by A. P. Jensen
“Do it!” Anna snapped.
“Okay, okay,” Emma brushed Anna’s tear dampened hair back from her face. “Okay, I’ll take one.”
She calmed the hysterical expectant mother and peed on the stick. While they waited for the results, she went downstairs and grabbed sodas and pizza and brought it up to Anna who ate ravenously.
“I think it’s ready. Give it to me easy,” Anna said, closing her eyes as Emma walked into the bathroom.
Emma looked down at the test and her head swam. “Mine’s positive. There must be something wrong with this brand.”
Anna looked stunned. “Are you-”
“No! I can’t be. I’m on the pill,” Emma’s voice was shrill with fear.
“Don’t panic.” Anna resumed her former role as mother. “We’ll try a different brand. Maybe neither of us is pregnant.”
They gulped down their sodas and tried three different brands. They were all positive. Emma was stunned. Anna patted her on the back and hugged her.
“It’s going to be okay,” Anna consoled her.
“I’m not even married. I just got back together with Peter. Is he gonna think I did this on purpose?” Emma said numbly.
“Of course not. Peter loves you.”
“And Tommy loves you,” Emma shot back and Anna flinched.
“What are we going to do?”
“We’re gonna have babies.”
They stared at one another and suddenly the fear of how their men would respond was banished by wonder and joy. They clung to each other and laughed and cried.
“What if I have a boy and you have a girl and they fall in love?” Anna said.
“I don’t think either of us would survive. I hope we both have girls that are best friends.”
Anna started to cry. “Aww.”
Emma began to cry too. “I know!”
Overexcited and overstressed, Anna fell asleep not long after. Emma lay beside her for an hour before she walked downstairs and sat at the kitchen table, staring straight ahead. She patted her flat stomach while her mind raced. How? When? She drove back into town, thinking nothing changed; yet within the hour, everything changed irrevocably. Giving Peter a second chance had been a huge step for her and now this. She tried to imagine Peter’s reaction and her stomach pitched. When her cell rang, she was relieved to see Tommy’s name instead of Peter’s.
“Yes?” Emma said coolly.
“Is Anna with you? She’s not at home.”
“Why are you home? It’s only five.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I thought you stay out all night. You haven’t been worried about where your wife is any other night.”
Emma thought of Anna’s fears about being a bad mother. Instead of being here to comfort her, Tommy added to Anna’s belief that she was a horrible person. So what if Anna wanted things done a certain way? She went out of her way to make sure that Tommy was comfortable and happy. He never complained when Anna made sure there was a cold beer on the table with his dinner.
“Just tell me if she’s with you,” Tommy said through gritted teeth.
“She is. Have you filed for divorce yet?”
A long pause. “She told you?”
“Yes. She’s going to move in with me, so you can have the house.”
“What? Over my dead body!” Tommy shouted. “We’re still married-”
“You said she was a controlling workaholic. You said you don’t want to be tied to her. She’s accepted it, so you can fax the divorce papers here when you have a chance.”
She knew she was taking a huge chance on her friend’s marriage, but she had faith in Tommy. She loved him like a brother and if he was going to be a good father, he damn well better give her the right answers. Now.
“She’s gonna give up just like that?” His outrage was clear.
“Why should she stay in a marriage where her husband hates her?” Emma challenged.
“I don’t hate her-”
“Send the papers when you have a chance,” Emma said and hung up on him.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Peter was up to his elbows in emails and files. People kept coming into the office to ask him about clients, accounts they weren’t sure about and emails that hadn’t been answered. No one hid their relief that he was back. In his absence, Derek turned into a tyrant. Peter enjoyed his time in Victoria because of Emma, but he couldn’t deny that the frantic pace at work made his blood race.
His cell, which he made sure was nearby with the volume turned up, began to ring. He set the files down immediately and frowned when he saw Tommy’s name.
“Hey, Tommy. What’s up?”
“What’s up?”
Tommy’s voice was so loud; Peter held the phone away from his ear.
“What’s up is Anna wants a divorce.”
Peter nearly dropped the phone. “What?”
“I was just trying to teach her a lesson, you know, get her attention off the bakery. We had a stupid fight and it snowballed out of control. I threatened to divorce her and now that Emma’s back, she moved in with her.”
“You threatened Anna with divorce?” Peter couldn’t believe it. “And Anna moved in with Emma?”
“I don’t know how the hell this happened. Emma tells me, ‘just fax the divorce papers when you have a chance.’ Who does she think she is?” Tommy yelled.
“You’re the one that told me they’re alike. They don’t take crap from us. Did you try to fix things with Anna?”
Tommy didn’t answer.
“You better go over there and get down on your knees,” Peter advised. “Before Emma convinces Anna to sign divorce papers and have them sent to you.”
“Shit,” Tommy said and the line went dead.
Peter checked his phone, but he didn’t have any calls from Emma. He dialed her number and smiled when she picked up.
“Peter?” she sounded uncertain.
“Hey, babe. Tommy just called me.”
A long pause. “He did?”
