Baby Love Lite

by ANDREA SMITH

  I felt his hand on mine and looked over. He wasn’t angry with me. I saw a hint of amusement in his eyes as he squeezed my hand in his. At the conclusion of the last oral argument the bailiff announced that the panel would break for lunch and oral arguments would resume at 12:30 p.m. Everyone was instructed to rise as the seven judges filed out the side door.

  “Let’s go, Chuckles,” Trey said, as he took my arm and guided me out into the aisle.

  Once we got into the large hallway, I turned to him. “Trey, I'm so sorry,” I said apologetically. “I don’t know what got into me in there.”

  He continued to stare at me and I couldn’t tell if he was angry with me or not. I continued on a roll.

  “I think it was the way Judge Tylar was talking to that windbag attorney and his name being ‘Louderdick’ and all, it just struck me funny all of a sudden and it was out before I realized -- “

  “Tylar, hush,” Trey said softly leaning down to give me a kiss. “It’s okay.”

  “So, you’re not mad at me?”

  “No, I'm not mad at you. I found it kind of comical as well. I have to admit that it was a first for me.”

  “You mean an attorney being escorted out by the bailiff?”

  “No, the first time that somebody laughed out loud in a hushed courtroom with seven federal judges in attendance.” I smiled back at him giving him a hug.

  “So, when will you find out how the panel rules on your case?”

  “It usually takes about six or eight weeks for them to rule.”

  “What now?” I asked.

  “Well, how about you and I go and get some lunch and then head back to our hotel for a nice nap before we have to check out and get to the airport?”

  “I like the way you think, counselor,” I answered him smiling. “I need to use the restroom first, though.”

  I found the ladies restroom in the courthouse and Trey said he was going to find the men’s room and to meet him back near the staircase. The hallways in this old courthouse seemed to wind around like a maze.

  After I'd finished up in the restroom, I headed back down the hallway. When I turned the corner to where the hallway opened up to the area outside the courtrooms on the third floor, I realized that it wasn't the same hallway as before. I'd taken the wrong turn somewhere. I turned around and headed back the other way. As I approached the corner of the hall where it turned to go back to where the restrooms were, I collided with a man coming around the corner from the opposite direction.

  “I’m sorry,” I said looking up at him.

  He wasn’t wearing his robe, but I recognized Judge Tylar immediately. “Are you alright?” he asked studying my face.

  I nodded affirmatively. He had the same amber-colored eyes that I did. His eyes dropped to my earrings and then to my necklace.

  “Marley?” he said, his gaze locking with mine.

  “Pardon?” I asked.

  “I’m sorry,” he said, shaking his head. “I thought for a moment you were someone that I'd known a long time ago, which is quite impossible. Please excuse me.”

  He walked past me down the long corridor his footsteps echoing in the empty hallway.

  Trey was waiting for me by the stairwell. He must've been worried because I saw a hint of relief on his face when he spotted me.

  “Ready?” he asked.

  “Trey,” I said, “You aren’t going to believe me but I know that in some way I'm related to Judge Tylar.”

  After I verbalized what I'd felt from the first time I'd seen the man’s name in print at the firm, to the collision that had just taken place in the hall, the tears rolled down my cheeks.

  CHAPTER 28

  Trey and I arrived back at the apartment by 9:30 p.m. that night. Jean said that Preston had been perfect for her. She'd put her to bed about forty-five minutes prior to our getting home. Trey was going to drive Jean home since it was so late.

  After they left, I went to the bedroom and changed into a pair of my silk pajamas. I then went into the nursery and pulled Preston out of her crib. She yawned and stretched in my arms before her eyes fluttered opened and she saw me. I was immediately rewarded with a dimpled grin.

  “Hi sweetie,” I cooed to her hugging her close. I took her into our bedroom and pulled the covers back on our bed climbing into it. I grabbed the remote turning the flat screen on and settled in with the pillows propped behind me. I cuddled her against me as we snuggled down together in the bed.

