Another Man's Baby (28 page)

“I wasn’t planning on it,” Eric said quietly, awed that his parents believed, wondering if they were telling the truth.

“I have no idea how,” Ongela began. “Are you sure you’re sterile? Maybe the labs screwed up. What am I talking about, maybe? They had to have gotten the tests wrong. You should have them repeated.”

“I took the test three times.”

“Then maybe it’s a miracle. I don’t know, Son, but that baby is yours! I felt it, I saw it. He’s yours, he’s ours!” Ongela cried. “He’s ours!”

Terry Jackson looked at his wife and son. “It’s not a miracle. The miracle is that Eric and Gabi got through this mess. But that baby in there, his being yours, there is a logical explanation. I know there is. But like your mom, I saw it too. He’s the spitting image of you. That little guy looked at me. Babies don’t even open their eyes a few minutes after birth. But it was like he wanted there to be no doubt about who he was. There’s something about this baby, some energy. I can’t explain it but he’s my grandson.” Terry looked at his wife. “Our grandson.”

Eric stood there trembling before his parents. “Are you serious, you’re not just saying that?” He wanted to bawl like a baby, something his brand new son hadn’t even done, but that’s what Eric wanted.

“About something this important I’d never lie to you, Eric, not about this.”

Eric held his father’s gaze. He worked his mouth but no words came out.

Terry smiled. “Just like I know when you’re lying, don’t you know me well enough to know I would not lie to you about this?”

Eric held his parents’ gazes for a long moment before he broke down. His father’s arms came around him and then his mother’s. This time Eric did not pull away; he held on to them and he cried and they joined in.

“I…I…I don’t know how it happened. I don’t care how it happened. I didn’t want you thinking I was deluding myself. I know that’s what you’ve been thinking, I know that, but I knew he was mine. Somehow the baby let me know it. I felt the connection one night while Gabi was sleeping. It was just me and my son, just the two of us, and I knew.”

Eric held his parents tighter. “I believe her,” he said, “I believe Gabi, not just about the baby. I believe she never cheated on me.”

He lifted his head and stared directly into his mother’s eyes. “Mom, I never cheated on Gabi. I came damn close but I never crossed that final line. And I found out how the condom and the panties got in the car.”

“Gabi believes you?”

“Yes,” Eric answered.

“Then none of the rest of it’s important. Explaining those things your wife found in the car is a lot easier than the four of us knowing our flesh and blood. Doctors have been wrong before and they’re wrong now.” Ongela wrapped her arms around her son. “Thank you for making us grandparents.”

A weight lifted off Eric’s chest. His parents believed him. He’d have to go back and tell Gabi. He turned and smiled at his parents before running down the hall. “I have a son,” he said and ran back down the hall to be with his wife and son. The guardian angel had been right all along. They’d needed faith.

***

Six weeks after Baby Terry was born, the proof Gabi had insisted on came. They took the envelope and the baby to
Calumet
, to his parents, and as a family they opened it together. Each of them smiled when the result was read. The baby was clearly Eric’s.

“You want to do another semen analysis?” Gabi asked.

“I don’t need that, baby. It’s only numbers on paper. I didn’t need the
DNA
, that was you insisting on proof. We’re not taking any more tests or anyone else’s word for things this important to us.”

“Not when we have this living proof in our arms.” Ongela kissed the baby’s pudgy cheeks. Then she flipped through page after page of baby pictures. In the six weeks since his birth, little Terry looked more and more like Eric every day.

Eric grinned at his parents, then at his wife. “As soon as we get home, maybe we’ll start working on that granddaughter you want, Mom.”

***

Gabi and Eric decided to put all their ghosts to rest. Her co-workers had asked repeatedly for her to bring the baby in. At first Gabi resisted. She’d learned a lesson about bragging about her happiness. Perhaps if she hadn’t bragged about what a great husband Eric was Jamilla wouldn’t have gone after him so relentlessly. Then again, who knew why she’d done it? Gabi had her family intact. She wasn’t going to allow bitterness over Jamilla to ruin it. Besides, Eric wanted to introduce the world to his son, so she’d given in.

The moment they stepped inside the door of the clinic, Tracie ran up to them, and it wasn’t to see the baby. Something big had happened.

“Jamilla was fired,” Tracie spat out before they could ask. “Mrs. Rivers called that TV show,
Spouses Cheating
, and they had her husband followed. He was found in a hotel room with Jamilla. She was butt naked in bed. Mrs. Rivers got the motel to give her the key. She opened the door and went in and the cameras followed.”

Gabi could feel Eric’s eyes on her. She turned to face him. “I didn’t have anything to do with it,” she said, puzzled. “I promise I didn’t, baby. When did all of this happen?” Gabi asked, bringing her attention back to Tracie.

