Mr. and Mrs. Carter?



Time passed and Ava was now 7 months along. It was a very trying time for her. But in addition to the troubles a woman with child has, she also had an overall feeling of serenity.

Her hair grew longer and more full. She had more color in her cheeks and a general glow surrounded her face. Her lips became a little more red, and her eyes brightened. She soon discovered that these subtle changes in her appearance allowed her to skip putting makeup on.

She examined herself as she sat in front of the mirror and admired her natural beauty. Carol walked in at that moment and just watched her daughter for a moment in silence.

“You do know why this happens, right?” Carol said, coming into the room and sitting on Ava’s bed.

“No, why?” Ava asked, tying her long hair back and then turning to her mother.

“When a woman is carrying a baby, especially around the third trimester, more of your feminine hormones start flowing to make you look more appealing. Therefore your man will be more intrigued to hang around and be there for you throughout the whole 9 months. I guess it’s just nature’s way of keeping the man in love with his woman, and attracted to her, despite the big tummy.” Carol explained, with a soft smile on her face. And she was absolutely right.

“Too bad it doesn’t work in all cases, huh?” Ava said, lowering her head a little and rubbing her stomach. Carol got up from the bed and went over to her daughter. She took the ponytail out of Ava’s hair and started to brush the brown locks all the way down her back.

“I know that it’s hard for you. I know he hasn’t called lately and you don’t know where he is. And I know its been months and months since you’ve seen him. Honey, I wish that I could promise you that he’s going to call. And I wish that I could promise you that he’s going to come and visit. And I’m sorry that I can’t promise you those things. But what I can promise you is that everything always works out for the best in the end. The situation at hand may seem awful for you now, but just find comfort in the fact that sooner or later, everything will be just fine.” Carol kissed Ava on the forehead and then left the room.

Ava then looked at herself in the mirror again. She stood up slowly and looked at her stomach. The baby kicked once, and then again. Ava merely sighed and tears burned in her eyes.

“Yeah… I miss your Daddy too, little one.” She whispered. Still rubbing her growing stomach. She started to feel a little exhausted, so she pulled the blankets back on the bed and got in, pulling them up to her shoulders.

Downstairs, Carol was in the kitchen washing dishes. She heard the doorbell ring and dried her hands to answer it. Upon opening the door, a smile grew on her face and she pointed upstairs. She also put her finger to her lips and signaled her guest to be quiet.

“She’s probably resting.” Carol said. And with that she continued washing the dishes.

Ava, still lying down in bed, felt a presence in her room. Sensing that it was her mother, she didn’t bother to move. That was until she felt a hand, much bigger than her mother’s, touch her back and move down slowly.

She turned around slowly, careful not to jerk too fast, and discovered the true identity of her silent visitor, and it was not Carol.

“Nick…” She whispered. Nick just put his finger to her lips and crawled into bed with her. Holding her close and kissing her cheek. He reached under the sheets pulled up her shirt so that he could rub her bare stomach.

“I missed you so much.” She whispered. And Nick just smiled and kissed her again, this time on the lips.

“I’m here now. And I’m sorry it took me so long.” As he rubbed her stomach, he felt their child shift in her womb. His hand jumped and he smiled at Ava.

“How is everything with the baby?” Ava sat up in the bed so that her back rested against the headboard.

“Well, I get a lot of kicks. Sometimes he shifts from one side to the other. And he keeps me up at night. But overall, he’s a good little fetus.” She said with a giggle. Nick looked up at her with wide eyes.

“So it is a boy?” Ava shrugged her shoulders.

“Don’t know for sure yet. I want to be surprised. I’m guessing it’s a boy though. I feel like it’s a boy.” Nick found comfort in this.

“A son.” He whispered before kissing her stomach.

“I used to say that. But I can’t. We can’t. And we shouldn’t get too used to this. Being parents that is. Because we’re not going to be. This baby is going to a family that is better prepared to care for a child than us as soon as it’s born. Remember that.” Ava advised. Nick just sighed deeply like a disappointed child.

“Yeah, I know. But it doesn’t hurt anyone to pretend that you’re my misses and this is our little boy, and we live happily… ever… after.” He kissed her between each word and on the last kiss, he did not part from her.

James stood in the doorway and cleared his throat. Nick looked back and once he saw the stern face of Ava’s father, he got out of the bed and stood still.

“Hello, Mr. Carey.” Nick said, keeping his eyes low.

“Hi Daddy.” Ava chimed in. Smiling despite all of her nervousness.

“What is he doing here?” James asked, looking at Nick but talking to his daughter.

“He came to see me, Daddy. Why else?” Nick just nodded, highly intimidated by Ava’s father.

