The Baby Promise

by Tia Wylder

  “Peter,” Pamela said. She swallowed hard and stepped forward. “You can’t mean that!”

  I shrugged again. “I mean every word of what I’ve just said,” I replied. “And by the way, Pamela, you’ve been caught.” I pointed to the green canvas awning of the fertility clinic and then to Pamela’s lower stomach, which was just beginning to show the faintest hint of a bulge.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Pamela said arrogantly, tossing her blonde hair. “It’s not my fault if I’ve put on a few pounds since you dumped me!” She made a pouting face. “Grieving girls eat a lot of ice cream, you know that.”

  I laughed. “You’re full of shit,” I said. “The baby, Pamela. It’s not mine.”

  Pamela blinked. Her smug look faded. “You’re wrong,” she said in a shaky, unsteady voice. “It’s your baby, Peter.”

  “There’s no way,” I said. “And if you’d like to submit to a paternity test as soon as the kid is born, I’d like that. Because god knows, Pamela, it might not even be from this clinic!” I pointed at the awning again. “I forgot, were you and Andrew using condoms?”

  Pamela’s mouth twisted into a hateful grimace. “Fuck you, Peter,” she snarled. “I’m done with you.” Whirling around on her expensively-shod heel, she stalked away.

  Beside me, Honey burst out laughing.

  “What?” I asked warily. “What now?”

  Honey put her head on my shoulder. “Nothing,” she said. She reached for my hand and laced her fingers with mine. “I’m just happy for you, that’s all.”

  I felt my face relax into a lazy grin. Dipping my face to Honey’s, I kissed her and wrapped my arms around her narrow waist.

  “I’m happy, too,” I replied. “The happiest I’ve been in a long, long time.”

  Chapter 15

  Honey

  “Honey?”

  My head snapped up, and my daydream evaporated in a cloud of dust.

  Nate smiled, but his smile was a thin one.

  “What?”

  Nate sighed. “Honey, I asked you to have these briefs done by ten,” he said, checking his expensive designer watch. “It’s almost eleven. Are you finished.”

  I flushed hotly. “Yes,” I said quickly, standing up and passing the briefs over to him. “Sorry. I don’t know what happened.”

  Nate smirked. “Daydreaming, are you?” He shook his head. Before I could reply, he continued: “I know it’s a little busy around here, but you’re doing so well,” he said. “I’m really proud of you.”

  My flush deepened. Nate had no idea that as soon as I got the confirmation that I was pregnant, I was planning to quit before I could start showing.

  Nate grinned. He obviously thought I was blushing just because of his praise.

  “You know, Honey, I just realized – we never got to have that date, did we?”

  “No,” I said, trying to keep my voice neutral and sweet. “But we’re both so busy, Nate.” I forced a grin. “I’m not sure it would be right.”

  Nate nodded. “You’re probably right,” he said. There was more than a touch of reluctance in his voice. “I just thought it would be nice.”

  I held my smile. “Is there anything else you need?” I checked my watch. “I was planning to leave early today, remember? I cleared it with you last week?”

  “Oh, right,” Nate said. I could tell by the way he said it that he’d already forgotten. “Sure, Honey. No problem. Have a good weekend.”

  I tried not to sigh with relief. “I will!” I chirped, my voice is artificially bright. “You, too!”

  It took Nate an eon to leave my desk. By the time he walked away, whistling under his breath, I was practically sighing with relief.

  I checked my email one more time, then shut down my computer and grabbed my bag and coat. It was a sunny, bright day, but it was freezing outside. I loved winter in New York – it was infinitely more magical than the hot, muggy summer months. There was something so beautiful and perfect about the crisp air of Central Park, especially when the sun was shining brightly as it was today.

  I left Baker & Sons in a great mood. After Peter had confronted Pamela, he’d been ebullient and joyful. We’d had a really great date night, but I was staying in tonight. After all, tomorrow we were getting married…and even though I knew it was a hoax, I still felt a little superstitious. I grinned, remembering my words to Peter that very morning: “it’s bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding!”

  Beth met me a few blocks over, at the small bridal boutique where I’d made an appointment. Peter had given me his credit card – which felt almost sinful – and told me to put whatever I wanted on it.

  When she saw me, Beth squealed and threw her arms around my neck. “This is so exciting!” She chirped. “I can’t believe it!”

  I rolled my eyes. “Don’t worry,” I said. While I hadn’t told Beth the exact details of our arrangement, she knew that Peter and I weren’t exactly entering holy matrimony with the purest of intentions. Still, she supported me. I knew she was relieved I’d found a solution to my problem…and so what if my solution happened to be as sexy as Peter?

  “I know,” Beth said. She shrugged. “Hey, this is my first time doing this,” she said. “You can’t blame me for being excited.” She snickered. “Besides, there’s no way I’m ever going to get inside this place ever again,” she added, eyeing the tony bridal shop. “I could never afford anything from here.”

  “Me neither,” I said, flushing.

