by Imani King
“You should get him to inseminate you,” she said, half-joking, but half-seriously. “Those would be some awfully cute babies!”
“Well if it were that easy!”
“So why isn’t it?” Maia looked quizzical.
“Well I guess they’re not sure. A blockage, maybe due to scar tissue,” I said. “Or it could be hormonal. Regular doctors don’t have access to this kind of equipment. Or Insurance doesn’t bother with funding it.”
“Well looks like Dr. Fox has all the equipment you could ever need,” Maia grinned, raising her eyebrows up and down.
I bopped her with the couch cushion. “Oh hush now! “ We collapsed in giggles. But inwardly I have to admit that this doctor was tempting, and not only because of his magical abilities with baby-making. A girl could get lost in those eyes, and never find her way out again.
Chapter 4
When I woke up the next morning, I was resolute. I was going to call this doctor. Good looking or no, that didn’t matter. I might be able to get a job, and who knows, maybe even a baby, as I always wanted! I nearly bounced down the stairs, truly happy for the first time in a while. Hope is a wonderful thing. I pictured my little girl (or it could be a boy, it didn’t matter – as long as it was a baby) in her high chair, waiting for her bottle. Looking adorable with her sweet eyes and fat cheeks. Or maybe a few years later, a boy running around in swim trunks, water wings flaring his spindly arms.
The smell of the freshly brewing coffee hit my nostrils and I breathed in happily. I could picture the boy running up to me, calling for a popsicle, looking at me with his big blue eyes – wait . Blue eyes. My hand flew to my mouth.
They were the blue eyes of Dr. Fox, not my big baby browns. I shook my head, trying to dispel the silly visions. But I had to admit, they were beautiful.
Chapter 5
The phone rang.
“It’s Natasha? From Dr. Finnegan’s office? We spoke the other day?”
“Ah yes, Natasha! How are you?”
“I’m good. Look I just wanted to see how you are doing with that information I gave you. Have you made any decisions about moving forward?”
“Well nothing firm, but I am definitely interested.”
“I’m glad to hear that because their office just called and they asked me if I could recommend someone to interview. Only thing is, is – it’s this afternoon.”
“I see.” Racing over to my calendar, I whipped it open. Scanning it. There was nothing I couldn’t move.
“I can set it up for you if you can make the appointment.” I could hear her concern over the phone. “I’d love for you to get this job!”
“Book it,” I said, the words flying out of my mouth as if they had a will of their own.
I could hear her smile over the phone lines.
“Sounds good, Teagen. 2:45 today…” As she rattled on, with directions and things to bring and ask, my mind was racing. Would it be possible? Could I possibly have a baby? I had everything else I needed in life. A decent job if not perfect, a house that I was paying off. If I could some day have a baby too, my life would be complete. A small voice piped up from the back of my mind, but I pushed it away. What about a man, Teagen? Don’t you want a man?
Who needs a man when you have a great roommate and a baby?
Chapter 6
I was expecting a hospital, but the office was on the ground floor of an old mansion in a really nice part of town. At first I wasn’t sure I was in the right place, until I saw a tastefully small sign. It simply read, “Dr. Christopher Fox,” in what I assumed was brass. The place was surrounded by gorgeous gardens, and I touched the flowers gently as I walked down the cobblestone steps to the heavy wooden door. My heart was doing the can-can in my chest as I raised my hand to knock, but I heard a buzz and the door popped open. I walked in cautiously.
“Hello, are you here to interview?” A young blonde woman with high cheekbones and a mellifluous voice was checking a clipboard. “Teagen Mayfield?”
“That’s me,” I said. The office was astoundingly luxurious. …Are these walls hand-carved wood? Who has hand-carved wooden walls? I sank down on a plush leather sofa, taking in shelves of books.
I would have felt nervous, everything coming down to this moment, all my dreams coming true, but everything in this office seemed calculated for maximum calm. From the soft music to the rich surroundings to the texture of the leather I was ensconced in, I just felt like putting my feet up and settling in.
I was considering it when suddenly the door swung open. “Teagen?” called a young woman in scrubs, with sparkling eyes. “Would you like to come this way?”
Chapter 7
The diplomas on the walls were all from the best schools, and all had his name emblazoned in the center. “Christopher Lawrence Fox.” A part of me wished that they had pictures. Looking into those blue eyes live would be both sexy and unsettling, after my daydream of a little son. But that was silly. Those eyes would be mostly sexy.
And the door swung open, and I was right. The blue-eyed fox, in person, was grinning widely. He seemed a bit surprised.
“You’re Teagen Mayfield?”
