The Baby Maker Page 4

  “Evan, I know it is you!” he said, laughing.

  “Why, you have a sixth sense or something?” I asked and smiled broadly.

  “No, there is a huge mirror behind the bar,” he said, waving at me in the mirror.

  “I knew that,” I replied stupidly.

  “So, are we going to eat or what? And then I can bring you up to speed on your real business?” He slid his ass off his stool.

  We grabbed a table by the wall. It would give us the most privacy. We could see what was going on around the restaurant.

  Grazini’s was a real old-school styled Italian restaurant. The bar and counter were topped with white marble. At one end were the freshly baked bread rolls, and at the opposite end were the many bottles of wine they offered.

  There was a golden glow cast over the dining area; this came mainly from the golden fabric on the seats. Then the golden colored walls and copper-coated ceiling. Lighting was supplied by just six old-style industrial lamps that threw out a yellow light. These contrasted with the daylight bulbs which were located in the kitchen.

  This place was old school. The kitchen was in full view of the customers and spanned the whole width of the restaurant. The whole place just oozed authenticity, and the feel was highly rustic, if nothing else.

  “Good evening, Evan, can I take your order?” Stewart, the waiter, asked.

  “I’ll just have Bolognese with garlic bread. Something simple to keep my strength up.” I patted my stomach.

  “And you, Tyler?” he asked.

  “If it’s good enough for him, it’s good enough for me,” Tyler said. “I'll have the same. And a couple of light beers with it.”

  “Five minutes for the drinks and fifteen to twenty for the Bolognese,” Stewart replied. Then he headed off toward the kitchen.

  “You might be drinking both the beers. I have to keep in shape. I’ve cut out all red meat apart from the Bolognese here, and no alcohol.”

  “Jesus, you are one serious health freak,” Tyler said. He loved poking fun at me.

  “If I take care of me, the business takes care of itself,” I replied with a wink.

  “I think you push it to the extreme though. I haven’t seen you eat a candy bar since, well, ever! And I have not seen you drunk in nearly ten years. Don’t you get bored with all this health kick stuff?” He had a quizzical look on his face.

  “Not at all. You know about my mom and my dad’s situation. I just look at them and see what harm can come to our bodies from eating garbage. It’s no joke, you know. Most food can kill you or make you ill. Christ, just look at the fat guy over there. You think that comes from his family? Not at all. That’s all the processed foods and sodas he probably shoves into himself.”

  “Jesus, you make it sound gruesome. I’m content the way I am. And as long as I stick to the gym, I’m happy with myself. Plus, the beer tastes good!” Tyler raised his bottle.

  “You were saying, about the apps?”

  “Forget the apps. They are fine and kicking ass. We’re raking in cash hand over fist with them. Let’s talk about you. It’s just, you’re glowing, even with your immaculate five o’clock shadow. I mean, you are positively glowing. Hard day at the office, was it?” Tyler grinned at me.

  “Well, my second client was a real stunner, and the sex was fantastic. I have no idea why she can’t get pregnant from her husband. Fuck, I would be banging her every chance there was, if it were me. And that’s all you need to know about it.” I shot him a mysterious smile.

  I never divulged too much about the operation, even to Tyler. The less anyone knew about it meant it was safer for the operation and for me. But telling him I’d just nailed another stunner was fun, and I could see a hint of jealousy every time I told him. Free sex on offer with no consequences, what more could a player ask for?

  “If that’s all you're going to tell me, I have to remind you that you need to be at the next meeting for the new app. Oh, and the updates we are about to release need that. That’s if you can tear yourself away from your clandestine servicing.”

  “Don’t you worry about that. I’ll make sure I’m at the meeting. My side business is lucrative and enjoyable, but it’s the apps that keep the money coming in. And it’s the apps that give us the freedom to do as we please.”

  We chatted more over dinner, and Tyler brought me up to speed on everything to do with the business. I hadn’t realized how busy I’d been with the Baby Maker side of things. I’d indeed offered my services to quite a number of clients, and I had no intention of slowing down.

  The evening was growing late, and Tyler was getting restless. He had caught the eye of a couple of beauties who kept glancing in our direction. I knew he had things on his mind, and he wanted to party a little before he headed off home for the night.

  “Just let me know when the next meeting is, and I'll be there,” I said.

  I left the table and left Tyler to his own devices.

  “Right you are boss,” he replied.

  I returned home and turned on the computer. I looked at the screen. There were emails to be checked before I decided to hit the sack. I needed my ample amount of sleep before the following day.

  I began scrolling through my many emails, junk, junk, work, trash. Hello, what do we have here?

  A baby maker candidate. I read through the email and saw what the possible client had to say. The first thing to catch my attention were the descriptive features. Wow… and she had auburn hair and blue eyes.

  Sounds very interesting, just my type and just how Piper used to be.

  She sounded intriguing and may well be worth a follow-up. I finished reading the application and decided to send the next part of the application to the possible candidate. The medical request forms. There were a few people who contacted me, but when they were presented with this section of the process, they somehow managed to duck out of the application. If this one is serious, she’d complete these and send them back without any concerns.