  My cell phone chimed from the nightstand. It was Gina. “Hey, girlfriend, where are you?” she asked. I could tell by the background noise she was at the club.

  “We just got in a little while ago. Trey's taking Jean home. I’m cuddling with Preston.”

  “Preston's up this late?”

  “Well - I kind of woke her up.”

  “You did? Why?”

  “I don't know, I just missed her, I guess."

  “So how'd things go down there?”

  “Gina, I'm so positive that Judge Tylar's related to me in some way; it's possible he could be my father.”

  I provided her the details of the day in court and then literally running in to him in the hallway and what he'd called me.

  “Wow,” she said, “What now?”

  “I think it’s time I pay Maggie a visit in jail.”

  “Are you serious?”

  “Yes I am. I need some answers. She's nothing to lose by giving them to me now.”

  “If you trust a sociopath I suppose,” she replied.

  “Hey, not to change the subject, but Tristan called today and he'll be back in Atlanta for Thanksgiving.”

  “Really?”

  “Yep. He liked what he saw on the financials, I guess.”

  “Apparently so,” I replied, silently smirking.

  “Was Preston a good girl for Aunt Gina?”

  “Except for the green shit explosion, she was great.”

  “The what?”

  I sat up straighter in bed, disturbing Preston who had dozed back off. I was awaiting Gina’s explanation.

  “I think it's all those pureed green beans. She may not be ready for that particular vegetable just yet.”

  “Gina! You fed her a whole flippin’ jar of them at one sitting.”

  “Got to go; my break's over. See you tomorrow.”

  Gina clicked her cell phone off not wanting to deal with me. I had to smile at the thought of her having to clean the mess up. Served her right.

