Tori – 3 Weeks Later

As I hung up the phone, I felt the real weight of the situation land on my shoulders. Even though I knew the morning sickness wouldn’t settle in for a few more weeks, I felt like throwing up. I had just cancelled my appointment at the sperm clinic. Sort of pointless, with three positive pregnancy tests sitting on my bathroom counter at home. It seemed like my sexscapades with Wyatt had paid off. It was the birthday gift that would keep on giving.

I’m going to have a baby, I thought. Over and over again, I heard those words and I couldn’t help but feel a small, sad smile cross my face. I am going to be a mother, I thought, and the grin got wider. Of course, I’d have to tell Wyatt, but I didn’t expect him to have any part in this. It was just one night of fun for him; he hadn’t meant to get me pregnant.

I’d been struggling with the idea that he could actually want more. Over the past few weeks, he had tried calling me, he was sweet and attentive whenever he was around me at work. We were restricted in our interactions, though, as we didn’t want everyone to know about us. We didn’t even know if this - whatever this was - could get us in trouble. And I still didn’t believe that he would want to be with me once he found out about the baby. He probably didn’t even think our one night together would work!

Hell, I didn’t even think I could get pregnant! I realized, in a detached, ironic way, that it must have been Henry’s infertility that caused our problems. I smirked in mirth at the thought, hoping his new wife-to-be had figured it out by now. I shook off the thoughts, feeling the bitterness leave my chest as I did. I’m going to be a mother. I’m going to have a baby.

I walked down the hall, used the restroom, and gathered my thoughts a bit as I washed my hands. I glanced at myself in the mirror and knew that I was going to have to tell my boss, Carter, before the symptoms got too obvious. I wasn’t worried about being fired - that man would lose his whole business if it wasn’t for me. But I was not looking forward to this discussion, knowing that Carter was privy to my one night stand with Wyatt.

The Buchanan brothers may have loved me, but I still fraternized with a coworker. In that moment, I knew who I need to talk to. Jeffrey, the head of Finance, and Wyatt’s best friend. At least he’d give me some perspective on how to handle Carter and the executives, but he could also help me figure out how to tell his friend.

Marching through the halls towards Jeff’s office, I considered how much longer it’d be before I couldn’t wear my heels. My feet would swell, right? I’d have back pains and I wouldn’t be able to carry those heavy ass boxes full of paper. One day at a time, I told myself as I knocked on Jeff’s door. “Come in,” he shouted from behind the fogged glass door.

I let myself in and he swiveled around in his chair, his black, wavy hair perfectly tousled. His eyes were an intense level of green and I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t considered putting him on my “Why Not” list back in the day. But Jeff was like a little brother to me, and his energy was too playful for my tastes. I took a deep breath and straightened my spine, ready to face down this challenge.

“Hey Jeff, I had a couple of … unusual … questions to ask you. About Wyatt Preston,” I added, glancing at my feet and wishing the floor would just swallow me up already.

He sat up straighter and dropped his playful grin, “What happened with Wyatt? Did he do something?” This confused the hell out of me but I tried to focus on the task at hand.

“No, no, he hasn’t done anything. I just had a couple of questions about him. A-as a person,” I blurted out. “He and I, well… We kind of hit it off at my birthday luncheon and I just wanted to see what you thought about… us. I don’t want to get in trouble with the B. Brothers,” I said as I moved to sit in the chair across from him.

“Well, you’re in different departments, Tori, so there shouldn’t be a huge problem. You’ll just have to keep it professional, you know. No quickies in the bathroom,” Jeff added with a wink and I just about died from embarrassment. Wyatt told him about the party! About our quickie! I was mortified and Jeff saw it. He had the grace to blanch and look shocked, but recovered quickly.

“I-I didn’t realize you… already had. Wyatt didn’t tell me, I was just joking!” he stuttered out. I had to hold back a giggle at how embarrassed we both looked, and focused on straightening my spine a bit more. “Jeff, I just want to know about Wyatt. Is he a good guy? Is this something that he would want? A relationship?”

Jeff’s eyes softened and I could tell his friendship with Wyatt meant the world to him. “You know, he was in foster care. His dad left when he was three and eventually, his crack whore mom lost custody. He’s kinda been through the wringer. When we met in college, I thought he was just a scrappy kid who hated the world. But I got to know him, and he’s one of the strongest, kindest, most selfless people I’ve ever met. You’d be lucky to have him.”

I fidgeted with my fingers and looked down, feeling tears prick my eyes. I had heard snippets of Wyatt’s past but I couldn’t imagine him as a beautiful blond little boy with no parents and no one to love him. I bit back the tears, determined to get the answers I came for.

