*Thank-you for all the reviews on the last chapter. They were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much. =)
Later that evening I went to Dave's house for dinner like he had requested. I let myself in because Dave told me I didn't need to knock or ring the doorbell anymore. He told me I was welcomed to just walk in. I walked in and didn't find him in the living room but I could smell the aroma of his cooking filling the house. I knew he was in the kitchen so I made my way through the dining room to the kitchen. "Hey," I said as I entered the kitchen to see Dave standing over the stove mixing some type of sauce.
"Hey, Tess," he said with a smile as he turned around. "How are you?"
"Exhausted still," I said as I sat down at the table. "It smells good in here. What are we having?"
"Chicken parmesan with eggplant, fresh garden salad and garlic bread," he answered.
"Sounds great," I said with a smile. I always thought it was a nice touch when a man could cook. He was doing better than John because John could not cook anything. Dave had to secretly be a chef because he could cook anything. He even cooked better than I did.
"I hope you're hungry," he said with a smile.
"I'm always hungry," I said. "I am pregnant."
"I know I was just messing with you," he said. "So how about that guy?"
"What guy?" I asked.
"John. He had a lot of nerve today. Why did he even go?"
"Because he could be the baby's father and he wanted to be there. I'm sorry," I said as Dave pulled the chicken out of the oven.
"It's okay," he said. "But he had no right to start talking about paternity tests," he said.
"I know but he just wants to know."
"I want to know too but I'm not going to act like an ass about it. Breaking up with him, Tessa, was the best thing you could do but he's still trying to control you. What do you want to do?"
"I want to get a paternity test done but I'm not sure what I want done. I want to know as soon as possible but I don't know if I want to risk the baby."
"I don't think you should risk the baby. It is partly mine," he said pouring his sauce onto the meal. "He should just be patient."
"I know but I think I might get the CVS test done. That one seems safer. I just don't want to do that amniocenteses because I don't' want to risk miscarriage or risk a leak of amniotic fluid. That can be really bad for the baby."
"It's up to you, Tess," he said bringing the food over to the table. "I will support you in whatever you choose to do."
"Thanks," I said. "I am glad you're so understanding. Thank-you."
"No problem," he said filling each of our plates. "I just don't believe in treating you like you're inferior and don't have a say in the matter when really it's all about you and what you want. It's your body and your choice. You can do what you want to do and John has no say in it. If you want to wait then you wait. You don't have to rush to get a paternity test just because Romeo can't be patient."
"I know but I think it's better if we find out as soon as possible because the sooner we know what we already know the sooner John will be out of our lives."
"Tessa, what if by some odd chance the baby is John's. Then what?"
"Nothing is going to change a thing. He'll be the father but I will never be with him again."
"What about me?" he asked.
"We can be friends," I answered.
"What if I don't' want to be friends?" he asked.
"Not you too," I said. I thought he meant he didn't want to be friends at all if the baby wasn't his. I thought that he was going to be just like John and the only thing that was keeping him talking to me was the baby I was pregnant with.
"What does that mean?" he asked.
"Well, John told me we can't be friends because of what happened and the only thing that's keeping him talking to me is the baby. Are you the same way?"
"I think you misunderstood. I don't want to be friends with you. I want to be with you. I want more than friendship with you, Tessa. Since I was with Max's mom I haven't let myself fall in love because she was the love of my life but then I started working with you. I will admit at first I thought you were a stuck up bitch, sorry, but that's what I thought. Then I got to know you and you were nothing like the person I thought you were. You're so beautiful, you're intelligent and you're fun to be around. I thought that us sleeping together was going to be a one time thing and then it turned into a couple times and then we were having an affair. I don't know maybe affairs were going around that time of year but having an affair with you was one of the best times of my life. I thought that I could just sleep with you no strings attached but I was so wrong. I started to develop feelings for you and every time I saw John mistreat you I liked you more. Every time I see you with Max it just amazes me. Max really likes you. In fact he's crazy about you just like I am. Then when you told me you were pregnant I liked you more. I know, Tessa, that baby is mine. I can feel it. Even if it's not I will still like you like this. I really like you and I want to be with you. What do you say? Can we give it a shot? You never know where it might lead right?"
I didn't know what to say. I was literally speechless. Dave had pretty much poured his heart out and laid his feelings out on the table. John was right. Dave did love me and he did have feelings for me. I couldn't believe it. I never thought Dave would be the one to have feelings for someone let alone get into a relationship with someone but here he was proving me wrong because he wanted a relationship. "Dave, Wow, I don't even know what to say."
