Contractual Obligation: The Trilogy

by Keller, Lauren

  Disgusted, she left him at the table and climbed into bed. Pulling the covers up, she curled to her side and rested her hand on her belly. The baby’s kicks were stronger, and what had started as tiny butterfly flutters had becomes nudges and pokes. She’d have to tell her folks she was pregnant eventually. The baby would be here soon, and she’d conveniently left out that one little detail, just telling them that due to business they rushed up their wedding and married earlier than they’d planned, sorry about that.

  She just didn’t want to listen to her mother rattling on about things moving too quickly. She wouldn’t be one of those women that would be thrilled to be a grandmother. She’d be a mother that pointed out that Natalie made a heck of a lot of errors, and getting pregnant so soon was one of them.

  She wanted to tell her brother, but she knew he’d tell their mom. She was suddenly feeling very alone, wondering if she’d made the right decision to get married and have a child. She apologized quietly to her baby. “I didn’t mean that. I’m happy you’re coming,” she whispered. “We both are. I’m just a little overwhelmed right now.” Her hand stroked across her belly, soothing herself and her child. They settled in, and soon she was sleeping. She didn’t know what time Michael made it to bed, and quite frankly, she didn’t care.

  Chapter 6

  Michael couldn’t get a good night of sleep. As they inched closer to production in their own plant, he had trouble making peace with their decision to move ahead using a toxic chemical. There was just no way he could agree to it, even if it meant his backer would roar loudly and flap his wings at him. He had to stand his ground and fight back for what he believed in. If he couldn’t’ do it right, he wouldn’t do it at all. It was a difficult decision, but when it came down to it, he was going to be a father. He wanted to have his integrity intact and not start their lives on a lie.

  It didn’t go well. Marcus was all over him, tearing him a new one. How dare he threaten this change at the last minute, when he willingly agreed? Does he realize how much this will set them back with time and money? Michael stood his ground. Marcus either agrees with him, or he’d find another investor and break their deal, threatening to expose the want to use the toxic chemical.

  Marcus growled, “You ungrateful prick. You’re going to blackmail me after I saved your ass and gave you the chance at building your own company?”

  Michael didn’t flinch. “I can’t do it, Marcus. I won’t follow my father’s path of lies.”

  Marcus shook his head and seethed, staring at the man before him. “Fine, but when we’re earning profit, you’ll pay me back every freaking penny it cost above and beyond to do it this way.”

  Michael agreed. It would hurt him financially in the beginning, but he’d have kept his morals intact. He had to do it the right way. There was no going back on that decision.

  Relief washed through Natalie when he told her what he’d done. It was one less thing to worry about. She was proud of him, standing up to get his voice heard, and even prouder than he got Marcus to agree. At seven months pregnant, she just didn’t have the energy for the craziness of his business right now, so if things went smoothly, it was better for all of them.

  It was hard to believe how much time had passed. There was no hiding the fact she was pregnant. She seemed to have popped somewhere between six and seven months, and felt like a house. Natalie could hardly believe she still had more time to go. With a slight waddle, she walked to the mirror to look at her changing body. Her fingers ran across her belly, and she stared at her puffy breasts. She felt rounder than she’d ever felt in her life.

  She knew her belly button might push out at some point, but it hadn’t yet. Though fascinated by the changes, she worried her body wouldn’t go back to what it once was. Grabbing a bottle of cocoa butter from the dresser, she slathered her belly, dreading the stretch marks that might mark her soon. Holy cow, Michael married a model, but what would he end up with? She wished she didn’t focus on her appearance so much, but it was such an important part of her life before Michael.

  Natalie finally found the nerve to tell her parents they’d be grandparents. Her mother was horrified she hadn’t told her sooner. When Natalie admitted why, they had a good heart to heart talk. For the first time in ages she felt like her mom was on her side. It was nice to not feel judged for a change, and to know that while her choices wouldn’t have been their own for her life’s path, they were happy she’d found someone she cared about and would love to be a part of their grandchild’s life.

  Her brother was surprised to hear the news, but rolled seamlessly into endless parenting tips, telling her she’d be fine. He passed the phone to her sister-in-law, who went through her labor stories all over again. Natalie almost wished she’d shared the news sooner.

  On hearing the labor stories, Natalie cringed. She most definitively wanted an epidural, anything to help with the pain. Truth be told, she was terrified. She had no idea how she’d get through it, but told herself other women do it every day. The closer it got, the edgier she felt. She still had time. She was torn between wanting to hold off and wanting to get it over with. Only, she didn’t get to decide on the actual date. It amazed her how different her life had become.

  Her modeling days felt so long ago. She almost forgot what it felt like to be in front of the camera. So what if she did catalog shots more than magazine ad; it still made her money and she got to experience the modeling world a bit. Okay, so it wasn’t quite what she came to New York for. She wanted those magazine ads, but other than Fusendyner Retro’s offer, she’d never had the opportunity. She was in holiday catalogs, department store catalogs, and spent the other part of her time serving appetizers at open houses for disgustingly expensive homes. People would hire a group of sexy women to play the part of server, so the wealthy people were surrounded by beautiful people as they scouted the new homes.

