~*~Chapter Eleven~*~
Melinda had waited till Jim had gone to work. She had been feeling weird for days following her weekend with Rick. She was standing in the bathroom as she had just taken a pregnancy test.
She was waiting impatiently for the results. What if she was pregnant? What if she wasn't? Ohhhh God, what if she wasn't and that meant they had to try again? How was she going to handle another weekend of lust with Rick? Would he be willing to try again? What if they got caught in the act?
With all of those questions running through her head, Melinda wasn't properly watching the clock. When she glanced it again, she saw that it was time to check the test. Now was the moment of truth. Was she pregnant or not?
She picked up the little white stick, holding it in her trembling hand. There was a plus sign in the little window. No doubt about it; she was pregnant- with Rick's baby! "Ohhh God!" she gasped as she lay her hand on her stomach. Her belly was still flat... but soon it would be bursting with life. She was actually carrying a child! Rick's child!
She had to tell Rick! She couldn't waste another moment! She had to tell him NOW!
She carefully discarded the pregnancy test, then rushed out of the house. She was speeding over to the university. What would he do or say? She had barely spoken to him the past three weeks. She had purposely been avoiding him, because she could barely keep her hands off him; she wanted him so much! She knew she had to tell him the news, but part of her dreaded seeing him. She'd want him all over again... but he was off-limits. As she pulled up to the curb in front of the university, she lost her nerve. She wasn't thinking clearly. She placed her hand on her flat stomach as a fresh wave of nausea hit her.
"Damn!" she cursed as she drove away.
She ended up at the antique shoppe. She decided staying busy would take her mind off her dilemma. As she was working in the back room, she paused to talk to the baby. She placed a hand over her stomach as she said to the little one, "I know you're in there now. Your daddy is going to be so happy."
"Who are you talking to?" a voice asked.
Melinda looked up to see her assistant, Delia enter the room. She hadn't even heard her come into the shoppe. "No one!" Melinda quickly denied.
"Ohhh... one of your ghosts again," said Delia.
"Yeah, that's it," said Melinda. "Can you watch the store? I need to go over and talk to Rick."
"Sure," Delia agreed.
Delia didn't even get a chance to ask another question, although she tried. Melinda was far too quick. She grabbed her purse and hurried out of the shoppe. She barely even stopped to take a breath. She was in such a rush.
Melinda was huffing and puffing with exertion when she reached the university. She burst into Rick's office. He looked haggard as he slumped over his desk.
The professor hadn't been sleeping well. He had been missing Melinda. Sadly, he knew she'd been avoiding him. His wife was more distant than ever. Kate was hardly ever around. He knew his marriage was suffering.
He had been wondering if Melinda was pregnant. He was also wondering if she WAS pregnant, would he end up being a single father? Would Kate leave him?
As Melinda burst through the door, Rick was caught up in a memory. His mind was on that magical moment he had shared with Melinda at the bed and breakfast.
"Melinda, you are going to get pregnant tonight. I am going to see to it," Rick said with a wicked grin.
"I hope you are right," she said breathlessly in between kisses.
He carried her to the bed where they made passionate love. They had only stopped to get a bite to eat.
When the lovemaking ended, they are both lying there stunned. They were staring into each other's eyes. He couldn't believe how phenomenal it had been. He never wanted to leave Melinda's arms. He wanted to stay with her forever.
*How will I ever let you go after two days?* Rick said to her in his mind.
He pushed the thought aside as the urge came to make love again. He wanted to hear Melinda's screams. This time they made love for hours, exploring each other's bodies and bringing each other again and again to the heights of ecstasy. After the passion cooled, they fell fast asleep, cuddled in each other's arms.
Melinda walked in, looking radiant. She was practically glowing with so much vitality. Rick suddenly sat up, very alert at his desk.
"You're pregnant!" he exclaimed.
"We're pregnant!" she said happily.
She ran to him as he stood. Melinda threw herself into the comfort of the professor's arms. "I've missed you so much," she said as they held each other close.
"Why did you stay away?" he asked, sounding rather sad.
"I don't know... but I won't anymore. I can't. I need to be near you," she responded.
"I'm glad you're back," he said as he pulled back a bit and gazed into her eyes. His blue eyes were aglow with so much tenderness.
"How do you feel?" he asked.
"Amazing," she replied. "I can't believe it happened. We made a baby."
"That we did," he whispered. Rick knelt down, talking softly to his unborn child. He placed a tender caress upon Melinda's stomach.
"I'm going to be a daddy," he said in wonder. "I don't know what I am going to tell Kate."
"Do you think she'll be happy?"
Rick shrugged. He really wasn't sure anymore. All he knew was that HE was happy. Melinda was carrying his baby.