“The one and only,” I said for some dumb reason. Curse my stupid mouth. No matter, he was grinning. And he stuck out his hand, which I shook quickly and dropped just as fast. His grip was strong, warm, and a shot of electricity went through me straight to my core. What if he examines me sometime and I got wet? came the panicked thought in my head. Think of baseball, Teagen! I grinned back at him.
“Excellent. Have a seat.” His eyes were even more mesmerizing in person than they were in the picture. Warm as his handshake. He pulled up a chair, steepled his fingers in front of his face, and said, “Thanks so much for coming in today, Teagen! Would you like to tell me about yourself?”
It was hard to concentrate, seeing this doctor in person, that was for sure. But if I wanted this job I had to. “I’ve always been fascinated with babies, and always wanted one, although it looks like I might have some trouble in that regard. My love of babies and children is the reason I became a nurse in the first place. So when I was referred to you, I thought I better come over and see just what it is you needed around here”.
“Well that’s wonderful! You’ve come to the right place,” he said lightly. “I am looking for a nurse to help with operations, and she needs to have a few different qualities – but loving babies is definitely one of them.” I could see a bit of concern in his face but couldn’t read why. We continued to talk, the conversation flowing like water, when finally he said, “Well if I can ever be of help with your baby situation, I’d love to pass on whatever I could.” His sweet smile made me melt – and somehow dissolved some barrier that was inside me, allowing me to really let him know what I was going through.
“I don’t know. I want a baby so badly, but it seems like my body won’t cooperate. Even when I did have a boyfriend I didn’t have a single scare despite playing pretty fast and loose – what can I say, I was younger and dumber – and now I want to try on my own for real, but my doctor says he thinks it won’t work. They’re not sure why.”
“So,” he cleared his throat. “I take it there’s no Mr. Teagen Mayfield in the picture?”
“No, which is another reason I am here. The insurance won’t cover any treatment unless I am married.”
“I see. Yes, that can be a bit of a stumbling block. What’s the hurry though, if I may ask?”
There was something about the way he asked that, like he wasn’t hurrying me at all, that made me open up to him. It felt strange to get this personal in a job interview, but I told him everything, about my sister, my mother, my dreams, my plans, and my life. He listened to every word, handed me tissue, and didn’t seem to be in any rush. He was just there, witnessing me, holding what I said with care.
“And you don’t want to try the old-fashioned way?” He said gently.
“Well I am not attached to anyone. I just want to be treated and have a baby.”
“Ah ha.” He rubbed his chin with his hand, looking off into the distance. “I understand your reasons. And there are some programs that might be able to help you,”
“But someday, doc, could you help me? You’re supposed to be very good.”
“Well you’re still so young,” he said, turning away. “We don’t know why you’re infertile, and tests can be done. But I have to be completely open and honest with you,” a flush came over his cheeks. “This has never happened to me before. I’ll just have to say it straight out – I am wildly attracted to you and I just don’t see how it would be possible for me to treat you. I also think it might be a bad idea to give you the job, though you seem perfect for it.” He turned around again, and I could see the cloud passing over his blue eyes. “Honestly I’m terribly embarrassed. I thought it was just a physical thing, easy to get over – but after listening to you tell your story, I just feel it wouldn’t be ethical for me to be your doctor, or even your employer. I’m so sorry. I would be happy to give you a reference to any of my colleagues just as soon as something comes up. I just I hope you understand.”
“I see…” I said it, but I really didn’t see at all. I mean, I had to admit – I was wildly attracted to him as well. But that didn’t mean I couldn’t date him if this all worked out, or didn’t work it, did it? “Well I won’t keep you then, doctor. I don’t want to waste your time.”
“It’s not a waste,” he said, fixing his eyes on me. “I don’t understand it either. But I need to ask you, would you like to meet me for dinner tonight? I want to find out what this feeling is. Is it just me?”
My vision from earlier flashed back into my mind – the boy from my daydream. Surely that was just as crazy, wasn’t it?
“Yes,” I said, and his face fell. “No! I mean, yes I accept your invitation. And no, it’s not just you. There’s something here, but I don’t know what it is.” The blush was warming my cheeks now. “Thank you, doctor.”
“Hey,” he said, touching my hand. “Call me Christopher.”
“Ok… Christopher,” I said, heart jumping a little as my mouth formed his name.
Chapter 8
“Christopher, Christopher,” I practically breathed on my way home in the car. It didn’t make rational sense. I should be pissed off, or disappointed. Not only did I not get the job I wanted, but I also couldn’t really go to see the best doctor in the business.
But I was going out for dinner with him. I pressed the Bluetooth car phone to talk to Mona.
“Heeyyyy!” She squealed. “Did you get it? Are congratulations in order? Are we going out for a celebratory cocktail?”
