by E. L. Todd
How could I say no to him? “Yeah.”
He breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you, man. I want her to get into that house before she gets too big. I want her to be settled and comfortable.”
“You know, if you just told her it was from you she might see you differently.”
“No, she won’t,” he said immediately. “She’ll always be blind to my love for her.”
***
“Oh my fucking god.” Skye’s jaw was practically on the ground. “He bought her a damn house?”
“I know. I couldn’t believe it either.”
She started to pace the room. “And he’s just never going to tell her?”
“That’s his plan.”
“But this is insane,” she said. “Clemy should know the truth.”
“He made it clear he doesn’t want her to know.”
She finally sat down. “I can’t believe this. They should be together but they aren’t. It’s so stupid.”
I sat in the seat beside her at the kitchen table. “It doesn’t make much sense, does it?”
She stared at the ground while her eyes looked distant. “Cayson, I think we should just tell her the truth.”
“I told Ward I wouldn’t.”
“I know but—”
“I can’t go back on my word,” I said. “A man who doesn’t keep his promises isn’t a man at all.”
“But I never said I would keep any promises…” She gave me a knowing look.
I sighed. “No, Skye.”
She stood up and stomped her foot. “Come on, Cayson. They clearly need help.”
“It’s their relationship—or lack of a relationship.”
“Clemy has a man who loves her so much that he buys her a damn house where she can raise a child that isn’t even his! Don’t you think she has the right to know that?”
“I…I don’t know.”
“Cayson, we need to intervene. They clearly can’t figure this out on their own.”
“I don’t like meddling.”
“And sometimes people need to meddle.”
I shook my head and tossed the papers on the table.
Skye sat down again and looked me in the eye. She lowered her voice, sounding gentle but commanding at the same time. “Cayson, this is your sister we’re talking about. She clearly can’t see straight. We need to help her.”
“I’m not going to manipulate her,” I said. “She’s a grown woman who can make her own decisions. There are other aspects of their relationship we know nothing about. Maybe Ward did something really bad but he didn’t tell us about it. Maybe he feels guilty, which was why he bought the house.”
“Ward would never hurt Clementine. He’s a loyal man.”
“Even so…”
“Well, I’m telling her anyway.”
“Skye—”
“No, I am. And this is what we’re going to do.” She leaned toward me and told me her plan.
I was incredulous to the idea but Skye seemed determine to make it happen. “I sincerely hope this doesn’t blow up in our faces and we ruin the small relationship they have now.”
“It’s a risk we’re going to have to take.”
Chapter Three
Clementine
“Where are we going?” I walked beside Cayson and Skye, feeling myself waddle because of the weight hanging from my stomach. My body had started to change, and the curve of my back started to deepen. Other places on my body became larger, like my ass and boobs. They were starting to feel sore too.
“To show you something,” Cayson said vaguely.
“What?” I asked.
“Just be patient,” Skye said. “We promise you’ll like it.”
“It better be good,” I said. “All this walking is making me hungry.”
“Almost there,” Cayson said.
We rounded the corner and came to a quiet neighborhood. There were small townhouses blocked in by a small black fence. As we kept going, I realized I recognized the neighborhood. The house I loved was located there.
We kept walking then I spotted it. It was painted yellow with white trimming. The flowers in the yard were still blooming. A sign on the lawn said SOLD. It was heartbreaking to see it go. The tire swing still hung from the tree and made me think of memories I never actually experienced.
Cayson and Skye stopped in front of it.
“Yeah, this is the house I wanted,” I said. “It’s beautiful, huh?”
“Very beautiful,” Skye agreed.
We stared at it in silence.
“Well, no point in torturing myself…” I started to walk again.
But Cayson and Skye walked up the steps to the door.
“What are you guys doing?” I asked.
Cayson pulled keys out of his pocket then got the door open.
What. The. Fuck. I practically ran up the steps then followed them inside. “What the hell is going on?”
“What do you think?” Cayson asked. He pulled out a few papers from his pockets then set them on the kitchen counter. “It’s yours, Clemy.”
I almost fainted. “What…?”
Skye smiled while she watched the excitement on my face. “It’s all yours.”
I walked across the hardwood floor and looked around. It was already furnished and everything was decorated to my taste. It was beautiful. I felt the granite countertops then searched the rest of the house. When I made it upstairs, the baby’s room was already made. There was a changing station, a crib, and a small dresser.
My eyes watered.
I ran back downstairs. “Oh my god!”
Cayson smiled while he watched me.
I threw myself into his arms and almost knocked him over. “I can’t believe you did this for me. You’re the best brother in the world.”
He returned the embrace and said nothing.
“How did you know I loved this house?” I asked as I pulled away.
“Well, I remembered the one you showed me,” Skye said.
I backed away. “I don’t know what to say…I thought I would never live in a place like this.”
Cayson continued to smile but didn’t speak.
“You didn’t have to do this,” I said. “I really appreciate it but you didn’t have to do this.”
