Proposition

by Wegner, Ola

  The doctor ensured her that she should start feeling better on entering the second trimester, and that the nausea should stop by then. She tried to eat a lot of healthy food, to give baby the right amount of vitamins and microelements, but it seemed pointless because she vomited up almost everything. She could see from her clothes that she’d actually lost some weight over the last weeks.

  The move to the new house could not come at a worse possible time. The whole packing was entirely on her head and it was killing her. She was hardly in a state to carry anything heavy. She was afraid to fall so she didn’t dare remove the graphics and pictures off the walls. Jake himself was very busy because he’d started some new promising business with one of his old school friends who had moved to California years ago. It was out of the question to burden him with the things connected with the new home and the move itself.

  She didn’t like that he worked so hard. She planned to influence him somehow to take things easier once she felt more like herself, perhaps during Christmas. Yes, that would be a good time for such a conversation, though she knew it would be hard to convince him. She was pretty sure he’d already developed the idea that he must work even harder not only for her, but now for the baby, too.

  Thankfully, her father helped her a lot. He dealt with all the things connected with the move, like contacting the moving company, and monitoring all their work when she was at the library. She hadn’t told him yet that he would soon be a grandfather as she thought it would be a perfect Christmas present. But she was pretty sure that Jake had already suggested something to him, at the same time making sure that Thomas kept an eye on her while he was at work.

  Engrossed in her thoughts she didn’t notice the man who’d observed her since she’d driven in, and started following her to the entrance.

  Only when she stopped in front of the elevator door did she feel a light tap on her shoulder. For a moment she panicked, but then she relaxed when she heard the familiar voice say her name.

  “Michael?” She stared in surprise at the man standing in front of her. “What are you doing here?”

  “I’ve been waiting for you,” he said in a low voice as he took a small step toward her.

  “But why?” she asked, confused. “And how did you know my address?” she asked, and eyed him apprehensively.

  Michael stared into her eyes, his tone almost caressing. “I needed to talk to you so I observed you during the last few days.”

  Amy’s eyes widened in shock. “You mean you’ve been following me?”

  He grasped her wrist and stepped even closer. “Amy, I just wanted to talk in private with you, without the company of your husband. Does he always follow you everywhere like some love-struck pup? Is he afraid you will escape him?” He laughed shortly.

  Amy had a strong feeling that something here was very wrong. She tried to free her hand, but his grip on her only tightened.

  “What do you want?” She hoped her voice sounded calm, because she was far from actually being calm.

  His hand lifted to her face, touching gently. “After our meeting I returned to Boston, but I couldn’t stop thinking about you. I understood that walking away from you was the biggest mistake of my life. All would have been different, had I stayed with you all those years ago.”

  He stroked her face, and looked intently into her eyes. She wrapped her free hand around his wrist pulling his hand from her face. “What are you talking about?”

  “Come with me,” he whispered thickly, his hand encircled her waist. “You loved me once, I know that. Be with me, and it’ll be as if all those years had never happened.”

  Amy felt the wave of nausea coming up to her throat. At this moment she was sure it had nothing to do with her pregnancy. She was sick because of him. His scent and breath irritated her, and she wanted him to stop touching her.

  “I’m married.” She pushed strongly at his chest, freeing herself from him. “Go away.”

  “You don’t love him.” He tried to pull her back to him, but she slapped his hands away.

  “How can you know that?” she demanded, getting angrier with every second. “How dare you?” she spat out, surprising herself with the coldness of her voice. “You know nothing about me. Besides it’s none of your business.”

  He was clearly not listening to her as he reached for her again, grabbing her shoulders.

  “Amy, baby, he’s not for you,” he whispered, trying to meet her eyes, but she kept turning her face away. “He’s some common guy and you cannot be happy with him. He can’t understand you as I do. Don’t you remember our walks and how we read poetry together?”

  “No, I don’t remember,” she said defiantly.

