"So are you going to bring her to the grand opening?" Terry asked as he finished cleaning the front of the restaurant. Hunter was standing right beside him.
"Bring who?" He asked playing dumb.
"You know who. Reagan."
"We're not together so why would I bring her?"
"Regardless if you're together or not I know that you really like her."
"And what makes you think that?"
"She came back in just a few months and bam there you are talking to her. If you didn't care she wouldn't be in the picture right now." Terry had yet to know why Reagan was really back in his life. She was pregnant and with triplets. His triplets. He mind as well tell him now he's was going to find out in a few months.
"If she was mine I'd wife her." Hunter looked at his friend surprised.
"Why do you say that?"
"She's everything man. She's beautiful. She has a beautiful body. She is smart as hell. She got you this restaurant for Christ sake. If it wasn't for that woman we'd probably still be begging for this spot. Not to forget the other property's we got because of her. I don't know if you realise it or not but she made you an even more richer man than you already are. Bring her to the grand opening. I mean it's the least you can do. A way of saying thank you. Besides I want to see her."
"Why do you want to see her? You're a married man."
"So the hell what. My wife will love her also." He said laughing.
"Your wife still like women?"
"Yes and I be having so much fucking fun with her. I love my baby to death."
"Don't be trying to get Ragen in y'all swinging events." Hunter said with humor in his voice.
"And why shouldn't I? You don't want her."
"She's pregnant that's why."
"What?" Terry asked surprised. "How. When?"
"Well Terry when two people get together..."
"I know how smart ass. But I mean. The baby is yours?"
"Yes. She'll be three month's soon."
"Wow man. Congratulations?" Hunter shook his head in sour humor as he shook his friend hand.
"Thanks man."
"Don't get mad when I ask but are you happy about it?"
"Honestly I'm not as torn up about it you know? She's not some sloppy chick that I hooked up with. She is beautiful inside and out. We're just not in a relationship." He said with a hunch of his shoulders.
"I think she'll be a great mother."
"Yeah." Hunter said absently as he walked away. That's the only thing she wasn't going to be good at. A great mother didn't leave her kids. That he knew for a fact.
Once Hunter got home he was expecting Reagan to be in her room but was surprised to see her in the living room. She was balled up on the couch fast asleep.
As if she felt his presents she opened her eyes to find him watching her.
"How long have you been asleep?" He asked.
"I don't know. What time is it?"
"Ten o'clock."
"Wow I've been asleep for three hours. These babies are wearing me out without even trying." She said laughing. She pulled herself up. "Are you hungry?"
"No. Thanks for asking though."
"No problem." She tried to stop looking at him but couldn't bring herself to. She cried every night because she just wanted this cancer to go away. She wanted to be happy for once. She wanted to be in her babies lives but she knew that it wasn't possible. She was going to be labeled as the worst mother ever just because she was sick. Dammit.
"Reagan you okay?"
"Yeah. Yeah I'm fine. Do you need anything?" She asked.
"No. Do you?" She stared at him a few seconds longer before she said.
"No." But the truth was she wanted to tell him that she was madly in love with him. That him keeping his distance away from her was killing her. That she was ecstatic to have his babies and It was killing her that she couldn't be there for them. But for now she just wanted him to come to her right now and take her into his arms and hold her and make her feel safe. Make her feel as if everything was going to be okay. If only he would tell her that he loved her then she would fight for him. His love for her would mean everything. She just wanted someone for once. She wanted to be and feel loved. Before the tears came rushing out of her she made her way to her room. She blames all her tears on being pregnant. It was her baby's fault that she was so emotional. Yup.
"Why do you stay in that room so much?" Hunter asked Reagan as she drank a cup of water.
"It matters?"
"Yes smartass it matters."
"Well Mr. Hunter if you must know. These babies wear me out and I'm always tired and..."
"And?" He prompt when she didn't finish.
"And I'm..."
"What?"
"I'm afraid of your house. There you're happy now?"
"What do you mean you're afraid of my house. What's wrong with it?"
"There's nothing wrong with it per say. It's just big open places make me.... I don't know. I don't know how to explain it. I just don't like big open places."
"You're kidding me right?" He said in disbelief. She held out her hand in front of him and he seen that they were shaking.
"This isn't from you just being handsome." She said jokingly but was serious.
"You're serious."
"It's a phobia." She said with a hunch of her shoulders. "So that's why I don't come out. I just hate…” She paused.
"You hate what? The only way I will know how you feel is if you tell me."
"I hate being alone in this place." She confessed. "I hate the dark. Being in the dark and in a big open place like this drives me insane. And I'm so fucking horny all the damn time. My hormones are raging out of control. And as much as i want you; you don't want me the same way. So I feel stupid for even trying." She let out a slow steady breath. "I want you so damn bad Hunter." When she didn't get a reaction she grabbed her water and made her way back to her room. Now she felt even more stupid for confessing that. Just seconds after closing the door behind her it swung open and there stood Hunter.
"Say it again."
