Page 62 of Laws of Love
“Does his daughter like you?” EJ asked before picking up a slider.
“I think she does. She’s such a cute kid, and she’s so well-behaved. She asked me to go to Disneyland with them,” Aiva responded.
“Are you going?”
“Probably not. I don’t think we’re at that stage in our relationship yet, and even if we were, I wouldn’t want to impose on the time they’re supposed to spend together.”
EJ nodded. “I get that, but she invited you. What did he say when she did?”
“To let him know if I wanted to go.”
“I say go, but it’s your decision. Just keep in mind that trying to put timeframes on anything in a relationship never works out. It’s best to go with the flow and let things fall where they may.”
“Edison did that, and we have a colony of siblings,” Aiva retorted, dipping her boneless wing.
EJ snorted. “That was not going with the flow. That was being greedy and careless.” There was a brief pause. “On the topic of carelessness, I wanted to talk to you about something.”
Aiva nodded, remaining quiet. She assumed that was the case when he’d asked her to meet him. While she spent time with all her siblings individually or in small groups. Whenever EJ asked her to meet him at this restaurant for drinks, he always had something he wanted advice on. Considering she and Meila were the only ones older than him, he came to them. Aiva always got the issues that required more sensitivity because their older sister’s advice would typically include bodily harm.
“I’ve been casually seeing this woman for the past few months. She’s cool, and we have fun, but I don’t see a future with her, and you know me, forever striving to be the opposite of my namesake, I sat down to have that talk with her, and before I could even say anything, she placed a pregnancy test on the table. She’s buzzing with excited energy, and I can only think, ‘Damn. Now I’m trapped with her, regardless.”
Aiva took a drink of her martini as she let his words settle. “Did you use protection?”
“Every single time, but condoms break, and I can admit I didn’t check to be sure they hadn’t.”
“I’m not trying to make it seem like she’s lying or that you shouldn’t believe her, but are you the only person she’s dating?” Aiva asked. The last thing she wanted to do was call this woman’s, who she didn’t even know, morals into question. She just wanted to have all the facts.
“I know she was dating another guy, but she says I’m the only one she slept with,” EJ responded with a sigh. “I should have been more careful. The last thing I need right now is a child and one with someone I don’t want to be with.”
“Does she know that? Did you still talk to her about it or drop it when she presented the test?”
“I told her. I didn’t want her to have any misconceptions, and I wasn’t about to pretend for a relationship I don’t want just because she’s carrying a child.”
“How did she take it,” Aiva asked.
“She was upset. She told me I led her on when, in reality, it was her that told me she wasn’t looking for anything serious when we met. Which was fine because I wasn’t either.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I want to get a DNA test done. It’s not that I think she’s lying to me. I want to be sure that the child I will take care of is mine, and we can come to a co-parenting agreement.”
Aiva nodded. She could understand that. He couldn’t be blamed for wanting to ensure he fathered the child he was taking care of, and Aiva did not doubt that he would take care of them. She hated to say it, but he got that from their father. While Edison was a no-good cheat. He took care of his kids. It was just that she and Meila had never had the desire to let him after finding out about his infidelities.
“The two of you could go to a DNA Diagnostics Center, and they can do a pre-natal test. It won’t hurt the baby, and you don’t have to wait nine months to know for sure.”
“That’s true. I’ll call her and see if she’s down to do that.” He paused momentarily. “I can’t even imagine introducing a child to our family dynamic. Hi baby, this is your grandfather, three grandmothers, and a host of aunts and uncles.”
Aiva snorted because her little brother was joking, but that was probably how it would turn out. He hadn’t included her mother in his introduction, and while her mother was cordial to her siblings, she didn’t partake in Edison’s shenanigans. She had no desire to co-parent as a village, since that was how her sperm donor spun it. It would be different if he and the other women were in an agreed-upon poly relationship, but they weren’t.
“Don’t stress over it until you get the results back. Then go from there.”
“You’re right,” EJ agreed, downing the rest of the liquor in his glass.
“I take it you haven’t told anyone else.”
“No, I wanted to talk to you first. Get talked off the ledge, if you will. I’m meeting with Ali this weekend, and I might tell him, but I won’t mention it to anyone else until I know for sure.”
Aiva nodded in understanding. Their little brother Ali was like the world’s best vault. You could tell him anything, and it would never see the light of day from him. It made him the perfect person to vent to. However, Ali was quick to tell you to fix the problem or figure it out yourself if you asked him for advice. It was best to steer clear of asking him for any.
