The Rosebud Ch 03

I was trying to decide about posting the rest of the story since it's much less about sex and more exploring the characters. The story seems popular so let's see where it goes!

*

Sasha stirred into consciousness and immediately regretted it. Her head was pounding and her stomach felt like it was in a pin vice. She slowly started putting the pieces together of what had happened. Images flashed quickly in her thoughts but she couldn't form full memories. She felt greasy. Really greasy. She looked around the room and finally remembered where she was. A surge of panic washed over her as she realized that Vikki was expecting her back tonight. Instead she spent the night with Candy and... she didn't even know if it was still night.

She sprang out of the impossibly ornate bed and found her clothes in a pile on the floor. She had a glimpse of a memory, of her tearing off her clothes as the love potion took hold and then of Candy mounting her belly. She had never felt so conflicted with so many emotions churning inside of her. All she could do was get dressed and take things one thing at a time. She had to get home and do damage control.

But she had to shower first. Showering was priority one. She saw several doors laid out in front of her. "Door number one" she thought to herself and walked into a bathroom that dwarfed her living room. The shower itself was like a room. She stepped inside and was puzzled to find no sign of faucets or valves or levers. Instead there was a computerized panel. She keyed a green button and the entire ceiling started to drizzle water. It was the perfect temperature and pressure and Sasha giggled at how absurdly amazing it felt. It was like having a warm rainstorm to herself. "A girl could get used to this," she thought dreamily.

Looking around for soap, she found what could only be described as closet in Candy's shower. Dozens of exquisite glass bottles lined the walls as she slid open the door and peered inside. None of the bottles were labeled, so Sasha shrugged and grabbed the nearest one. She unscrewed the cap and lathered her body with the lime green liquid. It smelled like exotic fruit and sweet spices.

Reluctantly, after she had finished washing herself, she thumbed the off key and the rain ceased. A loud noise startled her and she let out a squeak as the room filled with warm air. She felt dry in a matter of moments. Grinning broadly, she walked out of the most memorable shower of her life and back into the bedroom. The room was freshly made up with clean sheets and her clothes were folded neatly on the bed. Candy was nowhere to be found.

She dressed quickly and rushed out of the room. A woman was waiting outside of the door. She looked at Sasha and explained in a bored tone, "I've been instructed to take you wherever you want to go." It took Sasha a second to process what was happening and she stammered out her address to the woman. Without changing her expression, she turned and said, "follow me please." Sasha got another chance to absorb the fineries of the house as she followed the chauffeur to the garage and got into a limo. She felt awkward being treated like she was highborn, and questions about Candy resurfaced in her mind on the ride back to her apartment.

As her street came into view, Sasha realized it would be very bad if Vikki saw her getting out of a limousine, so she instructed the driver to let her out a few blocks away. She got out of the limo and became intensely aware of how run down her neighborhood looked. The driver sped off without a word and Sasha was left alone on the sidewalk. It was still dark, but the dawn's first light was just starting to brighten the sky. The street was nearly deserted apart from a few early morning joggers, and Sasha again had to come up with a good excuse as she started towards her home.

She reached the door to her apartment and had a feeling of déja vu as she walked in. Vikki looked up from the TV; it filled the room with a pale blue glow. She made her way over to Sasha, one hand resting firmly on her belly. She gave Sasha an unenthusiastic embrace and said, "hey Sash" in a bored tone.

Sasha felt uneasy. Vikki's apathy seemed way worse than her being upset. "You're not mad at me?" Sasha asked nervously. Vikki shrugged and said plainly, "I talked to my sister about you coming home late and she told me to accept you for who you are and just make sure you come home."

This made Sasha even more nervous. Was this a trap? Was she really being given a free ride? "I love you so much," she said and went in for a kiss. Vikki accepted it, but Sasha noticed that it didn't have the same warmth she was used to.

"Oh yeah, I scheduled a doctor's appointment tomorrow. You should come."

"Sure thing babe." Sasha drew in for a deeper kiss and Vikki pulled away.

"Not tonight, ok? I'm really tired. I'm just gonna go to sleep."

Was this what settling in felt like? Sasha reluctantly agreed and they crawled into bed. Before long Sasha could hear Vikki's soft breathing, but she was wide awake thinking of what just happened. Could she go on leading this double life? The luxuries of Candy's mansion were still fresh in her thoughts. For a girl who grew up with almost nothing, the small taste of the good life left her wanting more.

