“Son of a bitch.” Aldo looked up at Greg.
Greg smiled. “Or daughter.”
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
I-S.E. Thirteen - The Island
April 10th - 10:22 a.m.
With Rickie’s compassionate hand lying on her back, Cal sat on the stool peering up at Stan.
Stan’s hip leaned against the counter, his finger tapped on a closed folder. “Off the Caldwell record, we have the means to take care of this for you.”
Heavily, Cal’s shoulders slumped and she dropped her head, burying her face in her hands.
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
I-S.E. Thirteen - The Island
April 10th - 11:30 a.m.
Cal wasn’t as nervous as she thought she would be. Perhaps the long walk back from the control center helped, going through in her mind all that she had to say to Jake in that walk home. There was an eeriness that Cal felt, a chill that seeped through her as she opened the door to her bungalow. And though she was indeed nervous, she knew what she had to do. No time for tears. No time for fear. She had to just do it.
Jake was putting away laundry when he looked up at Cal who walked in. “Rickie finally bring you back, huh?”
Cal partially smiled. “Yep. Thanks for doing the laundry.”
“No problem.” He shut the drawer with his knee. “What’s wrong?”
“That obvious?”
“I know you.”
Cal chuckled. “That you do. Jake . . .” She stepped to him speaking softly. “We need . . . we need to talk, hon.”
“Oh boy.” Jake stood straight. “What happened?”
“Can we sit, please?” Cal motioned to the bed.
“Oh boy.” Jake backed up and sat down. He let out a breath, a long one looking to Cal.
“You’re my very best friend. I love you. And I’m coming to you as my best friend and my husband.” Cal’s tense hand reached out to Jake’s, she ran it over his, up and down, then pulled it back. “Before I say anything, I want you to know I am sure.”
“What are you talking about?”
“No questions if I’m sure. Because I am. Okay?”
“Okay.” Jake nodded. “What are you sure about?”
Cal hesitated, looking at him in the eyes and drawing within her the courage she needed. “I am sure that . . . . that I’m not done hurting you yet. Because I’m sure . . . I’m sure . . .” She closed her eyes. “Jake.” She breathed out his name. “Jake, I’m pregnant.”
Jake felt like he had been hit with a wall of bricks. Her words ricocheted through his ears to his heart then his gut. A sigh, small but pain-filled, came from him and Jake slowly stood up. “You’re pr . . . pr . . . Cal?”
“Yes.”
Jake swallowed. His breath shivered slowly as he walked to his dresser, back to Cal, hands gripping the edges . . . head down.
“Jake.”
“I didn’t . . .” His head swayed to her and he spoke softly. “I didn’t think you could hit me any harder.”
Cal’s eyes instinctively closed. “I’m sorry. I am very, very sorry. There’s nothing more I can say to you. I can’t even put into words what is going through my mind.” Cal looked at him, then ran her hand down his arm. “I’m just . . . sorry.” She turned and walked to the door.
“Cal.” Jake called out to her. “Where are you going?”
“Jake, I think right now, both of us have to let this sink in. We have to think. Right now I need to go off and be alone to do that.” Cal gave him a saddened look, opened the door, and walked out.
Jake stood upright, running his hand slowly across his face. He moved his eyes to the door, then he painfully closed them again.
^^^^
For as much as Jake stayed inside that bungalow, that was how much Cal wasn’t there. The entire day she failed to step a foot back inside. Jake respected what she wanted, time to think, because he, too, needed the same. He surprised himself by not having that overwhelming sensation to get drunk. In fact, Jake had one beer after evening had set in, one beer he nursed while waiting for Cal to return from her time with - as Jake learned through Lou - Rickie.
His hand could have been sitting on a live wire for as much as that shock of hearing the door open went through him. Jake set down his beer bottle and stood up when Cal walked in. “Where have you been?”
“With Rickie.” Cal shut the door.
“I know that, but where?” Jake asked.
“For the last couple of hours, peeing a lot.”
