Chapter 11
996 Words
Am I gaining weight?
I put on a long red dress that just barely fits. It's tighter than it used to be, but the open back
leaves some room for my body to change a bit.
It'll have to do. This dress as well as most of the others in my closet we're a gift from Troy just in
case we had to attend anything formal.
Checking the mirror one last time to convince myself I haven't started showing yet, I skip down
the stairs and into the kitchen where Jay waits with his nose over a large book.
"Whatchya reading?"
The man jumps a bit before turning with a smile.
"You sure know how to sneak up on people. It's a cookbook. Are you feeling pasta or fish? You
look great by the way."
I thank him, but afraid of what the fish smell might do, I figure pasta is the best choice, so Jay
gets out the ingredients for it.
"How could we possible need all this," I ask in shock. "Isn't it just noodles and sauce?"
I receive a snicker.
"I need to jampack all the nutrition you need into this one meal. You have noodles, meat sauce,
spinach, and several spices not only for the taste, but also the health benefits."
I'm not going to question his job, so I nod and assume he knows what he's doing.
I stand close to him while he let's the noodles cook in one pan, but watch in fascination as he
handles the other. The meat, sauce, and spinach are all in it and by the time the noodles are half
cooked he hands me five bottles.
"Throw these in. Not all of it, just pretend they're ice cream sprinkles."
I laugh while the black, white, red, brown, and beige contents cover the top of the pan like a
bland rainbow. I'm jealous of the chefs who get to do this all day. I bet after I give birth and
finish up here, I could use the money to become a chef.
"Good job," Jay says leaning over my shoulder to catch sight of my asthetically pleasing food
art. "Now we stir."
He hands me a wooden spoon, but keeps a hand over mine as to lead my stirring in all
directions.
In fact, this simple motion is so calming that I didn't even notice his hand around my waist until
he pulls back slightly at the sound of a voice.
"What going on?"
Troy stands in the doorway with furrowed brows and an intimidating look in Jay's direction.
He eyes the hand around my waist and looks back and forth between the two of us.
Jay is the one to speak up and clue our boss in.
"The lovely Tess and I are on a date. Doesn't she look beautiful?"
Instead of just Jay's stare, I also receive Troy's. His is more long lasting and wide eyed, but I
assume he's just remembering he bought this dress.
"She does," he states before walking away.
I hope he didn't feel unwelcome in his own kitchen. He certainly wasn't interrupting, but I
suppose it's too late to call him back.
"Pastas ready!"
When I turn around, Jay has put the noodles through the strainer and started putting the sauce
on.
It looks like a five star meal to be honest.
"It looks like a sculpture. It's a shame to ruin it," I say digging in.
Jay agrees, but assures me the food WANTS to be eaten and I'd hurt it's feelings if I didn't.
Where he came to that conclusion, I have no idea.
"What do you like to do besides cook," I ask after a bite.
"Sit outside. Work on my tan, mountain biking, and I'd say fishing are all what I do most often."
"Wow. Very active."
He nods.
"What about you?"
These are the kind of questions I dread. I don't like to do anything. At least, I didn't until I came
to live with Troy and Jasmine. Now I do alot of things to pass the time.
"Reading is what I do most of the day. I've been going through alot of pregnancy books. Until I
get done with this pregnancy and the first few months with the baby, I can't do much, but I'd like
to explore some afterwards."
Jay nods in understanding.
"Maybe after you deliver and finish up with Troy and Jasmine's kid, I could help you with that."
"That's sounds great."
............................................
The date went great. In fact, there was even a knock on my door at eleven when I was supposed
to be sleeping off the stress of the day.
Jay came in, keeping the door cracked for an easy exit.
"You really do look beautiful," he says sitting next to me on the bed.
I look at my pajamas and frown.
"I'm not even in the dress anymore."
Jay smile smugly and shift closer. "I know. Things went great today, don't you think?"
I agree which proves to make the nutritionist even more excited.
"Don't take this the wrong way. I assume you aren't a virgin?"
Obviously. Despite selling my virginity, nobody would decide to give birth as a virgin. Except
Jane the Virgin, but I don't know if that's a true story or not.
I shake my head and Jay sighs in relief.
"Okay, I know you've been cooped up here for a while and things are going good between us..."
Does he mean our one date? Okay... "It's just that intimicy is a big part of a relationship and you
know how you're pregnant... I just don't want what we have now to be pushed away or forgotten
because of the pregnancy or the hormones. I imagine you'll get to a certain point in this
pregnancy where s*x is no longer an option, so I just... Would you like to give us a try now? s*x,
I mean. Do you want to have s*x?"
- Writer
