***
After his parents had pointed out to him exactly how stupid he’d been, Dean sat quietly by the pool in his parents’ house, deep in thought. He’d never seen his dad so furious and disappointed in him. Not even when Dean had made a bad business decision that had cost Michael Broody’s empire a lot of money when Dean had initially taken over the business. His dad had laughed it off and said it was a learning curve. This time was however different. Michael Broody was mad. One thing his father had said that had cut Dean deep was that Dean was worse than all the foster parents who hadn’t shown Kayla any love, put together.
“At least I don’t think they’d ever claimed to love her. She didn’t expect any affection, understanding, or love from them because they never led her to believe they were going to give her that.” Michael had hissed. “You, on the other hand, abandoned her at the time she needed you most. And you call her cruel and wicked? Looked in a mirror of late? You are the cruel one. I thought we raised you better. She told you she kept the baby and you still allowed yourself to be ruled by your anger and broke up with her? And you think you are the better parent? Damn it!” The senior Broody had sworn darkly and stood up and started to pace.
“At least she put that baby first when she finally realized what a gift she’d been given. She even deferred her course to next year because she doesn’t think she can cope with the stress of early pregnancy and studies. You could have helped her study and write her exams, damn it. That’s what people do when they love people. They help them…not make them so terrified they almost get a heart attack at the mere mention of their names. How could you act so unfeeling? How could you…”
“Honey, it’s okay.” Lucy Broody cut off her husband, who was by then screaming and urged him to go and lie down.
And with a disappointing look at Dean, Michael had allowed his wife to escort him to their bedroom. That was when Dean had gone out to sit by the pool, feeling like the very scum of earth. What had he done, he asked himself for the umpteenth time.
When Dean heard his mother’s footsteps approaching, he turned his head to look at her. She had been so angry with him and Jean that afternoon, she’d sent her secretary to tell them whilst they waited in her office, that lunch was off. He hadn’t been able to ask his mother about what she had meant by Kayla getting terrified by merely hearing their names. Had Kayla been at the hospital when they’d gone there? Dean didn’t know what to think.
Lucy sat down beside her son on the bench and leaned her head against his shoulder. She hated it when her husband went ballistic on their sons. She however knew Dean had totally deserved it. But he was still her baby and her heart went out to him.
“I’m sorry I ruined your birthday,” Dean murmured.
“Don’t worry about me. I’m just grateful to be alive.” Lucy replied quietly.
Dean went quiet for a while and spoke again. “I didn’t know she deferred her finals.”
“She didn’t think she could stop sleeping long enough to study since she was all by herself and all. She did the right thing. You could have helped her though.”
Dean nodded and realized his mother couldn’t see him. “I could have.” He agreed, silently calling himself every vile word he could think of. “Was she…was she at the hospital when we came in today?” Dean’s voice was barely above a whisper.
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you tell me? I would have gone to see her.”
Lucy gave a short humourless laugh and sat upright to look at her son. “Just the mere mention of your name, Dean…all Agnes did was mention that the two of you were in and she almost had a heart attack.”
“Jesus,” Dean whispered.
Lucy nodded tersely. “I had to give her a shot to calm her down. That’s how bad it was.”
“Fu… Sorry.” Dean muttered. “How are she and the baby doing?”
“They’re fine,” Lucy responded, patting Dean gently on the thigh. “I don’t foresee any complications.”
“You sure she’s fine?”
“She’s fine.”
“I’ve been worried about her. I know she’d kept taking the pill even after getting pregnant since she hadn’t known…”
“She’s okay, baby. I’ve checked her out thoroughly. Everything is fine.”
Dean nodded. “She has err…her nipples are itchy all the time. Has it stopped?”
Lucy laughed softly. “No, it hasn’t. But I’ve given her something for it. It’s embarrassing and irritating but she’ll just have to endure it till the baby comes. Not all women have that problem. It can bring a lot of…pleasure if you know how to…”
“Mum…” Dean groaned.
“Ow come on, you already know it. Don’t be coy. I’m sure you…”
“Mum, can we not talk about this right now? Jeez.” Dean groaned, getting to his feet whilst his mother laughed teasingly.
“You have to make this right, son.” Lucy finally stopped laughing and told her son. “You have to be by her side.”
“I’m scared, mum,” Dean whispered.
“Of what?”
“That she might not take me back. You don’t know Kayla.”
“You can only know if you try. If she doesn’t, you just have to try harder. I wouldn’t make it easy for you either if I were in her shoes. You hurt her. Even worse, she’s now terrified of you. You have a lot of work to do, my dear.”
Then Dean blurted out something that made Lucy Broody smile with pure joy. “I want to marry her, Mum. But now, she won’t allow it. She feels marriages that take place because of a baby, never last. It’s not because of the baby though. I just don’t see myself spending the rest of my life without her.” Dean muttered sounding so miserable.
“So it’s up to you to convince her that, you don’t want to marry her because of some baby. You want her for you. If you play your cards right, she’ll be begging you to marry her. No son of mine is a pussy.”
“Mum…” Dean’s eyes widened at his mother’s choice of words. Then they both burst into laughter. Lucy stood and hugged her son. “I love you so much, mum. Thanks.”
“I love you too, baby. Make me proud.”
And with that, mother and son turned to go back into the house, both lost in their own thoughts.