It was hours before she finally fell asleep, and she was awakened by Vikki shaking her roughly. "Come on Sasha! Wake up! You're going to make me late to the doctor's!" Sasha blinked away her grogginess and looked up to see Vikki fully dressed and ready to leave. She fumbled around getting out of the bed and found her trusty ripped jeans on the floor. As she went to put them on, Vikki stopped her and said, "You're not thinking of wearing those to the doctor's are you? Don't you have anything that's not ripped? I'm going to have to take you shopping, aren't I?"

Sasha didn't appreciate the motherly tone that Vikki had adopted, especially after being roused from a deep slumber. She had always dressed in punk clothes, and this was the first time Vikki mentioned anything about it. "What happened to accepting me for me?" Sasha whined. Vikki just glared at her.

"Here, you can wear something of mine. My stuff's starting to not fit anyway." Her hand instinctively went to her stomach. Sasha noticed and glanced at it. She was really starting to show now. Vikki went to the closet and grabbed a pair of slacks and a white blouse. Sasha put them on quickly and examined herself in the mirror. She looked ridiculous. Everything felt loose and the shirt hung unflatteringly. Her purple hair and piercings completed the look.

"Hun, I look terrible. I'm literally swimming in this blouse. I can't compete with your huge Knockers." She went to grab Vikki's chest for emphasis but Vikki stopped her. "Don't. They're really tender. And I'm serious Sasha. We have to leave now. We're gonna miss the bus."

Sasha let out a frustrated sigh at being denied and Vikki basically dragged her to the bus stop. She groaned at the thought of taking a bus after having ridden in Candy's convertible, and being driven in a limo. When they arrived at the bus stop, a kind looking elderly lady was waiting alone. She noticed the pair of them and smiled. "It's so nice to see such a lovely young couple." She looked at Vikki's belly and exclaimed, "Oh how wonderful! How far along are you?"

Sasha was taken aback by how forward the old woman was being, but Vikki answered pleasantly. "About 3 months. I can't believe it's been so long already." The woman's expression darkened somewhat and said, "My husband would have been so glad to see the two of you. It gives me hope for the future."

While Sasha wondered what a 'husband' was, the bus pulled up and the door swung open. The old woman made no attempt to get up. "Do you need help getting on, ma'am?" Vikki asked. "No thank you sweetie, I'll get the next one." Vikki gave her a quizzical look and waved goodbye. When they sat down Vikki turned to Sasha and said, "How sad. She must be really lonely. I bet she waits at the bus stop just so she can talk with someone."

Sasha nodded. "What did she mean by her 'husband'?"

"I'm not sure. It must be a relative or something."

Vikki put her hand in Sasha's and rested her head on her shoulder. Sasha smiled to herself. What usually followed was Vikki was going to get really sentimental. It amused her that she knew Vikki so well.

"I'm so lucky to have you Sasha. I don't want to end up like that lady, old and alone."

Sasha ran her fingers through Vikki's long, curly hair. "I won't let that happen."

After a short ride, Vikki motioned for them to get off the bus. Sasha stepped onto the street in front of a massive stone building with marble columns and an ornate fountain in front of the entrance.

"Holy shit! Is this where you got that baby juice from?"

Vikki laughed at Sasha's over the top reaction. "Yeah. They have a really good clinic here. It's where my sister went for her baby. And you'd better behave while we're inside. I want the doctor to see how responsible you are."

"Are you implying that I'm not responsible?"

"Yeah, you're very mature. That's why I fell in love with you. It has nothing to do with this..."

Vikki grabbed Sasha's butt and gave it a playful squeeze. Sasha pretended to be annoyed and said in a high pitched voice, "Stoppp! It's really tenderrr."

Vikki's eye's widened and her mouth dropped open in actual annoyance. She slapped Sasha's arm with her purse. "You are the worst! They are tender!" Sasha cackled and ran to the entrance. Vikki muttered "so mature..." to herself and chased after her.

They entered the building together and found themselves in a long hall lined with columns. The entire length of the ceiling was painted, and the edges were framed with gold leaf.

