by BWWM Club
“I’m so sorry.” Bryce grabbed her arms and steadied her on her feet before letting go.
“It’s alright. I couldn’t sleep.” Lateisha hugged the sweatshirt closer, not looking him in the eyes.
“I think we need to talk,” Bryce said, his voice sounding wary.
This is it, thought Lateisha as she pushed away from the door frame and brushed past him, this is where he nulls the contract.
“I really don’t think there is anything to talk about,” she answered, stepping into the kitchen.
The lights flicked on by themselves and Lateisha jumped. She would never get used to the automatic sensor lights in this house. Without seeing him, Lateisha could feel Bryce walk up behind her as she rummaged in the fridge for the milk.
“There is. There is a lot we need to talk about.” He rested his hands on her shoulders and she froze, his touch burning through her sweatshirt.
She shrugged him off and closed the fridge, moving to the other side of the large kitchen island.
“Bryce,” Lateisha began, trying to think of how to start. “We made a mistake again. My hormones are raging and I know you probably regret it too…”
“You regret it?” Bryce frowned, a look of hurt passing across his face fleetingly.
The look was gone within seconds and Lateisha thought she imagined it.
“Well, don’t you? Think about it. You are attracted to me because I’m carrying your baby. That’s all. Let’s not confuse the issue and make this more difficult than it has to be.”
Bryce nodded, his face solemn. “Right. I guess you’re right.”
He turned as if to walk away and Lateisha felt her stomach drop. Is she wrong to lie about how she feels? No, it’s for the best.
But how do I feel? She wondered.
Not willing to explore that at this time, she let it go. For a moment, she watched Bryce as he began to retreat from the kitchen. Couldn’t they still be friends? After all, she was having his baby.
“Bryce, wait.” Lateisha hurried across the room and grabbed his arm. She ignored the electric jolt at the contact and waited for him to turn before removing her hand.
“Lateisha,” he muttered with defeat.
“No, don’t say anything. We can be friends. We have to be. I’m having your baby for God’s sake. Let me make us breakfast and we can just talk.”
Bryce looked at her and smiled, the smile that made her want to drop her panties, and nodded. “I guess you’re right. You can cook?”
Lateisha laughed and play smacked him on his arm. “Of course I can. I make a mean pancake.”
The next two hours went by with ease. Lateisha felt comfortable in his kitchen, and surprisingly his home, and made them breakfast. They chatted for awhile while they ate and then slipped into a comfortable silence to finish up. Lateisha left him sitting at the table and walked to her room to change for the appointment. She hoped this was the last time she had a slip, because she may not be able to resist what he was offering the next time.
*****
Bryce watched Lateisha walk out and scratched his head, literally. He couldn’t figure her out. One minute she seemed like she wanted to be with him, the next she was pushing him away and then she wanted to be friends. After she shot him down before breakfast, Bryce was ready to give up and avoid her for the duration of the pregnancy as much as possible. Their interactions at breakfast changed his mind. They fit, like the clichéd pieces of a puzzle. They didn’t have to talk to communicate and he knew her very well after meeting her only two months ago. Bryce never felt about a woman what he felt with Lateisha. Just because they were from different worlds, didn’t mean they couldn’t be together. Their breakfast together renewed his determination to get her to be with him. He was even considering nullifying the contract and asking her to raise the baby together.
One step at a time, he scolded himself as he dumped the remainder of his coffee in the sink.
Bryce moved through the house, the opposite side of the house from Lateisha, but he could still feel her presence in his home. He liked it. The smells of their breakfast, the few odds and ends she added to his living room to make it more cozy and the idea that he wasn’t alone in this huge sterile world of his. The feeling she gave Bryce was like no other and he was resolved to make her his. He dressed quickly, pulling on his favorite suit and combing his hair just right. In his world, appearance was everything.
Bryce walked out into the living area and Lateisha stood, perched on the edge of the couch. Her hair was in a ponytail, the tight black ringlets catching the light streaming into the large picture windows and giving it a blue hue. She was wearing a white button up shirt, which tapered at the waist and dark skinny jeans. She looked beautiful.