  He shook her gently. “Don’t be stubborn.”

  “I must go,” she insisted, her voice rising in panic as she once again tried to push him away. If she could only manage to get into the elevator...

  “You can’t go.” His arms kept her close not allowing her to move.

  “No, let me free!” She started to struggle in earnest now, pushing him away with both hands. “Go to your hotel or wherever you’re staying and leave me alone.”

  “Amy, don’t say this.” He brought her even tighter against him, seeking her mouth. “Baby, say you’ll go with me.”

  “I’m not your baby,” she cried, wriggling helplessly in his embrace, “Leave me alone or I’ll tell my husband.”

  He laughed unpleasantly. “I’m not afraid of him.” He nuzzled her cheek. “Come, you liked it once,” he murmured, one of his hands sneaking under her coat and jacket to grasp at her breast.

  Without thinking, Amy raised her knee high and balled him as hard as she was able to. He cursed and bent in half. Quickly she collected her grocery bags, which she’d dropped a long time ago and her purse. She was about to push the elevator button when out of the corner of her eye she saw Jake’s car driving into the parking area.

  The relief of seeing him was so great that she lifted her hand and waved, moving past the still half-bent Michael, hoping Jake would notice her. But she didn’t go far because she felt a painful grasp on her wrist again.

  “Where do you think you’re going, you bitch?” he muttered furiously through clenched teeth.

  Amy stilled. She gaped at him in shock. His face was still contorted in pain, but he was straightening himself slowly. Amy turned her head to see that Jake’s car came to an abrupt halt. She tried to free her hand to run to Jake, but Michael didn’t allow it. His face was red and furious. Obviously, he hadn’t noticed Jake’s arrival. Roughly, he grabbed her by the belt in her coat, pulling her sharply back to him. She began twisting away from him, her eyes searching for Jake, who’d just climbed out of his car.

  “Take your hands off her!” he cried, running to her.

  Instantly Michael’s hands dropped off her, which made her lose her balance and she fell to the ground. At the last moment, she pulled her hands forward to prevent falling flat on her belly.

  “Amy, are you all right?” It was Jake by her side, his arms coming around her.

  “I’m fine. Just my knee,” she winced, looking at the tattered pantyhose and drop of blood on the skin of her knee.

  “Don’t move. And don’t try to get up,” he whispered, before moving past her to Michael.

  Without a word of warning, he lifted Michael by the lapels of his coat and with an exact precision, hit him square in the face.

  “Jake, no!” Amy cried, before the next blow came to Michael’s stomach, and her assailant fell to the ground where he curled into a ball, blood flowing from his mouth and nose from the blow.

  Jake turned to her, and seeing that she was trying to get up on her own cursed under his breath. In the next moment he was by her side, and lifting her into his arms. He carried her to his still open car door, parked in the middle of the driveway, settling her on the driver’s seat.

  His hands ran over her form. “You’re all right?”

  “I’m fine.” He didn’t look convinced so
she attempted a smile. “It’s just a scrape on the knee.”

  He gave her a tight smile of his own and reached past her inside the car for his phone. To her astonishment, he dialed the police, informing them about the assault on his wife in the parking lot and giving the address.

  “That’s not necessary,” she said, looking at Michael who was still lying on the concrete by the elevator, barely moving. “ I know him.” She hesitated a moment but she knew that in this situation Jake deserved to be told the whole truth. “He’s the guy I told you about. The one I sort of dated when in law school. I think that he’s lost his job and his wife left him. He came to the library a few weeks ago to talk with me, but I haven’t seen him or talked with him again till today.”

  “I know, who he is,” Jake said.

  Amy gaped at him. “How can you know that? I didn’t tell you.”

  “You did tell me,” he disagreed gently, “You remember that day when you prepared me dinner and dressed up for me? You said you had met a ghost, someone who helped you to realize how good we were together. ”

  “Yes, but...” She paused and frowned. “I didn’t tell you exactly who it was...”

