One night stand with my daddy's best friend
101

I looked from him to Lizzie back to him. "What do you mean?"

"You know that special art studio that Lizzie wanted me to build out back behind the house? Well, we've pretty much gotten it built, but instead of turning it into a studio, we've turned into a guest cottage similar to what Ryker has over at his place. You can stay there for as long as you need. It's not very big." My dad scanned my studio apartment again. "But it's bigger than this."

"But what about Lizzie's studio?" Art was important to her and I didn't want to put off the dream she had of having a separate place to do her art.

"Right now, I couldn't use it very much anyway. Eli is still too little. I

figure once he goes to school in two years, then I'll have more time. In two years, you're going to be in a successful job living in a lovely home with your twin babies."

My dad shook his head. "I can't believe my baby is having twins." I smiled.

"But what about the twin's father?" Lizzie asked.

I looked down again, hating that I was going to lie. "He's not in the picture."

"Why not?" my father growled. "He has a responsibility."

I couldn't come up with an excuse so I avoided the answer. "I have to admit that I'm very tempted, but being pregnant with twins, I need health insurance. And who's going to hire me when I'm pregnant?"

"It's against the law not to hire someone because they're pregnant," my father said.

"That doesn't mean companies don't find an excuse to hire someone else," I said. I'd been pretty sly about not telling anyone in my current job that I was pregnant although I knew the time was coming soon where I'd have to. "You're only twenty-one, Jet. You can be on my insurance," my dad said. "And by the time the babies come, you should have your own job which will cover them."

I really wanted to say yes and return to the comfort and safety of my dad's house. "It still doesn't solve the problem about a job."

"Maybe you can go back to work with Dane," Lizzie said. I shook my head vehemently. "No."

They both frowned and I realized that I was close to giving up my secret. "What I mean is I am open to having support in making a transition, but it's still important to me that I earn a job on my own merit."

My father stood paced in the small space. "Jet, you can't afford to be stubborn about this. You've got two babies coming."

"I'm sure they've already filled my position." It had been months. I couldn't imagine they hadn't found someone new to do the job.

"You know, you could consider freelancing or opening your own business," Lizzie suggested.

My father looked at her with an expression that suggested he didn't like that idea. "Owning a business is a lot of work and stress."

She ignored him and pressed on. "Today young people your age are foregoing the traditional job route and instead are working for themselves.

Especially with your experience in marketing and understanding of technology, it seems to me you could be very successful. You could work from the studio setting up your business over the next few months. Maybe even Dane would contract with you. I do agree with your dad that you can't be stubborn about accepting referrals from your father. People do it in business all the time. It will be up to you to provide the quality of work that will keep them hiring you and they will refer more people to you as well."

My father studied her. "How'd you get to be so smart about business?" She smiled. "I stay hip to what the young people are doing."

I rolled my eyes.

"The point is when it comes to running a business, your dad can give you pointers, but when it comes to delivering the service itself, you already know how to do that. You have a place to live and a place to work. And maybe more important is that pregnancy is stressful physically and emotionally, probably even more so with twins. Staying in a job that makes you miserable isn't going to be good for you or the baby."

All the points they were making were true. While I didn't want to slide back and feel like I was failing in my life, I had to think of my babies.

But I also needed to consider that at some point, I'd run into Dane again.

Although maybe if he was married, he and my dad might not be spending so much time together. If I was careful, I could probably find a way to avoid him.

I nodded. "Yes, okay, I'll do it."

My dad came over and gave me a hug. "Good. I think that's a wise decision, Jet."

"I still need to give a two-week notice."

My father nodded. "You do that and we will finish getting the studio ready. It doesn't look like it will take much to pack up this place. We'll come back up and get you and drive you home."

I don't know why but I started crying again. "What's wrong, baby?" My dad wiped my tears.

I shrugged. "I don't know. I just get emotional these days. Maybe it's because it's a relief that I'll be able to leave my job. If it weren't for that, things wouldn't be so hard right now."

Lizzie smiled sympathetically. "In a few weeks you'll be back home with us and you'll be forging a new life. Your dad and I will do our best to stay out of your way and let you make your own decisions, but at the same time, Jet,

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you're going to need to accept some help. Your children need that from you." I pressed over the swell of my belly. "Yes, I know."

"Have you told your mom yet?" my dad asked.

I shook my head. "You are the first ones I've told." My father frowned. "Except the father, right?"

