*Thank-you for all the reviews on the last chapter. They were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much. =)
About a week later Dave, John and me were going to get the paternity test done. I wanted to get it done as soon as possible because I had to know and so did they. The sooner we knew the better everything would be for us. I decided to go with the CVS testing because it seemed less risky and the last thing I wanted to do was hurt the baby. I was growing more fond of it everyday and I was getting more and more excited about being a mother. I was handling being pregnant a lot better than I expected. Dave and me arrived at the DNA testing center with our written consent from the OB/GYN and walked inside. John was already there waiting for us. We told the lady at the desk why we were there and she asked for my written consent form which I handed to her and then took a seat. "Are you nervous?" asked Dave.
"No. I'm just ready to get this over with," I said and I was. The sooner it was done the sooner I wouldn't have to deal with John trying to control me. I just hoped and prayed that it wasn't his baby because I knew if it was he would try to control me even more along with the baby. I would not be able to deal with that.
"Me too," he said wrapping his arm around my shoulders. "And just think as soon as we get the test done we can go to New York. I'm really looking forward to spending some time alone with you in New York before I go back to work."
"Me too," I said with a smile.
"You two are going to New York?" asked John.
"Yeah," I said.
"Isn't that nice," he said with a bit of jealousy in his voice.
"Yep," I said. "Why'd you tell your mom?" I wasn't going to ask but I wanted to know why he felt the need to tell his mom about the baby and everything that was going on.
"I have the right to talk to my mom and tell her anything I want,' said John.
"Well, she told my mom and my mom is not speaking to me. Thanks a lot."
"We all make our beds, Tessa," he said with a smirk.
"You're such an ass," I said. He was still as heartless as he could be to me. I wasn't surprised in the least when he gave me that comeback. "You should have waited. Don't you think it would have been better for my mom to hear it from me."
"If you would have told your mom before I told mine she would have told my mom. I don't see why it matters. It's the truth. You slept with Dave, you don't know who the father of the baby is, you got kicked out and you lost your job."
"I know," I said. "But that's no need to drag our parents into it."
"So when they invite us for Thanksgiving I'm supposed to pretend everything is all right?" he asked.
"No," I said, "but right now wasn't the time to tell them. Whatever it doesn't matter, John."
"You make it sound like it matters," he said. "I was just talking to my mom because she asked why I wasn't wrestling. I had to tell her the truth. I don't like to lie, Tessa. I leave that to you."
"Nice, John. Real nice," I said.
"Ignore him, Tess, he isn't worth the stress," said Dave.
"Oh listen to Mr. Knight In Shining Armor over there," said John rolling his eyes. "You know what they say, Batista, once a cheater always a cheater."
"I don't believe that," said Dave as he kissed my temple, "I think she only cheated because she was with the wrong guy. I think if she really loves someone she's not going to cheat on them."
"But you know what you two deserve each other. You are both cheaters," he said. The whole cheating thing did destroy my character a bit but I wasn't going to cheat on Dave. I had no reason to cheat on him. He treated me well and he respected me. I couldn't cheat on him.
"Yep," said Dave. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, John."
"How does it feel to have my sloppy seconds?"
"Oh we're going low?" asked Dave, "I'm sorry I had no idea. How did it feel to taste my saliva in your mouth after Tessa kissed me and then went back to you numerous times?"
"Low, Batista," said John. "That was low almost as low as you sleeping with Tessa behind my back."
"I'm sorry would you rather I sleep with her in front of you?" he asked. Dave could be quite the smart ass when he wanted to be. I actually found it charming and I liked how he was answering back to John's snide remarks. "John, the fact is this. You're here boo hooing about her sleeping with me behind your back and running to tell your mommy. I know you did it so that you could make Tessa look like the bad person when really you were the bad person. You were controlling her. You wanted everything to be your way. She didn't want to have a baby but you made her have one.. You were the one that told her to lose the birth control. She did and do you see what happened here? Tessa may not be innocent in this, hell I'm not innocent but you're not innocent either. You talk about us all making our beds.. You made your bed too, Buddy by being an asshole. You deserved what she did to you. Maybe if you treated her a little better none of that would have happened or maybe it would have. Who knows? It doesn't matter the fact is she cheated on you and you need to deal with it. Stop being a crybaby about it."