He laughed. “You should expect him in the next hour. Record him. This may be the only time he’ll beg in his life.”
“He better get over here. They’re married and she needs him. They belong together.”
“Is Anna okay?”
Another pause. “Yeah, she will be.”
“Are you okay?”
“Sure. Why?”
“Dealing with a married couple’s problems isn’t the best homecoming.”
A strained laugh. “Yeah, I wasn’t expecting this… any of it.”
“Tommy loves Anna. He’s not going to leave without her.”
“That’s good. He needs to tell her he’s going to support her no matter what.”
Peter frowned. Emma sounded tense, strained and worried. The woman he kissed and waved off a couple hours ago was gone. Had dealing with Anna and Tommy changed her mood or was something else wrong?
“He’ll support her no matter what,” Peter confirmed.
“But, what if something happens that she can’t control? Will he still support her if its not part of the plan? What if he accuses her of lying?”
“Did she cheat on him?” Peter demanded.
“What? No!” Emma snapped. “Did he cheat on her?”
“No! There’s no cheating involved. They’ll settle their differences.”
“I hear Anna upstairs. I better go talk to her about what I did.”
“You lied about her wanting a divorce?” He wasn’t surprised.
“Tommy asked for one and Anna was going to give it to him. I had the feeling he was using it against her for some reason, so I used it back against him.”
She didn’t sound the least bit sorry. Emma was definitely going to keep him on his toes.
“Remind me never to threaten you with a divorce,” he said and hated the long pause on the other end.
“I don’t think you and I will ever have that problem.”
“You don’t think so?” he challenged
. She never thought they’d get to the altar? Where did she think their relationship was going?
“I have to go,” Emma said quickly.
“No, Emma. This isn’t like before when I never called, when we didn’t talk. If you need something, you call me. You understand?” He couldn’t keep the anger out of his voice. He was damned if he was going to go back to being unsure of her again.
“Things happen-”
“And couples stay together. Tommy and Anna will make it through and so will you and I. Got it?”
She took a deep breath. “Okay.”
“You and I are together. That’s all that matters.”
“Peter, how rich, are you?”
If it had been any other woman, he would have been alarmed, but this was Emma and she sounded sad.
“I don’t have to work for the rest of my life.”
“Has anyone ever tried to blackmail you for money?” she asked hesitantly.
“The aunt I told you about.”
“What?” She was outraged. “After abandoning you, she wanted money? You better not have paid her!”
Peter grinned. Emma was careful not to crowd him in the past, but he would make sure that changed. He liked how protective she was of him, even when he could fend for himself. Emma and Anna were very similar. If both of them were determined to do something, God help anyone who stood in their way.
“I didn’t pay her a cent. I don’t have respect for people that would do that to any child.”
“Oh,” Emma said thoughtfully. “I have to go. Tommy will be here soon.”
“Okay, Emma. I’ll see you on Friday.”
“Yes. I’ll see you then. Bye.”
Long after Tommy took Anna home, Emma lay in bed. The five positive pregnancy tests were lined up on her nightstand. She drifted in and out of sleep and each time she woke, she got up to look at each test to make sure it was still true.
Before the sun rose, she was in the office at the bakery. The building was empty and silent. There were no questions about her vacation that she had to answer. It was just her and the work. She wasn’t surprised that she hadn’t heard from Anna. Last night while Tommy pounded on the front door, Emma explained to Anna what incited him to come looking for her. Far from being angry, Anna congratulated her friend on being a great strategist. Emma stayed in the kitchen and listened to them fight. By the end of the hour, Emma felt sorry for Tommy. Anna hadn’t revealed her ace card and Emma wondered when she would tell Tommy the news. Anna was confident Peter would take the baby in stride, but how could he? He wanted a girlfriend, not a family.
Emma took a break from the computer and made a pot of coffee. Asking Peter about being blackmailed hadn’t fazed him. How could his aunt ask for money? After his childhood, how would he feel about having a child? She’d been so close to asking him to drive to Bellingham last night, but she held back. She needed time to think about this. Having a child was… amazing, scary and life changing. Every child needed a father. She thought of her own and sniffed back tears. She wished her mom were here.
She ambled back into her office and got back to work. She received several texts from Peter, which was unprecedented. He complained about his business partner, Derek, who blamed Peter for not being able to get laid for over a month because he’d been working too much. At three, Emma left the bakery and was surprised to see a moving truck in her driveway. Two men sat in the cab, talking.
“You have the right address?” Emma asked, coming up to the driver’s window.
“Are you Emma?”
“Yeah.”
“Peter Logan hired us to bring his stuff to this address.”
Emma gaped. He was serious about moving in? But, what if he changed his mind after he heard about the baby?
The men in overalls jumped out and lifted the back of the truck. It was filled with boxes. While the men started stacking boxes, she called Peter.
“Hey, babe.”
“Peter, the movers are here,” she hissed.
“Good. They’re on time. Just show them our bedroom.”
“Peter, I-” she floundered. “Are you sure about this?”