I knew this was a sensitive topic for him. My mother had robbed him of eleven years with me. At the same time, I couldn't have them finding out who the father was. "He's not in the picture."

"I think it's despicable that some men won't step up and do what is right." My father shook his head in disgust.

"Well, lucky for Jet, she has a family that loves and supports her and will love and support her babies. Oh my goodness, the girls are going to be so excited about new babies."

"What about Eli?" my dad asked. "Come to think of it, they didn't seem too excited when he was born."

Lizzie laughed. "For one, he was a boy and two, he's their brother. This will be different. They're going to be aunts and Eli's going to be an uncle."

My father's gaze swung to me. "Holy fuck, I'm going to be a grandfather."

I laughed. "That's right, grandpa. "

"Perhaps you need to stop saying the F word, grandpa," Lizzie said.

I felt grateful for my dad and Lizzie, and maybe a little bit guilty that I hadn't fully appreciated them before. That evening they took me out to dinner, and we discussed in more detail my move and my options for earning an income. To be honest, I was really intrigued by Lizzie's idea. The only thing I would have to worry about starting my own marketing business was healthcare once the babies were here. But I also knew that Lizzie was right, a lot of my peers had decided not to go to the corporate world or the traditional work route and were working as freelancers or starting their own businesses.

The following Monday, I walked into work and gave my two weeks' notice. Nobody said anything about it. Nobody suggested they were sad that I was leaving. Although, I suppose I should be happy that no one expressed discontent that after such a short time I was leaving.

I continued to work as normal over those two weeks and in the evenings

worked on putting together my business plan, determining the type of marketing I wanted to do and the sorts of clients I wanted to work with.

My dad had emailed me information about starting a business from home where they lived. I applied for all the necessary permits so that when I got home and moved into the studio, I could get started right away.

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In fact, I already had two clients; my dad and his friend Ryker, who owned a shipping company. The stubborn part of me wanted to refuse their business because it felt like a handout. But then I remembered that I had two little beings I needed to worry about.

Plus, the work they were asking me to do was right up my alley, so I had to accept the work graciously and do my best to provide them with quality work.

Two weeks later when I walked out of Closter media for the last time, I felt like I'd shed a hundred pounds. I hadn't realized how much that job was weighing me down.

I didn't own very much stuff, so instead of dad and Lizzie driving up and then driving home with a moving truck, we arranged for what little I had to be shipped and I flew home. When I walked into the front door of my dad's house, I had a moment of feeling like I had failed in forging my own life, but I pushed it aside as my siblings came up to give me a hug. The girls rubbed their hands over my belly excited about the babies growing there.

My father walked me out the back door and around the pool to the studio that he had built. It was bigger than I had anticipated. It had an open living space and kitchen with an eating area, and a bedroom.

"This doesn't look very much like an art studio," I said as I took in the guesthouse.

"We switched up the plans some. But when the time comes, it will work as a studio."

"Lizzie isn't disappointed that she doesn't get to use this yet, is she?"

My dad put his arm around me. "Letting you stay here was her idea, Jet. You know me and if I had my way, you'd be back up in your bedroom in the house with all my other kids."

I smiled. "You're so cheesy, dad."

"You say that now. Pretty soon you're gonna be a mom and you'll be cheesy too."

"I hope so. I hope I'm as good a mom as you've been a dad."

My dad's eyes misted. He pulled me in for a hug. "I know you will be Jet.

You've been a wonderful daughter and a terrific big sister. I know that my constant hovering and wanting to keep you close might make you think that I don't believe in you, but I do. I know that you're a smart, competent woman. But as your dad you will always be my baby girl."

I rested my head on his shoulder for a moment letting myself be his little girl. I didn't know what the future held for me and my twins, but I was sure that my dad and Lizzie would be here to support me and cheer me on.

As I settled into the studio that night, I was excited about what my future might bring. I lay in bed with my hands on my belly as I talked to my babies about all the new changes that were going on.

The only dark spot was that they wouldn't have a father. My emotions were mixed about Dane. I missed him like crazy while at the same time still felt the pain of knowing he'd been cheating on Anne with me.

I was in a tug-of-war of what was the right thing to do. I knew I should tell him about the babies and deal with the fallout. But, if I did tell him, what would happen between him and my dad? What would happen between Dane and his new wife? How would Dane react? Would he even want to be a father?

I rolled over onto my side and willed sleep to come. I wasn't going to solve the problem of Dane tonight. For now, I would settle into my new home and start my new business.