“What?” Jake twitched his head confusedly.
“They have those packaged pregnancy tests at the control center. Rickie, Rickie didn’t trust the blood test they ran, so we did about twelve pregnancy tests.” Cal walked further into the room. “And please don’t ask the results.”
“I won’t.” Jake moved back to the table. “Did you eat at all?”
“Yes.” Cal smiled a little at him. “Thanks for asking me.”
“Cal.” Jake grabbed for her hand. “I think you and I need to talk about this, sweetie.”
“Jake . . . right now I have this huge headache and I’m so tired.” She slipped her hand from his. “We’ll talk tomorrow, okay?”
“I’d rather not. I’d rather talk . . .”
“Jake.” Cal held up her hand. “Listen. I love you. I love you very much and you, Jake, take first priority in my life. I want to stay married.”
“Without a doubt,” Jake told her.
“And I don’t want you to feel like you have to face my mistake every day for the rest of your life.”
“I don’t want to feel that way either.”
“Good.” Cal quickly reached out and touched his hand. “Then we’ll finish this tomorrow.”
“Cal . . .”
Cal stepped to him, and silenced him with a quick kiss. “Goodnight.”
Jake’s head lowered. “Night, Cal.” He watched through the tops of his eyes as Cal, almost emotionless, laid on top of the bed without getting undressed, on her side and semi-curled in a ball. Before Jake returned to sitting at the table, thinking and nursing his beer, he walked to Cal, kissed her and just so she knew, he told her he loved her.
Caldwell Research Center - Los Angeles, CA
April 10th - 11:55 p.m.
It wasn’t the Beverly Wilshire, nor was it even the Holiday Inn for that matter. It was a wing of a building with dormitory-style quarters. A bed, dresser, night stand, desk and bathroom were all that were in those plain small rooms so similar to what the participants lived in during the experiments. Yet there they were, not only the workers of Caldwell, but eight of the richest men in the world . . . all living there.
For as arrogant and ‘know it all’ that Aldo believed Gregory Haynes to be, he had to give it to Haynes on the new move and better-than-ever open door policy. Aldo liked the prospect of having a place to sleep for a few hours while visiting. And, as an added bonus, he had a desk. Bringing a television, computer, and having cable run pretty much made that little room all that Aldo needed. Food, well, if he didn’t use the kitchen or commissary they had at the center, Aldo ordered out and had it delivered. He couldn’t recall in his experience as an investor Caldwell ever offering the investors to stay under the institute’s roof, giving them instant, easier access to watch their horses or players any time day or night. Nor could Aldo ever recall the investors getting to know each other like they were during this experiment, spending time together under one roof, showing concern for the others investment, sharing family stories and photographs. Unlike previous experiments, the investors were getting to know each other just as well as their counterpart investments were on that island.
Aldo didn’t feel much like talking on this night. Even though he knew some of the investors had a game going of property poker, Aldo just wanted to get back to his computer and electronically converse with that woman in Oregon whom he told he was a maintenance man. But first he needed a cup of coffee. He could have made one, he had a pot in his room. But his legs ne
eded stretching and he only wanted one cup, so the vending machine would suffice in it’ bad coffee glory. Even though Caldwell bragged it was state of the art Columbian blend, Aldo knew his coffee.
So with future thoughts racing through his mind, and worries for Cal, Aldo headed to the vending room. The halls were quiet and his thoughts magnified. He could still see the words, typos and all, on his last email from the Oregon woman. Telling her he had a friend in trouble, a married friend, and the Oregon woman simply telling him that he has to help. And Aldo would. When Cal returned from the experiment, if Jake turned his back against her, Aldo would surely have to contemplate having Jake shot. Well, at least fantasize about it.
He could hear voices as he walked to the vending area, which was open, especially since the vending area was located in the office section of the building. Aldo wouldn’t have paid much attention to the voices had he not heard the mention of Cal’s name. Then Aldo slowed down.
