Deception (22 page)

His jaw must have surely hit the floor. Speechless. Absolutely speechless is what he was. She stood before him—her sweater dress clinging to her body, the same in every way except for the large, perfectly round belly that she caressed. Dropping to his knees before her he stared at the awe growing inside of her belly. They’d created life. Her body nursed their child.

“Maura, you’re carrying my child. How could you keep something like this from me?”

“I don’t know if it’s your child. I just know I love him.”

“Him?” She nodded with a huge grin on her face. “You don’t know if it’s mine? How could you not know?” He was about to get sick. He could feel it coming on. Had she been with someone else during their time together? He couldn’t imagine given what they’d felt that she could just go lie with another.

“It could be Alan’s child. But none of that matters because either way, he is my child and I’ll love him with everything I have.”

Julian sat back on his heels. “Alan’s child?”

Maura reclaimed her spot on the couch leaving Julian on the floor.

“It is what it is, Julian. I understand if you want to go.”

“Maura, do you love me?” His chest burned as he awaited her answer.

“Julian.” She knelt before him, taking his jaw into the palms of her hands. “I love you so much it hurts. I’m happiest at night when I’m dreaming of you.
Of us.
I would give almost anything to have a family with you. But you can understand why this baby is a miracle and I have to do what’s best here. I didn’t think you’d want to be with me. For one thing I haven’t changed. Just this morning I told the neighbor that I hadn’t been feeling well enough to invite her over. The truth is, I feel great, but she’s too nosey for her own good.

Julian laughed as he realized how stupid he’d been about Maura and her little white lies that didn’t amount to anything.

“And of course I know how hurt you were that I misled you about my relationship with Alan. If I could go back to that day with the fried crabs and do everything differently I would.” Her hands cradled her growing belly. “Except this. I would never want to undo whatever is responsible for this miracle.”

Delicately he rested his hands near hers. Instantly they filled with warmth. “Oh my God, he just kicked.”

“He does that a lot. Feisty little nugget.”

He chuckled at her nickname. “Maura, I want to do this with you. I want to be a family with you. I was dying without you.”

Her face contorted into pain and he felt all of his hope leave his body.

“Cramp! Ow! Cramp!” She landed on her butt and grabbed her calf.

He scooped her up and carried her to the couch. With her feet in his lap he removed her flats and started a massage from toe to knee. When his hands made contact with her leg she attempted to pull away. “I haven’t shaved my legs.”

“I don’t care.” She moaned when his knuckles dug into the fleshy part of her leg. He massaged and, feeling the soft stubble on her skin, he chuckled. “You move to Portland and decide to go native?”

“No! I shaved everything else, but I can’t reach that part.”

As he rubbed deep, he tried to understand what she’d said. With the roundness of her belly he guessed there would be a number of things she couldn’t do and he wished he’d been there to do them for her.

“How many weeks pregnant are you?”

“Thirty two. Only eight more weeks before I get to hold my little nugget.”

“Is the cramp gone now?”

“Mmmhmm.”

“Do you want to have a family with me?”

“More than anything in the world.”

“So we’re going to have a baby together?”

“Seems like we are.”

“We can get a DNA test to determine if I’m the father.”

“Does that change things for you—who the father is?”

“No, not at all. I want to be with you and your child—
our
child.”

“Then why does there need to be a DNA test?”

“You’re right, I guess there doesn’t. From this moment on, he’s my child as much as he is yours. I’m the daddy, you’re the mommy.” Pulling her to his lap, he took her pillowy pink lips to his. God, he’d missed her flowery smell. She smelled like a woman—
his woman
. Soft and sweet. He was home. She’d once asked him what had made him happy. It was in reference to dance, but he’d never been able to answer that question and now he knew why. . . because he hadn’t known.
It was her.
She made him happy. He kissed the top of her head. “
I. Love. You.”

“
Julian. I loved you from the pink-thong moment.”

They laughed. A tear leaked from his eye as his body attempted to process the dual emotions. “Oh my God, the pink thong. You were so embarrassed you tried to shake my hand with your underwear in your hand and damn, I wanted those.”

