HER BABY'S SECRET FATHER (15 page)
Finally finding her voice, Jaynie answered, “Oh, yes. Tara and I will marry you.”
They grinned like the fools in love they were, and laughed at the wondrous change of events. Her single-minded plan for motherhood had backfired. This was the day of all days for Jaynie, and she could never have predicted it.
She rode a swell of joy as if she was on a magic carpet ride, and at her side sat the man she loved with all of her heart and soul.
Unsure of how they’d got there, Jaynie and Terrance stood together, shaking, embracing and consoling each other with hugs. He took her face into his warm hands and gave her a special kiss of promise. She inhaled the earthy scent of the man she loved and relished the moment with a soft, moist vow of her own. Tightening her knees for support, she returned his kiss with every ounce of love stirring in her heart. And long, luscious moments later, when the kiss that pledged a lifetime together came to an end, they exploded with laughter and joy.
Suddenly remembering Tara across the room in her baby seat, still and quiet, as if she knew something special was going on, Terrance flew to her side and swept her into his arms. He kissed her pudgy pink cheeks and brought the baby, like a gift, to Jaynie.
Again, they grinned at each other in delight, and cooed over the child they had made together as strangers. Long before they’d completely discovered each other and fallen in love they had created Tara with their genes. Now, sustained by love, the anonymous experiment of nine months before had become the chance of a lifetime for true happiness.
And, together, Jaynie, Terrance and Tara would finally be the family they were meant to be.
They looked on with wonder as Tara squirmed and fussed in Terrance’s arms. She twisted up her face and turned pink with effort and concentration, following up with a larger sound than either of them could ever have imagined. And when she had finished her display, Jaynie quickly realized something.
It was time for a diaper change.
Ten months later…
C
HAOS
couldn’t begin to describe what was going on at the Zanderson residence. Friends and relatives milled around the overpacked rooms, bumping shoulders and elbows, mumbling pardons and trying not to spill their celebration punch. Jaynie grinned at the sight. The smell of strawberry icing permeated the room. And at the center, in her highchair, sat Princess Tara, wearing a lopsided pink cone hat held in place by with a thin elastic strap under her chin. The sight clutched at Jaynie’s heart.
Tara dutifully held up one finger whenever anyone asked, “How old are you today?” And topped off her talent with a sticky four-tooth grin.
She’d never had another episode of apnea after that one close call ten months earlier. She’d grown healthy and robust, and was blossoming into a beautiful little girl, and Jaynie thanked God for that. She was petite for a one-year-old, and her shiny coral party dress seemed to swallow her up, but Tara didn’t mind at all. Loving being the center of everyone’s attention, she kicked her white patent leather Mary-Jane-clad feet and squealed with delight when Daddy brought the birthday cake toward her. A huge candle sat at the center, surrounded by sugar bunnies and puppies chasing each other’s tails around the number one.
“Da-Da. Kay?” Her hazel-green eyes sparkled and her plump hands shot to her hair, comprised of wispy honey-red ringlets.
Though only early April, the California sun glowed bright. Terrance wore a loud Hawaiian shirt with khaki shorts and sandals, and a grin broader than the international happy-face sign. “It’s your birthday cake, Peanut. How old are you today?”
Out popped Tara’s index finger, accompanied by yet another joyful peep. Her eyes widened and she palmed her cheeks, holding her mouth in an “oh” when everyone in the room began to sing the birthday song.
Through blurry eyes Jaynie watched her daughter beam and squirm with excitement. Joy, thick as the icing on the cake, filled her veins and burst into her heart. Her voice quavered through the anthem along with everyone else’s. Her mother stepped beside her and put her arm around her waist. They exchanged the special look only mothers understand.
Kim, decked out in red satin pedal-pushers and an off-the-shoulder top, snapped several pictures, while Tommy, her newly betrothed, ran the digital movie camera. It was hard to tell what gleamed more—the camera flash, or Kim’s huge engagement diamond.
Aunt Tara stood across the room with her six-month-old baby glued to her hip and her strapping husband by her side. Fidgeting, and eager to get in on the action, their son reached with both arms and screeched in protest when his mother held him tight in place. The picture of health and single-mindedness, the baby resisted his mother’s firm grasp.
The scene evoked so much emotion that the rush of blood made Jaynie feel lightheaded. She searched out and sat down in the nearest chair before the song ended.
“Yay!” Everyone cheered at the end, and Tara clapped her hands.
“Mo,” she said, demanding more singing.
Such a simple request couldn’t be denied. Terrance started the refrain again, and everyone else joined in. His eyes roamed the room until they found Jaynie. The grin on his face faded the tiniest bit when he saw her.
“Are you okay?” he mouthed, from across the room.
She nodded, clapped her hands and smiled back at him, pretending to sing at the top of her lungs.
