Pregnant by a Stranger (bwwm)

Chapter 13 - Michael's Plan

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Another writer  to check out: @IcyandOtherEmotions. My favorite works of hers are wilds and wistful. As always, thank you to those commenting and voting for every chapter.

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Michael's cramped cubicle suddenly felt smaller as his boss swung by, a smile etched into the lines on his face. "Michael, hats off to you. Your work on that James Aldin vs North Carolina brief? Stellar. Keep up the heat, my man."

Michael beamed, his smile cracking wide open like a door swinging wide. "Thanks a bunch, boss." The compliment was the equivalent of a high-five from the universe. Michael's fingers itched to perform a touchdown dance as his boss sauntered away. Instead, he opted for a discreet fist pump. This was the stuff that made a day.

Michael's attention diverted to his phone, with the residual warmth of commendation still buzzing beneath his skin. He was hoping for Jenelle's response regarding Mckayla's takeout preferences. An evening of study at her place was on his radar, all in the name of trying to break down her walls. The goal? To move from reluctant allies to genuine pals, maybe even inch closer to swaying her to let him have the child instead of giving it to a random family.

But forging a friendship with Mckayla was proving to be a slow-burn expedition. He sensed the raised eyebrow, the flicker of judgment that danced in her eyes when he shared snippets about himself. Just because they were on different wavelengths didn't automatically label him a bigot. His family certainly weren't card-carrying members of the racism club.

With the office emptying and his phone still buzzing with silence, Michael decided to dabble in online research. He shucked his suit jacket off and draped it over his chair, followed by a loosening of his tie. Shirt slightly unbuttoned, he went for it: "How to convince a woman not to give up her baby."

The results were like a circus of ideas and a roller coaster of points of view. In the middle of all the chaos, however, there were tips on how to nudge a woman toward abortion. Michael's gut churned at the audacity. These 'advice' givers seemed more like cowards, opting for shortcuts instead of shouldering responsibility.

Unimpressed with the rabbit hole he'd stumbled into, he switched gears, trying a new search: "Cracking the code of a woman's mind."

The results were mixed, from suggestions of feigned indifference to downright childish pranks. Michael frowned at the screen. Somehow, he doubted these tips were the key to unlocking Mckayla's trust. She'd see right through it, like a modern-day Sherlock Holmes.

Burrowing deeper into the search results, one link tickled his curiosity: a Reddit thread titled "Help I've been dickmatized." The word itself sounded like it belonged in a comedy sketch. As he ventured into the thread, a slew of real-world insights greeted him. "Give her mind-blowing sex, and she'll be eating out of the palm of your hand," one commenter proclaimed. A smile curled his lips. Maybe he had an ace up his sleeve; after all, he was Mckayla's first, and she had no other experience to compare him to. It will make laying it thick on her easy. He'll also enjoy himself, as she's not too bad on the eye, even though she wasn't his type. A win-win situation all around!

The buzz of his phone interrupted his thoughts. Jenelle's response arrived, unveiling Mckayla's takeout favorites. "Thanks a bunch," he texted back, using the newfound info to place an order. The game plan was set; he was stepping into uncharted territory.

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When the doorbell chimed, Mckayla knew it was Michael again. This was becoming a routine – him showing up in the evening with food and books. She wasn't thrilled, to be honest. It's not like he annoyed her or anything, but she just didn't want to get too friendly. She was not looking for his friendship.