Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 29279 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 146(@200wpm)___ 117(@250wpm)___ 98(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 29279 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 146(@200wpm)___ 117(@250wpm)___ 98(@300wpm)
Don’t get me wrong. I’m confident in myself and I love the way I look, but I’m not like the women on his arm. I don’t have a photo-ready smile, nor do I have any silicone in my body. No judgment on the ladies who do, but it’s just not me.
But yes, I decided not to reveal the father to anyone. I merely stayed vague, and said it was someone I met who’s decided that he doesn’t want to be involved. Besides, between Simona and my parents, I have a good support system. I can do it without Tom. Hell, it’ll probably be easier without him, seeing that he’s an international movie star.
My doorbell rings and I get up to let Simona in.
“Hi girlfriend! I come bearing gifts,” she sings.
My friend holds up two chai teas and several shopping bags.
“You and my mother,” I say, laughing and closing the door. “Seriously, please stop buying me things. This kid is so spoiled, and he or she isn’t even born yet!”
She giggles, dumping the bags down on my couch.
“No, you’re a single mom! You need charity.” She kisses my cheek to soften her joke. “Besides, come on. I don’t have any nieces or nephews to shop for, so indulge me. Be nice to Ana too because I’ve never seen her so excited.”
I follow Simona into the kitchen where she places my tea on the table, as well as a small white cardboard box with holes. I stare at it for a second.
“Did you buy donuts?”
She grins at me.
“Nope, but I figured you could use a trial period before our bundle of joy arrives.”
I squint.
“What are you talking about?”
The box is moving now, and I stare at it suspiciously.
“Holy shit …”
Simona giggles.
“Yep! Open it.”
I tear the box open and a small black kitten with blue eyes pops his head out. He’s meowing indignantly at being captured in such an undignified way.
“You got me a cat,” I say with panic rising in my voice.
Simona looks a little worried.
“Yes, but he’s cute, right? Do you like him?”
I reach down and pick up the small warm body. The kitten immediately rubs his head into my neck, and tears well in my eyes. Without even knowing it, Simona has given me Tom Masters in cat form because this kitten loves to cuddle, just like my former lover.
“Oh Simona, I adore him. Thank you.”
She smiles and plops down in a chair.
“Oh good, because he comes with accessories. There’s a food bowl, a collar and a litter box in the bags over there. I got you the full she-bang.”
I cuddle the kitten to me and he climbs up onto my shoulder, nosing up under my hair. I reach up and grab him and put him on the kitchen floor to explore, but he starts meowing. Picking him up again, he settles happily in my lap and promptly closes his eyes for a little snooze.
“Aw,” Simona says, watching him. “He just wants to be near you. You guys must be soul mates.”
I stare down at the kitten blinking hard, trying not to cry.
“Honey, are you alright?”
Simona is looking at me with a concerned expression and I smile through my tears.
“Sorry, it’s just hormones,” I lie, wiping my eyes. “I absolutely love him, Sims. He’s the best thing I could have gotten right now. Thank you.”
She smiles and pushes my tea towards me. I take a sip and the warm spices settle my mind a little as I sit back.
“So, what are you going to name him?” my friend asks with a smile.
“I have no idea. I’ll have to think about it. I’ll give him a couple days to see what he’s like and maybe some ideas will pop into my head.”
Nodding, Simona watches me.
“That sounds like a plan. So how are you otherwise? Keeping food down? How are your parents by the way? Are they alright with everything now? I know your dad was a little shocked in the beginning.”
I grimace. My dad was upset when I told my parents about my pregnancy, but then again, Ronald’s not one to judge considering he was almost disinherited when he threw caution to the winds and married my mom. They were both twenty-one and my dad was in Miami on spring break from Yale. When he told his family he was engaged, my grandparents threw a fit. They called my mom all sorts of names, implying she wanted a green card and all sorts of bullshit without even meeting her. Fortunately, my dad was having none of that, and he and Ana got married and had me.
So Ronald gets it. Things that appear like bad news sometimes are actually the best news of all, and my baby falls into that category. Although my pregnancy was unexpected, my child is going to be a welcome addition to our family, even if his father has no idea he exists.