“So you mean to tell me that after all this time, he finally graced us with his presence, eh? Even if that is all you came to do… you’re not gonna do it in my daughter’s room, got that? Out, out right now.” James said, stepping aside and letting Nick out of the room. Ava rolled her eyes at her father and climbed out of the bed. She followed Nick, and once she was in the hall way, Nick took her hand and helped her down the stairs, though she really didn’t need it.

They went outside and down to the shoreline. There they both sat in the sand, took their shoes off, and watched the sun set. Nick held Ava’s hand and looked into her eyes.

“We have a month off. Then it’s recording time, and we’re probably gonna do that in California. I suggested Hawaii, but management wouldn’t go for it. They rented some beach house and want us to stay in there and work on our music. No distractions. It sucks. I hate it. I wish I could stay here with you.” Nick explained. Ava hated it too. She never realized how hard it was for Nick doing the work that he does. And the hardships of being a celebrity’s girlfriend were bad too.

“But what I want to know is why it took you so very long to come down here in the first place.” She asked. Nick honestly didn’t want to tell her why. But he had to, he couldn’t lie to her.

“They really don’t even want me associating myself with you. They say the publicity is already been enough and that I should just leave you alone until after the baby’s born and given to another family. They say it’s safe that way. And you know how it is… gotta keep a smile on management’s face.” He explained. Ava plainly nodded and turned back toward the sun set.

“How long can you stay?”

“I wish I could stay the whole month. But the truth is, I haven’t seen my family in quite a while. I owe them a visit. I already talked with my mother, and I mentioned bringing you with me, but she said that in your condition, flying isn’t the best thing. And she’s right, you know? So I guess I’ll be staying for a week. Then I gotta head back.” There was a moment of silence after Nick’s last words. Then he laid back on the sand. Tugging on Ava’s shirt to get her attention.

“Hey, come down here.” He said, and she did so, resting her head on his chest.

“I love you, you know that right?” Nick whispered down to her. And he felt her nod. He stroked her long hair with his right hand, and he caressed her arm with his left.

“You still love me?”

“Always.” Ava responded.

After the sun had completely set, Nick helped Ava up on her feet and they headed back toward the house. Carol was cooking dinner and James was in his study going over some documents on his computer.

“Oh, hey. Why don’t you two sit down for a second. Dinner is almost ready.” She said with a smile. Nick felt so comfortable around Ava’s mother. She reminded him of his own mother, and she and Ava shared the same kind features. Carol had a soothing voice and he knew that as long as Carol was around, James wouldn’t be too hostile.

“Nick, where are you gonna stay?” Ava asked, drinking down a large cup of iced water.

“There’s a hotel pretty close by that I checked into this morning. It’s nice. I mean, I can walk here from there.” Ava looked at Carol and Carol just smirked.

“You’re gonna have to discuss that with your father.” Carol said. Ava just looked at her mother again, this time with the sad eyes of a puppy.

“Alright, alright. But if he has a tantrum over it, you owe me. Big time.” Carol announced as she turned the heat down on the stove and took out four plates. She made a plate for her husband, then she left the kitchen to take it to him.

“It’s best for him to just eat in there. I don’t trust his mouth too much lately. I don’t think you two do either.” She said upon her return. She then fixed the other three plates and sat down with Ava and Nick to eat.

“This is great, Mrs. Carey.” Nick commented.

“Oh thanks, and you can call me Carol. I don’t mind.” The phone rang and she wiped her mouth, then got up to answer it. Nick then turned to Ava with curious eyes.

“And what were you two talking about a minute ago? Well… what was your mom talking about, cause you didn’t say anything.” Ava wiped her mouth, pretty much in the same fashion that her mother did.

“Well, I’m staying with you at the hotel. I know Daddy won’t let you stay here. But Mom said it’s ok for me to come with you.” Nick was all too excited to hear that he’d be taking Ava with him back to his hotel room. And there they’d have a chance to be alone and talk… catch up on the months that had passed.

He reached over and placed his hand on her thigh, then he kissed her deeply. They were interrupted when James entered the room.

“Hot-dammit… one would think you two would learn a lesson. You’re already pregnant, can’t you just give it a rest?!?! Jesus, you wanna act like a married couple, get married! Otherwise, knock it off!” Carol made up an excuse to hang up the phone then she took James’ plate and put it in the sink. She squirted liquid soap all over it and ran the water over it as well.

“Carol, what are you doing? I wasn’t finished eating yet!” He exclaimed. He went to get another plate out of the cabinet, but she shut it quickly and looked at him with anger in her eyes.

