Alexia
The gel felt cold when she squeezed it on my belly. I watched intently at the flickering monitor as she moved the scanner around my abdomen, searching. When the flickering screen stabilized, I viewed what appeared to be undefinable images of my innards. She continued shifting it around, pressing down with increased firmness. Some movement appeared but I couldn't discern what I was looking at.
"Ms. Hunter, if you look in the center of the monitor you can see the head—and that is the leg wiggling. Would you like to hear the heart beat?"
"Can I? Please!" I was excited.
Never in a thousand years would I have thought I'd be looking at an image of my unborn fetus.
The doctor turned on the fetal heart monitor and I could hear the rapid heartbeat. She seemed to have a concerned look on her face as she moved the scanner to another location.
"What's the matter?" I asked anxiously. "Is there something wrong?"
She smiled and said, "Nothing is wrong. In fact, I have double the good news for you. If you'll look in the lower section of the screen... that's another fetus. You're pregnant with twins."
"No fu—frigging way!"
I was numb, trying to grasp my situation. If I felt I wasn't ready for marriage and motherhood, I'd better get over those apprehensions quickly. A whole range of emotions flooded through me all at once.
She handed me a pregnancy basket that included several bottles of creams lotions and sample vitamins. Then, she commenced to give me her well rehearsed lecture about what not to eat or drink or do. She finished by printing a few pictures from the monitor screen. I took a couple of my own with my phone and sent them to Frank with no explanation.
A couple minutes later I received a text:
What's this?
I typed a short reply:
Your kids.
Immediately my phone rang.
"Hi babes," I answered.
"What the hell do you mean by my kids?"
"Well...I just found out I'm having twins."
Long pause.
"Holy crap!" he finally said. "Are we really having twins?"
"Technically, not we... me. Your part was the fun stuff, my part is just beginning."
Frank and I talked a few more minutes, but I had to cut the conversation short. I was meeting my parents for lunch and I needed to get dressed. As I dropped the gown to change back into my street clothes, I looked in the mirror. My profile definitely showed I was starting to form a baby bump. I looked at my watch and realized I needed to hurry because my dad had little tolerance for tardiness.
-oOo-
The three-story parking garage was packed with lunch patrons and I was forced to park at the far end. After I finally found a space, I sprinted down the stairway toward the entrance. Fortunately, I made it with a minute to spare. The place was crowded, but I knew my dad would have reservations. As the hostess escorted me to their table, I clutched my bag that contained the pictures my gynecologist had printed of their future grandchildren. I couldn't wait to see their reaction to my news. However, when I approached their table, I knew something was wrong. Neither one of them said anything as I sat. Dad didn't look at me and Mom's eyes were red and swollen.
I decided not to share my news. Instead I asked, "What's the matter? Why the glum faces?"
Without uttering a word, my father pushed a Manila envelope across the table.
What could this be? I wondered.
I opened the flap and pulled out a stack of eight by ten photos. After glancing at them briefly, I quickly shoved them back in the envelope. I was mortified. They were nude photos of me pole dancing at the club. My mother started to cry.
"Th-this..." I stammered. "Let me explain. Dad—"
"Don't ever call me Dad again!" His furious eyes pierced through mine. "I no longer have a daughter. You're just some prostitute that happens to have my last name. How could you do this to your mother?"
"But Dad, it's not what it looks like!"
"What possible explanation could you have?"
"There is an explanation, but..." I sighed in frustration. "I just can't discuss it right now. How did—"
"I find out?" He interrupted. "One of my clients told me. One of my biggest fucking clients, Alexia! Do you have any idea of what that did to me—to us? You're not just a whore but you're also a damn liar! You told us you were a police detective. For God's sake, you graduated Summa-Cum-Laude in criminal law from one of the most prestigious colleges in the nation! And who the hell is that Frank character? Is he your pimp? You certainly fooled us."
I wanted so badly to tell him the truth, but I couldn't jeopardize one of the biggest international criminal investigations in history. All I could do was sit there silently, absorbing the verbal abuse and public humiliation. After my dad finished his tirade, he got up and pulled my weeping mother to her feet. I thought my humiliation was finally coming to an end. I was wrong.
He turned back and loudly shouted, "WHORE!"
Everyone in the restaurant had their eyes on me. I felt two inches tall. I hated this fucking job and cursed the day I became a cop.
Janine
The mall was about half full when I pulled into our meeting place; it was near a sign pole at the far end the lot.
Paulson isn't here yet, I thought.
I always believed the Brits were obsessed with promptness, so where the hell was he?
