Stranger! Please be my Child’s Father .Chapter 31: two sides of life . The police receive intelligence that a person of interest is en route to their location, and tensions rise at the checkpoint. As the suspected vehicle approaches, officers prepare for a potential encounter. With a stern hand signal, an officer instructs the driver to pull over. The driver complies, slowly coming to a halt on the side of the road.The atmosphere is charged with anticipation as the officers cautiously approach the vehicle. They exchange quick, hushed words about the situation. The suspect is believed to be armed and dangerous, and the police are on high alert.With the driver's window rolled down, the officer at the driver's side cautiously asks for identification. As the driver reaches for their documents, there's a sudden, unexpected twist. In a split second, the driver seizes the opportunity and bolts from the vehicle, leaving the door ajar. The officers are taken by surprise but quickly
Stranger! Please be my Child’s Father .Chapter 32: an end to a tormentor . Inside Gael's sprawling, luxurious home, the atmosphere was thick with anxiety. The walls adorned with awards and accolades seemed to pale in comparison to the dread that hung in the air. Gael, the charismatic superstar, sat on a plush sofa, his face etched with concern that seemed almost out of place in his glamorous surroundings. Beside him stood Louis, his steadfast manager and friend, his usually cheerful demeanor overshadowed by the weight of the news they had just received.News of the accident had spread like wildfire, leaving Gael and Louis in a state of shock. They had been trying to contact Faye since they heard about the accident, but the unanswered calls only deepened their unease. The television in the background played reports of the collision, and the pictures of the accident scene sent shivers down their spines. Faye's house lay along the route she should have taken that fateful evenin
Stranger! Please be my Child’s Father .Chapter 33: all over? . In the dimly lit and hushed confines of the police station, the superintendent, a seasoned officer known for his relentless pursuit of justice, was locked in a deep conversation with the chief of police. Their faces bore the weight of the challenge before them, a formidable obstacle in the form of Jonathan Baldwin, a man shielded by money and power. Their duty was clear, but the path to apprehending Jonathan seemed obscured by his influential connections.The superintendent leaned forward, his voice a low and determined rumble. "We need a breakthrough, something that can pierce through the veil of wealth protecting Jonathan."As they deliberated on strategies and potential leads, the room was suddenly disrupted by the entrance of a police officer, who bore an expression of urgency. The superintendent and the chief of police turned their attention toward the newcomer, their curiosity piqued.The officer spoke with a
Stranger! Please be my Child’s Father .Chapter 34: words unsaid . In the softly lit hospital room, Gael sat by Arabella's bedside, holding her hand in a tender and reassuring grip. Her face, still marked by the traces of the ordeals she had endured, bore an expression of both fragility and strength. They were both aware of the unspoken emotions that lingered between them, the words they had yet to share.As Gael began to speak, his voice filled with a mixture of longing and joy, he whispered words of comfort and affection. “Arabella, everyone missed you so much. We've all been waiting for you to come back to us."Arabella met Gael's gaze, her eyes brimming with emotion, her voice soft and grateful. "I missed you too, Gael. I missed my baby tiger. I've missed everyone."Their moment of reunion was interrupted by the hurried arrival of Louis, whose face was flushed with excitement and the weight of the news he carried. He paused at the door, a mixture of concern and joy evident i
Stranger! Please be my Child’s Father .Chapter 35: family wins again . In the warm and inviting sitting room of their home, a sense of anticipation hung in the air, along with an air of quiet excitement. Arabella sat on the couch, her eyes sparkling with a mixture of joy and longing. She had been waiting for this moment, a moment that had felt like an eternity.Hudson, the precious five-year-old boy, was led into the room by Gael. His small voice, filled with curiosity and a touch of apprehension, rang out, "Daddy, what's going on?"Gael, his heart swelling with emotion, knelt down in front of his young son, his eyes tender and full of affection. "Hey there, champ. I have a surprise for you."With a sense of ceremony, Gael gently removed the blindfold that had obscured Hudson's vision. As the world came into focus, Hudson blinked in surprise, trying to make sense of the surroundings. And then, he saw her.Arabella, his beloved momma, stretched out her arms, her voice trembling
. Stranger! Please be my Child’s Father .Chapter 36: . *MONTHS LATER*It was May 21st, a Tuesday, Hudson’s last day at school, the day Arabella and Gael and Hudson all moved in together again in a new home. They found a place close to Gael’s work and in a good school district for Hudson. Thankfully, the school was only a ten minute drive down the road as well. But it was Tuesday and Arabella was holding Whiskers as Gael unpacked another box of books. Arabella has interested in a lot of books lately. Gael didn’t mind it at all. The alpha had gone out and bought a new shelving unit for her. “I just want you to be happy here, Bella.” She felt weird. She was standing there, the wood flooring cool on her bare feet. The kitchen flows out into the living and dining, all fairly sized. There’s the couch and dining table as well as Gael’s desk in there. They bought an actual desk chair for Gael, Arabella scolding him for his posture. The book shelves sat on either side of the tv, on