"Please say yes because if you say no I don't know what I'm going to do," he said.
"Just relax," I said with a smile. "Honestly, I've had feelings for you for a long time I just didn't want to say anything because I never expected you to get more out of having sex with me. I thought we were just having a fling but then I got to know you better and I started falling in love with you. I love seeing you with Max, I love when you talk to the baby, I love the small things you do for me, I love how you let me make my own decisions and support them and I love how you're amazing. You're a great guy, Dave and I don't care what anyone says, you are one of the best guys I have ever met in my entire life. And I think we can give it a shot. I'd like that a lot."
"So you'll be my girlfriend?" he asked with a smile.
"Yeah," I said. "I will."
"Oh. Thank God. I was scared I was going to look like a fool and you say no."
"I thought I was a fool for falling in love with you but I am so glad you feel the same way I do."
"Me too," he said with a smile. "Me too."
That night after our romantic dinner together we celebrated the beginning of our relationship by making love. It felt so much more different this time because we were actually in a relationship. It felt more passionate if that was even possible for Dave and me. The softness of his body against mine, his soft lips kissing my neck, his soft hands feeling all over my body, his slow and gentle movements followed by harder and faster movements, hearing his moans of pleasure and my name escaping from his lips. He said it with such a passion. It was all passionate until we both came together. The sound of my name on his lips as he collapsed his body on top of mine before he softly kissed my lips gave me chills. It was amazing. He slowly and reluctantly removed his body from mine and laid down beside me taking me into his arms as my cell phone went off. "Ignore that," he said as he kissed my neck. "It can't be that important."
"Okay," I said as he turned me to face him. We were sharing another passionate kiss as my cell phone started going off again. I broke the kiss and said, "I should see who it is first."
"Fine," he said allowing me to reach for my phone.
"It will only take a second. I promise."
"All right," he said with a smile as he kissed my lips as I reached for my phone on the night stand.
As soon as I had my phone I broke our kiss and looked to see who was calling. It was my mom. It was really unexpected and it was after 9 so it had to be important because she had a rule about calling after 9. "I have to take this. It's my mom."
"All right," he said. "I'm gonna go to the bathroom and go get some water," he said getting out of bed to put on his briefs.
"I'm sorry," I said sitting up pulling the covers over me.
"It's okay. Do you want some water?"
"Yeah," I said.
"Okay. I'll be right back," he said before kissing my lips and leaving the room.
Once he was gone I answered the phone, "Hey, Mom."
"Tessa, what the hell is going on down in Tampa?" she asked. I could tell from the sound of her voice she was upset about something but I had no idea what. My mom hardly ever swore and when she did it was not a good sign.
"Um, Mom, what are you talking about?"
"I just got off the phone with Carol. And you know what she told me?"
There it was. I now knew why my mom was upset. John obviously told his mom about Dave and me, our breakup, the baby and she told my mom. I knew exactly what she told my mom but to phase her I said, "no. What did she tell you?"
"She told me that you were sleeping with that Batista guy behind John's back and now you don't know who the father of that baby is. She told me you and John broke up, you got fired and that you were kicked out of the house. What are you going to do now, Tessa?"
"Hold on," I said. I needed a moment to compose myself because I was pissed off that John even said anything to either of our parents and I was upset I didn't get a chance to tell my mom. I wanted to tell her and I'm sure it would have sounded a lot better from me than Carol. "All right. So it's true. I was sleeping with Dave behind John's back, I don't know who the father is, John did kick me out and I lost my job. I can't lie about it."
"You messed up your entire life, Tessa. Cheating on John? That's not like you. Why would you do something like that? And have unprotected sex? WE raised you better than that."
"Isn't that a bit hypocritical? You were all for me having unprotected sex with John to make a baby but it's a big deal when I do it with Dave. It was one night and I didn't expect anything to happen because it wasn't happening with John. I didn't plan to cheat on John. It just happened. What do you want me to say? Things happen."
"You and John were together for 16 years. I have expected you to have unprotected sex but you slept with someone else. That's wrong. At least be respectful and use protection now do you see the mess you're in?"
'Yes, Mom, I do," I said. "What do you want me to do? I can't take it back."
"I don't know. You messed up this time, Tessa. There's no fixing what you did."