“Ready?” She asked, reaching for his hand to help her up.
Bryce pulled her to a stand and froze.
“Well?” She asked, her hand going to her hip.
Bryce cleared his throat, finding his voice. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”
Lateisha laughed and grabbed his hand again pulling him out the door. He longed to pull her to him and wrap his arm around her shoulder, but it would have to wait. He just had to make her see that being without him was not an option.
*****
Nerves gripped Lateisha’s gut as she waited for the doctor to call her back. She wasn’t sure why she was so anxious. It wasn’t her baby. She resisted the urge to rest her hand over her stomach, an action she had to resist a lot as of late. It wasn’t wise that she still hadn’t signed the relinquishing of parental rights form. She wondered silently why Bryce hadn’t mentioned it lately. Stealing a glance his way, she drummed her fingers on the chair’s arm. This place took forever. An unsuspected wave of nausea gripped her and she swallowed hard. Now was not the time to be sick.
“Are you alright?” Bryce asked, looking at her with concern.
“Just a bit nauseous. I wish they would hurry up.” Lateisha gripped the arm of the chair, willing the nausea away.
When it seemed she may actually have to run to the bathroom, the door swung open and the perky nurse from the last visit called her name. Lateisha sighed and stood up, the motion making her even sicker. Without thinking she grabbed onto Bryce’s arm to steady herself.
“Is she alright?” The nurse asked, running to her side.
“Nausea,” Bryce said, guiding Lateisha back to the room.
“Oh dear! I’ll see what we have for her in the back. Get settled in the room and I’ll be right back.”
Bryce helped her onto the table and she smiled at him as a way of saying ‘thank you.’
“Can I get you anything?” He asked, his eyes filled with concern.
Lateisha shook her head, and then regretted it. “I just need to lie down a minute.”
Five minutes, a Zofran and ginger ale later and Lateisha felt well enough to continue. She glanced at Bryce, who didn’t take his eyes off of her the whole time. His eyes were creased with worry and Lateisha felt bad for making him worry about the baby.
“Morning sickness is normal, Bryce. The baby is fine.” She wanted to reassure him so that he wouldn’t worry. For some reason, him worrying made her upset.
The expression on Bryce’s face changed from worry to irritation. “I wasn’t worried about the baby,” he whispered harshly in her ear.
Lateisha’s head snapped around so that she was facing him. He was worried about her? The nurse and doctor returned after letting Lateisha and Bryce have a minute so that she could recover and Lateisha schooled her features to neutral so that they wouldn’t think something else was wrong.
“So, are we feeling better?” The doctor asked.
“Yes we are,” Lateisha answered with sarcasm in her voice.
Bryce jabbed her in the leg with his elbow and she smirked. The damn perkiness was getting on her nerves.
The doctor, seeming to not have heard or ignoring her, reached for the portable ultrasound machine and whee
led it towards where Lateisha lay on the exam table. A few minutes passed as they adjusted the wand and on the black and white screen appeared a little blob that resembled a gummy bear.
“Is that the baby?” Lateisha asked, surprise and something else taking over her.
“That’s it,” she said, adjusting the machine.
Suddenly a rhythmic thumping filled the room and despite all of her control Lateisha gasped, bringing a hand to cover her mouth, and a tear slipped from her eye.
“And that’s the heartbeat,” the doctor pressed a button, which Lateisha assumed was record and minutes later a few photos printed out.
Bryce took her hand and she looked at him; a strange emotion passing between the two of them. That was when Lateisha knew she was in trouble. She was falling for him and this baby.
*****
Bryce watched Lateisha’s face as the sound of the baby’s heart beat filled the room. A feeling he didn’t want to identify so soon filled his chest. Without thinking he grabbed her hand, squeezing it tightly. The look she gave him melted his heart but Bryce maintained his composure. The sound of his child’s heartbeat was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard and Bryce wanted to shout from the rooftops that he was having a baby, with the most beautiful woman alive. Shaking his head to clear the crazy thoughts, but not abandoning them altogether, Bryce slipped his hand from Lateisha’s just as the nurse handed them both an ultrasound picture.