Stranger! Please be my Child’s Father .Chapter 37: progress . Teaching her last class of the school year, Arabella grins when all her students say goodbye, trying to hold back their own tears. She will miss them, but she isn’t planning on continuing teaching on the side like this. It was getting too much with also having to do her cafe work. She’s recently been trying to write a book as well, just a little project, a little dream she has. She mentioned it to Tiffany, her new therapist agreeing that telling her story this way might be a good way of healing for her. She then tried to suggest that she tell Gael fully, but Arabella just shook her head. Hudson looked up from the sketchbook that Gael got and ended up not using it. Hudson has been taking after Gael a lot more recently. He’s gotten into drawing, doodling his ideas onto paper. He will sit and draw while she works quietly away at his work. If he gets bored, he will go into his room and play with his toys or even practic
Stranger! Please be my Child’s Father .Chapter 38: in all due time . The door to the office creaks open, a tiny knock on it. Arabella looks over. She smiles, seeing Faye peek her head in. Arabella stands, going over to hug her best friend. “Faye, I didn’t think you were going to have time to stop by,” Arabella muses. The taller chuckles, hooking her chin over Arabella’s head. “Of course, I have time to spare for my cute little friend.” “Hey,” She whines, not pulling away however. She knows she is on the shorter side compared to Faye and seen as cute, but there is nothing wrong with that in her opinion. She used to think, back in high school, that she had to act tough. Oh, how wrong she was. She used to dress in muscle shirts and basketball shorts, trying to show off how in shape she was and how she could be a tomboy. She thought she was convincing everyone that she was strong even if she was a woman. But it didn’t save her, it didn’t hide anything. She used to think women w
Stranger! Please be my Child’s Father .Chapter 60: one honeymoon later . Gael walks back up to their room with a tray holding two glasses of orange juice, coffee, and as many danishes as he felt comfortable stealing away from the hotel’s continental breakfast. He could have just stayed in bed and ordered up room service, it’s not like they can’t afford it, but Gael had woken up this morning and looked at Arabella’s face on the pillow next to him, peaceful and deeply asleep, and felt like he might burst. It filled him with too much energy to stay in bed, but he couldn't wake her either, not when she looked sweet as honeycomb dripping in sunlight.So Gael had left the quiet stillness of their honeymoon suite in search of sustenance for both of them. It occurred to him on the way back that he might be following some unconscious, primal instinct, fulfilling a caveman desire in the back of his brain to provide for his wife or something like that. It didn’t make much sense, because G
Stranger! Please be my Child’s Father .Chapter 59: bigger version of them both . Gael followed orders to change into a pair of scrubs so he would be able to join them in the delivery room. He was attentive to Arabella whenever she called out for him. He gave her a message and got her a glass of water whenever she needed it. His nerves were there, lingering underneath the surface as he watched Arabella scream through a few painful contractions. He couldn’t imagine the pain that the other woman was going through. Gael whispered to her words of encouragement, but he was sure that the other was far too focused on breathing to really hear him. Right as they were being taken to the delivery room, Arabella held Gael’s head between her hands. They stared at each other before Arabella kissed him. “You know I love you, right?” “I know.” She nodded before her face scrunched up into another pain expression. It happened a lot faster than they thought. Honestly, giving birth was harder t
Stranger! Please be my Child’s Father .Chapter 58: a Christmas miracle, then? . The following weeks were rough, but all was fine. Hudson was taken in by Faye until his parents could take him home with his baby siblings. The boy did well in the final week of school. He smiled when he got to spend more time at the hospital with his momma. Faye took him, bringing along toys and other things for the boy to play with while she knit and chatted with Arabella. Gael would come and gather the boy before practice and they would all have dinner together before leaving. Afterward, Hudson goes back with Faye and Gael goes to the hospital to stay with his wife. Arabella has been gaining color back and, despite the huge round stomach, the woman moves as much as she can. She complains afterward about her back hurting or her ankles being swollen. She complained she was ugly and bloated, but Gael kissed her silent. Ian offered to pay for a private room when he heard that Arabella didn’t want G
