Dark Paradise - Joel Miller x OC

Baby

Warning: mention of past trauma, sterility/motherhood and awful ways women had to go through to get abortion before it was legal.

The read proofing was bit light on this chapter, sorry 'bout that. Don't hesitate to point out any incoherence, especially with his/her, as they really don't work the same in French and google trad often messes up with them and I don't always see it.

Photo by MChe Lee on Unsplash

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"She adopted you Joel!

-Well she's pretty darn cute."

In their living room, all eyes are on the man, sitting in his chair. He only has eyes for the sleeping baby in his arms. Her mother, Louisa, is a friend of Chloe and Molly, who is also present along with Maria. Their husbands are also there, and a good-natured atmosphere reigns in the house.

Standing by the fireplace, Chloe serves her guests tea, a slight smile on her lips. She spent her morning baking various cookies and snacks, under the amused eye of her companion. It looked like she was about to receive a president or a king. But he knows she enjoys having people around her and serving them good food is part of her way to expresses her affection. She takes as much pleasure in it as he does with his sculptures, so why stop her.

While the discussions are going well, the baby wakes up and starts to cry. Her mother makes a gesture to offer to take her back, but Joel shakes his head and stands up.

"Enjoy your tea, I'm taking this little lady for a walk."

With a smile on her lips, Chloe watches him leave for the dining room, gently hugging the baby in his arms to calm her down. She snaps out of her thoughts, feeling Louisa staring at her intently before commenting.

"He does so well with babies."

Chloe nods, smiling politely but not saying anything. At this moment, she has only one fear, that someone brings the matter to the table. It's clearly the elephant in the room. She and Joel have been together for almost a year now, more if counting the time spent in secret, and she is still young. Everyone should expect her to get pregnant, it's not like birth control methods are plentiful in this world.

Apart from the Miller family, only Molly knows her situation. She had asked her that question some time ago when she was considering the possibility of becoming parents with Chris. Chloe had just told her she couldn't have any, and her friend hadn't insisted. But now all eyes are on her, and she knows it won't be long before one of them says joyfully, "what about you, when will you have one?"

Sitting on the window seat, Maria can see everything. She knows very well what is going through the young woman's head at that time. She has been in this position. She hasn't been sterilized, but it's just like it. None of her pregnancies came to term, causing a little more damage each time. Failure after failure, Tommy had stayed by her side, sharing her pain, and supporting her in her decisions. Now they know they will never be parents. Make flourish Jackson and its community, that's their baby.

Yes, Maria knows full well what Chloe is feeling, and she knows the embarrassment such a question could cause her. So she asks the parents a down to earth question about their new home. Taking advantage of this change of conversation, the hostess gets up, pretending to have to do something in the kitchen.

Without a sound, she approaches the room. She stands in the doorway for a few moments, resting her temple there, both softened and with a heavy heart. Joel and the baby are there, looking at something through the window above the sink. The man she loves didn't notice she was there, too absorbed in his babbling to the little one against him. He talks to her about everything and nothing, it doesn't really make any other sense than trying to get the baby to laugh and smile. His soft and tender voice melts her.