"I'm not being a crybaby about anything," said John, "and I was looking at baby names and I came across Tessa.. It's funny because Tessa means Harvester. She did a good job at harvesting another man's seed inside of her. That is if the baby is yours but remember this Dave, Tessa and me had many nights together of unprotected sex.. You had one.. Who do you think has the better odds?"
"You son of a bitch," said Dave, "you're asking for my fist in your mouth. How dare you disrespect her with such a disparaging remark. Then you wonder why she slept with another man.. That's evidence right there. And making a baby isn't a gamble. It can only take one night so while your many nights of unprotected sex could have been blank my one night of unprotected sex could have gotten the job done."
"We'll see," said John.
"We'll see," said Dave, "and then we'll know who the real man is."
"Fuck you," said John.
I was more than relieved when they called us back to have the procedure done. Things were getting kind of heated while we were waiting. I am pretty sure if we would have been called back about 5 minutes later John and Dave would have been in a fist fight. Things were getting a little out of control so it was a good thing they called us back when they did. They took cotton swabs and swiped the inside of all of our cheeks. I wasn't sure why they needed my DNA clearly I was the child's mother but they said it was procedure. Once they had samples of our DNA they had me change into a gown. They made both Dave and John leave as they performed the CVS procedure on me. To say I was uncomfortable is an understatement. I was in so much pain I almost cried. It was probably the most uncomfortable thing of my life. They had to do an ultrasound to guide them as they got a sample so I at least got to see the baby but that's not the point it hurt. I was relieved when they had the sample and ended the procedure. The man that performed the test told me that it would 3-4 weeks until they had the results. I wasn't happy about it because that meant 3-4 more weeks dealing with John and that meant it was very possible for him to accompany us on our next appointment where we could find out the sex. After he left the room I changed back into my clothes and then joined Dave and John in the waiting room. "How'd it go?" asked Dave as he stood up before John.
"It hurt. That's how it went. I am in so much pain right now."
"I'm sorry," he said hugging me. "It's going to be all right. At least we're one step closer to knowing the truth."
"Yeah," I said, "they said it could take 3-4 weeks for the result."
"3-4 weeks?" asked John. "That's too long."
"It's not my fault," I said. "It's what they told me. They need to do a lot of processing. Believe me I wish it could be sooner."
"Me too," said John. "Let's get this straight, Tessa."
"Get what straight?" I asked.
"If that baby is mine that's the only reason I will have to talk to you. I will be in its life and I will be a father to it but you and me will not be friends. We will be civil because of it but nothing else. If that baby is not mine I will never speak to you again. I will never forgive you for what you did to me. We will never be friends."
"That's a bit harsh, John, you're my best friend."
"Was your best friend. Things change, Tessa. I like to be able to trust my friends. I can't trust you therefore you're not my friend."
"Does it really have to be like that?" I really didn't want to lose his friendship. John may have sucked as a boyfriend but as my best friend he was awesome. My life would never be the same if our friendship was over. John and me had been inseparable since I was 5 years old and he was 7 years old. He knew all my secrets, he knew all about me and I knew all of his secrets and I knew everything about him. To lose him as a friend was not going to be fun. I wished he could see passed what I did but I know how stubborn he is and he never will. I had to come to the realization that my friendship with John was over forever.
"Yes, Tessa, it does," he said as he walked out of the testing center.
I felt tears stinging my eyes as Dave said, "Tess, it's okay. Everything will be all right."
"No, Dave, it won't. I just lost my best friend for life. He may not have been a great boyfriend but he was an awesome friend. It's not okay."
"I'm sorry," he said. "I know it's going to be tough but you'll be all right. I'm here."
"Thanks," I said as I took his hand and we headed home.
