Chapter 4

The next morning…
Alexander
planned to meet up with Erika and Asher around noon because he had
a couple of things he needed to do before then. First, he needed to
tell Whitney what was going on. They met up for breakfast. She gave
him a kiss, “Good morning, babe.” “Good morning.” She sat down, “So
why the surprise breakfast? I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m happy
about it, but…?” “Remember when we went to the club and that lady
slapped me?” She rolled her eyes, “What a bitch.” He shook his
head, “No, she was just defending her sister.” “Her sister?” “Yeah.
I didn't know she had a twin sister. That was the one I slept
with.” “She was mad at you because you slept with her twin?” “No.
Because I got her twin pregnant. She tried to tell me but I never
got the letter. Instead, my dad got it and signed over full
custody. They thought I didn’t want my son.” Whitney blinked,
“You’re telling me you have a child?” He nodded and couldn’t stop
the smile on his face, “He’s the cutest little boy I’ve ever seen.”
“You’ve met him?” “Oh yeah. Last night.” Whitney shook her head,
“You know I didn’t want kids for another couple of years while I
finish my modeling career. They’ll ruin my body.” “I’m not asking
you to have kids. I’m telling you I have a kid.” She shook her
head, “You don’t get it. Another woman is the mother of your child.
I’m your girlfriend so I should at least have one of your children
too.” “What?” He was confused. She stood up, “I can’t deal with
this right now.” “Whitney-” She glared at him and walked out. He
was still confused. He knew Whitney could be self-centered so maybe
she just needed some time to get over herself and cool down. In the
meantime, he was going to eat a nice breakfast.
 
After
breakfast, he headed to his parents house. All the anger that had
disappeared once he had Asher in his arms last night came surging
back with a vengeance. His father had some nerve practically
selling off his child! Was his mother privy to it too? He pulled up
and stormed inside, slamming the door behind him to display his
anger. Jane came out from the living room, “What is your problem
Alexander?” “Did you know?” he seethed. “Know what?” “About Asher.”
“Who?” “My son.” His mother’s eyes widened, but not with guilt, but
confusion. “Since when have you had a son?” she asked. Instead of
answering, he asked, “Where’s dad?” She rolled her eyes, “In his
office- where else? Now, since when-” He didn’t wait for her to ask
him that question again. Instead, he stormed over to his dad’s
office. He marched in without knocking. Clearly, he was disturbing
a meeting between his dad and one of his many business partners.
But this was more important. His mother followed in and he heard
her apologize to the man. “What is going on Alexander?” his father
asked, looking between him and Jane. Alexander glared at him,
“You’re so fucking lucky you’re my father because if you were
anyone else you’d be in ICU.” His father’s eyes widened in shock.
“You got a letter from Erika Houston didn’t you?” he snapped. Guilt
flashed across his father’s face. Alexander clenched his fists,
“You knew she was pregnant with my son, or had already given birth
to him. And instead of telling me you sent a fucking lawyer and
signed over my fucking parental rights!” he thundered. His father’s
guilty-as-fuck eyes darted to the man who was watching the
spectacal with wide eyes. No doubt he’d be running to the press
with this. But Alexander didn’t care. Maybe getting smeared by the
papers would teach his father a lesson. “Alexander, you have to
understand,” his father said. “No!” Alexander yelled, his heart
beating like crazy and tears stinging his eyes, “You took my son
away from me. My child! Do you know how I felt when I found out
about him last night?!” He felt his mother place a comforting hand
on his shoulder. And from the expression on his father’s face, he
knew she was glaring at him with one of her glares that was
reserved for the worst of people. Good. His father cleared his
throat, “I did what was best for you.” Alexander flinched, “What
was best?” he spat, “What was best?! Taking someone’s child away
from them without their knowledge is what is best?!” “You were so
focused on the company-” “Fuck the company! This is my fucking son
we’re talking about! My flesh and blood! Do you know the hatred
that I initially saw in Erika’s eyes? Thank fuck she understood
that I had no idea. And whether you like it or not, I am going to
be in my son’s life for as long as I’m alive.” With that he spun on
his heels and walked out. Halfway down the hall, he could hear his
mother chewing his father out. Serves him right.
 