"I know," I said. I really felt like crying because that was the first time in my entire life I got the I'm disappointed in what you did speech. My mom is usually my best friend but that night not so much.
"And I thought John was the love of your life?"
"Mom, I don't think I loved John as much as I thought."
"No kidding, Tessa."
"You didn't let me finish, if I did love him as much as I said I did this wouldn't have happened. I know you're upset with me and I know you're disappointed in me but it is what it is and I'm sorry. I'm 32 years old and John is the only person I have ever been with. I never got that chance to go out there and see if there was someone else for me. I never knew anyone but John. I can't base true love on that alone. I am sorry if I made you mad or disappointed you but I can't change it."
"Tessa, I want you to be happy but what you did was wrong."
"I know, Mom, but it felt so right."
"Tessa, what are you going to do about that baby?"
"I'm getting a paternity test done to find out the father and I'm keeping the baby."
"Are you and John going to get back together if it's his baby?"
"No, Mom, we're not. I'm actually with someone else right now," I said as Dave walked into the room handing me my water. "Thank-you."
"You're welcome," he said as he got into bed next to me.
"Who was that?" My mom asked after hearing his voice.
"That was my boyfriend," I said.
"Boyfriend? As in Dave being your boyfriend?" she asked.
"Yeah," I said taking a sip of my water.
"You didn't even give it time, Tessa, how can you be with him so soon?"
"Well, to be honest, we've been together for a while. I mean I am 3 months pregnant right? So obviously it's been over 3 months.. We just weren't a couple."
"Tessa, that is disgusting. I can't even talk to you right now. When you're in the right mind state call me but until then don't bother," she said as she hung up the phone.
I put my phone down on the nightstand as tears stung my eyes. My mom and me had always been close but it seemed like everything with Dave and John put a strain on that relationship pushing us away from each other. I was starting to see that my choice to sleep with Dave was affecting my life everywhere. I thought my mom would at least be there but it was looking like she was ready to turn her back on me if the baby was Dave's. I don't know how I would handle losing my mom because all of this but sometimes in life we do things that we can't fix or change. What I did was one of them and I wouldn't change it for anything. I may have done things differently but I did not regret what I did. If my mom couldn't accept it then that would be her loss. She would be the one missing out on everything.
Dave looked over at me and saw that I was crying and said, "What's wrong, Tessa?"
"Nothing. John told his mom and his mom told my mom about the baby. My mom is upset with me. She doesn't want to talk to me until I'm in the right mind state."
"He shouldn't have told. He should have let you tell your mom," said Dave as he wrapped his arm around me.
"I know. I wanted to tell her. I wasn't ready to tell her but I was going to. Everything is just hitting at once right now and I can't take it. This has been one hell of a week and I can't wait till it's over. And I'm pretty sure that OB/GYN was judging me inside her head today. Dave, I just want to get away from it all."
"Fuck her," he said. "What does it matter what she thinks? People aren't perfect. Things happen. If you want to we can switch to a new OB/GYN."
"No. I'm all right. I like her. It's just I felt like she was judging me. I don't know. Maybe it was my imagination. I just want a break for a little bit."
"Do you want to get away?"
"That would be nice," I said. "I need a break."
"Well, if you're getting that CVS test done we can do that next week and then the following week go on a little trip. Where do you want to go? I will take you anywhere."
I thought it was a sweet gesture that he wanted to take me away and was giving me the choice. I could have said Italy which is a place I would love to visit someday or Hawaii which is another one on the top of my list but I settled for something simple like New York City. There was nothing better than going to New York City in the earlier days of September which is where our trip would land. Not to mention shopping sprees could be therapeutic. "How about New York City?"
"Really?" he asked. "We could go anywhere and you choose New York?"
"Yeah," I said, "I want to go to New York." I just didn't feel right asking for something bigger. I thought that was the best way to go.
"All right," He said, "New York it is but anywhere is amazing as long as I am with you."
"Exactly," I said with a smile. "Thanks."
"You're welcome," he said as he kissed my lips. "Feel better now?"
"Yeah," I said, "much."
"Good," he said leaning in to kiss my lips again. This time it was more passionate and soon we were making love again. I was glad to finally get away from everything and be with Dave. I was really looking forward to our trip to New York even though I had been there numerous times it was going to be my first time going with Dave and it was all about making memories and being alone with him without the stress of John and the baby.
*A/N: So what did you think? Please review and thank-you for reading.