by Ebony Olson
I shook my head, "We can't, Zander. Jeremy is part of the brotherhood. He's bound to report Dare is married to a black mark. They would destroy him, and then we would have been through all of this for nothing."
"You can't do this by yourself, Mora." Zander pulled his phone out of his pocket and hit dial. "Jeremy, have you left work yet? Can you come to Mora's? She's pregnant again."
I heard Jeremy's response loud and clear. Zander actually winced as Jeremy cursed black and blue. Zander waited until the cursing stopped and put the phone back to his ear. "The baby is Dare's."
This time there was absolute silence. I heard a murmur after a minute and then Zander hung up.
"Jeremy is on his way over,” Zander informed me. He stepped back from me. "I'm meant to be meeting Sally in half an hour for dinner."
"Go. This is my problem. You've stood by me when you didn't have to. I can't ask anything more of you." I stepped away from him, collected the empty bottle from Jacob, and picked him up for a cuddle.
Thirty minutes later, the door buzzer rang. I walked over to see Jeremy at the door. I pressed the buzzer to let him up and put the kettle on. When he knocked on the door, I opened it to find my father standing beside Jeremy. I burst into tears instantly.
"Oh, Mora." Marshall pulled me into his arms. He stepped us back so Jeremy could come in and close the door.
"I'll make us all some tea," Jeremy informed us and walked into the kitchen.
"Dad, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen," I sobbed. "I don't know what to do."
Marshall took a deep breath. "There is nothing to be done. You will do exactly as you did with Jacob. We will hire a nanny to help you with the children. From now on, to protect your lover, whose name you will never mention to anyone ever again, you will leave the country to carry on your affair. Am I clear, Mora?"
He was telling me I couldn't tell them directly who the father of my child was. I nodded my head against his chest.
"I would, however, advise that you tell your lover about his children," Marshall soothed.
I started crying harder and shook my head.
"Mora, he has an obligation to support these children financially. You earn good money, but it's not that good, and the job isn't secure," Marshall reminded me.
"Actually, as the sole manager of the Carnival, she's going to be sitting pretty by summertime," Jeremy butted in.
Marshall looked at him, then to me. "Darius said it was a dead weight, that's why he signed it over."
"It was for him," I explained to Dad, sobering as I did. "He didn't handle it personally and needed to pay all the management staff in his company, then the teams at the events."
Dad looked at me. "And you're not doing that?"
"God, no!" I smiled for the first time all day. "I'm managing the entire thing. I've spoken to the universities and offered concert day management as a portfolio experience for students about to start their final year of music studies. I already have more applications than I need, so they will handle the event on the day. I have decided to use the same applications to create coordination teams for each event, so that will give a lot more experience to the others. The kids are young and into the music scene, and I only have to pay them a third of what Dare was paying the event staff."
Marshall looked impressed. He looked to Jeremy, who smiled at him. "You told me yourself. She takes after her father. When Dare finds out the profit she's going to make, he's going to claim he's been swindled."
Marshall huffed. "He can consider it back maintenance."
Jeremy smirked, "So, baby number two. Keeping it close together. At least Jacob and the new bub will be able to play together."
"Speaking of which," Marshall started, "Where is my grandson?"
"Having tummy time." I indicated the floor, wiping the tear residue from my face. Dad walked into the lounge room. I looked at Jeremy. "Thank you for bringing him. I thought he'd be fuming."
Jeremy put his arm over my shoulders and escorted me into the kitchen where our tea was waiting. "He was not happy to know I knew about Jacob before him. I wasn't putting myself in that position again. Plus, he loves you, Mora. He already knew you two were still banging each other. He sort of expected there'd be more grandchildren.”
"Zander's moving out tomorrow," I mourned. "He's angry with me."
Jeremy shifted uncomfortably. "I know he's seeing someone else, but Zander really cares for you, Mora."
"He told me Dare has been unbearable since he found out about Jacob?" I inquired, because Jeremy always gave it to me straight.