  Beth giggled. “But Peter can,” she said, raising her eyebrow. “And that’s what counts.”

  As I pushed open the door, I was almost nervous. The store was elegant and sparse, with only a few dresses on display and no price tags anywhere. As soon as the bell chimed above the door, a beautiful sales associate, wearing more makeup than I’ve even worn in my whole life, beamed at me.

  “Hi there, you must be Ms. Walters!”

  “Yes,” I said. “And this is my uh, maid of honor, Beth.”

  Beth rolled her eyes again, but when I elbowed her in the ribs, she smiled.

  The sales associate smiled warmly. “Welcome, both of you,” she said. “I’m Susan, and I’m going to help you find the dress of your dreams!”

  Susan led Beth and me to a small set of chairs, where she took our coats and put them away in a closet.

  “Now, here at Elle Bridal, we focus all on you,” Susan said. “The shop is only open to one client at a time, and we want to make sure you’re very happy with your experience today. Tell me, have you visited any other boutiques so far?”

  I shook my head. “Nope,” I said cheerily. “This is my first.”

  Susan’s megawatt smile faltered for just a second. “Oh,” she said. “Well, then! I’m sure today will be so fun for you! What kind of style are you looking for?”

  Beth burst out laughing, and I elbowed her again.

  “Oh, something on the casual side,” I said. “We’re going to the courthouse.”

  Susan raised her eyebrows and flushed. “Oh,” she said. I could tell that now, she was straining to keep her smile. “Well! Isn’t that romantic!”

  “Peter thinks so,” I said lovingly. “That’s why he wanted to make sure I was pregnant first, he’s going to make an honest woman of me!”

  Beside me, Beth was trying to hold in her laughter and not succeeding. She was giggling so hard that her whole frame was shaking.

  Susan looked stunned. “Oh,” she said meekly. “How exciting for you both!” She laughed nervously. “I guess that means you’ll pass on the complimentary champagne, then!”

  “I guess so,” I said, biting the inside of my cheeks so I wouldn’t burst out laughing. “So, what kinds of dresses do you have?”

  Over the next two hours, Susan showed me a variety of every type of wedding dress under the sun. We looked at sheath dresses, princess ball gowns, even tea-length gowns with sheer cap sleeves and lace details. By the time my appointment was drawing to a close, I
was exhausted. I’d had no idea that trying on dresses could be so tiring!

  “So,” Susan said through gritted teeth – she’d lost her veneer of cheeriness hours ago – “Have you made a decision?”

  “I like this one,” I said, pointing to a strapless lace gown with a slight train. “But I think it’s a little fancy for the courthouse.”

  “Oh, it’s perfect,” Beth said. “That was my favorite.”

  I shrugged. “Then I guess it’s settled.”

  Susan forced a bright smile. “You’re lucky we have your size on the rack!” She said loudly. “Normally, alterations take weeks!”

  “It is lucky,” I said smugly. I whipped out Peter’s credit card and handed it over. “Here you go.”

  Susan glanced down at the card. “Sure,” she said brightly, having seen the platinum symbol in the corner. “I’ll be right back with your receipt and your gown.”

  As soon as she was gone, Beth and I burst out laughing.

  “This is too much,” Beth said, shaking her head and giggling. “I can’t believe it, what a snob!”

  “I know,” I said drily. “To be fair, she’s probably used to debutantes and socialites.”

  “More’s the pity,” Beth muttered under her breath. “I’m starving. You want to get food after this?”

  I nodded. “I’m nervous,” I said suddenly. “About tomorrow.”

  Beth frowned. “Why?” She asked. “Did something happen?”

  I shook my head. “No, it’s not that,” I said, biting my lip. I couldn’t tell Beth my doubts – about Peter’s father, and the possibility of him not accepting our marriage – but I somehow sensed that she knew. She slipped her arm through mine and took my hand.

  “Don’t worry,” Beth said. “I promise, everything is going to be just fine.”

  --

  As nervous as I was, I slept really well that night. In the morning, when I woke up, Beth helped me with my hair and makeup. She helped me into my gown and zipped up the back.

  “You look beautiful,” Beth said. She smiled at me. “I can’t believe it.” She laughed. “I have to admit, I thought this day would be a lot different.”

  “Me, too,” I admitted. “But I’m happy all the same.”

  Just as I was about to reach for my shoes, there was a knock at the door.

  “I’ll get it,” Beth said. “You stay here, okay?”

  I nodded as Beth dashed off. I heard the thump of her footsteps on the floor, followed by the door. I wonder if it’s Peter, I thought, my heart leaping into my throat. I can’t believe it, he’s early!

  But when Beth returned, she was frowning and alone. “This is for you,” she said, passing over a cream-colored envelope made of heavy paper.

  My name was written in a scrawling script on the front. Frowning, I opened the seal with my nail. A slip of paper fluttered to the floor.

  When I picked it up and began to read, my blood turned cold in my veins.

  “This isn’t a threat.

  This is a promise.

  If you marry Peter Anastas, you’re a dead woman.”

