janey_15-years-too-late-3

15 YEARS TOO LATE? by Janey <<< Part 2

PART 3

That night Stella decided to have a pampering session and waxed her legs, underarms and bikini line; gave herself a manicure and pedicure, plucked her eyebrows, used a deep conditioning treatment on her hair and applied a mud mask to her face. When she finished she felt wonderful and her skin was magnificently soft.

Dressed in a comfy pair of pyjamas she sprawled out on the sofa with a bloodthirsty novel, listening to very cheesy romantic love songs on the c.d., and sipping from a glass of wine.
“Oh bugger!” she cursed, thinking that her sister had decided to spoil her evening by grilling her further about James. “It was right at an interesting point then!” Ready to rip a strip off her sister she sauntered over to the door, opening it with a flourish and a stern expression.

“Fuck; are you in a bad mood?”
She burst out laughing. “I thought it was Mandy. Come on in James.”
“Hope you don’t mind, I know I should have called first.”
“Yeah you should,” she smiled, automatically walking into the kitchen and pouring him a glass of wine. “You’re here now so have a drink.”
“Thanks,” he smiled, taking the glass from her and taking a sip. “Nice wine.”
“Thanks, come on, let’s go through there.”
“Do we have to listen to that?” he pointed at the stereo and grimaced.
“Yes we do,” Stella smirked, resuming her position on the sofa and picking up her book again. “Don’t be such a chump.”

James laughed and sat down on the floor in front of the sofa, leaning his head back onto her left arm. “So I have to sit here listening to Celine Dion and whoever the fuck else whilst you have your nose in a book huh? Great company you are!”
“Such is life,” muttered Stella, her left hand now playing with his hair. “I’m sure you can cope, besides, you’ve had company all day.”
“Not yours.”
“Missed me that much huh?”
“I missed you a bit,” he giggled. “Sean, Nicky, Martin and Nick have been bugging me all day, wanting to know why I’m in such a good mood.”

Stella put her book down on her lap. “What did you tell them?”
“Nothing, it will do them good to stew for a while.”
“I told Mandy. She was a bit stunned but she’s ok about it.”
“Jeremy won’t be so forgiving.”
“He doesn’t know, and there’s no need for him to know yet. If and when it develops I’ll tell him, but not until then.”

“He’ll be protective but you can’t blame him. I know that he didn’t like me, but I think it was always because I was so young and in a band. I suppose he kinda knew what goes on with bands and groupies, and I proved him right.”
“He just doesn’t think that anyone is good enough for his baby sister; you’ve got to remember that he and Mandy are both a lot older than me.”
“Yeah, I know.” He was sat alongside the sofa now, slowly stroking her left leg with his fingertips. “And we are not impressionable kids anymore.”
“True.” Stella picked her book back up and started reading it again. “I’ll be with you when I finish this chapter, but it’s really juicy right now; all bloodthirsty and gory.”

“Still as delicate and ladylike as ever huh Stella?”
“Less of your cheek if you don’t mind or I shall kick you out.”
“I’m sure that you’d much prefer for me to stay the night in your bed, with you, making you yell as you cum and clawing at my back.”
She blushed. “I did not claw your back.”
“I can prove you wrong there,” he grinned.
“When I’ve finished this chapter. You never were very patient.”

“I’ve waited fifteen years for you; that’s patience.”
“That wasn’t patience. That was because you had no idea where I was James.”
“Now I do and I’m not going to lose you again.”
“Glad to hear it,” she said, sticking her tongue out at him. “Now shut up for a few minutes!”
James laughed and retorted by sticking his tongue out at her.

“Now,” she said triumphantly, “I’m all yours.”
“That’s a shame ‘cos I’m enjoying my own company right now.”
“You can always put your coat back on and go home if you want,” tormented Stella. “I don’t mind.”
“What I really want is some more wine,” he grinned. “Fancy some?”

James got up and went to the kitchen after Stella nodded to him, leaving his mobile on the coffee table. He had been gone a couple of minutes when his phone rang, ‘MM’ flashing on the display.
“James, your phone,” she called out.
“Get it for me will you honey? My hands are full.”
“Hi, can I help?” she asked nervously into the phone.
“Sorry I must have misdialed.” The line went dead.

“Who was it?” he asked sitting down on the floor again.
“Wrong number apparently.” Stella tried to be as nonchalant and unperturbed as she could, but her doubts were starting to resurface. James however seemed totally at ease.
“You frightened my other woman off by answering it I bet!” he grinned. “Let’s have a look who it was shall we?” He checked his recent calls. “MM is Martin’s mobile; it would have been him or his wife.”
“It was his wife then.”

His phone rang again. “Hey right on cue!” He showed her the phone display, ‘MM’ flashing again. “Hey! No she had the right number but my good lady answered it. Yes well, I deliberately kept it quiet for a good reason. Stella and I have met up again and we’re seeing each other.”
Stella smiled and sipped her wine, shaking her head when James handed her the phone, but he insisted she talk with Martin.