Jeremy quirked a brow. "Unbearable is putting it nicely. He's been a walking warhead. He's also stopped seeing the other couples of the Fehu," Jeremy informed me quietly. "You cancel one couple, everyone accepts you're busy. You cancel two running and tell them you can't make time in the foreseeable future..."
"He's angry at the brotherhood?" I asked, surprised.
"They took you from him, Mora," Jeremy reminded me. His eyes tracked to Jacob in my father's arms. "They took his family from him."
***
"I can't believe how much he looks like Dare," Rebecca cooed, bouncing Jacob on her knee. "He called me when he found out, you know. Told me he'd seen you with a baby and hated it."
I frowned, stirring my tea. "He was already angry that day. It wasn't a great day for him."
Rebecca nodded, placing Jacob down. He took a moment to get his bearings and started exploring. "I can't believe he's crawling so well already. Nigel was still learning to roll over at seven months, but Jacob is like a rocket.”
I watched as that rocket crawled under Darius's piano. "The time has gone so quickly." I put my hand to my abdomen. It had only been a week since I found out I was pregnant, and I still couldn't believe it. I was still to decide if I was really unlucky or blessed. "I can't believe I'll have another one early next year." I'd told her straight up I was pregnant again and who the father was.
Rebecca smiled. "Close together is good, Mora, as it doesn’t give you the chance to get used to sleeping or not having to change nappies again." She smirked, "I thought I was done with all that. Henry was a surprise."
"You leave the kids at home for this trip?" I asked.
Rebecca shook her head. "Dare took the day off and took them to the zoo so I could go to my meeting."
I hesitated, wondering if he would be home soon. When Rebecca rang last night and asked to see me and meet Jacob, I had been more than happy to do so, but I was extremely nervous about coming to Dare's place. I'd suggested a local coffeehouse, but Rebecca said with Jacob crawling, it would be better to meet where he could scamper around. I couldn't argue with the logic, and Jacob was having a ball exploring Darius's apartment.
"We flew in yesterday and have to fly home tonight, so he wanted the time with the kids," Rebecca carried on.
"What was the meeting for?" I asked casually.
"One of the local jewelry stores wants to stock my jewelry, so I needed to meet and discuss prices. It could finally be the break I need," Rebecca explained. "Speaking of which, I have something for you." Rebecca pulled out a ring box and handed it to me.
I frowned, opening it to find a ring that matched my wedding set. "What's this for?"
Rebecca looked down at my hand. "I noticed you still wore your rings when I saw you last year. Traditionally, Dare should have given you an eternity ring when you bore his first child, so I made this for you." Rebecca grinned. "Try it on."
I took the ring from the box and slipped it onto my finger. It sat flush with the engagement ring, mimicking the wedding band. "It's beautiful, thank you."
"Are you going to keep seeing Darius now?" Rebecca asked.
"We sort of have this ‘fall onto each other’ arrangement," I explained. "If we somehow cross paths, we tend to fall onto each other."
Rebecca chuckled. "And how will you explain baby number two then?"
I swallowed. The truth was that I didn't know the answer to that. I watched Jacob
pull himself up to standing using Darius's piano stool and start touching the keys on the piano. I chuckled. "He even favors his father's instrument," I said more to change the subject.
Steffen walked into the room, a smile playing at the side of his mouth. He walked over and picked Jacob up, sitting him on his lap and letting Jacob play with the keys. Jacob laughed and banged on the keys.
Rebecca laughed. "A prodigy in the making." She sipped her tea. "Does he like the recordings?"
"He does. Thank you for those. He won't go to sleep at night without either Dare reading to him or playing the piano."
"It's good that you've done that, so he'll know his father's voice," she complimented.
I blushed. "Truth be told, some nights I listen to it too, especially the songs he sings. He missed his calling with that voice."
Rebecca sighed, "No, he doesn't have the confidence to play for others, and that is why he only plays when he thinks no one else is home." There was sadness in Rebecca's eyes. "Our mother played. She was very talented."