“Shut up!” She swatted his shoulder. “You did not!”

“Oh, I so did! I wet-dreamed about those fucking panties.”

She cupped her hand to her mouth and giggled—a gesture so cute and happy it conjured up visions of pink cotton candy and puppies from his childhood.

“Are you serious?”

“Serious as a fucking heart attack.”

He stood, carrying her in his arms. “Maura, I need you.”

“I need you too, but you’re going to break your back if you try to carry me all the way to the bedroom.”

He didn’t know where the bedroom was, but he ambled forward anyway. “You’re light as a feather.”

Maura scoffed. “Put me down, I want to show you the nursery.” He gently set her feet on the ground. Her hand in his, she led him down the hallway. “I used a theme, I hope you like it. I sort of got carried away.” She opened a door. “Check it out.”

The rich dark hardwood floor continued into the nursery, but the walls in this room were a light gray. Around the bottom of the wall was a field of grass with butterflies hovering. The curtains matched. Most breathtaking was a three-dimensional hot air balloon that consumed a corner of the room—floor to ceiling. “Did you do all of this?”

“I did.”

“How on earth?”

“It’s styrofoam. A lot actually. I molded it into place and glued it together. Then I measured the surface and sewed different color panels together to make the balloon.

“It’s amazing.”

She even attached a basket full of plush animals to the bottom. It was the most ingenious thing he’d ever seen. “I can’t believe you did all of this.”

Maura shrugged. “I wanted to do it with Audrey, but Alan wouldn’t have it. He hired someone to come in and make a nursery.”

Miniature versions of balloons hung from the ceiling carrying precious teddy bear cargo in their baskets. Against one wall she’d glued a cluster of buttons that took the shape of a balloon and attached string. The whole thing culminated into a small basket she’d affixed flatly to the wall. “The different balloons are great. I love that you made this one out of buttons.”

“That’s my favorite too.”

“Maura, do you like Portland?”

She walked over to a rocking chair and sat, sighing as she did so. “Portland is a very nice city. Beautiful and walkable. The way I see it there’s only one problem with Portland.”

“What’s that?”

“It’s not Baton Rouge.”

“But you’ve done all this work.”

“Oh, I’m just renting the home. All of those things are removable. It’s just the matter of the paint job.”

“So if given a choice, you’d choose Baton Rouge over Portland?”

“I choose you. I don’t care where.”

“I feel the same.”

“What are we going to do?”

“It would be nice to have some time away from family to be together. Privacy.”

“True.” Maura answered.

“Then again, I’m no expert, but it may also be nice having family to take the baby when we want to have a night alone. Or if we just need a break. I think newborns can get fussy.”

Huge gut-wrenching laughter emerged from Maura. It was so honest that it caused him to chuckle. “What’s so funny?”

“I just got a glimpse of you all serious in your black alpaca wool V-neck sweater holding a baby that has just spit up all over you. I can’t picture you with a crying, hungry infant.”

“I’ll have you know I’m good with kids.”

“I never doubted that for a second. Have you been around many kids?”

“I did little league with Dad.”

“Oh, you’ll have to do that again when our kid is ready to play.”

He smiled. “
Our kid.
”

He scooped her into his arms and proceeded to carry her down the hallway, thinking one of the rooms must have a bed. At the end of the hall he found it—a mint- green room with a plush, white duvet. He placed her delicately on the bed, and then climbed up next to her. Rubbing her belly he asked, “what if you wake up one day and you don’t feel like you do right now?”

“How do you mean?”

“I mean if you no longer like me and you don’t want me and we have this child.” He inhaled shortly and quickly and his eyes blinked rapidly.

“Julian?”

“I just don’t think I could survive it.”

Her palm rested on his cheek. “I’m never going to do that.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I made a promise and a commitment to you.”

“What if you don’t like me anymore?”

“I’m sure there will be many times that I don’t like you—there already have been—but I’ll definitely let you know why so that you can make a change. Don’t worry…I won’t let you be a bad father or husband.” She moved in to hug him, but her large belly prevented her from completing the task. The huff from her lips and the look of determination on her face was priceless.

