Chapter 5 Gerald

Gerald

"Like seriously Larry? Why did you even accept to take care of him? How are you even sure that baby is yours? You know I don't trust that Caroline of a lady. There's something about her that doesn't sit right with me and now, see what she did to you. That asshole of a woman!" She ranted, pissed.

" Look, are you taking the baby or not? " I snapped at her almost immediately.

" Larry, I can't do that, okay? I'm f**king busy over here and. . . . I'm not even married yet! "

" Is that even enough reason? "

" You're not married either. Why aren't you taking care of your baby? That f**king Caroline, I knew it from the start. Leaving a baby? Since when? "

" A couple of months now "

" God, what a shame leaving a baby with her father without remorse "

" It's a he, Bella. . . "

" Oh. Even better. Well, I can't have your baby, Larry, you know me. This isn't the best time to have another problem in my life, but I hope he takes after me. "

" Yeah right " I disconnected the call before she could say another word. She was all talk, she'd never do it. We were never very close anyway.

Later on I couldn't stop thinking about what she had said. I'd kept Larry a secret that even the media didn't have any idea about. Not until nine months ago, before his third year's birthday, when the paparazzi spotted me walking with my personal assistant, Jacklin, who had Larry against her chest as we walked into my office building.

The news headline the following morning had been hashtagged. Multi billionaire Gerald Larry Kensington was spotted today with a baby. The newsbody had talked about hints that the child could've been born for me through my assistant, Jacklin, following my break-up with my ex-girlfriend.

I haven't been seen with anyone after Caroline and perhaps the reason why it was very believable is that my assistant and I had an affair.

Stupid media.

For the past few weeks, there'd been an uproar in the media, and I didn't want to jeopardize Jacklin's private life. I knew I had to put the doubt out sooner than later.

But just a few nights after that, I received a phone call from my mother.

" Gerald Larry Kensington! " She had screamed through the phone, loud enough to bleed out my ear. " What is all this news going on about you?!! "

Great. Just great. After so many months, she calls me only to scream at me. Just perfect.

" You have got some explanation to do, Larry! Start right now! "

" Would you please just calm down, mom "

" You dare call me your mother?! Yet you have a child and hide it from me?! And with your assistant?! "

" That's not what it is, okay?! Now would you just calm down for goodness sake! "

" I will not calm down! You're always bringing trouble, Larry, always! "

" Fine, you want to know who's baby it is?! It's Caroline's and mine! Okay? "

There's a long silence as I heard her calming breaths before she finally spoke again " your father wants to see you and Bella at the house next Saturday. Get down here and don't be late " the next thing I was hearing was the disconnecting beeping sound at my end.

Now I was sitting down here, watching my father's hateful glare at me from the other end of the couch and wondering why the fuck I didn't just stay out.

But when I heard Carlo's voice from across the wide sitting room, talking with my uncle, Gabriel Fernandez, I was glad I had asked him to come with me. Carlos was like family and he was always welcome to family meetings.

When I had first walked in, my father wasn't anywhere near, neither was my mom. Just Gabriel. Gabriel was my mom's step brother who was born to a Mexican father. He had always been my favorite growing up and I'd always looked at me.

" I heard the news, Larry, " he'd said as we stepped in, shaking my hands " congratulations "

He'd taken Carlo's hand before we proceeded inside. I looked around but couldn't spot Anabelle anywhere.

She had a habit of always coming late to family gatherings. Or better still, she liked making the last entrance and being the center of attention.

" It's good to see you again, son, " my father finally said, " how long has it been? A year? Two? And now you brought a son "

I looked slowly to the large cradle my mom had set up next to the door before we arrived, where Larry was sitting, playing by himself. "He is my son, Dad. Your grandson "

" And what about his mother? You don't just take a child away from his mother. . . . . "

" Is that what Caroline told you?! Or didn't you ever hear her side of the story?! "

" Gerald! " My mom's voice broke in as she hurried down the stairs, a broad smile on her face. She stops at the end of the stairs and averted her gaze to the cradle, where Larry had stopped playing to look at her.

" Is this my grandson? " She asked in awe, walking towards him with her arms held apart to carry him. She picks him up at once.

" So what do you plan to do with that baby, Larry? " My father asks, bringing me back from the scene in front of me.

" What do I plan to do with him? He's my son, what am I supposed to do with him? Throw him away? "

" I think that's enough for now, let's have dinner first then we can talk about this "

" You're always babying him, Regina, " my father groaned.

My mom opened her mouth to reply but was cut shut as the door pushed wide open and Anabelle walked in, a couple of colorful Mall bags in her hands and she was fighting to get them through the door.

" You weren't planning on cooking dinner without me, where you? " She said with a broad smile on her lips.