"How is your father?" I asked seriously. I knew he'd been heading downhill since their mother passed.
Rebecca looked at me, surprised. "He didn't tell you?" I looked at her, confused. Rebecca blew out a breath. "Dad passed away in October last year. The night you sent those texts to Dare was the day of the funeral. Dare was certain you must have sensed he needed you, and he jumped on a plane to come and find you. I thought that must have been when you two smoothed things over."
I shook my head, tears springing into my eyes. "I was in labor with Jacob when I sent those texts. I just needed to tell him..." I closed my eyes on the tears. "I had to let him know I still love him."
Rebecca reached across the table and patted my hand. "It breaks my heart you two can't be together, Mora."
"Trust me," I patted her hand back. "It rips mine apart, especially now." I put my hand to my still-flat belly and looked to where Jacob had escaped Steffen and was trying to climb the stairs to my old room. "I hate that he's missing all Jacob's firsts, that he’s not there to read to him in person at night and that he's not there with me."
Jacob scooted up the stairs as the house phone rang. I stood up. "I'll get him, Steffen."
Steffen smiled and went to answer the phone. I chased Jacob up the stairs. He stopped at my old bedroom door and turned around, smiling at me.
"Hey, gorgeous boy. You want to see mama's old bedroom?" I asked with a smile. Jacob smacked the closed door. "Okay." I picked him up and opened the door, expecting to find the bedroom empty. It was exactly as I'd left it.
The bed was still made and, except for my cello and knick-knacks, it was like I'd never moved out. I went to the window and looked out at the view. It was still amazing.
"Mama used to stand here at night and dream of such a different future – one that involved being with the man I love, raising our family together," I told Jacob. He clapped his hands then put his face to mine as if to kiss my cheek. I smiled. "It was the best of my dreams."
"Rebecca said goodbye." Steffen stepped into the room behind me. "Her car arrived to take her and the children to the airport, so she had to hurry off," Steffen explained. "She said she will call you soon."
"I should probably go too..." My eyes drifted to the bedside table where a framed picture of Darius and I on our wedding day sat looking back at me.
Steffen saw what caught my eye. "Ah, yes. He used to hide it from me, but eventually, he started coming up here to remember you and didn't bother putting it away anymore." Steffen stepped forward, taking Jacob from my arms as I picked up the frame and examined the photo.
"I never got to see any of these pictures," I murmured. "I would have liked to have a copy."
"Take that one," Steffen suggested. "I'm sure the master won't mind."
"I'm sure he would," Darius's voice came from the doorway. He stepped into the room proper, his eyes unsure. He looked at me, and then noticed Jacob in Steffen's arms. His eyes became hard. Darius took the photo out of my hand and put it back on the bedside table. "What are you doing here, Mora?"
I opened my mouth to reply, but Jacob got in before me.
"Dada," Jacob laughed.
I turned around, astounded, only to find Jacob holding his arms out to Darius as he repeated his first word. Tears filled my eyes, torn between happiness and disappointment. Why did asking for Darius have to be his first word?
I went to Jacob with a smile. "Oh, Jacob. Your first words. Can you say Mama?" I asked.
Jacob reached out to Darius again. "Dada."
Darius looked ready to punch something. "Steffen, maybe you could take the child downstairs while I talk to Mora?"
Anger flooded my system. "No, it's okay. We were just leaving." I put my arms out to take Jacob back. Darius stepped forward, grabbing my arm to stop me.
"Why are you here? Did you need a walk down memory lane?" Darius snapped.
Jacob cringed at Darius's tone.
"I was invited here by your sister. She wanted to talk to me and meet Jacob," I snarled back, snatching my arm away. "Don't ever stop me from taking my son in my arms again."
Darius stepped back. "Steffen, a minute, please?"
Steffen gave me a look of reassurance. "I'll take Jacob downstairs to see the kitchen while you talk." Steffen left the room, closing the door on his way out.
