Sara's Unyielding Lover (The Lovers Series) (18 page)

2 weeks later…

Gio had to do something about Eric, he was getting multiple
complaints from workers over the way Eric had been treating them lately.
 
Some employees that have even been with
them for years were threatening to quit. As he started to walk through the
store heading for the back of the store where the offices were and storage, Gio
could already hear Eric’s voice. He was tearing into someone over a miss mark.

“You just cost the store $350 fucking dollars! You want that
money coming out of your pay? (He didn’t give the clerk time to answer) no I
bet you fucking don’t so you better read the tags better because next time it
will. Now get to the fucking front!”
 
Eric’s voice was so cold and harsh and just by looking at the scowl on
his face and the deadness of his eyes you could tell he was hanging on by a
thread.

Gio had never seen his cousin this way. He never lost his
temper with employees. Never cursed at the business, always said it was
unprofessional. Gio walked to his cousin hands in his pocket , his stance
relaxed he didn’t want to incite Eric.

“Eric cuz we need to talk.” He kept his voice calm and low.

“What about?” Eric’s voice was still loud .

“First you need to calm down and lower your voice I could
here you all the way up front when I walked in. Now you know that’s not good
for business.”

Eric covered his face with his hands and then slid them up
and through his hair. He looked like shit. He had maybe 2 days growth on his
face. There were dark circles under his eyes showing the sleepless nights he’s
had and his hair was a mess from him constantly running his hands through it.

“Let’s go to the office so we can sit and talk ok?”

Eric puffed out a breath ran his hands once again through
his hair, but this time when he answered Gio his voice was calm. “Yeah ok.”

They both walked to Eric’s office when they were both inside
Gio shut the door. Eric went to sit at his desk and Gio took the chair in front
of it. Gio never being one to beat around the bush, as nice as he could he
 
just came out with it. “We have top
employees threatening to leave because of the way you’ve been riding them these
last two weeks. It’s got to stop.”

Eric with his face in his hands again his voice was muffled.

“I know I’ll apologize I just can’t get rid of this anger so
it just hits who ever is around me. It’s been two weeks, she won’t answer the
letters I send, she returns the flowers. I even tried going to her work but
she’s in a secured building, you can’t go up with out a visitors pass and you
can’t get one unless you are an approved visitor,
 
which I’m not. I can’t sleep, I’m never hungry and when I
manage to get some sleep I’m dreaming about us making love and I just wake up
hard frustrated and angry.”

“You only knew her two weeks Eric.”

“That doesn’t matter it could have been 2 days or 2 hours, I
connected to her like I’ve never connected to a woman before. My body my mind
need her, craves her, I love her and it’s killing me that she won’t even let me
explain.”

When Eric moved his hands to look at Gio, Gio saw the shimmering
of unshed tears in his eyes. Apart from when his father died and the night
James was killed and his funeral, Gio had never seen Eric cry.
 

“Look why don’t you go home ok. Take a couple of days off
I’ll rearrange the schedule to make sure everything is covered.”

Standing up to his feet Eric grabbed his keys of he desk.
“Ok, call me if you can’t cover something.” With that he left.

When Eric left Gio walked around and sat at his desk logged
on to the computer went to Google search; he was on a mission, he would find
someway to contact Sara and explain the truth he couldn’t stand seeing his
cousin this way any more.

                                                           
***

It was starting out to be a bad day, the new merchant she
had contracted had a major malfunction with their machinery. So the order she
placed would not get filled in time. So now she had to hurry and find a quick
replacement or the store won’t have the merchandise for the promoted sale.

“God why is it when ever I’m on my period that’s when
everything falls apart around me. I’m already irritated and the Midol I took
isn’t helping.” Jo Ann complained while rubbing her abdomen, her eyes squished
closed with discomfort.

Sara commiserated. “Yeah the first two days for me are the worst.
I have a heating pad constantly on my belly and I get as irritated as a bear
with a pine cone shoved up his butt.”

“Well thank god our cycles haven’t synced up yet or the
whole office would have to run for cover.”

“Yeah, my periods not due till…” Sara stopped mid sentence.
“What was today’s date again?”

“31
^st
“

Sara put a hand to her belly her eyes wide she started to hyperventilate
with panic setting in. Jo Ann stood up and walked around her desk to get to
Sara. She was completely frozen apart from her chest moving with her rapid
breathing.

“Sara what is it what’s wrong?”

“I’m Late.” Her voice was barely audible but Jo Ann her
utter the two words every single woman fears.

“Shit! Sorry, how late is late I mean you been stressed and
have had an emotional couple of weeks that can effect your cycle.”

“My period was due the weekend that Eric and I broke up,
that was two weeks ago.” She started to pace back in forth in Jo Ann’s office.
“Oh god oh god oh god, this can’t be, why, what am I gonna do?”

