Entangled with a baby

"Mum, Starry meet my girlfriend." King nervously introduced his mother and to Laura as they entered the hospital room where she was admitted.

Your girlfriend ??? Laura exclaimed inwardly.

"Your girlfriend?" This time around it was the doctor shooting him a quizzical look.

"I never knew you had a girlfriend. In fact you never mentioned." Dr Narcos cheerily added.

Laura's whole head was spiraling out of control.

This cannot be happening. Not with everyone here! He's going to find out she was pregnant. laura thought.

Few hours ago she was rushed into the hospital after she collapsed in his house, the doctor was about speaking to them as it seemed like there was a problem when King's Mother and Grandad walked in. Apparently they were to come visit him that morning but since he called to say he was at the hospital for an emergency, they decided to meet him at the hospital instead.

She hurriedly turned to look at her Uncle sitting by the side of her bed with a scowled expression. "Dad, I have no idea what he's talking about." Laura shook her head hard.

Her cousin Maddie who sat by the other side of the bed just couldn't mask her amusement. She cleared her throat and got up to greet them quickly as she extended her hand.

"Hello, I'm Maddie. Her cousin. And that's my dad, her uncle." she smiled and pointed at the man talking in hushed tones with Laura.

Maddie gave Laura a pinch under the cover prompting her to say something.

"Oh uhm hi good morning Mrs McGorritth..." Laura forced a casual tone before casting a warning glance at her cousin.

King's mother walked up to her on the bed and cuts her off immediately "Darling, we've seen you around the house a few times Yes?" She turned to Starry, for a confirmation who in turn eagerly nodded.

"And please call me Lana, It's so nice officially meeting you. But not in this state of course." King's mum added with a grin.

King who had been pacing the room began to speak, a little breathless this time. "So, Doctor? You were about saying?. Can you make this quick I have somewhere to be."

Laura couldn't help but stare at him with wet eyes.

"You said miss Ferguson here is your girlfriend and well..?" The doctor asked again more cautiously. King gave an off hand shrug before interrupting "And the point?" He whipped out his phone to end a disturbing call.

The doctor looking totally baffled turned to ask Laura who immediately pretended to feign similar nonchalance with a little shrug.

"Great. Since everyone is here then, this should be a cause for celebration." Dr Narcos said with a silvery laugh.

No.No.No.NO.

Laura, practically expiring out and trying to stay calm began to cough out loud as she reached for Maddie with pleading eyes.

"Uhmm Doc, can we not do this now?. Maybe later? Maybe never?" Maddie interjected in a rush.

"Oh? With the situation of things I actually do think now's the best time." he insisted.

"Is she sick? Dying?" King echoed impatiently.

"Dying? No not at all." Dr. Narcos chuckled as he stepped forward to pick up his stethoscope on the table.

"On the contrary. Laura is pregnant." The words came tumbling out.

There was a pregnant silence.

The doctor was the first to speak, his face creased with excitement "Congratulations to you both."

He walked over to where King stood stiffened by the door to give him a pat on the shoulder- "And king, I'm so happy for you. Here comes your silver lining at last." He said.

King shot Laura a doubtful look.

Why did she have to faint this morning!.

Before leaving, Dr. Narcos spoke for another twenty minutes as he wanted to address Laura on the risk her fibroid could pose to her and the pregnancy. All semblance of nonchalance vanished from Laura as she began to wail internally.

And the man in question has been acting cold towards me ever since that night. I'm beyond fucked. laura agonized.

Dabbing the sweats all over her face her uncle, Dave asked gently "Lau, are you just going to stay quiet?"

Laura who was momentarily speechless, fighting the lump in her throat and the tears that threatened to pour down, she stole a glance at King as he dragged his Mum and Grandad to the other side of the room to talk.

She couldn't quite make out what they were arguing about but it was getting heated and King seemed to be clenching his fists and his jaw rather too hard. His grandad, Starry kept on trying to get him to calm down but he wasn't having any of it.

And just before his mum could stop him, he stomped out of the room not even bothering to give Laura a look.

Shit.

"Lulu you don't have to cry. Please don't cry my honey." Maddie pleaded as she moved closer to her, wiping the tears that were now falling freely.