“Last night, and don’t worry, Eric, I did it,” Tracie said. “I was sick and tired of watching Jamilla come on to the patients’ husbands. When I saw what she’d done to you and Eric that was the last straw. You remember telling me about the show, Gabi?”

Gabi nodded her head in the affirmative.

“It just so happened that one day Mrs. Rivers came in wanting pills for depression. We got to talking and she confessed that she thought her husband was cheating. I told her to call the TV show and they would have a private detective follow him for free.

“When it came out, Mrs. Rivers came up here and told on Jamilla. She had the tape and everything. She was looking to kick Jamilla’s behind. Doctor Tom held her back. He had to call the cops and everything. Then when things died down, he fired Jamilla right on the spot.”

“Why didn’t you call me?”

“You didn’t need to hear any of that mess. You and Eric are finally getting your life back together. My husband and I didn’t make it, but I’ve been rooting for the two of you.”

Tracie finally stopped and peeked at the baby. “And now look what you have, a beautiful new baby.” She held out her hands to hold Baby Terry.

Gabi looked at Eric. “I’m trying so hard not to gloat,” she told him quietly. “Karma is a mother, and I don’t want to have to pay for gloating.”

***

Eight months had passed since Eric had promised to work on the granddaughter and Gabi was pregnant. It wasn’t a fluke. He called his parents to tell them the news, but they were screaming at him, not allowing him to tell them his reason for calling.

“Turn the television on CNN,” Ongela was screaming with a sense of urgency in her voice.

“But, Mom.”

“Turn it on, Eric,” she screamed. “Now! Hurry up, this is important. Call Gabi.”

Eric hung up without even saying goodbye. He shook his head, changed the channel and yelled for Gabi. He held little Terry while Gabi sat beside him playing with the baby’s fingers.

“Darnell
Washington
has been taken into

custody. CNN has learned that for

the past two years Mr.
Washington
, a

laboratory technician whose specialty

is working with semen analysis, to check

for sterility, has been falsifying results.

He has been falsely reporting on the tests

ordered by doctors. It’s not known how many

men have been affected by this or what

repercussions may follow, as Mr.

Washington
worked for the two largest

medical laboratories in
Illinois
and

specimens are sent there from all

over the country. When questioned,

Mr.
Washington
simply stated it was karma.

He’s sterile and his wife cheated on him

and attempted to pass the baby off as his.

When asked if he felt possibly ruining the

lives of others justified his actions, he

reportedly said, ‘Someone ruined mine.’

We’ll have more on this story
as it unfolds
.”

Eric looked at Gabi and they laughed. This time there were no tears. The phone rang. When Eric answered, his father shouted, “I told you there was a reasonable explanation for all of this mess. I knew it. Oh, God, Eric, I’m so happy for you, Son. You have your proof.”

“I had my proof months ago, Dad. By the way,” Eric laughed, “tell Mom Gabi’s pregnant. This time we think it’s going to be a girl. Tell her to just have faith in that.”

Laughing harder, Eric turned from the phone. He hugged Gabi to him as they held their son between them and they both laughed. Then Eric saw Gabi mouth ‘Thank You,’ as she looked skyward. He might not have been a big believer before but he was beginning to be. He laughed again and said, “Thank You,” out loud, looking at Gabi and holding her hand. They’d made it in spite of the obstacles. And maybe it was someone’s faith that had enabled it, he didn’t know. He only knew he was truly fulfilled. Remembering his promise, Eric handed his son over to Gabi. He fell to his knees and thanked God for giving him the ability to give his wife babies. Then he added, “Most of all, God, thank you for the miracle of life itself.”

“Amen,” Gabi softly murmured.

Eric rose to his feet and hugged his wife and son to him as if he would never let them go.

The End

             
THE
GIFT
             
             
219

Author’s Information
:

Dyanne
Davis is an award winning author.
She
lives in a
Chicago
suburb with her husband Bill, and their son Bill Jr. An avid reader her love of the written word turned into a desire to write. She retired from nursing
more than
a decade ago to pursue her lifelong dream.

Dyanne
has been a presenter of numerous workshops. She has a local cable show
, The Art of Writing
in her hometown to give writing tips to aspiring writers.

When not writing you can find
her
with a book in her hands, her greatest passion next to spending time with her husband Bill and son Bill Jr. Whenever possible she loves getting together with friends and family

A member of Romance writers of American she served in many capacities for her local chapter,
Windy
City
, including two terms as president.

Dyanne
Davis
loves to hear from her readers.  You can reach her at
[email protected]

You can write to
her
at

P.O. Box 1218
Bolingbrook
IL
. 60440