"Don't start, Dare. I'm too emotional right now to do this," I warned. "I thought you'd be at work."
"Why did Rebecca want to see you?" Darius asked.
"To see how I was," I answered easily. It was the truth.
Darius considered me for a moment, and then he stepped to the window and looked out at the view. "Have you decided about the christening?" Darius asked.
"Yes, but it comes with a condition," I replied, watching him.
"What's that?"
I took a deep breath. "I'm having Jacob christened at the same time, so he'll be with me that night. I will stay with you, but so will Jacob."
"Mora," Darius groaned my name. "You are asking me to endure another man's..."
"I'll be your lover," I blurted before he could finish that sentence. Darius turned to look at me. I stepped towards him. "If you still want me, and if it's the only way I can have you, I'll do it." The tears fell and I swiped at them, not wanting to cry. "But I'm a package deal, Dare. Where I go, Jacob goes." My heart was aching to tell Darius that Jacob was his, but he needed to work that out. I wasn't ready to cut my throat for him yet, and that's what I felt like I'd be doing right now.
Darius assessed me with calculating eyes. I knew that look. I wiped the tears from my face and turned, walking out the door, before he could say something we'd both regret. I skipped down the stairs quickly, picking up my bag before going into the kitchen to collect Jacob.
"Thanks, Steffen. It was good to see you again." I kissed his cheek as I took Jacob from him. "Take care of him."
"I always do," Steffen answered, handing Jacob back to me. "He looks so much like his father."
"Let's hope he doesn't have his temper," I grumbled.
"Mora," Steffen touched my arm as I turned to leave. "He was shocked to find you here, and he's still coming to terms with another man being the priority in your life."
"Goodbye, Steffen." I took my son and left, too angry to care about my claustrophobia. I stormed into the elevator and hit the ground button. I looked at Jacob and rubbed his nose in an Eskimo kiss. "Your dad is an ass."
"Dada," Jacob smiled at me.
I smiled back. "Yeah, him too."
Chapter Nine
"Okay, that wasn't awkward," Cassandra smirked as we left the church after the christening.
Darius and I had stood at the baptism bowl side by side as godparents for Ashelynn. Cassandra, Sophie, Zander, and Alex all stood as godparents for Jacob, who was christened at the same time. It meant the area around the bowl had been rather crowded, but more so, it meant Darius was front and center while his son was christened in front of him, even if he
didn't know it.
"Awkward would be an understatement," I sighed.
"I especially loved the part when the priest asked you if the father was present," Cassandra chuckled. "Dare was too busy watching who you looked at to see everyone looking at him."
I hadn't looked. I'd kept my eyes and false smile on the priest, because what everyone failed to see when the priest took Jacob in his arms was Darius taking my hand in his.
"Although, when Sophie answered on your behalf..." Cassandra smiled and mimicked Sophie perfectly. "The jackass was never worthy of her or his son," she chuckled. "I thought the uniform groan around the baptism font was the topper."
"Yeah, I'm not quite sure how she's going to take the news about number two," I grimaced.
Cassandra huffed, "Can you please stop calling it that. Number two in parents’ language is a poo, not a baby."
"Much the same when you're pushing them out," I teased.
"I still hate that you pushed a baby that big out with only one stitch," Cassandra grumbled. "Although knowing the size of the father, I get why."
I started laughing.
"I meant his height and build, not his junk," Cassandra went bright red. "But yeah, you must have been used to the stretch down there. God, I wish I could have just one ride on that."
I raised an eyebrow. "Can't you? I mean you get to choose where it goes, don't you?"
Cassandra pouted, "Yes, but Dare refuses to screw any of the wives, and now he's refusing to do anything with any of them." Cassandra looked at me. "I think he's finally staging a silent protest to what happened last year."
I shrugged, "Too late now. What's done is done."
Cassandra took my hand. "If that were true, you wouldn't be two months pregnant with number two," she reminded me. Her face screwed up in disgust. "Definitely need to find a different nickname for that one."