David's Dilemma

"Well, not working?" was her greeting, as she stepped through the door.

"Taking a break. What have you been up to?"

"As if you care." She seemed to have bitten off an epithet, like "cheater".

"Andrea, what's become of us? I know the physical stuff hasn't been great, but we were always best friends and good companions. Where did we go wrong?" he asked.

Her look was venomous, but only for a second. Then she seemed startled, as if realizing that things might be very wrong. That, perhaps, he was considering his options.

"I don't know, David. Are you really that infatuated with that slut?"

"Oh, Andrea. Notwithstanding what we did, Cameron has nothing to do with it. You. Me. That's what should matter. If you want to be with what's-his-name, Geoff? I won't stand in your way."

She snorted. "Geoff!?! Good gracious. What an offensive thought!"

A little nubbin of anger made David's heart surge.

"You know, this really isn't attractive. I think it's time we thought seriously about moving further apart than just separate bedrooms."

Cameron

The toilet bowl was cold in her arms as she contemplated her sudden sickness. Her morning latte hadn't had its usual tang of delight. Perhaps the milk had been bad, but she'd had to rush to this dirty Starbuck's restroom, just in time to kneel before the commode. Her skin was still prickly, even as the nausea receded.

A little thought nagged Cameron. She felt in her purse for the tampon. The tampon she hadn't needed. Her schedule wasn't that regular, but she was a bit late.

"You okay, ma'am?" asked the barista as she emerged.

"I'm good," she said, dumping the expensive latte in the trash. Stepping out of the store, she spied the drug store across the street just down the block. Standing at the crosswalk, she knew what she needed--and already knew what it would tell her.

"I wonder what David will say," she thought.

Cindy

The road curved around as it climbed the hill. Cindy looked at each of the houses in turn, each with its own little personality. Some were weather beaten, barely more than beach shacks. Others were clearly used as rentals. A few sported carefully maintained gardens.

As the road wound up the hill, the houses got larger. There were fewer obvious nautical themes and rusty old VW bus type vehicles. Instead, each house was gray mid-century modern, all angles and rich wood.

At the crest of the hill the land leveled off. Behind the development was a mix of eucalyptus forest and open ranch space. In the distance Cindy could see tan hills where the fog cut off.

Cindy drove slowly down the block to the cul-de-sac at the end, wondering which house was David's. They all looked equally unlikely. The driveways were all empty and there was no sign of anyone being home. But equally the cars might be in the big three car garages that seemed de rigueur in this neighborhood.

Her truck felt out of place here. She felt out of place. This was the domain of society doyens and opera goers, not plucky young security guards. Here, she would be "the help", she guessed. But that couldn't be helped.

The second house on the left as she made her way back down the street grabbed her attention. She didn't know why, but it just seemed like it might fit David a bit better. It was, maybe, slightly less pretentious? It seemed to have the "cows and cliffs" view he'd mentioned. Plus, it looked like there was a light on in one of the rooms.

She pulled into the driveway and switched off the truck. If someone were home, they'd probably know where David lived. Assuming that this wasn't his house.

She stepped up and rang the doorbell. As a Sheriff's deputy, she'd practiced looking calm and ready. She put on her game face, even though she was ready to bolt.

Someone was home! She heard the footsteps coming up to the door, then the pause as the homeowner presumably spied her through the peephole in the door. Her nerves jumped as she heard the door locks fumble and clack.

"Cindy?" said David, standing in the doorway. "Is that you?"

Cindy watched his eyes blink in surprise to see his young lover standing on the doorstep, surveying her truck in the driveway before making an inventory of her body. She felt the age gap, the generational gap, between them, how she must look standing there on his porch. He must be worried by her sudden appearance. She wanted to embrace him but was worried someone might see. Or that he didn't want her to.

"Hi David. I'm glad I found you."

"Did you get back last night? I haven't seen your trailer at the campground."

"I didn't bring it on this trip. Can, uh, I come in?"

