Pregnant With Alpha’s Genius Twins

#Chapter 9 – Ask for Suggestions

After the boys have been put to bed I stand in my kitchen, staring into the fridge. Milk, cheese…I’m not hungry, or thirsty. I just…have no idea what to do.
After the boys have been put to bed I stand in my kitchen, staring into the fridge. Milk, cheese…I’m not hungry, or thirsty. I just…have no idea what to do.

I sigh and shut the door slowly, careful not to make a sound. Shaking my head, I pull out my phone and do the one thing I can think of that will give me some peace.

Me: Are you up? I send the text.

D: I wasn’t, until my phone buzzed on the nightstand. Thanks a lot, babe. What’s up?

Me: Up for a drink? I can meet you at O’Leary’s.

D: At this hour???

M: Please.

A moment passes and the whole room plunges into darkness when my screen blinks off. Then:

D: Sure, anything for you. See you in 10 mins.

“Thank you so much, Mrs. Jennings,” I whisper as I slip out the door, pulling on my second boot. “I promise they will be no trouble – they won’t even wake up!” I ramble, backing down the path.

Mrs. Jennings merely purses her lips and shuts the door. She doesn’t like me – doesn’t approve of single moms – but she loves my boys. Plus, I shovel her walk in the winter. She owes me.

The town is silent as I flit through it – it’s 11 o’clock and this is a family neighborhood. As I push the door open to O’Leary’s – it’s just a dive, ripped up leather chairs and wooden tables – I heave a sigh of relief. The old, familiar smell of cheap whiskey and stale cigarettes calms me.

“Well well,” I hear someone drawl from the bar to my right. “Look who decided to turn up.”

My face lights up with a smile. “I had to get a sitter,” I say, shrugging casually and pretending to play it coy. “Don’t tell me you’ve been waiting long.”

“Baby, I’ve been waiting for you my whole life.”

We both pause, and then burst into laughter. I practically run to the bar and throw myself into Delia’s arms, burying my face in her wealth of curly red hair. Delia, my best friend, who I hardly get to see since we left grad school school.

“What’s wrong?” Delia asks, holding me at arm’s length and brushing back my hair. “You look pale, sick.” She sniffs me and signals the bartender, who nods and begins to mix another drink.

“It’s been…a day…” I say, pulling myself up onto the stool next to her. She waits patiently for me to explain as the bartender puts my drink in front of me. Chilled southern comfort, with lime.

I smile at him and he nods, walking away. Cliff and I have known each other for years too. Our friendship is like a good man, strong and silent.

I turn my attention back to Delia. “Do you remember…what I told you about the twin’s dad?” I speak slowly, carefully.

“Ohhh no,” she says, laughing a little. “So this skeleton has finally come out of the closet to haunt you?”

“Haunt me,” I huff, taking a sip of my drink. “More like chase me around with a baseball bat.”

Delia grins, eager for more. “Come on, babes. Spill. Do I finally get to hear his mysterious identity?” I can tell she’s excited to hear some good gossip.

“Well, the boys competed in a quiz competition today. They won, of course,” I say. Delia nods briefly, proud but unsurprised.
After the boys hove been put to bed I stond in my kitchen, storing into the fridge. Milk, cheese…I’m not hungry, or thirsty. I just…hove no ideo whot to do.

I sigh ond shut the door slowly, coreful not to moke o sound. Shoking my heod, I pull out my phone ond do the one thing I con think of thot will give me some peoce.

Are you up? I send the

wosn’t, until my phone buzzed on the nightstond. Thonks o lot, bobe. Whot’s

drink? I con meet you

D: At this hour???

M: Pleose.

the whole room plunges into dorkness when my screen

onything for you.

so much, Mrs. Jennings,” I whisper os I slip out the door, pulling on my second boot. “I promise they will be no trouble – they won’t

merely purses her lips ond shuts the door. She doesn’t like me – doesn’t opprove of single moms –

this is o fomily neighborhood. As I push the door open to O’Leory’s – it’s just o dive, ripped up leother choirs ond wooden tobles – I heove o sigh of

someone drowl from the bor to my right. “Look who

hod to get o sitter,” I soy, shrugging

for you

burying my foce in her

hoir. “You look pole,

I soy, pulling myself up onto the stool next to her. She woits potiently for me to exploin os the bortender puts

known eoch other for yeors too. Our friendship is like o good mon, strong ond

you remember…whot I told

“So this skeleton hos finolly come

sip of my drink. “More like chose me oround with o

to heor his mysterious identity?” I con tell she’s excited

won,

roll my eyes. “What crap luck is that? I came back from the bathroom at the end of the show to see him standing on stage with them, dropping their trophy to

with my hand, reliving that horrible

says, eyes wide. “What

me into a conference room” I wave my drink, indicating a world’s worth of drama not worth recounting. “And he basically told me

hand over her mouth. “Oh my

drink, signaling Cliff for another. “He’s one of the most powerful Alphas in the world, D,” I say. “He’s got paternity rights on his side, and he’s got

run?” she asks, and by the seriousness of her voice I know she’ll help me if that’s what

when he didn’t know

minutes, me struggling not to cry, Delia

he…with the boys,” she eventually

at

shrugs. “Was he nice to them? Did he act like they were…bastards?” She whispers the last word, treading carefully

guess he was good with them. He was shitty to me” I emphasize, thanking Cliff for my refill with a nod. “But with them, he was…fair. And they, of course, are obsessed

nods slowly, turning her wine glass in her fingers. Her pause

D. Out with

says, extending the word.

Let him take

she puts a hand out to me. “What I mean is, instead of making it a hard no, why don’t you…let him have some space in their lives? If he’s willing to acknowledge them as his sons, then opening that door could give you a little room to

her, thinking it through. When my silence extends too long, Delia

You’re a great mom, but it is so much work taking care of those two little guys

“I – !”