Authors: Cassandra Cole
“But you have just said you do not have the intention of making her your wife?”
“Yes, I have said that”, Oliver answered “I will need you to listen to me”
“I am all ears”, James answered.
“You need me”, Oliver started but corrected himself immediately “I mean the clan needs me to have an heir. I have simply found a way to do that without having any strings attached and without having to expose our little secret to anyone”
“Boy you had better start making sense right now”, James barked impatiently.
“I am taking advantage of modern technology father”
“Whatever do you mean Oliver?”
“I have found a woman who has agreed to carry my baby to term and will go her way immediately after the baby is born”
“Let me get this straight”, James said “You said you met a girl at a playground who has agreed to carry the heir to our clan and will walk away as soon as the baby is born?”
“That’s right”
“Don’t you think you should question any woman who would give birth to a child and leave it behind?”
“It is not the same”, Oliver answered “She is only acting as a baby carrier”
“Boy do not be naïve, I raised you better than that”
James scolded and banged his hands on the table in anger. An inflamed vein could be seen pop out his temple as it always did and his hands turned into claws. Earth brown fur appeared on his fore arms with as his eyes color shade changed to a deep yellow color.
Oliver hoped he wouldn’t complete his transformation, he was always barbaric in his other form and he instinctively got to his feet ready to change into his other form too. A knock on the door disrupted the adrenaline rush between the two and Oliver was grateful when their old and faithful butler David walked through the door.
“Mr. Oliver”, he started and was immediately shocked at the scene he had walked into but nevertheless announced his agenda “Your guest has arrived”
“Thank you David”, Oliver answered before looking at his father and saying “Now if you wouldn’t mind to put those claws away father we have company”
James reluctantly did as he was asked although the murderous look on his face was visibly cemented on him. They walked out of his office both at the same time and made it downstairs where David assumed Michelle was. He saw her standing on the doorway of the great dining hall and let out a wide smile as he approached her.
“Hello dear”
“Hi”, Michelle answered shyly obviously feeling very small in the huge mansion.
He gave her a warm hug before turning his attention to his father and introduced him.
“Michelle, meet my father James Andrews”
“Pleasure to meet you sir”, Michelle said and offered her hand for him to shake. She felt very uncomfortable under his scrutiny but hid it well.
“This way please”, Oliver said politely and directed her to another room where Michelle assumed they hosted smaller dinners. All along James had not said a single word, he simply gave Michelle a curious look as a million and one question ran through his mind.
They silently sat on the small dining table and leaned into the awkward silence that befell them.
“So you will be my grandson’s baby carrier?” James asked unexpectedly.
“Getting right to it I see”, Michelle answered and threw Oliver a side glance. She felt ambushed by the question but nevertheless knew she could handle it “Yes I am going to be the baby carrier for your grandson or granddaughter”
“I hope it will be a son”, James went on “We need a man to carry on the lineage”
“Can’t an heiress do that?”
“Not really… no”
“I am sorry sir but I think that is sexist”
“Highly opinionated I see” James said before letting out an evil chuckle “Why would you say so my dear?”
“Because I think an heiress would also be able to carry out the same obligations as an heir”
“But a woman gets married and takes up the husband’s name as well as his myths and customs”, James answered.
“But that does not mean she will stop fulfilling her duties as required of her”
“My dear, you are not married and seeing the arrangement that you have put in place with my son here, will probably never get married. I simply do not expect you to understand”
Oliver was about to interrupt the heated conversation between the two but Michelle had her comment in check.
“But you also do not know me and whether or not I can make a good wife”, Michelle answered.
“Why don’t you opt for that instead? Why agree to carry a baby for a stranger and abandon it once you have delivered?”
“Because I am not ready to get married or have a baby”
“And yet here we are”
“Here we are”, Michelle agreed.
David the old butler walked into the room and announced dinner was ready. Oliver with a proud smile waved him over as a sign for him to serve it. The rest of the dinner went by so fast for the three. They indulged in small talk about everything but Oliver knew it was his father’s way of picking at Michelle’s brain.
After dessert James got to his feet and looked at Oliver before saying “I like her”
He then gave Michelle a slight nod and walked out of the room leaving the two of them to gossip about him.
“Isn’t he a piece of work?”
“You will get used to it” Oliver answered and gave Michelle a curious look “So are you sure you want to do this, there is still time to back out and I will totally understand if you do”
“I am ready to this”, Michelle answered out loud confident answer to try and convince herself more than Oliver “I know I can do this”
“OK”, Oliver answered and got to his feet “Let me show you where you will be staying”
Michelle got to her feet and intertwined her had with Oliver’s waiting one. She let him lead her as he gave her a tour of the whole house and she loved every minute of it. Michelle could not ignore the feeling in her gut; she felt right at home at the mansion and knew she would be very comfortable staying there.
“We will meet up with the lawyers tomorrow so that you can sign the agreement”, Oliver said “And wait for Dr. Jane’s go ahead after that”
“Shouldn’t that come first?”
“I would rather you sign it first, lest you change your mind”
“I will not change my mind” Michelle said and let out a girlish giggle.
They looked into each other’s eyes and Michelle knew things would only get better for her going forward.