"I'm so sorry dad. I'm so sorry. I- it wasn't supposed to end like this- I'm sorry." Facing Dave who couldn't mask his perturbed look any longer, Laura managed to say with her cracking voice.

Tightening his arm around her, Dave replied encouragingly "I'm not all that mad at you Lulu, we'll find a way around all this. I'll talk to him."

"My darling, please please stop crying." Lana rushed over to Laura, wiping the tears on her cheeks.

"You have no idea how much of a blessing this is to him. I don't even see why you should be sad." She said with a polite smile.

"Laura, I think it's best I officially welcome you to the family." Starry's mouth curved into a smile as he spoke.

Wait.

"Well if it's that much of a good thing, why did he have to react like a mad cow?" Maddie snarred as she countered.

"He couldn't even say a thing. He just stomped out like a mad cow." She added.

Way to go Madds. Way to go.

"Darling, I know the girlfriend stunt he pulled earlier on was fake. So I don't expect you to play the part. I love you already Laura, you really have no need to be worried." Lana assured.

"And for the fibroid?.."

"I uhmm always knew I had it." Laura admitted as she began to sit up on the bed.

"Dr. Narcos has been a long time family doctor, so you're in safe hands." Lana commented.

"It's just .. Lu, I think we should have told him earlier on." Maddie worried.

"You both were already aware of the pregnancy?" Dave demanded almost angrily.

Laura could only offer an affirming nod before the door swung open and a fuming King walked in.

"You knew? You knew about this?" King exclaimed as he hopped with frustration.

He gave a low laugh before finding more words "So you were going to keep this away from me? And then what? Blackmail me?"

Stunned at the hurtful accusation Laura yelled back at him- "Blackmail you???"

"Well why didn't you say anything for the past one week! Instead of pulling that dramatic stunt at my house. Are you that desperate?"

"Like telling you would have changed anything?" She asked arguably, challenging him to dispute the fact in the presence of everyone.

Stunt?

"And for fuck sake! I slumped! I fainted! I collapsed! I didn't pull any stunt." she barked back not being able to hold her tears any longer.

King took a long pause glaring hard at her, his eyes piercing deep into her blue eyes contemplating if he should apologize for the unruly behavior since they had sex. At some point he chastised himself for being unfair but his mind always somehow drifted back to what he heard.

Even at that, right now he just wanted to hold her tight, kiss her face and comfort her in the most loving way he could.

"Right." He said before walking out again. Slamming the door.

"I'm getting rid of it." Laura I announced as tears ran down her cheek.

"We've been going over this for two hours Lu. Two whole hours!. Why won't you just calm yourself down." Her uncle exclaimed.

"And the McGorritth I've known is responsible. He's probably just having a hard time taking it all in." He added in a bid to convince.

Right. The onus is on you to defend him? laura scoffed internally.

"Oh please! everyone knows about his promiscuous lifestyle. I can't afford to complicate my life any further. I cannot have this child. I won't. I don't care what any of you have to say." She protested.

Ever since they got back from the hospital the previous day, Laura had been arguing upon getting rid of the pregnancy. All what her Uncle- Dave, her Friend- Lucia and her cousin Maddie were saying weren't helping.

"Lucia, say something. Talk to her. She'll listen to you." Exhausted from the whole back and forth Dave pleaded.

"I honestly don't understand why she is so adamant. Isn't he the same man who helped with my dayghter's surgery bills?" Lucia lamented.

Pacing round the sitting room angrily, muttering things to herself. Laura refused to acknowledge any of them. Her thoughts were all over the place as she tried to recall the events that had led to her fainting that morning and how he didn't seem to have a problem with her telling him she was quitting her job.

She had been beating herself up all week, wallowing in self pity, missing him, trying to figure out why he had been so cold towards her.

Maddie walked up to her, dragging her back to sit. "Please Lu. Just listen. You're getting us all worked up" She complained.

Laura threw her hands in the air as she went off screaming again. "I cannot have this. For my own sanity. Why won't you all just understand."

"Why? And you still won't tell us what happened before you slumped in his house?!" Lucia couldn't help asking.

