Ash ignored his ringing phone thinking it was Emily again; she had called twice and both time he had ignored her. He was curious as to why she was calling him since it was unusual for her to do so. He could count how many times she had call with one hand and he had always ignored her, this time wasn’t an exception. Whatever she had to say could wait until he got home.
He cursed when his phone started ringing again. He couldn’t say he was surprised at her persistence; Emily had always been too stubborn for her own good. He picked up his phone to hit the ignore button but paused when he saw the caller ID.
It wasn’t her.
"Hey dad"
"Where are you?" his dad asked harshly.
Well, hello to you too. "I'm at work dad. It’s Friday isn’t it?" he asked sarcastically.
"Don't be fucking smart"
Whoa!
Ash reeled back from the sharp tone of his father's words. What's gotten up his ass today?
It was very seldom his father used words like that. Ash knew for certain that his dad only used curse words when he was super pissed. He racked his brain trying to figure out what he could have possibly done to piss him off.
He wasn't late to work even though he had a late night. He had also turn in the all the required documents for the new deal, so what the hell?
"Dad what’s going on?" he asked when he couldn’t think of anything.
"I ought to come over there and smack you for that question" was his dad’s answer.
Ash frowned. What was wrong with the question? It seemed like whatever he said pissed the old man off.
Treading lightly he asked "Dad can you..."
"Did you not know Emily is in the hospital?" the dad asked cutting him off mid-sentence.
Ash rolled his eyes. Of course it was about Emily; everything was about Emily these days. At work when his dad and he were not discussing accounts, it was about Emily, how the baby was doing, blah blah blah. Each time Ash would give a simple ‘she is fine’ and left it at that.
"ASH!" he jumped a little when the voice yelled in this ears.
"Did you not know your wife is in the hospital?" he heard his father repeat impatiently.
Yea so? He asked silently. Emily was an attention wh*re and probably seeking attention. There was nothing wrong with her when she was laying on the couch reading with a big bowl of popcorn last night.
"Dad, I'm in the office. I will go see her when I get off" he told the man what he wanted to hear since he had no intentions of visiting her in the hospital.
"No. Go see her right now" his dad ordered
Ash groaned. He didn’t want to see her, not yet anyway.
"Dad. I have so much to get to. There are files here I need to sort out". Everything shouldn’t revolve around her, he wanted to add but kept his mouth shut. He did have files he needed to sort out so he wasn’t entirely lying even though those files could wait.
"Asher, your wife just gave birth to your child and you haven’t been to see either one of them" It wasn’t a question
‘'Shit' Ash tighten his hold on his phone at the news. He was genuinely surprised since he had no idea she had the baby already. He had believed she had gone to drastic measure like going to the hospital just to get his attention. The last time he saw her, which was last night, she was fine reading some stupid novel so when did she have the baby?
Even though he didn’t see her if before he left for work, he didn’t think anything of it since that wasn’t unusual.
"F*ck!' he muttered.
So that was what she was trying to tell him late last night. He was way too tired and sleepy to make sense or care for what she was asking.
His new position was really starting to take a toll on him. He wasn’t able to enjoy both his personal life and career like he used to. He was so tired that he almost cancelled on Cindy even though he had initiated the visit.
His decision to keep Cindy around had nothing to do with the sex, he wanted someone that didn’t care for Emily just like him and Cindy was that someone. It was funny how quickly she had turned on her supposed friend. Ash knew Cindy was jealous of Emily and wanted her life since she was always trying to compare herself to her. There were no comparisons what so ever but Ash wouldn’t never tell her that.
He had requested for Cindy because Emily was getting to him. He couldn’t believe he had dreamt about her. The dream had been too real that he was sure they were true but when Emily said nothing happened he was relieved. At first he thought she was lying but why would she lie? He would think she would gloat about it if it did happened, but she hadn’t done anything not of the ordinary since then.
"Unbelievable. You didn’t even know she had the baby already?" his father asked in disbelief.
Ash tried to say something but was left speechless. There was no excuse why he wouldn’t know that when they lived in the same house.