Julian curled onto his side so that they could touch. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For giving me my life back.”

“You stole the words right out of my mouth. I owe everything I have to you and your family.”

“I owe a lot to yours as well. Bailey fixed Parker, you’ve fixed me.”

“Well I haven’t perfected you quite yet. I’ve still got to do a few system resets.

“Oh?”

“Mmmhmm.”

“I look forward to it.” He leaned down and took her sweet, soft lips with his. God, how he’d missed her. “Maura, can I make love to you?”

“You better. I might sit on you if you try to escape.”

He smiled at her lighthearted mood—his favorite Maura. He realized her mood was largely dictated by his and he vowed at that moment to always keep Maura carefree. “I didn’t know if it was safe with the baby inside.”
How would that even work
? “Won’t I hit the baby?”

Maura eyed him questioningly, “Hit the baby?”

“I mean with my cock. Won’t I hit him in the head or something?”

Maura’s body convulsed. Julian was worried for a moment until he heard her giggles. She was laughing at him. Deeply laughing at him. He joined her. “Well I didn’t know. I went to a Catholic boys’ school. We skipped the lesson on reproduction.”

Maura unhooked her skirt and slid it from her body. When Julian lifted the hem on her sweater she grasped his hands in hers to stop him. “What’s wrong?”

“I want to leave my top on.”

“But I need to be naked with you. I’ve missed you so much.”

“I’m a little self conscious about my body.”

“I think you’re beautiful.”

“I know.” She cut her eyes to him for a fleeting moment. “Thank you.”

“Do you trust me with your body?” Julian caressed her belly as she contemplated.

“I do.”

“So what’s the problem?”

“I look different.”

“I should think so.” He patted her stomach.

“But you look the same,” she answered with wide eyes.

“That’s not true. I’ve noticed a few rogue hairs. I’ve got this bugger of a one that is persistently growing out of my ear. It’s pretty gross.”

“I’m being serious. Everything looks different.”

With a hand on her chin he pulled her to face him. “I love you for what’s in here”—he placed his hand over her heart. “We’re both going to undergo changes as we age and I’m here to tell you the Davids do not age with grace.”

Maura scoffed. “You’re not basing this theory on your really amazing-looking parents.”

“You haven’t seen our cousins.”

“Whatever.” Maura sat up, and then stood. She walked to the closet and started digging around. She pulled the door so that his vision was blocked.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m dressing up. Just stay there and wait for me.”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

He heard the rustling of bags and clothing. Then he heard the pop of tags. Maura cleared her throat. He waited on bated breath. She popped her head out from behind the door, leaving her body hidden. “Ready?”

“I’ve never been more ready for anything.”

“Take your clothes off.”

“Yes ma’am.” He had them off in the flashiest of flashes.

“Close your eyes.”

“Done.”

He heard her pad to the bed. “Okay, you can open your eyes.” He noticed her nipples first. They were longer and darker—needy. She’d put on black thigh high stockings and added a sheer black robe that she’d left hanging naturally open. Her skin had always glowed but now it seemed to be lit from within as if she were lit by candlelight. Her swollen belly that carried their child was magnificent. Full and shapely, she was a vision of the most exquisite dream. With his arm he wiped the drool that escaped his mouth. “You’re more beautiful than ever. You’re amazing.”

Her chin on her chest, she demurely smiled.

“Please get over here.” He patted the spot in the bed next to him. “I need to touch you, touch our baby.”

Julian pulled his truck into the gravel lot and parked beneath a moss-covered oak tree. “Who’s ready for a picnic?”

Adrian squealed with delight before raising his hand and answering, “Me!” Maura desperately tried to reign in his platinum curls before he slid from his seat and crawled to Julian in the front. He was a regular acrobat.

Standing on his knees in his father’s lap he stared into eyes as green as his own. “Daddy, will you take me to see the alligators?”

“Do you want to see alligator babies or alligator daddies?”

With his hands spread as far as he could get them Adrian answered, “The big daddies.”