Page 22 of Pregnant By the Good Guy

Slowly taking her from Mari, and walking around the room bouncing her in my arms, I nod my head. “Welcome to the world Rae Moon Horace.” Walking back over to my wife, I hand the baby to her so the nurse can show her how to breastfeed. Rapt with fascination, my heart is overflowing with love and devotion for the two ladies in my life like it always will be. Forever.

EPILOGUE

MARI

FOUR MONTHS LATER

Areyou sure you want to do this, baby? We can turn back at any moment. "He has no idea how many times I have had that same thought over and over for the last month that we have been planning this.

Currently we are in Santa Monica, California driving a rental car to go and visit my biological father. I know what you’re thinking: ‘is she popping up on him?’ that answer is no.

We began communicating about 2 months ago when I got the courage to call him. I will never forget that first phone call.

“Thank you for calling Hoffman Industries. How can I assist you?”

“Uh yes. Can I speak to Mr. Hoffman?”

“I’m not sure he is available. Who may I say is calling?”

“My name is Mari Madison.”

“Hold please while I see if he is free.” I am sitting on this phone freaking out; not sure I want to do this. I mean how do you tell a man that you are his long-lost daughter that he may or may not know exists? Iam just about to hang up when a man with the deepest voice I have ever heard answers.

“This is Mario.” Holy hell. Oh my gosh. I can’t do this. What was I thinking? “Hello.” Royce puts his hand on my knee and nods.

“Yes I’m sorry. My name is Mari Madison. You don’t know me, but I believe you knew my mom about eighteen years ago.” He says nothing at first and then clears his throat.

“Was your mother by any chance Riel?” My heart begins to go crazy. He remembers her.

“Yes. She is.”

“May I ask why you are calling me?” Shit. A frog is caught in my throat, and I think I am about to vomit, but I have come this far so…

“Well, I have been searching for my birth father and the DNA results say it is you.” I am not going to bore him with the details unless he asks me for them.

“And how would DNA tell you anything when you don’t have my blood sample?” Well, I guess we are talking about this.

“My husband hired a private investigator and well, he retrieved your DNA somehow and here we are.” He takes a breath and says nothing which makes the regret in my stomach prevalent and alive. Realizing I made a mistake doing this, I immediately apologize. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to dump this on you. It’s obvious you didn’t know I existed. Please forget about this call. I wish you all the best.” Removing the phone from my ear I am about to turn it off when I hear his voice call out.

“Wait a minute.” Trepidatiously, I bring the phone back up to my ear. “I most definitely didn’t know youexisted. There is no way I would have left my flesh and blood out there in the world without my protection. Thing is she knew how to reach me. So why didn’t she?” My skin begins to singe at his words. She knew all this time? She knew where he was?

“I really can’t tell you why she did anything she did. When her father found out she was pregnant at sixteen…”

“Sixteen?! She told me she was nineteen.” Figures she would lie. “What the fuck?“ he whispers.

“Yeah. He asked her who the father was, and she said she didn't know. He forced her to marry another man and well… there you have it.” He is eerily quiet which sends chills up my spine.

“Why the fuck would she lie? I would have provided for you and her. She knows this. She kept you from me because I wouldn't take her with me and marry her?” Okay now it is all making sense.

“Maybe. Anyway, I don’t want anything from you. I just… I have been searching for you in a way my entire life and I just wanted to talk to you at least once and see if you knew about me. Now that I know you didn't, I can move on. It was nice to speak with you. Have a nice day.”

With that I was done. I spoke with him. I found out he didn’t abandon me and now I can let it go. However, a few days later he called me. He apologized for allowing me to hang up that way, but he said he was shocked and asked me if he could call me every day. I told him sure and that is how our relationship began.

A week ago he asked me if he sent for me and my family if we would come to him. I spoke with Royce about it, and he said it was up to me. So that is how we are driving to his home. Fromwhat I know he is engaged to a woman named Fleur and he is impatient to be married.

“Are you alright baby?” Turning I smile to my husband and nod.

“Yeah, just nervous but also grateful our daughter loves cars.” I turn and check on her and she is sound asleep. She didn’t sleep on the private plane, but she also didn’t cry. She played cooing games with her daddy and came to me only to eat.

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