I'm Having a Royal Baby {ORIGINAL VERSION; BOOK 2}

Chapter 14: Man To Man

I averted my eyes from his and stared at the dark beverage of my tea. I tilted my cup from side to side and watch intensely as the ice cubes slightly grazed the plastic cup. It was soothing to watch, but I didn't do it as a distraction; I did it to think. I do love Folashadé. I care about her well-being just as much as I care about anyone else that I love.

Loving someone and being in love with someone are two different feelings all together. You can love your brother, mother, father, a friend, a cousin, anyone who you take the time to think about their well-being and feelings. I care for Shadé's well-being and feelings; deeply. Being in love with someone is where you think intimately and emotionally of that person. It is almost like loving that person, but yet there is a much deeper connection between the two. Do I have that deeper connection with Folashadé? In my opinion, I do. I think of her more often than I like to, but I can't help it. She invades my mind. Her voice, her hair, her eyes, her body, everything about her invades my mind. Even the day she told me and my parents of the pregnancy, my conscience was filled with thoughts and visions of her and me raising a family. It didn't have to be in this castle, we could raise our family anywhere. I just wanted her to be a part of it.

I sipped my tea, all the while eyeing Frank who was spreading his cream cheese on to his bagel.

"If I told you yes, how would you respond," I inquired, sipping my sweet tea.

His head was still bowed down toward his bagel, but his eyes looked up at me. "Sir, it is not about what I think. It is about what Folashadé thinks," he replied wisely.

Frank was six years my senior. It wasn't much, but I feel as if he has been through much more than I have.

I grunted and asked, "Have you ever been in love?" My eyes settled on his countenance as a sad smiled spread across it.

"Yes, I have. She passed, through child birth. She and the baby haven't made it," he breathed depressingly. I was interested. He was in love before.

"I was younger than you, twenty-one actually, and she'd been eighteen. She was the daughter of a well-known landscaper that I looked up to. He was my employer as well, and he knew that I had some feelings for his daughter, so in an attempt, he was adamant on keeping me away from her."

"It didn't work," I said knowingly.

He shook his head. "Of course not. She wanted to see me, and I couldn't refuse that, we loved one another. Our time spent sneaking out to see each other...was amazing. I wasn't into her only for the sex, but also for how amazing of a person she was; her personality...it was...it was as if I spent all that time loving an angel. And honestly, I felt warm; it was a very amazing feeling."

The way he spoke of her, I knew he must've truly, sincerely loved this girl.

"Eventually, she got pregnant and her father made it harder for the both of us, especially Anastasia. Oh Anastasia, god bless my lover's soul. She had a weak immune system, so she got sick quite often; colds, flus, and even stomach viruses. It made me sad having to know that she's too sick to spend a night out with me, but all I truly wanted was for my love to get better."

"Unfortunately, due to her weak immune system, she had gotten the flu in December, a month where the flu is quite common. She was too weak to give birth, and that caused her contractions to weaken her more than normal. She died before the child was out...he was a stillborn," he said quietly, his eyes beginning to redden.

My eyes widen at the piece of information. His first child was a stillborn!

I suddenly felt a heavy amount of sympathy and respect for the man before me. He's experienced love and he also lost that love one...no, loved ones.

"It must have been hard on you to lose your lover and child," I said depressingly.

"Ana, yes. But, the baby, no," he answered as he studied his apple juice with red rimmed eyes.

I furrowed my brows in confusion. How could he say such a thing? Did he not live his own child?

He must've sensed my confusion because he continued. "I had no fatherly connection with the baby, therefore, I didn't love him."

I averted my eyes and watched as a group of girls were sizing up Frank and me in a thirsty manner. I looked away from them and back at Frank as he began to speak again.

"I don't want Folashadé to go through the same experience that Anastasia went through," he admitted quietly. "Anastasia was constantly stressed out with her father not accepting our relationship. I fear that...if Shadé is stressed by what's happening, she'd end up like...her," he said, his eyes staring blankly at the apple juice bottle. He hadn't touched his bagel or beverage ever since he told me about his past. I'd lost my appetite a while ago, as well.

"She's a strong woman, my Shadé. I'm sure that if she does, God forbid, she'll have the strength. After all she's been through...she has to be strong enough," I calmly retorted. I believed in Folashadé. She wasn't a weak person, hell mentally, she was stronger than me!

Frank smiled, the first time he's smiled this whole conversation. "I believe in her as well. But, we should hurry back, I think they're done," he suggested rising from his seat. I followed suit.

"Actually, I want to talk to her alone," I said quietly. That was my initial reason for coming with them. I want to talk to Folashadé. I know she's probably upset that I came, but she'll have to get used to it. I want to be there for every appointment she has. That includes canceling dates with Mel.

I just want to be there, to see my child's mother progress through her pregnancy. And on that thought, she and I needed to talk.