Chapter dedication: CoffeeCommunity
Song of recommendation for the chapter: Black mail - Robert Palmer. 🎧🎶
*
Lee was being examined by Dr. Smith when Carson, Lark and Millie walked into the room with bags that produced smells that made her mouth water and her stomach growl.
Dr. Smith laughed as she draped her stethoscope around her neck. "That's a good sign, Ms. Arden. You need all the food you can get in you."
Lee winced. "I hope I can keep it down is all. It's as if I have a stomach bug that wouldn't let me keep food down, even the smell of the coffee I love makes me puke my guts out."
"Ah, did you not do any test?" Dr. Smith asked, her brows raised when Lee shook her head. "Oh."
"Am I in danger or something?" Lee tried to meet Sutton's eyes, but her sister adverted her gaze purposely. She knew instantly that something was up. "Is that it?"
Dr. Smith shook her head with a gentle smile. "Unless a baby becomes a life threatening disease, I'm afraid not."
Unless a baby. . . Oh. A baby?!
Lee pressed her hand to her stomach with a gasp. She was pregnant?
Holy shit!
The monitors began to beep like crazy which made Dr. Smith frown at her. "Ms. Arden, you have to calm down or I will have the nurses sedate you. Your baby is still fragile as you are and you don't need stress right now. I am going to ask you to take deep breaths and release them quickly, okay?"
Lee nodded. She followed the doctor's breathing pattern until her heart didn't feel like it would pump right out of her chest and the monitors settled into a normal beeping rhythm.
"That's good. I suggest you see the resident OBYGYN." A beeping sound came from her pocket. She dug it out of her lab coat and sighed. "I have to go now, but I will be back in two hours to check up on you. In the meantime, you can eat, but not something too heavy, but just enough to get your body reacquainted with food again. We gave you something for the nausea, so you should be fine."
When Dr. Smith left the room, Lark and Millie sat on the right side of the bed, each of them wearing a worried and relieved look. Lee smiled up at them.
"Hell, Lee. Thank God you're fine now." Millie reached for her hand with a happy sigh. "I was so worried when you went into shock yesterday."
Lee squeezed her hand. "I am fine now, I promise."
Lark shook her head. "No. I won't take your word for it, Ledia, not until you get help. The last time you told us you were 'okay' and we believed you. See where that got us."
"Yes," Carson said. "You are getting help either you like it or not. We can't let something happen to you now that we know you have a little one growing in there." He nodded at her belly.
Lee cleared her throat. "I wasn't expecting to get pregnant so soon, you know. I didn't even notice that I missed my period last month."
"Because you were so worried," Rainy said, her mouth twisting into a frown. "Although, I am not pleased with you getting pregnant like this. I thought you guys were safe or something?"
"We were, I promise. Except for. . ." Lee groaned as she remembered their kitchen escapade. "Fuck! It was on the night of his birthday party."
Sutton wrinkled her nose in disgust. "You should mind the way you speak now that you have a baby on the way. I won't say I am pleased about you getting pregnant like this, but you're an adult and you have the right to make your own choice. No matter what you agree to do, we will stand behind you, right guys?"
They all nodded, although Carson didn't look too pleased about it. Lee didn't care whatever they thought, she was keeping the baby. Chris would be so happy about having a little of the both of them growing up within her. First, she had to get better before seeking him out to apologize about the way she spoke to him that night.
She had a lot of people to apologize to, but one step at a time.
"Thank you for understanding and acknowledging my right over my life." Lee nodded at Sutton, but her eyes was on Carson. "I will be keeping the baby no matter the outcome between Chris and I. Also, he will have full rights over the baby too, since we both made him or her. Many of you might not be pleased with that, but like you said, it's my life and my choice."
Lark nodded as she bit her lip. "He was here last night."
Lee didn't need to be told that he was Chris. "Did he come to see me? Is he coming back?"
Sutton glared at Lark, who had the grace to look ashamed. "It's nothing, Lee. I know he would not be coming back because of what happened in the hospital lobby and before you ask, no I won't tell you anything until you're strong enough to hear it. You need to focus on getting better for yourself and the baby."
Lee bit her dry lips to stop herself from asking for more information about what happened. A glance at Carson's busted lip and bruised nose told her that they must have gotten into a fight;it was the reason why was something she didn't understand. Sutton wouldn't tell her, but Lee would find out from the nurses.