  Jake shrugged. “It wasn’t that hard to guess. It’s a longer story how but I knew from the very beginning that it was him...” Jake glanced at the other man who began slowly lifting himself from the concrete floor. “The bastard’s moving,” he snapped and walked back to Michael.

  Guessing his intention, Amy climbed out of the car, crying. “Jake, don’t!” But it was too late. Jake kicked Michael in the stomach, flattening him into a curled, fetal position on the ground.

  “Don’t get out!” Jake ordered Amy as he pressed her down into the front seat.

  “I’m fine,” she tried to protest. “You shouldn’t have hit him, again.”

  “And what?” he demanded. “Allow him to get away before the police arrive?”

  “Why are you calling the police?” she questioned. “He’s not himself. He’s depressed and had some ridiculous idea that I’d go back to him. That’s all.”

  “You seriously think I will allow him to just go, after how he attacked you?”

  “He didn’t attack me...exactly.” She shook her head. “He scared me, though.”

  “Amy, I know what I need to do now. First we’ll wait for the police and later I’m taking you to the hospital,” he announced in a non-negotiable tone.

  “With a scratched knee?”

  He leaned forward. “What about the baby? We must check if it’s all right. You fell, he manhandled and frightened you.”

  Her hand moved subconsciously to her tummy, and she was suddenly frightened again.

  “Baby’s fine. It must be.” She searched his eyes worriedly. “I didn’t fall on my stomach.”

  He stroked her cheek. “I’m sure the baby’s fine, but we must be positive.”

  She nodded.

  Jake wrapped his arm around her. “You’re all right?”

  She nodded. “Just my knee hurts some.”

  He pushed her skirt up to her thigh, and examined her leg.

  Amy touched his cheek to get his attention. She pulled him to her and wrapped her arms around his neck.

  “I was so scared when he refused to let me go,” she said and shivered. “It’s good you came.”

  He stroked her hair. “From what I saw you managed quite well on your own.”

  She smiled. “I kicked him in the...” her eyes lowered down to the front of his trousers.

  He chuckled. “I know.”

  Their unhurried kiss was interrupted with the arrival of the police. Jake left her in the car. Amy observed how the policeman talked to Jake and later handcuffed Michael, dragged him up from the ground until he stood, then put him into the police car.

  Jake was still busy with one of the policemen, when the other one walked to her.

  “Ma’am.” He tipped his hat. “Could you please tell me what happened?”

  Amy nodded. “Yes, of course, officer. He had to be waiting for me here. He tried to kiss me, he wanted me to come with him, and when I refused he became forceful. I smashed my knee into his... below his waist, and tried to run away but he caught me and I fell down. Thankfully my husband returned just then.”

  “Do you know who he is?”

  “Yes, he’s my ex boyfriend. His name’s Michael Cummings and he’s a lawyer. I dated him years ago, when I was in college. He lives in Boston now, and works or rather worked in a law firm there. I really cannot explain why he returned here to see me. We haven’t been in contact for years.”

  The officer noted, on a small tablet, she was saying. “Well, Mrs. Barry, you won’t have to worry about him anymore. Probably, you will get a restraining order for him to stay away from you.”

  “Officer, is his situation serious?”

  “Plain and simple ma’am, he assaulted you, and that’s breaking the law. He’s in trouble, yes, but how things go for him will depend upon his past, and if he has a record already. I understand that your husband will take you to the hospital now, to check if you’re ok. I understand you’re pregnant. Congratulations,” he said.

  “Yes, I think it’s rather impossible to convince him otherwise.” Amy smiled at the policeman. “Even though I’m really feeling fine.”

  The officer smiled back with a friendly expression. “First time father?” he asked knowingly.

  Amy nodded.

  “It’s normal with the first child,” he continued. “We may have some questions for you later.” he added more officially and walked away.