“And what about me? Would he... w-want me?” I couldn’t believe vulnerability in my tone, the utter weakness I felt, as I waited for this judgment. I took a shaky breath and looked back up at Jeff. The sympathy I saw there almost undid me and Jeff simply said, “Wyatt has hardly wanted anything as much as he wants you. He won’t shut up about you. The only thing he talks about more is wanting a family. That man has the worst Baby Fever I’ve ever seen, and I didn’t know that was possible in a man,” he added off-the-cuff, not realizing the effect these words had on me. I felt a bone-chilling, alert sensation stiffen my spine and suddenly I wished I had never come into Jeff’s office. But Jeff just kept talking.

“From our junior year in college, all he ever talked about was having a family of his own. That he wanted to have the biggest family possible and that he was going to show his kids what love was. He was never going to leave like his dad did. I remember all of his dates in college used to melt when he’d say that. Women just love that shit, don’t they?”

My world felt a little like it was shifting on its axis, as this information put a new filter on all my interactions with Wyatt.

“I have an alternative.”

“It takes more than one time to make a baby.”

All of those sweet little nothings, all of those things I just thought he said to sleep with me… they were all the real Wyatt. As I scanned through my thoughts, I couldn’t recall one thing about Wyatt wanting to be with me. He said I was beautiful, that he wanted to fuck me, but did he ever say he wanted to be with me? No.

And all along, he had just wanted a baby. Those tears pricked my eyes again and my throat grew tighter. I felt used somehow, in a deep-down way that was more offensive than finding out that Wyatt had just wanted sex. That was all I thought this would be. But he wanted a baby. My baby. And now I was pregnant. Well, I guess we both got what we wanted. But then why did I feel so empty?

Jeff was still talking, mostly about their college escapades and all the stupid shit they got into when they were younger. He didn’t even notice my internal crisis. I stood abruptly and briskly walked to the door, hoping to make it there before the tears started to fall.

“Thanks, Jeff. That was… insightful,” I managed to say as I pulled the door open and made a beeline for my office. I shut the door, leaned against the cool glass, and let the tears fall.

* * *

I worked through the rest of my morning, knowing that I should have just gone home because I got nothing done. I shuffled papers around, drafted a few emails, and cried in the bathroom. A lot. Carter had mercifully been gone all day, which meant Emma had been quietly working in her office. Nobody had bothered me, so I decided to keep working.

Within a few hours, I felt a little of the bitterness subside and I started to wrap things up to go home. Just as I sent a few last minute files to Carter’s desktop, Wyatt swung through my door with that heart-stopping grin on his stupid, boyish face.

“Hey sexy, how has your day been? I tried calling you yesterday but no answer,” he whispered, shutting the door quietly behind him. He snuck over to my desk and I stood too quickly as he got closer. I got a bit light-headed - all I’d eaten that day was a bit of toast and juice. Wyatt seemed to notice my struggle and looked concerned, stepping forward to grab my arms.

“You OK? You need me to get you anything?” he asked, but I jerked myself out of his grasp and moved towards my coat and purse, my heels clicking purposefully as I moved. I did not want to face him right now, I didn’t want him to try and kiss me again, and I most definitely did not want him to see me cry. Suck it up, buttercup, I told myself as I stuffed my things in my bag and turned towards the door.

“Tori? What the hell? Tor-” I cut Wyatt off by opening my office door and walked down the hall, keeping my chin up and my stride brisk. He won’t chase me at work, we’re not even an item, I assured myself. Apparently, just to prove me wrong, Wyatt nearly slammed my office door against the wall in his race to catch up to me, shouting, “Victoria!” as he came jogging down the hall.

Way to be inconspicuous, Preston, I internally shouted at him as I picked up my pace even more. People were walking into the hallway to see what the hell the shouting was about and I burned bright red. This was not going as I had planned. I turned to face Wyatt and bit out, “Everything is just fine, Wyatt. You can carry on with your life, not need to worry about me.”

The look of confusion on his face spurred me into more of a fury and I turned on my heels to leave. Jeff’s door opened as well and I steeled my gaze as our eyes meet. Hold him off! I basically screamed with eyes, and Jeff seemed to get the message. He nodded curtly at me, confused but still in Gentleman Mode. He stepped behind me just as I passed and his hands met Wyatt’s chest before he could close in on me.

“What the fuck, Jeff?” Wyatt bellowed, and I heard him try to push Jeff against the wall.

“Dude, let it go. We need to chat. Just let her go,” Jeff tried to whisper, but I could hear his words as I turned the last corner in the office.

“But… why?” I heard Wyatt ask, stilling. I tried to tell myself that I didn’t hear it, that it didn’t hurt my chest a little, but the truth was I did. I heard every word when Wyatt says, “I don’t understand. What did I do wrong?”

Nothing, Wyatt. You just don’t want me, and I felt myself crumple a little. The tears fell as I walked to the curb outside the office and flagged down a cab. I’m having a baby. Alone. Just like I wanted.