The Prodigal Daughter Chapter 7

The Prodigal Daughter-Chapter 7

Although over a month passed since that night with Jax, she was still a little nervous about meeting with him, and her little test this morning didn't make this any easier. She was glad that Ned was going to be there as well. She had gone out of her way to make sure they were never alone together. Whatever she had to do to make that happen, she did.

She took a deep breath and entered the PC Grille. She was even more unnerved when she saw Jax at the table alone. He was on the phone, so she would just make her exit before he noticed and wait for Ned to come. Where was Ned anyway? He was never late.

Just as she was about to turn and walk out, he saw her. He smiled at her and motioned for her to join him at the table. She sighed and complied, knowing that there was no way she could leave now. He ended his call after she sat down. She smiled weakly.

"Good morning, Keesha. I trust you are doing well," he said smiling at her again.

She had to keep herself from rolling her eyes. That was a very bad habit for her. "Very," she lied.

"That's good to hear. That was Ned on the phone. It seems that he is running a little late, and will try to come as soon as he can."

"Try and come," she said rolling her eyes this time. "Well, I have an app…um, some place to be later," she said shifting uncomfortably in her chair. She prayed that she wouldn't get sick right there.

Noticing her discomfort, he asked, "Are you okay?" She nodded, and he decided to drop it. "We haven't really talked since that night," he said matter-of-factly.

She wasn't surprised that he brought it up now. He wanted to talk to her about it on many occasions, but with her creativity, she made sure that did not happen. "I know, there was nothing to talk about," she said looking at the wall behind him.

"Since you can't even make eye contact with me," he said reaching over to tilt her head down so that he could look into her eyes, "I would say that there was something to talk about."

She sighed. She didn't like the way the contact with him made her feel. "There is not. We had sex one time, and now that is over."

He smiled, "I believe, if my memory serves me correctly, it was more than one time."

She pushed her hair behind her ears and shook her head. "No matter how many times, there are no long lasting ties to that night," she said more so to herself than to him. "There can't be," she said softly.

"Why can't there be? I don't understand. I didn't know that you had such an aversion to me. I don't recall ever doing anything to you."

"You haven't, but there just cannot be anything between us. You have to understand that. There is no reason that you should continue your pursuit of me; it is futile."

"'Futile'", he repeated. He had been pursuing her, that much was true, and she made sure they were never in the same room alone together. He was under the impression that she must have paid people to be there. That didn't stop him, though. "Nothing is ever futile where I am concerned. Keesha, I think that we could be good together," he shrugged. "And, I intend to find out if I'm right. So, you can keep resisting me, but that doesn't mean that I will stop."

"There are any number of women in this town, in this world, that would kill to have you want them, why not pursue one of them," she pointed out.

"Because, I am not interested in any of them. I have yet to find another woman like you. I don't think there are many like you out there. You are so unlike the other women that I've dated, and I am attracted to you, not those other women."

"We're not dating, Jax, and there is nothing at all between us," she noted. She felt that the nausea had returned. She closed her eyes and pressed a hand to her stomach.

"Are you sure you're well? You don't look as if you are," he said with concern in his voice.

She brought her hands up to her cheeks and concentrated on the nausea passing until it finally did. "I'm fine, Jax. There is absolutely nothing wrong with me." She glanced at her watch. "It's obvious that Ned isn't coming any time soon, and I was under the impression that this was going to be a short meeting; so I really have to go, before I'm," she paused thinking on the alternate meaning of the word, "late."

He nodded, "Okay, I will tell Ned that you had someplace else to be. I hope your appointment goes well," he said smiling again.

*****

She sat in the sitting area in GH. She had just come from her ob/gyn's office to set up the schedule for her appointments. Of course she knew what the doctor was going to tell her even before she said it, but now it seemed so definite. She couldn't believe it; she was in fact pregnant, she was in fact going to have a baby, Jax's baby. "Oh, god," she moaned as she covered her face with her hands.

"Keesha," a familiar voice said, "are you all right?"

She looked up and saw that Bobbie was sitting on the table in front of her. She smiled and nodded, "I'm fine."

Bobbie looked at her with concern as she rubbed her back lightly. "Well, excuse me if I don't think that you're fine. Now, you know that you can tell me anything. Did something happen?" She moved to sit beside the younger woman now.

"You can say that, I guess," she said softly. It was hard to keep this to herself. She definitely needed some advice on how to proceed with this. She was too confused to sort this out on her own. Knowing that she could trust Bobbie, she began. "I just came from an appointment."

"It's not anything serious is it?" she asked with some alarm as she took in Keesha's almost melancholy state.

She shook her head, "No, I'm fine, really I am. I'm just a little, um, pregnant."

"A little pregnant," Bobbie said hugging Keesha around the shoulders. "I would say that is a little bit of an understatement. This is unexpected, I would take it."