Vikki and Sasha made their way to the receptionist, and Vikki said in a very polite tone, "Excuse me, I have an appointment with..."

The receptionist took one look at her pregnant stomach and interrupted, "Fourth floor. They're expecting you." Vikki's forehead wrinkled in confusion, but she thanked the woman and made her way to the elevator, Sasha in tow. While they waited for the elevator, Vikki exclaimed, "That was weird. I haven't been here in months. I wonder how they knew who I was." Sasha shrugged and said nothing. This world was alien to her so she didn't know what to expect.

Before long, they found themselves on the fourth floor and a nurse greeted them as they came off the elevator.

"You must be Vikki and..."

"Sasha." Vikki answered for her. Sasha could not have felt more out of place and useless. She felt like an idiot in Vikki's loose fitting clothes tailing her like a trained puppy. Each passing minute made her more anxious to be out of this place.

"Ok great! Just follow me and we'll get you all set up."

She left the two of them in a room with very expensive looking equipment and a hospital gown for Vikki to change into. Sasha found the "third wheel" chair and slumped down. As Vikki got changed, she asked Sasha, "What's wrong? You haven't said a word since we got inside."

"I dunno. This place creeps me out I guess. Like everything is so neat and tidy. I don't like it."

Vikki found her hand and gripped it tight. "Well, I'm glad you came anyway. It means a lot."

The doctor came in and saw the moment they were sharing. "We love to see couples supporting each other through the process. It's much better for the child if the parents are intimate. It seems like more women these days are choosing to try and do everything by themselves."

Sasha was weirded out by the frank discussion of her relationship but Vikki was genuinely interested.

"You mean most women aren't like us?"

"The majority of couples looking to have a child are strictly platonic. They are usually doing it for the generous tax breaks and other incentives. A lot of women simply are deciding to try and do it alone now. I've even heard that there's a growing number of perfectly healthy women opting out of having any children. It's a worrying trend."

Sasha muttered under her breath, "No shit with your prices." Vikki shot her a dirty look.

The doctor turned to Sasha and answered as though she had actually been addressed. "It's true the price of sperm has gone up recently. There's been a shortage for a few years now. I'm sure it will return to normal soon. These things are cyclical."

"My sister told me that we've reached 'peak sperm' and the price is going to keep going up." Vikki chimed in.

"I wouldn't worry too much about that. Our bank is at the forefront of research and development. Technology always provides a solution." Changing the subject abruptly, she told Vikki to lie back on the table while she prepared to give her an ultrasound.

Within moments they were looking at a blurry image on the monitor. Vikki squeezed Sasha's hand tighter. "Say hello to your baby!" The doctor exclaimed excitedly. Vikki's eyes began to well up with tears and she whispered, "she's so beautiful..."

Sasha noticed the doctor squinting at the monitor and frowning slightly. She glanced at the ceiling and nodded almost imperceptibly. Suddenly she got up and said, "I'm very sorry, I need to step out. I'll be back shortly."

She left an emotional Vikki and confused Sasha alone to stare at their future together.

It wasn't long before the doctor returned to the room where a very shaken Vikki, and an increasingly agitated Sasha waited. "I'm afraid I have some news that might be hard to hear for you. It appears as though your baby might be developing an abnormality. We would highly recommend for Vikki to stay here overnight so we can perform some tests."

Vikki's mouth hung open in shock. She looked at Sasha pleadingly, hoping that she could provide something reassuring, but Sasha just stared directly at the doctor and said, "What kind of abnormality? And what kind of tests? Tell us exactly what's going on."

The doctor let out a small sigh and explained. "We believe that your baby is developing as a male. It's a very rare condition since we have a very thorough screening process for the sperm we provide. Male babies almost never survive long after childbirth. We can't be certain that the baby is male, so we need to run a full examination of blood work and scans."

Vikki had never been more devastated. All she could do was bury her face in her hands and whimper. Sasha stammered, "H-h-how much will these tests cost us?"

"Well, we have very affordable payment options available to a couple in your situation. But what matters above all else is that we find out if Vikki's baby is healthy. The earlier we know, the better prepared we will be to make a decision."

A mix of feelings brewed inside of Sasha. She couldn't deny that she felt a sort of relief at the idea of not being responsible for a baby, but this wasn't how it should have happened. She simply said. "I think we just need some time to process this."

