The Millionaire's Baby
"EW!" Howard jumped around the boutique we worked at, after hearing the news I had just broke to him.
My twenty-six year old step-mom was pregnant with my little brothers. Not just one...but two. Two freaking little brothers a few years too late.
"Your dad's like fifty-five!"
"I know! It's like there's just one bombshell after the next. I don't know what to do, Howard," I sunk into one of the fluffy white chairs in the lobby.
"Well, all you really can do for now is breathe," he took a seat next to me and put his face right in front of mine. "I know it's sort of weird right now but I'm sure you won't find it so bad once the kids are actually here." He took a long pause, clearly carefully planning his next move, "You know what, kid? Just take the rest of the day off. Go home and rest up a bit."
I gave him a crazy look, "You want me to go home? Howard, you know you can't run this place without me."
"Well, I'll just have to manage. Won't I?"
I gave him one last look before slowly collecting myself and wandering towards the exit.
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I sat and watched tv in my small apartment in the heart of town. From my sofa I had the best view of the city. I loved seeing all the street lights and signs lit up at night.
I was still pretty upset with everything going on right now and my puppy dog, Cuddles, seemed to notice that, seeing as though he jumped in my lap and wouldn't leave. He was a corgi. The best corgi in the world.
My cell phone vibrated on the glass coffee table, a few inches away from me. It took every ounce of me to fight the laziness and reach those few inches to grab it off the table.
I was beyond shocked to see that Austin was calling me. Isn't he supposed to be on some island with his new skanky ass wife?!
Since I was feeling daring though, I decided to answer it, "What the hell do you want traitor?!" I snapped, a tear almost threatening to fall as I remembered everything I once had with him.
"Vi, I can't fucking do this! She is the most annoying person in the world!"
"Sorry sucker. Knowing her, she's probably already pregnant. So you're stuck with it. Now goodbye."
"No, Violet! Wait!"
I decided to be nice and let him finish talking.
"Please just talk to me. Maybe I won't come back insane."
I sighed, "Austin, I know you don't like Silvia, but that's too bad. You're gonna have to deal with it. I can't talk to you anymore. You're parents hate me enough as it is. Now seriously...I've gotta go. I'm supposed to be somewhere."
"Oh cut the crap! I know you're probably just sitting at home with Cuddles. You never did anything fun and I don't think anything has changed."
"Who said I was going somewhere fun? Maybe my grandma died and I was heading to her funeral. Wow, you're a real jackass!"
I gave him absolutely no time to finish talking and immediately hung up. Even though I didn't like Silvia, I didn't think it was fair to her for me to be talking to him. I suppose they are legally bound to each other.
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It had been a few months since everything went down.
I had to go around doing errands with Lacey. I was not up to this but my dad requested that I go with her, and you know I am a daddy's girl so I obviously obeyed.
She apparently was six months into her pregnancy and was thinking that now would be a good time to buy baby things for the nursery that she was putting together.
"So...have you thought of any names yet?" I asked, just trying to make this less awkward than it already was. She seemed way to busy in the racks of baby clothes though so I wasn't expecting an answer.
"Um...Jeffrey and Charles," she answered, barely paying me any look at all.
I'm starting to think that Lacey is purposely trying to make this awkward for me now. Those aren't the stereotypically modern day names that baby boys are getting nowadays. Charles is my dad's first name and Jeffrey is his middle one.
"Oh. So my dad wants you to name them after him?" I asked while pushing the cart behind her. She moved to the cribs and strollers part of the store now.
"No. I just like those names."
Once she wasn't looking, I rolled my eyes and pretended to throw up in my mouth. She's a dirty liar.
"When's the due date?"
"November 20. Put this one in the cart," Lacey pointed to a mahogany crib. It was in a box but I still wasn't picking that shit up.
I was about to say something, but she raised her finger to silence me and turned her attention to the TV set on the news channel in the store.
"Silvia Starling, reportedly pregnant with Cruise family future heir or heiress. It's said that the twenty-three year old came out to close friends and family last night. No one knows when the child will be due."
My mouth literally hung open while Lacey jumped up and down in excitement. No one was a bigger Silvia Starling fan than her.
"How does that feel?" She turned to me, the most pleased look on her face. "You have officially lost the game of love."
I spun on my heel and exited the store. I don't care how much my dad wanted me to be here. No amount of quilt was ever going to make me feel bad about leaving her ass behind.
I need to talk to Austin.
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Picture of: Austin Cruise