"Say what again? Which part?"
"That you want me."
"You don't know?" She said laughing. "The things I say. How I act towards you. The way we last made love. Was that not enough to let you know? To spell it out to you. I want you Hunter. So damn bad." I'm in love with you. She thought to herself. With that he rushed her. Scooping her up in his arms. She sighed loving his touch his kiss. She found herself biting his bottom lip. Her need for him grew even higher when she heard him groan.
"Hunter baby."
Reagan eyes opened when she felt Hunter moving. She wanted him to stay but wasn't going to hold onto him if he didn't want to. She said one simple word and prayed that it would work.
"Stay." He pulled her close.
"I'm not going anywhere baby." He kissed her forehead.
"Thank you." No woman has never made him feel like this and he hated himself for feeling anything for a woman who didn't want to stay with him and be a mother to her own babies. But the way she spoke, and acted towards him confuse him so much. Why did she want him but not her babies? He grew angry at her and at himself because he wanted her so damn bad also but was so angry that she didn't want to stay, but he couldn't bring himself to leave her bed. Honestly he didn't want to. To say he was confused was an understatement.
"Let's get out of here. This storm is crazy." Hunter said to Terry as they grabbed their jackets. It was pouring outside. It was possible that they were going to be flooded. The sky roared loudly and the thunder struck a close by tree. It was so bad they decided to close the restaurant early. They both needed to get home.
As soon as Hunter got home he jumped into the shower. He was cold and starving. After showering he went to fix something to eat only to look in the fridge to find food inside. In fact, he seen multiple plates. When did she make all that food? Was she making food for him every time she cooked for herself? Looking in the direction of her door he seen that her light was on. He then remembered her saying that she hated the dark. Going over he swung open the door to find her balled up into the small chair with a blanket over her. She looked so scared. His heart went out to her. Without thinking he went over to her and held his hand out to her. She willingly took it and he pulled her up into his arms.
"Where are we going?" She asked once he carried her out the room.
"To my bedroom." He answered and she seemed to relax a little more. Laying her in bed he turned the light out pulled the covers over the both of them and she snuggled into his arms. Minutes later her shaking stopped.
"Let me guess. You hate the lightning also."
"The thunder."
"Same difference." He said with a chuckle. "You're just a big scary cat aren't you?"
"I'm not scared when you're here." She said falling asleep quickly after. Hunter went to his office finishing up some paperwork. He couldn't get what Reagan had said out of his head. She felt safe with him. No woman has said that to him before. Why was a grown woman afraid of so much? What was her childhood like? What was the reason for these fears? He then realised that he knew nothing about this woman that was having his babies. He decided to look her up. Google was his go to when he wanted to learn about someone. In an hours search he hasn't learned too much. Nothing about her childhood. Just that she went to school and had become a lawyer as well as a social worker. For someone to become a social worker you had to love kids right? Then if she loves kids so much why get rid of her own? He had to find out and he had to find out soon.
Hunter woke to the bed being empty beside him. When he listened to see if he heard any running water he sat up and began his search for Reagan when he didn't. The smell of bacon hit his nose and his stomach growled. Now breakfast was something that he didn't wake job to everyday.
"So what's the occasion?" He asked once he got to the entrance of the kitchen. She looked over her shoulder at him.
"I'm hungry and you're hungry so we're going to eat. That's the occasion." chuckling he watched as she flipped a pancake. "There's coffee if you like some."
"Thank you." He went and poured him a cup. He watched as she made both their plates. He took his seat and began to eat but stopped once he seen her began to pray. "You believe in God?" He asked out of the blue.
"I believe in the almighty power. I believe to the fullest that there is a God. How everyone else view him is what I question. Like this look everyone assumes he looks like. I just worship the power the truth." He nodded his head in understanding.
"Do you believe in God?"
"Yes I do."
"Maybe you can come to church with me one day then." She said and he looked at her surprised.
"You go to church?" She nodded her head.
"When?"
"Every sunday." She said with humor in her voice.
"Since you've been here?"
"Yes since I've been here."
"Oh I had no idea."
"Yeah well you're busy."
"Yeah busy." He said feeling stupid that he had no idea that out of the month of her being here she was being active in any way. He truly believes she never left the room. Ever.
"Yeah well maybe I will join you at church one of these days."
"That would be great Hunter." She couldn't stop the smile from forming across her face.
Once they were done eating she went to wash the little dishes that she had made.
"I've noticed the plates in the refrigerator..."
"Oh I will get them." She said before he could finish what he was saying. She gathered all five plates inside.
"It's okay Reagan. I just wanted to know why were they in there?"
"Oh well when I cook I make a plate for you also. I guess my food isn't as good as I hoped." She said with a nervous laugh. "I'll clean up the mess. I just be forgetting about them sometimes."
"How often do you make a plate for me also?"
"Every time I cook. I would throw them away after they sit in there for a few days."
"I'm sorry Reagan."
"It's okay. You're busy."
