CHAPTER FIVE: KEEPING THE CHILD

MAE "Sir, I can't keep the child," I repeated it in case he didn't hear me the first time, but he ignored me. He held on to my wrist, leading me out of the doctor's office. People around us were looking at us, but he didn't care. He only kept on walking. "Sir, you're hurting me; let me go, or I'll scream for help." I threatened him, trying to free myself from his grip. "Go on, this is my company." He reminded me nonchalantly. He was right; the workers looked at us, but none tried to question him or help me. I felt defeated; he was making me jog after him, and I didn't like it. "Sir, please let me go. The way you're holding me makes people think I stole something from you." I explained, and he looked at me with a little understanding in his eyes before letting go. We were now in the elevator alone. "Thank you, sir," I was baffled by his reaction to the news of me aborting a child, and it kept me wondering how it mattered to him. We got out of the elevator, and he led the way to his office. He got there before me and stood by the door, waiting for me since my legs were shorter, and I couldn't beat him. "Please allow me," He said this as he shut the door behind me and lifted me up by my shoulders without warning. "What on earth, sir?" I exclaimed in shock and embarrassment as he lifted me effortlessly and sat me down on his office table. The table was high, but it did little to assist my height, so he still had to crouch to level up with me. "Sir," I called, not comfortable with the closeness between our bodies and his hands by my sides, but he didn't care. "I don't know how you'll take this, but you can't abort the child." He started again, and I looked at him. He cared about a child he didn't even know. "I don't have a choice," I explained helplessly. "You have to consider this." He begged, taking my hand gently. "Sir, my job can barely take care of me; I can't add a child to it." I tried to make him understand, gently but quickly, taking my hand away from him. "If it's about the money, I'll give it to you." "Sir, I just started working here; I haven't even worked yet and have not been paid. I can't take a loan." "It's not a loan; I am giving you the money." "I don't want the money; why do you even care?" I was frustrated with the argument and didn't like that it was not coming to an end. "Because I am the father of your child, Mae." "You're joking, right?" "I'm not, Softlife Hotel, room 557. Three weeks ago, you came running to me for safety, and we ended up." I closed his mouth with my hands to stop him from completing his sentence since we both knew what transpired that day. I was not shocked; he looked familiar, even with his scent, but I didn't like how things turned out. "I still can't keep the child," I have already made up my mind; having a child was not something I fancied at that time. "You have to; I want the child." "Did you intentionally get me pregnant?" I had to ask; he seemed so happy and eager to have this child, even though it was clearly a mistake. I couldn't help but ask, and he gave me a sarcastic look. "I didn't expect to see you again; besides, you were the one who came running to my company looking for a job." He was right. "I don't want to raise a bastard child." I said I remembered the stigma attached to people whose fathers were unknown. I wouldn't want that for my child. "You won't have to; I am here; I am his father." He assured me, but I didn't believe him. "It still doesn't make any sense," "Then let's get married." He proposed to me, and I almost pushed him away from me. "No, I can't marry you," I blurted out, moving backward on the table. "Why? Am I not handsome enough?" "What? No! Who is talking about beauty here? I don't even know you; that we had sex and I got pregnant does not mean we love each other." I made my point, lowering my voice at the last part of the sentence. "For the baby, please marry me." He seemed desperate, but he knew what he was doing, and I felt the need to agree, but I shook my head, still in disagreement. "It'll be a contract marriage, and I'll pay you handsomely for it. Once you wean the child, we get a divorce." "I don't know about that," Now I couldn't decide. I didn't like that idea, but it sounded fair and better than abortion. "We both care about this child and want the best for him; this is the only way." "Are you sure about this?" "I am one hundred percent sure." "Okay," I finally agreed. "So we have a deal?" He asked to be on the safer side. "Yes," I confirmed with a smile. "May I?" He asked, stretching his hand and placing it on my stomach. "What are you doing?" I asked, perplexed. "Feeling the child," His big palm was on my stomach; he looked very focused and still. I didn't move either because I was ignorant of what he seemed to be doing. He opened his eyes in bewilderment, and a spark appeared on his face. "Did you feel anything?" "Yes," He looked as if he were close to tears, and I felt excited in a strange way. I placed my hand on my stomach and waited patiently. But I didn't feel anything. "I can't feel anything; are you sure you felt something?" I was still complaining when he closed my mouth with his hand. His hand was so big that it covered my nose, and I had to push his hand away to breathe. "Don't say negative things around the child." He scolded, and I was dazed. Was he even serious at all? "At first, you may not feel anything, but you have to concentrate on the child. Then you'll feel a little vibration; follow the signal, and you'll feel the little baby's heartbeat." He coached sweetly. "Come," He took my hand. "Let's try again," He placed my hand on my stomach and placed his on mine, and he watched me. "Close your eyes," He instructed "And concentrate," I obeyed, and I felt the vibration very faint, almost unnoticeable. I followed it, leading our hands there, and I felt the heartbeat so soft and gentle, almost in sync with mine. "I opened my eyes slowly, and a tear dropped from my eyes, giving way to more tears. "It felt so beautiful," I confessed to feeling a rush of different emotions. I embraced him gently. "Thank you," Was all I could say as my heart thundered with the acknowledgment of my child's heartbeat. His hand gently patted my back a few times before he refrained from the embrace. He helped me wipe my tears, then put me down and urged me to come. "Come on,"