>MARRIAGE OF CONVENIENCE
Chapter 18

PAULA

      "So the two of you finally decided to find out the sex of the baby?" I questioned during our pedicures.

      "Yup," she replied with a huge smile as she caressed her swollen belly.

      "Well?" I questioned eagerly.  She knew what she was doing and I didn't appreciate her keeping it a secret like it was the cure to cancer and she hadn't yet gotten the patent.

      "It's a boy!" she finally answered.

      "A big headed boy, huh?" I asked rhetorically with a smile.

      "Well if he's anything like his father, than that's for damn sure," she replied with a smirk.

      "Uh-oh," I jeered with a smile of my own.  "Let me find out."

      "You never will," she answered easily and adjusted the massagers in the pedicure chair.  "You or anyone else."

      "I know that's right," I moaned as the nail technician massaged floral scented shea butter onto my feet.  "So what do you say to us doing some shopping for the baby?"

      "I say that's a good idea.  Now that we know the sex I can get things in other colors than just greens and yellows."

TERRI

      "I told you all this was a bad idea from the start," Asia replied as she and my girls sat down at the table with their drinks in hand.

      "I have to agree with Asia on this one boo," Sharon threw in as she sipped her Long Island Iced Tea.  "You've been acting like a stalker and that's hardly cute."

      "Uh-uh," I interrupted with an offended lilt.  "I don't do stalker.  I'm just pissed and wanted a little pay back."

      "Yes, but you went about it the wrong way," Sharon explained.  "You never go after the woman.  Get the man.  That's the one you were with.  For all you know his wife didn't know a thing about you."

      "True," Nicole added.  "Besides, Omari has come up to you about the way you treat his wife and I'd adhere to that.  I mean he's a Deveraux man and they don't play that.  Have you not met his father?"

      "No," I answered truthfully with a frown, "and I'm surprised that you have."

      "Girl I was born and raised in Louisiana.  Everyone knew of the Deveraux clan," Nicole supplied.  "I actually interned at his father's corporation during college and that man does not play games."

      "So you think I'm wrong and should back off?"

      "I think you have a right to feel how you feel but you're taking it out on the wrong person," Asia replied as she slid her drink towards me.  "Here.  Get a little of this in your system.  By the time tonight is over you won't even remember an Omari."

ISABELLA

      "So have you two thought about names?" Paula questioned as we unpacked all of the things she'd purchased.  She'd really been taking the whole 'Role of a Godmother' thing seriously.

      "A few but nothing definitive," I answered.

      "So what?  You're going to wait until little Omari Jr. comes along before you settle on a name?" she questioned as she closed the armoire.

      "There will be no junior's over here," I started, "but we have time.  I'm due around August/September; that's five months from now.  I'm positive we can think of something during that time."  Paula nodded before turning to me with a wide smile.  "Uh-oh.  I know that smile.  What are you up to?"

      "I'm not up to anything," she replied as she raised her hand in the universal motion of surrender.  "I just realized that this year will be your first mother's day as a mommy!"

      "You know I hadn't even thought of that," I answered truthfully.

      "Of course you didn't but now you get the same perks our mother's got during the holiday."

      "What?  Go on spa days?" I questioned rhetorically.  "Nope!  I'll probably just make Omari cook."

      "Good luck on that one," Omari's voice rang out.

      I turned around and pouted.  "What?  You wouldn't cook for me?"

      "Baby, you don't want me to cook for you," he replied as he pressed a kiss on my cheek.  "What's all this?"

      "We went shopping," Paula answered with a huge smile.

      "I can see that," he replied as he motioned towards the bags that littered the floor.

      "Don't say it like that," she admonished before going on and on about the things she'd bought that we'd need and would thank her for later.  Paula was more into the new baby that I was and that was saying a bit because after I'd gotten over the initial cold feet, I really began to anticipate how life with the baby would be.

      "But we already got that," Omari interrupted her as she'd pointed towards the boxed stroller and Paula gave him this little condescending look.

      "No," Paula replied shaking her head, "what you've got is one of those little standard strollers and those are alright but not for my God baby.  What I have here," she stated as she motioned to the huge box to her right, "is a Bugaboo Cameleon and you can use this everywhere.  I'm talking about from the woods to the beach.  On top of that I got you this handy little car seat connection thingy so it converts into a car seat and has a built in bassinet--"

      "I get it," Omari spoke up, interrupting her tirade.  "It's the shit."