  “Of course,” Amy said.

  She observed as Jake and the policemen shook hands, before climbing into their car and driving away.

  “Everything’s all right?” she asked shifting to the passenger seat, when Jake returned.

  “He won’t bother you anymore,” he said confidently.

  “But won’t you have trouble?”

  He gave her a surprised look. “Me, why?”

  “He may press charges,” Amy explained worriedly. “You hit him several times. Badly. There are security cameras here.”

  “Don’t worry about it.”

  “Jake, he’s a lawyer, he knows about such things,” she insisted.

  “Amy, the officer you talked to earlier already asked me about this.”

  “And?”

  “He asked if it was my wife who had knocked the guy down like that and I said that no, that it had been me, when I’d seen how he manhandled you. You know what he said? Good job. Don’t worry, honey.” He smiled at her. “I was in my rights to protect you.”

  In the hospital, they did an ultrasound, proving that the baby was indeed safe and sound. Amy strongly opposed the idea of staying in the hospital for the night, even though Jake insisted. But the doctor supported her on this. After all of this, she wanted to sleep in her own bed.

  When they got to the condo, it was nearly midnight. Jake undressed her, and put her into the shower where she washed quickly. He waited for her outside while she finished. When she came out, he toweled her dry, put a comfortable nighty on her, and helped her to step into plain cotton panties. Then he tucked her into bed. She fell asleep easily in his arms, the stress of the day taking its toll.

  She slept soundly until the early hours of dawn, when a nightmare woke her. Not surprisingly, she dreamed that Jake didn’t come for her and that she had to stay with Michael.

  “A nightmare,” Jake rasped sleepily, pulling her into his arms, and tucking her head under his chin.

  “No, just a bad dream,” she murmured, already on the verge of sleep.

  “It’s ok.” He rubbed her back, yawning. “Close your eyes. You’re safe. You and the baby need your rest.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  Jake woke up to retching sounds coming from the bathroom. Poor Amy. He would have never thought that pregnancy would be so hard on her. He’d dreamed about having a child with her, and had been over the moon when she’d gotten pregnant so quickly. Sti
ll, the fact that she was hovering now over the toilet bowl was entirely his fault. He felt guilty, because he knew that he’d deceived her in a way.

  That day when they’d made love in the kitchen, he’d said to her that he’d forgotten the condom, implying he hadn’t done it on purpose, but it wasn’t the exact truth. He’d been horny as hell that day and somehow restless. He’d wanted to have sex with her, and had done his best to get into her panties as soon as possible. And yes, putting on a condom had temporarily slipped out of his mind when she’d undressed and his eyes rested on those sweet looking titties, soft tummy and flushed pussy. He’d pushed into her, feeling her incredibly snug and warm grasp, feeling as though he’d gone to heaven.

  It had been his first time ever without the barrier of latex, and though he’d been aware somewhere at the back of his mind that he should have pulled out in time, he hadn’t done it. He allowed himself to spill into her depths, instead of coming onto her belly. He tried to convince himself that at that moment he hadn’t been exactly thinking about getting her pregnant, at least not consciously. But his conscience was telling him something entirely different. Subconsciously or not, he’d wanted to get her pregnant, and that was the bottom line. He’d used the first possible opportunity to achieve that. Now she was totally committed to him. She and the baby were his, bound to him for life.

  The room went silent. He heard the running water, and the sounds of her brushing her teeth. Soon, she stumbled into the room, her hair a mess, her face pale.

  “Come, I’ll rub your tummy,” he said when she sat heavily on the bed. He pulled her to him, with her back to his chest.

  “Better?” he asked after a minute or two of diligent rubbing.

  “Yes,” she whispered softly. “Jake, do you think that your mother will be very disappointed if I don’t come with you to the airport to pick her up?” she asked after a moment.

  “Of course not,” he assured her, kissing her tousled hair. “I’ve already told you there’s no need for you to come.”