Deadly contract

“You are mine.” 

“Said who?”

“Said the way you breathe when I’m close.”

By five thirty, the party was winding down, with people gradually leaving. By six, the Davis place was almost empty of guests and Joy and her mother stayed back to help clean up.

  “I had my four month ultrasound on Friday, Melissa said out of the blue as she and Joy were restocking the dishwasher together. Their mothers were outside at the time, piling up more dirty plates to carry in.

  Joy stiffened as she always did these days when girls she knew talks about their pregnancy.

  “Oh?” She managed to reply as casually as she could manage.”Everything well,I hope?”

  “Marvelous.”

  Joy was on the verge of tears herself. She didn’t give a damn if she had a girl or boy. She just wanted a baby.

  “Would you like to see the pictures of the ultrasound?” Melissa asked her. “I brought them,” she added before Joy could say yes or no.

  John saw the stricken look on Joy’s face the moment he walked into the kitchen.

  “What is it?” He asked straight away. “What happened?”

  “I have to get out of here, she muttered.

  Too late Melissa was back in a flash with the dreaded pictures.

  John had no idea what had distressed scarlet earlier but he suspected by the look on her face that she still wanted out. He did, too. Hell, yes. And the sooner the better.

  “Sorry to love you and leave you, folks,” he said once his mother stopped to draw breath. “But i asked Joy our tonight and she said yes. So if you don’t mind, we’ll be off.” So, saying, he took hold of a startled Joy and steered her firmly towards the front door.

  Five minutes later, John was reversing her car out of their garage, Joy only then realizing she’d have a lot of questions to answer when she finally got home that night.

  “Nice wheels,” Joy,” John said once they were underway. “The last time i was home you were driving an old white rust bucket.”

  “I decided to spoil myself this year,” she replied.

  “Am i allowed to ask what upset you so much?

  Suddenly, the tears which had been threatening ever Melissa brought up the subject of her pregnancy came back with vengeance.

  “I’m thirty four years old. My biological clock is ticking away like a bomb. Already the odds of my conceiving a child are going downhill. If i don’t have a baby soon, I might never have one.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous, Joy. Women of forty and older are having babies all the time.” But you’re not over forty yet, Joy. Not by a long shot. There’s no reason to panic.

  “I have every reason to panic.”

  “Look, if you’re so damned desperate to have children, then why don’t you go out and get yourself pregnant? You’re gorgeous, you’ll have all the offers you could want.”

  Joy gave him a totally scandalized look, determinedly ignoring