Triplets Make Five

“Then it’s something that’s simply unique to her,” Preston said with a grin.

The initial meeting with my parents went well. We stayed for a few hours and talked until I started getting tired. Then, Preston and I headed off to the hotel we had booked. We spent the majority of the weekend with my parents, discussing the plans we already set forth. We told them about the apartment I had moved into and how the nursery was already set up for the babies. Preston offered to fly them in once I went into labor and my parents wholeheartedly accepted. I was excited at the idea of them being there. I wanted my family there with me when I gave birth to my babies.

Then, it was time to go.

My father sent me with Lili Elbe’s memoir and I started reading it on the plane. I flipped page after page, devouring the book as we flew back home. My speed reading came in handy for many things, like books I couldn’t wait any longer to read. We flew from my hometown of Raleigh, North Carolina all the way back to Philly, and I was finished with the book just before we landed.

“You’re already done?” Preston asked.

“It was good. You wanna read it?” I asked.

“You sure you’re not just scanning those pages and taking in the headlines?” he asked.

“That’s one of the speed reading tactics. But no, I’m not,” I said.

“I still can’t believe you can read that fast,” he said.

“It came in handy in college and it comes in handy now,” I said. “You sure you don’t wanna read it?”

“I’m sure. Not really a reader.”

“Unless it’s articles about yourself,” I said with a smirk.

“Hey, those are good articles. And I have to make sure the pictures of me in the magazines are nothing short of phenomenal.”

“You should put that on your resume when you shake down this company and move to your next one.”

“And what’s that?” he asked.

“‘Tooting your own horn’. You’re very good at it. I’m sure there’s a job out there for it somewhere,” I said.

“You mean you don’t want to toot it for me?” he asked.

His hand began to slid up my leg, dancing dangerously close to my heated pussy. I grasped his hand and stopped him as the plane landed onto the tarmac. We had spent a wonderful weekend together, rolling around in the sheets and waking up to the feeling of his tongue between my legs. But now we were back to reality, and we had to put distance between us.

“Are you driving off first, or am I?” I asked.

I saw Preston’s face falter a bit before he drew his hand back.

“Since this suit looks so fabulous on me, let me go first. If there are people here waiting to get pictures, they

’ll get them of me and leave. Wait a half an hour, then disembark. I’ll let the pilot know you’re staying behind so he doesn’t leave you here alone.”

I watched as Preston got up and smoothed out his suit. I knew he wasn’t happy to be back, but there wasn’t anything I could do about it. This was for the best, and visiting my parents only solidified my decision. I had to think about this rationally. My children’s well-being was at stake because of it. I couldn’t always give into the demands of my body just because it wanted something then and there.

Sometimes, people had to give up things they wanted in order to reach for a greater good.

“We have a meeting tomorrow morning at nine. Don’t worry about coming in until then,” Preston said.

“Okay,” I said. “I won’t.”

Then, I watched him get off the plane as people began to emerge. They were there taking pictures and asking for comments, and I slid down into my seat. I sat on the floor of the plane as the pilot emerged, then he came to sit with me as the commotion died down. When the two of us were sure everyone was gone, he escorted me to my beat-up car and watched me drive off.

Back into a world where I was pregnant with an unknown man’s children.

Twenty-Two

Delilah