She turned her panicked tear filled eyes to Jo Ann hoping
she would have an answer. Jo Ann knowing she had to stay calm to keep Sara from
panicking further, steadied her breathing and schooled her face. She reached
out and grabbed Sara by her shoulders to stop her from wearing a hole in her
carpet.

“1
^st
we are going to get a test before we panic
ok? If it was due that weekend maybe the stress of what happened made you late
and with him constantly sending you letters and flowers it’s keeping you in an
agitated state.”

Jo Ann checked her clock “It’s almost time for lunch, we can
leave a bit early we’ll go to the drug store a few blocks down and get you a
test ok?”

Wringing her hands Sara to emotional to speak just nodded in
agreement. They both collected their purses and made their way to the elevator.
When they got to the parking level Sara started walking toward her car but Jo
Ann stopped her.

“Let’s take my car so you don’t have to drive, you’re pretty
stressed and I doubt you can concentrate on the road.”

Jo Ann took Sara by her arm and walked her to her car. There
was a Rite Aid only 4 blocks down. Once parked they walked into the store
together. Neither of them knew what isle the tests would be in so Jo Ann asked.

“Excuse me where would I find pregnancy tests?”

The fifty something year old cashier smiled at them.
“They’re down isle 12 women’s products, if you are I hope you get what you
want, children are such blessings.”

Jo Ann thanked the nice cashier and they walked back to isle
12. Sara couldn’t believe what she saw, there was over 10 kinds of pregnancy tests,
which one would she need? They each took a box and started reading narrowing
down their choices. They ended up with a First Response test that could tell
you if you were pregnant a day after your missed period and it was digital no
guessing does it look pink, is that a second line no this test said either
pregnant or not pregnant. Test in hand they went to pay. The friendly cashier
commented that the test they chose was in fact one of the best ones they had
and then she wished us luck.

“Where do you want to take it?”

“Uhm I I don’t know.”

“Ok well in my opinion you should not take it at the office
cause you may end in tears and then everyone will be up in your cool aide.
 
Why don’t you take it here, then you
will have time to compose yourself before we get back.”

“Ok”

The walked back in the store and looked for the restroom
sign. They followed the signs all the way to the back. It was a muti-stall
bathroom so Jo Ann could be in there and wait with her. Sara opened the box and
read the directions carefully. The tip of the stick had to be in her urine
stream for 15 seconds. That’s easy enough; she ripped the plastic foil from the
actual test and took it. She made sure to only grab it at the right end, she
finished cleaned herself and used some toilet paper to hold the test. She left
the stall grabbed a napkin and placed the test on it while she washed her
hands. The test said it needed 5 minutes. And those were the longest 5 minutes
of Sara’s life.

“Ok Sara five minutes up let’s read the test.”

They both turned to see the test at the same time. Sara
started to cry and Jo Ann was just in shock, she pulled Sara in for a hug
trying to calm and sooth her. The test read “Pregnant”

Jo Ann returned to the office alone, when they arrived at
the parking garage she told Sara to just go home; no way would she be able to
work today. If she didn’t have to fix this screw up with the merchandise she
would have gone with her. She would go over after work, maybe bring her some
Chinese and butter pecan ice-cream.

                                                           
***

It had taking Gio the better part of two hours before he
found the right number. He had to do people searches with what little he knew
of Jo Ann. But he finally found the right one.

Jo Ann Miller

Buyer for Mervin’s Department Store

(619)555-7502

Now all he had to do was call her and get to not hang up but
listen.

“Jo Ann Millers Office.”

“Hi yes I was wanting to talk to Ms Miller please.”

“Is she expecting your call?”

“No. You’re not her usual Asst.”

“No I’m not they sent me up from personal to help for today
Ms. Stevens was ill.”

Gio sat up in his chair. “Sick? How sick? Is she at the
hospital or somewhere?” Concern pored from his voice Eric would go nuts if she
was sick or hurt and he couldn’t be with her.

“No sir just an upset stomach she’ll be back tomorrow.”

At hearing that he relaxed. “Can you patch me to Ms. Miller
then please.”

“Who may I ask is calling?”

If he said Gio she wouldn’t talk to him, he and Eric had
different last names because their mothers took their husbands names; so he could
give his last name and she wouldn’t know it was him until she picked up.

“Yes please tell her its Mr. Garcia.”

“Ok hold please.”

“Jo Ann Miller.”

Before she recognized his voice he rushed out his words.

“It’s really important don’t hang up please 5 minutes.”

Now she officially marked this day as the day from hell:
screwed up orders, deadlines, her period, her friend pregnant and now Mr. I’ll
break the guy code was calling her.

She was short and curt. “Five minutes”

Gio sighed in relief she was going to listen to him. “Ok
look Eric is a mess without Sara he’s not eating or sleeping he’s mad at
everyone.”

“How that two timing dick feels is none of my concern, 3
minutes.”

