Love Never Fails

by L. D. Harmison

  “Don’t you know you don’t rush a pregnant woman?” Monica winks.

  “Please hurry Monica. You still have a doctor’s appointment today.”

  “I’m coming. I’m coming.” Monica wobbles to the car.

  At the local diner, Monica’s sees Clint’s sister Amy. She’s there with her boyfriend. Laura stares at Monica’s belly, confused.

  “Oh my god mom, that’s Clint’s sister Amy. She keeps looking this way.”

  “So what. You could have gotten pregnant again with Jake’s baby.”

  “Oh thanks mom. I’m such a hoe getting pregnant by every guy.”

  “Dear I didn’t mean it that way. How will she know you never got rid of the baby?”

  “Shit mom, I’m the size of a hot air balloon. Maybe that’s how.”

  “Monica please watch your language.”

  “Sorry mom. I’m just scared she’s going to tell Clint.”

  “So what if she does? Let her. I know your dad and Jake will not let anything happen to you and Ella.”

  “I just don’t want any drama.”

  “Dear don’t worry about it.”

  After Amy eats, she walks by their table, just to make sure she isn’t seeing things. Monica knows she will be hearing from Clint very soon.

  “Hi can I take y’alls drink order?”

  “I want hot tea please. But we’re ready to order our food.”

  “Oh ok. What can I get for y’all?”

  “Yes I’d like a Belgium waffle with a side of whipped cream and strawberries. And can I have four pieces of bacon?”

  “And you ma’am?”

  “Yes dear, can I please have a veggie omelet? And I’d also want hot tea to drink.”

  “I’ll be back with y’alls drinks.”

  “Thanks dear.”

  The waitress walks away, and Lauren rubs Monica’s belly.

  “It’s almost time to see my precious grandbaby.”

  “I know I can’t wait.”

  “So have you and Jake made plans yet for y’alls wedding?”

  “Nope. We want to wait till he finishes school, I have the baby, and he starts working before we make any kinds of plans.”

  “Well that sounds like a great plan.”

  Their drinks arrive, and the waitress asks Monica when she’s due. Monica tells her in four weeks, but she’s so ready to pop out the baby. The waitress laughs, telling her she knows how she feels. She has two kids and she’s done.

  Lauren smiles and asks the waitress, “Dear how long have you worked here?”

  “Six months.”

  “Do you like it?”

  The waitress shrugs her shoulders. “It pays the bills. I’m a single mom with two kids. I have to make it work right?”

  “Well dear, do you have any experience?”

  “Yes ma’am. I used to be a receptionist for four years for an engineering company till they went out of business. I tried applying for another job in the same field, but no one is hiring. So I’m stuck here.” She forces a smile.

  “Oh dear I’m so sorry to hear that.”

  “I’m ok with it. I learned to manage. I’ll be right back with y’alls food.”

  After giving them their food and condiments and she kindly asks if there was anything else she can help them with. Lauren politely nods that they’re ok. The waitress walks away letting them enjoy their food. When they finish eating, Lauren asks for the check, she pays, and when the waitress walks back for her to sign the receipt, Lauren makes her an offer, bringing the waitress in tears.

  “Dear call this number, it’s my husband’s company’s Human Resource. Give them my name, and I wrote all the information on this paper, and tell them I promised you a receptionist job. And they will hire you on the spot, I promise. I will also call them and let them know to be expecting your call dear.”

  The waitress hugs Lauren sobbing on her shoulder. “Oh my god. Thank you so much.”

  Lauren kindly smiles, and tips her a hundred dollars. As they head to Monica’s doctor appointment, she stares at her mom, amazed by what her mom just did. She grabs her mom’s hand and rubs her thumb across. Her mom didn’t know the lady, but she’s so moved at her determination to support her two kids, that she offers her a job. Lauren has touched so many peoples’ lives. She’s an incredible woman.

  Monica swings her legs on the examination table. “Hi doc.”

  “Hi Monica. How are you feeling?”

  “I’m ready to pop this thing out already.”

  “That thing is your baby Ella.” Dr. Phillips laughs.

  “Yeah you know what I mean.”

  “Let me check.”

