Let's have a baby
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Rachel POV
I felt left out, emptiness, lonely and jealous. Yes, jealous. Green with envy kind of jealous. Till the moment I saw Derek and Grace's heated argument came to a halt when I appeared out of the blue, I know that I'm the one who is being left out. The wife gets the say, the mistress lowers her head and walk away.
Both of them left the plane first before us. Although I did bid them goodbye as part of my service, the situation was intense. Grace wore her sunglasses, stifled a cold smile when she left. Derek seems to have a lot to say, but he can't. I watched him watching me, with words unspoken. His eyes tells me to wait for him.
I nodded briefly, assuring him I'll be okay. Sometimes I wonder if it is worth it, should I dump everything I had with Derek and consider it as a glorious fling with a powerful man and just get over it. But something urged me to held him close. Something in his eyes tells me to wait for him.
The music we heard together at the bunker became my auto playlist, replaying the song makes me close to him, makes me feel that he is real, Derek Hoffer is real. Every words he told me after we made love reveal every piece about him that Google can't give me.
'Guess I'll see you soon?' Tony met me as I was about to leave the plane.
'That depends on the schedule, Captain.' I smile politely, walked down the stair first when Tony gestured the "Ladies first" sign.
'What are you doing after this?' Tony asked, it may sound like a casual conversation, but, it has a hint of determination in there. I became surprised with his question. Is that a sign of interest in me?
I reached the bottom, leaving spaces for Tony to stand when reached the bottom. I waited for him to reach where I was. I couldn't tell him where exactly I would be, because, it's obvious that I can't disclose where Derek will be taking me. 'Sleep.' I said in a matter of fact tone.
'I don't recall jet lag ever hits me when I travel to New York from D.C.' His face was cool, even when he was stating with sarcasm. His place both his hand on the pocket of his neatly pressed uniform.
'You're right.' I chuckles. 'But, anyway, I'm going to do some shopping, you know, when in Rome.' I shrugged, waving my hand to the vast shopping district a few kilometers away from here.
'Okay, so, its a rejection. I can take it.' He wear his cap, lifting the handle of his luggage. 'I'll see you next time, Rachel, hopefully I can have the favor of your company when we meet again.' He smile, that smile that covers only a few centimeters stretch from its original position. Sometimes I wonder if he got a history of stroke attack that leave his muscle stiffs, or he is too cool to show his wide puppy smile.
'As a date?' I said uncertainly.
He surge in a deep breath of the warm summer air, avoiding my glance. 'Yes, since the day I save you from our office's labyrinth, Rachel. Which is two months ago.'
I remained silent, but I can't deny the utter flattery growing in my chest.
'Right, take care for now, Rachel. Goodbye.' He reads my face for a while and he departs along with his luggage. I remained silent, thinking about the whole whirlwind of emotion riding through me.
***
You need to at least tell me what to wear, I didn't bring my entire closet here.
I texted Derek while walking in the Fifth Avenues. New York is a land of unending quest for fashion adventure, you can fill you entire wardrobe with outfit for four different seasons at anytime of the year.
The hotel where I stayed is only a few walks from here, the perks of working for the VIPs, your accommodations remains in the VIP level as well. I took a quick shower with a short recall about Tony's sudden love confession, but I quickly get rid of it when Derek's name came to shush those thought away.
The beach.
What? Is the President allowed to be in the beach with his mistress?
I hit send, playing a little joke to show him that the usual carefree Rachel Woods is back again.
Yes. I decide to go against General Zod's behest.
General Zod? We are living in Krypton now? Is there even a beach in Krypton?
Gavinski. We can always imagine, Rachel.
Gavinski, the evil General Zod, I kind of like that. We are going to the beach? I stare in disbelief as I sat down in the street sipping my cup of low fat Latte.
The perk of dating the President is that, I don't have to plant any tracking device or hire some spy to detect where he is. I just need either a television or internet connection. When I open my Facebook page, it's filled with live details about Derek and Grace's lunch at one of the finest restaurant in town.
I have no doubt about Grace's fashion sense, she obviously has a bunch of designers criticizing her clothing before she presents them to the world. She wore a champagne pink dress with white blazer, accessorize with gold clutch and black heels.
An hour ago, her expression is all sulky and don't-fuck-with-me face, and now, her face is all glowing with cheers, I bet it's the YSL bronzer that does the trick, I manage to see that in her bag.
Derek, my "Superman" obviously did not wear his cloak and the famous red underwear that is worn on the outside instead in inside, he wore a khakis pant, blue shirt unbuttoned, matched with suit of the same color with his pant. His hair, wavy yet not out of place, his PR team must have spent years designing his hair for him, how could he look so good for a Magic Mike cast instead of President? Usually world leaders have the look of Bernie Sanders.
They were holding hands, like really holding hands. How many years of practice does it take for them to look this natural? A sharp pinch of jealousy leads me to the end of this stalking. I decided to focus on my shopping instead, finding any possible outfit that could make Derek nosebleed.
***
Derek POV
I looked at my leather watch, thirty more minutes and I'm out of here.