With all that
pent up energy, he drove straight to Erika’s house. He just had
this urgent need to see her. He knew he was early but he couldn’t
help it. As soon as she opened the door, he pulled her into his
arms and hugged her. She was caught off guard but seemed to think
quickly on her feet because she hugged him back. “Everything’s
gonna be okay,” she said. They stood like that for goodness knows
how long before he pulled back, “Thank you.” “I’m always down to
give a distressed person a hug. Do you want to talk about it?” “I
confronted my dad about Asher.” “Oh. What did he say?” Alexander
glared at nothing in particular while quoting his dad, “‘I did what
was best’.” “By keeping your child away from you?” Erika asked,
incredulously. “That’s what I said,” Alexander said, throwing his
hands up. She shook her head, “Utterly ridiculous. Come on inside.
I was about to start Asher’s bath so we could be ready for when you
got here.” “Can I help?” She grinned, “Sure.”
 
Erika gathered
Asher’s little bath, some baby soap, and a towel, and took them to
the kitchen where Alexander was holding Asher. A handsome man
holding her little boy was a sight for sore eyes. They looked just
alike, too. She put the tub in the sink and filled it up with warm
water. “Okay. Take off his clothes then put him in here,” she said.
Alexander followed her instructions perfectly, some things she
didn’t have to tell him because he knew them already. He washed
Asher, put on a diaper, and dressed him, mostly by himself. She was
impressed. While she cleaned up, he took Asher to the living room
to play and wait until she was done. When she was done, she came
into the living room. Asher was giggling at something he’d done.
Tears welled up in her eyes. “Hey, don’t cry,” Alexander said.
“Sorry. It’s just, I thought Asher was going to grow up without a
father.” He shook his head and scowled at a memory, “Not if I can
help it.” She brushed the few escaped tears away and smiled, “Thank
you.” “No, thank you.” “So what do you want to do today?” “Well, I
do want Asher to feel comfortable every time he comes over to my
penthouse so I was wondering if you’d like to go shopping for
things for his room at my place.” She loved shopping for Asher. “Of
course. What’s our budget?” He gave her a puzzled look, “Budget?”
She laughed. Of course- the man was rich. “I want my son to have
the best of the best. There is no budget.” She shrugged, “If you
say so. Let me go change then I’ll be ready. Do you want to take my
car or your’s?” “I have an SUV so it’ll hold more stuff- so mine.”
“The keys to my car are on that coffee table. You can get Asher’s
car seat out the backseat.” He nodded, “Okay.” She wouldn’t
normally trust people with her car, or her son, but this was
Alexander, her son’s father. And he was filthy rich. She was sure
he wouldn’t try and steal her Toyota when he had a Ranger Rover
parked right next to it.
 
Alexander
picked Asher up and carried him outside, snagging Erika’s keys on
his way. He unlocked her car and sat Asher on the seat while he
figured out how to unstrap the car seat. Then he scooped Asher up
and carried the car seat to his car, which he’d left unlocked in
his haste to be in Erika’s embrace. He performed a daring juggling
act and got his door open. He sat Asher on the backseat again while
he strapped the car seat in. He remembered from Erika’s car how it
was done. Then he carried Asher back over to Erika’s car while he
locked it then took her keys back inside and put them on the coffee
table. “Ready to get buckled in?” he asked Asher. The boy giggled.
Alexander felt his chest swell with love. He carried Asher out to
his car and buckled him in. It wasn’t hard to figure out how to do
that. For the first time he took a good look at his son. He had his
dark brown hair but his mother’s bright green eyes. “You’re gonna
be a heartbreaker one day- and I’m not saying that because I’m
biased,” he said. Asher just smiled, his big eyes alight with
amusement. “Man you are cute,” he said. “He is, isn’t he?” Erika
said, walking over. He grinned, “Yeah. I was just telling him how
he’s going to be a heartbreaker when he grows up.” “Like father,
like son.” “You think I’m a heartbreaker?” “Oh please. You were
listed as the most eligible bachelor in the world. Of course you’re
unknowingly breaking hearts.” He smirked, “Your heart?” She rolled
her eyes as if to say ‘as if’ and went around to get in. Alexander
laughed, vaguely noting how she didn’t verbally deny it.
 