"So, do you promise to get help?" Rainy asked.
Lee shifted her gaze away from the people around her to the window. It was raining heavily like it did around December. The rain would soon give way to snow in a few days; the weather forecast she watched on the TV earlier said as much. But before then, it would continue to rain. The heating system in the room warded off cold, but Lee still felt goosebumps raised on her arms at the thought of the little life growing inside her.
The fact that she almost hurt an innocent life sealed her resolve to get help. She knew she should have gone to see a therapist after her break up with he-whose-name-shall-forever-remain-unspoken because he did a number on her emotions, but she'd ignored it with the hope that it would go away.
She wasn't the only one anymore. She had to start thinking for two people now and every of her actions would determine the life of her baby. She needed to tell Chris the news and ask him to forgive her. Lee knew that she had to get help first or she'd end up hurting Chris again.
So she nodded. "I promise you that I will get help. I will see a therapist like you said after I am discharged from the hospital."
Millie smiled. "The good news is that you don't even have to be discharged before you go to see one."
"What do you mean?" Lee asked.
"After we brought you in and you went into shock, Dr. Smith recommended the hospital therapist to attend to you during your stay here." Rainy explained. "We already have a slot for you for today. She will be coming up to see you everyday."
Lee wanted to protest about them going behind her back to make arrangements without asking her first, instead she nodded. They were only looking out for her and her baby. Lee couldn't hold it against them.
"Good." Carson nodded. "I needed to stop by to convince myself that you were really awake. I am sorry, but I have to get going. I have tons of work to do when I get to the bank, so I have to leave now, I'm sorry." He leaned down to kiss Lee's forehead. "Rest well, okay?"
Lee nodded with a smile. "Thank you so much, Carson."
He nodded, then wrapped his arms around his wife, whom excused herself to go outside with him. Lee smiled at the couple before turning to look at her friends. Rainy looked exhausted, while Millie also looked as if she had lost a few pounds, which was probably because of the baby. Lark, on the other hand, was sporting newly tanned skin. She looked radiant despite the bags under her eyes.
"So," Lee said, by the way of a conversation starter. "You and I have buns in the oven now, Millie. Although, your baby is probably a month older than mine."
Millie rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. "If you did it without condom on day three then it's safe to say that your baby would be days older than mine."
Rainy yawned with a chuckle. "As much as I love all this baby talk, I am really hungry. What did you bring, ladies?"
"Foodie." Lark ribbed her good naturedly. "I am only bringing this food out of the bag because of Lee, not you Rain."
"Whatevs."
Lark flipped her the middle finger, making all of them laugh. Then the three of them set out of empty the contents of the bags they brought. One bag held clean clothes, underwear and shoes for Lee. While the other three held food that made Lee's mouth water.
After setting the bed tray for her and pushing her bed up a little higher, Rainy set out to place two takeout boxes on the tray. One takeout box held pancakes with whipped cream and strawberries, fried potatoes, and bacon and the second box had toast, scrambled eggs, tomatoes, fried mushrooms, and sausages. The last bag held a litre of milk, four cans of Pepsi, one Diet Coke and six bottles of water.
Lee dug into the pancakes first, ignoring the fried mushrooms. The sight of it alone made her feel like throwing up, so she pushed it aside.
"Wow, look at you digging into food with gusto." Rainy mused as she broke off a piece of toast and chewed on it.
"'m so hungry," Lee mumbled around a mouthful of scrambled eggs. "Hmm, God."
Millie laughed. "I can't eat that much without getting sick. This little one—" she patted her stomach. "—only allows mommy to eat a little."
"Ah," Lark popped the can of Pepsi and took a long gulp from it. "Baby Arden doesn't give two fucks about little food."
"Language!" Millie scowled.
Rainy laughed. "Relax, mummy dearest, the baby doesn't even have a brain yet. It's just one tiny bean."
Lee scrunched her face up at the thought of her baby being a bean. "Can we not talk about that, Rainy?"
Sutton returned to the room, all rosy cheeks. She sat by Lee's feet on the bed. "How dare you start breakfast without me?"
They all rolled their eyes, but Rainy was the one that spoke up. "Says someone who just got thoroughly kissed and banged in the bathroom by her boo boo."