*****
Michelle lay on her back in the hospital room staring at the ceiling and heeding the doctor’s every word. She felt nervous but at the same time was very excited. The familiar pain shot through her body and she shut her eyes tight as it took over her whole body.
“You are progressing well Michelle”, Dr. Jane said “Now I would like you to push when I tell you to”
“Ok”
“Ok”, Doctor Jane said and when Michelle felt the pain again searing through her body she advised “Ok Michelle, push”
Michelle did as she had been advised and with all the might she had pushed as hard as she could.
“One more push Michelle”, Dr. Jane said and Michelle took in a deep breath before pushing again. She felt a different kind of weight push out of her and could see her stomach going flat. She waited to hear the cry of a new born baby but instead heard the groan of an animal.
“It’s a bear”, Dr. Jane said and did not sound shocked ‘It’s a baby bear people”
Michelle sat up and had to see it for herself; Dr. Jane was not making fun of the situation. She held a bear in her hand whose fur was earth brown and had small flame yellow eyes.
A knock on her bedroom door made her wake up from her bed and she slowly sat up and saw David walk in with a breakfast tray.
“Good morning ma’am”, he said with a warm smile all over his wrinkled face.
“Good morning”, Michelle answered and placed a hand over her belly. She was still pregnant contrary to the dream she had just had but her hair was soaked wet with sweat.
“Are you ok ma’am?” he asked “You look drained”
“I am fine”, Michelle answered “I just had a bad dream”
He placed the tray of food right in front of him and went on to look at her curiously.
“Care to share?” he asked.
“I dreamt that I had given birth to a baby bear”, Michelle said as tears began to well up in her eyes.
“Now now my dear”, David said and placed a comforting arm around her shoulder “You know that is just a dream”
“I know”, Michelle answered “But it was so real”
Michelle had moved into the mansion and was 7 months along. She and David had forged a good relationship since Oliver was always away on work. So far pregnancy had taken unexpected turns in her life and she could not believe the crazy cravings. She looked up at David and wiped the tears from her eyes and wondered why on earth she was crying. The lovely aroma of blueberry pancakes that was on the tray made the hunger pangs in her stomach fierce.
“I am sure it was a cute baby bear”, David said in an attempt to cheer her up.
“It was” she agreed and took up the fork set next to her plate and began to devour the pancakes. “This is good David”
“The best for you”
She gobbled on the pancakes and only looked up to take a sip of orange juice before going on.
“I like it when I see you eat like that”, David pointed out before wearing a nostalgic look “I remember how hard it was for you on your first trimester you couldn’t keep anything down”
Michelle smiled as she remembered how the first three months of pregnancy had been. David got to his feet and walked over to the window. He liked how the sunrays filled the room and turned his attention to her.
“I have got more good news for you”
“Better than the blueberry pancakes?”
“Much better”, he answered “Mr. Andrews has decided to spend time with you today”
“Which of the two? James or Oliver?”
“Why Oliver of course”, David answered and walked over to open her wardrobe.
“Why are you picking out my outfit for today? You never do that”
David decided to ignore her question and placed a flowing sky blue maternity gown on the foot of her bed.
“I don’t think you have ever won this dress”
“I haven’t”, Michelle answered “I just bought it the other day”
David wore another cheeky smile before walking back to the wardrobe in search of shoes.
“You have not answered my question”
“I know, I choose to ignore it”
“David”, Michelle called “I know what you are up to?”
“Do you now?”
“I do”, she answered “You have grown attached to me and a part of your wishes that I could stay longer”
David did not answer her but went ahead to pick out her shoes and placed them at the foot of the bed too.
“I think these would go well with the dress”
“I think so too”
“And you are right”, David agreed “I have grown attached to you but it is only because I think the two of you could be more than just a baby carrier and sperm donor”
Michelle let out fits of uncontrollable giggles before letting her weight slam down on the pillow behind her.
“I have seen how the two of you look at each other”, David went on “You should spare us the telenovela drama and be together.
“It not that easy David’
“I know it’s not but what on earth is holding you back? No offence Michelle, but you didn’t have a lot going on for you before Oliver came your way”
“Hey”, Michelle pouted “That is not fair even though you are right”
“I have to run now”, David answered “See you later”
“I think I am going to get another nap”
“But you just woke up”, David pointed out a she took the empty breakfast tray and started walking towards the door.
“It’s the baby who needs it not me”
“I hardly believe that”, David said before walking out of the room and letting her be.
She turned to her side and let sleep become her master, one hand was on her tummy while the other raced back to the dream she had just had. As much as she wanted to easily dismiss it, she could not help but feel how real it was to her. She had also noticed a few strange things about Oliver whenever he was around. He would occasionally have facial hair which would disappear as fast from his face as it had appeared. He would let out animal groans subconsciously and there was one time she had walked into him eating raw scaly fish.
She thought her mind was playing tricks on her and that was why he dreamt of giving forth to a baby bear.
Michelle woke up later on and the first thing her eyes landed on was Oliver who had been watching her sleep.
“I told him to wake you up you know”
“I am sure you did”, she answered.
She liked how ravishing handsome he looked that day. He had on a tight fitting red tea shirt with khaki shorts and the casual look agreed with him.