Not to sound bigheaded but I am proud of my features; shapely with lots of curves for the right set of hands to appreciate. My height comes from my dad. My bronze skin and dark hair comes from my mum. I must confess that I resemble neither facially; getting dad's nose and lips, and mum's high cheekbones and almond eyes.
I first meet Harold when I arrive fresh out of law-school to work in his firm. He is a tall large man going to fat. At fifty, he retains his large build, but his stomach is beginning to sag. A surly man, with a prominent nose and bland lips, he commands the respect of the rich and successful. Once a football player, he now runs a prestigious law firm. I notice from the off that he fancies me, constantly stealing glances at my c-cup breasts and shapely legs that melt into a beautiful butt. But his ugliness is repulsive, although he seems nice. A month later, he introduces me to his son Donald, the V-P of the company. Donald, as tall as his father, resembles his former cheerleader mother being as slender as a pine tree. I am attracted to tall guys being a tall gal myself. After a three-month romance, we tie the knot. The North's are a rich family, I am ambitious girl from a backwater middle-class family so why not?
Harold North gives me a Mercedes CLK on the wedding day and requests only one thing, "Amy, give us an heir."
"Of course I will," I reply after thanking him.
"A male heir."
Me being twenty-two at the time and fertile, it should be no problem. Is it love or more like Tina Turner's most famous song? More like lust as for a year, we fuck like rabbits. I work in the firm for three more years and always think I can easily continue ignoring my father in-law's occasional banter. My life with Donald is great; we live in a three-bed condo; he has a nice dick and is wonderful in bed. But try as I might, my period keeps coming like clockwork. Harold begins to drop hints as innuendo replaces banter. I begin to worry. I remember the pre-nup and know that without a child, I have nothing. After four years of marriage to the day, I go to the family doctor. I am fertile and ready. But for the next three months, getting Donald to come with me to visit the clinic proves impossible. I complain to the Doctor who suggests using a vial to collect his sperm after sex. I get that unethical advice after giving the handsome physician a hand-job. He tries to get frisky, but my virtue remains intact, affirming my vows if not in thought but in deed.
However, sex with my husband drops off; from every other day after we marry to once every one or even two months. I begin to feel a near constant ache between my legs; frustration which my vibrator struggles to douse. I stop seeing that doctor and register with another, whom I present with a specimen of Donald's sperm. A few days later, we go on a month-long trip filled with travel but no sex. When I return, I phone the doctor who informs me that the tests are ready. I walk into the shock of my life.
"Mrs North, am afraid your husband is sterile."
"What?" Am I shouting?
"It seems that an infection during his youth caused..."
"You mean he cannot make me pregnant?"
"Am afraid so."
"What do I do?"
He goes into a monologue of available options while I become lost in thought. I cannot recall how I leave the clinic. All I hear is North Senior's admonishing voice. Donald and I spend the weekend together. When he tells me we are going to Japan for two weeks, I mumble a torrent of replies pregnant with excuses.
"What's wrong?" he asks after moments of silence.
"Nothing," I reply.
"Usually by this time you'd want to make love. Your insurance so to speak."
"I have a headache," I reply.
"That's a new one. We haven't made love in two months."
"Fucked you mean."
"Whatever! I dislike your vulgarity."
"I don't feel like it. When you come back."
He snarls. "In two weeks!"
"We have lasted longer before."
The next morning he leaves without saying goodbye; another first. I call the one person I feel will understand; I call Harold North.
"I don't believe it!"
I sigh. "I can give you the number of the doctor."
"I am coming over, with Thomas."
It is 9am on a Saturday morning and I am sitting alone in living room, pondering on his final words. Thomas is his principal assistant, a thirty-something year old hunk who gives me trembling knees anytime I see him. I scramble to have my bath. I prefer figure hugging clothes and most men stiffen when I roll my hips past them. But after work or in-doors, I love wearing casuals and know I look especially good in tight clothes.
From the closet, I pick out a button blouse and jeans shorts, which cling to my wide hips, accentuating the incredible curves of my behind. Looking into the mirror, I feel good and my mood lifts. The mere sight of these things excites Donald and other red-blooded males, like Thomas. A bit of banter with my father-law shall lift me further. Nothing feels better than having men lust after me, even one that gets my heart pounding. Its harmless fun after all. I start imagining all the little ways I can flirt with him right under Harry's nose.
When the bell rings at 11.30am, I wear slippers and open the door. My mouth falls open. Harold is alone and for the first time I see my employer without a suit. He wears a tracksuit; his belly bulging and sweat marks dots his armpits, changing its sky-blue colour to deep blue patches.
"Where's Thomas?" I ask.
"He had to rush home. His wife's pregnant."
Immediately, my mood descends and without thinking I rush into his arms; another first. My story comes out in mumbles.
"I know you're upset," he says after my gushing mouth falls silent. "But, there must be a solution to this problem."
"He says there are other options."
A long silence follows. "Like what?"
"Artificial insemination." I pull away from him, establishing eye contact, trying to gauge his reaction.
"Injecting sperm into your womb! From where and by whom?"
"A donor bank and I don't have to know the donor."
His eyes burn into mine like hot coals. "Sperm in a syringe from an unknown person to carry on my family name?"
I close the brief space between us, embracing him. "We both want a baby son. It's the best way."
"There will be no test-tube babies in this family!" He holds me lightly. "There are other options."
Gripping him tightly, I start crying on his shoulder. "I am so confused."
After a few moments, I feel something. But my grief is such that I barely notice."It will be okay."
As the tears fall from my eyes onto his left shoulder, the protuberance under the knot of his tracksuit bottoms prods again, scraping my stomach. I try to pull away, but when his hands crawl down from my shoulders to my butt, I freeze. His hands sink into my behind, then his fingers squeeze.
"Wha..t are you doing?"
"Exploring another option."
"What do you mean?"
"You and me."
I push him away and glare at his ugly face. "Don't talk rubbish."
"I like you as my daughter-in-law. But if you cannot deliver..."
"Your son can't deliver!"
"I am here to remedy the situation."
"Never!"
"You want some other woman to come and inherit all I have?"
"We can adopt!"
"Over my dead body. I am as fertile as a bull."
"I am certainly not your brood mare."
"You can be."
"Let me go!"
"Not today."
Powerful hands lift me off the floor and carry me towards our bedroom.
I kick and squirm. No! I grip the doorframe. "Stop this!"
In response, he drops me and with brute force pries my fingers off. He grunts. "I will do my duty."
"Duty?"
He lifts me up again and throws me onto our king-size bed. A whoosh of air escapes me and before I know it, my hands are pinned above my head in a vice. His legs straddle mine like a constrictor, his free hand slides over my body, abusing me.
"For the family."
I can do nothing but wriggle in futility. By holding and releasing me, he takes off my blouse. "You can't."
"I can and I will."
His free hand slides to my shorts and assaults the buttons. "Stop it."
"Let me hear you plead! You will beg me to take it out!!"
"Please, please...No...Stop." I cry. My breath catches when the hem of my shorts reaches the top of my thighs exposing my loins. A moment later, his fingers fondle the softness of my naked flesh. The nerves of my inner thighs receive an electric shock. "Please, leave me alone."