He crossed his arms over his chest then glanced at his watch. Then he looked at the door.
“It’s so close to the best schools,” I said. “It’s a dream come true.”
“It’s a cute place,” Skye agreed.
I opened all the cabinets and closets, looking around and discovering my new home. It was exactly as it appeared in the pictures online. Everything was happening so fast and I couldn’t believe it was real. It was a dream come true.
The front door opened and someone else entered the house. “Sorry I’m late.” Ward’s voice sounded in my ears.
What was he doing here? I came back to Skye and Cayson and looked at him.
He froze when he saw me. He stared at me for several seconds before he turned his gaze on Cayson. And the look wasn’t friendly. It was murderous.
That was weird. “Uh, hi…”
“Hi,” he said quietly. He kept looking at Cayson as he put his hands in his pockets and came closer to the circle.
Skye and Cayson just looked at him.
Ward stared back.
“Everything okay?” I asked.
Cayson held his silence.
Skye spoke up. “There’s something we need to talk about…”
Ward sighed like he was pissed off. “I trusted you.”
“This isn’t my doing,” Cayson said immediately, raising his hands in the air. “I tried to talk her out of it but she wouldn’t listen.”
“What are you guys talking about?” I asked.
“Skye, don’t do this.” Ward pleaded her with his eyes.
“I’m sorry.” She sounded like she meant it. She gave him a long look before she turned back to me. “Clementine, Cayson didn’t buy the house for you. Ward d
id.”
My heart fell all the way down to my feet. “What…?”
Cayson nodded, telling me it was true.
“He asked Cayson to pretend it was him,” Skye said. “But I don’t think Ward’s gift should be a lie. And I think you guys should talk about this.”
“Talk about what?” I asked, looking at Ward.
He stared at the ground.
“About everything,” Skye said. She grabbed Cayson’s arm. “Let’s give them some privacy.” She pulled him toward the door.
I stared at them, still unsure what was going on.
Ward kept his hands in his pockets and sighed.
Once the door was closed and we were alone, I looked at him. He was wearing a suit, clearly because he just got off work. His hair was styled perfectly like always. His shoulders were broad like I always noticed. But he was tense, like he was angry or upset.
I crossed my arms over my chest. “What’s going on, Ward?” My voice came out quiet. If it weren’t dead silent in the house he wouldn’t have heard me.
He rubbed the back of his neck as he sighed. “I want you to have this house. I asked Cayson to pretend he was giving it to you since I knew you would never accept it from me.”
Blood pounded in my ears.
“Please accept it.” He finally looked at me, emotion in his eyes.
“Why did you buy it for me at all…?”
He rubbed the back of his neck again. “I want you to be taken care of. I know you really wanted this house but you would never be able to afford it on your own. I know you can take care of yourself and you can raise a child on your own. I’m not saying you can’t. But…I wanted to help.”
I couldn’t believe this. He hated me for months and now he…he didn’t hate me. Now he was being sweet to me, for no reason whatsoever. “Even so, why are you doing this for me? Ward, this house wasn’t cheap.”
He stared at the ground for a long time before he looked up at me. “You know why, darling.” He stared into my eyes without looking away.
The nickname brought up endless memories. I could never forget them and I didn’t want to. He was always in my dreams, acting out passionate nights that seemed to last forever.
“When we broke up, I told you I would always love you. I meant that.”
“I just…I thought you hated me.”
“Never,” he said. “I already said that. I just pushed you away because I was bitter and hurt. I’ll apologize as many times as I have to. I said a lot of hurtful things I never meant. I hope you believe me.”
My hands automatically moved to my stomach, where our child sat.
He shifted his weight a few times and looked around the room. “There’s something else I want to say…please hear me out.”
“Okay…”
He stepped closer to me, just a foot away. “I don’t want you to do this alone. I was hoping…that you would let me be a part of this. I would provide for you and take care of you. Together, we would raise this child. You can let him think I’m his real father and I’ll love him like my own. I can give you everything you need. In exchange…I would like another chance with you.”
I couldn’t believe the words that just came out of his mouth.
He caught my surprise. “I know it’s a terrible thing for me to ask. You’re in a vulnerable situation and you’re scared. You’re taking on such a huge responsibility and you probably would accept help from a man even if you didn’t love him. I know it’s wrong for me to put you in this position. But…I don’t care. Maybe we can have something again someday and we could be a family…and have more children.”
I started to breathe hard because I felt hot.
“I’ve tried getting over you for the past three months and nothing I do works. I’ve been with other women and I’ve drunk until I’ve passed out. You’re always in my thoughts and my dreams. I would rather try to get you back instead of wasting my time trying to forget you. It’s just impossible.”
I ran my fingers through my hair nervously.
“Whether you agree or not, I still want you to have the house. It’s yours. I don’t want it. But please think about my offer. I’ve already quit my job and I’m permanently staying in America.”
“What?” I blurted.
