by Y. L. Stokes
Ashley reached out and grabbed his hand as he walked by, pulling him down on to the couch beside her. “Nicky, I already know what’s going on.”
“Oh, you do, huh? What, are you a doctor now?”
Ashley wasn’t offended by his sarcasm; it was his way of dealing with his fear. “No, I’m not a doctor, but I am a woman, and I know my body.”
“Hell, honey, I know your body also…every inch,” he said with a smug smile on his face.
“Well, Mister Big Shot, haven’t you noticed any changes?”
Nick frowned. “Well, I have noticed that your curves seem a little fuller, but what does that have to do with you being sick every morning?”
Ashley waited and knew exactly when realization dawned.
“Are you saying that we’re going to have another baby?” he asked, his voice awe-filled.
“Yes, sweetheart, we’re going to have another baby.”
Nicholas picked her up, swung her around in his arms, and whooped.
He made such a ruckus that he didn’t see his mother standing in the doorway watching them. Ashley did, and laughed.
“So you finally told him, huh?” Saundra said, drawing her son’s attention.
“You knew?” he asked, surprised.
“Yes, I knew. Heck, I knew before your wife did.”
Nick put Ashley down.
“How did you know?” Ashley asked.
“I’ve suspected for a while, but when you fainted at my house the other day I knew for sure.”
Ashley smiled. Nicholas stiffened, and her smile faded. She turned slightly to look at him. Storm clouds built in his eyes.
“Honey, what’s wrong?” she asked.
Nicholas took a step away from his wife. “Are you telling me that not only did you put yourself in danger, but you put our unborn child in danger too?”
His voice sounded strained. Ashley knew he was trying not to yell. She thought about telling him that she wasn’t sure until today, but knew he wouldn’t accept the lie. Before she could respond, Nicholas headed for the door.
“Where are you going, Nicholas?”
“I need to go and get our son,” he yelled over his shoulder.
Ashley went to follow him, but Saundra placed a restraining hand on her shoulder.
“Let him go. He needs to calm down.”
Pain of his leaving sliced through Ashley. “I just wanted it to be over, and I knew that Rick would make sure that nothing would go wrong,” Ashley said on a sob.
“I know, honey.” Saundra held her daughter-in-law as she cried.
Nicholas drove into Jack’s driveway, his hands still shaking. He’d decided to come to Jack’s before going to pick Marcus up from Nicole. Jack wasn’t home. Disappointed, Nicholas pulled out his cell phone and called Jack as he let himself inside. Jack answered.
“Where are you?” Nicholas asked.
“I’m with Nicole and Marcus. Why, where are you?”
“Your house.” Nick disconnected the call.
Thirty minutes later, Jack came into the house and found his brother sitting on the couch.
“All I want to know, Jack, is did you know about the baby?”
“What are you talking about? You know that Ashley wouldn’t tell me about a baby before she told you,” Jack said on a forced chuckle.
“You know damn well what I mean. Did you know that she was pregnant when this little plan was hatched?” Nicholas said as he stood.
“Look, Nick, I—”
“Don’t you dare tell me you had a feeling or a suspicion that she was pregnant but you weren’t sure. Let me ask you this: what if all this shit happened to you and Nicole, how would you feel if I suspected that Nicole was pregnant and I went along with the hair-brained plan of using her as bait?”
Jack sighed. “I wouldn’t like it.”
“You’re damn right you wouldn’t like it.”
“Nick, why in the hell are you yelling at me? It wasn’t my idea.”
“No, it wasn’t your idea, it was my wife’s idea, but I can’t yell at her now, can I?”
Jack’s lips quirked. “No, you can’t. So do think that just because I suspected that my sister-in-law was pregnant and went along with her plan that it makes it okay for you to yell at me?”
“Damn right.”
Jack smiled at his brother. “Go ahead and yell. God knows I don’t want you upsetting Ashley in her delicate condition.”