  Dr. Phillips instructs her to lay back, put her feet on the stirrups, he inserts the speculum, and checks if she’s already dilated.

  “Well Monica, you are two centimeters dilated. I want you to come back next week, and I’ll check again.”

  “Ok doc.”

  While Monica takes a nap, Lauren washes all of Ella’s clothes and blankets. When Monica finally wakes up from her nap, Monica is starving.

  “Dear did you want me to make you a peanut butter sandwich?”

  “Yes please.”

  Lauren makes her a sandwich, cuts off the edges, and pours Monica milk. She sits by Monica watching her eat.

  “Mom do you want to help me put the crib together?”

  “Yes this should be interesting.” Lauren giggles.

  “Yeah I know. It’ll be fun.” Monica brings her plate and cup into the living room.

  Lauren and Monica open the box to the cribs, and starts reading the instructions together. Monica squints at her mom, wrinkles her nose and starts laughing. The instruction is so hard to understand, but they are determined to try. After two hours of trying to assemble the crib, they look at their finished work, look at each other, and look at the crib again. How do they know if it’s been put together right? Monica climbs in and Lauren nearly has a heart attack afraid the crib will fall apart. While Monica is sitting in the crib Indian style, Jake and John comes home, and laughs when they see Monica in the crib.

  “Baby what in the world are you doing in there?” Jake sets his briefcase to the side.

  “My mom and I put it together, and I wanted to make sure it won’t fall apart.”

  “You and mom put it together? Are you sure?” John kisses Lauren teasing her.

  “Yes dear, Monica and I did that.” Lauren is so pleased.

  “I see you guys know how to keep busy.”

  “Daddy, we’re losing our minds here. We had to do something.”

  Jake lifts Monica out of the crib, and Monica squeezes his muscular arms. Since Lauren has been occupied with the crib, and entertaining Monica, she hasn’t cooked dinner, so they order pizza. When the pizza guy arrives, he gawks at Monica even though she’s pregnant. When he leaves, Jake teases Monica.

  “Baby I think the pizza guy has a thing for you.”

  “No he doesn’t.”

  “Did you see how he was eyeing you? He likes you.”

  “Are you jealous over the pizza man baby?”

  “Should I be?”

  “The baby isn’t the pizza man’s is it?”

  “Ha. Ha. You’re so funny I forgot to laugh.”

  Jake laughs, pulling her in for a kiss.

  “You two young love birds.” Lauren smitten at how Jake and Monica loves each other.

  “Sweetheart, do you remember when we were that young?”

  “Dear what are you talking about, I’m still young.” Lauren waves her hand over her body as she flaunts her goods.

  “Ok spring chicken.” John chuckles.

  Lauren puckers her lips; John kisses his wife, and feeds her pizza. They’re the love birds. Still so much in love. Monica and Jake watch them in envy. They hope they turn out to be just like them.

  “Oh baby guess who my mom and I saw at today?”

  “Who?”

  “Amy.”

  “Clint’s sister Amy.”
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br />   “Yup. And she walked by our table looking at my belly. I know she’s going to tell Clint.”

  “So what if she tells him. I dare him to do something to you. I will kill him.”

  John rubs Monica’s belly. “You and I both.”

  Their dinner gets disturbed with a turbulent noise coming from outside. As John opens the door, Clint is stumbling over their garden plants. He’s drunk, yelling and slurring for Monica.

  “You fucking bitch. I told you to get rid of that thing. I bet you’re going to get me for child support huh like all the dumb bitches that intentionally gets pregnant and uses their baby as a paycheck. I will take you to court and take that baby from you. You and your stupid boyfriend will never see my baby I promise you that, you dumb cunt. ”

  “Clint you need to leave now or I will call the cops.” John tries to mend the situation without escalating. “I’m warning you now. You need to leave.”

  “Fuck you grandpa. Go inside before I beat your ass.”

  Just as Clint is about to push John, Jake sneaks up from behind and punches Clint in his mouth. Clint lands on the ground stunned. Getting up and stumbling, he charges towards Jake. They’re on the grass, exchanging hits. John tries to pull them apart, but just right when he separates them, they start at it again. Lauren calls the cops.

