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And that terrified her as well. It wasn’t that she didn’t think he would be a good father, but she wanted to be a good mother to her son and watch him grow into a good man. She wanted to be here for his life. All his life and even see his children.
“All right, don’t call the suicide hotline yet. But I’m concerned about Mrs. Anderson. The woman lives on social security and is always trying to sell her handmade goods for extra money. What if she sells this story to the gossip rags.”
Lauren was quiet for a moment and Cristina knew they were both thinking how this would disrupt her world. She could even be fired if the media learned she worked for the airlines and her picture was in the newspapers.
“Let’s not worry about that yet. Talk to your mother first,” Lauren said.
“You’re right,” Cristina said thinking she was going to dread that conversation.
“Tell me about Blake. How did he react?”
In some ways, she almost felt guilty for not telling him. The man had been emotional holding his son, watching her feed him, and even changing his diaper. She’d heard him telling Wyatt that he was his father. That had gotten to her.
“Well, he told me that he regretted leaving that morning without saying good-bye and getting my number. But I don’t know if that’s just his way of trying to get close to me. He said he most definitely wanted to be in his son’s life.” She laughed. “Oh, and he asked me to marry him and I told him no.”
“What?”
It was crazy. But at that moment, she’d known it would never work. They would soon end up hating each other. Besides, she wanted the man who married her to love her.
Wyatt deserved two loving parents. And she deserved her own chance at happiness.
“I told him no,” she said. “All he could talk about the night we met was how women were after his money. I don’t want his money.”
“Cristina,” her friend said in that tone that let her know they were going to disagree. “I don’t think you’re after his money. But he helped create this child and he should have to help pay for his care. You’ve been so strapped since you had Wyatt.”
She had been, but in time, things would work out. Right now he just needed a lot of love and attention and things. Babies needed stuff that was so expensive.
“Yes, but eventually that will change,” she said, though already, he was outgrowing his baby clothes.
“If he helps pay for things, you could return to painting,” Lauren said. “It’s what you love and you’re very good at it.”
With a sigh, she did miss spending time with her paints and brushes. Right now, she couldn’t afford to buy the canvas and she wanted a secure place to paint where she could lock the door and keep a toddler from getting into her paints, the turpentine, and all the other paraphernalia an artist had.
“Eventually, I’ll have time,” she said knowing that right now Wyatt was the center of her world.
“So are you going to accept his help?”
That was something she had yet to decide. If she took his money, then she’d be like all the other women, but yet, he had created Wyatt. He was his son. But the way he’d spoken and acted the night they met, she’d almost walked away. And there had been plenty of time in the last months for her to think that would have been the wiser choice.
But she’d been drawn to Blake, and she still didn’t understand why unless her body was just wanting a sperm donor that night.
“I’ve got to think on it some more,” she said. “I don’t want to be one of those clingy women who are just after his money.”
And yet, he did have some responsibility for Wyatt.
Lauren sighed. “Your life is about to get very interesting.”
“No, I’m going to just keep my head down and keep on taking care of my sweet baby and doing my job. I’m not going to let Blake interfere.”
Lauren laughed. “You keep telling yourself that. That man is not going to walk away.”
Oh, there was no doubt about that. Not until another woman came along and they had kids. Then he would forget about her son. And that hurt as well.
“I better go,” she said. “He’s going to pick us up tomorrow morning and take us to breakfast. I’m not going to agree to eating anywhere around here. We’re going to discuss what he wants as far as rights are concerned. Of course, I know he probably has already contacted his lawyer and has an army of them behind him.”
“You need to find an attorney and quick,” Lauren told her.
But she didn’t have the money for an attorney. Right now, the apartment, Wyatt’s daycare, his food, and diapers had left her budget straining. There was no room for a new car or even car repairs. She was stretched to the max.