“Martin hi! No James really was not taking the piss. How are you?”
The fifteen years of no contact were a distant memory as they chatted and joked together like old friends, ignoring James entirely, much to his amusement.
“I would guess that he hasn’t said anything because there isn’t much to tell; it’s still early days yet so give us time to see what happens Martin.”

James smirked; Martin had always been fond of Stella and he had been very upset about the break up, especially when he discovered the catalyst for it. James had never known Martin so angry and was given a very stern ticking off, more so than either of his parents and they had even started dreaming of a wedding; his stupidity had well and truly put paid to that fanciful notion.

“It’s late so I guess you ought to go home James,” Stella sighed. “You must be ready for your bed now.”
He gazed at her incredulously. “You are kidding right?”
“What do you think?” she grinned mischievously. “Of course you can stay the night.”
“You can be such a tease!” he moaned, lightly kissing the tip of her nose. “Try not to mark my back too much.”
Stella could only blush; to say that she had abandoned herself and become rather passionate was something of an understatement.

For two weeks they saw each other practically every day, James staying over at her home and constantly making excuses to explain why she couldn’t stay at his apartment. Initially Stella had thought it endearing that he was shielding her from a ‘chaotic’ bachelor pad, but now it was somewhat tedious and she felt like he didn’t want to acknowledge her as part of his life.

Martin and his wife were the only ones who knew about Stella; he steadfastly refused to tell his father, Nicky, Sean, Terri, Nick and Dave and anyone else he had contact with. Stella however had now told Jeremy who had accepted it surprisingly graciously; he had even met with James and been friendly towards him. Several of her work colleagues also knew she was seeing James although she negated to mention who James actually was.

“Baby what’s up? I was going to call around with a take away and some wine.”
“Not tonight James,” explained Stella. “I need an early night and just feel like being very girlie and watching a weepy movie in bed.”
“You’d prefer that to making love with me?”
By the tone of his voice he obviously wasn’t happy with the situation.

“James we’ve made love loads in the last couple of weeks; right now I’m just saying that I want some time on my own. Come on, missing one night isn’t going to hurt is it? What about if I call round to yours tomorrow night and stay over?”
“It’s erm, not a good idea.”
“No I guess it isn’t.” Desperately she tried hard not to let him hear the bitterness in her voice. “Oh well, I’ll call you James. Night honey.”
“Night Stella, I love you.”
“Night.”

The main problem with Stella had been that she hadn’t started her period and she was now a day late. She was never late; early, yes; late, no. Over the next few days she worked longer hours to avoid seeing James, all the while praying and hoping that her period would start. She also checked out several websites to see what advice they could offer regarding the soonest you could do an accurate pregnancy test. The general consensus was that the first test could be a suspected three weeks gestation and she wasn’t quite there yet. She had found one test that claimed to be accurate the day after a missed period but Stella didn’t it trust it to be sensitive enough to be accurate.

She couldn’t go on making excuses and avoiding seeing James forever, but the subject of children was not one that she could consider having with him. Their views were worlds apart and surely the major obstacle in their relationship.

The next time that she saw him it was only briefly and she told him that she didn’t want him to stay over because she needed an early night; she was due to leave for a conference at 4.am and told James that it wouldn’t be fair on either of them if he stayed over. Reluctantly, he agreed.

Another week later and still no period, and Stella was going out of her mind with worry. The pregnancy test didn’t help; it was positive. With a heavy heart Stella went to her doctor for confirmation and to discuss an abortion.

Then she was confronted by another dilemma; did she finish with James and lie about the reason knowing full well that he’d hate her when the truth came out? Or did she finish with him and be honest about the abortion, safe in the knowledge that he would be disgusted with her and hate her? Then again did she have the abortion in secret and hope that he never found out? That was a non-runner; she couldn’t be that much of a deceitful bitch and one-day the truth would come out – it always did.

“James, can you come over? I erm, I need to see you.”
He chuckled. “It will be my pleasure, I’ve been lonely without you. I’ll be on my way now.”
Stella wanted to calm him down but wasn’t given the opportunity. James had put the phone down and although she called straight back, she got the answerphone. Next she tried his mobile but it went straight to voicemail. All she could do was wait.

“Hey darling,” he said kissing her on the cheek when she opened the door to him. “Cheer up; I got here as quickly as I could.”
“Yeah and I wish that you’d let me finish before you hung up, this isn’t a nice social call James. In fact, it couldn’t be further from that.”
“What are you on about?” he demanded, looking at her with a confused expression as they stood in the lounge.
“I have something to tell you and you’re going to hate me, so be warned.”
He went pale. “I don’t like the sound of this,” he muttered running his fingers through his hair. “Spit it out then. Are you moving or something?”

