Wanted: Baby Daddy

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Claire

           At a coffee shop, Claire is meeting with friends, Shay and Thomas. It was the day after she had dinner with Claire in her apartment. Shay called her this morning to meet with their other best friend, Thomas, who is amazingly gay, in this coffee shop.

 “Shay called me last night and told me something wild. Is it true, Claire?” asked Thomas outright when he got near me, without greeting me properly.

           Thomas, stood beside my seat with his hands on his hips, glaring at me. He is a tall, muscled man with a distinguished appearance. You won’t know he is gay at first glance, not until he opens his mouth and speaks.

Claire nods her head affirmatively, a little intimidated by Thomas’ gesture.

"Whoa! . . . . . . I love you, b***h! I’ll be your wingman from now on. I’ll help you find your man. Oh, oh, this is delish Shay! We’ll have such a great time!”, Thomas excitedly stated.

Thomas hugged me and hugged me again. He is so excited. But I don’t think he is excited for me in having a baby or for getting a man to do the tango. Oh, Thomas is such a rave! Lol.

Shay suddenly grabbed Thomas’ arm to make him sit and whacked his head immediately.

“Aw! . . . b***h! What was that for? You b***h-slapped me girl, that hurt!”, complained Thomas to Shay with a hard glare while rubbing his head to ease the pain.

“You deserve it, silly! You are so loud, others are looking at us weirdly. And I told you Claire’s plan so you can advise her against it. But what did you do, b***h? You condoned with her! I told you to help sway Claire from her plan, you i***t!” Shay scolded Thomas while beating his back and shoulder.

“Aw! Aw, aw, aw! Stop! Stop it! That’s enough. You’re hurting me now and you don’t want me to retaliate or else you’ll pick up your b***h's face from the floor.”, Thomas cowered from Shay’s beating. He moved to the edge of the bench seat to get away from the beating he got and glared deadly at Shay.

Claire is giggling while watching her friends wrestling with each other. She gets their attention to stop them from their nonsense fighting. She knows that it’s their weird way of showing each other their love.

“Stop it, you guys. I’m firm in my decision. You can’t change it, Shay. Even if Thomas agrees with you. Please just help me find a man who will be fit to be the baby’s daddy”, stated Claire firmly.

Shay and Thomas stopped their fighting and glanced at each other.

“What was that?”, Claire asked her friends. She finds their glance meaningful and both of them squirmed in their seats.

“What was what?”, Shay asked Claire back, widening her eyes at her. Then she quickly exchanged a look with Thomas. Thomas widened his eyes at her as well.

“That! That look! You know something. Now spill! Both of you.” Claire demanded from her friends.

Thomas straightened in his chair. He glared at Shay first before holding his throat and caressing it for comfort as if there was a hard nut in his throat.

“You know my uncle is a lawyer, right? He had this client who died recently and left a sizeable inheritance for her nephew”, Thomas said. He paused and drum rolled for added effect of his story telling.

“But the nephew can’t get his hands on this inheritance if he is not married yet. He actually gave up on getting his inheritance, mind you, but then, my uncle told him of the dying wish of his aunt. This nephew has a soft spot for this dead aunt because she’s the only relative he had and loved and cared for him. He has to stay married for at least a year, that’s what my Uncle Mark said.”, matter-of-factly, Thomas imparted this information to us.

He stopped talking when the waiter gave our orders to our table. I was eager for him to continue but Thomas flirted a bit with the waiter while slurping on the iced water given by the waiter. I waited for the waiter to be gone before asking Thomas to proceed with his story.

“Well, this nephew doesn’t do relationships. He is the type to bed-them-and-leave-them. One-night stand is his thing. He is a good man though, even if he is a manwhore.”

Thomas stopped again to take a huge slurp from his iced coffee.

“Why are you telling me this?”, Claire asked Thomas.

 I don’t know if he is building the suspense or just simply means to keep us hanging with his story. I could really give him a good wallop if he didn’t continue his story!

“You wanted a baby, so he is your baby daddy. Duh!”, Thomas said while rolling his eyes at me.

“But, I told you, I don’t want to get married.”, Claire vehemently said to Thomas.

“Now, this man is looking for a wife. A temporary wife for a year. And you wanted a baby. Perfect solution. You can team up together. I don’t think you can get pregnant right away. It may take a few tries. Getting pregnant may take you a few months. A year is just a few months, Claire. Time flies. And besides, he will pay you to be his wife. One million dollars, Claire, for a year. If you don’t want to sleep with him, you can use the money to pay for the fertility clinic. What do you think?”

Claire was dumbfounded. It’s tempting, but she doesn’t know the man. He is a complete stranger. I looked at Shay. Shay did not say anything but she is listening avidly while Thomas was wiggling his eyebrows at me. I know Shay will support me whatever my decision is. She may not like my past transgressions, but nevertheless, she sticks by my side. They both do. Always.

“I. . . I don’t know, Thomas. It’s a lot to take in. What can you say, Shay? What about you, Thomas?”, Claire asked.

