Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 31838 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 159(@200wpm)___ 127(@250wpm)___ 106(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 31838 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 159(@200wpm)___ 127(@250wpm)___ 106(@300wpm)
“So what is it, Miss Massie?” Dr. Steiner continues in a cheerful voice. “How do you think you got pregnant, if not from semen in the pool?”
Ellen hesitates but then speaks in a calm, controlled voice.
“I don’t know who the father of my child is, but it’s unlikely I’m pregnant from randomly floating sperm in the water. You see…” she takes a deep breath before she continues, “I’m pretty sure it’s because of a skinny-dipping party I was at.” What? This is new to me. Ellen hasn’t told me this part of the story yet.
“Yes? Go on,” the doctor encourages. Ellen swallows.
“I had sex with multiple men one night,” she admits in a quiet voice. “There were a couple frat boys at the pool, and me and my friend Kimber were partying with them. Things got heated and soon both Kimber and I were … well, you know.”
“You were having sex with multiple men,” Dr. Steiner finishes for her.
Ellen nods, placing her hands on her belly.
“Yes, and one of them, this guy Victor Navarro, came inside me a few times. I mean, I had sex with a couple of them, but as far as I know, Victor’s the only one who finished inside. I did take Plan B the next day, but as you can see, it didn’t work,” she says, rubbing her belly a bit.
I feel my body go cold then, not because Ellen had sex with multiple men but because she actually has a reasonable idea of who the father is. My blood runs to ice because I’ve been hoping to be a father to her baby after it’s born, but now, Ellen’s telling me that this Victor Navarro dude is the dad. Fuck. That’s a giant wrench in my plans given that we’re going to have to somehow convince this Victor guy to give up his paternity rights, if he’s even open to the idea.
Meanwhile, Dr. Steiner looks pleased.
“Okay, great,” she confirms, making notes. “That’s good to know because again, obviously, we’re eager to put this rumor about semen in the pool water to rest. I’ll make a note that you can confirm that your pregnancy is the result of intercourse. Thank you for sharing this with me, Ellen,” Dr. Steiner adds as she picks up her documents. “You’ve been a great help.”
Then, she shakes both of our hands and leaves, shutting the door quietly behind her. It’s only then that Ellen faces me.
“I’m sorry,” she whispers, staring at the floor with a sheen of tears in her eyes. “I feel terrible. I know I’ve been feeding you this story about the Coleman University pool, when all along I suspected it was this guy Victor who got me pregnant.”
“Why didn’t you just tell me?” I ask gently. “You didn’t need to hide it. You don’t owe me anything. This happened before we met.”
Ellen nods, still miserable.
“I know,” she acknowledges in a small voice. “But I just … I don’t know. It sounded like I was less at fault if I said it was the water, and to be honest, I’m embarrassed that it’s Victor Navarro too. He’s kind of a player,” she confesses in a whisper.
My brow lowers.
“How so?”
Ellen stares at the floor once more.
“Victor Navarro has already fathered several children with other women around campus, and I didn’t want to be just another so-called ‘Victor’s Victim,’” she explains, making air-quotes with her hands. “I know he’s not going to be interested in being a father to the baby, so I left him out of my story because it was more convenient that way. Plus, I didn’t want you to think badly of me because I had sex with a couple guys that night,” she whispers. “It was something that happened, and well … I kind of liked it. Not that I would do it again,” Ellen continues in a rush. “But yes, that was another part of the story that I didn’t want you to know.”
I pause for a moment.
“Because you thought I’d judge you for having sex with multiple men?”
She swallows and nods, looking utterly miserable.
“Yes.”
“But sweetheart, you saw me having sex with multiple women at a Club Z party, so why would I judge you for doing the same?”
Ellen swallows again.
“Well, because there’s a double standard as applied to men versus women,” she says in a small voice. “I didn’t want you to think I was a slut.”
I shake my head.
“Oh sweetheart, I’m not upset about that. I don’t care how many trains you’ve pulled, or if you love being gang-banged. Fuck, I’ve fucked so many women in my forty years that I’m the one who should be ashamed, and not you.”
Ellen looks up at me the, her eyes hopeful.
“So you’re not angry?”
I shake my head.
“Not about that, certainly.”
She nods.
“But about something else?”
I nod slowly then.