Riding the Storm (35 page)

that
my
life
will
no
longer
be
boring.
I’ve
decided
to
take
the
first
step
in
doing
something
I’ve
wanted
to
do
for
a
long

time.”

“Oh,
and
what’s
that?”

“Have
a
baby.”

Jayla
watched
Lisa’s
expression.
She
looked
as
if

someone
had
just
pulled
a
chair
out
from
under
her.
Lisa

looked
at
her
long
and
hard
before
finally
saying
something.
“What
do
you
mean,
have
a
baby?”

“Just
what
I’ve
said.
You
of
all
people
know
how
much
I
love
children.”

Lisa
shrugged.
“Hey,
I
love
them,
too,
but
I’m
not
planning
to
have
any
until
Mr.
Right
comes
alone
and
I’m
ready
to
settle
down
and
get
married.”

Jayla
raised
her
eyes
to
the
ceiling.
“Well,
yeah,
but
for

some
of
us
there
is
no
Mr.
Right,
so
I’ve
decided
not
to
wait
any
longer.”

Lisa
was
quiet
for
a
moment
as
she
pinned
Jayla
with
that
look
again.
“Tell
me
you
didn’t
deliberately
try
and
get

pregnant
by
Storm
Westmoreland.”

Jayla
couldn’t
help
but
laugh.
Lisa’s
question
was
so

ridiculous.
Storm
Westmoreland
would
be
the
last
man
she

would
want
to
father
her
child.
He
was
too
controlling.
“Trust
me,
that
thought
never
crossed
my
mind.
Besides,
I
would
never
trick
any
man
that
way.
I
made
all
the
necessary

arrangements
before
I
left
for
New
Orleans,
and
I’m
going
to
go
to
a
fertility
clinic
and
have
the
procedure
done.”

Lisa
quickly
held
up
her
hand.
“Time
out.
Back
up.
What
are
you
talking
about?”

Jayla
smiled.
The
expression
on
Lisa’s
face
was
both

endearing
and
maddening.
They
were
as
close
as
sisters
and
she
knew
her
best
friend
well
enough
to
know
that
she
would
not
agree
with
her
decision
regarding
the
fertility

clinic.
But
then,
Lisa
didn’t
have
any
problems
finding
a
Mr.
Right
since
she
was
already
involved
in
a
serious

relationship
with
a
wonderful
guy.
Added
to
that
was
the

fact
that
Lisa
came
from
a
big
family,
so
she
didn’t
know

the
meaning
of
loneliness.

“I’m
talking
about
my
decision
to
have
a
baby.
I’ve
already
done
the
preliminary
paperwork
and
they’d
located
a

potential
donor
who
fits
the
profile
I’ve
requested.
All
that’s
left
is
for
me
to
take
another
physical,
which
is
scheduled

for
next
Friday.
Once
it’s
determined
when
I’m
most
fertile
during
my
cycle,
I’ll
be
going
in
to
have
the
procedure
done.
If
I’m
not
successfully
inseminated
on
the
first
try,
then
there
will
be
another
try
and
if
necessary,
a
third
or
however
many
times
it
takes.
I’m
sure
my
eggs
will
eventually
be
ripe
for

some
donor’s
sperm,”
she
said
smiling.

Lisa,
Jayla
noticed,
wasn’t
smiling
back.
In
fact,
she
looked
mortified.
“Tell
me
you’re
joking
about
this,
Jayla.”

Jayla
sighed
deeply.
She
then
worked
her
bottom
lip

between
her
teeth
several
times,
which
was
something
she
tended
to
do
when
she
was
bothered
by
something.
Over
the
years,
Lisa
may
not
have
agreed
with
everything
she

did
but
had
always
supported
her.
Jayla
knew
because
of
her
friend’s
traditional
beliefs,
this
would
be
a
hard
sell,

which
was
why
she
had
put
off
telling
Lisa
about
her
plans.

She
lifted
her
chin.
“No,
I’m
not
joking,
Lisa.
I’ve
made
up
my
mind
about
this.
You
may
not
agree
with
what
I’m
doing,
but
I
really
do
need
you
to
support
me
on
this.
I
want
a
baby
more
than
anything.”

“But
there
are
other
options,
Jayla.”

“Yes,
and
I
considered
those
other
options
and
none
will

work
for
me.
I
want
a
baby
not
an
involvement
with
a
man
who
may
not
be
Mr.
Right,
and
I
don’t
have
time
to
wait
until
I
finally
get
lucky.
Times
have
changed.
A
woman
no
longer
needs
a
man
to
get
pregnant
or
to
raise
a
child,
and
that’s
the
way
I
want
to
do
things.”

Lisa
didn’t
say
anything
for
a
long
moment,
then
she

reached
across
the
table
and
captured
Jayla’s
hand
in

hers.
“Although
I
can
understand
some
women
having
the
procedure
done
in
certain
situations,
your
case
is
different,