The Perfect Mistake

Who's the Father

The room was silent. You could hear the laboured breathing of the two- perhaps three- people present in the room. Occasionally, they would look at each other in impatience, wondering where the doctor who had promised to be back in a little while! had gone to.

"Are you sure you're pregnant?" Michael finally broke the silence. Melissa turned her incredulous look on him and raised a brow.

"Michael, do you think I want to be pregnant?" she asked, staring at Michael fixedly, wondering whether maybe there was a loose screw in his head.

Michael scratched his head. "I'm not trying to say that, Mel. But I- it's so much responsibility..." and I had hoped it would be with me you'd raise a child. He left the last words unsaid, hoping she would get the hidden meaning.

Melissa frowned as she was about to shoot an awkward answer at Michael, the doctor came in. She let out a sigh of relief and turned an annoyed look at the doctor who looked out of breath.

"I'm so sorry I took so much time to get here. I, uh, I got caught up," she said and Melissa noticed that her once immaculately tied hair was now messy and her lips were swollen.

Melissa drew her own little conclusion but decided to stay silent. It was of no use saying it out loud and even embarrassing the poor woman.

"So, you're here for your first appointment?" she asked and Melissa tried and succeeded not to roll her eyes. If she wasn't so busy getting f****d, she would probably have heard whatever Melissa had said before.

Melissa gasped lowly at her own thoughts then as she opened her mouth to speak, Michael interrupted her.

"We'd like an ultrasound to confirm the pregnancy," he said and Melissa stared at him with a small frown that he didn't notice of course. Too focused on trying to tell the doctor whatever he was saying.

"Oh. Right. Are you the father?" the doctor asked. This time around, Michael turned his eyes to Melissa. She stared at him fixedly, daring him to say it.

"I am," Michael responded, his eyes not leaving Melissa's.

"He's not," Melissa countered, confusing the doctor. The confused woman stared between both of them. They were still stuck in a staring match and she felt like she was watching a woman f**k her son.

"Um, okay. Just settle in ma'am, so that we can get on with the ultrasound," the doctor said, a bit hesitant to interrupt the really awkward situation.

Melissa walked away from Michael and settled in on the hospital bed, waiting for the doctor to finish regulating whatever she was regulating on the ultrasound machine.

When she was finally done, the doctor moved towards Melissa then stopped and stared at Michael. He was standing in a corner and he looked lost and confused as hell. The woman took pity on him so she asked Melissa, "Do you want him to stay?"

Michael turned wide eyes on Melissa and she couldn't refuse so nodded, a bit petulantly. As soon as Melissa nodded, Michael walked and stood next to the bed. He took Melissa's hand and she left it there, needing some comfort before she discovered one if the most important news in her life.

The doctor stared at their intertwined hands and did not comment. It wasn't her place to anyways and she, under no circumstances, wanted to be unprofessional, not after the round of wild s*x she had just had. So she squirted a gel on Melissa's stomach and this one jumped.

"Damn, give me a warning next time, doctor," Melissa said, gasping a bit

"I'm sorry, Miss. I'm just.. preoccupied," the doctor answered with an apologetic look and a nasty thought crossed Melissa's mind at that moment. She chose to ignore it then shook her head and signalled for the woman to keep doing her job.

The doctor took the wand and placed on Melissa's tummy. It was a funny feeling. It didn't hurt. But it was definitely strange.

The doctor pointed at the screen while moving the wand around. Bother Melissa and Michael were transfixed, their gazes not leaving the screen. At this point, both of them knew the truth. It was quite stupid trying to pretend at that moment.

All of a sudden, the doctor smiled. "That's your baby right there. Can you see the head?" she asked and Melissa nodded enthusiastically.

"Oh my God, Michael..." Melissa said, trailing out and squeezing Michael's hand really tight. Even though he was losing a lot feeling in his hand, Michael didn't complain. It was a happy moment, and he definitely didn't want to spoil it with petty complaints.

"That's the baby," Michael said in awe, looking at the screen.

The doctor smiled at both of them, then asked, "Should I print out pictures?"

"Yes if course," Melissa replied quickly, sweeping Michael's hand one last time, before letting it go reluctantly.

"How many copies?"

"Two."

"Three."

They said their answers at the same time and turned and looked at each other. "Why three?" Michael asked, frowning his face.

"Just in case I find the elusive stranger. You just never know. I don't want him to miss out on some parts, that's if I even get to meet him one day," Melissa explained.

Michael was not convinced but he nodded at Melissa. The doctor bent for a while then brought out the pictures. Michael took them as the doctor gave Melissa a cloth for her to clean her stomach clean of all the gel residue.

Melissa swung her legs and over the bed and stood. The woman was smiling. Even though she had seen more than fifty women come to this kind of appointment, seeing women happy over their babies made the doctor feel happy.

"Is that it?" Melissa asked, after she had fixed her outfit.

The doctor nodded and Melissa beckoned Michael. They went out of the hospital room tomorrow and for a while, Melissa's happy expression shifted to a warning one.

"Michael, you know I love you. But I really didn't appreciate what you did in there. I mean, you saying you were the father of this kid. In as much as I would have wanted you to be, they already have a dad. Even if I don't know where he is. But in convinced I'll find him," Melissa said and Michael sobered up.

"I'm sorry. It was a bad joke," Michael said. But in his mind, it wasn't a joke. If he could find himself in Aiden's shoes, he would be the happiest man alive. Knowing that Melissa of all people was carrying his child.

"You're really counting on finding your baby daddy?" Michael asked and Melissa frowned.

"Don't say it like that. It sounds.. dirty. He's the father of my baby. And yes, I'm going to find him."

Michael smiled and looked away. To Melissa, ten smile felt off but she was still riding on the high if the news so she didn't bother asking

Melissa couldn't begin to realize how happy she was. She had thought that when the doctor told her thay she was pregnant, she was going to make a huge scene. Or she was going to burst into tears. Or have a reaction that similarly as dramatic as the others.

But she accepted the news so easily. And she was even happy about it. She definitely didn't know what she was going to do about her job but she didn't care. This kid was a blessing and damn anybody who didn't think like that.

Melissa smiled, then took one of the pictures from Michael who was being uncharacteristically quiet. She stared at the picture for a while, tracing the baby's features. Anyways the ones that were already visible.

The child wasn't even born, but she already loved them. And she was going to protect him or her with every fiber in her body. Even if she had to get into physical fights with strength that she didn't possess.

Michael stared at Melissa. He was so happy seeing her so happy. Melissa was the first person he had love so strongly. And that was why he wanted to keep her to himself.

He hated sharing her. And he knew he was going to be as overprotective over the baby, be it girl or boy. He stared at Melissa again and shook his head. He had a lot of work cut out for both of them in the future.