by Tey Holden
Addy was a bit sad. “I hope they stay together.”
“Listen, let’s not think about that now. I think that he’ll be okay now that I’ve straightened him out.”
Addy remained sad. “I guess nothing is for sure really. I mean even when people seem to be in love, look what happens.”
“Addy, JP has issues you don’t know about. He confided in me many years ago, over some tequila shots, of course. I’ll tell you, but don’t let him know that I told you.”
Addy nodded. “His father took off with a woman and left him and his mother. They lived in Vegas. His mother was a singer, you know a lounge singer, going from bar to bar. She met a man and married him. He’d hit his mother and he also abused him.”
“Oh, God!”
“I know. It’s sad. He didn’t have a normal upbringing. James, on the other hand, was a Catholic schoolboy. Then he went off to college, nice family, and balanced life. I’m not trying to excuse JP. Don’t get me wrong. I just think that his background affects his behavior. However, life is full of choices and people can opt to rise above their level and procure a better life. Up until now, I thought JP had taken the high road and done just that, but I’m not too sure now. I hope I’m wrong.”
Addy looked worried and Karen wondered whether Addy was thinking that this could happen to them. “Addy, I hope you’re not t thinking that I can be like him. I would never do such a thing. I hung out with JP in New York and love him dearly, but I’m not like him. I’m all here. I have what I want here. Fuck, look at me I’m having your baby!” She chuckled from her own statement. “That’s not only a miracle but a fucking impossibility!”
Karen didn’t finish her statement, her knees buckled when she heard Addy’s voice. “Can you say ‘fuck’ for me once again?” Karen smiled, realizing that there was no point to her words because Addy knew better.
“I can do better.” Karen got up from the sofa and pulled her towards the bedroom. She suddenly stopped, “promise me that you will not mention the insemination, the baby, being careful, or any of that shit. Helena said sex was okay, and I swear, even if I have to go through the whole ‘fucking’ humiliating process again, I’d do it just to be with you tonight.” She super emphasized the ‘fucking’ since she knew how much Addy liked the way she pronounced it.
Karen had that look of desire that Addy knew too well. Without one more word said, Karen pulled Addy’s sweater off and unclasped her bra. Staring at Addy’s luscious breasts, she pulled her own shirt and bra off. Addy was about to pull down her pants when Karen stopped her. “Let me, lay down.” She removed her own garments while Addy hungrily watched from the bed, then she pulled Addy’s pants and underwear. It only took seconds for their bodies to be pressed against each other.
“Nothing beats feeling you and having you. You are all I want.” Karen took her lips with full force, and her fingers went directly to where Addy ached for them. Addy’s release was immediate, and her own was almost simultaneous. Satisfying Addy was her aphrodisiac. The more Addy wanted, the more she wanted to give.
Part 3
A few weeks after the insemination, Karen went for a follow-up test, which would indicate if the insemination had been successful. “Karen, you are pregnant.” Helena proclaimed euphorically. Addy beamed. In shock, Karen turned pale and almost stopped breathing.
“Are you okay, babe?” Addy combed back Karen’s hair and kissed her.
“Helena? Doesn’t she look a little pale?”
Helena took her pulse. “It’s just a case of nerves. She’s fine.” Talking to Karen, she explained. “It appears that you are very fertile, and that we had very healthy, strong sperm. I have to admit that even I was surprised. Sometimes, we have to repeat the procedure several times before we get a positive result. So, this is wonderful news.” Karen was still speechless looking at the women in front of her. Who would have thought! I’m fertile? Shit!
“So, Helena, what now?” Addy asked as she continued to glance at Karen who still appeared to have been shocked by the news.
“Well, I would like to check her next week, after that, if all continues well, you can go home. I will send the medical records to Dr. Tiffany Clarkson who will be looking after her when you return home. She’s excellent. You will like her. She’s experienced, very good at what she does and is fantastic with first timers because she is very warm and caring. Oh! She is also a lesbian and lives with her partner of fifteen years. We are actually good friends. We went to school together, I know her well. Now, I will schedule you for next week. We’ll see you then. Congratulations!”