“We can clear out the last of the two rooms, connect them, make one large room like we did with yours,” the unknown male voice said.
“I’ll put an order in for carpeting,” Greg said. “Plan on painting as well, possibly some wall paper. Women like that sort of thing,. And we’ll have to order a special bed, something orthopedic for her back. Pregnancy is uncomfortable enough without having the ho-hum beds we have to sleep on.”
Aldo had to do it. He stepped right in. “Haynes.”
“Evening Aldo.” Greg smiled then returned to the maintenance man. “Thanks George, that will be all.”
“Haynes.” Aldo walked in as the maintenance man left. “Are you bringing Cal here?”
“We’re making preparations just in case.”
“You’re pulling my investment without my knowledge.”
“No.” Greg shook his head. “Mrs. Graison will still be in the game, but she’ll have to finish it out here, watching her husband finish it there. It is in our best interest to pull her should things get too rough for her to handle.”
“There was never any talk of pulling a pregnant woman from an experiment. And there is a woman that gets pregnant in every single one.”
“True. But this is the first married couple. Jake surely would have his difficulties with his mind on Cal when she’s elsewhere, That is . . .” Greg gathered up papers. “If he still wants her. She is pregnant with Billy’s child. I would think, Aldo, with Cal not only being your investment, but your friend as well, that you wouldn’t mind in the least her being pulled into a safer environment if need be in her delicate condition.”
Aldo had to snicker. “I highly doubt, pregnant or not, that Cal will ever be delicate. And no, I wouldn’t mind, but she would. She won’t leave Jake.”
“She doesn’t have a choice. We can conduct a completely different mental endurance experiment right here under this roof with her.”
“Plus hit Jake hard.”
“Indeed,” Greg commented. “But like I said, it remains to be seen. We have to see how rough it gets. I don’t want it too rough on her.”
“Oh, like you care.” Aldo waved him off.
“I do. I hold compassion for the unborn. Perhaps that is why a pregnant woman was never pulled from the experiment before, because no one held compassion for the unborn.”
Aldo sneered at him seeing through that phony, seemingly caring demeanor. “She won’t go. She joined this experiment, she’ll finish it.”
“It doesn’t matter. She’s with child. It’s our call.”
“It’s her baby.”
“It’s our pregnancy.” Greg opened his top desk drawer, pulled out a contract looking document, and tossed it across the desk to Aldo. “Or shall I add, toddler, too. Read the standard participant contract. Read what the Graisons signed. Second page, paragraph twenty-two ‘B’.”
Aldo lifted the contract, turning to the second page. “Christ, Haynes, they signed this because to them it wouldn’t happen in a million years.”
“But it did.” Greg took the contract back. “And according to the paragraph that reads, In regards to the best interest of mother and child, Caldwell institute retains the right to closely monitor, test, and evaluate the pregnancy of any child conceived during the experiment . . . in any medically safe way Caldwell sees fit. And as well as having the right to be present at the birth, Caldwell also retains the right to monitor, test, and evaluate the child for up to two years post-experiment . . . in any medically safe way Caldwell sees fit.” Greg set down the contract. “According to that, Aldo, they don’t have a choice.”
CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
I-S.E. Thirteen - The Island
April 11th - 7:40 a.m.
“Cal-babe, please.” Sitting on his bed, knees to his chest, Rickie heard his voice in his mind pleading to Cal.
“Rickie, you are not changing my mind.”
“But the Sarge . . .”
“The Sarge, Rickie, is number one to me. He said it himself. He doesn’t want to feel like he has to face my mistake every day for the rest of his life. And Rickie, he doesn’t have to. Jake of all people doesn’t deserve this.”
“Then I’m going with you, Cal.”
“I have to go alone. I have to.”
Rickie could still hear the sadness in her voice even though she was long gone. He could still feel it hitting him, like her words did. Feeling about as distraught as he could possibly feel, Rickie, in debate, stood up from his bed, and as he did, though the window, he saw Jake walking toward the unity circle.
