My Wife Was Eight Months Pregnant When I Brought My Secretary Home

When my wife was eight months pregnant, I couldn't stand the loneliness anymore, so I brought my secretary home.

Fay James's eyes went bloodshot the moment she saw the girl sitting on my lap. What is this? What do you two want?

The secretary giggled. Ma'am, you just relax and take care of the baby. I'll look after Mr. Stewart just fine.

That night, I made Fay sleep on the couch in the living room.

She lay there with her big belly sticking out, barely able to get comfortable.

In the bedroom, Alma Fisher nestled against my arm and asked, "Aren't we being a little too harsh?"

"Nothing harsh about it. A man and a woman enjoying each other, isn't that perfectly normal?"

Just then Fay pushed the door open and said through gritted teeth, "Herman Stewart, if you don't send her away, I'm calling the police."

"Suit yourself."

She called the police.

...

The female captain at the station listened to Fay's whole account, then stared at me like she couldn't believe it. "Your wife's belly is that big, she needs you to take care of her, and instead you brought another woman home?"

I waved a hand. "Alma isn't that kind of woman. She's never even dated anyone. She's a big help to me at work"

She cut me off. "Aren't you afraid the shock could disturb the baby and put your wife into early labor?"

"She's not that fragile."

The captain went quiet for a second. "When I was seven, eight months along, I couldn't even bend over. My husband had to put my shoes and socks on for me. And look at you, bringing a woman friend home!"

She turned to my secretary, Alma. "And you, so young. Why are you always looking for a shortcut, breaking up someone else's family?"

Alma looked at me, wounded.

I pulled her behind me. "Officer, if you want to yell at someone, yell at me. Don't yell at her."

The captain sighed. "You're a successful man. Fooling around out there, I get it. But bringing her into your home, that's a whole different thing."

Fay said softly, "The truth is, my husband loves me a lot. He probably just couldn't stand being alone for so long..."

The captain patted her on the shoulder and said to me, "Your wife's still standing up for you even now. Where else are you going to find a wife this good?"

With the captain still urging me, I had no choice but to agree to send off a reluctant Alma.

After they left, Fay was clearly much happier. She wrapped her arms around me. "Herman, are you hungry? I'll cook you something."

"No need."

I shoved her away, irritated, and went into the guest room to sleep.

The next morning I woke to the light, clean smell of food.

Fay was making breakfast, big belly and all.

"Herman, is it good?"

By the time I'd washed up and sat down to eat, she was watching me with a whole face full of hope.

"It's okay."

The truth was, it tasted good.

The light went out of her eyes.

After breakfast I went to the office. In the afternoon I took Alma to meet a few clients, then went to get a hotel room.

As we reached the hotel lobby, I felt Alma's slender frame shiver a few times with shyness.

"Herman..."

But as luck would have it, Fay saw us on her way back from grocery shopping. She walked in, grabbed my clothes, and glared at Alma.

People were gathering around us on every side, pointing and muttering.

"Wife's belly that big, and this scumbag's getting a hotel room with some other woman."

"Shameless little homewrecker!"

"Trash like them, back in the old days you'd drown them in the river."

I looked at Fay and said flatly, "You followed me?"

Fay shook her head. "No. I saw your car parked out front, so I came in to check."

The people around us were furious. "You get caught with your mistress by your own wife, and you've got the nerve to say she followed you?"

"You piece of trash. Your wife's got the worst luck in the world, ending up with you."

"If my daughter married a man like this, I'd have somebody beat him to death."

The whole crowd was against me now. "Post this shameless little tramp online, expose her!"

People pulled out their phones and pointed them at her.

Alma was terrified.

I quickly blocked the phones of the ones closest, and told Alma to slip out the back.

After she left, the crowd closed in on me, and plenty of them said they were going to teach me a lesson.

Fay hurried to tell everyone, "Thank you all for helping me, but my husband loves me. He just lost his head for a moment. Please don't hurt him."

They looked me over with contempt, and one by one they left.

On the way home, Fay's legs cramped up several times, and now and then she had to lean against a wall to rest.

I said impatiently, "Why are you so slow?"

"Honey, the baby's kicking, and my legs keep cramping..."

"Enough, this is such a hassle. Take your time. I'm going ahead."

I walked on alone.

Fay's best friend, Tara Chandler, saw the whole thing from a distance.

I'd barely reached the foot of our building when her hand came flying at my face. "Herman, you've gone too far!"

"Are you insane?" I caught her wrist in time.

Tara snapped, "How can you treat Fay like this?"

"You used to be so good to her. What happened to you?"

She thought for a second, then said, "Don't tell me you think the baby she's carrying isn't yours?"

I frowned slightly.

She threw a medical report at me.

"This is the DNA paternity test Fay had done yesterday at County General!"

I picked the report up off the ground and skimmed it, quickly finding the conclusion: after amniocentesis and DNA comparison, this sample confirms a 99% match between the fetus Fay James is carrying and Mr. Herman Stewart. Herman Stewart is the biological father of this fetus.

I nodded. "Of course the baby's mine. Wasn't this a waste of your time?"

"You already knew the baby was yours?"