“Thanks.” As they left, Addy was exhilarated and talking left and right while Karen was still in quiet mode. Addy’s conversation was about every possible subject, except the baby. She was trying to distract Karen. She thought that Karen needed time to process and accept the information she had just received, and that back in the flat they could talk about what they were going to do next.
While they had been waiting for the results of the insemination, they were pretty much homebound. Although Helena recommended rest, they used the hot tub plenty of time and made love more times than was probably advisable, but apparently, the extracurricular activities had not affected the events taking place inside of Karen. The sperm, apparently, clasped to Karen’s womb and the abundant love dispensed in the peripheral areas had, perhaps, been reassuring that it was very welcome. Addy thought that now that the insemination had been successful, they could maybe get out a bit and enjoy some sightseeing.
“I still can’t believe it. It’s either a miracle, or it was meant to happen. I mean, even with all the sex we’ve been having, which at times, I honestly thought were going to ruin everything. Who would have thought? I really thought we were going to have to go through this about two or three times before we were successful. I thought that the bed and the mirror were going to be our doom and as it turned out maybe it all actually helped to get your hormones and all the juices flowing in the right direction! I also think this is a sign. This was meant to be! This baby really wants us!”
Karen remained quiet and wondering about the so-called signs. When they arrived at the flat, Karen went straight to the bedroom and landed on the bed belly down and started to cry.
“Ker, what’s going on why are you crying?”
“I don’t know, I just want to cry.”
“Do you want to talk about it? Is there anything you want me to do? Anything I can do?”
“No.”
“Can I lie next to you and hold you?”
Being in Addy’s arms was always comforting for Karen. So, she nodded in agreement. Addy felt relieved that she was not being excluded from the crying event, and got in bed and held her. “Ker, I want to be part of everything. I need to know how you feel, if anything is bothering you, and if there is something I need to do to make you feel better. I don’t know what’s going on inside your head unless you tell me.”
“I’m scared.”
“Oh, baby.” Addy kissed her lovingly and held her tight. “Everything will be fine. You’ll see. I love you, baby.” Addy gave her a million kisses everywhere she could set her lips on while trying to think of ways to cheer her up. “Hey, about this mirror, maybe we should get one for our bedroom.”
Karen pulled away from the embrace. She was all teary but the idea of a mirror in their bedroom back home put an immediate spark in her eyes. “Are you serious?” Karen couldn’t help grin a bit, as she dried a few tears from her face. The bed and the mirror had certainly been a fun addition to their already enjoyable activities.
“Sure. I’m all for the mirror, but the only problem I see is what are we going to tell our child when he or she asks why do we have a mirror on the ceiling? That we want to see how we look in our jammies?” Karen laughed. Addy was happy to hear her laugh. The idea of the mirror at home was crazy, but anything was worth seeing Karen happy. “Kids will believe anything, and when he or she starts asking more questions, we’ll take it down.” Karen continue
d to laugh as Addy talked.
Although they never got the mirror for their bedroom at the cottage, it became Karen’s code word when she wanted to get out of any situation and go home and make love, just like Addy used ‘Blondie,’ for the same purpose. The many references to a certain mirror often raised questions among people who began to wonder about the mirror. Addy mischievously always let Karen fend off the questions and waited to see what she would come up with each time. With time Karen had her script down and would always come up with some logical response, which always made Addy grin.
***
The following evening Addy’s phone rang, and it was JP. He and James were also anxiously waiting for the results of the insemination.
“Hi, JP, let me guess, James was terribly worried, right?”
“What? No! Why would you say that? I’m the one who is a pack of nerves here waiting to know if I’m going to be an uncle or not. So, what happened? Did you guys go to the checkup? Is the blonde one pregnant?”
“Very pregnant.” Addy was overjoyed communicating the news.