He wiped his face in resignation. "I will go see her" But how? He didn’t even know what hospital she was at. She hadn’t left a voicemail or text message indicating where she was.
His dad asked him if he even knew which hospital she was staying and he answered honestly.
"Wow. You are something else Ash" he heard the disappointment in his dad's voice and felt like the little boy that didn’t make a good grade. He never had been one of those kids that often disappointed their fathers but recently he had been doing that a lot when Emily was involved.
"You wanted a DNA right? Well here is your chance. At least go there to get the DNA test you have been waiting for so you can finally step up and stop being a child. She is at St. Johns” his dad suggested before hanging up.
Ash perked up at the mention of DNA.
Finally!
This was what he had been waiting for, his proof that she was nothing but a common whore. Now with a reason to visit, Ash turned his computer off then got up to go see her.
*************************************************
Ash walked into Emily's room grinning sheepishly. He had gotten two numbers on the short distance from the reception area to her room on the fourth floor. This wasn’t anything new for him; he had always had girls throwing themselves at him.
He intended to call them too, maybe one of them would become his future wife after he had gotten rid of his now wife.
He walked in the room to find soon to be ex-wife sitting up on the bed cradling a baby. She was beaming, whispering something to the child but as soon as she looked up he watched her face fall when she saw it was him. ‘Oooh someone is not happy to see me’
They just stared at each other, none willing to speak first.
He turned away first when he started feeling uneasy; something about her eyes always made him feel ‘funny’. It was one of his favorite features of hers.
Avoiding eye contact, he looked her over. His first thought was that she looked like shit. This was the worst he had ever seen her look. She was wearing a hospital gown with her hair disheveled. Her eyes looked sulked in and extremely tired.
He grimaced at the sight. Served her right; she was the one that wanted to keep the baby.
"Did your dad call you?" she asked breaking the silence.
"Like always you need daddy to do your work" He accused, his earlier mood dissipating. She tend to do that too, always running his good moods. He couldn’t believe as old as he was he was still getting scolded by his dad.
She told him she had called him first but like always he didn’t answer. She was right of course. He didn’t even know how she got his number since he never actually gave it to her. His guess would be Gladys or daddy dearest.
He remembered the first time she had called. He had answered because he wasn’t familiar with the number thinking it was someone special but it turned out to be annoying o’l Emily. He had quickly hung up at the discovery. Turned out she was calling to see of his whereabouts.
Not saying anything else, he walked over to the couch by the window then sat down.
"So did your dad threatened you again? Is that why you are?" The question pissed him off or rather the way she asked it, all condescending.
"Fuck you!" he snarled at her. She looked startled by his harsh words, clearly not expecting such anger from him. Ash knew that was uncalled for but couldn’t bring himself to feel remorseful or apologize. She just had a way of getting him so riled up.
His frustration was worse than it used to be and he knew exactly why.
Why would he have such vivid dream about her of all people? Sure he would vision her when he was with some chick but he had never stoop as low as having a wet dream about Emily.
Yes she was pretty, very pretty but she wasn’t the prettiest he had seen. They had been girls that were far more gorgeous and f**ked better too.
Like the dream wasn’t bad enough, he woke up to find her in his bed. He had never been angrier in his life at the sight. He believed if she wasn’t in his bed, he wouldn’t be dreaming about her. It was only natural for his unconsciousness to play tricks on him. So like always he blamed her for it.
He suddenly felt suffocated thinking about the dream. Being in the same room alone with her wasn’t helping either.
He removed his suit jacket and loosened his tie then draped them on the arm of the couch.
“Who do I talk to about DNA testing?” he asked calmly.
He saw her eyes widen at the question before she asked softly "That’s all you came for?"
"Yea. What else will I be here for?' he asked rolling up his sleeves.
"What about how the baby and I are doing?"
He shrugged not answering her. He was fully aware he was being a*hole but wasn’t bothered about it; she ought to be used to it by now.