"What else?"

"I..." She was suddenly at a loss for words.

"Then why are you treating her like this?"

"How is that any of your business?"

"She's my best friend! We've been close since we were kids. Whatever's going on, she's your wife, she's pregnant now, and you should be taking care of her, not breaking her heart."

I looked Tara over. Red lips, white teeth, and the tight dress she wore only showed off her figure more. "You want me to be good to her? Then it depends on how well you know how to play along."

"Herman, what are you saying?" Tara's brow creased.

"We're all adults here. I don't believe you can't follow me. You've got a great body." I said it with a dirty smile.

"You, you're shameless!" Tara's face went scarlet, and she stamped her foot as she shouted.

"If you're willing to spend a few nights with me, I'll get you a three-hundred-thousand-dollar car to run around in."

"Didn't you want to help Fay? You can help her right now, and get something out of it too."

"Smack..."

A slap landed on my face.

Tara was seething. "You animal, you'd even sleep with your own wife's best friend. You're beyond saving!"

There was a sharp sound as something dropped to the ground.

I looked over, cupping my stinging cheek. Fay was standing under a banyan tree, tears falling and falling.

"Fay, whatever you do, don't be upset!"

Tara panicked and went over to hold her.

"I heard everything. He, he wanted to..."

Fay wept, tears streaming down her face.

"Fay, you heard it wrong. Herman was just joking with me a second ago. Don't take it seriously."

"You two are joking?"

"Of course we are."

Tara pulled her into a hug and laughed. "Think about it. Herman loves you. He's turned down plenty of girls chasing after him. And come on, we're best friends. I'd never hurt you. He just runs his mouth."

Fay thought back to the days when the two of them had been inseparable, and she believed her.

"You're right. My husband loves to joke around, and here I am taking it seriously. Pregnancy really does turn your brain to mush..."

Tara carried her bags and helped her up the stairs.

Once they got home, she reminded Fay again to take good care of herself.

Before leaving, Tara shot me a look and said in a low voice, "You'd better cherish Fay. Or you and I aren't finished."

"Honey, I'll make you sweet-and-sour ribs in a bit."

She wanted to go cook, but her calves were badly swollen, and she could only shuffle over one step at a time.

I felt a twinge of guilt. "Maybe don't bother."

"No, I can do it."

She finally made it to the kitchen.

Washing the vegetables, her huge belly pressed against the sink cabinet, and it clearly hurt.

I lay comfortably on the couch, smoking.

Fay was a good cook, and the food smelled wonderful.

So I called Alma over to eat with us.

"Honey, I didn't cook enough for her."

"Fay, Alma's a young girl, she can't cook, and takeout isn't good for her. I only called her over because your cooking's so good. She can just have half of my portion. Don't be upset."

Fay ignored me and lowered her head, eating in silence.

"Sweetheart, get plenty of nutrition in you."

I picked up a rib and set it in her bowl.

She looked up, and a flicker of surprise crossed her face as she bit into it.

"Alma, is it good?" I asked.

"Fay's cooking is better than any five-star restaurant."

"Then eat up." I loaded half a bowl of meat into hers.

Fay's nose stung, and when she bowed her head, a few tears struck the bottom of her bowl.

After dinner, I sat on the couch with Alma, the two of us cozy and affectionate.

"Honey, the officer at the police station said you shouldn't bring another woman home to stay."

Fay looked at me, pitiful.

I gave a helpless shrug. "Alma, take my car home. We'll go get a room when there's time."

"Fay, I'm heading home then."

Alma walked out with a taunting little smile.

Fay let out a small huff.

She gathered up the dishes to wash them.

Crash...

A bowl slipped and shattered into several pieces on the floor. I swept it up with the broom and said, "Fay, that bowl was expensive. A single one costs over a thousand dollars."

"The baby just kicked me. It hurt."

"Fine, just get them washed."

She showered and lay down in bed to sleep.

I wasn't the least bit tired, so I switched on the home karaoke system and started belting out songs, the whole place shaking with it.

It wasn't until one in the morning that I went to sleep in the guest room.

I woke up the next day.

My favorite breakfast was on the table, but she was gone.

She'd sent me a few messages saying she couldn't sleep well, so she'd gone to stay at Tara's and would come back tonight.

She did come back that evening, and even made four dishes and a soup, so I called Alma over to eat again.

Several days passed like this, with Alma finishing dinner at our place before going home.

That night, we were in the middle of dinner when the doorbell rang.

I opened the door, and my mother-in-law walked in.

She set down some health supplements, then saw Alma sitting there eating and frowned. "Who's this?"

I said it lightly. "My secretary. I invited her to dinner."

Her mother's face darkened. "I only found out from Fay's posts online that she's been cooking for the two of you all the time, this pregnant!"

I turned to look at Fay. She'd gone pale with fright. "Honey, my belly was hurting, so I said a few things online..."

I gave a huff.

Her mother glared at me. "And you think you're in the right?"

"When my daughter married you, she didn't ask for a bride price, didn't ask for gold, and even brought a car into the marriage!"

"She's pregnant, and because you're lonely you beat her?"