“I’m still with PIXEL and I’m still doing the same job. I just won’t travel back and forth anymore.” He said it like it was the most normal thing in the world. “Please let me help you. I’m here and I can give you all the resources you need. Please take my offer. It’s mutual anyway.”
I stepped back so I could catch my breath. “I…I don’t know what to say.”
“It’s a lot to take in.”
I just couldn’t believe this. “You want me to help me raise a child that’s not even yours?”
“Yes,” he said without hesitation.
I was wrong about Ward. When I thought he hated me, he was just angry. If I’d known otherwise I would have told him the truth—that the baby I was carrying was his. Now I felt terrible that I’d hoarded the secret for so long. He had the right to know—and he clearly wanted to be involved. “Ward, I—”
“Please don’t say no,” he blurted. “Please.”
“I need to tell you something…” I came back to him, one hand on my stomach. “I didn’t tell you before because I assumed you didn’t want anything to do with me. I didn’t want to expose my child to a life with two parents who despised each other…”
His eyes narrowed on my face. “What are you saying…?”
I swallowed the lump in my throat, knowing he would be mad at me for hiding the truth for so long. “The baby is yours, Ward.”
He immediately took a deep breath like he was about to hold his breath under water. His eyes immediately lightened like orbs, and his eyes moved to my slightly bulging stomach. His entire body relaxed, like the news was soothing to him. “I…” He couldn’t think of anything to say. He was speechless.
“I didn’t tell you because it seemed like you wanted nothing to do with me. I’m sorry…”
He closed his eyes like he was in pain. “Fuck…”
“I didn’t mean to keep the truth from you. I thought I was doing the right thing for my baby—our baby.”
He opened his eyes again and they watered. “Are you sure it’s mine?”
“Yes. I haven’t slept with anyone.”
His gaze moved back to mine. “No one?”
I shook my head. “No one but you.”
He took another deep breath then lowered himself to his knees. He grabbed the end of my shirt. “May I?”
I nodded.
He pulled it up then felt my stomach with his bare hand. His hand was so large it took up the entire bulge. Then he pressed his ear to the skin like he was listening.
“They haven’t kicked yet.”
“I was hoping I could hear his heartbeat.”
My hand automatically moved through his hair out of habit. “Can you?”
“No.” Then he kissed my stomach before he rose to his feet again. “I’m so happy.” His hand moved back to my stomach. “I feel…so lucky.”
“Yeah?” My eyes started to water. Seeing him excited and not angry was the reaction I wanted. Now I wasn’t so scared to raise this baby alone. The father wanted to be involved. And he clearly already loved the baby.
“Yeah.” He gave me a smile then placed both hands on my stomach. “It’s so amazing that we made something together.”
“I know…”
“It’s beautiful,” he whispered.
I nodded in agreement.
“How did this happen?” he asked.
I remembered the night perfectly. “Do you remember the last time we slept together?”
“I’ll never forget.”
“I was depressed and I stopped taking my pill…I just forgot about it.”
He nodded. “It’s okay. We got a miracle out of it anyway.” His hands moved across my skin gently.
“I was really scared at first
but…now I’m excited.”
“You should be excited,” he said. “We’re going to have something we’ll love forever.”
“Yeah.”
“Well, my offer still stands…” He looked at me with hopeful eyes. There was longing evident deep inside his irises.
“What does that offer entail?”
“I’ll take care of both of you but…I would like it if we tried to be a family. I want another chance, Clementine. I can be everything you want me to be. Please give me another chance.”
My natural instinct was to say yes. I missed him like crazy. He came to me in my dreams every night just like when we were together. The idea of him being with other women made me sick. But I ended our relationship for a reason. Could I ever trust him again? Was it fair that he got another chance just because I was pregnant? “I…I don’t know.”
His eyes fell in sadness. “What don’t you know about?”
“Ward, nothing has changed…”
He released a deep sigh. “You really believe Skye is the woman I prefer? Clementine, I just bought you a house and I offered to raise your child when I thought it wasn’t mine. You seriously still believe that?”
“It’s not just that…you lied about it—”
“I didn’t lie.”
“You misled me. And you weren’t willing to make any changes for me but you were for her. That’s what it comes down to.”
He gripped his skull in frustration. “I quit my job for you. I bought you a house. I want to raise your child. Seriously, Clementine? You’re going to keep holding this grudge?”
“It’s not a grudge,” I argued. “I’m still hurt, Ward.”
He stepped back and started to pace. “I’m not trying to be insensitive. I’m really not. But you and I are going to have a baby together. Don’t you think it would be best if we were together?”
“We will be together.”
“Like, married together,” he said.
“You’re saying just because I’m pregnant we should get married?” I asked incredulously. “How is that fair?”
“That’s not what I’m saying,” he said quickly. “But things are different now. And I still feel the same way. Nothing has changed for me. I tried forgetting you but I couldn’t. You are the one to me, Clementine. I’d rather be with you than waste anymore time trying to move on.”