A Xmas Gift: The Sperm Donor Read Free Page A

throat and tries to stem her own rapidly beating tide.
    She says in a rush, “I want to have a baby, and I don’t want a husband. I want you to be my sperm donor. You don’t have to be responsible for the baby or anything else. I have the legal papers drawn up for you to sign that will absolve you from all responsibility. All you have to do is come to the fertility clinic and jerk off in a cup. They’ll shoot it up me.”
    She is expecting him to be staggered, of course. But he practically is rooted to the spot. Frozen. Petrified.
    His face twitches.
    Uh oh.
    He’s going to say ‘no’.
    He says, still in that uncertain frame of mind: “Uh, you want to do lunch? Pret A Manger’s downstairs?”
     
    *
     
    “Oh wow, these are good,” Elise says as she bites into a ham-and-cheese sandwich.
    “I know.” He is having a bacon, lettuce and tomato.
    The sandwich café is crowded with the lunchtime throng, but they have managed to secure a half-cleaned table at the back. Not exactly the best place for conversation, but she senses that he takes comfort from the familiar surroundings. After all, she did drop quite a bomb.
    “So why didn’t you get married?” he asks.
    He’s ready to talk, she senses it.
    “I did get married.”
    He puts down his half-eaten sandwich. She is aware of several women at the other tables giving them surreptitious glances. They’re checking him out, she thinks with a smile. Same old, same old. Some things never changed from high school. She was checking him out plenty too before they got it on.
    “You never invited me to the wedding,” he says, keeping his tone light.
    She sighs inwardly. He’s hurt, and she knows him all too well. He did always have a predilection for masking how he felt. Justin grew up in a strict home. His father was in the military, and he always gave precise instructions to his boys to ‘handle it like a man’.
    “It was a shotgun affair. Reno.”
    “He knocked you up?” he says, surprised.
    “Not exactly.” She shudders when she thinks of her marriage, but now is not the time to let Justin in on what happened. “It lasted for exactly a year and a half. Let’s keep it at that.”
    He nods. He has always been one who respects other people’s privacy. She has always admired this trait of his.
    “No kids?”
    “Obviously.”
    “Thought I’d ask, just in case.”
    “What about you? Married?” She knows he’s not, and that’s why she’s here.
    “No.”
    ‘Girlfriend?”
    He hesitates before saying, “Maybe.”
    “Maybe?” She laughs. “Either you have a girlfriend or you don’t.”
    “It’s complicated. Let’s leave it at that.” He smiles without really smiling.
    She ponders this. “So . . . would she mind if you . . . contributed your DNA?”
    “I didn’t say I was going to do it. It is a huge responsibility.”
    “Oh no, it isn’t. Not for you.” She delves into her bag and brings out a bound document. “Read through this and put your mind at ease.”
    He scrutinizes the document carefully as she finishes the rest of her sandwich. He finally puts it down and looks up at her. She finds herself admiring his large hazel eyes again – so penetrating and beautiful.
    “So why me?” he says. “Why not some anonymous donor from a sperm bank?”
    She’s prepared for this.
    “Let’s see . . . because I know what I’m getting? You’re handsome – ”
    He laughs.
    “You know you are, so cut out the act. You’re MENSA intelligent. You’re six-two.”
    “What if the baby’s a girl? You want a giraffe?”
    “So what if she turns out to be tall? You got something against tall women?”
    “Noooo,” he says slowly.
    “That’s settled then. And . . . you’re a pretty decent guy. At least, you were half a decent guy. Athletic. Nice. Dependable.” She trails off.
    Is that all she remembers of him? Oh yeah, the sex. The sex was pretty good when they both quickly grew into it.
    “I’m still a decent guy.”
    “There you go. All fit