Laura's face registered surprise as she stared back at Lucia, she did not expect her asking her that.

Her eyes dimming a little, she began "We were having an argument that morning when I served his breakfast and maybe my body couldn't stand being in his presence any longer."

Actually, true but I wasn't so worked up until the model he slept with the previous night walked down his stairs with his shirt on. It destroyed the last thread holding me together.

She chuckled to herself before turning to Maddie "Everyday I wake up feeling like a bastard. And you want me to put this child through that?"

"Feeling like a bastard? Laura? How dare you!" Dave bellowed at her with clenched jaws.

"Isn't that what I am? A bastard?" She yelled back at him. Something she had never done all her life.

Maddie shot her a warning look. "Lu don't do this."

"Yes you have been my dad for 23years! But you are Maddie's dad! Not mine! I don't know mine. No one knows mine!. My mother died after having me. Do you know how messed up that is? Why would she decide to have a child without a father!. And you want me to follow in her steps?" Laura rambled off vibrating in between sobs.

"You don't get to speak about my sister in such manner. Laura! What has come over you." Her uncle scolded bitterly.

Lucia got up and walked to where Laura was now crying by the TV stand and pulled her into a hug.

"I don't want my child to be fatherless and then hate me. I can't do this." Laura croaked heavily as she held on to Lucia tightly.

"But Lu. The child won't be fatherless. We all know this for a fact." Maddie reasoned.

Laura wiped her face with her already sweaty palms as she replied to Maddie "The man in question doesn't want anything to do with me. Where does that leave me?"

"You just have to calm down. He will definitely come around. You'll see" Lucia stated calmly.

"Laura, I made a promise to your mum that I was going to take care of you. Don't do this to me please. The doctor already thinks you're at a risk." Dave cried out in frustration.

"And how do I live with myself? What becomes of me? And my dreams. Now I'm going to have to leave New York." She agonized.

Going over to the kitchen, she hurriedly poured herself a glass of water. Laura had been fidgeting all day, finding it hard to accept her new reality.

"I have cancer Lu." Dave said, barely audible enough for anyone to hear.

"Please dear. My cells are dying. I never planned on mentioning it to any of you, but right now I don't care. I just want you here."

Deflated, she turned and stared at him with sudden interest. Her whole mind seemed to be having trouble taking it all in.

What? Laura's eyes swarm with tears as her hands covered her mouth.