Her mother turned to Alma. "And you, some twenty-something girl with more ambition than shame, always scheming to wreck someone else's family?"

"If you want money, you'd be better off selling yourself on the street!"

Alma's pretty face flushed red at the words, and tears spilled down.

My face went dark. "Alma is a decent, innocent girl. Say another word out of line and I won't go easy on you."

Her mother slapped the table. "What's that supposed to mean? You want to hit me, is that it?"

"I don't want to hit you. But you can't just insult people."

"She followed you home, shameless as she is. So what if I insult her?"

Seeing us squared off, Fay was at a loss and tried to smooth it over. "Mom, don't get upset."

Then she said to me, "Take her home."

I brought Alma downstairs, spent a good while comforting her in the car, and even gave her a designer bag. She hugged me happily and kissed me. "Thank you, Herman."

When I got back home, I found her mother had washed an apple, cut it into pieces for Fay to eat, and was clearing away the dishes to wash them.

Fay ate the fruit, listening to her mother chatter, and started to laugh.

It was the first time in months I'd seen her smile so sweetly.

In the days that followed, her mother and Tara often came by to look after Fay.

A few days before she was due, her mother had to go back to the country to care for the old man, who had dementia.

Tara was working overtime to push a project through, so she couldn't come to help either.

Fay couldn't cook, so she had no choice but to order takeout.

"Honey, I go into the delivery room the day after tomorrow. Can you come with me?"

I shook my head. "The day after tomorrow I promised Alma I'd take her to see the ocean. I won't have time for you."

"You never used to be like this!"

Fay stared at me, blank-faced, and the tears spilled over, hot and heavy.

The next day I was at the office when Fay started calling and sending voice messages, one after another.

"Honey, my stomach hurts. The baby's coming. Come take me to the hospital, quick."

Only after that message did I get in the car and drive home.

I opened the door and found Benedict Lawrence there. A classmate of mine from college.

He was inside, helping Fay gather her hospital bag and a few other things.

Junior year, it was Jesse Dickerson, our class head, who set Fay and me up.

Jesse's girlfriend lived in the same dorm as Fay, and the two dorms threw a mixer. That was how Fay and I met.

Afterward I asked her out shopping and to movies, and we became close fast.

One afternoon, I saw someone giving Fay flowers outside the classroom, confessing to her. That someone was Benedict.

Fay told him she wasn't ready to date anyone yet.

Benedict walked off, crushed.

She was the one who asked me to a movie. She told me that since freshman year, Benedict had confessed to her several times, and she'd turned him down every time.

Hearing that, something in me felt a little sweet.

As we talked, we came to a crosswalk, and Fay suddenly grabbed my hand and pulled me across.

"The light's about to change, hurry up."

We got across, and she still hadn't let go. My heart was pounding. It was the first time a girl had ever made my pulse race like that.

When we came out of the theater, I kissed her.

Her face went red, but she was smiling, happy.

That was when we became a couple.

We married not long after graduation. For eight years our marriage was good, the two of us in step.

Once my company found its footing, she settled into being a full-time wife at home, and she kept everything running smoothly.

Now I frowned and said, "Benedict, what are you doing here?"

Benedict shot me a glance. "Fay's due tomorrow. She was supposed to go to the hospital first thing this morning. You're only getting home now?"

I gave a small laugh. "She could've called a car."

"If you don't want to take care of her properly, you shouldn't have married her in the first place."

Benedict said, "Tara's tied up, so she asked me to take Fay to the hospital tonight. She'll come by tomorrow."

"If you're any kind of man, you'll be there with her when she gives birth tomorrow."

With that he shouldered the packed bags, helped Fay up, and took her downstairs.

The apartment went empty and still, and all at once I felt uneasy.

The next morning I drove out to the beach with Alma. We'd just finished surfing and were sitting down for a snack when my mother called.

"Herman, where are you?"

"Mom, what is it?"

"Fay had the baby, it's a boy, six pounds thirteen ounces!"

I froze for a second, and something in me stirred, out of nowhere, and I couldn't tamp it down.

"Mom, I'll be at the hospital right away!"

When I got there, I told Alma to head back first.

From down the corridor, I could see my mother and Tara standing outside the delivery room.

My mother was cradling a swaddled bundle, grinning ear to ear.

I hurried over and took him. The tiny thing looked up at me a few times, then shut his eyes again. His features looked so much like mine.

I was thrilled. I was going to be a father.

My mother took the baby back and said, "Fay wants you to go in."

I walked into the room and found Benedict there, spooning thin oatmeal to Fay.

Fay's face glowed with the happiness of someone being cared for.

Seeing me come in, Benedict set the bowl down. "I'll go have a smoke."

I nodded and went to the bedside. Her color was pale.

"Herman, let's just get a divorce."

It caught me off guard.

"You're really willing to?"

Weakly, Fay said, "The divorce papers are on the table. I already signed them."

"You're sure you want this?"

She was quiet for a moment, then nodded.

"All right, then. If that's what you want, let's divorce."

I looked down and smiled, and picked up the papers and the pen.

No one knew that everything I had done was for this one thing: to divorce Fay.