The Bad Boy Is My Baby's Daddy
December 31st 2012 /January 1st 2013
____________________________________
Chapter Twenty-One - Terrance Archibald
''Cloud!'' I called from the kitchen, pouring a bag of potato chips into a large clear glass bowl before glancing over my shoulder at the digital time on the stainless steel microwave. ''They're gonna start showing up soon and it'd be nice if you were actually up here with me setting up!''
I waited a moment but still got no response and I huffed, crumpling up the chip bag and tossed it into the nearby trashcan. I left the kitchen, peering into the different rooms on the main floor before stopping in front of the basement door that was left ajar and now that I thought about it—I've never been down there but in Cloud's free time he spent quite a bit of time down there and it made me curious.
Was there an awesome entertainment center I didn't know about down there?
Opening the door wider, I peered down the wooden steps before making my way down and turned the corner only to stop in disbelief. There were canvases everywhere, small, medium, large, and while some were blank others were full of color and images to their finest. Then littered along the walls of the basement were different drawings done in pencil, messily sketched but still amazing non the less.
And who I assume the artist of them all stood with his back to me, a small paint brush in hand while he worked on another canvas that looked to be the top of houses painted in autumn colors.
''Cloud?'' I asked, waiting for him to whirl around startled but I still got no response and I walked on forward, hearing faint music which meant he had his ear buds in and I tapped on his shoulder—finally getting the reaction I was waiting for as he whirled around and the paint brush in his hand slipped from his grasp as he stared at me like he was caught in some horrible act.
He stared at me like he was waiting me for to explode on him.
''You can paint and draw?'' I asked instead and though I was hurt that he kept one of his passions away from me; I wasn't gonna bring the whip down on him.
''...Yes.''
''Why didn't you tell me—you're absolutely amazing.'' I breathed, glancing over his shoulder at the canvas he was working on but he blocked my line of vision with a frown.
''That's not done,'' He said, turning back around and pulled a white sheet over the uncompleted painting. ''And I don't know.''
''You don't know what?''
''Why I didn't tell you,'' He admitted and I was surprised to see a blush rising on his cheeks as he turned back around to face me with averted eyes towards a cluttered paint splattered desk. ''I honestly never thought I was any good and I didn't want you finding out about my income.''
''Whoa wait, you sell them?''
Cloud nodded, folding his arms across his chest. ''Yeah, shockingly enough people actually like my work and I have quite a list of clients that purchase them.''
''How much do you sell them for?''
Cloud shrugged his shoulders looking rather bashful. ''It ranges.''
''What was the most expensive painting you sold?''
''I don't know...five grand.'' Holy shit. Just when I begin to think I know everything about my boyfriend and father of our unborn child there just happens to be more. I opened my mouth to speak but the sound of our door bell went off and I sighed, rubbing my forehead.
''We should get upstairs, but Cloud, I really wish you would have told me about your artistic talent because you truly are amazing.'' I said honestly before I stalked up the staircase with Cloud quietly following along behind me and opened the front door to reveal Carmen and Ryder. Carmen looked pretty in a white blouse with a high waist navy blue skirt that showed off her figure wonderfully and her hair was up in a messy bun with a simple navy plastic headband. Ryder stood next to her with dorky smile, wearing a graphic dark purple tee shirt and white skinny jeans.
''Hey.'' I greeted, stepping aside to allow them in and Ryder let out a low whistle, eying the front entrance.
''Nice place,'' Ryder said nodding his head in approval before turning his attention to Cloud with a grin. ''Perfect house for your perfect little housewife, huh?''
Cloud rolled his eyes but smirked. ''Mhm, you should see the kitchen where my perfect little housewife will burn all my future dinners.''
''Come off it!'' I cried, covering my face in embarrassment while Cloud laughed out loud.
''Rex, baby, you burnt instant noodles.''
''He could burn cereal,'' Ryder added on which had them both laughing in my expense so I just huffed, crossing my arms over my chest. ''Now lets go see this kitchen, I could use a beer.''
Cloud nodded in agreement, stepping forward to press a kiss to my cheek. ''I was just messing with ya, those burnt instant noodles were the best burnt food I ever had the pleasure to eat.''
I rolled my eyes, shoving him away playfully. ''Bugger off and go make me and Carmen a berry drink, hers with vodka and frozen raspberries and mine with just frozen raspberries.''
Cloud easily agreed like a dutiful boyfriend and had Ryder follow him into the kitchen chatting amoung themselves while I turned my full attention onto Carmen. ''All right, let me give you the grand tour.''
