“Can you please talk to me?” I begged.
I didn’t know what I was looking for. For her to accept my apology? Either way, I didn’t want to keep feeling like an idiot talking to her back. I walked around and stood in front of her, begging her again to talk to me.
She sighed dejectedly.
“What do you want me to say, Darren? I forgive you? It’s water under the bridge? It’s not that simple. What you did wasn’t right. You made Hope feel like she had to lie to me. Her own mother. I’m the reason that you even know who she is! And I regret the day I asked her to fill in for me, or else she wouldn’t know you at all.”
“I know! I really know,” I exclaimed, but I was thinking, ouch. Her words were harsh, even though they were deserved. “And you might not believe me, but I really am sorry!”
“Okay, well, I guess I appreciate the after-the-fact apology,” she spat.
She stood up and started walking toward the house.
“I’m in love with her,” I called out after her.
She stopped.
“Are you serious?” she asked carefully, turning to face me.
“Yes,” I admitted. “I went into this arrangement thinking that it would just be a transaction. Now that I’ve had time to get to know her, I have fallen in love with her. Now, I want her for more than just having my baby. I want to be with her forever.”
She smiled so brightly and even from the distance that I stood, it looked like tears were beginning to well up in her eyes.
“You really mean it?”
“I really mean it,” I said.
She ran down from the porch and threw the full weight of her body into me. I laughed as I stumbled backward to catch her.
“Well, now that makes me happy,” she said, choking back tears. “I thought this was all just some monetary transaction. But if you two actually love each other… well, it’s an unorthodox way for a baby to come into this world, but, it’s not the worst way. At least it will have parents who are in love and who will hopefully be able to provide it a lot of love.”
“Yes,” I told her. “Exactly. The baby will have two parents— and an older brother— who will love her, or him, very much.”
I didn’t know why, but I wanted it to be a girl. Perhaps because I already had a boy. Or perhaps because I felt that it would be so adorable if Hope and I could have a little girl.
I felt like I was floating on the drive back home. I kicked myself for not talking to Eve in the first place. But, it probably happened right on time because the feelings that I now had for Hope were not ones that I felt when we first entered into the agreement. They were feelings that had developed over the past couple of weeks.
I decided I would leave it up to Hope to let her mom know of any further news. Before getting out of the car, I decided to make a phone call.
“Hello, old friend!” came the happy voice on the other side of the phone. “To what do I owe the pleasure of this call?”
“Hey, Harlow! I just wanted to tell you the good news. I am going to have a baby.”
“Wow! Congratulations!”
“Thanks! Also, I have a son too. His name is Bryant.”
“Wow, wow, wow,” Harlow declared. “All this news at once.”
“I know,” I admitted. “I’ve never been the most… open… of people, especially after the helicopter crash and everything, but not even before that.”
“I can relate,” he said. “And it’s fine. Really. I’m glad you’re telling me. Congrats, man. Our kids will all have to get together and play.”
“Yes, that’s part of why I’m calling,” I told him, before taking a big breath and deciding to plunge into unfamiliar waters. “Hey listen, I’m not sure what your plans are for Christmas, and I know it’s rather far away, but I would love it if you and your families came by for a party at my house.”
“Yes, sure! That sounds wonderful,” Harlow answered, causing me to breathe a big sigh of relief.
He had said he wanted to see me, but it was a different thing altogether to get confirmation. I couldn’t believe that not only did I have Hope, plus a baby on the way, plus a son already, but now I had friends, too. Life was only getting better from here on out, I could just tell.
“I’ll have Whitney put it on our calendar now since holiday plans fill up quickly with such a big extended family like ours,” Harlow continued. It would be lovely to see friends who also had kids. I was certainly feeling more and more like a normal person these days. “Shoot me over the details and I’ll make sure that we are all there. I can’t wait to meet your kid, and see you again too.”
“Will do. I’ll be in touch,” I said, hanging up the phone.
I was grateful to Harlow for continuing to reach out to me, despite my initial hesitancy and even mistreatment of him. It wasn’t every day a guy had a good friend like that. But, not every guy was lucky enough to be a fucking SEAL, like me.
This was going to be a first for all of us. I had never had anyone at the house other than Eve, Hope, my mother, and my son Bryant. This made me remember what my life used to be like before the accident, when I was still in the land of the living.
This made me excited for the future.
I was in the land of the living once again.
Chapter 34 – Hope
I had such terrible dreams that I was being chased in the woods. I was so scared and, even though I kept waking up, I would eventually fall back asleep, only to find myself right back in the dream.
When I woke up in the room that I had been using basically to store my things, I was almost confused as to where I was. When I looked around the room and found my things scattered everywhere, it all came crashing back into my memory.
I was pregnant. I was at Darren’s. I had said I was leaving. But then I had stayed. And things were still clear as mud between us. I had to fix that. Pronto.
Before I had a chance to get out of bed, though, I heard a knock at the door. It didn’t sound strong and steady like Darren’s knock would have— had he even bothered to knock at all. Instead, it sounded more hesitant and weak.