“Ok then Sara didn’t see what she saw.”

“Ha” Jo Ann laughed sarcastically

“Eric went to confront Tracy about what she had said because
none of it was true, Tracy in a last ditched effort to try and make Eric feel
something for her she grabbed his face and kissed him.”

“So now you’re gonna lie to me again! Sara saw him holding
her, what, was he doing that as a fair thy well.”

“That’s just it he wasn’t holding her, he had grabbed her
wrists trying to pull them of him with out hurting her to stop the kiss and put
space between them.”

Jo Ann was quiet for a minute. Thinking over what Gio had
said. When Sara said he was holding her Jo Ann never asked how she assumed they
were in each other’s arms.
 
Jo
Ann’s brain was on overload, work, drama, pms and now the possibility that Eric
in fact did not cheat on Sara everything had her muddled up.

“Look Jo Ann please just get her to talk to him or read one
of his letters, she’ll know the truth and all this crap can be fixed and
buried.”

“Gio, look I don’t know she’s really stressed to the max
right now. She’s carrying the hurt from Eric, work has just been a stress
inducing disaster and now that she knows she’s pregnant I just don’t think she
can handle Eric.”

Gio caught onto one word in that statement. “Pregnant? She’s
Pregnant? Holy shit!”

“Oh fuck” thought Jo
Ann
this is why she should just call in sick when she’s raggin cause she
doesn’t think straight.

“Answer me is she pregnant?”

“Yes”

“When did she find out? Was she going to keep this from
him?” Gio’s voice roughened as he spoke with the thought that Sara may have
been trying to hide this from Eric.

“Don’t you raise your voice at me. She found out this
morning she went home sick because she was crying so much.”

“Is she going to keep it?”

“Yes she’s going to keep it whether Eric wants it or not.
She been wanting to have a child for awhile. Her ex always said not yet. So
there is no question she’s keeping it.”

Gio sighed in relief Eric would have been murderess if he
found out she was pregnant and not keeping it.

“I just had to ask, I was telling you the truth that night,
there was nothing between them.”

“Is she still in his house?”

“No after he pulled her off him he told her it would be
better if she found somewhere else to stay, she left the club in a taxi and
left his house that night.”

“Well that’s good to know”

“Jo Ann can I please at least have Sara’s new cell so they
can work this out. It’s obvious by their pain that they love each other and now
with a baby on the way, they need to talk.”

Jo Ann holding the phone in one hand and rubbing her temples
with the other. She was starting to get a migraine she might have to call it
quits today take everything home and work on it this weekend.

“Uggghhhh” Jo Ann groaned

“Are you ok?”

“Yeah, just a migraine, I’ll give you her number but if he
upsets her I’m going to make Lorena Bobbitt look like the Easter bunny compared
to what I will do to you. Understood?”

“Yes.” Gio was trying to stifle his laughter she thought she
was being scary, he just thought it was cute. Kinda like a baby kitten thinking
she’s a mountain lion.

“It’s 619-555-3435”

“Thank you Jo Ann really.”

“She better not get hurt.” And with that she hung up

                                               
***

When Gio got off the phone with Jo Ann he immediately called
Eric.

“What?”

His tone showed that going to his house hadn’t improved his
mood.

Gio try to have a bit of fun at his cousin’s expense knowing
he had what would settled him down.

“How much do you love me?”

“Gio I’m not in the mood for this crap.” He growled

“Well would you be in the mood if I told you I had Sara’s
new cell number?”

“What? How? Give it to me.”

“Ok 1
^st
how much do you love me?”

“GRRRRRR Gio I love you enough not to drive over there and
ring your scrawny neck.”

Gio openly laughed at his cousin’s temper. But the time for
play was over he did have something very important to tell him.

“Ok before I give you her number there’s something I need to
tell you, I need you to stay calm.”

“Gio” Eric said his name in warning

“So I’m going to be an Uncle, well 2
^nd
cousin
technically but you get my drift.”

“What Uncle? Who’s pregnant not Brianna?” and then he
thought of the second half of what Gio had said 2
^nd
cousin
technically. BOOM the bomb hit. “Sara she’s pregnant.”

“That would be correct”

“How long has she know?” His voice was soft with a little
pain, the thought that she may have known for awhile and still wanted nothing
to do with him cut deep. But then an even worse thought came to mind what if
she had not said anything thing because she was having an abortion. God no he
couldn’t let that happen.

“She found out this morning, Jo Ann sent her home because
she was so emotional.”

“Is she is she getting an an…” He couldn’t even say the word

“No abortion she’s keeping it.”

“Oh thank god”

“Yeah I know, look take down her number so you can call
her.”

“Call her fuck that she’s pregnant with my child she’s gonna
talk to me face to face. I gotta go.”

“Wait Eric don’t go to her place you were banned.” But it
was to late Eric had already hung up he was talking to a dial tone.