"Why didn't you stop after you seen that I wasn't eating them?"
"I don't know." She said honestly. "It's what a woman supposed to do right? I mean...or am I wrong?"
"No baby you're not wrong. But why do it for me?"
"Because I wanted to." She said with a hunch of her shoulders. "I don't mind doing it. I don't want you to be hungry when you come back from work."
"I don't be rude to you on purpose."
"It's fine Hunter. Don't worry about it."
"I feel I should at least let you know. I don't come home hungry because I work at a restaurant and I eat there. I guess I've made it a habit to.
"It's fine baby really. I guess I'll just make less food."
"Besides my mother or sisters I've never had a woman cook for me. I guess I didn't expect you to."
"I don't mind doing it."
"I'll come tonight and eat with you."
"Really?" She asked beaming.
"Yes."
"Okay." To see her happy from just him saying that he would eat dinner with her made his insides do something it's never done before. Before he could think much of it he left the kitchen.
"Your sister came over again." Reagan said as they ate. She was happy that he actually came home to eat with her. That meant alot to her.
"Really? What did she want?"
"Just to talk. She's trying to get to know me without being rude about it. She's sweet."
"Why do you mean about being rude about it?"
"She knows something is fishy about us. Meaning how did I just one day show up and boom I'm pregnant. She wants to know where I come from but she won't ask me."
"And what if she did ask you?"
"Then I will tell her."
"Where do you come from?" He asked catching her off guard.
"What do you mean?"
"Where were you born and raised?"
"I'm from Louisiana."
"Really? He asked. She nodded her head. "Do you miss it?"
"Not really." She said with a hunch of her shoulders. Truth was she didn't remember it. She moved around a lot as a kid so she never claimed a place. Yes she was born in Louisiana but she only stayed there a year of her life and after that came the traveling. Foster home after foster home. She definitely had no real home except for New York. Once she was able to get her own place she had decided to make New York her home. She was glad he asked no more about her personal life. It didn't matter since she would be leaving after she had the babies.
"Thank you for dinner." Hunter said as she cleared the table.
"No problem. Thanks for eating with me."
"I didn't know that you cared for me to eat with you."
"I love your company Hunter. Don't ever think that I don't." He smiled but she couldn't see it she was washing the dishes.
"I do have a dishwasher you know."
"Yes I know but I don't mind washing the dishes it gives me something to do."
"I know that you be bored here alone."
"It's my own fault I guess."
"Why do you say that?"
"I'm a grown woman. I can get out and do things if I wanted." That was true he thought. He wasn't holding her here captive. She could come and go as she pleased. She didn't need to ask him. He did leave her the keys to his other car just in case she did want to go.
"Why don't you go places?"
"I have no reason to leave. Besides where am I going to go? I know no one here. I mean i do go to church but after that I'm here all day. Your neighbors are bougie as hell." She said and he laughed.
"What's bougie?" Smiling she said.
"My definition of bougie is someone who thinks they're better than the average joe. They look down on someone who is not on there "level." They always have to be seen and show off. Bougie are the upper class neighborhood bullies in my eyes. Like Mrs Roller for example..."
"You met her?" He asked surprised.
"Yes and she only wanted to meet me because she wanted to know who the black woman was in her neighborhood. I do have to admit she was bougie as hell but polite about it or as polite as she could get, I guess."
"I don't want you near that woman."
"Don't worry I don't ever plan on going near her again. I wanted to try a different route on my walk and I spotted her while I was walking. Or she spotted me I should say and she called me over she looked me up and down with a frown in her face and asked who I was here for like I was a hooker or something."
"Did you tell her what you were doing here?"
"No because it was none of her damn business. In fact I told her it was none of her damn business as to why I was over here." He smiled. "Nosey ass woman. I then told her that her wig was crooked." He laughed at that. The sound was amazing to her. "She messed with the right one now. I don't back down from no bougie woman. In fact they fuel me up. But I don't walk that way anymore. I don't want to run into her again."
"You must walk far."
"At least a mile. Sometimes further if my body is up for it."
"Would you like to get out of the house?"
"I would love to."
"Well we're having the grand opening for the restaurant. I would love it if you came." She smiled from ear to ear.
"I would love to." He gave a nod as he watched her. She was still standing near the sink. There was a pause before she said. "What if people ask?"
"Ask what?"
"About me being pregnant."
"Then we just tell them. There is no need to hide it. The babies will be with me in a few months anyway." She nodded liking his answer. "So you're free friday?"
"Friday afternoon? Yes."
"You have somewhere to be friday morning?"
"Doctors appointment." Oh right he had forgotten. Well he made it a point to at least remember her appointments. He had to get use to that since he was soon to be a father to three babies. He knew he was definitely going to need help in the future. He made note to look for a nanny.
"Okay so we'll go to the doctor's appointment then my grand opening.
"You're coming?"
"Yes to every single appointment. I told you that"
"Yes Hunter. Smart ass. You did say that." She said and he laughed. She liked how dedicated he was.