“No, no. I don’t, I mean…” Lateisha glanced at him, pain and confusion on her face.
“It’s alright,” he said nodding towards the picture.
“Are you sure? It won’t be too weird?” Lateisha took the picture and pressed it to her chest, snatching it away quickly when she realized what she was doing.
Bryce watched her; never surer of what he had to do. “No, it won’t be weird.”
*****
Lateisha’s emotions were all over the place and she could only attribute it to rapidly changing hormones. It couldn’t possibly be that she changed her mind about having children, or that she wanted to be with Bryce. She was just hormonal. Pregnancy did that. Right?
Rubbing her face with her hands, Lateisha settled into the limo, turning away from Bryce and looking out the window. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to look at him, but she was afraid to. What if he saw the way she was beginning to feel about him? Not that she was even ready to admit to herself how she felt about him. Who knew being a surrogate would be so emotional, but of course not all women fell in love with the man whose baby they were carrying. Lateisha gasped and Bryce turned and looked at her. No, it wasn’t possible that she was in love with him. Sighing, she settled back against the seats, rubbing her temples, the beginnings of a headache pounding against her forehead.
“Are you alright?” Bryce asked her for what seemed like the fifth time that day.
Lateisha nodded, unwilling to talk, too afraid she would say something stupid.
“Talk to me, Lateisha. I think we really need to talk, about a lot of things.” Bryce scooted closer, turning her shoulders toward him.
She shook her head. “I can’t. Not right now, Bryce. I need,” she rubbed her face again; “I need time.”
Bryce nodded. “Take all the time you need. I just want you to know that I’ll wait. And I don’t expect you to sign that paper just yet.”
Lateisha looked at him, his words sinking in. What did he mean? Exiting the limo, Lateisha climbed out, declining Gerry’s hand for help. She walked into the building slowly and noticed Bryce didn’t try to catch up.
Why didn’t he want her to sign? Too exhausted to dwell on his words, Lateisha changed from her jeans and shirt, leaving them to fall where they did. All of this was too much for her and she needed time to let it all sink in. Getting ready for bed her mind was whirling and she almost forgot to brush her teeth. After lying down she slipped the ultrasound photo from her pocket and stared at it. That was her baby. Shock registered when she realized that was the first time she called the baby hers.
Chapter 8
Lateisha avoided Bryce all weekend, even spending the night at Becky’s apartment for a ‘girl’s night’. She couldn’t face him yet until she knew what to do about her situation. As far as she could tell she had two choices; pretend like Bryce and the baby meant nothing to her, give birth and cut ties and never see them again or tell Bryce how she felt and risk rejection or a court battle for custody of their child. Both seemed like painful choices, but the idea of the first one hurt her deeply. Before today, she was afraid to admit the way she felt about having a child. Now the idea of being without the child caused her great pain. Looking down at her nonexistent bump, Lateisha placed a hand over her stomach. Number one was not an option and after great thought she came to one conclusion; she would fight for her child.
Nerves ate at her stomach as she rode the elevator to the fifteenth floor for her first day as John’s assistant. How would Lateisha tell Bryce that she refused to sign the relinquishment of parental rights paper? He wouldn’t take it well. He would be angry. But he would live. There was no doubt in Lateisha’s head that he wouldn’t want a relationship. They were from different worlds and wanted different things. While she realized she loved him, she also knew that she could never be with him. She wasn’t good enough for him and they both knew it. Sighing with frustration, Lateisha exited the elevator, smoothing her knew skirt suit nervously. Becky made her buy the suit and it was way too expensive but she was right. Having a new outfit to wear for the first day of a new job did make her feel better.
“Can I help you?” What the hell was the blond bitch from Bryce’s floor doing here?
“Uh, yes. I’m here to see Mr. Wilson. I’m his new assistant.” Lateisha said, making sure not to sneer at the bitch.