  Usually it was the women who wandered through them, deciding whether it was worth their husband’s time to check out the home. It was a weird thing to watch the women who were married to these men that could afford homes like that. Would that have been her if Bowman Industries didn’t crash? Is that what she actually wanted in the past, to be one of those women? She wrinkled her nose, realizing how shallow it seemed. Life had changed a lot this last year, and what she wanted today was something completely different than she wanted a year ago.

  Chapter 7

  Natalie was feeling cagey. She needed to get out of the house. She’d finally stopped working at the diner. The bigger she got, the harder it was to stand on her feet all day. She was in her eighth month of pregnancy when Michael convinced her to stay home.

  He spent morning until late at night hammering out details and business. She rarely saw him until he was climbing into bed, and she was groggy and half asleep by the time he got there.

  Filling her days became about flipping through magazines and channel surfing. It was fun for about two days, and then boredom kicked in. She had to go out. This was going to drive her crazy, sitting here doing nothing.

  Natalie decided on a trip to one of the museums. There were plenty to visit, and while she might not have it in her to stand for long bouts of times, with benches she’d just take breaks along the way. It’s not like she was unable to function!

  Deciding on the American Museum of Natural History, Natalie hailed a cab, and watched people scuttling up and down the sidewalks as the yellow car made its way to 79th Street. Getting out, she thanked the driver, tipping him, and then wandered inside. Paying her twenty-two dollars felt like a luxury. Sure money wasn’t as tight as it was the last few months, but she was still aware how broke they had become. It could happen again. Twenty dollars used to mean nothing to her, and yet a few months ago it became more than she could afford to spend on a leisurely day trip.

  Lingering through the museum while taking in the exhibits and displays, Natalie immersed herself in the scenery. It was a nice day and she felt relaxed, though her feet were a little tender fr
om her added pregnancy weight. Smiling, she waved to the security guard as he greeted her at the exit. She was lost in thought, thinking about some of the things she’d seen, and was on her way out of the building to get a cab. With one false step, she tumbled and fell down the stairs.

  A security guard rushed to her side, calling for help. “Ma’am, are you okay? I have somebody coming to help.” He shifted her so she was leaning against him, and brought her to a nearby bench.

  “I’m so embarrassed,” she flushed, feeling like a klutz. Her hands instinctively went to her stomach. “Oh my god, the baby.” Her skin went pale, color draining from her face.

  “I have someone coming.” He soothed as the panic started to rise within her.

  “My baby,” she mumbled.

  Her ankle was swelling, having twisted it on the way down, but there was no movement from within. Her baby was still. Please be okay, she prayed.

  When the medic showed up, they recommended she go get checked out to make sure everything was okay. They brought her to the hospital, and her doctor would be notified. She sat there, feeling foolish and frightened. She needed to pay better attention to where she was going. What if something happened?

  It felt like forever before they called her back. After triaging, she wasn’t the top priority. She was simply a fall, when there were people with limbs half hanging off. On listening, they heard the baby’s heartbeat, and with a sigh, she finally relaxed. With a recommendation to see her doctor and get an ultrasound over in imaging, one floor up, they sent her on her way after wrapping her ankle. They didn’t have the free bed or time to do the ultrasound down in the ER right now. It was too busy.

  Natalie spent the day waiting in another chair, in another waiting room at the hospital. When Michael showed up, he leaned in, hugging her. “Are you okay? Is the baby?”

  She nodded. “They heard the heartbeat. I’m waiting for an ultrasound. They’ll send the results to my doctor, and give me peace of mind that everything is okay.”

  Michael finally settled in a chair beside her. Jumping up, he started to pace, and then settled back into the chair. “Don’t they realize how important this is?”

  “Everybody here feels the same way.” She patted his thigh, trying to calm him.

  When they finally called her back, Michael went with her.

  After changing into a gown, she settled on the bed. Slathering lubricated jelly onto her stomach, the technician started the process. She was relieved to see the baby, safe and sound, exactly where it should be.

  Michael was transfixed. “That’s our baby,” he whispered.

  “Do you want to know what it is?”

  “No,” Michael said.

  “Yes,” Natalie answered.

  The technician looked at them.

  “You can leave the room,” Natalie nudged. “I’m ready to know.”

  “Really? You don’t want to be surprised?”

  “We’re almost there.”

  “Okay.” He squeezed his eyes shut, and reopened them. “We’re ready to know.”

  “It looks like a girl. I can’t be positive, but I’m pretty sure it’s a girl.” The technician ran the wand over certain areas. “See here?”

  “A girl.” Michael sighed quietly. “A little girl.”

  “I’m having a daughter?” Natalie smiled. “A daughter, Michael.”

  The couple shared the special moment, realizing that magic had just happened. As they got up to head out, Natalie slipped back into her clothing and they left the hospital together.

  Michael rode with her in the cab, taking her home. They’d told her to ice and elevate her ankle, so he set her up once they walked inside.

  “I have to go back to work, I’m sorry.”

  “It’s okay. When will you be home?”

  “Probably late, but I’ll call and check in on you. If you want me to make you something to eat before I leave…”

  She rested her hand on his. “I’ll be fine.” A daughter – it was all she could think about.