  Part of the next step was also one of the most exciting. The photo. I loved this part of the process. It felt like Christmas when you open something that you just want to play with. But on some occasions, there were some things you just wanted to leave aside. These were the things that you know hold no interest for you. Either way, I still enjoyed looking at the photos. And it was nice to see the many women who thought I could help them, even if my identity was a closely guarded secret.

  I finished reading the questionnaire that had been completed. It was weird because the woman seemed rather unusual compared to a lot of the candidates. Most of them were typically wealthy women who did nothing with their lives apart from shopping or looking for younger guys. Someone they can spend some time with. But this one… Hmm, she seemed different. She worked for a living as a designer. Yes, an interior designer, and other smaller design projects.

  I read the response, again and again. She sounded very familiar to me.

  It can’t be…really?

  Chapter 6

  Piper

  It had been a while since I had lunch with my mom, and I’d made an effort to fit her into my schedule. All before she harped on me for forgetting about her. She was cool, but she was from an older generation, so she treasured the close-knit family sort of thing.

  “Mom, you always mention this every time we have lunch,” I said frowning.

  For the past few years, Mom had always nagged me about my personal relationships and how I should be thinking of settling down. I’d become financially stable, and the only thing left in my life to complete was the whole cycle of becoming a mother. This, I could agree with. It was just the husband side of it. That was what I’d found myself shying away from.

  “Well, you’re slowly getting older, and time is not kind to everyone, you know,” Mom said. “And once you have lost your looks and a few lines have started to appear, well, you will find that men don’t look at you the same way they used to.”

  I love you Mom, but please God, will you stop
talking this way.

  “I’m fine where I am,” I said.

  “You should find yourself a good man while you have the chance, settle down and have a family,” Mom said, sipping her tea.

  My cell phone rang, and I reached into my bag to pull it out. The screen just showed a phone number that I didn’t recognize, but I knew it the clinic calling me with the results from the tests I’d had done.

  The nurse on the line informed me my results were excellent; a clean bill of health. I was overjoyed. They had just confirmed I was healthy. My blood sugar levels were fine, there were no traces of other disorders, and there was no sign of any sexually transmitted diseases.

  I could have answered that last one for them. It had been quite a while since I’d had sex with anyone. Not since my last partner all those years ago.

  “No need to mail them,” I told the nurse.“I’ll swing by and collect them a little later this afternoon.” I hung up the phone.

  Yes, I have the full set. Yee haw!

  I could see Mom looking at me, puzzled, while I’d been speaking on the phone.

  “What was all that about… results, what results?” she asked with concern.

  “It's nothing, Mom. No need for you to panic yourself. I’ve just taken out a new insurance policy, and I had to get a full medical check first. And they have given me the all clear. That’s all.” I smiled at her, even though I lied through my teeth.

  I wanted to tell Mom about the whole thing because I hated to keep secrets from her. But this was a big no-no in her eyes. She would go off on me ten times worse than Jules had when I mentioned it to her. I knew Mom had raised me as a single parent, and I’d never known my father. But at least with the “baby maker,” I would know who the father was.

  We continued with our lunch and chatted about mother and daughter things. And Mom raised the issue of my settling down between every other line of conversation. Because that’s what mothers do. Unfortunately.

  I’d already had my vision test, and the dental checkup had been completed, too. So, I had a full set of records ready to send off to the “baby maker.” Everything was good, and the only blemish was a slight vision impairment I had. That had been there since I was at school, so that was no real biggie, I hoped. It was quickly remedied when I wore corrective lenses when reading, so it was nothing that affected my overall healthy life.

  I was excited to send my papers and convinced myself that my slight vision problem wouldn’t be an issue. And even the “baby maker” couldn’t expect everyone to be one hundred percent perfect.

  Ninety-nine percent perfect is good in my book.

  “Mom, things have changed from when you were my age. Why do so many people still think that marriage is so important?”

  “It is what people hold close to them. You know… it’s the commitment between two people who love each other.”

  “Times have changed. There are a hell of a lot of couples who have been together for years. And they have never tied the knot. God, it’s like they are married without actually taking their vows and signing a bit of paper to say so.”

  “In the eyes of the Lord, it’s still the way to do things properly,” Mom said.

  “What if I want to be a single parent like you were?” I asked. “What if that seems to be the ideal situation for me?”

  Mom nearly choked on her cup of tea. “That road is not an easy one to take. I know from experience.”

  “You did an excellent job by yourself, and look how I turned out,” I said with a smile.

  If you managed it, I'm sure I can do it too, Mom.

  “I must admit, you have turned out to be a beautiful specimen of a woman, and one that any man would be proud to call his wife,” she said heartily. “Me being a single mother; I had no choice but to do that. I was left in that situation. If I could have changed it, I would have done so.”

  “There is a difference, though. Like you said, you had the situation dumped on you. If I was making the decision to go this way, I would be more than prepared for it.”