“Come in,” I said, to whoever was on the other side.
The door creeped open and my mother’s head poked around the doorway.
“Hey, Hope,” said my mother, timidly.
“Mom! What are you doing here?”
She walked all the way in the room, looking around at the mess of things scattered all over the bed, floor, and dresser.
“What are you doing in here?” she repeated my question back to me.
“I was packing so that I could come home,” I said. “I was thinking you were right, mom. I was stupid to have agreed to this. I don’t know what I was thinking. I thought I had come to my senses and I actually told Darren that I was going home.”
“You can’t do that,” said my mom.
“What?” I asked, incredulously. “I didn’t even get to the part where I changed my mind back, yet again. I thought you’d be mad about that part.”
I was sure that she would be happy to hear the part where I had honestly thought I was coming home. Now I was thrown for a loop. What could have caused her change of heart?
“Darren stopped by and we had a talk,” my mom said. “He told me about everything that you two have been planning. That whole silly contract you guys signed. I was still mad, that’s for sure. I still think it’s all a terrible idea. But, then he told me something else.”
She was silent, searching my eyes up and down.
“What else did he tell you?”
I prodded, intrigued, thinking he must have told her I was pregnant. Although I wished I could have been the one to tell her that, I was grateful for whatever he had said to make her change her mind and accept our decisions. I would have to thank him for that later. With a blow job.
I tried not to think of that, since my mother was right here in front of me and it was hardly appropriate. But I missed Darren’s touch. I loved that he had gone and talked to my mother. I
wanted to thank him in a proper way, and I wanted us to celebrate a lot of things. But first, I needed to finish this conversation with my mother, now that I was glad to know things had turned back around.
“Nothing,” she answered. “I think it’s something he wants to tell you on his own.”
“Umm, okay,” I told her, more confused than ever.
I was sure Darren would fill me in later, though. When we were alone and could have pillow talk after some hot sex.
“Anyway, I wanted to come here to tell you that you two have my blessing,” my mother said. “But, that’s only if you admit that you did it out of love, not for money.”
“Well, I did,” I said. “I love my family so much that I was willing to do what it took to make sure that we would all be okay. And Darren expressed to me why he wanted a baby and I was convinced that the baby would be taken care of and loved, too. That was important to me. So, I felt that it was a good sacrifice to make that would work well for my family, Darren, and the baby.”
“I know, honey. And I’m sorry if I made you feel bad. I know that you’re not a whore and I’m sorry that that dirty word ever left my lips. I was just speaking out of anger. And I hope that you actually have feelings for Darren, so that it’s not just about the money.”
“I know, mama,” I said. She definitely could be insistent when she wanted to be.
We hugged each other, tears streaming down both of our cheeks. I held my mother tight and she held me just as tightly right back. It felt like we were both literally healing from our pain right in that moment.
“I love him, mom,” I told her. “I don’t ever want to leave him.”
“Oh good, baby,” said my mother calmly. “And you will still always be my baby, even when you have one of your own. But I’m glad to hear that you love him. It will make things much easier when that day comes.”
“About that, Mom…” I said. “I have something to tell you.”
“You do?” she asked, her eyes bright with hope. “Is it what I think it is?”
“Probably,” I told her, laughing.
“Am I going to be a grandmother?”
She hopped up and down around the room, as if dying of excitement.
“Yes, you are,” I told her, and then we hugged again, but this time, we both jumped up and down.
“Now stop that, or you’ll hurt the baby,” she said.
“Oh please,” I told her. “It’s not even the size of a peanut right now. I’m sure it’s nice and snug in there.”
“Well, it’s the cutest peanut there ever was,” she said. “And I’m so happy that I’m going to be a grandmother.”
I smiled, and she let some tears fall from her eyes, but they were tears of happiness, so it was okay. I was glad I was giving her something good to cry tears of joy over, for once, rather than all the sad tears I had caused her to cry.
“I never thought that I would be okay with you going to live with someone, especially a man. And especially a much older and rather crotchety man, at that,” she said, causing me to laugh.
He wasn’t so crotchety anymore. But she was going to have to find that out for herself, which, I thought she was already starting to do.
“You’re my first baby and I’ve always wanted the very best for you,” she continued. “I never in a million years would have guessed this would be it. But, now, after seeing how deeply you two feel about each other, I feel comfortable knowing that you will take good care of each other. I think this opens up a world of opportunity for you.”
“And for you too, Mom,” I told her. “I’m getting more money after the baby is born, and…”
I faltered, realizing that the agreement still said that I had to give him the baby after I had it, and leave him forever. I knew I couldn’t do that anymore. I hoped there was some way to change that clause.
I didn’t want to ruin her happiness, or my own, so I picked up where I had left off, without skipping a beat.
“…then I’ll have money I’m sharing of Darren’s, too, of course,” I continued. “So we won’t have to worry about your doctor visits anymore, and hopefully we can find you a permanent cure. Maybe all the best medical specialists in the world will be able to put their heads together and come up with something. Plus, the boys will be set for college.”