  I gazed down at my beautiful daughter wondering if the judge that I'd seen today knew he was a grandpa. I didn’t care if Trey was skeptical about the connection. It was similar to what Nigel had told Tess; the heart knows what the heart knows. In my heart I knew that Judge Preston James Tylar was my father.

  ~~~~~~~~~~

  When Trey got back, both Preston and I'd fallen asleep in the bed. I felt him lift her from me.

  “Let her stay please? I haven’t seen her in nearly two days.”

  “We're not starting that habit again. Besides I've some plans for this bed tonight that no one under the age of eighteen's permitted to witness," he replied, giving me his devilish smile.

  He cuddled her to him and carried her back to the nursery. He was showered and in bed within ten minutes. He pulled me to him, gently taking my pajama top off and lowering the silk pants. I hadn’t put panties on once I'd changed so he had a clear field.

  “Is your diaphragm in, baby?” he asked.

  “No, Trey, it isn’t.”

  “Do you want to rectify that situation now?”

  “I don’t know why I should. My period's two weeks late as it is.”

  “What? Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I think I just did.”

  “Tylar, for Chrissake are you pregnant for sure? Why're you being so cavalier about it?”

  “I don’t know anything for sure. I know that when a woman breast feeds her cycles can be irregular. I also know that I haven’t had enough of it just being ‘Preston Only’ time befo
re we bring another baby into the mix and that’s not fair.”

  “What do you mean, sweetie?”

  “I mean that I want to enjoy Preston’s firsts without having another baby on the horizon. Her first words, her first steps.”

  “Her first date?” Trey asked.

  “That’s not fair Trey, and you know it! I want more children. I just want them spaced apart so we can enjoy the individuality of each of them.”

  “Sweetie,” he said, pulling me into his arms and kissing my hair and my face, “If you're pregnant that doesn’t take away from any of Preston’s firsts.”

  “I just love her so much. I don’t think I could ever love another child like I do her.”

  “I think all mothers probably think like that, babe. I mean I can’t say for sure, but maybe it’s something you could ask Mom about?”

  I looked up at him and saw his beautiful caring face. Of course, he was right. It was easy to see how much Susan loved all of her boys. Nigel and Tristan were barely two years apart and I couldn’t see any partiality with the way she treated them. He lowered his face to mine, kissing me sweetly and lovingly. I laced my arms around his neck pulling him closer to me, loving the feel of his naked body against mine.

  I pushed him back against the mattress suddenly hungry for the feel and taste of him. I straddled him with my nakedness and began a slow, sensual path with my tongue on his lips. We kissed gently at first, allowing the passion to build up. My breasts rested against his chest and I felt his hands massaging and capturing my nipples in a pleasurable and painful grip. My sex was wet for him and only him.

  I raised myself up and lowered myself down onto his engorged shaft, loving how it felt within me. Trey placed his hands on each of my hips and gently raised me up and then lowered me down on his shaft over and over again. He moaned with pleasure each time I fully possessed his manhood within me. I moved my hips in a circular motion as Trey continued the rhythmic up and down lifting of me onto his shaft.

  “Baby, you feel so good,” he moaned with pleasure, increasing the rhythm a bit. I could feel the swelling of my G-Spot; my contractions were squeezing his manhood into sweet release. I leaned over allowing my breasts to brush against his face. His hand reached out and captured one. He placed his mouth on the rosy peak and he suckled hard from it drawing pleasurable moans from me. I rocked harder and faster back and forth on him. “God baby, I can’t hold it - I need to come. . .”

  I felt Trey tense up and I knew to stop my movements as I felt his manhood pulsate within me; his thumb found my clitoris and lightly rolled it back and forth drawing my orgasm out to its full potential. I moaned in pleasure as both of my orgasms unfolded at once.

  “I love you so much, baby. You're my angel,” he gasped. I leaned over and found his mouth with mine as my orgasm was winding down.

  “I love you, Trey.”

  CHAPTER 29

  When I got up the next morning a little after sex to use the bathroom I discovered I'd gotten my period. How strange. I immediately burst into tears. Trey knocked on the bathroom door having heard me.

  “What?” I asked sobbing.

  “Baby, are you okay?” he asked. “Can I come in?”

  “Yes,” I wailed between sobs.

  When Trey came in, he saw me sitting on the toilet.

  “What happened?” he asked his face going pale.

  “I got my period,” I sobbed.

  “Well, honey,” he said. “I mean, isn’t that a good thing? I know you didn’t want a baby this soon after Preston so everything's good, right?”

  “Maybe I somehow caused it. I mean I was two weeks late and then I bitched about it and the next day I started. Maybe God caused me to not be pregnant anymore.”

  “Sweetheart that's not how it works.”

  “How do you know? Look at Tess and Nigel so much wanting to have a baby and they can’t. Then here I am, thinking I’m Fertile Myrtle and maybe I’m really not.”

  “Honey,” he said smiling and capturing my face within his hands and kissing me softly. “I personally guarantee you that you will carry all of the children I can possibly give you. You were born to be a mother amongst other things.”

  He was smiling at me and I knew that Trey knew me better than myself at times.

  “Oh Honey," sobbed, “You totally get me. I love you.”

  “I adore you, baby. So let’s not freak out about this, okay? Just think about how happy going forward, we are that Preston won’t be over-shadowed on her ‘firsts’?”