''Whatever you say, baby.'' Carmen mocked with a smirk.
I blushed. ''It's a pet name of affection.''
''Yeah, yeah,'' She said, waving her hand in amusement. ''Now let's get on with this grand tour.''
I nodded, leading her upstairs to Cloud and I's bedroom where I took a seat on our made bed—which oddly enough I found Cloud had a habit to make the bed every morning—while Carmen opened up the walk in closet before making her way into the bathroom.
''He has a stalker,'' I said as Carmen re-entered the bedroom. ''Her names Joyce--'' The distaste was obvious in my voice.'' --and Carmen, she is like really, really pretty.''
''Is Cloud not gay?'' She deadpanned, raising a thin dark eyebrow and her hazel eyes pierced into my baby blues. ''Doesn't that mean he has no interest in what girls have got going down here.'' She added, motioning to what she had going on down there and I sighed, averting my eyes while running a hand through my hair in frustration.
''To be honest, I don't know what Cloud's sexual orientation is,'' I admitted, scowling as I caught Carmen from the corner of my eye throwing her hands up in the air like she couldn't believe what was coming out of my mouth. ''He could be bi or pan for all I know.''
''You don't even know his confirmed sexuality and you're living with him?''
''I know enough about him!'' I protested halfheartedly because maybe she was right—I didn't know much about Cloud but I did know for a fact I loved him.
''Terrance,'' Carmen said, rubbing her forehead with a sigh. ''I just don't want you to get hurt by him because I know you love him which will make your heartache worse if something does happen between you and him and I won't stand to see you hurt by him again.''
''Carmen,'' I said, stepping forward and wrapped my arms around her, pulling her into a hug. ''Thank you.''
''For what? Hating on your baby daddy?'' She asked dryly.
''No,'' I said with a small laugh. ''Caring about me and always being here for me.''
''Yeah, well, I guess you're welcome.'' She said, pulling out of the hug and playfully punched my shoulder. ''Now lets get back downstairs to finish this tour with berry refreshments in hand.''
★ ★ ★
''Carmen looks pretty tonight, am I right?'' I asked Ryder, focusing in on him intensely while he took a swing from his beer, averting his eyes in the direction of Carmen who was chatting it up with Wind, looking like she was scolding him for something and Wind seemed to find it amusing because he was smirking and shaking his head.
''She always looks pretty.'' Ryder said with a shrug.
''I think Wind likes her,'' I tossed out, gauging Ryder reaction but it didn't seem to faze him and I just wanted to lean over and throttle him for being so blind. ''I think they'd be cute together.''
Now Ryder actually snorted, choking on his beer before laughing. ''Terrance, Wind is gay.''
Now it was my turn to choke and gape at him. ''No he's not--''
''Dude, he's gay,'' Ryder cut me off, smirking as he leaned back into the couch, taking another quick glance at Carmen and Wind. ''I've seen him around town with another guy and I'm pretty positive straight guys don't hold other guys hands or kiss them.''
Okay...what?
''Do you know the guy's name?'' I asked, totally dumfounded and Ryder shook his head.
''Nah, honestly I haven't seen him before.''
''Are you sure it was Wind not someone else?''
''Wind is sorta hard to forget, not to sound homo or anything but the guy isn't ugly,'' Ryder pointed out and I had to agree, Wind was blessed—though the entire Stryker family was blessed in the look department. ''But moving onto another topic, I know what you're doing.''
''What I am doing?'' I asked and Ryder gave me this deadpanned look.
''I know Carmen is crushing on me but we'd never work out, Terrance.''
I stared at him with a scowl. ''Why the heck have you stayed oblivious all this time?''
''Not oblivious, I just don't want to lead her on because I'm not interested her; our friendship means way more to me then some petty relationship I know for a fact wouldn't last long,'' He stated quietly and I frowned. ''And don't get me wrong, Carmen's a total babe but she deserves someone better then me, someone she can depend on with a bright future ahead of them and that someone just isn't me.''
''I never knew you thought so low of yourself, Ryder, but Carmen likes you--''
''She likes me now but it'll pass, it has too because I'm not the one for her and she'll realize that soon enough,'' Ryder said with finality and a bit of an edge to his tone as he stood up from the couch, taking a heavy swing of beer with a sigh. ''I'm gonna go grab another beer.''
I also stood up to follow after him to continue with our conversation but the doorbell went off and I watched Ryder disappear into the kitchen before I went and opened the front door where stood Gennifer and my own mom, both smiling ear to ear before my vision was blocked as my mother engulfed me into a hug, my head tucked into her neck while she ran her fingers through my hair.