She asked him if he wasn’t going to hold him and he finally looked at the baby in her arms. He was wrapped in blanket so he couldn’t see his features from where he was sitting.
Thinking about her question, he thought on why holding the boy was a bad idea. Holding him might get him attached, which he didn’t want to be.
What if the baby turned out not to be his, what then? He refused to take care of someone's child just because he suddenly grew attached to him.
"No. I'm good" he asked emotionlessly.
He saw the tears crowd in her eyes but didn’t fall. She blinked them back before picking up what looked like a remote. She hit a button and then a voice came on. "Mrs. Hurley how can I help you?"
She asked for her nurse and was told the nurse would be there shortly.
Silence engulfed them. She scowled at him when he looked at her but didn't say anything. He couldn't imagine how she was feeling at the moment but his guess was that she was pretty angry.
His lip curled up. Good. Maybe now her stupid fantasy of them being a family would cease to exist.
The door opened and a nurse walked in. Ash looked her over in her cute little scrub. She was attractive with brown hair and oval shaped face.
"Mrs. Hurley, how can I help you? I brought you the forms for you to fill out for the baby birth certificate". She addressed Emily before handing her a folder.
Emily thanked her then added “How can we get a DNA test?".
The nurse looked slightly shocked then recovered quickly "Oh….I can get the kit and I will do it right here"
"Good". Ash exclaimed drawing the nurse attention to him.
"And you are?" She asked watching him curiously.
"Soon to be ex-husband when the test proves the baby's not mine". He noticed Emily roll her eyes but didn't say anything. She was too busy looking at the forms in her hands.
The nurse left to get the kit but not before sending a look at the baby and then Emily.
Ash watched Emily get out the bed holding the baby and bouncing gently on her feet. He stiffened when she turned around the corner of the bed towards him.
Do not bring that thing to me, he warned silently.
Like reading his mind, she scoffed. "Don’t worry. I won't bring him to you. You don't want to hold him and I won't force you"
"That will be a first"
She walked past him to the closet that was tucked in the corner. He noticed the ‘it’s a boy’ balloon and the big blue teddy bear in the room; he wondered if his dad had brought that or someone else. Her guy toy perhaps?
She rummaged through a bag then pulled out a pen. He watched her walk past him again then placed the baby in a cart by the bed.
She picked up the folder then sat on the edge of the bed facing him.
"What name do you have in mind?" His eyes zeroed on her lips when she licked it.
The stupid dream came back in full force at the action. He remembered how soft her lips were, how she kissed him like a woman starved. He remembered her gasps, whimpers and moans.
His d*k swelled at the memory. He looked away from her lips to her breasts. They had been so full in his dreams, fuller than he remembered them to be. He remembered feeling the weight on his hand, the way her nipples puckered up when he touched them.
His gaze fell on her sex. She had felt so tight, so wet and so incredibly amazing. He remembered how she greedily milked him when she climaxed. He wondered if she had anything underneath the hospital gown she was wearing. He wanted to take her right there in the hospital room.
Her hands tugging the gowns down snapped him back to the room.
Shit. She had caught him ogling her.
He looked back at her face to find her looking at him indifferently, not affected one bit.
He scowled at her when she raised her eyebrow. "I asked what name you had in mind"
"Leave me alone!" he bit out. She wasn’t affected.
Why didn’t she respond? One thing he enjoyed the most was the way she responded to him. It had always been easy for him to get a response from her but apparently not anymore.
"What is your deal? I asked a simple question" She uttered looking puzzled. He ran his fingers through his hair.
He was pissed she had caught him checking her out. She wasn’t supposed to know he was still attracted her. Knowing Emily, she was going to use that information to her advantage, probably to coerce him to do something outrageous like caring.
“You are one weird individual” she stated shaking her head.
“Fuck you!” he hissed out. Instead of getting offended, she smiled.
"You would want that, won’t you?" she asked then smirked at him
More than anything he shamelessly admitted to himself. Why the sudden attraction? He questioned himself. There was nothing appealing about her now but somehow he found himself been drawn to her.
"You wish". He accused instead.
