Dropping The Crown

Chapter 67: Unbreakable

"You're the one who kept him a secret, Penelope. You left and you didn't even tell me a word. You neglected to inform me that I have a son, how can you be so brutish?" Ricardo questioned with pain in his voice.

"Ricardo, you wouldn't understand."

"You damn right I wouldn't understand. Had I known, I would have been there for him every step of the way and you of all people should know that. I never back down from my responsibilities."

"Dad wanted me to have an abortion when he learned I was pregnant. I left because I didn't want to deal with him yelling at me and putting me down for not doing it," Penelope explained.

"You could have come to me."

"You have just started working at your father's company and your attention was there. I tried to call you. You said you were busy. I even came by and you informed security to tell me you were in the most important meeting of your life and you couldn't be bothered with my foolishness. So, I left you alone and I left the state to NY where I had my son and my mom raised him while I worked."

I watched as Ricardo battled his emotions.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that," I said, "But this is the present and little Ricci needs his father."

"I'm very sure he didn't say that he does."

"Penelope.. let's.."

"The results you requested so you would know if he's indeed your son would be ready tomorrow. Yours would be delivered," Penelope finished. She got into her car and drove away with little Ricci in the back seat.

~

Ricardo and I had a restless night. At day break, we were already up and in the kitchen having a cup of tea.

"Good morning. Sir, you requested me to deliver these as soon as it arrived. The envelopes," Smoke said as he walked into the kitchen.

"Thank you, Frankie," Ricardo said.

'Frankie? He doesn't look like a Frankie' I thought to myself.

"The results," Ricardo said. He opened the envelope and withdrew the results. He raked his fingers through his hair.

"Is he yours?" I asked.

"He's my son and just to make certain I wasn't being played with, I asked Rockett if she'd be willing to get tested as well," he said and tore into the other envelope. He looked over the information before speaking again. "They're related," he confirmed, "Little Ricci is my son."

"Congratulations. You'll be an amazing dad to him," I encouraged.

"Yeah but I can't help but feel like I've fucked up everything for you and I. I know there's a part of you, even if it's a tiny piece, is hurting right now. I've pulled you into the realm of my drama. A toxic mother and a jealous and bitter ex-fianceé who both dislike you equally. And now this," he said then released a ferocious sigh.

"Hey, I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere again. I'm going to be by your side and I'm going to love your son like if he's my very own. I love you."

"You wanted to be the first one to give me kids, right? I saw the expression on your face when my mom said you weren't."

"I did but that doesn't change the way I feel about you or would refrain me accepting little Ricci. He's innocent and you deserve to get to know your son."

"You're so freaking amazing," he complimented. He reached out to kiss me but I felt sick to my stomach at that exact moment.

I got off the chair as quickly as possible and ran into the nearest washroom and fell to the bowl of the toilet. My stomach felt like a knot was being covered with chains as I vomited. Tears escaped my eyes from the force of being closed too tightly.

"Baby, what's wrong?" Ricardo asked as he joined me. He dropped to my level with comforting rubs on my back before helping me to my feet.

"Are you okay?" he asked once I was on my feet again.

"I think so," I answered.

"We should see a doctor," he said as he flushed the toilet.

"No, no. I'm fine." I pushed down on the handwash dispenser and the smell of the liquid turned my stomach upside down again. I went back to the bowl, feeling weak in the knees.

"That's it. I'm taking you to the doctor." He picked me up and carried me to the car outside.

~
I was taken to a private doctor's office. Friendly guy with a welcoming aura. He escorted us to a private room where conducted several examinations like checking my heart rate and blood pressure.

"I have to pee," I said.

"Please hold it. We're carrying out an ultrasound now," Dr. Patel said. After a cold gel and an ultrasound transducer on my stomach, a sonogram image showed and in that image was a...

"Oh my God," Ricardo and I said in unison.

"Congratulations. You're having a baby."