"Of course. We would strongly recommend that Vikki stay with us for the night, but we will schedule another appointment as soon as possible."

Sasha was too weary from the news to offer any resistance. The doctor gave a respectful nod and left.

~~~~~~~~

Vikki opened her eyes and shuddered despite the many blankets covering her. She glanced at the clock. 2:31 A.M. Her arm instinctively reached to Sasha's side of the bed and she felt cold emptiness. Vikki didn't sleep well these days. She needed the reassuring presence of Sasha next to her. Without another person in the bed, she could barely cobble together a few fitful hours of unconsciousness. The constant getting up to go to the bathroom wasn't helping either. The baby growing inside of her must have shrank her bladder to half its size. An internal debate churned in her mind on whether her need to pee outweighed her desire to stay warm under the covers. She sighed and reluctantly left her bed, wrapping her blankets around her like a cloak while her feet protested against the frigid floor. She tip-toed to the toilet and slumped down; instant relief washed over her. Her protruding belly caught her eye and she rubbed it gingerly. There was no mistaking the fact that she was pregnant. She was scared and had no one to talk to.

It came back to her. That nagging feeling that Sasha was lying to her. What possible reason could there be for her not being here? Vikki desperately clung to any excuse she could think up for Sasha's absence, but not for the first time, she came up empty. When she started dating Sasha, she left her old friends behind. All she wanted was to be in a committed relationship. When her friends had less than savory things to say about Sasha, it was all the excuse Vikki needed to stop talking to them. Now she thought back to her old life and worried that they might be right.

She hobbled back to bed, blankets sliding behind her. As soon as she got settled back in, she knew she wouldn't be able to fall back asleep. She laid on her side, staring at the nightstand with the clock on it. 2:34. She turned on the lamp and rifled through the drawer looking for a book to read. Her fingers found a small metal object instead. She hesitated for a moment before taking it out and examining it again. Vikki had put the coin out of her mind and let Sasha brush it under the rug so to speak, but now it seemed like a damning piece of evidence in Vikki's hand. She had to get to the bottom of it one way or another.

Dressing quickly, she found nervous energy as she finally came to a decision about confronting Sasha. The air was frigid as soon as she stepped out of her door, but her purpose made her strong and she soldiered on to her destination. Not long into her march, she began shivering, and her baby made sympathetic motions inside of her. "Why does she make me do this?" she thought miserably to herself. All she wanted was to curl up next to Sasha and sleep.

As she approached the Rosebud, she saw two women by the front door. One of them was half naked and being yelled at. "...never bring clients to the back offices. If I catch you back there again you're done here. Do you understand? Look at me and tell me you understand!" They looked up suddenly as Vikki approached. The stripper used the distraction to go back inside while the other woman made her way to Vikki. She stared at Vikki's stomach with a look that Vikki couldn't decipher for a moment before regarding her.

"Sorry, we're just about to close... I've got to be honest, we don't see many pregnant women at this hour. Are you OK?"

Vikki struggled to figure out what to say. Her resolve seemed to melt away and she immediately felt very foolish. Without warning, she burst into tears.

"Hey, Hey... shh... calm down okay?" The woman tried to soothe the obviously very upset Vikki. She was a natural at calming emotional women given her profession. "My name's Laura, what's yours?"

"Vikki. I, I'm... I just... I feel so stupid." she stammered through her sobs. "I guess I was trying to catch my girlfriend... doing something she shouldn't." Vikki settled down some as she finally had someone to vent to. "I found this coin in her pocket and I figured..." she trailed off as she didn't want to give voice to her fears.

Laura smiled slightly. "Listen hun, you're definitely not the first girl to do this. Why don't I drive you home. You must be freezing."

"No no no no! I can't! I can't stay there by myself again." Vikki shook her head like an indignant child. She composed herself somewhat before continuing. "Please... I'm really scared to be alone."

"Well... I guess you can stay with me for tonight. I was just about to head home. Why don't you wait right here and I'll bring the car around?"

Vikki's face lit up and she nodded dumbly. She felt her heart skip a beat at the thought of staying at another woman's house and realized she might have feelings for this stranger. She tried to push those feelings deep down and chalked it up to her being emotional and stupid. But she was not good at lying to herself and the feelings remained in her chest.