An Unexpected Baby Read Free Page A

remembered who his daddy was. That was important.
    “Yes, Evan?” June’s lovely voice sounded through the speaker.
    “June, before you go shopping I need you to do me a favor.”
    “Sure, what is it?”
    “I’ve been reading up on prenatal diets and I want to make sure that Emma gets everything that she needs on the list, including the prenatal vitamins.”
    “Sure thing, Daddy!”
    Evan grinned.
    “Congrats, again, Evan. I’m so happy for both of you.”
    “Thanks, June. Oh, and don’t forget to send the daily usual to Pops for me.”
    “Sure thing, Evan. A nice gourmet meal that is specially pureed and an order of fresh flowers.”
    “Yes, and please let his nurse know that I’ll be in tomorrow or the day after.”
    “Sure thing. And, Evan?”
    “Yeah?”
    “You know, you’ve been a good son to your dad. Practically visiting him every day and working long hours at the office. You know you can only do so much. Don’t overdo it. You’re going to be a daddy soon.”
    “I know, June. Thanks for looking out for me.”
    “You’re a good man, Evan. You’re not perfect. You irritate the hell out of me sometimes, but you’re like a son to me and your father is family. Everything will be alright.”
    “Thanks, June.”
    After Evan got off the phone he felt a sickly feeling come over him. He didn’t know why. He should be on top of the world. But his father was always on about the Fletcher curse with women, marriage and kids. Well, he was determined to shove it out of his head this time. He was going to be a father and that was that! Nothing was going to trash his dream or his hopes this time. Nothing. So help him God!
     
     
    3.
     
    “Oh, God! What did I just do?” Emma cried into the phone.
    “What? What are you talking about, Ems?”
    “Oh, nothing.” Emma’s voice trailed off.
    “Nothing? Emma? Emma, I know you all too well. You didn’t tell anyone about this yet, did you? I mean, until you got confirmation from the doctor with a proper blood test.”
    Emma’s throat closed up. She could feel her heart pounding hard and fast in her chest. She also felt one of her migraines coming on.
    “Emma?”
    Emma sighed. “Listen, I…I’ve got to tell Evan to go ahead with his trip.”
    “What are you talking about, girlfriend?”
    Emma told Gina about Evan’s reaction to the baby news and how he was planning to change his entire plans to expand his business or at least put it on hold. She also told her about the whole Tom-Cruise-couch-jumping reaction, minus the couch-jumping. And how he’d transformed to being all sweet and warm, not cool and distant as he’d been during the last few months. Not to mention the whole “feel like a real man” talk.
    “I mean, I’m over thirty now and I don’t have kids. It’s a disgrace where I come from.”
    “Not really. Look at Oprah! Everyone respects her and she doesn’t have children.”
    “Yeah but she just saves the world every day. I’m not her, Gina! And besides, Oprah can conceive. She had a baby boy when she was younger, remember? But he died when he was a baby. At least she knows what it’s like to produce children or at least get pregnant.”
    “That’s true! Well, what about the Jolie-Pitts? They adopt kids from all over the world. Maybe you and Evan can be like them.”
    “Nice try, Gina! Angelina has three biological children of her own with Brad in addition to all the kids she has adopted.”
    “Okay, girlfriend. I tried!”
    “Sorry for being so snappy, Gina. It’s just that…Oh, my God! What am I going to say to Evan? I mean, he told me that he feels like a real man now. I just can’t yank the plug on his real-man-feeling emotion, can I? I mean, not now. Ugh. Talk about bad timing. After I told him he went and called his assistant at work to cancel his travel plans and reschedule the meeting he had planned at Ma Rae’s Steakhouse.”
    “You mean, the big deal with the takeover of the steakhouse and its internal ad