Alone, Jake returned from working out, marching his way back to his bungalow, planning on taking a shower and waking Cal to go get breakfast if she wasn’t already awake. He hadn’t wanted to work out alone. He would have preferred to have Cal with him. But she was sleeping, and Jake really didn’t have a clue about what kind of workout she could do. He had never worked out with a pregnant person.
He turned the knob to his door, calling out to her. “Cal.” He could see, standing in the open doorway, that the bed was made. “Cal.” He didn’t get an answer, and Jake felt the emptiness of the room. Scratching his head and stepping inside, Jake felt an annoying pain in his back. It caused him to stumble a step or two forward, but only because it surprised him. Spinning around, Jake felt the pain hit his gut, and he went back another step. “Rickie! What the fuck!” Jake blasted. “And I am not in the mood to fool around.”
“I’m not fooling around, Sarge.” Rickie had a ‘Rickie’ amount of anger to his voice as he raised his fist. “I’m beating you up.”
“You’re what?”
“Put ‘em up, Sarge.”
“Rickie, what . . .” As Jake saw Rickie swing at him, he stepped back placing his large hand on top of Rickie’s head. Stable, he kept Rickie at arm’s length, but despite the distance between them, Rickie still tried diligently to charge at Jake. His feet moved fast, but he gained no ground, and his arms swung frantically, hitting nothing but air. “Rickie!” Jake yelled. “What the fuck are you trying to do?”
“I told you, beat you up.”
“Why?” Jake asked, still holding Rickie back with ease.
“Because!” Rickie screamed. He stopped swinging and stepped back, red faced and with a hostile attitude. “You’re an asshole!”
“Yes, I know. So why are you beating me up for that now?”
“Because right now, you’re an even bigger asshole than I ever thought you could be.” Rickie was so emotional. “I have lost all respect for you. All. I will never look at you the same way again. Ever! In my book you’re about as low as they come.”
Was this Rickie? Jake had to wonder. Where were the ‘dudes’ the ‘likes’ the snickers? “Rickie.” Jake had to take a second. The vengeance filled words of Rickie went through him with hurt, taking Jake aback. “Rickie.” Jake spoke in a stunned voice, very softly. “Can you tell me what I did that has caused you to feel this strongly against me . . . . Please?”
Rickie moved back, running his hand through his hair. He had a hard time even loo
king at Jake. “You’re this big tough guy. Cold, ya’ know. And that’s okay, cause you’ve lived your life alone. It never bothered me when you were mean, because all that was always just the way you had to be. But when it came to the Cal-babe, you, Sarge, you ruled. I was like, man, this is what it’s about. The Sarge and Cal-babe. I thought . . .” Rickie closed his eye trying to stay in control, yet his emotions hit him again when he spun and faced Jake. “I thought you loved her. I thought you loved her more than life itself.”
“My God Rickie . . . I do.”
“The how could you do it? Knowing how much she loved Jessie. Knowing what it did to lose her kid. How can you make her give up another?”
Jake looked at Rickie with a confused look on his face. “What are you talking about?”
“See? You don’t even consider it. The baby, Sarge. You don’t want to look at Cal’s so she’s doing it.”
“Doing what?”
“Letting the institute give her an abortion.”
Jake’s eyes widened, and he immediately barged to the door. “Oh my God.” He flung it open and spun in the open doorway to face Rickie. “I swear on my life I didn’t tell her to do this. Oh my God.”
“Sarge?” Rickie stepped to him.
“Rickie!” Jake yelled and it seemed to come from his heart. “Get me in there. Get me in there now. I . . .” Jake flew off the porch. “I have to stop her.”
Billy, in his own world, was nearly knocked down by Jake in the middle of the Unity circle. “Jake, whoa. What’s wrong?”
Jake looked dazed but determined. “I have to stop Cal.”
“Stop Cal? Stop her from doing what? Is she in trouble?”
Amoeba (The Experiments) Page 42