Reed's Reckoning

“Well, I guess this makes it easier to say then.” Trey cuts in. “One odd thing in all of this is that Alex has a standing appointment twice a month with a fertility doctor. She doesn’t seem to be dating anyone seeing as how she is hung up on you.”

“You think she wants to have my baby? Isn’t that physically impossible? I’m not sure about the science of how it all works, but I am pretty sure I have to contribute to that. With Ari, I know I contributed.”

“I hate to tell you, but women use sperm samples all the time. It’s the only choice in some circumstances. Is there any way she could have gotten a sample?” Trey actually looks embarrassed.

Shit! There’s a fine line I’m walking here because this is really no one’s business. “I won’t go into details, but there is absolutely no way, since the day I saw Ari in April, she could have gotten a sample in the way you’re thinking.”

“Motherfucker! You better put a goddamn ring on her finger before I have another Godson. Don’t you wrap your shit up?” Luke snarls at me

Jack slams his hand on the table and hollers, “Hell yeah! I’ll be around for this one!”

“Watch it asshole! I’m not sure you’re in my good graces yet.” I growl at him.

“Being as I am here and about to help you get to the bottom of this. You better start.” He laughs back.

“Daddy, what are y’all laughing about?” Davis pokes his head out the door and I motion for him to sit with me. Ari comes out and invites the guys for dinner, and then makes a motion for me to follow her inside. I dump Davis into Luke’s lap and walk in behind her.

“I heard all that, Reed, and it sets my nerves on edge. I’ve lived with the fact that I got pregnant out of wedlock but I was in love with you. What if she is trying to get pregnant without any type of relationship with you? Isn’t that certifiable?”

“Baby, there’s no way. You and I both know that.”

“Not now! But what about before me? You said you used condoms. What if she got one of those?”

“Ari, how would that even happen? And why are we talking about it? It creeps me out.”

“Because it happens. You forget I read a lot, and there are some crazies out there that do this stuff all the time.”

“Babe, I know what you read and it is fictional porn.”

“No, it’s not! These things really happen.”

“To who?”

“Didn’t you watch that drama last year when the crazy scary man got his secretary or someone pregnant by letting go in her mouth and she saved it? Or what about on Scandal when the teenagers slept together and she kept the condom to give as a DNA sample? It happens!”

Yanking her to me, she lands against my chest as a thud. “You gonna let this eat away at you? You know she’s not currently pregnant and she never will be with my baby. Now you on the other hand, will be.”

“Are you taking me seriously?”

“Absolutely. We got some crazy news tonight. We need to confront it in the morning for answers and your mind is swirling. But nothing changes us Ari. You and I are the real thing. Not her, no one else before you, well except you.”

She tries to argue but I cover her mouth with a kiss until we’re breathless. Then I step back and top off her wine. She goes back to the stove and I set the table. I think I may be out of the clear until she speaks again.

“And another thing Reed, don’t let people think we are trying for a baby. We have a lot on our plate right now.”

“We’ll see sweet Angel, we’ll see.” I wink and turn in time to see her roll her eyes.

Ari

The coffee I drank this morning is sitting in my stomach like lead. Each time I move, Reed and Luke rub my arms soothingly. I wonder if I’m going to throw up for the hundredth time. Last night, I was all talk because I know now I could never confront this woman, who used to be my friend, with confidence.

I ended up calling Katy and Sophie and telling them what happened. Sophie gave me advice on right hooks, while Katie gave me advice on patience. She explained that I needed to hear what Sarah said before I judged her. I wanted to tell her she was wrong, but it is her wisdom that got me to where I am today.

Luke gets a text and gets up tensely to meet Sarah at the front. Jack moves to the seat he vacated and Trey stands behind me. Reed is so close he is practically on top of me.