“No I didn’t get it.”
“Oh, poo.”
“But I got something else. A consolation prize. That might be better than the job.”
“He didn’t get you pregnant already, did he?” Maia’s voice was jokingly accusatory.
“No, not that either.”
“Then what?”
“Well he asked me out.”
The scream she let out jolted me back, and I inadvertently stepped on the gas, almost accelerating into a tree.
“Hey easy girl! I am in the car you know!”
“I knew it!” Maia crowed. “I knew it!”
“What are you talking about? You thought I had the job!”
“That’s what I wanted you to believe, but for real, I knew he was going to ask you out.” Her voice sure sounded triumphant. “Mark my words, there’s something going on with you and this doctor.”
“Well you know what the weirdest thing is?” I said, keeping my eyes on the road, terrified I would crash into someone in my enthusiasm.
“What’s that?”
“I kind of believe you.”
Chapter 9
After I told Maia, I decided I wouldn’t tell anyone else. It was just too weird. And they would criticize me for saying yes for the date the same day, for not insisting on being considered for the job, any manner of things. And honestly I could see their point. But you know, sometimes things don’t go the way they think they will. Sometimes your heart decides what it is you want. And is that thing rational? No way.
Besides, my mother would get altogether too excited if she knew I had a date with a gorgeous baby doctor. She’d get all dreamy and start thinking of what we’d call the baby, and then where would we be? On the appetizers?
Chapter 10
Christopher Fox stood in his office, feeling shook. He didn’t know what to do with himself. What had just happened? His head was swimming. He needed to sit down, and reached over with a shaking hand to the chair back, steadying himself before collapsing into it and putting his head in his hands.
Teagen Mayfield.
That’s what just happened.
She was beautiful, sure. Confident. And light-hearted without being shallow. All those things were obvious in her interview. Trusting, but not naïve. She had been through a few things, and she had weathered the storm. She had become stronger because of what she had dealt with.
But those things were not what was shaking Christopher. What was shaking him, was the dream that he had had all week. A little boy, his son, with a beautiful face, his own blue eyes, and a face that otherwise looked just like hers – same cheekbones, same lips, same forehead, nose, everything.
He had chalked it up to anxieties from work until he saw Teagen. Then he knew. This was the one.
Dating hadn’t been hard for Dr. Christopher Fox. He had it down pat. But what he didn’t understand was falling in love.
Chapter 11
“Thank God you could see me today,” I said. There wasn’t too much time to get ready for this date with a doctor, and going to get my hair done was the priority. I had it in a wrap for my interview, but I wanted to make sure it was looking its best.
“Ain’t no problem girl!” Alisha said. “You know I have time for my favorite client! And besides. You’re more of a friend anyway.”
“That’s for sure, A.” I smiled. We had been working together for a long time, and Alisha was the best.
“So tell me – what’s the emergency? Why do you need this last minute appointment?” Her voice lowered. “You gotta big date?”
“Well as a matter of fact I just might,” I grinned. “How’d you know?”
“Only a couple things bring people in here desperate at the last minute like you are. Either it’s a surprise wedding or something, they having an affair, or it’s a big date. With you, I figured it was the last one.”
“Well yes. I don’t know how big it is, but it’s a date all right, and I want it to go well!”
“Oh it’ll go well. You can trust Alisha!” She looked critically at the angles of my natural hair, before going in. “This hair is gonna be on point!”
“You always do a great job,” I said, relaxing into the seat.
“Thank you!”
“So tell me about this fella.”
“Well, it’s strange. He’s a doctor-“
“Mm hm, I hear that –“
“And he has the most beautiful blue eyes-“
“Mm hm, he white?”
“Yeah,” I said.
“Ok, you be careful,” Alisha said, “you know that. Don’t go in there falling in love right away. Let him come to you.”
“I won’t, A.” I cleared my throat. “But I gotta say, this seems special.”
“Special! What’s so special about this white boy.”
“Well it’s not just the date. It’s not that he is gorgeous. It’s that I had a daydream about my future child, and I realized, that he had the same eyes as Christopher. The doc.”
Alisha’s eyes narrowed. “You had a daydream?”
“Yeah, but it seemed really real. And the clincher is, he’s an infertility doctor. And I’ve been told I can’t have children.”
Alisha’s eyes narrowed, considering. “Well you know I always want the best for you, dollface.”
“I know that!”
“So I am
just going to say this one time. This might mean something, but it very well might not. If I dated every guy I had a fantasy about, I’d be in the loony bin right about now. You make sure that this guy treats you right before you give anything up.”
“That sounds good, I’ll do that,” I said. But inwardly I was less sure. Did I have the power to resist his charms? The best-looking man I had ever seen?