On
the way to the mall, she made a list on her phone of all the things
they’d need to get, including another carseat for Alexander’s car
so they wouldn’t have to switch it out. Rich people, she thought with a shake
of her head. They arrived at the mall about twenty minutes later.
Alexander was like the perfect father, so far. He insisted on
getting Asher out of his car seat. She put the seat cover in the
basket then he put Asher in. “Okay, where to first?” he asked.
“Let’s go into that baby boutique and get the small items first,”
Erika suggested. Alexander had insisted that Asher have a full
wardrobe at his penthouse. Who was she to deny her son two full
wardrobes? They went into the boutique and from the way the woman
smiled at them, she knew that she assumed they were a couple with
their child. And for some odd reason, she didn’t want to correct
her. Asher picked out about five outfits and Erika was pleasantly
surprised to find that the man had good taste in fashion. You know
how there are really handsome guys with crap taste in fashion? That
could not be said of Alexander Jenson. At his insistence, she
picked out three outfits for Asher as well. The eight outfits came
to a whopping total of $328! She refrained from gawking when
Alexander handed over his black credit card to pay. Once everything
was paid for, they headed to Target. “I think we’re going to need
another basket,” she said. He nodded, “To put the big stuff. I’ll
get one. Wait right here.” He went and got another basket then they
headed to the baby section. They got bottles, diapers, and toys to
fill up her cart that already had the baby boutique bags in it.
Then they went to the furniture section and picked out a crib, baby
changing table, carseat, high chair, play pen set for the living
room, and stroller- all high end brands that she only dreamed of
buying. Alexander also got a bookcase with the matching cubby boxes
to put Asher’s toys in. “Is this everything?” he asked, worry
creasing his brow. She smiled, “You’re worrying like a new dad.”
“I am a new dad,”
he said. She laughed, “You know what I mean. And yes, this is
everything. Let’s go pay for this stuff.” “Okay. Lead the way.” It
took a while for everything to be checked out and paid for but once
they were done they headed to the car and loaded everything in.
Then they headed back inside toward the food court.
 
Alexander
obliged Erika and let her pay for the food since he’d paid for
everything else. He loved an independent woman who didn’t need a
man to pay her way. They’d both ordered Chinese food. She had a
bottle prepared for Asher and Alexander insisted on feeding him so
she could enjoy her food. In actuality, he just wanted to hold his
son. They laughed and ate and Alexander couldn’t remember the last
time he’d had just a relaxing day. Erika seemed to read his mind
because she sighed in contentment and their eyes met across the
small table. He had the urge to kiss her. But he wasn’t sure if
she’d appreciate that. He didn’t want her to assume that he came
back into her life just to get back with her, using any means
necessary- like affection for Asher. So he just smiled softly, “I
really enjoyed today. It’s getting late and I’m sure you’re tired
so how about you come over tomorrow and help me organize all this
stuff.” “Sure. Are the walls white?” He nodded. “Maybe we should
paint them a light blue. White might be too bright.” “Okay. On my
way home I’ll pick up some paint supplies and we can paint
tomorrow. I’ll text you my address and you can come over whenever
you’d like.” “Sounds like a plan.” They finished off their food and
by then, Asher needed a burping, which he did, and then he promptly
fell asleep. They headed back to the car and went to her place. She
unbuckled Asher, “Thank you for today. It was really nice.” “I had
fun too. I’ll see you tomorrow.” “Yeah.” She headed inside. Once
she was inside, he drove home, first stopping at Home Depot to get
the painting supplies.
 
When he got
home, he noticed something was different right away. He went into
his bedroom and looked around. All of Whitney’s things were gone.
She kept a decent amount of her clothes and things over at his
place just in case she slept over. He thought about her reaction to
Asher over breakfast. Maybe this was her way of breaking up with
him. Strangely, he didn’t care.