A Baby By Bestie

7: Can I Have Your Baby?

"Hey, remember our Saturday routine?" I said after a while of just watching him.

"Please tell me you started to make your own bed these days." I grinned at me and winked. His dimples checked in.

I laughed, "Yeah, but I left it this morning especially for you."

He chuckled. "Very funny Johansson. It's not nice to make fun of the neat freak."

"Whatever. What do you want for breakfast?" I asked, heading for the door, "you need a bath by the way."

"Anything fried and waffles, mom!"

I ignored the last word and pointed to the bathroom. "It's that way."

I went to my room and got out a pack of new boxers. Don't ask me why I have them, most females find these this incredibly comfy. I've been investing in them since my very first real job at my highschool's library. I placed a pair on his bed with one of my oversized t-shirts that would probably be a little tight for Rick but it's clean and he'd like it. I then turned on the radio and started breakfast.

We sat down to eat a few minutes later and Rick must've took this as a good opportunity to study me. He spent the whole time watching me, only looking away to pop a forkful of food into his mouth before settling his eyes back on me. I ignored him at first, but my patients wore out pretty soon after.

"You know, it's very rude to stare." I said, struggling to keep a straight face.

"I can't help it, I'm sorry." He grinned at me with his dimpled cheeks. "I'm trying to figure out if you've changed at all."

"Have I?" I couldn't help asking. Why? I have no idea.

He shook his head, "no. Not really. You probably got prettier."

"Or older." I felt the need to change the subject, afraid he might ask me out again. If he does, I'm not sure what I would end up saying. Rick has a way of getting irresistibly adorable at times.

"I haven't gotten a chance to see the draft for your book yet. Do you have it with you?" As my business grew I started hiring agents to take on the initial process of publishing, which includes taking a look at the manuscripts. Which explains why I haven't read his yet.

He nodded, suddenly extremely enthusiastic. "Yeah, I happen to have a soft copy in my email. I can show you on my phone."

Rick jumped up from beside me at the island. "I'll get my phone! I really want to know what you think of it." He totally ditched his half eaten breakfast and all but sprinted back to the guest room.

When he returned, Rick was a bundle of nerves holding his iphone in his hands. He let out a shaky breath before placing himself back where he was before he ran off. "So, this is probably different from your usually publications. I've seen Drama, Thriller, Paranormal, Romance... All those themed books. I'm not sure how often you've published one of these."

That got me seriously curious. "What is it?"

"Just read it. You'll see." He said, handing me his phone.

I wiped my hands in a napkin and took the device. I peered at the title that jumped out at me and instantly sat up, a bright smile spread across my face automatically. Memories of my favorite childhood pet cat flooded in and a drop of tear. "Oh my gosh! It's a children's book!"

He nodded again, his dimples deeper than they were before. "Do you like it?"

I read the title out loud, "The Adventures of Mr. Pookie and the Backyard Jungle and other stories." I blinked back tears. He didn't! I can't believe this.

"I've been writing it for years and didn't quite know what to do with it until I heard about Ari's Publishers. You didn't tell me you made it." He looked sad for a second before he shook his head and gave me an encouraging smile to continue reading.

I nodded. "Mr Pookie was a kittie./ And a very cute one was he./ With white and sandy hair and bright blue eyes./ He would stare in wonder and claw at the skies..." I started to see the book. It's covers with bright colors and the kitten on the front in a flowery field chasing happily a butterfly. I could see Rick at the book signing, his very first and him sitting in a circle of kids, reading it to them.

He'd be great with kids. He loved them years ago and I can tell he still does. He'd make an awesome dad, wouldn't he? No. No, no, no. We're not doing this today.

"Ari?"

"Mm?" I didn't realized I had stopped reading. How could one not? I mean, isn't reading a conscious thing? Was I unconscious?

"You stopped reading. And I would say it's rude to stare but you already know that." He blushed a little and looked away.

I did the same. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize..."

"What?" He asked curiously, leaning towards me.

I shook my head, no. "Nothing."

"Ari."

"Yeah?"

"Is now a good time for me to ask you out again?" He met my eyes and reached for my hands, almost like he did at the restaurant, but with more urgency.

I found myself trapped and it felt like I've been there before. In a place where I wanted desperately to give in and also run away from. And I found it strange that earlier I was actually thinking he's be perfect for my child. In the seconds that passed where I felt paralyzed, I realized that I wanted a lot from my best friend. And one of those was a baby.

As he waited for me to give him an answer, I struggled with how exactly I would form my response. What precisely would I say? Rick, the thing is, I don't wanna date you. You're my best friend. I just want your baby. But you're my best friend! This is stupid.

"We'll, Rick... Umm... You see." I looked down at our intertwined fingers and back up at his gorgeous face. He looked worried. "I have a little... Situation."

"And what's that?" His voice was low and soft and comforting. "It'll be okay, I'm sure."

I sighed. He doesn't even know that. "I don't wanna date. I don't want a relationship. I just want a baby." I sounded miserable and whiney like a small child. I abandoned his phone and covered my face with my hands. I can't believe I just said that.

A second passed and Rick started to chuckle. One that made me both happy and even more miserable. "You what?"

I lifted my head to glare at him. "I want a baby. Is that a bad thing? I want to get pregnant and rais a child."

He stared at me in silence for a little longer now, until I started to feel a bit uncomfortable. "Okay, she's serious." He finally said, more to himself than me.

"Yes. And I figured since you're here and I know you more than the other guys that try to pursue me these days..." I trailed off. Where am I going with this? It's embarrassing!

"You want to have my baby?" I'm not quite sure if he was weirded out at yet.

"Yes." I said simply.

"But you don't want me. I mean, us?" He sounded genuinely heartbroken. "I don't know Ariadne. I'll have to think about this."