Page 26 of The Virgin's Baby
Aspen
Lubbock, Texas – May 20th
After our agreement, Ransom told me to get into his car. And I did, which was so unlike me. But if I was going to make this pact with him, I had to allow myself to trust him.
And how glad I was that I did. He took me to his bank and helped me open my own bank account whereupon he immediately deposited fifty thousand dollars. I was soon after rendered speechless when he told me that he would transfer another fifty thousand into it after the baby was born. And there’d be more deposited for each year that I lived at the estate.
If my father were alive, he would’ve told me this was too good to be true and not to do it.
But I was going for it. That money meant I could fully fund all the rest of my schooling. I was set. And on top of that, I would get to have a little version of myself in this world with me.
I wasn’t going to have to give up anything. I’d never had this dream, but it was like a dream come true anyway.
The next morning, I went straight to the registrar’s office and paid for the next semester’s classes. Then I went back to the apartment to pack. Ransom said he would be picking me up around five that evening to take me to my new home.
I’d grown up in a pretty nice home. But an estate? That wasn’t even on my radar. I was a bundle of nerves just thinking about it.
Margo sat on the end of my bed as I pulled clothes out of the drawers and she made sure they were folded before putting them into suitcases. “Aren’t you afraid you’ll get lost in his house, Aspen? I would be.”
“Kind of, yeah.” I tossed a handful of panties on the bed. “You can just cram those wherever they’ll fit. I’m about done here.”
“Sure.” She started shoving the panties into empty crevices. “So, I guess I’ll start looking for one more roommate then.”
“About that.” I had an idea I wanted to talk to her about and had almost forgotten to. “I’ll pay my part of the bills. I want to keep my spot open, you know, just in case anything happens. If I don’t get pregnant, I know he’ll have to ask me to move out. And I don’t want to have to look for a place to live. Will that be okay with you, Margo?”
“Are you kidding?” she asked, seemingly shocked. “Of course, it’s okay with me.”
“Good.” I’d pulled money out of the ATM on campus and handed her three hundred dollars. “That’s for June. And please make sure you let me know if there is an increase on anything. With the other roommates, the electric and water will increase, I’m sure. Don’t leave me out of that. It’s only fair to you guys.”
“That’s silly. Just keep paying the three hundred. There’s no reason for you to pay any more than that. You won’t even be here to use any electricity or water anyway.” She closed up my bag and zipped it up. “And that’s it. Now we can relax until he comes to get you.”
I led the way to the living room where Anna and Cher were busy knitting. “Do you like the blue, Aspen?” Cher asked.
“It’s a nice shade of blue. What’s it going to be?” I took a seat in the chair across from them as I watched how effortlessly they moved the long, pointed knitting needles. “Wow, I could never do that.”
Cher smiled at me. “It’s not so hard. I’m making an afghan to drape over this sofa. Anna’s making one in a contrasting shade for the chair. I think lime green and blue go together well. Don’t you?”
“It will be bright,” I said. “It’ll look great.”
With the two artistic young women, the small apartment was already transforming into something Margo and I had never tried to create.
Margo pulled a kitchen chair into the living room and took a seat. “I thought I would make dinner for us tonight. Does Hungarian goulash sound good to y’all?”
Anna and Cher nodded, and I said, “I’ll be eating at Ransom’s.”
Margo looked down, and I could see her feelings written all over her face, but she said the words anyway, “I’m gonna miss having you around, Aspen.”
Cher piped up, “Me too. I know I’ve barely been here long enough to get used to you, but I’ll miss you too.”
Even Anna nodded. “Me too.”
“I’ll come around and visit.” I thought about how much I would miss this life. “And I’ll see you guys, Cher and Anna, around campus.” I looked at Margo who didn’t go to college. “And I’ll make sure to come see you, Margo.”
“It’s not going to be the same ever again,” Margo whimpered. I saw a tear fall down her cheek, and she swept her hand to catch it. “You’re gonna have a baby and grow up on us, Aspen.”
Cher sniffled. “You’re going to be rich now. You’ll move on. You’ll get new friends. Rich ones like you.”
I laughed. “I will not. I’ll never move on from you guys.” I thought they were crazy and totally overreacting. “And I’m not going to be rich. That’s Ransom’s deal, not mine. But I hope I won’t have to worry about money again. And if you guys need any financial help, you better ask me for it. I mean that.”