“Oh, my God!! I feel faint. I think I need my salts. Oh my poor baby! Can I talk to her?”
“JP she is the bathroom right now, so let me tell you this before she comes back. Please, be supportive. She is very sensitive. I think it’s a hormonal thing. So, please, be very careful with what you say.”
JP was used to that kind of admonishment from Karen, but not from Addy, so he became concerned. “Oh, sure, honey. I will be a darling, but her health? Is she fine?”
“Yes, she couldn’t be healthier. She is just emotional. Ker, JP is on the phone. He wants to talk to you.”
Karen, who was coming out of the bathroom, rolled her eyes and took the phone. Addy was apprehensively waiting to see how the conversation developed.
“Sweetie, congratulations! I hear all went well.”
“Yeah, yeah, all is well.”
“How do you feel?”
“JP I really don’t feel any different than before. I don’t see the fuss to all this.”
“Oh well, I guess that’s a good sign. Well listen, I have to go, I just wanted to know that you were well, and I will let James know the good news. Now, you take good care of yourself. By the way, when are you guys coming back home?”
“I’d leave tomorrow. I can’t wait to get home, but ‘Miss making sure everything is well’ here thinks we need to stay a little longer so we will.”
“Okay, hon, we’ll hold the fort here for you guys. Take as long as you need. Don’t worry about anything. Good night.”
“Good night.”
“I don’t remember ever having such a short conversation with JP, or so serious, and to the point. He didn’t mock, criticize, or verbally abuse me once.”
Addy smiled, satisfied that her few words with JP had been successful. JP had a lot of respect for Addy and whenever she made a request it was always carried out without any questions asked. “Maybe he had a long day and is tired. I know I am. I think I’m going to bed. How about you?”
“Yeah, I’ll be there in a minute, let me get some chocolate milk.” Karen walked to the kitchen. When she came to the bed, Addy was already in bed looking at tourist brochures. “I’m still thinking about that idiot.” Karen got in bed and pulled the covers up. “He’s a smartass. He didn’t want me getting into his business, that’s why he kept the chat short, plus James was there. He’s a son of a—.” Addy hushed her with a kiss. “Happy thoughts, baby, happy thoughts.”
“I have a very happy thought, want me to tell you about it?”
Addy laughed. “I think I can already see it in the mirror.”
“And do you like what you see?”
“I love what I see.”
“By the way, I’ve been meaning to ask you every time I hear JP referring to me as the blonde. Have you by any chance ever told him why you call me Blondie?”
Addy pulled away from their embrace with her mouth open. “Ker, how could you possibly think such a thing?” She was astonished. “That is something very private between us that I would never share with anyone! I mean, I call you ‘the blonde’ and ‘my blonde’ all the time and you are blonde, that’s probably why he refers to you that way sometimes, but the Blondie thing is our thing.”
“Okay.” Karen thought not to say anything else in light of Addy’s reaction.
“Frankly, the fact that you even question it makes me sad.”
“I’m sorry, baby.” Again, always brief when treading on thin ice. She turned the light off.
“Good night.” Addy turned and covered her head with the comforter.
Karen remained quiet. She was satisfied with the answer and even with how she had handled the aftermath. She was on her side smiling in the dark, and looking at Addy’s covered body. “Good night, love.” There was no reply.
***
Meanwhile, in Scotland, JP communicated the happy news. “James, James!”
“What’s going on?”
“A miracle, James, a miracle! Karen is pregnant!”
“I’ll be damned! Who would have thought? Those two are amazing.”
“To be honest, I didn’t think it would happen. I thought they would be disappointed if it didn’t happen, but I really didn’t think it was going to happen.”
“Why? Because Karen is not so young anymore?”
“Oh no! Karen is a very healthy woman. I’m not surprised that it happened. I’m surprised that Karen went ahead with it. Please don’t tell them I thought that, but I thought that at the very end, Karen would back out.”