  I finished up in the bathroom so Trey could shower before work. He'd been working out at the gym after work lately so he could sleep in with me. He was dressed, shaved and looking impeccable in his newest Armani suit when he came out to the kitchen carrying Preston.

  “Look who was standing up in her bed chanting, 'da-da-da' when I went into her room to check on her.”

  “No, she didn’t!” I said, putting a waffle on his plate.

  Preston was grinning sporting her two emerging bottom teeth. I went over to her holding my hands out for her. She reached for me and I took her into my arms.

  “Say ‘Ma-Ma’ for me, Preston.”

  Trey chuckled and sat down to his breakfast; I took Preston into the living room continuing to repeat ‘Ma-Ma’ to her as I settled down on the sofa with her preparing to nurse.

  Trey kissed us both before he left for work. He said he was going to work out and would be home around seven.

  “I’ll be at the club this evening, remember?”

  “Oh, that’s right. Well, maybe I’ll stop by after the gym to see you before going home, how’s that?”

  “I’d like that provided you don’t assault any more patrons.”

  “Very funny, Mrs. Sinclair,” he said, leaning down to give me another kiss.

  Preston and I got our baths and dressed for our day together. I dressed her in dark green leggings with a matching sweater and put the new ‘One eye Monster’ Ugg knit boots and hat set on her that I'd bought for her at the airport in Baton Rouge.

  Trey'd made a comment about the cost of the baby couture but then suggested a different color than the one I'd selected for her. I started a crock pot dinner so that Jean would have something to eat and wouldn’t have to worry about making Trey’s dinner. Since I was going out to the new house in the morning, Jean was staying overnight.

  I had to meet with the decorator and select colors for the rooms and window treatments. The flooring in the downstairs was completed. I still had to make my selections for the second floor carpeting and light fixtures.

  Trey and I'd discussed a full-time arrangement with Jean. There was plenty of room if she was amenable to being a live-in. Once the horses arrived, they'd be my responsibility. Trey wanted me to finish college so I needed to see about getting my credits transferred to a local university. I'd be a part-time student and hopefully could take a good portion of the remaining classes online.

  I'd suggested to Trey that I'd like to give riding lessons since we had the horses and the land; possibly offer boarding as well since the stables would accommodate more horses than we intended to move from Bristol. He was amenable to that especially since it permitted me to spend a lot of time with Preston. I'd every intention of getting her up on a horse’s back just as soon as she was old enough.

  The day seemed to fly by. Too soon, I was putting on my tight little skirt and blouse and killer shoes to head down to the club. I only had to work until 11:00 p.m. tonight as Eddie was closing.

  Gina had scheduled me to work at the main bar with her downstairs. Eddie was training a new bartender upstairs since it wasn’t quite as busy this time in the evening. The downstairs bars tended to get more of the happy hour crowd until around 7:00 p.m. Then there was a lull until the band started at nine.

  “So,” I said to Gina as she was filling the ice machine, “what did Tristan want the other day when he called in and you had to cut our call short?”

  Gina got a sly smile on her face at my ques
tion. “Being kind of nosey there aren’t you, girlfriend?”

  “Not at all; I just wondered if he was still interested in investing. Trey seemed to think he might be backing out after reading the financials.”

  “No, I don’t think he'll be backing out of anything. I think Tristan has some major interest,” she said giggling. "As a matter of fact, Tristan will be back in town before Thanksgiving. He needs to talk to me about the particulars. I think you'll be having one more for dinner.”

  “Really?”

  I wondered if he'd said anything to Trey about being here over Thanksgiving. “Is he planning on staying at the apartment with us?”

  Gina actually blushed for the first time ever in front of me. She stammered a bit with her answer. “Well, actually I told him that he was more than welcome to crash at my place. I mean it’s closer to the club and all. He wants to talk about making some changes at the club. I’m not sure of the extent he wants to change it but he’s offered to put in an additional $100,000 after he buys you out. I’m kind of excited to hear his ideas.”

  I was thoroughly amused and thoroughly happy if things were indeed moving ahead with Gina and Tristan. I still believed that they were perfect for one another.

  “Well, you do have that spare bedroom at your condo, Gina. It makes perfect sense to me that he would stay there.”

  “Very funny, Ty, I know what you’re thinking. You have a dirty mind just like that husband of yours! By the way, please honor our BFF confidentiality here?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Please don’t tell the Hot Nazi where Tristan's staying, okay?”

  “You know I won’t if you don’t want me to; what's the big deal?”

  “It’s just I really like Tristan, but we're taking the friendship route."

  “I don’t understand. You seem to be crushing on him big time! He seems charmed by you, so what's the problem?”

  “I don’t want to be his ‘bridge bitch,’ that’s all.”

  “What the hell is a ‘bridge bitch’?”

  “You know - it’s the chick that gets the guy after his heart's been broken, helps him get through it and then prepares him to meet his next serious relationship which, by the way, ain’t her. She essentially bridges him from his past relationship to his next serious relationship.”