Arden Coleman, a carrier, dreams of creating a family of two. His deep-seated trust issues do not allow him to see a future where he has a partner. He could go to a sperm bank, but the process is too fussy and again, he has trust issues. Still, he h...
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Introduction
I let the tears freely fall as they lower my mother's casket into her eternal resting place. The skies were dark and mourning with me. But the raindrops that grazed upon my skin were gentle, the exact opposite of the inner turmoil I feel inside. She was healthy and beautiful, but love killed her. No, it's unfair to say that, but in a way, her overwhelming love for her husband sent her to her demise.
"I promise, Mom. I will never love like you. I will protect my heart. I will not let my child experience the same fate as I did. I will right all of your wrongs; you and your husband's mistakes." I took a deep breath and rubbed my numb chest, a dull pain throbbing inside.
At seventeen, I considered myself an orphan. Mom left me and I don't have a dad anymore. Oh, he's very much alive, but I'm disowning him. He's dead to me. That cheating scum died when he cheated on Mom.
"Shall we go?" A soft voice from beside me asked. I turned to him and nodded. River Westfall, my best friend, and brother from another mother, pulled me for a tight hug. "It's going to be okay, Arden. I'm here for you. We are here for you; me and Aunt Becca. You are welcome in our home."
Eight years later,
River was true to his words: he and Aunt Becca adopted me into their home and I couldn't be more grateful. River lost his parents to a vehicular accident when he was five and it was Aunt Becca, sister of River's mother, who took care of him. River's parents were affluent and left River a very comfortable life, which explained why he adopted me without a second thought. In return, I try my best to behave and not annoy him, especially these days when I'm on the hunt for the perfect sperm donor.
River is a year older than me and he is very protective. When I told him two years ago that I want to have a child, his eyes almost fell out of their sockets. If not for the seriousness of the situation, I would have guffawed at his comical expression.
"You mean, you want to adopt a child," River clarified with a smile and a nod.
"No. I want to have a child. I mean, carry one."
River looked at me as if I was the craziest person he ever met. That's slightly insulting. "Can you even hear yourself, Arden? You're talking about pregnancy as if you are choosing what you want to cook for dinner. You don't even have a boyfriend."
I grimaced in disgust. "Of course! Why would I need one?! What are you suggesting? Ew!" I shook my fingers dramatically as if I shook hands with a man. I am not a man-hater: I just don't like them. There's a difference. Maybe. I don't go around preaching that men are assholes, so there's that.
River rolled his eyes and threw me a droll stare. "How can you get pregnant without a man? You're not Virgin Mary."
This time, it was my turn to give River a deadpan look. "Sperm banks, duh."