“I trust my Uncle Mark. He said this man is a good man. He is not a freak. This man buckled down to his dead aunt’s wishes. He was ready to let go of his inheritance but decided to fulfill his aunt’s wishes instead. Uncle Mark said this man is rich, very rich. He could afford to lose the inheritance, which is not much compared to this man’s wealth. The man only asks for confidentiality of this ‘marriage’.”, Thomas stated with confidence.

Claire looked at Shay and raised her eyebrows at her, asking for her opinion.

“Honestly, Claire, I know that deep in your heart you have already decided. Whatever you decide, I’m at your side. Know that I am here for you and also Thomas. We are here, always.” Shay emotionally stated and hugged me tightly.

“Okay, Thomas. I’m in.”, Claire decided. “Who is this man?”

Shay held her hand and squeezed it gently, giving me reassurance. I looked at Thomas and waited for him to give me information about this man.

“See that beautiful museum newly finished at the heart of Eastside Park? It’s designed by his firm, Jacoby Engineering and Architectural Firm. He is the CEO of the firm, Jon Jacoby. He is twenty-eight years old, four years older than you, Claire. He appeared on the front page of the Architectural Digest last month. He looks yummy and delicious, girl! Women find him irresistible and flock to him.” Thomas proudly stated, like the Advertising Manager that he is.

“Oh. Yummy, indeed!”, Shay added.

“This marriage, is it on paper only?”, I warily asked Thomas.

“Honestly, girl, you have to talk about this with the man himself, Jon Jacoby. That is, if you already decided to meet and talk with him. Let me ask Uncle Mark to set an appointment for you to meet each other. It will be a test, if you can be cordial together and talk about your plans together.”

“Okay, Thomas. I have nothing to lose and a lot of happiness when I can finally have a baby.”, agreed Claire.

A week later:

Thomas met with his uncle, Uncle Mark, and Jon Jacoby in the study room of his uncle’s house.

“You have something to say to us, Thomas?”, Uncle Mark asked. He is leaning in his swivel chair behind his desk.

Jon Jacoby was standing in front of the French windows looking out to the garden. He turned a bit to look at Thomas in the eyes when Thomas cleared his throat.

“I have a friend whom you might be a big help to you, Mr. Jacoby and you might be able to help her as well. In fact, she’s one of my best friends”, Thomas said.

Jon stared at Thomas for so long that Thomas started to fidget.

“Your friend, you say? In what dire situation is your friend involved that she might help me? You better tell me the truth, Thomas, and only that. I don’t like subterfuge.”, Jon scoffed at Thomas.

           Thomas seemed affronted by what Jon said. He stiffened and was about to speak up but his uncle, Mark, interfered. Mark straightened in his swivel chair and called their attention to him.

           “Jon, I know my nephew well. He can be trusted. I meet mostly all of his friends and they are likeable and well-mannered. Let him finish what he has to say.”, Mark said and nodded at Thomas to continue his speech.

           Jon tightened his lips and nodded once to Thomas for him to proceed. He may not like his situation he is in but he realized he doesn’t need to bite off the head of the persons who will be able to help him in his predicament.

           “As I said, my friend might be able to help you. But you also have to help her in her quest.”, Thomas paused when he sees Jon’s scowl.

           “Is one million dollars not enough help for your friend, Thomas?”, Jon heatedly asked.

           “My friend can help you, Jon. All she asks is one condition.”, Thomas said.

           “What condition, Jon? It better be not more money or let’s scratch your friend off from the list of candidates. Anyway, tell me a bit about her.”, Jon impatiently said.

           “My friend, Claire Walker, a twenty-four-year old woman, single and with no family. She works downtown as a clerk. She doesn’t want to enter into a relationship because of her sad past. But she wanted a child. You help her have a child and she’ll help you in return. She will not ask you to be a father and husband. A child is all she asks.”, Thomas said, looking at Jon.

           Jon widened his eyes in surprise. He never heard of any woman who did not want to have a relationship with him. As far as he knows, each woman he encounters wanted a part of him for his money, gold-digging bitches. He doubted that Thomas’ friend is different from the others.

           “Your friend is clever, Thomas. I’ll give you that. Of course, she wanted a child to tie me to her. A child will be her leverage for more money. I don’t want this deal. Find someone else for me.”

           “Listen. A baby is all Claire wanted. A husband or a father is out of the picture. She doesn’t need you for that but she needs the money for the procedure at the fertility clinic. After the year’s up, you divorce and won’t see her ever again.”, Thomas hurriedly speaks when he realizes that Jon is nixing the deal and all he wanted is for Claire to achieve her dream.

           “Hell! A year is a long time to stay married, Thomas. Even though it’s a fake marriage, I won’t cheat. An affair is out for us. It’s very dangerous if it goes out. She will be my wife in every essence of the word.”, Jon vehemently declared.

           Thomas remained silent. He felt that Jon is capitulating to this deal. He just watched Jon who is pacing back and forth, deep in his thoughts.

           “I want to meet this woman. Please set up a meeting. Mind you, Thomas, I’ll have her background check.”, Jon said decisively.