“Oh,” she said with disdain. “He’s back in his office. At least now I can get back to Bryce.” The bitch winked at her and Lateisha wanted to slap her.
What the hell did that mean?
Lateisha brushed it off and walked down the hall, which was eerily similar to the one upstairs. She knocked softly on the door.
“Come in,” a gruff voice said loudly.
Lateisha entered the office, the butterflies fluttering hard in her belly.
“Hello, Mr. Wilson. I’m Lateisha Aaron, your new assistant.” She walked to his desk pushed out her hand to shake his.
John reluctantly offered his hand and Lateisha frowned. Why were all of the employees in this office so rude?
“Have a seat and we will discuss your duties,” he barked and Lateisha sat.
John droned on for over twenty minutes about what Lateisha’s position included. It was mainly answering phones; taking messages and running inner office errands so why he had to give her a huge spiel was unknown to her. Finally he stopped and stood, motioned to the desk that the bitch had just vacated and gave her a dismissive wave. What Lateisha really wanted to know; when was her break, where was the kitchen, how did she use the phone system, never came up in his lecture. Unfortunately that meant she would have to call Bryce. Afraid of the unknown phone system and wanting to avoid the blonde bitch, Lateisha pulled out her cell phone and dialed Bryce’s number from memory.
“Hello?” He answered on the first ring.
“Bryce, it’s me,” she said, hoping he knew her voice.
“Lateisha? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, don’t worry. I mean, I just got into the office and I met John, er, Mr. Wilson and he talked to me about my position a bit. He did leave out a few things though. Where do I put my lunch? I didn’t see a kitchen when I was walking in. Also, what time do I take lunch? And how the hell do I use these phones?” Lateisha stood and looked down the hall to make sure John couldn’t hear her. He was on the phone in his office, the door pulled closed, with his back to the door. Glass walls were a gift and a curse.
Bryce chuckled. “Slow down and take a deep breath. You get lunch opposite of Rachel, my assistant, jus
t in case any important calls come through during that time. She usually goes around noon, so you would have the one o’clock slot. We only have one kitchen and it’s on my floor. Feel free to come and go as you please. If you want to come eat lunch with me today I’ll show you how the phones work. Otherwise, Rachel can show you.”
Lateisha snorted at his last comment and Bryce laughed. “I’ll come to your office for lunch.”
“Great!” Bryce exclaimed. “I mean that will be nice,” he added with slightly less enthusiasm.
Lateisha stifled a laugh. They exchanged goodbyes and then she hung up, stowing her phone and purse inside of her desk and locking it. Checking around to be sure that no one needed her, Lateisha headed to the elevators to ride up to the sixteenth floor. Bryce insisted that his chef make them each a healthy lunch to bring to work that day so Lateisha didn’t want it to spoil.
Punching the number sixteen in the elevator, Lateisha looked down at her new, and really expensive, heels. They weren’t so comfy but they were beautiful. The elevator opened up and Lateisha stepped out, looking down the hall. There at her desk, sitting tall and beautiful, was the Blond Bitch. It was either Lateisha’s imagination or the woman was sneering at her. Convincing herself it was her imagination, Lateisha walked towards the glass double door. She reached out and tugged. They were locked. Sighing, she knocked on the glass. The bitch looked up and smirked, knowing damn well she saw Lateisha exit the elevator, and took her time pressing the button to allow her to enter.
Lateisha sauntered through the door, an evil look on her face. “Thanks for opening the door,” she said with contempt.
The bitch smiled bitterly. “I didn’t see you there,” she replied with fake remorse and grabbed her chest.
Lateisha ignored her and walked down the hall towards the kitchen seething with anger. Who did that bitch think she was and what the hell was her problem? Stopping in the entrance to the kitchen she looked around. It was a nice size for an office kitchen. There was a large French door refrigerator, an area in the corner with a small round table, a microwave and a sink next to the fridge and the obligatory coffee maker. There were even two soda machines and a snack machine. Lateisha eyed up the soda machine to see if it had ginger ale; Bryce’s one exception for soda since she was pregnant and nauseated.