''My baby boy now living on his own with his boyfriend whom of which are both expecting a baby of their own and I feel so old now.''
''You are old.'' I said teasingly which had her pulling back, gently swatting at my cheek as Gennifer come up, giving my cheek a quick peck.
''Careful now, Terrance, your mother and I are the same age.''
I smiled and she chuckled, both of them stepping into the house just as Cloud came around the corner looking sexy as usual in a tight dark gray long sleeved hooded shirt and dark washed skinny jeans with a simple silver chain hanging from his left sided belt loop. Gennifer beamed, hurrying over before Cloud could back track his steps and pulled him in for a fierce hug, cooing in his ear something that had him groaning.
''I'm just saying.'' Gennifer said, pulling back and holding her hands up innocently. ''Wind, Starr and Eugene here?''
''Yeah, they're here, eating Terrance and I out of house and home.'' Cloud responded before greeting my mother before she too pulled him into a hug before following after Gennifer which left Cloud and myself standing in the front hall and I'd be lying if I didn't want him to kiss the living daylights out of me. ''I'm sorry I didn't tell you about the basement.''
''You mean about you being an absolutely amazing artist?''
''Yeah, it's just...I don't know not masculine.''
I raised an eyebrow. ''Cloud, you're talking to a pregnant guy and being an artist doesn't make you girly and it could have been way worse, you could have secretly been a cross-dresser.''
Cloud actually smirked at that. ''I'd be a pretty bad ass looking cross-dresser.''
''Oh shut up,'' I mumbled, stepping forward so I was right up against him, leaning up on my tippy toes and placed my hands on either sides of his stubbly cheeks to pull him in for a quick kiss. ''I'm not mad at you if that's what you're wondering.''
''Really?''
''Really but to make it up to me--''
''I thought you said you weren't mad--''
''Don't cut me off and I'm not mad, just a little hurt so you can set aside a day to show me all of your fine work so I could 'ooooo and aahhh' at them then brag about my talented boyfriend.''
''You drive hard bargain, Rex.''
''Would you have it any other way?'' I asked with an innocent smile just as Starr called for us to return to the living room. Cloud shook his head obviously amused, leaning forward to peck my cheek before taking my hand in his and led me back to the living room, both Cloud and I taking a seat on the love seat side by side.
''We should play charades!'' Starr exclaimed not giving anyone enough time to decline as she carried on, leaving no room for argument and that's what we did, dividing up into teams while we waited for the clock to strike midnight.
★ ★ ★
''Happy New Year,'' Araki greeted as soon as Cloud and I stepped foot into the hospital room, a wide smile stretched across her red painted lips. Her wavy black hair was up in a bun with a few loose strands framing her tanned face and her piercing gray eyes peered through a pair of half moon reading glasses. ''Shall we discover the gender of your baby?''
I nodded and gave a smile. ''Yeah, I'm pretty eager to know.''
''All right, Terrance, you know the drill sit up on the bed and lay back and raise your shirt up to your chest,'' Araki instructed and I did as asked, keeping Cloud's hand in mine while Araki wheeled over to her computer and typed stuff in. ''Now last time I saw you, you were bleeding has it occurred since?''
''Not as heavily, it'll only spot.''
''That's good. Are you still getting morning sickness?''
''It's gotten better,'' I admitted. ''But I've been having to pee a lot.''
''That's normal, it's just the baby growing and laying over top of your bladder,'' She explained and I nodded, resting my hands over my stomach while Araki set up the machine and plucked up the wand before wheeling over. ''All right you ready?''
''More then ready, it'll be nice to call little person him or her.'' I said and Araki nodded in understanding, squirting that cold gel onto my stomach and I directed my attention to the screen as Araki guided the wand over my baby bump. Little person's heart beat sounded and I bit into my bottom lip, squeezing Cloud's hand as I watched little person on the small monitor and I couldn't believe how much little person appeared well—more baby like.
Though, little person was still extremely little but I knew he or she would grow and become bigger and stronger.
''Hmm,'' Araki hummed, her narrowed gray eyes focused on the screen before she smiled, turning her attention to Cloud and I. ''Congrats, Terrance, Cloud, you're having a baby boy.''
''A boy?'' Cloud breathed, swallowing hard as Araki nodded, still beaming before Cloud turned his attention to me, using his free hand to cup my cheek while I tried holding back my tears of joy. ''We're having a boy.''
''So we are.'' I murmured with a watery but over the moon smile.
*Vote*Comment*Fan*