Stranger! Please be my Child’s Father .Chapter 57: together . Hudson comes running out of his room, dressed in his new outfit Gael got him when the younger grew out of the last one he had. It’s a nice crisp black like one of Gael's old favorite outfit. Gael chuckles as he sets up the zoom meeting. He isn’t sure if his father will be there, he still hasn’t come around to Arabella fully. He knows that his mother probably has informed him of everything already. He knows she wants them to fly out to that country for the wedding and to visit family since Arabella will be a part of their family soon, but he really doesn’t want that. Sighing, Gael makes sure Hudson’s laptop is facing the couch and plugged in to save battery as they call. It is later than either would like Hudson to be up, but it is the only time that they can call. It’s nearing 10 pm and Hudson really should be in bed, but tomorrow is Saturday and they aren’t going anywhere other than practice and Arabella’s appointm
Stranger! Please be my Child’s Father .Chapter 56: family can be more than two . “Friends and family, guests and competitors!” The announcer comes over the PA again, “Welcome to the Featherlight Finals! We will now announce the finalists. In red, hailing from Las Vegas, Nevada, weighing at 124 pounds is Drake Fowller.” As the man walks out, a large roar from the crowd comes. Arabella remembers what Gaby told him about Fowller. He is slightly smaller than Gael, but only by an inch. He is 21 years old and won last year's competition. “In blue, from Eugene, Oregon, weighing in at 130 pounds exactly, is Gael Laurent.” Arabella claps and cheers along with their section. She wants to believe her ears when the cheers for Gael are more powerful than the other, but she isn’t sure. Maybe Gael is more popular than she thought. The man walks out, the blue gear on him. He looks bigger with those on him, though he is slender. He has the same face as earlier. This time, he looks up right awa
Stranger! Please be my Child’s Father .Chapter 55: finals. As they went into the second round, Arabella saw a shift in Gael. As the second round started, Gael went on the offensive right away, attacking with a strong kick and backing Trevor into a corner. He was able to get a hit in and the crowd roared again, but something didn’t get called right and the round was paused as Gael’s coach called out the missed point. Gael backed away, chest heaving. Trevor looked ready to continue, not taking the moment to rest. Gael stood with his hands on his hips, trying to steady himself. Arabella knew the other was nervous. He’s been nervous this whole weekend. He confided in her, a few nights before they came, that he used to not get nervous. That the last time he remembers being this nervous was the night before his match that would decide if he got onto the Olympic team or not. Now, the artiste was nervous for every match, as if he knew that this could be his last at any moment. The po
Stranger! Please be my Child’s Father .Chapter 54: do well, daddy . The third match goes well, Gael coming out on top as the man wins with a good lead. He advances to the semi finals that will be held the next day. As they are leaving to grab dinner, their friends heading with them, Arabella groans about how much her back hurts. Gael picks her up, carrying her bridal style as they head toward the cars. The competition is being held in Portland. They all drove in and are staying at a hotel. They planned on staying the whole weekend even if Gael didn’t make it to the second day. Having their friends here is an added perk. Grinning, Arabella holds tight to Gael as they walk out. “Laurent!” Someone yells off to the side of them. Gael turns, soft eyes glazing over with ice. He sets Arabella down, moving in front of her a little. Faye and Louis, who were holding Hudson’s hands, stopped ahead of them. Standing across from them is a man dressed in a matching track suit like Gael’s wa
Stranger! Please be my Child’s Father .Chapter 53: more than one talent . Laying in bed, Gael runs his hands over Arabella’s sides and stomach. Both of them put Hudson to bed before heading in to wash up for bed. Taking a shower together while Gael is far too attractive to Arabella’s body wasn’t the smartest idea. The two could barely keep their hands to themselves as the water slid over their bodies. Arabella loves watching Gael’s muscles flex and twist and turn as he moves about. She loves running her hands over the firm skin that stretches over the his back and chest, the powerful muscles in the man’s thighs brushing up against her own. Now, with her stomach growing, Arabella likes it when he rubs his strong hands over the bottom and sides of her stomach. She also loves when the man’s fingers trail along her ribs and chest. Or when his mouth will travel over her skin. Like now. Arabella didn’t get dressed other than a shirt, not feeling the need for pants. She laid down as G
Stranger! Please be my Child’s Father .Chapter 52: cha cha and chi chi . The trio made it home safe, Arabella crashing onto the couch. She placed a hand on her tummy, groaning. Her pants have stopped fitting, shirts growing small. Gael and her went out earlier on in her first trimester and helped her pick out clothes that she will wear during her final months. Her favorite has been the dresses that fall right over her knees. She doesn’t wear them out, but at home, it’s all she wears. “No wonder I’m so tired and big. I have two babies in there,” Arabella groaned, kicking up her feet. Hudson giggles, sticking his ear to the round of Arabella’s stomach. “So there are two of them?” Arabella nods, running her hand through the boy’s hair. “I love you, baby Chacha. Wait,” Hudson sits up, staring at her. “What is the other baby’s name?” Arabella hummed, tapping her chin. In some culture, it is normal to name the fetus to call them that. Gael started calling the baby Chacha after Arab