Nicholas finally smiled. “Well, I guess I’m done yelling, so I’d better go pick up Marcus and head home,” Nick said, rising.
“Just go home. Nicole and Marcus should already be there. Better yet, I’ll go with you. That way, Nicole will have to drive me home.”
A wicked gleam shone in Jack’s eyes.
Nicholas smiled. “You’d better get rid of that look, or Mom will be dropping you off.”
The brothers laughed as they climbed into the truck.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Once they arrived, Nicholas was surprised to find his mother and Nicole alone in the kitchen.
“Where are Ashley and Marcus?” he asked.
The look his mother gave him made him feel as if he were ten years old again. She hesitated to answer. Nicholas frowned and went to ask his question again, but a sound came from upstairs, stopping him. He walked up the stairs and came to a halt. Ashley walked towards the bedroom at the other end of the hall carrying clothes.
“Ashley, honey, what are you doing?”
Ashley acted as if she hadn’t heard him. Nicholas caught up with her, grabbed her by the shoulders, and turned her around to face him. His heart dropped—she’d been crying.
“Baby, what are you doing?” he asked again, but she still said nothing.
The clothes she carried were his.
“Wait, what are you doing with my clothes?”
“What does it look like I’m doing?” she replied.
“It looks like you’re moving me out of our bedroom.”
“Well I’ll be damned. Give the man a cookie.” She tossed his clothes on the floor, turned, and headed back towards the master bedroom.
Nicholas stared after her. He couldn’t believe this was happening.
Ashley came back out with another armful of clothes.
“Why are you doing this?” he asked.
“Why in the hell do you think? Do you have any idea of how you humiliated me when you walked out earlier?”
“Ashley, I left because—”
“I know why you left. You left because you were angry I’d put myself and our unborn child in danger, but instead of staying and talking it out with me, you walked out on me.”
Nicholas reached for her, but she took a step back out of his reach.
“I did not walk out on you, Ashley. I left so that I could calm down before I lost my temper.” Nick reached for her again.
“Why, Nicholas? Did you think your yelling would hurt me? My God, I’m only pregnant! We can still have arguments!” she shouted.
He mentally counted to ten, trying to calm his temper. “Look, Ashley, when you disagreed with my plan to get back at Charlie, you stopped talking to me. You said you didn’t want us to say something that we would regret.”
Ashley shook her head. “That’s not the same and you know it.”
“What do you mean it’s not the same? You stopped talking to me! You sat at the dinner table, ate in silence, and acted as if I wasn’t even there.”
“At least I didn’t leave you, Nicholas. I may have not said a thing, but I was here. You walked out on me. You never had to worry about where I was or if I got in an accident. My ultimate thought was that you left here angry, and if something had happened to you, an accident…. Do you realize that I would have to live with the thought that our last words to each other were said in anger?”
A tear landed on her hand. Nicholas reached for her, and she took a step back.
“Every time the phone rang my heart stopped. I just knew that it was the police ca
lling to tell me that there had been a terrible accident or something,” she said on a strangled sob. Nicholas wouldn’t be deterred and pulled her into the comfort of his arms. She only struggled for a moment. Nicholas held her and wouldn’t let her go.
“You’re right, honey, and I’m sorry for walking out. I promise you that it’ll never happen again. Please say you forgive me,” he whispered.
“I forgave you when I heard your voice when you came in, you big jug-head, but I was still pissed that you’d left,” she said against his chest.
“So do you think that we could put my stuff back into our room?” he asked.
“We’ll have to do it tomorrow. I need for you to take me to bed.”
Nicholas scooped her up and carried her to their bedroom. He placed her on the bed. “Honey, can I get you anything to help you rest?”
Ashley flung her arms out to her side. Her robe slipped off of her shoulder.
“First, I need for you to close the door,” Ashley whispered.
Nicholas quickly rose to do her bidding. When he returned to the bed, his gaze immediately went to her full breast, now exposed. He forced himself to tear his gaze away. Clearing his throat, he again asked what else she wanted.
