My LOVE is Forever (Book 4-1st Alternate Ending)

Part 19

The next few weeks are really uneventful in the grand scheme of things. I work in the garden, mow the yard, eat healthy, and peruse baby clothes and items in the stores. I don't dare purchase anything yet for two reasons, the sex of the baby and the fear that I will jinx myself.

One notable event, the chaise has been delivered to me, and is in need of yet another reupholstering, the plush plum velour from our wedding is hardly recognizable. The sight of it brought back a flood of memories I wasn't prepared to handle, therefore, it's staying stored in the garage. Once I know how I'm going to decorate the baby's room, then I'll decide if I want to have it reupholstered to fit in there.

When I returned to this house, I hadn't really brought anything back into the spare bedroom besides the computer and a couple totes of important papers I made sure to take when I left Minnesota. I did, however, leave three totes of miscellaneous things I had wanted to keep from this house, but I have no idea if that house has already been put on the market or even sold for that matter.

I spend a fair amount of time condensing a lot of the paperwork from the totes and get them organized into a couple of small file cabinets I purchased to tuck away inside the far ends of the closet. As I scan the room, I have ideas laying in wait until I can hopefully find out the sex of the baby, but I do know that a music theme is going to be a definite. I finish up in the room on this night by patching some holes in the walls, giving it one more glance before I turning off the light.

*******

July 5 comes fast and I wait anxiously for Angel to come pick me up since she insisted on driving as well as coming with me to this appointment. By the time she arrives, I'm covered in a light perspiration, "I hope you've got your A/C cranking," I say as I climb into the passenger seat.

She laughs, "I remember that, and yes, it being July doesn't help." She fiddles with the controls and shuts off her vents and I allow the cool air to rush over me. "I don't know why you were waiting outside," she rolls her eyes at me before patting my tummy, "Look at you, with your tiny baby bump."

I shoot her some side eye, "I lost all that weight just to get fat again," I grumble, but I really don't mind as I place my hand on what I call more pudge than bump.

After all the routine testing is done and any questions I had answered, we move into the ultrasound part of the visit. "So, we're hoping to find out the sex of the baby today, right?" the doctor asks.

Angel and I both nod enthusiastically, and in unison, as the wand is placed on my belly. I grin because my little jumping bean has turned into a little stretching bean, and then I start to cry.

"Girl, don't you get me started," Angel says with tears in her eyes already.

"Just like Prince. So little but doing its best to occupy as much space as possible." Now we're both crying, but the doctor is staring at me in disbelief.

"Did you say Prince?! He's the father?" she asks in a state of shock.

Oh, shit, I think, what did I do. "You can't say anything, please!" I beg her.

"Well, I can't, really. Patient confidentiality," she discombobulated, "but when you said the father was deceased...I had no idea...wow," she looks back at the screen.

Angel and I shoot worried glances at each other until she says sadly, "He would have loved to see his little girl."

"Girl?! It's a girl?!" I manage to ask before I'm crying again. After Angel finishes with her squealing, she's hugs me and she's crying herself.

"Yes, definitely a girl," she zooms in on the area and clicks, then types a notation.

The rest of the appointment is a blur, but I do reiterate to my doctor the importance of not sharing who the father is, to which she has disappointing news. With a huge sigh and misty eyes herself, she tells me, "You're going to have to jump through some hoops if you want Prince's name on the birth certificate."

An instant wave of nausea rolls over me as Angel and I exchange glances, "What? Why?" I never thought having Prince's name on the birth certificate would be an issue.

"You can't just name a father on the certificate. Either the father signs, or you have to prove paternity. If you can't do either, it will remain blank."

My high from having another stellar appointment and finding out the sex, plummets. "I can prove paternity, without a question," I glance around the room, "but I didn't want to draw attention to myself or the baby. I don't want the paparazzi back at my doorstep." Angel strokes my back to soothe me as I massage my stomach. "I'll figure something out," I say as I stand and fix my blouse, "this baby will know who her father is."

The doctor then offers me a ray of hope, "A blood sibling, like a sister," she winks, "could provide the DNA for a paternity test."

"Are you serious?" I'm relieved to hear of the possibility, Angel looks hopeful as well. It's also apparent that my doctor may be a little into Prince herself.

"Yes, ma'am," she grins as she sees the relief spread across my face.

My next appointment is scheduled in five weeks again, since everything is progressing beautifully, and Angel and I head to the car. "Do you think Tyka will do it?"

"Without a doubt," I nod happily.

"Dana, you do realize that there's a possibility of her being sole heir to his estate since she's petitioned. You think she'll want to share? What about all those half siblings? This baby would have first dibs as heir, uncontested."

We get into the car, and Angel starts to take me home. "Angel, I didn't share the reason Prince divorced me." I turn to face her while she drives, "He knew he was dying."

Angel calmly flips on her turn signal and pulls into a nearby parking lot and parks the car before turning to face me, "What?!"

I nod, "He knew I didn't want any part of the estate and all the craziness that was going to come with it, so he got me out of the picture, so to speak. The only wrinkle to the whole plan is the fact I got pregnant that morning when he made love to me for the last time."

When those words leave my mouth, that fact finally hits me. That's why when he had made love to me that morning it was so different, he knew it was the last time.

"Oh, my God," she looks stricken, as I know I do, too, with this new realization. She slowly puts the car back in gear, turning back out onto the road in silence. After a couple miles, "So, Tyka will do it, you think?"

"I know she will, by doing it this way, it keeps the baby out of the press. If she is a possibility as heir, it's in her best interest."

Angel drops me off at the house, but doesn't come in, "I'm taking you to your next appointment, too, by the way."

Her face is set and I know not to argue. "You know the date and time, Chicka," I wink.

"Let me know what Tyka says, and if you need anything..."

"I know, I know," I cut her off, "same goes, Angel. Remember, I can watch Derik sometime if your mom ever needs a break."

She contemplates the thought, and nods before she waves and disappears down my driveway.