CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Tracy Quartermaine had tightly closed her eyes. When she opened them, she found herself in the comfort of her husband's arms.

"Gotcha," he said.

She laughed uneasily. "Um, thanks," she swallowed.

He followed her into her room.

"I told you I did not want you foll—"

"Hey, there, Tiger. I saved you and your little package from a nasty fall."

"All right. Fine. Whatever do you want from me?"

"Oh, I am sure you have a good idea."

"Do I?" she placed her hands on her hips.

"Yes, you do," he was serious. "No more games."

"You started it with the 'footsie' nonsense," she gestured with her hands.

"All right. Tracy. We need to discuss, uh, this."

Tracy laughed uneasily, "This?"

He sighed. "I've done a lot of things in the past I'm not proud of, but uh, what I did…or I guess what I did not do, uh, on our wedding night wasn't one of them."

Tracy gave him a confused look. "Why must you use double negatives?" She paused. "Never mind."

Luke closed his eyes. "On our wedding night, you did come on to me." He laughed, "Oh, it's a shame that you can't remember, but you did. You wildcat, you. Argggh," he growled.

"Luke Spencer, you are avoiding the point." Oh, who am I kidding? I know what's going on in that mind of his. He's going to tell me…

"Tracy, I never slept with you that night," he stated. "I couldn't."

She didn't respond.

"Tracy?"

"Hmm?"

"There's no chance that I'm the father."

She was silent.

"But you already knew that, didn't you?"

Tracy didn't say a word.

"Mrs. Spencer…," he said, impatiently.

"The uh," she swallowed. "The dates must be wrong then."

"Because you made them up. Come on, Tracy."

As he spoke the truth, she wondered how she became the "bad guy" all of sudden.

"Tracy?"

"Luke, please. I told you what I was told."

"Damnit, wife. Do not lie to me."

Tracy turned around. She couldn't face her husband.

There was a moment of awkward silence. Then, Luke gently placed his hands on his wife's shoulders.

"I guess I'm no more innocent than you are in all of this," he spoke quietly.

His sudden change of attitude took her by surprise.

"I should have said something right from the beginning," he paused. "I should never have let you believe that I could've been the father. You honestly thought that there was a chance, didn't you?"

Tracy spoke quietly, "Oh, Luke, you have no idea."

"Then tell me."

She sighed before turning around to face him, "You want the truth?"

"As close as Tracy Quartermaine can get to the truth."

She squeezed out a little smile before sighing, "All right." She began, "The day I found out…Gosh, I don't know. I wasn't thinking. I, uh, I came up…Well, I came up with this entire lie—Well, it might have not been a lie, but I—" she was speaking rather quickly.

"Whoa, Spanky. Don't be all going all Natasha on me."

"Natasha?" she questioned. "Did you just compare me to Alexis Davis?"

"Well, I wouldn't have had to if you remembered to breathe. I'm not following. Oh, and for you information, I happen to be very fond of Natasha, so it's not like the comparison is a bad thing."

"Speak for yourself," she said while she shot him an angry glance.

Their argument was serious, and yet the banter remained.

"You need to listen to me," Tracy told her husband. "Because I'm not going to repeat this."

"I'm listening," he tapped his foot. "Something about a lie?"

She sighed exasperatingly. "I had no idea, Luke Spencer," she said sharply. "And so I pretended to have the dates figured out, and yes, I made it seem as though you were the father," she sounded regretful for a moment, "and for I all know, you could have been!" she threw her hands in the air. "Are you with me?"

"I think so."

She continued, "And then all of a sudden, you no longer denied the fact that we slept together, and then…I…Oh…I…Oh God…Could two people be any more screwed up than us?" she laughed.

Luke laughed too, but then his smiled faded, "Well, I'm glad the truth is out."

She nodded.

"Well, then," he said softly. "I guess I can I leave."

"I guess so," she nodded, as she bit her lip.

Both husband and wife were hesitant.

"Well, there is one more thing…"

"Hmm?"

"I can't promise I'm going to help raise Spanky Jr."

Tracy laughed. "Spanky Jr.?"

Luke continued, "But I can keep on pretending to be the father." He cleared if throat. "If that's what you want."

"It's something to consider."

"Aww, come on. It kind of works out, doesn't it? The world already knows I abandon my other kids. Why should this one be any different?"

"Exactly?" Tracy shrugged.

"Sorry, Spankybuns. This is the best I can do."

"I guess I'll take it. For now. But ONLY because I do not want subject myself to further humiliation."

My God. What the hell is the matter with me? Coleman just might WANT to be a father. He just might be a GOOD father. Eh…Not sure if I want my baby on the back of his Harley. Oh, come on. Listen to yourself. No one can ever find out about this. The humiliation of being pregnant is going to be bad enough. The last thing the family needs to know is that my husband is NOT the father.

"I thought you would."

"What? Ah, never mind. I got it. Well, um," she swallowed, "It's time for me to get some sleep."

"Woman, it's only 8!"

"And I'm pregnant. Goodness! Do you know how ridiculous that sounds?"

Luke laughed, "Sweet dreams, wife." He helped her into her bed and covered her. She didn't know why, but she let him.

"You're playing the loving husband? Why?" she asked suspiciously.

"In hopes that you decide not to throw me out after all."

Tracy smiled slightly and sat up in bed, "I, uh, never wanted to you leave. Not permanently, anyway."

"I KNEW it!"

"Don't push it," she warned. Her voice turned sweet, "I just…I really want to believe you're telling me the truth."

He took a seat next to her, "About why I was going to leave?"

She nodded.

"Is my word not good enough?"

Tracy smiled slightly, "Honestly?"

"Spanky…," he responded in a joking manner.

She sighed and closed her eyes, "All right. I believe you," she opened them. "But no more lies."

"No more lies," he repeated.

"No more mind games," she waved an index finger in his face.

"No more mind games."

Tracy looked at him hopelessly, "Yeah, that's not going to happen."

Luke chuckled.

She sighed once more, "Would it be possible to pretend that tonight never happened?"

"I believe the genius in me already suggested that," he noted before kissing his wife on the forehead. "Well, we can remember that part," he winked.

"What did I say about not pushing—Ooh," she interrupted herself.

"What is it?"

"The baby," she smiled, as she immediately pulled his arm and placed his hand on her stomach. "He just kicked for the first time. Can you feel it?" She paused. "Oh, what am I doing? Of course, you can't feel it. I need to be further along."

Luke looked at her strangely. He seemed surprised, but also a little afraid.

Tracy noticed his odd expression. "What I mean is, uh," she removed his hand. "Sorry, I…"

"My wife is flustered. That has to be a first," he said surprisingly.

"I…"

Luke smiled, "I think the baby likes when I kiss you."

Tracy smiled too, "Ha."

"Good night, Spankybuns."

PREVIEW: A certain teenage boy can't keep his mouth shut, and someone else learns Tracy's secret. ; )