Daddy’s Little Pet

RENEEText property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

It took me thirty seconds to understand what Nicole said. Thirty seconds, during which the entire world slowed down. Every heartbeat pounding hard against my chest increasingly solidified as a single word echoed over and over in my head.

Pregnant.

I was carrying a child inside me. Robert’s child. Our child.

My goodness! In nine months, I’d be a mother. For nine fucking months, I’d carry a living, breathing human inside of me! As I took it all in, a moment of clarity hit. This explained the weight gain Sally noticed, my persistent nausea, and the morning sickness. The feeling in the pit of my stomach that came when I overate or drank alcohol. This explained it all. Everything was starting to make sense.

I also remembered a conversation with Robert the day before about having mini-us’s someday. It’d seemed like an idyllic fantasy at the time, but now the reality was so much crueler.

“Oh, my God.” My voice cracked as tears streamed down my cheeks, mixed with the sweat and dried blood on the bedding. “I’m pregnant.”

I was barely aware of Nicole holding my shoulders as a torrent of emotions overtook me, and I began sobbing uncontrollably. The shock, the horror, the fear, and the rage all came at once-overpowering me and flooding the entirety of my senses. I felt lost. I felt numb.

Wasn’t this supposed to be good news? The only emotion I should be feeling was happiness-not dread, pain, or despair. I should be thrilled, elated even. But instead, my stomach churned, and my heart fell.

“Oh dear,” Nicole said as she stroked my hair. “This is fantastic news. Why are you crying? You should be ecstatic.”

“But I’m not.” I sobbed, attempting to keep my words from escaping in hiccups. “I’m terrified. I’m scared. So fucking scared!” With each word, the volume of my voice increased.

Nicole drew back a little and locked her gaze on mine, giving me her undivided attention.

“What are you afraid of? Motherhood?” She stopped before continuing, batting her now-wet eyelids at me. “You’re going to be a fantastic mother. Never question that.”

I chuckled bitterly. “No. I know. But that’s not what I’m afraid of.”

“Then what are you afraid of?”

“How…” I hesitated, gathering my thoughts. “How will I tell Robert this while he’s in jail? What will his reaction be? This is bad timing. Fucking bad timing! He’s probably going through a lot right now. And I…I’m sitting here doing nothing. I… Nicole… I’m at a loss for what to do. I’m terrified. I’m confused. I…I…” As more sobs blasted through me, the last phrases came out in stutters, my breath coming out in painful gasps.

Nicole could be heard taking some deep breaths as well. Then, in an almost quiet voice, she spoke, “You can wait.”

“Huh?”

“You can wait until Robert is released. He shouldn’t know about the baby till then, so he won’t worry much. And if it makes you feel any better, you can take time for yourself. Get your act together and your mind right. Be in a stable place mentally and physically before you start showing.”

“But Nicole…”

She nodded as if understanding my next inquiry. “Yes, Renee. You’ll do exactly that. Besides, Robert won’t be locked up for long. Whatever has him in that dirty pit, he’ll get himself out soon enough.”

“How can you be so sure?” Nicole flashed me a half-hearted smile as I sniffed.

She then shrugged. “He’s not Billionaire Robert Clarke for nothing. He has the resources and connections.” I let Nicole’s words sink in while she continued. “He’s so well respected in this city, if not the entire country. Believe me when I say he’ll be out in no time. They don’t keep people like him in there for long unless the crime is really serious, which I know it isn’t. So it’s best if you stop being so concerned. Consider the baby’s health above all else.”

I closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths, taking into consideration what Nicole was saying.

She was correct. Her advice was solid, and my thoughts were beginning to clear up. Everything would be great because Robert would be out in no time. And then we could focus on being a family. Right?

My lashes fluttered open. “I have to go see him, Nicole.”

“Now?”

“Yes.” With the back of my palm, I wiped my eyes. “Get the doctor to come and discharge me.”

“But, Renee, you still need to rest and…”

I cut her off before she could finish. “Please, Nicole.” As I pled, my lips shook. I was trying so hard to keep my cool. “I will go insane if I don’t see Robert today. I swear I won’t tell him about the baby. All I want to do is see him and hold his hand. I… all I want is to hear his voice. I need to know that he’s okay.”

Nicole groaned and turned to face Sally, watching us silently. “Get the doctor.”

With a curt nod, Sally left the room and returned moments later with a doctor who introduced herself as Dr. Fletcher. She was dressed in gleaming white scrubs and had dark hair, brown skin, and sparkling green eyes that shined as she examined me.

If she was annoyed by the mess I’d caused with the IV tubes and bandages, she didn’t show it. Instead, she moved around me, checking various readouts and inquiring about my symptoms and other essential information. She scribbled notes on her pad and also provided comprehensive explanations about multiple tests and treatments that’d be necessary as my pregnancy progressed.

As she spoke, I felt like I was in a trance, and everything seemed strange. I was really pregnant. I would have my own tiny human being-a product of the love I shared with Robert. Damn, my entire life was about to change in such an amazing way.

When the doctor finally spoke again, I blinked back a tear. “Congratulations again, miss. Everything looks great. It’d be better if we kept you overnight for observation and close monitoring. You should…”

“I apologize, ma’am. But she wants to be discharged immediately.” Nicole cut the doctor off mid-sentence. “Please.”

“Um. Okay, then.” Dr. Fletcher glanced at her. “But before she can be discharged, her wounds must be cleaned and dressed. We also need to give her medications to help with the nausea.”

“Of course. Thank you very much,” Nicole murmured, and I offered my gratitude by bowing my head slightly.

“I’ll send a nurse over shortly.” Dr. Fletcher said as she exited the room with one last warm grin, and a few minutes later, the nurse arrived as she said.

With two sets of surgical gloves and a clean cotton sheet in her hands, she went about her work carefully, ensuring every wound in my body was cleaned and covered with gauze. I kept glancing out the window as she did this, thinking of Robert.

His face flashed through my mind constantly, and I wondered if his eyes would be filled with grief and sadness when I saw him later today. Or would he twist the corners of his mouth into a grin and tell me not to worry?

Then he’d tell me to be strong and to trust him because that’s what he always did. He always knew how to reassure me even when his life was falling apart.

Oh, Robert. My thoughtful, caring, kind man. My eyes welled up with tears once more.

“All done.” The nurse announced, breaking my train of thought. She took a step back, a satisfied expression on her face, and nodded. “You’re free to leave now, ma’am. If only you’d sign this.” She handed me a clipboard with several sheets of paper.

I scribbled my signature on the papers and handed it back. She grinned and exited the room.

I silently sat after she left, my gaze darting from Nicole to Sally. “So what, now?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Nicole laughed softly and offered her hand, which I graciously accepted. “We go visit your man.”