shit.

  I was so excited about everything that was going on, I had forgotten to check it earlier in the day. But, judging by the stack of the mail stuffed in the box, so had everyone else.

  As I glanced over the bundle, I was glad when nothing was out of the ordinary.

  Lucky. Damn lucky.

  Bella

  The governor’s party was a ritzy affair. Prominent people, young and old, from all over town were in attendance. Dad had rented a limo for our arrival—a long, white, pristine one that had a bar inside and plush, cream-colored seating.

  I absolutely enjoyed the ride and was kind of disappointed when it was over.

  When we stepped out, serving men quickly rushed up to usher us into the estate. As we were led in, I marveled at the estate’s grounds. Lush, green, freshly-cut grass surrounded the walkways. Marble fountains and statues were erected at each intersection, inspiring points and stares.

  I always thought we had been pretty well off, but the governor’s mansion was on another level.

  Inside, the opulence continued, with vast, vaulted ceilings, white marble floors and walls decorated with Victorian finery. The furniture was also either white or cream-colored with gold trimmings.

  “Holy shit,” I overheard Stefan muttering to Terry, “this dude is loaded.”

  Terry chuckled and muttered something in response, but I didn’t quite hear what he said.

  We were led into a packed ballroom filled with elegantly dressed people. Tables lined with real gold plates and silverware were situated around the room.

  All around us, there were packs of people talking to one another. Quite a few male eyes turned on me when I stepped into the room, but I was surprised I had quite a lot of competition in the young female demographic.

  There were plenty of girls who had absolutely gorgeous dresses, their hair and makeup immaculate. I tried not to look at them. There was no need to compare.

  And there was one person in the giant ballroom who wasn’t checking out the competition either, and that was Stefan. He’d had his eyes on me since we left the house. He hadn’t said much to me on our way here, not to arouse suspicion for our parents, but I could tell that he really liked the way I looked in my dress.

  A couple, an older man and woman, walked up to our little group and began speaking with Terry. That’s when Stefan took his opportunity to approach me.

  “You look absolutely gorgeous in red,” Stefan told me under the murmur of the crowd, stepping up close so that I could hear him. “Absolutely stunning.”

  A flush ran through my chest and up through my cheeks. I was glad he appreciated the work I’d gone through to look good for him.

  Before the party, Mother and I had gone to the beauty parlor and had gotten our hair, nails, and makeup done.

  “You look good too,” I replied. And I meant it.

  Stefan was dressed in a black and white tux, a bowtie at his neck. With his hair slicked and parted to the side, he looked unbel
ievably GQ, as if he’d just stepped out of a high-powered photo shoot.

  I had already caught more than a few girls stealing glances at him, and it made me feel more than a little protective—and slightly jealous.

  But I couldn't let him see it, not when I had promised that I would be strong for us.

  I mean, how could I break down when Stefan was being so cool about everything?

  Despite the worry over our heads, Stefan looked like he was on top of the world.

  “I want to sweep you off your feet and carry you up to the balustrade overlooking the ballroom,” Stefan said. “So I can show off my future bride to everyone.”

  The words ‘future bride’ brought up strong emotions inside me and I nearly started crying in front of everyone. But with great control, I kept my face from cracking and simply said, “I would love that.”

  That was another bad thing about my pregnancy. My emotions were starting to go up and down like a rollercoaster.

  The governor interrupted our little conversation when he walked up with a young, handsome blond man with vivacious green eyes and dressed in a tux similar to Stefan’s at his side.

  The governor was a big man with broad shoulders, greying hair at the temples, and a bald pate on the top of his head. He looked rather imposing, but I guess if you’re the governor, you have to be.

  “You have some beautiful children, Terry,” the governor remarked after shaking hands with Terry and my mother, mainly looking at me.

  My mom beamed. “Thank you, Gary,” she replied, even though the governor hadn’t been talking to her. “She got her looks from me.”

  I can’t believe she said that, I thought, holding back a roll of my eyes. Seriously, Mom, we get it. You’re hot for a woman your age. Certified MILF. Don’t go fishing for compliments.

  “Governor, meet Bella and Stefan,” Terry announced. “Bella and Stefan, this is Governor Gary Rich.”

  “Pleased to meet you, sir,” I said diplomatically, taking the man’s hand. He gripped it firmly and shook it and then shook Stefan’s.

  “It’s a pleasure.” Gary turned to the young man beside him, who was smiling at me. “This is my son, Cory. He’s a lawyer for one of the top firms in the city.”

  Cory stepped forward and grabbed my hand, bringing it to his lips for a kiss. “Nice to meet you.” His eyes flashed as he looked at me.

  “Nice to meet you too,” I replied, blushing. I didn’t mean anything by it—it’s just a natural reaction.

  Beside me, I felt Stefan stiffen, but he remained silent.

  When Cory moved on to shake Stefan’s hand, he hesitated a second before taking it. “It’s a pleasure,” said Cory.

  “Likewise.” Stefan’s voice was strained. I was worried the two of them, obvious alpha males, would go at it, but then an aide came over and Cory had to leave, defusing the situation.

  Terry and the Governor continued chatting for a few minutes before the Governor pleaded that he needed to greet more guests and walked off.

  As soon as the man was out of earshot, Terry turned on Stefan. “What was all that about?” he demanded.

  Stefan glanced at me. “I didn’t like the governor’s son.”

  “Why not?”

  Stefan shrugged his shoulders. “I don't know. There are just some people you don’t like on sight. He’s one, that’s all.”

  We spent the next thirty minutes walking around and talking to snobby rich people. Stefan hardly spoke whenever introduced and kept his eyes either on me or roving around the ballroom.