She laughed, like really laughed at him. He wouldn’t remember ever hearing her laugh since she didn’t do it often.
"You were the one devouring me with your eyes" she stated still chuckling
"Whatever. Why would I want to fuck you? You look like s*it". His words were supposed to hurt her but they didn't. She just smiled broadly at him, pissing him off some more and turning him on at the same time.
"So if I walk up to you and pull your pants down, I won't find you hard?" his pants tightened at her words.
"Nope". He lied through his teeth.
She smiled a knowing smile. She couldn’t have known he was attracted to her, except he had said something in her dreams. What if he had moaned her name and she had heard him? That would be beyond embarrassing.
"Emily don't you dare come here me " He warned firmly when she got out of bed then took a step towards him. She chuckled then sat back on the bed.
"For someone that have sex a lot, you sure is horny"
"For someone that is just a common maid, you sure dream a lot". He retorted.
She shrugged the insult away then added "I am a maid. I'm not ashamed of that. At least I work hard for my pay. You on the other hand will sleep with anything in skirt. No standards what so ever"
He rolled his eyes "Clearly if I f*cked you"
She shrugged again at his hurtful words. "You came to me. I'm a common maid but you still wanted me. So bad you resulted to blackmail". Her words felt like a punch in the gut. He was so disgusted with himself going to that extent. He had never had to blackmail any girl until her. Why he needed to have her was beyond him. He would admit that he liked the trail of chasing her; it was different from what he was used to.
"I hate you!" he snarled at her.
"The feeling is mutual a*hole. You are a sorry excuse of a human being"
He recoiled at her words. That was a bit harsh, he thought frowning.
Her playful demeanor was suddenly gone too.
He asked if she felt that way about him then what did she marry him. She called him an idiot in response.
Ash was surprised at the new Emily; she had never been so blunt. The only time he remembered her being this way was when she found out he had lied about been exclusive. But she had been angry then and had no reason to be harsh now.
He figured this must be the real Emily and not that innocent bull she has been trying to fool people with
"If you hadn't been such a horn dog acting like a dog in heat, we wouldn't be in this predicament". She continued when he just stared at her.
"You are the one that is stupid for not being on birth control"
She rolled her eyes dramatically at him. "Here we go again"
He knew he was sounding like a broken record but she was the only girl he had ever been with that wasn't on birth control. Even the ones in high school were all on birth control.
"You can put all the blames on me but the truth is you are responsible for this. I reminded you each time to use a condom. If I wanted your child, I wouldn't push the issue every time"
Ash didn't believe this wasn’t her motive from the get go. To him, reminding him to use a condom was just an act so he wouldn't see her for what she really was.
"Have you ever wondered if you have kids out there that you don’t know about?" she asked in a serious tone.
"What the f*k?" Ash returned appalled at her question. That was really random. He asked her why she would ask him that.
"Just wondering if any child came from you getting carried away" Before he could respond, she snapped her fingers as if a light bulb had gone off "You probably paid them off or wait….even better--- you asked them to get an abortion". She shook her head looking repulsed. "You are sick”
"I have never had anyone pregnant for me before. I have always use a condom". Well except with you he added to himself.
She told him he didn’t believe him and he snapped back telling her he didn’t care. Since he became sexually active at 14, Ash had never gotten anyone pregnant and he had always used protection so her comment was offensive.
Luckily she dropped the issue before it got heated.
No words were spoken as she scribbled on the forms the nurse had handed to her earlier.
"So I'm going with Aiden for his name…do you have any objections?"
"Don't care. He is not mine" he muttered detached.
She laid the forms gently on the bed then regarded him "The only way this baby is not yours is if I was raped and wasn't aware of it. He is yours. I don't need a DNA"
She sounded confident, too confident. She had to have been very careful with her other partners. Please don't be mine, he prayed. Ash knew there was a good chance the baby was his but he prayed that there was someone else less fortunate.
"Nothing to say?" She questioned with her head cocked to the side. He had nothing to add except that it would not be pretty if he turned out to be wronged all along.