      "Yes it is," she agreed before picking up another contraption she assured we just had to have.

PAULA

      "I take it you like kids," Dreux replied in amusement over dinner.

      I blushed a little at his statement.  I suppose I had been talking about Isabella and Omari's pregnancy for a while, but I couldn't help it.  It was so exciting.  In a few months my best fried would be having a baby!

      "I adore kids," I agreed.  "Even more so since they're not mine."

      Dreux fell out laughing at that and I joined him.  Shit, I'm no fool.  Kids are wonderful and everything but it's a lot of work and strife.  Being a parent never ends...even when your child is an adult and has started their own family.  At this point in my life, I had the best of both worlds.  I mean I get to spoil the kids and play the good guy and the parents actually have to do all the disciplining. If they ever got to be too much to handle I can just give the kids back to their parents.  Parents, on the other hand, don't have that option.  I'm perfectly happy with being the favorite aunt.    I think that's a good payoff.

      "I get you; my brother Jordan's son is off the chain.  Little man is five going on sixteen.  Of course he's cute cause he's not mine but if that was my son we'd be doing more than putting his little ass in time out," Dreux joked.

      "So..." I trailed as I stared into Dreux's brown eyes, "tell me something about you that nobody else knows."

      He looked down for a moment before glancing back at me, "Okay.  How about the fact that I really like you and am not looking forward to you leaving tomorrow."

      I bit my bottom lip and turned my attention to my food.  I didn't quite know how to respond to that.  Dreux...he was the sort of guy you just pictured yourself with when thinking about a relationship you'd actually want to last.  He was confident, intelligent, had a career that he was damn good at, and was honest about everything he did.  He was a man and as such held no punches.  What you saw was what you got and I loved that about him but I was also frightened at the thought of getting into another relationship.  Especially one that would have to be long distance.  Relationships were hard enough when you lived in the same city!

      After months of conversation and visits I could honestly say that I wanted him.  The dating had been fun but the desire to have him exclusively was high.  What kept niggling at the back of my mind was the fact that we were still in that 'newlywed' faze where everything was just perfect and I was waiting for the other shoe to drop.  

Isabella

      "Say what?" I asked Paula in shock.

      "I was thinking about transferring to the University of Miami next semester," Paula repeated and I looked at her shock.

      For as long as I've known her, she wanted to go to Georgetown.  That was the dream and now she was talking about transferring to a school she'd previously had no desire to attend that was located in a state she didn't want to reside in. This just wasn't adding up and I needed some answers. 

      "Since when?"

      "Since I decided that I really liked Dreux and that UM had a great department for my major," Paula answered.  "The two of us have been kicking it for a while and, yeah, it's been okay with the long distance up until this point but you know I can't do that for too long.  I need the person I'm with to be around and phone calls can only last for so long."

      "Have you talked to your parents about this?" I asked her.

      She shook her head negatively.  "Really, there's not much they can say.  As long as I'm continuing my education they're happy."

      "Do you really think your parents will just take the fact that you're leaving Georgetown, of all places, to come here easily?  They're going to want at least a little explanation, especially since it's going to be on their dime."

      “Girl, please.  Everyone knows that you’re pregnant.  They wouldn’t even bat an eye.  Besides, the University of Miami is a good school."

      "So you're going to use me as an excuse to continue your relationship with Druex?" I asked with an arched brow.  "Nice."

      "Don't be like that," she whined.  "You know I'm moving to be with you too. "

      "But I'm the consolation prize," I added with a pout, fighting to hide my smirk.  She opened her mouth to argue that point, but I held up my hand and said, "No.  It's fine.  I understand."

      "Come on Bella," she whined and I couldn't hold my amusement and fell out laughing.  "You bitch!" she hissed.  "You had me thinking that I really hurt your feelings."

      "I know and I'm sorry, but I just couldn't help it."

      "Try," she added, continuing to pout.

      "So...how does Dreux feel about this move?" I asked, changing the subject.

      "He doesn't know yet," Paula answered.