Lee made a face. "Can we not talk about my sister's sex life, please? It's weird."
They laughed again. They ribbed each other as they ate. The easy camaraderie was something Lee missed ever since she went down that dark hole after seeing her father's body. Although she still hadn't cried yet, Lee knew she just had to be patient and everything would be fine.
She was getting help this time. It was time to make a change for the better and have a family of her own.
*
Chris was sitting on the breakfast stool in his kitchen sipping the piping hot coffee he made after showering and dressing in sweats and navy blue tee. He had managed to clean the cuts on his face with the first aid box under his bathroom sink. There was nothing he could do about the purplish colour that was beginning to appear on his face.
April had also showered and dressed herself in the clothes she wore last night; a thigh length low cut sequined gown. She was also sitting across from him nursing a cup of coffee.
Her eyes never strayed from his even as she lifted the delicate China to her colourless lips.
Chris didn't know how to break the silence because he was still in denial about what really transpired between them last night. His memory remained hazy, thanks to tequila (that drink was a bitch when it came to memories).
"Are we going to sit here and stare at each other all day or are we going to talk about this like adults?"
Chris sighed as he placed his cup on the table. "April, what happened last night. . ." he sucked in a breath. "It was a mistake."
She regarded him coolly before laughing. "Really, Chris? You're still pining after that bitch after she dumped your sorry ass?"
He clenched his fingers on the table. He had never hit a woman before, but he was so tempted to wipe that smirk off the bitch's face. "Don't speak about Ledia that way, April."
"Or what?" She taunted him.
He released his fist and pinched his nose. "You're right, April, I can't do anything. We are going to pretend this never happened and we will go our separate ways, okay?"
"Wow." she grinned. "You must think me a fool."
"What do you mean?"
"What I mean is that I am not going anywhere, Christopher Ross and the earlier you start accepting that, the better it will be for everyone."
Chris shook his head. "I don't have the time for this." He started to rise.
April slid her phone across the table to him. "Before you walk out of here, I suggest you look at that phone."
Chris picked the phone with a frown, but it soon turned to shock when he saw the picture of April sucking his very erect cock. He swiped his thumb across the screen and another one of them kissing. Another one showed her sitting on his face, her pussy positioned above his mouth.
He dropped into the chair, his body all numb.
"You can try to delete them, but I have sent copies to my email and a few of my friends." She grinned. "Now, will you listen to me like a good boy, Chris?"
His eyes never left the phone. "What do you want from me? Why are you doing this?"
"Why, indeed. You see, Christopher, I want you. . .no, I love you. I don't have the time to go into the details right now, but you have to do this one thing I ask you or. . ."
"Or?" He met her gaze now. She looked so smug. Chris really wanted to beat the bitch, but he wasn't a violent person nor would he lay a finger on a woman.
"Or I will have these pictures on the internet and every newspaper in New York within seconds. Let's now see how your pretty, little baker would take you back."
The thought of Lee and his family seeing this made him sick. It would ruin his life.
"What do you want?"
She sighed. "Ah, just the words I was dying to hear." The smile slipped off her face to be replaced with a scowl. "You will marry me in six days. Start announcing to everyone in your social circle that you're getting married to me. We have to tell your parents together, but first, I will pick our rings today."
Chris sucked in a sharp breath. His life was unraveling in front of his eyes and there was nothing he could do about it. "You're one crazy bitch!"
"I've been called worse, honey." She laughed. "Now, tell me, Christopher Ross, what will it be? Marriage to me or?"
Chris remained mute. He could tell her no just to see that smug look wipe off her face, yet his life would be ruined if she ever posted those pictures on the social media.
Christ, when would I get a break?
"Fine. I will just—"
"Wait! I will do it."
She cocked her head. "Can you be more specific, Mr. Ross?"
Chris glared at her. "I will marry you in six days."
A/N:
Holà, çomo estás?
I don't know Spanish for shit, but you can manage that I guess.
So, how are y'all? Angry? Sad? Murderous?
And I'm guessing all that is not aimed at Lee either.
Anyway, the deed has been done. Can it be stopped in time?
QOTC: If you were Chris, what would you have chosen?
Please don't forget to vote 🌟, comment 💬, and share 📱.