"Yeah, very unexpected. I'm really confused about this. I've never really felt this way before. I have usually been in complete control, but now, I feel as if I don't control anything."

She asked the obvious question, although she didn't really want to. "Is the baby A.J.'s?"

The idea was so absurd, that Keesha actually laughed. "No, hardly. I haven't been in the same room with him, if I can help it. Actually, it seems that he came back and left town again without us crossing paths. No, it's not him. It would probably be less complicated if it was."

"I don't mean to pry, but then who is the father, or would you rather not say?"

She was aware of Bobbie's relationship with Jerry, but she had to tell someone. "It will come out sooner or later, so I might as well tell you. Jax is the father of this baby."

"What?" Bobbie asked. She didn't want to show her surprise, but after she said Jax's name, she couldn't. "Jax is the father of your baby. Wow."

"That creates somewhat of a mess. To complicate matters, he is interested in me."

"How does that complicate matters? That would seem to make things a little less difficult; I would think."

"That's not what I want right now," or ever she thought to herself. She had been hurt too much in the past to look for a relationship. She was not going to find happiness in a relationship, she knew that. That is why she threw herself completely into her work and the people that she helped.

"Well, I think that someone has other plans in mind for you it seems. You will tell Jax, right?"

She nodded, "He does have a right to know. And since I am having this baby, I wouldn't keep his child from him, but I just don't know how to tell him."

Bobbie smiled, "The best way is to just say it. I know it won't be easy, but you can do it. The question is when will you do it."

"As soon as possible, there is no need to keep this a secret, I guess," she sighed. "Thank you, Bobbie for listening to me. I think that I need to give Mr. Jacks a call. Maybe he'll meet me for dinner or something."

"He's at his office now. Jerry said they had a meeting there, and it should be over soon. Asking Jax to dinner may inspire him to return the favor, and you said that is not what you want. I suggest that you go to the office to tell him; after all, romance is not what you're after, right?"

She nodded, "You're right," she said standing. "I should go now. I just hope that he doesn't take this an encouragement, you know, seeing me twice in the same day." She smiled at Bobbie as she left. She was glad as well as surprised that she did not ask how she managed to get herself in this situation in the first place.

*****

She checked with Jax's secretary, and she said that although he was still in the meeting, she was welcome to wait for him in his office. She sat nervously on the couch now. "Keesha," she said to herself, "how did you manage to get yourself into this?"

"Talking to ourselves are we?" Jax inquired as she looked up and saw him at the door. She rose as he entered the office and shut the door behind him. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

She followed him across the office and stood in front of the desk as he took his place on the other side. She watched as he placed the file on the desk and gave her his full attention. "Did Ned ever show up this morning?"

"That is why you came here? To ask if Ned came to the meeting. That seems a little strange to me. Have you thought over what I said to you this morning and came to the conclusion that some things need to be discussed."

She nodded, "Yes, in a way, yes. We do need to discuss some things about that night; you were right."

"Really, you admit that I was right about something. Well, that's a first," he teased her. He motioned for her to sit as he did.

She shook her head, "I prefer to be standing for this."

"What kind of discussion can we have with you standing up. Although," he said leaning forward a little, "the view is better if you're standing."

She rolled her eyes, and sat down. Jax could be impossible sometimes. How would this ever work? Just say it she told herself. "Jax." Just say it, she told herself again. "I'm pregnant," she said bluntly. She surprised herself by the way she just said it, but she could see that he was a little more surprised than she was. "I went to my doctor this morning, so it is pretty much confirmed."

"Well," he sat back now thinking. She had just told him that they were going to have a baby, because he had no doubt that the baby she was carrying was indeed his. He started to laugh; he had never heard anything so wonderful in his life; he was going to be a father.

Almost angry, she demanded, "Exactly what are you laughing about?"

"Calm down, Keesha," he said getting up and coming over to sit in the chair beside her. "I cannot tell you how happy I am about this," he informed her taking her hand.

Afraid that he was about to propose to her right on the spot, she interjected, "This doesn't change anything, Jax. What I said this morning still stands. I am not interested in a relationship right now." She stood up and walked to the window. She kept her back to him as he got up and stood behind her. "You will be a part of this child's life of course, he or she will have your name, but I can't be with you like that."

He nodded. He was beginning to understand. She was not going to let him into her life despite the baby. That was okay, just a minor set back. Eventually, she would let him in, so he was going to have to be happy with just this. "That's fine. I want an active role," he let her know.

"Of course," she said turning to face him, "I just told you that."

He shook his head, "You have laid out your terms, now here are mine." He saw that she was about to object, so he raised a hand to silence her. "I want an active role in this pregnancy as well. I want to be there at all the doctor's appointments. I want to be there to see our child grow larger everyday. I want to be there for all the crazy cravings you will have; when our child kicks for the first time." He looked past her out of the window now.