  Screaming for them to stop, a gush explodes between her legs. “Oh my god. My water just broke. Mom, dad, Jake, my water just broke.”

  The cops arrive to arrest Clint just as they’re leaving to the hospital. John drives fast but carefully, nervous for his daughter. Jake is in the back comforting her, holding her hand, allowing her to squeeze when her contractions get bad.

  At the hospital, the nurse wheels her to the delivery room on the second floor. They start her IVs, and wrap the baby monitor around her belly. The contractions are getting closer and stronger, giving no time to give Monica an epidural. Dr. Phillips arrives, straps her legs on the stirrups, and looks between Monica’s legs.

  “The baby’s head is crowning. We need to do it now. Monica when I tell you to push, I need you to push. Understand?”

  Monica nods her head, in excruciating pain. Jake holds one hand while John holds the other. Lauren is by the doctor, watching the baby’s head.

  “Oh dear I see the head.” Lauren is already in tears.

  Jake interested in seeing how it looks, let’s go of her hand, and stands by the doctor.

  “Ok Monica here we go. I need you to push. Push. Push. Ok hold on. Now push again.”

  The baby’s head exits Monica’s body, the doctor instructs Monica to push one more time. Gently pulling the neck, Ella pops out. Dr. Phillips wipes Ella’s face, and lays her on Monica’s chest. John looks at Lauren. Lauren looks at him then at Monica. Jake looks at John, and then looks at Monica. Monica looks at her parents then looks at Jake. Monica, John, and Lauren looks at Ella, then looks at Jake. They’re surprisingly baffled. Ella resembles Jake.

  20

  Jake thinks his eyes are playing tricks on him. “Is it just me, or do you guys see it too?”

  “Dear, Ella looks just like you.” Lauren has her hand over her mouth.

  “Oh my god.” Monica is stunned.

  “Jake, I think you need to do a paternity test. I mean I think its best.” John rests his hand on Jake’s back.

  “Dr. Phillips is there any way we can do a paternity test today?” Jake determined to find out the truth.

  “I’ll make a request for it if you’d like?”

  “Yes please.” Jake begs.

  The nurses take Ella away, so they can take her to the nursery, to clean her, measure her, and put her under the heating lamp for a while. After the doctor finishes stitching Monica up, the nurses clean her area. Once they leave the room and gives them their privacy, everyone starts discussing what just happened.

  “Monica I just called my mom, and I told her to bring my baby picture the day I was born. I want you to see them, because Ella looks just like me.”

  Yes Ella does resemble Jake, but Monica doesn’t want to get his hopes up. What if the DNA test proves he’s still not the father? What then? His hopes will be crushed.

  “Dear Ella does look so much like Jake. I don’t think Clint’s the father.” Lauren shaking her head, still not believing what she just saw.

  “Let’s wait and see what happens. Let’s not jump the gun here. Jake, yes Ella does look like you son. But I don’t want you disappointed if the test come back saying you’re not the father. I don’t want your feelings for Monica and Ella to change.”

  “Sir that will never happen.” Jake looks into Monica’s eyes.

  Kelly and Josh arrive, congratulating them. When the nurse finally returns, Jake cradles her in his arms, showing her to everyone. Josh and Kelly stare at each other eye wide open. They’re stunned. Kelly walks over to Monica’s bed and tries to whisper in her ear, but everyone hears what she says.

  “Girl, Clint isn’t the daddy. Jake is.”

  Josh agrees, “Yeah bro she looks just like you.”

  Aaron and Erin enter the room holding Jake’s baby picture. Everyone passes the picture around the room, and they all agree. Ella looks identical to Jake’s baby picture.

  “She looks gorgeous. She looks just like me son.” Erin gloats.

  Kelly and Monica roll their eyes. How can Erin try to make this special day about her. They take turns holding Ella, marveling at how beautiful she looks. A nurse knocks on the door, requesting Jake sign release forms, withdraws his blood, and before she can walk out, Jake stops her.

  “Aren’t you going to take some blood from my baby too?”

  “Sir we have already processed her blood work. We just needed to collect yours.” She smiles batting her eyes at Jake.

