the blue!” She managed a weak smile back toward Gabe. “I must say, Mr. Gabe, you did really catch me off my guard!”
“I’m sure. Believe me, it’s taken months for me just to get up the courage to talk with you. I wasn’t sure that I was even going to bring it up, but the way the conversation got started, I had to say something quickly. I guess it’s just as well I got it off my chest all at once,” he sighed, looking completely drained. “I think I’ll sit down too, if you don’t mind.”
“No sir. You just sit right down and let me try and make some sense out of what you just said.” Carmella looked down at her lap and fidgeted with her high school ring, which she wore on her right hand. She really couldn’t quite come to grips with the fact that the administrator of the home where she had worked for the past year had just asked her to have his baby. That sort of thing only happens on TV, she thought. And he must really be desperate to risk his career and his marriage in hopes of fathering a son. That seemed a little far out to her, but then again, she wasn’t a man, and carrying on the family name wasn’t even a remote concern of hers. She sat in silence for a minute or two longer, then looked up at Gabe and asked, “Now Mr. Gabe, just how do you see this idea of yo’s workin’? I got classes to go to, work to do, and no money to go and have some baby. Lordy, I tried all my life to avoid bein’ in a mess like that. Not that I couldn’a been a couple o’ times, but luckily that just didn’ happen. I’m sure you’re smarter dan I am tho’, so I’m listenin’.”
Gabe struggled with the courage to lift his eyes and meet Carmella’s inquisitive gaze. “Yes, Ms. Brown, I have thought a lot about it, and I think I have a plan that would be win-win—that is, beneficial to us both. First of all, I know how hard you are working to become a nurse and how important that must be to you. Kind of like me being a father, I imagine. I think that maybe we could come up with something that would offset the inconvenience of you being pregnant for nine months. I see it like this: If you were to agree and become pregnant sometime soon, you could have the baby over your summer break. You’re not doing clinicals yet, so you still could attend classes during your pregnancy with no delay in your schooling or risk to the baby or yourself. I would be willing to cover all your childbearing and prenatal expenses plus pay you a nice monthly stipend so that you could concentrate on your studies and not have to work. I’ve checked into what you make here every month, and I would be willing to double that for the next nine months. If all goes well and I am fortunate enough to have a son—I know that’s really up to chance—I would also throw in a $5,000 bonus when the adoption is complete. I would also be willing to give you a $1,000 bonus up front just for trying to become pregnant. If we are successful, then the plan will go into effect. If not, then we part friends and both move on with our lives. The safety net for me is that all payments are in cash and untraceable, and I will vigorously deny everything. If anyone else becomes aware of our little deal, our agreement will be terminated immediately. How does that sound to you so far?”
Carmella twisted the ring on her finger and thought for a moment. “Let me see if I got what you said, Mr. Gabe. You gonna pay me a thousand dollars just to have sex with you. I keep my job and nothin’ else changes until I get pregnant. After that, I quit work and you pay me twice what I usually earn—I guess ’bout another two thousand a month—till I have yo’ baby around summah time. You pay all my doctor bills and any fees to have the baby. If it’s a boy, I get a $5,000 bonus, you and yo’ wife adopt the baby, an’ life goes on. You or I never tell her or anyone else where da’ baby come from—I mean, that you was the daddy, right? I just got pregnant, you found out about it, and suggested to yo’ wife that you all adopt the baby. Is dat about right, Mr. Gabe?”
“Yes, that’s pretty much it, Carmella. What do you think?”
“I really don’t know what to think right now, Mr. Gabe. Lucky for you, I got a little behind in school with work an’ all and won’t be startin’ my clinicals for another year. For sure, if I did agree, if I ain’t pregnant by end of September, I keep the thousand and the deal is off, ’cause I gotta be in the hospital next fall and can’t be stoppin’ to have no baby! I would enjoy not havin’ to work for a while, but bein’ pregnant, tryin’ to go to school, and all the gossip goin’ on…I just don’t know about that. Maybe I’ll think about it fo’ a while, dat ok wid you? An’ don’ worry, I won’t tell nobody. Carmella can sure keep a secret!”
Gabriel looked like the world had been lifted from his shoulders. At least she hadn’t rejected him outright and said she would keep his plan to herself. He thought he could trust her. He had to trust her, actually. It was a huge relief just to get it all out in the open. Plus, he was attracted to her, and if she did agree…no, he couldn’t go there now. “Certainly, Ms. Brown. I am very pleased that you are willing to consider my proposal, and I hope you were not too taken aback by what I had to say. I’m sure you weren’t expecting to hear what I had to tell you, but it was certainly less troublesome than what you originally suspected, don’t you agree?” he concluded with a slight smile.
“You got that right!” Carmella added. “I was keepin’ my back to the do’ afta what you first said,” she smiled. “I gotta get on back to work now, Mr. Gabe. I’ll catch up wi’ chu in da next day o’ two.” With that announcement, Carmella opened the door and quickly disappeared off down the hall.
Gabriel hoped with all his heart that she would agree, and better yet, bear him a son.
chapter 5
The Rose City
Bonneville, Washington
Portland, Oregon
July 2002
“This feels sooo incredibly good!” Ryan sighed as he immersed his body further into the pool of 104-degree water. “Almost three thousand miles in Vinnie has certainly taken its toll on my neck AND my butt!” he laughed before his head vanished under the hot, bubbling mineral water. In a moment, he popped back up, shaking his head and sending water in all directions. “This is an amazing place, isn’t it, Jules? When I looked up Bonneville Hot Springs Resort and Spa online, it sounded pretty neat, but I had no idea it would be this great!”
“I would definitely agree with that!” said Julian just before disappearing below the water’s surface himself. As he popped back up, with his best whale imitation, he sent a stream of warm water arching through the air in Ryan’s direction. “The great Northwest at long last, Ry! We made it, dude!”
“Well, almost,” agreed Ryan, noting that they were still a few miles shy of their final destination. “Close enough for now, though,” he laughed, laying his head back, stretching his body across the surface of the tub, and looking up at the towering evergreens surrounding the hotel. “You know, I read in some of the spa literature that local Native American tribes first enjoyed these waters almost ten thousand years ago. That’s pretty amazing all by itself, don’t you think?”
“Yeah, that’s a long time ago, all right. Kinda makes you feel connected with the continent a bit, though—sorta like home, I guess, but in a different way. There’s a lot more rugged, natural beauty out here. What a change from the area we drove through this morning—like high desert to rain forest in only a couple of hours!”
“That was pretty dramatic,” Ryan agreed, totally savoring the warmth of the soothing water on his tired body. “And the Columbia winds its way through it all! What a beautiful spot we’re in, Jules! See, I told you we had to get out and see the world! Isn’t this just like totally cool?”
“Totally warm, right now,” Julian replied contentedly. “I really wondered if Vinnie was gonna make it a few times there.”
“Not too bad, though—one