“Yes.”
No hesitation or doubt.
“But-”
“But what?”
“I wasn’t expecting this so soon.”
“We talked about this at the cabin.”
“I know, but-”
“You’re just putting off the inevitable.”
She swallowed as both movers started carrying boxes onto the porch. “Maybe I am. Why didn’t you tell me you were sending your stuff here?”
“Because I knew you would react this way.”
“You knew?” she screeched.
“I told you, things are different this time around.”
“I can see you’re taking that to heart.”
“You should too.”
She swallowed tears. If she wanted her baby to have a father, kicking him out when he was trying to establish himself in her life wasn’t a good start.
“Okay, I’ll call you later,” she said.
She directed the movers into their room and when they offered to unpack the boxes, she declined. After they left, she sat on the bed and stared at Peter’s boxes and then the pregnancy tests on the nightstand. How was this going to work?
Going back to work on Monday was a happy, but strained event. Workers and locals wanted to know where she’d gone, why and if she was seeing Peter Logan again. Anna came to work, glowing. Apparently, Tommy fulfilled Anna’s every whim and he was over the moon about the baby.
“He said he’s always wanted kids, he was just waiting for me to say I wanted them too. He thought the bakery was getting in the way of us starting a family- that’s why he was so mad at me,” Anna said as she perched on Emma’s desk.
“I’m happy for you.”
“Did you tell Peter?”
“I’m seeing him on Friday. I couldn’t tell him over the phone.”
“I casually asked Tommy what Peter thought of kids. He said Peter donates to several children’s charities and he’s paid tuition for ten college students.” Anna squeezed her hands. “Peter is a great guy.”
“I know. He put up with me at my worst,” Emma said, biting her nails.
“He loves you, that’s why!” Anna insisted.
“He said things would be different this time around. I hope so. Have you made your doctor’s appointment?”
“It’s tomorrow. I made sure ours were within an hour of each other.”
“I need to have it confirmed before I tell Peter.”
“You’re a little over two months,” the doctor said.
Anna squeezed Emma’s cold hands.
“We must have gotten pregnant the same week,” Anna squealed.
“It was the day before I broke up with him,” Emma said numbly.
So many emotions rushed through her. Excitement, fear, worry, hope. Anna bounced around the doctor’s office, high as a kite. She just had her checkup and was indeed pregnant and healthy. She chattered happily through Emma’s exam and linked arms with her as they headed out to the parking lot.
“So, how are you going to tell Peter?” Anna asked.
“How?”
“You know, are you going to give him a card with a poem, bake a cake with a rattle on it or put a bun in the oven? Oh, I once saw a girl on YouTube make this scavenger hunt-”
Emma turned to her friend. “I can’t believe I’m pregnant, much less think how I’m supposed to explain this to Peter.”
“This should be fun, though,” Anna pouted.
“It should be.” Emma leaned against the car to catch her breath.
“Oh my God. Are you okay?”
Anna patted her on the back as Emma gasped for air. A keening cry escaped from Emma and she turned to Anna for a hug. Anna didn’t disappoint. She rocked her from side to side and whispered all the things she needed to hear in her ear.
“What’s wrong?” Anna asked.
&
nbsp; “I want my mom,” Emma whispered. “I wish she was here. I wish my baby had grandparents.”
Anna started to cry too. “Your kid won’t have grandparents, but they’ll have godparents.”
Emma smiled as she pulled away. “That’s true. Anna, I’m terrified. I don’t know if I can do this.”
“You can. I’m here and you’re stronger than you think. We’ll take it one step at a time,” Anna said bracingly.
“What if Peter-”
“If Peter turns out to be a jackass, I’ll be here. You know that, right?”
Emma nodded and felt better.
By Thursday, Emma was a ball of nerves. She kept touching her stomach unconsciously. She had no idea how she was going to tell Peter. She was in bed reading pregnancy stuff when he called.
“I’m not going to make it to Bellingham tomorrow,” he said.
Her heart sank. He couldn’t do this to her again.
“There’s a party I have to go to. Will you be my date?”
Emma jerked to attention. “What?”
“Derek set up this party to punish me and I have to attend. All our clients will be there. Will you come to Seattle? You can move some of your stuff here to get back at me.”
He sounded so hopeful, she laughed.
“You’re insane. How dressy is the party?”
“Very.”
“What time?”
“Starts at eight. What time can you leave Bellingham?”
“Probably around two. Why?”
“Come to my office and I’ll take you to my penthouse.”
“Okay.”
“There’s probably going to be a lot of questions, a lot of staring. Derek will probably make rude comments. He’s jealous.”
“I can handle it.”
“That’s my girl. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Emma called Anna who brought several outfits to the bakery the following day. She chose a shimmering white backless gown with a flowing front and matching shoes. Even though her stomach was flat, she felt self-conscious.
“You look so beautiful,” Anna said through tears. “It’s the baby. I blame him.”
“Him?” Emma raised her brows.
“I’ve always wanted a boy,” Anna said with a shrug. “How do you feel?”