Ashley sat up in bed, letting the robe slip off of her, and boldly answered his question with a single word answer: “You.”
“Well, I suppose she’s either killed him or they’ve made up,” Jack said, standing near the sink. “I think it’s time we left, Nicole. Could you drop me off at home?” He held out his hands for her keys.
Sensing a set up, Saundra offered to drop him off.
“No thanks, Mom. I don’t want Nicole going to her place alone, so we’ll go by my house and pick up my car. That way I can follow her home.”
Saundra hid her smile behind her coffee cup and decided to rib him just a little more. “Why don’t I drop Nicole off? You can just keep her car tonight and deliver it to her tomorrow.”
Jack stood speechless, as though his mind had gone blank.
Nicole said, “Jack, you need to make sure that you don’t forget about the appointment with that new client of yours. I think it’s scheduled for eight thirty.”
Jack smiled. “Oh, yeah. That means I won’t be able to get the car to you before your first class.”
Saundra stopped trying to hide her smile. “Okay, you two, I know when I’ve been beaten. All I ask is that tonight while you’re going over your schedule, my son, you two also need to discuss your wedding date.”
Jack and Nicole stared at Saundra.
“I guess you didn’t fool her, huh?” Nicole said, laughing.
“No, and I don’t know why I even tried. Let’s get out of here so you can help me with my appointments.”
After seeing Saundra out, settling Marcus in bed, and setting the alarm, Nicholas returned to bed. Turning over, Nicholas stared down at the sleeping form of the woman that he loved with all his heart. She was everything a man wanted in a wife. Not only did she bring joy to his life with her wit and charm, she also gave him the honor of being a father to Marcus. And now a child they had created together grew inside her. Nicholas couldn’t believe he hadn’t noticed the changes in her body that were now so obvious. He gently placed his hand on Ashley’s rounding stomach, wondering—no hoping—that this child would be a little girl with her mother’s eyes. Nicholas smiled at the image his mind created just before he went to sleep.
Nicholas immediately woke when he felt Ashley leave the bed. “Where are you going?” he asked, his voice groggy from sleep.
“I have to go to the bathroom,” she whispered.
A few minutes later, she climbed back into bed. Nick had propped himself up against the head board.
“Why are you smiling?” Ashley inquired.
“Because I can’t believe that I didn’t notice the changes in your body, or better yet, the way that soon you’ll….” Nicholas’ lip twitched.
“The way that I what?” Ashley asked, her eyebrow raised in suspicion.
“Uh, nothing,” he hedged.
“Either you tell me, or I’m going to tickle you.”
Nicholas saw the gleam in her eyes and knew she was serious. He jumped as she poked her finger in his side.
“Okay, stop. I was saying that I can’t wait until you start to waddle.”
Ashley let out a strangled gasp, grabbed her pillow, and swung. “Why, you big…!”
Nicholas pinned her beneath him. “Honey, don’t be angry now. I think it will be cute and sexy as hell.”
“Yeah, right. You just remember that when I get as big as a whale,” she warned.
“Let me show you what I’m going to do to you when you are a big as a whale,” Nicholas said. His mouth claimed hers.
Afterwards, Nicholas was just drifting off to sleep when Ashley said, “Nick, I know you and Charlie believe that Alicia was Charlie’s baby, but she wasn’t.”
“What?” he asked, a little surprised at the conversation. “Charlie was her father, he told me so himself.”
She shook her head, and he turned to face her. “What do you mean no?”
“Peter was her father.”
“What! Why would you think that?” he asked, his voice filled with disbelief.
“It’s not what I think, Nicky, but what I know. Peter told me. He said he’d been drinking and passed out, and when he woke up he thought he was in bed with his friend Raymond, but he was with Trisha.”
“Honey, are you sure about this?”
“Yes, I’m sure, and I think we need to tell Charlie. He has a right to know.”
Nick sighed. “You’re right, he does need to know. We’ll call him and invite him over tomorrow. Now I want you to go to sleep.”