Peanut was a daddy’s girl. The sun and the moon rose and set with his presence. And the adoration was mutual. Even though he worked tirelessly in medical school, he allowed for abundant time with his daughter. Jaynie loved their interaction, and only felt jealous of their special bond once in a while.
But not today.
Today she was glad to let Terrance run the show. She’d been feeling weak and nauseated all morning—heck, all week—and the smell of fresh frosting almost made her hurl earlier, when she’d been decorating the cake.
Her mother returned from the kitchen and handed Jaynie a glass of water, with a raised eyebrow and a worried look pasted on her face.
“Thanks,” Jaynie said. “I’m okay.” She was doing a poor job of convincing her mother everything was fine. But what a rotten time to come down with the flu—and it wasn’t even the right season.
An hour later, after every conceivable toddler gift had been torn open and put on display, the cake had been served and the leftover ice cream had melted on the paper plates, Terrance made his way over to his wife. Most of the guests had left. Aunt Tara entertained both babies on the living room floor.
“What’s up? You look exhausted.” His face betrayed his worry.
“I’m just a little tired. Do I look that bad?” Her hand went to her cheek, then ran self-consciously through some ringlets and hooked them behind her ear.
He shook his head. “You never look bad to me. Maybe just a little pale?” He knelt down next to her and released the very curls she’d just pulled back.
She rested her head on his sturdy shoulder and sighed. “This was great.”
“The best,” he said, his hand cupping her neck.
Now was as good a time as any, she decided.
“We’ve been so busy, with work and school and planning everything, that I haven’t had a chance to talk to you.”
He kissed her cheek. “I know. I’ve missed you. Are you sure you’re okay?”
His warm hazel gaze studied her with both a look of love and of concern pinching at the corner of his eyes.
“Well, actually, I think I may need to take a test.”
He hoisted a brow. “What kind of test?”
“Maybe a blood test. Maybe I’m just anemic. I don’t know. But I wanted to ask you something first.”
“Shoot.” He looked eager to get to the heart of her story, and held her hand with a tight, encouraging grasp.
“After you donated to the sperm bank, you said you made sure that you’d never have kids again?”
He straightened his spine and she saw a lightbulb go off in his eyes. He cleared his throat. “Yeah, I signed up for a vasectomy.” Now he was looking sheepish, and his eyes betrayed his change of heart. “But I never actually went through with it, though.”
After wanting to crown him for never bothering to tell her that part of the story, Jaynie felt relief wash over her and brighten her mood from night to day.
“So maybe there isn’t anything wrong with me that a simple home pregnancy test can’t answer?”
His face flushed red. “You think you’re pregnant?”
She socked his arm. “Why didn’t you ever tell me you never got your vasectomy? I haven’t been using birth control!”
With elusive typical male logic, he shrugged like a kid who’d forgotten to bring his homework to class.
Jaynie dashed across the room. “I’ll be right back.” She swept into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.
Fishing through the back of the sink cabinet, she searched for two of the three pregnancy tests she had purchased when she’d signed on at the cryobank. She’d become pregnant after the very first insemination and had never needed the other two. Finding the packages, she checked the expiration date. It was still good. Carefully following the instruction insert, she set to work.
A minute later she heard tapping. “Hey, I want in on this, too,” Terrance said from the other side.
She’d kept her eyes closed, waiting the required two minutes to read the response. Now, opening both her eyes, and the door, she welcomed her eager-beaver husband inside. A massive look of expectation covered his face.
She studied the applicator strip lying flat on the counter. Pointing to the result window displaying a blue “plus” sign, Jaynie reeled with instant knowledge.
Terrance raised his shoulders and eyebrows, waiting for the verdict. “Well?”
“Well, considering you never got the vasectomy, the only question is, why did it take this long?” She showed him the pregnancy test wand. “I’m pregnant!”
She leapt into his open arms and wrapped her legs around his waist. He held her firmly and spun around with joy. “Woohoo!”
“This is astounding—just astounding,” he kept saying.
They stopped spinning long enough to kiss. His mouth clamped down on hers until they clanked teeth. Jaynie kissed him as if she hadn’t seen him in years, anchoring his head with both of her hands and planting her lips over his again and again. One large hand held her hips in place while the other roamed her back. He eased her to sit on the bathroom counter so he could be attentive with both of his hands, and delved in for another world-class kiss.
After a few moments, they settled into softer kisses, warmed with love and laughter.
“This time we did it the old-fashioned way,” Jaynie said, speaking and grinning over his moist lips.
Terrance consumed her again with a deep, exploring lunge of his tongue, stealing the thoughts right out of her head. He growled and pulled back a smidgen. She felt his hot breath on her lips and cheeks when he spoke.
“The old-fashioned way—yeah, definitely my way of choice.”
ISBN: 978-1-4603-1775-4
HER BABY’S SECRET FATHER
Copyright © Janet Maarschalk 2006
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