“Nothing so innocuous,” she commented.
“Stella will you tell me before I go crazy?”
“I’m pregnant and I’m going to see a doctor at a clinic about an abortion in a few days’ time.”
“You could at least have the decency to discuss it with me and pretend that my opinion counts for something!” he yelled furiously.
“I told you I don’t want kids.”
“It’s not just your kid though is it? As the father don’t I get a say?”
“No.”

“You bitch!”
“You’ve always known how I’ve felt James, I’ve never hidden it from you; never lied.”
“Stella,” James fought to control himself, “ you’re carrying our baby; our child; our flesh and blood; the result of our love. Doesn’t that count for something? Don’t you feel anything at all?”
“Nothing good, no.” She couldn’t look at him.

“I don’t believe you. I can’t believe that you can be that cold and uncompassionate. After all these years Stella, this is meant to be and it always was so stop running and hiding from it.”
“James I don’t want this baby. I don’t ever want to have a baby. Motherhood is not for me; I’m sorry.”
“So this is it then?” James sighed heavily. “You know that if you’re determined to do this that I can’t see you again Stella?”
“Yes. I thought that I at least owed you the truth. I’m sorry James; please don’t hate me too much.”
“Hate you! I don’t hate you; I pity you. I pity you for being so closed minded that you haven’t really thought about what you’re doing or the consequences of your actions.”

“I know that I don’t want kids.”
“No Stella, you’ve never considered how great having a child can be. They can be so enriching and bring so much joy and delight if you let them, but you can’t see beyond your own selfishness can you? Please reconsider Stella.”
“James I…”
“Come with me,” he said determinedly. “You are coming to my place and no arguing!”

Stella stood open-mouthed as James charged up the stairs and returned shortly after with a few pairs of clean knickers, a couple of t-shirts, couple of bras, two pairs of jeans and some socks.
“James!” she said indignantly. “What the hell are you doing?”
“You spend the next 48 hours with me and if you still feel the same way, well, we’ll go our separate ways ok?”

The first thing that Stella noticed when James opened the door was the huge portrait directly in front of her of a boy, she guessed he would be about five or six, and he was wearing a Welsh rugby kit. He certainly looked cute. Then she glanced around her and photographs of the same little boy were all around, from when he was a baby up to again, when he would be five or six.

“That’s Marcus,” smiled James, closing the door behind them. “My son.”
“Your son? You never said…”
“He was killed on a pedestrian crossing eighteen months ago by a car filled with joyriders.”
“Oh James. I’m so sorry.”
“I need you to understand, I don’t want to replace Marcus, hell no one could replace the little scamp, and I’m not trying to emotionally blackmail you into having our baby,” he sighed, his words getting hitched in his throat. “I just wanted you to watch some videos of him, to see how delightful having a child can be.”
“I think I owe you that much,” she conceded sombrely.

They didn’t go to bed that night, instead James talked about Marcus and they watched videos. He really was a glorious little boy. James no longer had contact with Marcus’ mum, she had been a groupie that James had a one night stand with. She told him of her and asked him for money to keep it quiet, instead when DNA testing proved that James was the father, he had applied for custody of the little boy and had won due to the mother’s drug habit.

On the day that he was killed they were going home from a friend’s birthday party. James had broken his leg in the accident but Marcus had died instantly.
“He’s the reason you didn’t let me come here.”
“I didn’t want to frighten you,” he smiled lamely. “I wanted to tell you, I just didn’t know how to. I never thought that we’d be discussing kids this soon, we’ve both been careful and always used condoms.”
“They’re not perfect.”
“I know but I never noticed a split one or anything.”

“Oh James let’s not worry about the how’s and why’s ok? You were a good dad; it’s obvious that you doted on him.”
“He was a good boy, ya know? Very intelligent and very good looking.”
“He took after you then!” she smiled, stroking his arm.
“Thanks. God, look at the time! I’ve kept you up all night yapping.”
“No worries.”
“Come on, I’ll show you to your bedroom and you can get some rest. I know that I need some sleep.”

A few hours later James went downstairs and smiled as he watched Stella viewing some more of the videos of Marcus and she was laughing at some of his antics.
“Hey,” said James deciding to let her know that he was there, “you ok?”
Stella stood up, walked over to him and out her arms around him. “I’m sorry for being so stubborn. You were right, having a child brings lots of rewards. Do you fancy helping out with ours?”
“Is that really what you want Stella? Don’t do it for me.”
“I’m not. James, I love you so much and, like you said, our baby was made with that love. All I thought of before was what I’d have to give up but actually my life, or our lives, will be enriched.”

“Yes they will.”
“And we’ll let this little one know about Marcus,” she smiled, patting her stomach.
James kissed her passionately. “I love you Stella.”
“Care to show me?” she enquired cheekily. “I could kill for a cup of tea!”
James burst out laughing. “I think I can manage that!”

The end.

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