'You don't have to be that obvious, Derek, even if you don't enjoy the pleasure of my company.' Grace sip her flute of champagne while I just had coffee instead. I can't be drinking alcohol if I have to drive Rachel to the Long Island afterward.
'I have other matters to attend.' I avoided her glance, it's a natural response, I guess, when you are keeping something from someone else, someone who knows you a lot, pipes a thought.
She finished the champagne in one shot, shut her eyes for a while, like she is forcing the bubbles and alcohol into her digestives track. Such a waste. Champagne should be sip with patient and appreciation.
'Derek?' Grace calls me. Her tone is solemn.
I became alert, sensing something important is going to be mentioned soon. I prop my hands on the table, I hope my impatient wasn't that obvious.
'Earlier on, you asked me what's my plan for myself?' She paused, observing my expressing, once she got my attention, she continued.
'What's your plan then?' I asked,
Her uncertainty is evident. Grace leaned nearer towards me even though she is sitting opposite. 'Let's have a baby.'
Baby.
Baby.
What? 'Are you in your sober stage?' I asked, mortified.
'What could possibly be better to have the blessing of the public? They thought I have been infertile for years, and finally we had one, it's the best way to boost your popularity, Derek!' She hissed, as if anyone can hear us with the secret service guiding the door.
I felt heated at the moment. She must be out of her mind. 'Listen, if this child is born only to grow up in a broken family, then, no.'
'Why would they be,' Grace went stupor for a second, 'you thought of divorcing?' Her fiery grey eyes look at me in disgust, as if all of this is my fault?
I rubbed my mouth, using my finger to cover my mouth for awhile, it's better to think before I speak. 'Ask yourself honestly, Grace, didn't you treat everyone close to you as a pawn that leads you to checkmate? Now, you want to drag your own children inside this dirty game as well?'
She went silent when I finally hit her right spot. 'You wanted to be the President didn't you? Stop being a hypocrite, Derek, we know the rules of how this game is play.' She scoffed.
'Yes, but killing my own child is an exception.' Blood pressure surged up, I felt my body tremble with the anger I am about to explode. 'The last thing that will connect us again will be baby.' I stated it clear and firm. 'Come on, we are going to murder each other if we stay longer.'
I got up, pushing my chair backward, allowing space for me to leave.
'Those look you put on these days, I know them.' Grace said bitterly. She is still sitting on her dining chair. I looked at her, like the way you saw a person for the first time. It's not the first I saw her true colors after she took of her mask, but still, it sends cold shivers down my body. She laugh scornfully and shake her head.
'Everything you said to me, they hurt.' She pad her chest. 'Here.' She gaze at me again. 'You are all smiling, grinning and whenever you looked at your phone, you look like a hormone erupt teenager. I know you, you have been mine, Derek. Those smiles, grin, and silly love face, those belongs to me, once.' Grace spatted those words clearly, like she has been practicing before she voice out. Instinct tells me, she knows it.
'I thought living in separate house, sleeping in separate bed will ease our relationship better. But no, you bring another woman into our bed. The wife knows it, the wife will always know, Derek.'
I sat down, knowing this will never end on time. I stare at Grace blankly, seeing her rubbing her tears gently with a tissue. She never cries, not even the day I choose to build a wall between us, not even when I told her she won't be living in the White House with me. Yet, a part of me put my heart on froze when I reminded myself, this might be Grace's guilt attack.
My state of mind right now; a) Rachel is waiting for me, b) do we need to do this here? I waited for Grace to calm down, I ceased any chance of defending myself, before she used all my words against me. No matter what, I failed her first.
'Is this a fling?' She asked coldly.
'No.' I blurt without thinking. Her eyes avoided me, but she is listening. 'Don't start the topic about Lewinsky scandal.' I put a stop sign with my hand.
'How long has it been?' She fires another interrogation.
'We don't have to do this Grace.' Knotting another level of patient, I replied her calmly. 'Any words I said right now, do you think you can walk out of this restaurant without the stains of the emotions you left here?'
She looks at me, as if what I said is reasonable. Appearing 365 days perfect in front of the camera is Grace's forte. Attending body language class was also her suggestion.
Grace took her clutch, grab a mirror and her oversize sunglasses and did some facial muscle stretching. That is her warm up before meeting the press. 'We'll solve this issues back in the D.C tonight.'
'I'm staying.' I told her.
She looks up at me, as if I just disclosed something terrible. Well, it is terrible for her, of course. 'So, Derek Hoffer!' She scoffed, I can see she is going out of sanity soon, 'you brought your affair to New York as well!' She made another scoff, she might as well do some clapping to add the effect. 'On our wedding anniversary? Seriously?' Her agitation has spurt up another level, which leads her to close her eyes, breathing lungful of air.
Many years since our fight started, I can't remember how long have I not look at Grace properly, she have aged, which I am not suppose to tell her because vanity is one of her best possessions . Grace is beautiful as always, but my feelings towards her has stale to the point of indifferent. I don't hate her, but I can never forgive her. I can't stop my growing feeling for Rachel day by day, and it gets better every time.
It may seems like I am being the devil, because all I can think about now is, Rachel is waiting for me.
A/N
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