As soon as we got home we began to pack for our trip. I was more than ready to get out of Tampa. I needed a break from it and New York was one of my favorite places to be. That's where I wanted to live before John bought a house in Tampa for us. That was just another thing he controlled. It's funny how you look back and realize what you thought was love was something totally different. I had a lot of those moments. There were so many times I thought what John did was love but really it was a control thing. I realized he controlled me more than he loved me. It was sad but true. "You all right?" asked Dave as we were putting clothes in our suitcases.
"Yeah," I said.
"Are you sure because you look upset? Is it John?"
"It's everything," I said. "I'm just so stressed from everything and I just want to get away. Plus I'm doing some thinking my entire relationship with John was a lie. I'm starting to realize things and it hurts."
"I know," he said. "I know. It's good that you got out when you did."
"I know," I said as I felt the tears in my eyes. "I just want to get those results back so everything can get better. There is not a doubt in my mind that you're the father we just need the test to prove me right. Nothing about this pregnancy has been normal NOTHING. I want to enjoy it."
"I know you do and I agree with you. I know I'm the father. It's going to be hard but we just have to be patient. At least we have this trip to take our mind off the wait. At least for a week."
"Yeah," I said, "New York is one of my favorite places to be. I wanted to live there but John wanted to live here. New York is like the magazine capitol of the world."
"Is that what you want to do? Write for a magazine?"
"Yeah. Any type of journalism would be great," I said, "but we live here in Tampa so unless there is a magazine down here that I can write for or a newspaper opening then I'm screwed."
"This is tough for me to say but if that's what you want to do why not move to New York?"
"Because it's complicated. You have Max and I am pregnant."
"I can figure it out with Max. He can come visit or something I don't know but we can figure it out."
"I can't ask you to move to New York. I'm sure I can find a place to work down here."
"But I don't' want you to be unhappy," said Dave. "How about while we're in New York we just look for a place to live. You know. Just in case."
"No, Dave, I would rather live down here. It's not a big deal. Let's just go to New York and visit."
"Tess, if you want to work in New York and live in New York I will move with you. I don't care."
"I care and it's fine. I want to stay in Tampa. Plus with modern technology it would be possible for me to work for a magazine located in New York but live in Tampa. We can work it out without moving. Besides I like this house."
"It is a pretty nice house huh?" he asked with a smile.
"Yeah," I said.
"But you don't even live here but you mineswell. You've been here every night since we got together. Do you want to move in?"
"Sure," I said with a smile. "I'd like that very much."
"Me too," he said with a smile, "and the baby would like it too," he said with a smile as he touched my stomach. "Tell Mommy that you would like to live here."
For the first time in months I actually felt the baby kick. I had never felt it before. "Dave," I said.
"Yeah," he said with his hand still on my stomach.
"It kicked. I felt it kick."
"It kicked?" he asked with a smile.
"Yes," I said with tears of joy in my eyes.
"See? It told you it wanted to live here. You can't ignore that can you?"
"No I can't," I said with a smile. "I guess after we get back I'll bring the rest of my stuff here."
"Sounds like a plan and we can put together a nursery," he said with a smile.
"Sounds perfect to me," I said with a smile.
"And Tessa, I just want you to know you're an amazing person and I love you. It doesn't matter what others think of you but you're not a bad person for what you did. You did what you had to do. People are going to talk about you and they're going to hate you but NEVER let them bring you down. You are too amazing for that. You are too wonderful for that. All right?"
His words made me feel better. "All right," I said. "I love you too."
"Love you," he said with a smile before he kissed my lips. It was amazing how when I felt like nothing Dave could make me feel like something. He could possibly bring the best out in me. He knew how to make me feel better and he knew all the right things to say. I realized that I was making the right decision. Dave was right people were going to talk about me and they were going to hate me for what I did but why should their opinions matter? It was my life and I was tired of trying to please people and live up to their expectations. As far as I was concerned the only expectations I needed to live up to were my own and my child's. No one else's expectations mattered to me. It took a while but I realized it was time to start living my own life and doing what I wanted to do.
*A/N: So what did you think? Please Review and Thank-you for reading.