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“Are you convinced by all this?” Wes asks a little dubiously. I smile.
“I am,” I say firmly. I feel even more sure when I see my father returning with bags full of gifts and a hopeful smile on his face.
“I brought presents,” he says proudly. “Some for you, some for the baby...there’s all sorts of toys and books for the kid, and I got you some chocolates, some wine, a trip to a spa...I figure you’ll need it after the delivery.”
“You know, a bunch of presents doesn’t prove anything,” Wes says quietly. The atmosphere immediately changes. My father’s face falls. But he doesn’t turn around and walk away. He might have done that, once upon a time, but the new Lawrence is in our presence now. He puts down the gifts and approaches Wes, clapping a hand on his shoulder.
“I know that. I swear I do,” he says quietly. “But I’m going to show you that I mean it. I know I let you both down...in some ways, it was worse for you, Wes. You trusted me for a long time, and I showed you my true colors. But this is just the beginning. We’re going to get back on track...I swear.”
Wes looks slightly more satisfied now. When he looks at me, I nod to him insistently. I want him to try and be civil, for my sake if no one else’s. I want this to work out. And for the first time all evening, Wes smiles properly.
“Okay. I believe you. Shall we go through and have some dinner? I think things will be a lot easier when we all have a glass of wine in our hands…”
My father laughs jovially. “Well, that sounds good to me. Zooey, can I give you a hand?”
“It’s alright. I’ve kind of gotten used to lugging the weight of my child around,” I joke. I follow the men through to the dining room, where our chef is serving up our starters. But as I’m walking over to the table, something changes. I suddenly feel a little bit strange. When I look down, I see a pool of water on the floor and I know what’s happened.
“Wes...it’s happening.”
Wes turns around in confusion and sees what I mean. My father is still oblivious to what is happening in front of his eyes. He smiles at me until he sees the water on the floor, and his face falls.
“Oh my God...what do we do? Wes, we’re taking her to the hospital right?”
“We’ve got a plan...can you run upstairs for me and find her overnight bag? It should be by our bed…”
My father nods in haste, rushing for the door. Then, he quickly returns to the room to kiss me on the cheek. “Congratulations,” he tells me. “I’m so proud to be a part of this.”
Then, with that, he rushes out of the room again. I feel a stab of pain, but I’m too excited to notice it much as Wes rushes to my side to hold me up. He cradles me close to him and I look up at his smiling face.
“You’re so calm…” I say, feeling a rush of nerves. “How are you this calm?”
His smile only grows wider. “Because, Zooey...this was always meant to be. And I can’t wait for this new stage of our adventure.”
He leans in to kiss me softly. This is it. After months of planning, months of excitement and baby kicks and debating baby names, we’re finally having our first child. And if I have my way, this baby will be the first of many.
My life with my man is just beginning.
Haunted by Her Curves
AN OLDER MAN YOUNGER WOMAN ROMANCE
_______________________
A MAN WHO KNOWS WHAT HE WANTS, 206
FLORA FERRARI
Haunted by Her Curves
LOIS
It’s Halloween.
My big break in journalism… My only break since college. A real-life, low to no pay internship with a small town newspaper.
And I have my first story.
Spending the night at a haunted house?
It must be some kind of wind up, a test.
I decide to check it out before chucking the job. What have I got to lose?
At a crossroads in my life, I feel a change coming.
I feel him.
I feel drawn to the house on the hill and I don’t even know why.
It’s like I’ve led my whole life, waiting to go there.
Waiting for him.
Ghost or not.
Once I feel his eyes on me.
I know I’m his…
Forever.
BLAKE
A car crash. Covering for my team’s captain. My baseball career, over.
Everything crashes after that, and I find the one refuge I can remember… the house on the hill.
Maybe I did die?
Maybe my life’s over and I’m left to wander the earth, alone.
Like a ghost.
I watch through fading, cracked glass. Chasing snooping kids away.
Until one day. She’s here.
It’s really her.
Maybe I died and went to heaven, after all, I just had to wait for my angel at the gates.