"Dad?" Maddie snapped before bursting into tears.

~~~~

Tired of locking himself up in his room for the past 24-hours and ignoring everyone, including his mother's persistence in trying to get his attention.

King decided to meet with his guys in their favorite club- owned by Tay, who's also part of the friend group- to clear his head.

"Brian you've been laughing hysterically since I got here. What's so funny about my situation?" King demanded as he opened his seventh bottle of water.

Snatching the bottle from him, Tay exclaimed like an angry mother. "You need to quit this habit of drinking excess water whenever you are stressed! Get a grip."

At least It's not alcohol.

"Let the rich whale be please. He's about to be a dad." Brian spoke as he got up to demonstrate.

He proceeded with a teasing grin. "So let's get this straight. You had a one time sex with this young woman, she got pregnant? And then you ended up acting like a dick?"

One-time best sex!

"Correct. But- Look guys, I told y'all what I heard! She's not who we think she is. I know for a fact she thinks she used me." King grumbled.

"About that. I still think it's all a misunderstanding." Chase objected.

"She knew about the pregnancy and just kept mute!. If only she knows how important this she is to me." King's voice broke as he slouched back into the chair, staring at the ceiling.

Brian who was the only friend aware of the traumatic erectile dysfunction King had been suffering for years since the accident, decided to give him a comforting shoulder squeeze.

"What's next on your mind?" Tay asked blankly.

The same line of thoughts had been going through king's mind ever since he found out she was pregnant. He had weighed all the pros and cons, even the possibility of her rejecting his offer. But nevertheless, he was going to marry her.

"I'm going to marry her and make her mine." He voiced out with a thick voice, still a tad bit skeptical.

"No man you can't!" Chase jumped from his sit yelling.

Tay wasn't having any of it either as he kept shaking his head frantically objecting.

Brian on the other hand was very much in support of the decision.

"What are you guys on about, shouldn't y'all be elated I'm trying to make things right with her?" King questioned.

"I just won a bet. No! Two expensive bets." Brian explained excitedly.

"You see, when you called in worried this evening saying it was about Laura I told these two losers here that I can bet she's pregnant and you'll definitely be marrying her immediately. They disagreed and then we made a one million dollar bet at first."

"Chase asked that we make it more interesting. So, I put my share of the company, Chase did the same and then Tay decided to bet his full lounge!." Brian finished with a triumphant grin.

"You can't take Tay's club!" King chided with a deadpanned expression as he turned to look at the two mourning men.

Brain got up to get another bottle of water for king- "I just did."

"And you're getting married to Laura." He added matter-of-fact.

How the hell did I get myself in this! King lamented fearfully.

RECAP FROM TWO WEEKS AGO...

"The 30th of this month would make it the second year I've been working as your house keeper sir. Long story short, I wish to ask for an increase in my salary."

Taking a deep breath. She Paused, said a little prayer and continued "with due respect I'll also love to remind you for the umpteenth time, my name is Laura and not Miss Cotton. Sir."

Laura didn't mind the stares as she walked off to the bus station- these Washington heights folks never mind their business- still practicing the salary increment pitch she hoped to deliver to her boss first thing that morning.

With the sheet of paper in her left hand and her bag hanging over her right shoulder, she had been going over the pitch for the last fifteen minutes. Silently praying she doesn't miss the M2 bus and this goddamn! sweat doesn't ruin her shirt.

What if he isn't in a good mood today? Laura frowned at the thought.

Not like she was scared of him- at least that's what she chose to let her 23 year old self believe- it's just that she needed the pitch to be smooth and convincing as possible. Or else heaven knows she'll be coming back home today with a termination letter which is far worse than a cancer diagnosis right now.

Walking as fast as she could, trying not to miss her steps still finding it hard to catch her breath as she dabbed of the angry loads of sweats threatening to ruin her morning.

Laura felt her phone vibrate, stopping just few feet's from the homeless begger. She opened the phone and saw it was a long message from her uncle telling her he forgot to give her morning dose of I love youus.

Just before putting the phone away she squints to see the time reading 6:32am.

"Shit! I'm late" she panicked. Mentally calculating how much time she had left to get to Mr McGorrith's house.

A journey of give or take one hour, and she needed to be there by 7am!

"Ohhh hiii Laura, are you just going to walk past your favorite bird like that" not now please. She muttered under her breath before turning to acknowledge the homeless man who had somehow camped by that corner for the past 3- if not 4 years. Most days he acted like whatever comes up to his head.

"Hello Mockingbird, and good morning" she dropped some coins into his bowl trying to mask her irritated mood with an awkward smile "can we not do this now, I'm running late and...."

Interrupting her by Jumping from his bags of baggage's he danced, acting animated with the globe or ball or whatever in his hands-like he's some sort of future seer now- "Just 5 minutes Lau, I seeeee your future" he sang out.

"I seeeee I seeee your future going in a circus of surprises"

