phone calls
Playlist song suggestion: Youngblood by 5 Seconds Of Summer
Ari pov
I stare at the screen with tears welling up in my eyes as a sigh of relief left my lips as I hear my baby’s heartbeat. The soft thump had a smile breaking onto my face and staring up at Hector who was busy recording the moment for Beefies and Ren… “when will we know what it is?” Hector asks eagerly making Sam and I chuckle “the answer is the same as when you and Asa came for her scan.” Sam reminds as a slight blush rises to Hector’s cheeks. “20 weeks to be safe…” Sam answers, helping me clean off the gel from my tummy.
I adjust my clothes as Hector stops recording before helping me up from the bed, “Thanks, Beefy.” I say in appreciation as Sam Hands me a few ultrasound photos which I readily accept. “Thanks, Sam.” I say gratefully staring at the more formed fetus “Take a seat In the consultation Room Ari. I will be right back.” Sam says with a smile before retreating out the door.
“Do you think I am in the safe zone now?” I ask Hector as we take a seat in Sam’s, my new gynecologist and a personal friend, consultation room. “I hope so... We have followed the dietary plan, we got your weight up and blood pressure down while also being mindful of your sugar intake when it was too high last month.” Hector Lists “Right.. we did all the right things... We... going to be fine...” I say rubbing my already protruding belly just as Sam walked in with my file and a smile.
“Everything is looking good...” Sam announces then adding “But... we need to keep an eye on you... You are still underweight... and I am not happy with your iron Levels Ari...” making me sigh. I lick my lower lip nodding slowly as Hector squeezes my hand in comfort “But the baby is fine.” Hector asks worriedly “Yes, the baby is fine Mr. Caretaker.” Sam teases while he scribbled down a new script.
I giggle at the annoyed expression that graced Hector’s face as we stood from our chairs “It’s better than him calling you Papa Bear.” I remind as Hector chuckled remembering the first visit to Sams office where the doctor mistook him for my baby daddy. Hector was both amused and mortified clearing up the misunderstanding by blurting out that he was just the caretaker while the father was away on business. Sam was completely tickled by the response and started calling him Mr. Caretaker since then.
“Which reminds me, Ari, when am I going to be meeting the mysterious Papa Bear?” Sam asks in interest as I sigh looking down at my belly “He’s not mysterious... I just haven’t told him yet...” I admit rubbing slow circles on my belly “But it’s not from her lack of trying...” Beefy adds quickly.
I couldn’t bring myself to smile remembering the numerous occasions I did try to tell Ren only to get disrupted. There was always something needing his attention, always something that pulled us apart or diverted our attention from each other and It was becoming infuriating.
it was equally infuriating when I called him Emma, his cousin and personal assistant, answered or Himi pulled the phone out of hand.
Except for this morning... this morning was perfect... It started horrible and ended with him promising to video call after turning me to complete mush.God... I hated and loved him so much...
“what’s got you smiling like that?” Sam inquired amused as my eyes locked with his curious ones “Nothing...” I reply smiling as Sam shrugs at me going back to his scribbling.
“So you just going to get a surprise when he comes back?” Sam asks handing us my script as Hector laughs at my red face. “It wouldn’t be the first time...” Hector laughs and I hit his arm playfully. “That was not my fault...” I defend “It never is love...” Hector says amused pressing a kiss on my hair after we say our goodbyes to Sam.
The ride back to the apartment was the same, we dodged a few photographers, Hector doubled checked if we were being followed before we headed to Himi’s and Asahi’s schools to fetch them.
We drove home, I made sandwiches, Hector went to check on his pregnant girlfriend, and when it was time for me to teach he came back ... It was routine as usual.
I groan in bed, attempting to get comfortable after having to sat in my uncomfortable office seat for about 5 hours. I just finished eating supper and putting Himi to bed when I decided to call it a night...
... I wasn’t busy today... actually, after people saw the video of Erica slapping me... my teaching career started to go downhill... The companies said they didn’t want the stardom or negative exposure or that I didn’t fit their company’s image, or my personal favorite “it is best for everyone if you take some time to sort out your personal life...“. I was bestowed with the new label of the teacher with too much baggage or too much drama...
It was horrible and demeaning... but my shortage of income was the least of my worries... my main concern was my deportation...
I didn’t take Akira’s help after overhearing his conversation with hector a few months ago... I didn’t want to create a bigger riff in Eva’s and Akira’s relationship. It didn’t matter to me that they were divorced what mattered was how Ren would be affected by it.
On the Eva and Erica front, I haven’t seen them... Not since Erica was charged with trashing my apartment and was charged to attend a psychological evaluation and therapy. Hector confessed that it was Ren’s doing and he also got a judge to pass some special type of order that allowed Hector Beefy to protect me as needed.
I sigh in thought thinking back to my deportation, it wasn’t going well and the constant bad news was giving me both anxiety and depression. The latest I heard about it was that only I was being deported not Himi, due to the fact that Ren was Japanese. Another interesting development was that Eva laid a charge against me and applied for guardianship of Himi claiming I was an unfit mother.
My lawyer, Takumi, did some digging and found out that it had to do with the kidnapping. Thankfully though he got it thrown out on the grounds that Eva was just being malicious. He fought that if she truly believed I was unfit to raise Himi why didn’t she come forward sooner considering she was aware of Himi’s existence since her birth? He also made it a point to point out that she knew about the kidnapping and she did nothing to help nor did she come forward all these years ago. He also added that Himi was thriving and went to one of the most prestigious schools even before Ren came along.
Thankfully it was all settled outside court but it still gave me anxiety and panic attacks when I thought about the possibility of losing Himi...
I sighed as my phone rang and I instantly reach for it seeing it was Ren.
I smiled answering it eager to hear his voice...
“Ren...” I answer happily as his happy chuckle ripples through the phone “Hello my Sweet Rio...”
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Published: 16/12/2022 - Patreon Early Access
Much Love... Adhara...