  “That’s a naïve way of looking at it, a bit blind sighted, to say the least,” Mom said.

  “Well, I have been considering becoming a single parent for a while now. You know artificial insemination is hugely popular these days? Oh, and there are more and more women opting for this sort of thing.”

  Mom shook her head in disbelief at what I was saying to her. It would be hard for her to comprehend why I would make this sort of decision. Especially when I was a perfect woman in her eyes. One that was an ideal candidate to be a loving wife.

  “I always wanted the best for you, Piper. You’re so much more than just a single parent. And you actually deserve a good, solid family life. That’s the way I raised you. I know you hold all the right values inside you.”

  “Well, Mom. I know what you’re saying, and I understand your concern. But I have to think about my needs and what will make me happy.” I prepared myself to leave.

  We waited for the check, and I thought about what Mom had said. And she was another person who did not know the whole story behind my decision. I knew she would definitely not understand my full reasoning.

  Mom, stop it. I only wanted one man in my life. Ever.

  I just couldn’t handle the cheating that always seemed to happen to me. I knew good looks were firmly in my possession. And my body was quite exceptional since I’d always kept in shape. Ever since I’d started at the gym with Evan all those years ago, the routine had just stuck with me. I was not sure if it was another way to hang onto the memory of him or what. Either way, it had helped me to remain fit and healthy, and for that, I would be eternally grateful to him.

  The one thing Mom wouldn’t understand or accept was, I’d always loved Evan. He had been the one for me. He always was, and he always would have been if he hadn’t left. I wished we’d never split up.

  Mom walked away from me and headed home. I knew she would be mulling over the conversation we had during lunch. On my side, I was excited to get to the clinic and get my final health report on the way to the office.

  I collected my document and made my way back to the office. The papers were spread in front of me. It seemed strange to basically have a full personal profile on several sheets of paper. I marked the sheets one by one to cover any personal contact details that were included on them. Black lines hid my telephone number and address and, most importantly, my surname. The only personal item left was my first name. “Piper.”

  I shuffled through the papers before me and glanced at the fax machine. I was nervous. Should I do it or not? This thought bounced around my mind for a while. I breathed deeply and put the papers on the desk.

  Don’t become overwhelmed. Keep calm.

  I found something else to do to occupy my mind for a while so the excitement would subside a little. It was three P.M I would leave it until just after four. Then, I might have a reply by the time I returned home.

  The minutes ticked by, and I couldn't help myself but to check repeatedly. It was like time had stood still, and the afternoon just dragged by. I wanted to smoke to calm my nerves, but that was one bad habit I’d never indulged in.

  The final five minutes before the clock struck four P.M. came. I sat and the second hand slowly crept around the clock face. It was like the countdown for the new year to come in but much longer. Oh, it was like watching paint dry…only this was something that could have a much more dramatic impact on my life.

  Three minutes…

  I placed the papers into the fax machine.

  Two minutes…

  I dialed the number.

  One minute…

  The second hand was approaching the twelve.

  Seven, six, five, four, three, two, I hit the button. The dial tone on the fax ended, and the papers were slowly dragged through the machine. The papers vanished and reappeared, making me think of the coming changes in my life. My personal health details were now shooting down cables to an unknown destination. Could this be
the thing that would change my life forever?

  It was done. Now, all I had to do was wait. I finished up the work in the office and made my way home. I entered the apartment and switched on the computer. It booted up. I made a cup of coffee and sat my ass firmly in front of the computer.

  My mailbox opened, and there wasn’t a reply, yet. I waited impatiently and still nothing arrived.

  Maybe it will be tomorrow before they reply.

  I carried on with my regular routine and resigned myself to the fact that I would have to wait. I mean, either it will be tomorrow I got a reply, or my application was rejected. All because I wasn’t one hundred percent perfect.

  Damn my eye problem, even if it’s small.

  All evening, I periodically checked my mailbox, and nothing had arrived. I had built my hopes up too much. The more I thought about it, the more I started to think negative thoughts about the whole thing.

  Well, at least, it hasn’t cost you anything, and your address is not on there.

  I gave up checking, had a shower, and got ready for bed. I checked that all the electric appliances were turned off in the kitchen. Then, I walked back into the living room and turned off the TV.

  My head snapped around. I heard a ping from the computer.

  I have mail!!!

  I stared at the screen.

  Sender: Baby Maker

  I stared at the screen and had my hand on the mouse. The cursor moved across the screen, and I placed it above the email.

  My finger clicked the mouse, and the email opened.

  The mail opened the contents, and it read:

  Health documents received and reviewed, status accepted.

  Stage two, send a recent photo.

  Regards, The Baby Maker.

  Chapter 7

  Evan

  Piper, my god, your pussy is tight. I'm almost there. I'm gonna… I'm coming.

  I rolled from behind my latest client, and she slumped on the bed, recovering from another orgasm. Her breath came deep and fast. She was a nicer client than many of the others had been, and she appreciated the good sex. I really hoped she would get pregnant this time.