First the scary globe and now circus and surprises in the same sentence?

Laura tilted her head a little she leaned by the old Dominican restaurant there.

"Fine".

Sitting by the window side watching as the bus drove to the other side of town, with her earphones on blasting the new album Adele released. Laura would give anything right now to have a life worth living for. A degree in Economics, she really can't count how many times a day she throws herself a pity party. Working two-not so fun- jobs. no friends, a sorry excuse of a boyfriend and a dry bank account.

At least I'm not pregnant. Laura comsoled herself.

"Thank you Harry." Laura said, waving the cab man who just dropped her in front of Mr McGorrith's mansion.

A castle sitting pretty on the upper east side of Manhattan. Phew! Let's do this babies.

Laura decided to use a moment, taking in the house, as she stood behind the gigantic gate, admiring the beautiful stone entrance.

Just before pressing the buzzer, announcing her arrival at the house she took a quick glance at her phone to check for the time. 7:17am.

When She pressed the buzzer again for the second time she noticed her shaky hands, sweaty palms The damn sweat! And her skin had suddenly gone pale. Not to mention her panicking thoughts.

It's just a random Monday morning. I shouldn't be anxious for godsake!.

The gate opened and Laura found herself trying to gather her thoughts as she still hadn't been able to shake off all what Mockingbird had said, not noticing Mr Alex who was by the side of the gate giving her a warm welcome.

"Miss laura, hello miss laura you okay?" he gave her a small pinch by the arm to get her attention as she walked past him.

"Ouch" she jerked almost immediately

Giving him a nervous laugh while she ran her hands through her hair she joked "ohhh Hi Alex good morning I was just trying to see how long I could try ignoring you without you noticing.?"

Please don't call me out on my obvious lie! Laura mentally struggled.

"I'm sorry, I hope I did not offend you" she added. Still chewing on her cheeks.

She looked up to the house and noticed almost all the lights were on. Weird. He's supposed to be in the gym by now and what's with all the noises coming from the house.

"You mind telling me what's on your mind?" Mr Alex tugged at her. Bring her out of her thoughts. "You good?" He probed further.

"Ohhh it's nothing really, just that..." a loud crashing sound disrupted their conversation. But before she could even get another word out, the sounds from the house got louder.

Turning to Alex who was supposedly the gatekeeper she asked him about what the hell was going on in the house.

"I honestly have no idea what's going on with him and that girl he brought over last night. But they've been going at it for over an hour now" he hissed not masking his monotonous voice.

The house had suddenly gone quiet.

Laura's thought couldnt fathom it- Girl?? Mr McGorritth has never been the violent type. And there's a woman still in his house by morning? Humor. Me.

"Okay uhm, I have to go now. See you later Alex. Hopefully today doesn't go wrong." she smiled slightly as she turned to leave.

Hurrying to the big house she made another mental note to call her boyfriend and ask for her money before the day ended.

The screams and crashing sounds from the house had come back on.

Holding the front door she wondered if the Mockingbird's revelation might be real afterall- her life would definitely take a sharp turn. But how- she couldn't even remember the first line of her pitch. Good gracious!

"I told you I needed you to be out of my house before I woke up. Or do you not understand English anymore!!" He barked out really loud with his veins threatening to pop.

Standing by the side of the door, Laura tried to take in the scene before her-not pleasant at all- seeing that the woman in question is or was? his secretary. It turned out that Mr Kingston McGorrith wasn't so pleased with waking up to the sight of his one night rendezvous. And to his secretary? Shouldn't she know better than to expect anything less from him?.

The whole house had been turned upside down with shattered items. Watching as Stephanie tried to cause more havoc she noticed her small stature.

Laura always thought girls like herself with mini curvy body were cute. But seeing Stephanie up close wasn't so appealing.

Did he go around sleeping with everything?

"Is this really who you are?" Stephanie bellowed back angrily, wiping off her tears still looking for things to throw and break.

After cleaning this house up I better be getting that raise. Laura thought to herslf.

Stephanie sniffled a bit and continued her ranting.

"I couldn't even get you to nut all night!. I thought we were having a good time King!. And now you treat me like some rag?"

"With all my body still sore, how was I supposed to .. you know what? Forget it. You are sick!" Her eyes rolling with a disgusted expression.

Laura's mind froze as she tried to wrap her head around Stephanie's words. Nut? Oh shit! I shouldn't be listening to any of this. But? Is he really that hard to satisfy? Wow.

His nostrils flared.

"GET OUT OF MY HOUSE STEPHANIE!" He exploded. Pointing towards the door. Still not noticing Laura who was stiffened up by the corner.

"And it's Mr McGorritth to you. Do well to send in your resignation letter before I get to the office. NOW. PLEASE. LEAVE"

Yhhh he's definitely frustrated . And hot.

Laura debated mentally.

Carefully walking towards Stephanie with his jaw clenched he muttered almost inaudibly "look, I'm not trying to be an asshole."

Laura scoffed "you don't even have to try that hard".

He stopped abruptly, staring at her with furrowed brows "sorry?"

Wait.

She said that out loud?