“You don’t think she’d make a good mother?”
“No, it’s not that. It’s just that I never thought of Karen pregnant. I still don’t know how this happened. I think these next nine months are going to be very difficult for those two. Let’s hope they can make it through. I fear that a pregnant Karen is going to be one tough cookie. I hope there’s enough love there to hold them together.”
“JP, you are being negative. I agree that a pregnant Karen may be a bit overbearing, but aren’t all pregnant women? I also know that Addy is going to handle her well and that they will survive Karen’s pregnancy. They are a strong couple and have the kind of love that keeps people together. I think they have an amazing relationship.”
***
The week passed uneventfully. Karen was as good as ever. She even wondered if she was pregnant at all. “Maybe they made a mistake. I feel as I always do. Nothing’s changed.” Because Karen felt so well, they went sightseeing and did all the things tourists do, dined out, took strolls in the park, went on river cruises and entertained themselves thoroughly in the city. At night, they’d retreat to their condo and spent the nights between the hot tub and the mirrored bed. Even though Addy had been pretending to be mad for a couple of days after the Blondie question, she turned off the show when Karen claimed that Blondie needed attention because she had been traumatized by the procedure. Karen’s exaggerated claims made Addy laugh and that was the end of the act.
When Karen finally had her two follow up check ups and all was well, Addy agreed that it was time to go home. Even before leaving Stockholm, Addy had arranged the appointment with Dr. Clarkson through Helena. They took a cab home and when they arrived, the cab driver helped Addy bring their luggage upstairs. Karen protested claiming that she could do it, but Addy stopped her flat and told her that she would not be doing any lifting and that there would be no arguing over the matter. Addy tipped the cab driver and thanked him for his help. When Addy came back into the cottage, Karen was sitting on the sofa not too happy.
“Look at you, poor thing! What misery when people try to make life easy for you, bummer of a life!”
“Funny, Adriana. I do not intend to make my present condition some sort of handicap. I need to feel useful.”
“And you think you aren’t? Who’s having this baby? You are, right? My job is to take care of you. So, let me do my job and you do yours.”
Sometimes Addy’s s
tatements made sense and left no room for any reasonable reply. Karen knew when the carpet had been pulled from under her feet. She smirked and remained seated while Addy opened the curtains and blinds to let some light in. She then went upstairs and started to unpack.
While upstairs, she heard Karen on the phone talking to JP. Addy couldn’t hear well and she made no effort knowing that Karen would fill her in later. After the conversation stopped, she heard the television go on.
“Addy, where are you?”
“Upstairs, resting. I needed a break. I started to unpack, but got tired.”
Karen knew that Addy was compulsive and had to get stuff out of the way or else she wouldn’t have peace of mind. “Do you want me to help, or is that also too much work for a pregnant woman?”
Addy smiled. And the games begin! “No, unpacking is safe for pregnant women. Come up and knock yourself out!”
Once Karen joined Addy upstairs her phone vibrated. It was a text message. She read it and immediately looked at Addy. “There are some developments we must talk about.”
Addy sat on the bed expecting the worse judging from Karen’s somber look. “What’s happened?”
“It appears that James moved out of the manor.”
“I know.”
“You do?”
“Yeah, he just called me before you came up. That’s why I had to take a break. I was trying to figure out how to talk to you about it. He would rather talk to you, but wasn’t sure whether you should be drawn into it, considering your present condition.”
“Shit! Is everyone going to be treating me like I’m incapacitated? I’m not disabled, I’m just pregnant!” All of a sudden upon realizing what she had just said, she pouted and her eyes became two gigantic pools.
“Aaww, baby.” Addy hugged her. “We all love you and don’t want to stress you.”
“Well, these two idiots didn’t get the memo and aren’t doing their part. And since when do you have to think about how you are going to tell me something?” She was drying her tears with her hands. Addy got up and brought some tissues from the bathroom and handed them over to her. I better buy extra boxes and have them all over the house.