"Oh, sure, of course." He held the door wide, and she passed him, slightly awkwardly, to enter the house. She wanted him to show feeling, longed to stop and kiss him. He had this look on his face, as if he were prepared for her to do that.

"Stay strong," she thought. "There will be a time for such things---later."

She let herself be shown into the house, the long hall leading to the living room. She wondered is his wife were here and, if so, where she might be. The house was huge, tidy, and carefully decorated. There were small watercolors lining the hall and a big abstract oil painting in the living room. The opposite wall was all glass, maximizing the view of the beach and sea. It was another woman's domain or, perhaps, the settled domain of a well-established couple.

She settled into the deep leather sofa, low, sleek, and modern. She tried to imagine David sitting on it with his wife. Did he make love to her here?

"I'm glad to see you," he started. "You kind of disappeared on me."

"I know. I got... I got worried..." She felt the same tug, the same urges she always felt around him. He was handsome and her body remembered doing things with him. "I got worried that you didn't want what we were doing."

He blew his breath out through his nostrils. "I never cheated before, and I had never wanted to. But I don't blame you for what I did. I could have stopped you or not come to your trailer. I'm having a hard time not jumping your bones right now."

"Where's your wife? Is she here?"

"Not at the moment." He laughed to himself, as if to a private joke. "She'll probably be back in a few minutes. You said you didn't bring the trailer, so I guess I won't find you in the campground. Do you have somewhere to stay?"

"We have something to discuss," she said, feeling sheepish. "I have my week off and, well, I think maybe there are going to be some changes in your life."

David's grim little smile didn't falter.

"Let me guess, you're pregnant?" he asked. She nodded, feeling pinned by his gaze. She had a whole speech prepared, but he was making it irrelevant.

"I know it's what you wanted," he continued. "Since you're here, I assume it's to tell me and see what my intentions are?"

"I wanted to confront you with it. I'm hoping you'll agree to confront your wife with it--or I can confront her for you, if you prefer. I didn't bring the trailer, because I'm hoping you have a place for me in your bed. In our bed."

David laughed.

"That's an interesting plan," he said, as his phone buzzed.

David

When he'd spied her through the peep hole, David had felt a strange mix of fear, embarrassment, and lust. He felt like a spring, winding tighter and tighter as they greeted, as she strode into the living room, as she made her announcement.

In some ways, the world had been simple. Andrea and he had started separating their finances and bickering over who would get what. They wanted to go to a lawyer together with everything in a nice tidy bundle. No sense wasting a fortune fighting.

Cindy's presence would toss that out the window. Even if it were weeks or months before it showed, she was with child and wanted him to be involved. He could hardly hide her under his bed.

Did he want her? That was the key question.

"That's an interesting plan," he said, and, as he drew his breath to take the irrevocable next steps in their relationship, his phone buzzed.

It was a call from "Unknown Number".

"Pardon me," he told Cindy, before answering "Hello?"

"Hi David. It's Cameron. Um... are you sitting down?"

"Hi Cameron. What's up?"

"I don't know how to tell you this. I just took a test and, well, um, uh... I'm pregnant."

David could hear the shock and jumbled nerves, her voice bordering on panic. He wanted to comfort her, reassure her about, wait... pregnant?

"From when you were here? When...? Uh, are you sure?"

"Yes. Yes, I have all the symptoms and I took a test just now. Geoff's little swimmers never could do the job, especially since he never gets any in me. It must be yours. Oh, David! I don't know what to do. I guess you never wanted children, but this might be my only shot at it. I'm forty-one and..."

"It's okay, Cameron, it's okay. I'm here," he said, trying to project confidence and support over the air to her. His eye alighted on Cindy watching him and the full gravity of the situation landed on him suddenly.

Two women, both pregnant, both wanting the child, and both wanting his support.

"You know, Cameron, could you come over?"

"I'll be right there, David."

"So, Cindy, about your plan... I like it a lot." She began to smile. "There's just one small wrinkle I need to tell you about..."