  Heading back to the office, what hit Michael the hardest was how much time he’d miss with his family. Work would suck up all of his free time. There would be no end in sight, and day after day for the next few years his hours wouldn’t get any shorter. He barely saw his wife, and he’d barely see his child if life continued on this way. There were sacrifices to be made if he wanted to build his company, but maybe the sacrifice he should be making was a different one. He missed his daughter, and she wasn’t even born yet. How did he skip her first ultrasound? That should have been a priority. He should have experienced that moment. He wanted to be a hands-on father, someone present and accounted for, not absent all the time like his own dad was.

  His father was successful. He made a lot of money. Built a business from the ground up, and gave Michael a cushy life. But the one thing Michael never had was someone to make him feel like he was everything in the world. He didn’t have someone to be there in those moments that matter the most. He’d be left alone with some step-mom who could care less, or a housekeeper whose job wasn’t to raise a child. Michael felt alone a good deal of his life. He didn’t want his own child, his daughter, to ever feel lonely or like he wasn’t there.

  Could he do both things? Could there be balance? He knew the answer, but didn’t know what to do. This could secure their future and give his wife and child everything they ever wanted. They could live in the lap of luxury. The only thing he wouldn’t be able to offer was his time. Dropping his head in his hands, he knew there was no way to do both things properly – not just starting out, not building an empire. All of his free time would be tangled up with the company. He’d live and breathe MD Insulators for the first few years.

  But how could he walk away from a company he wanted more than anything? He wanted to rebuild. He wanted to have it all just like he did before. He loved being wealthy and having power. There were things he’d grown accustomed to. He wanted it back, only at what cost?

  His chest tightened and his muscles tensed. Michael rubbed the back of his neck, trying to relieve the stiffness that was settling in from the stress. Marcus would skin him alive. And the loans, how would he dissolve it all? He knew what he needed to do, but it wouldn’t be easy. He had to walk away. He refused to put his child through the very same things he went through. As a little boy, and then older, he missed his father so much. He knew his dad loved him, but it wasn’t the words he wanted to hear. He’d just wanted some of his time. He wanted to be a priority, but his father put Bowman Industries first. He wouldn’t do that to his daughter. She would always come first. There was no other way he could live with himself.

  Michael didn’t get home until late, and knew it would be an ugly pattern that would persist for years if he didn’t stop it in its tracks. Walking into his home, Natalie had left a small light on for him. The house felt empty. She was already sleeping. Stopping in the kitchen to grab a bite to eat, he finally headed into the bedroom, quietly removing his clothes, not wanting to disturb his wife.

  Creeping silently, he placed his clothes in the hamper. Pulling back the covers on his side of the bed, he carefully climbed in, trying not to wake Natalie. She stirred, put her hand out towards him, mumbled something mindlessly, and fell back asleep.

  “I promise you it will be different,” he whispered. She didn’t hear him, she was already softly snoring.

  Michael stared up at the ceiling. A weight lifted off his chest with his decision, though the dismantling of the business would be a mess. He could walk away and hand it over to Marcus, but without him at the helm, he may not be interested. Marcus knew next to nothing about insulators, just that they made a lot of money. He was an investor, not a business man. To him, it all came down to the bottom line.

  He didn’t even care how angry Marcus would be. The choice was his, and he was choosing his family. He might not own his own company, but he’d find a good job and support his wife and child either way. His sales experience and knowledge of business sho
uld shoe him into a couple of companies without too much problem. Michael slept better than he had in ages.

  He shared his news with Natalie over breakfast. She was stunned. “You’re what?”

  “Aren’t you happy?”

  “I don’t know what to say. I’m just confused. What changed?”

  “I saw our daughter and our future, and I wasn’t in it. I was working instead of being part of a family.”

  Natalie felt the hot tears forming. Wrapping her arms around her husband, she realized she never cared about the money. She just wanted him.

  “So,” he started, “we need to decide on a name. I know you had it narrowed down to three or four. Do you have a favorite?”

  “I kind of like Harper.”

  “Harper? Not loving that one,” he grimaced. “What else have you got?”

  “Audrey, Michelle, and Kayla.”

  “I like the old school feel of Audrey and Michelle. Kayla, I’m not crazy about.”

  “What about Sarah? I was thinking of maybe Sarah, too.”

  “I’ll tell you what. You pick the first name between Audrey and Michelle, and I’ll pick her middle name.”

  “I think I’m leaning towards Michelle.”

  “What about Elizabeth for her middle name?”

  “Michelle Elizabeth.” She rolled it over her tongue. “It’s quite a mouthful.”

  “Poor kid will have a long name to learn to spell.” Michael laughed.

  “What about Heather? I like Heather.”

  “I don’t like how it sounds together. Michelle Heather.”

  “What about Heather Michelle.”

  “Eh, not loving it.”

  They played with names a while longer. Michael smiled. “We’ll figure it out.”

  “Thank you for choosing us.”

  “It shouldn’t have even been a choice. I should have done this from the beginning. I need to go into the office and face the fire. It’s not going to go smoothly.”