  Tears welled up in my eyes, and I dropped the piece of paper to the floor.

  “Oh my god,” Beth said. “Honey?”

  I couldn’t speak. All I could do was point down at the piece of paper with a trembling hand. Beth picked it up and scanned it quickly, gasping at the final line.

  “Honey, what the fuck is this,” Beth breathed. “Who would do this?”

  “Who dropped off the envelope?” I asked in a trembling voice. “Did you see?”

  “It was just a delivery boy,” Beth said quickly. “You know, the little kid we see all the time, he always drops off the mail.”

  I blinked. “There’s no postage or return address, I wonder if he knows something!”

  Beth glanced down at her phone for the time. “Honey, you’re going to be late if you don’t get a move on,” she said. “Do you want me to go find him?”

  I thought about it for a minute. On one hand, I was dying to know who had sent me the poisonous note. But on the other, wasn’t this exactly what that person would want? To unnerve me, to make me late for my wedding date with Peter?

  “I don’t know,” I said slowly. I bit my lip and sank down on my bed. Sitting in the dress was difficult – the bodice was tightly laced, and I could hardly breathe – but I was barely aware of my discomfort.

  “What do you mean?” Beth frowned. “Honey, this is a serious threat. This could be from some psycho!”

  “I bet I know who wrote it,” I said darkly.

  “Who?”

  I eyed Beth. “Who do you think?” When she didn’t reply, I sighed. “Peter’s ex,” I said. “I think it’s from Pamela. She’s jealous. She saw us together the other day – Peter introduced me as his fiancée, and she snapped at him and ran off.”

  “Oh,” Beth said. She frowned. “Still, Honey, this is insane.” She glanced down at the piece of paper. “Even if she doesn’t mean it, what kind of normal person would send something like this?”

  “She’s obviously not normal,” I said, shaking my head. I sighed. “She’s a fucking nut.”

  “Obviously,” Beth said. “Are you sure you don’t want me to go find that kid and ask him who dropped the letter off?”

  Now that I was sure I’d figured out who had sent the threat, my fear was fading. My eyes were dry, and I was much less frightened than I’d been a few minutes ago. After all, I thought, looking down at the piece of paper. It’s just a note! It’s not going to hurt me, it’s a silly sheet of paper.

  “Don’t you think that’s exactly what she wants, though?” I asked Beth. “She wants to upset me, she wants to cause a big fuss.” I shrugged. “It’s like my mom always said, just ignore the bullies, and they’ll stop.”

  Beth gave me a deadpan look. “Honey, that’s terrible advice,” she said slowly. “My dad told me the same thing, and it never worked.”

  I shrugged. “Well, I think Pamela is a classic bully,” I said, getting to my feet and wiping my hands on my gown. “I feel much better now. I should get going – I don’t want to be late.”

  Beth frowned. “If you’re sure,” she said slowly. “But Honey, this still seems like such a bad idea to me.”

  “Peter will protect me,” I said. “He’s not going to let that psycho hurt me.”

  “I hope so,” Beth said. Her eyebrows were knitted together in concern. “Just be careful, okay?”

  I nodded. “I will.”

  Beth insisted on walking me outside. Just as I was starting to get nervous that we’d be late, Peter’s limo pulled up. Renaldo smiled when he saw me.

  “Very pretty, Miss Honey,” he said.

  “Thank you,” I said as Renaldo opened the door. When I realized Peter wasn’t inside, I frowned. “Renaldo, where’s Peter?”

  Renaldo laughed. “Miss Honey, you told him it’s bad luck to see you before the wedding! He’s at the courthouse, waiting for you.”

  I flushed. “Smart man,” I said. Renaldo closed the door, and I waved to Beth through the tinted windows. She smiled and waved back, but I could tell that she was still troubled nonetheless. Still, I worked hard to push the creepy note out of my head.

  By the end of the morning, I would be Mrs. Anastas.

  If only for a short while, I reminded myself. It was already getting difficult to remember that my marriage with Peter wasn’t for keeps…it was just temporary, so we could both get what we wanted.

  Still, as Renaldo pulled up in front of the New York City Courthouse, I couldn’t help but smile. Peter was standing out front, holding a giant bouquet of peonies. He was wearing a black tux, and he looked gorgeous – more handsome than I’d ever seen him.

  I grinned as Renaldo opened the door for me and I climbed out onto the pavement. The sun was out and shining and the camel’s hair coat I wore lent an air of elegance to my dress.

  “Hey, beautiful,” Peter said. He stepped closer and kissed my cheek. “You look amazin
g.”

  I flushed. “You look great, too,” I whispered, leaning in to kiss Peter’s cheek. “I can’t believe this is my wedding day.”

  Peter smirked. “Believe it,” he said. He handed me the bouquet, and I dipped my head into the flowers and inhaled.

  “These are gorgeous,” I said. “Thank you.”

  Peter smiled. “A bride isn’t a bride without a bouquet,” he said, putting his hand on the small of my back and guiding me closer to the courthouse.