  Jake takes Ella back from Lauren, walks by Monica, sits on the bed. Jake and Monica stares at her as they’re falling in love with her. The way she moves her tiny fingers, stretches her teeny arms, and puckers her itty-bitty lips. There’s a knock on the door, and Jake’s and Monica’s heart skips a beat. It’s Dr. Phillips with the test results.

  “Jake and Monica I have the results. Did you want everybody here?”

  “Can you guys give Jake and I a minute?” Monica asks politely.

  Everybody respectfully gets up to leave the room, except one person. The one person that always rubs Monica the wrong way.

  “No I want to be here to hear the results.” Erin snaps at Monica.

  Monica patience with Erin is running low. “Get out now!” Monica demands.

  “No I’m not leaving.”

  “Mom if you don’t leave I swear to god.” Jake frustrated at how immaturely his mom is acting.

  She waves her hands in the air, pissed Jake took Monica’s side. And she mumbles under her breathe, “Watch the baby won’t even be yours.”

  The doctor closes the door after Erin leaves then opens the folder. “Jake your ninety-nine percent the father of Ella.”

  Jake and Monica burst into tears as they hug their baby. After Dr. Phillips gives them the good news, he exits the room, letting them embrace the happy news with their daughter. Jake cries holding Ella in one arm, and Monica in the other. Everyone enters and waits for the news. Jake lifts his head, tears oozing down his cheeks, and nods yes. Lauren and Kelly scream excitedly, and John walks up to Jake hugging his future son-n-law.

  Erin still isn’t happy with the results. She sits on the chair bitter as can be. Josh congratulates Jake and apologizes for the negative things he has said before. Jake accepts his apology. Ella starts to cry, and Lauren begs Jake to let her feed her grandchild. Jake grabs a prepared bottled formula that the hospital provides to the new babies, gently places Ella in Lauren’s arm, gives her the bottle, and puts a bid over Ella’s neck. It’s like he knows exactly what to do. Monica watches as the people she loves minus two, experience this moment with her.

  “Bro you look like a pro at this.” Josh jokes with Jake, while Erin rolls her eyes still not happy.


  Jake’s parents decide to ditch, and once they head out the room, the somber mood departs with them. Happiness finally fills the room.

  “Son I’m happy for you and Monica. You two have you one beautiful baby girl.”

  “Thanks sir.”

  “Oh my god, when I first saw her, I was like what the hell? Why does she look like Jake?” Monica smiles.

  “Dear I think we were all thinking the same thing.” Lauren burps Ella over her shoulder.

  “When I first saw her, I knew she was my daughter. We have the same face features.”

  “I bet you guys are so overjoyed. She is so beautiful and so tiny.” Kelly making an inch with her thumb and index finger over her squinted eye.

  “I can’t wait to babysit my grandbaby.” Lauren excited to be a grandma.

  “I want to babysit too.” Kelly volunteers. “I think you two deserve a real date. Just the two of you. It’s long overdue.”

  Jake delicately lifts his daughter from Lauren’s arms. “We can’t just yet. We want to spend more time with our baby.” Jake gives his daughter a kiss on her forehead.

  Monica is so blessed. The people she really cares about and is important to her are all in there with her.

  “Daddy, did you ever find out what happened to Clint? Did he ever go to jail?”

  “The cops are charging him with trespassing, public intoxication, disorderly conduct, and since he was on our property, and he didn’t leave after I asked him to, he’s getting charged with assault, because Jake was protecting his home from an erratic man.”

  “So Jake won’t get in trouble right?”

  “No sweetheart, our neighbors saw what was going on. They’re witnesses.”

  “Hold up!” Josh shaking his head. “What happened bro?”

  “Clint came to the house drunk, yelling and cursing, and John asked him to leave. And he threatened to beat his ass, and just as he’s fixing to put his hands on John, I punched him. And that’s when Monica’s water broke.”

  “That Clint is something else huh? If Monica didn’t get pregnant thinking it was his baby, Monica and Jake wouldn’t be together right now. And if he didn’t make a scene like he did; Monica’s water wouldn’t have broken. And you guys would have to wait a couple more weeks to find out Ella is Jake’s baby.” Kelly informs them of the obvious.