She felt terrible now. She came into his office with the biggest chip on her shoulder and thought that she was the only one being affected by this. She forgot that he was having his world turned upside down just the same as she was. She reached out and placed a hand on his arm. "I'm sorry, Jax. If I could, I would."

Although she had left it unsaid, he totally understood now. This had nothing to do with him; it was her. She just couldn't love. "That's fine," he said turning to her now with a smile. He was going to have to proceed carefully with her, but proceed he would. "But, you have not heard my terms."

She sighed, she could only guess what they might be. She was glad that the seriousness of the conversation had passed, though. "What could your terms possibly be, Jax?"

He smiled again and walked back to his desk. "My terms are quite simple. You say that our child will have my name, and I want to be with you every step throughout this pregnancy. There is one simple way for this to happen."

She knew where he was going with this. "No, Jax, I have explained this to you. I cannot…"

He broke her off. "I know what you said; you said that you would not enter into a relationship with me. That's fine, I respect that, but you will have to respect my wishes too, now won't you?"

She rolled her eyes. "And just what are those wishes, Jax." She had yet to move away from the window.

"I only want one little thing. I want you to marry me. Now, before you go on about how we do not need to be married to have this child, I am very aware of that, but I would like to be. That way I can assure my place in my child's life."

"But, I told you that you would," she began.

He could tell that she was beginning to get very upset with him, but this had to be done. "Again, Keesha, calm down. You have the baby to think about now." He saw her bite back her anger. "I know what you said, but did you hear what I said? I want us to be married when this child is born, do you know why?"

"No, why don't you tell me, Jax. Why do you want to marry me considering that I don't want to get married, to anyone?" she asked placing her hands on her hips and giving him a menacing look.

She looked so cute when she was angry, but he would not dare tell her that. "I did not say that we would get married now, but by the end of these seven or so months, I think that you will want to marry me."

"A little sure of ourselves aren't we," she said patting her stomach now. She had a feeling she was going to be sick soon.

He saw her grimace and rub her stomach. "The bathroom is through there," he said pointing to a small corridor with a door at the end of it.

She nodded her thanks and bolted for the bathroom. He thought he should have gone with her, but knew that she wouldn't have that. After a while, though, he became worried, and went back to check on her. He found her sitting on the floor near the toilet. He stood in the doorway, and she looked up at him.

"Are you planning to stay there forever?" he asked joining her on the floor.

"There's no need to get up. I've tried it," she said a little bitterly. "I sound bitter, don't I?"

"Just a tad, but that's perfectly fine with me. Thank you," he said softly.

"What are you thanking me for?" she asked as he got up from the floor and helped her up. She went over to the sink and rinsed her mouth out with water.

"Everything. Do you feel like eating anything before you go home?"

"Before I go home, who said that I was going home?" she inquired as they left the bathroom. There was a visitor in the office when they got there.

She looked very surprised at seeing the two of them walk out of the bathroom together. She looked a little upset. "Jax, your secretary told me that I could come on in. I didn't know you were in a meeting," she said looking pointedly at Keesha.

Keesha saw the look and shook her head; she was not in the mood to deal with Chloe right then. She had noticed a change in the woman's attitude towards her, and that was just Chloe's problem, not hers. "Excuse me," Keesha said going back to the bathroom again.

Jax watched her as she disappeared in the bathroom again. He felt sorry that she had to go through all of that. "What can I do for you, Chloe?" he asked turning back to her.

"Are you sure you don't want to go back there with her?" she asked brusquely.

Jax raised an eyebrow at her. "Jealousy is not an attractive attribute, Chloe."

"What has happened between us, Jax? I was under the impression that we were going to try and make a go of things," she pleaded as she followed him over to his desk.

"We've been through this before. We made that agreement before you slept with Mac Scorpio, and before you ran back to Milan without telling me about it," he informed her calmly.

"I explained all of that to you, Jax. I thought you understood. I need for you to tell me that we can work things out, that we can get back together. Or," she paused, "has someone else already taken my place?"

"Chloe, that is really none of your business, now is it? Keesha," he said noticing her again, "are you better?"

She shook her head. "No," she said stretching out on his couch. She had never felt so sick in her life, and she really didn't care if Chloe was there or not.

"Are you ill?" Chloe asked in a fake polite voice.

"Like you care," Keesha spat at her as she covered her face with her hands.

Jax went over to her, and knelt down in front of her. "Do you think you should go home, now?" She nodded. "I'll take you home in your car, and then my driver can pick me up from there, or would you just rather come to my house. I would think that would be a better idea."

The last thing she felt like doing was arguing, so she merely nodded her head.

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