  I soon grew tired of shaking people’s hands and of people walking on the train of my dress. I nearly tripped because of it. Luckily, Stefan caught me in his arms.

  When it was time for the food to be brought out, I sighed with relief. I'd had it with the fake smiles and the fake greetings. Somewhere along the way, I started suffering from cramps and it had become difficult for me to stand, and my smiles started to look like I was constipated because I was in so much discomfort.

  Our family was seated at a small table near the right center of the room, near the stage that had been set up for a presentation.

  “This is just mind-blowing,” my mother muttered, eyeing the expensive silverware.

  “Tell me about it,” I replied, situating myself in the seat in such a way where my sides hurt less.

  The wine and drinks came out first, followed by the food. My mom raised an eyebrow when she saw me have the waiter load my plate with clams, oysters, and scallops, but I didn’t care. I was hungry.

  While everyone ate, several people got on stage to speak about boring crap. But my attention was turned to the stage when someone announced the governor.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, your host for the evening—your beloved Governor, Gary Rich!”

  The room erupted in applause, but I was too busy eating to clap.

  The governor walked up on stage and stood there before the podium, basking in all the adulation for a full minute before motioning everyone to quiet down.

  “Thank you everyone,” Gary said into the mic. “I thank you all for coming.” Then he launched into a speech about how glad he was to serve the people of our state as our governor. I zoned him out and continued to eat my meal until he started talking about Terry.

  “I’ve known Terry for a very long time, back when we went to high school together, and he is nothing but the consummate professional. When I first envisioned a new theater for our capital city, Terry was the first man who came to mind who I thought could make it happen. So, without further ado, I proudly present to you, The Gary Rich Theater!” The room burst into applause as the screen behind Gary dimmed. “My son, Cory, will do the honors of showing you all the video of our spectacular new center.” Gary gestured to Cory, who was standing somewhere off-stage, out of view. “Cory.”

  There was movement around the side of the stage, and everyone waited for something to come on the screen. Time ticked by and people began muttering to each other.

  Gary leaned away from the mic to speak to his son, but his voice was still picked up. “What’s taking so long?” he whispered loudly.

  I heard the muffled sound of Cory’s voice, but couldn’t understand what he was saying, and it looked like Gary grew agitated by whatever his response was.

  “Got it!” Cory called out quickly after several moments. He ran up on stage and casually wrapped his arm around his father’s shoulders. “See, Dad? I’m useful for something after all.”

  The whole room burst out into light laughter but quickly quieted down as video came on the screen.

  I was in the middle of eating an oyster, not paying attention or looking at the screen, when I heard someone say, “What the hell is that?”

  I looked up and my heart nearly stopped. Beside me, Stefan stiffened.

  Oh, no. God, no.

  The familiar scene of me being led by hand into a room by a half-naked gladiator was on the screen.

  “What is this?” Gary demanded of his son, away from the mic again but still being heard.

  Cory stared at the screen, looking perplexed. His response was faint, but I still managed to hear it. “I don’t know, Dad. This is not the footage I put into the player.”

  “Take care of this.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  As the scene on the screen became more risqué, people around the room began muttering among themselves and looked uncomfortable.

  Suddenly, a scream pierced the air.

  A second later, I knew why. On the screen, there was Stefan, still masked, going down on me.

  “Eat that pussy!” My pleasured moan rolled out over the entire room.

  “My God.” I saw an older man cover his young daughter’s eyes with his hand.

  “Cory!” The governor roared, no longer caring about decorum. “Get that God damn video off the screen now!”

  Cory’s voice was filled with panic as he frantically pressed buttons on the player. ‘I’m trying, Dad, I’m trying.”

  “Turn t
he fucking thing off!” The governor yelled again, his face red with rage.

  A sudden, high-pitched laugh suddenly drew my gaze away from the damning video and shock rolled through me. There, sitting several tables away, was Veronica George, dressed in finery, smiling at me with devious pleasure.

  You bitch, I thought. Stefan was right, it was a Kappa. It was you this whole time.

  “Surprise, surprise, Bella,” Veronica called sweetly.

  Stefan turned and looked at me as my mother turned and stared at us both in horror. “Well,” he said in solemn tones that said he already accepted his impending doom, “This is not going to end well.”

  Stefan

  Our sex tape was still playing out on the large-screen TV before the shocked audience. In it, Bella and I still wore our masks as I fucked her like a wild beast, my ass flexing with each powerful thrust, but it was fast approaching the moment where Bella recognized me and tore my mask off.

  To me, it didn’t matter if my face was revealed in the video. Our parents had probably already recognized us from the moment we appeared on-screen, elaborate costumes or not.

  I was just waiting for their shock to wear off and for the shit to hit the fan.

  Thankfully, the screen abruptly went blank, silencing Bella’s moans and my feral grunts just as I was about to blow my load, and just before Bella tore off my mask, revealing my identity. For the party guests, I felt some small consolation that the mysterious couple on screen having sex would remain a mystery . . . at least for now.

  “I got it off!” Cory, the governor’s son, shouted with triumph from where he had been furiously hammering on a laptop that had been feeding our sex tape to the large screen before just yanking out the cord connecting it to the video system. Cory studied the laptop like it was defective, flipping it over on its side before setting it back down on a small stand. “I don’t know why the hell it wouldn’t shut off before. It was like the whole system froze when I tried to close the video.”

  “Finally!” Gary, the governor, snapped. He stomped across the stage and over to his son. “You would have thought you were a damn imbecile with computers with how long it took you.” The governor tried to be quiet with his next words, but his furious whisper was still clearly audible over the outraged chatter in the room. “What the hell was that all about, Cory? Was that one of your damned pornos?”