“That’s great, Hope,” my mom said, winking at me. “It’s nice that you’ve thought of everyone else and you’re able to provide for everyone. But, it’s okay to think of yourself and be happy for yourself for once, too. I am happy that you were able to find love, Hope. Take care of it.”
“I learned from the best, Mom,” I told her. “You always cared about and provided for us. So now you have to take your own advice and thinking about yourself sometimes too.”
“Okay,” she agreed, smiling. “But only if you take my advice too, and be happy for yourself now. And really go after what you want.”
“I will, Mom” I said, and meant it. It was time to have a talk with Darren and make sure we were on the same page. “I definitely will.”
Chapter 35 – Hope
“Was that Eve leaving just now?” asked Darren, popping his head around the corner. When my mother and I said our goodbyes, I was overwhelmed with joy and found myself crying happy, cleansing tears.
I nodded in response to his question.
“You’re crying, but you’re smiling?” he asked, understandably confused.
I laughed, brushing away my tears.
“Yes! This was a happy visit and these are happy tears. Thank you so much for going to her and making things right.”
He sighed, relieved, like the weight of the world had just been lifted off of his shoulders.
“Phew! I’m glad to hear that. Because I have something that I need to say before anything else happens.”
“Okay,” I told him. “Because my mom said you had something to tell me…”
“Shhhhh,” he said, interrupting me from continuing my train of thought.
He came over to where I sat on the bed as if he couldn’t wait another second, knelt down in front of me, and held my hand.
“Hope, I love you. I want to be with you forever. Please stay with me,” he said. “Don’t leave after the baby is born. I’ll still pay you, of course. I’ll pay you whatever you want. What’s mine is yours. Just don’t leave the baby and me. Or Bryant either. We need you.”
He was pleading, begging me to stay. The timidity in his voice let me know that he was baring his soul in hopes that I wouldn’t shatter his poor little heart to pieces.
“I love you, too, Darren,” I admitted to him. “And I need you, too. I’ll never leave if you don’t want me to. I love you too much to leave. And it’s not because of the baby. The baby is just the icing on the cake. I love you for the man that I’ve grown to know. I love you for the beautiful, kind-hearted, and generous man that you are on the inside. And not only that, you are beautiful on the outside, too.”
He looked at me as if he were trying to see if I was playing a joke on him or lying. When he saw that I wasn’t, he reached up and took me into the tightest hug that he could muster. For a second, I thought that he was going to squeeze all of the breath out of my body. But, I didn’t care because feeling the genuineness of his love made my heart happy.
He scooped me up in his arms and then he laid me on the kitchen counter.
“There are a lot of things I’ve been wanting to do to you,” he said, as he tore off my clothes and then his. “And I’d better fit them all in before your baby bump gets too big.”
“Oh really?” I asked, looking up at him as he spread my legs and stuck his cock into my willing pussy. I seemed to be perpetually wet for him. “What other things do you want to do with me?”
“Oh, I have a certain fantasy of walking through the woods, carrying you while I fuck you,” he said. “I built this house for me, but now it’s become ours, and that just seems like the perfect thing to do to christen it.”
“Wow,” I said, liking
the idea. “Let’s go outside and do it.”
“Nah,” he said, shrugging and smiling. “It needs to be snowing outside. But for now, we have this perfectly good kitchen counter.”
“We sure do,” I told him.
He pinched my nipples and I jumped even more than usual, surprised at how much it hurt.
“I think they’re sensitive,” I joked.
“Oh yeah,” he said. “You’re pregnant now. And I’m truly happy about that.”
“Me too,” I told him. “Now that everything’s straightened out with us, I couldn’t be happier.”
“How’s this?” he asked, moving his hand down to my clit and rubbing it.
“Oh, my God,” I said. “That feels even better than usual. My nerve endings must be extra sensitive due to the pregnancy.”
“I think it increases blood flow,” he agreed.
He thrust in and out of me, rubbing my clit until I was close to coming. Out of habit, he grabbed my hair and said, “Come for me.” Then, he let go and said, “Sorry. Sorry. I almost forgot you were pregnant. How could I forget already? I just got caught up in the moment and lost my mind. You do have that effect on me.”
“It’s fine,” I laughed. “You can still pull my hair, even though I’m pregnant. And get back to it, please, because I’m about to cum.”
“Oh, good.”
Relieved, he grabbed a hold of my hair and really pulled it hard. I went with the rhythm of his cock slapping into my pussy on the granite countertop until both of us were coming.
“This feels so good,” he said, as he shot his cum into me. “This is exactly what I love to feel.”
“Me too,” I told him, as both of us panted and grunted.
Then, he pulled me up close against his tattooed chest and whispered, “I love you, Hope. Thank you for having my baby.”
He truly loved me. I had never been so happy.
“I love you, too, Darren. And I’m glad to live here with you forever.”
Chapter 36 – Darren
8 Months Later
Christmas carols floated through the air in my house on Christmas eve, mixed with the pleasant sound of polite conversation and laughter. My house had never been so alive, so full of love.
Loved by the LumberJacks_A MFMMMM Reverse Harem Romance Page 129