“What is going on with you, honey?” Carol’s face changed suddenly and she looked at Nick and Ava with an artificial smile.

“Excuse us.” She said, then she pulled James out of the kitchen and up the stairs. Nick just looked at Ava, then they both continued to finish their dinner.

“That is our daughter down there. And the father of her baby. He’s here to help her, support her, and love her. And I’ll be damned if you go scaring him away! She loves you more than anything. But she loves him too. And if you cherish the relationship that you have with your little girl, you will let her live her life the way she sees fit. I happen to know for a fact that Ava is smart and responsible. And yes, she made a mistake, but she has learned from it. And I know she will not make it again. So don’t you go pushing him away, because you’ll just push her away, and I won’t lose my little girl because of my husband’s stubborness. Do you understand me James Carey?” James looked at his wife with a frown on his face as if he had just consumed bitter cough medicine. And in a way he had. For he had just been told the bitter truth.

Downstairs Ava and Nick listened to the Carol setting James straight. Ava giggled a little, not able to help from laughing at how much control her mother had on her father, despite his tough-guy façade.

“He’s not gonna be too thrilled at the idea of you staying with me for a week.” Ava reached over and touched Nick’s face, brushing his hair out of his eyes.

“I don’t care. As long as I’m with you, nothing else matters.”

~*~*~*~*~*~


Nick placed a little teddy bear, which a fan had thrown to him during a show, on Ava’s stomach. He watched as it moved up and down as the baby kicked. He had never had a more proud moment in his enter life. He moved the teddy bear and replaced it with his hand.

“It’s amazing, isn’t it?” Ava said, waking up after feeling Nick’s touch.

“It really is. I feel like I’m addicted to your stomach.” He replied with a silly grin. He didn’t understand it. He remembered for his mother’s pregnancy with Leslie and the twins. But he never remembered being this fascinated with it. Maybe it was how his father felt each time. Maybe he was feeling that same joy every father-to-be feels. Then he remembered, he wasn’t a father-to-be.

Ava sat up and swung her legs around so that they hung from the bed. She then got up and waddled over to the bathroom.

“Sitting on my bladder?” Nick joked.

“Is he!” Ava huffed back, trying to get to the toilet as quickly as possible. Nick got out of bed too and followed her into the bathroom, turning the faucet on and squeezing toothpaste on his toothbrush. They were used to this kind of thing. Sharing the bathroom, despite what the other was doing.

“You know, maybe your Dad’s right. I almost feel like we’re a married couple. You ever get that feeling?” Nick asked, mouth filled with the foam from his toothpaste.

“Sometimes.” She answered, giggling a little before flushing the toilet and washing her hands in the other sink next to Nick’s. She then wet her toothbrush and squeezed out a bit of toothpaste. By this time Nick was finished and ready to hop into the shower. Why they both brushed before showering was anyone’s guess. Nick pulled his shirt off and tossed it on top out of the bathroom, knowing it would land on the bed. He then ran the shower water and kept his hand in the stream until he felt comfortable with the temperature.

He left the bathroom to go get his own soap from his bag. Ava, then finished with her brushing, stuck her hand in the stream of water to test it. Satisfied, she pulled her shirt off and tossed it on the bed. Then he bra and panties followed, all landing in the same pile on the bed. She stepped into the shower, not bothering to close it, knowing that Nick would soon be in behind her. And he was. He stepped inside and immediately wrapped his arms around her to kiss her.

“You know, this marks the very first time you’ve seen me naked with this fat belly I’ve got.” Nick stepped back and looked down at his girlfriend. Sure, she looked a lot different. But nonetheless beautiful. He hugged her again, feeling her stomach press against his. It was awkward of course… trying to be kinky in the shower with such an obstacle in front of him… but it also made things fun.

Later, after the shower and after both got dressed, Ava sat at the desk writing in her diary. She was a faithful diary writer and she felt a serious need to document her reunion with Nick. She looked over at him, lying on his stomach on the bed watching television, and she had to smile.

“Dear Diary,

As I sit here watching him, I think of how perfectly we fit. I think of how unusual the circumstances were that brought us together. And despite all of that, I can’t see myself with any other man but him. For months I thought he regretted ever meeting me and forgot all about the baby. But I see the way he enjoys our time together and how anxious he is about the pregnancy. It makes me think though. I do wish we could keep the baby, I honestly do. But he’ll be gone again in a week. And I won’t see him for months after that. If we were to keep the child, I’d be like a single parent. I don’t think I could hand that. After all, it takes two to tango. Why not two to raise a baby? Should I tell him how I feel about giving our little one up? Or would that be risking too much…”


Chapter 13 ~ Contents Page ~ Stories ~ Home Page