After giving him a quick kiss, Ashley snuggled up against him and went to sleep. Nicholas was so shocked that his wife had obeyed him that it took him a few minutes to follow suit.
Charlie sat down to go over the morning paper. The phone rang. He hurried to answer it for fear that it would be Sylvia calling. He was a little surprised to hear Nick on the other end.
“Hey, buddy, what’s up?”
“I was wondering if you had any plans this morning?” Nick asked.
“No, not really. Why?”
“Good. How soon could you get over here?”
Charlie hesitated before he responded. “I guess it would take about ten minutes.”
“That will be great. We’ll see you when you get here.”
Charlie stared at the phone and wondered what this meeting with Nick was going to be about. “Only one way to find out,” he said and emptied his cup, wrote a quick note to Saundra, and left.
A glowing Ashley answered the door, her normally flat stomach slightly rounded.
“Hi ,Charlie,” she said and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before she closed the door behind him. “Come on into the kitchen. Nick’s feeding Marcus his breakfast.”
Charlie entered the kitchen behind Ashley.
Nicholas looked up. “Hey, buddy, have you had breakfast yet?”
“Uh, no, but I’m not hungry.”
Nick grinned. “Have a seat. My lovely wife has something to tell you.”
Charlie waited for Ashley to come back to the table. She placed a plate full of blueberry pancakes in front of him.
“I’m not—”
“You’re not going to have Mom yelling at me because you didn’t get breakfast this morning,” she said.
“Don’t argue, man. You’re fighting a losing battle,” Nicholas said with a smile.
“I’m not going to tell you what I have to tell you unless you eat,” Ashley said.
Charlie stared from Nick to Ashley for a moment then started eating.
“Okay. Now, what I want to talk to you about is Alicia.”
Charlie’s hand froze above his plate. “What about her?” He swallowed past the lump in his throat.
“I know that you’re dealing with a lot of guilt right now, especially with Alicia. I
wanted to let you know something that I found out from Peter the other day that I’m sure won’t lessen the pain for the loss, but may alleviate some of the guilt. I found out that Peter was Alicia’s father.”
Charlie’s mouth hung open. For a moment he wasn’t sure what to say. “Are you sure?”
“Yes.” Ashley recounted the conversation with Peter. “I think the two of you need to talk. Nicholas, why don’t you take Charlie into the study and I’ll clean up in here.”
“No, you take Marcus up and clean him, and when Charlie and I are done we’ll clean the kitchen.” Nicholas gave her a kiss and gently pushed her towards the door.
Charlie still sat at the table, staring off into space. Nicholas took a seat next to him. They sat in silence for what seemed like a long time before Charlie said anything.
“I can’t believe how stupid I was when it came to Trisha. Nicholas, man, I don’t know what to say. I can’t blame you if you hate me right about now. I hate myself.”
“Charlie, I don’t hate you. Believe me, I tried to hate you, but what happened wasn’t our fault. Trisha played us both. It was all a part of Peter’s master plan. I’m willing to let the past die just like he did if you are.”
Charlie turned to face Nick. “Are you sure you’ll be able to do that?” Charlie stood and paced the room. “Hell, if you can’t, I don’t blame you at all. I can honestly say that if the roles were reversed, I’m not sure that I’d be able to just move on.”
Nicholas stared at Charlie. “I know that before Ashley and Marcus came into my life I probably wouldn’t have been able to—and probably wouldn’t have wanted to. But now, knowing what I know about Peter and Trisha, and with my wife being my conscience, I think that we can move on. Besides, Mom would kick my butt if I held a grudge.”
Charlie chuckled. “Well, I think your wife will kick our butts if we don’t get this kitchen cleaned up.”
The two men laughed as they gathered the dishes. Charlie felt as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. After they finished cleaning the kitchen, they went out to the patio.
Once seated out there, Nick said, “Hey, Charlie, do you know of any buildings up for sale?”