Taking Chances
Title: Taking Chances (15/?)
Author:
appassionata1
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 1,208
Pairings: Noah/Reid
Warnings: Mpreg, Strong Language, Graphic SexSummary: A handsome, middle aged doctor named Reid Oliver and a hot, young culinary student named Noah Mayer meet by chance at a Chicago bakery on a frigid January morning. As their attraction for one another grows, will they be bold enough to take a chance at falling in love?
Disclaimer: Noah and Reid are characters which are property of CBS and Telenext Media. No copyright infringement is intended.
In Key West, Florida Charlene Mayer was enduring another restless night. She felt like it was useless to just lie in bed awake and allow all sorts of negative thoughts about her son swirl around inside her head so she didn’t stay there. Noah hadn’t called his parents in weeks and from that last conversation with his father she gleaned that he was in some kind of serious trouble. It was a serious enough issue to share with his father and embarrassing enough to keep from his mother. Noah didn’t want her to get involved and she did exactly what he had requested and stayed out of it. After all, her son was now a grown man living on his own and he didn’t need his mother to solve his problems for him, however Charlene felt like this one was different. Like whatever it was that was upsetting Noah would somehow impact his whole family.
Charlene sat quietly in a wing back chair on the other side of the bedroom with the lights dim so she wouldn’t disturb her sleeping husband. As she thumbed through her favorite Woman’s World magazine to pass the time, she coincidentally came across pictures of babies. Mothers, grandmothers and aunts submit them to a special section of the magazine each week showing off their little darlings dressed in their finest and looking adorable. She had to smile when she saw a little boy with dark curly hair who resembled Noah. He was even wearing a little sailor suit just like the one she had bought him for his third birthday. While staring at the child she let out an anguished sigh.
My baby boy’s heart is aching. I can feel his pain. No matter how old he gets or how old I get, I’m always going to know when he needs his mother. She closed the magazine and put it down on the table beside her. Now she was wracked with worry again and torn between the choice of keeping her promise or calling her son. Then she made her decision. If I help him resolve whatever’s troubling him, he won’t be too concerned about me interfering in his life. He’ll just be grateful that I did.
She sprang up from her seat, hastily crossed the room, and sat down on the bed. She looked at the clock on the night stand and saw that it read half past eleven. Did she really want to wake her sleeping son and make matters worse by interrogating him in the middle of the night? Her better judgment told her to wait until morning. She let out another deep sigh and lay back down. At least now she had found some peace of mind. Yes, she would call Noah early the next morning and find out what was going on.
Soon after she had pulled the covers back over her tired body and managed to doze off for a few minutes, the phone rang. Startled and shaken she shot up in bed and snatched it up off the night stand. She knew in her heart that it was her son. She answered it saying, “Noah, what is it sweetheart?”
“Hi mom, I’m so sorry to wake you, but there’s something you and dad need to know about.”
The phone woke up Winston as well and now he sat up in bed disoriented. “Char is that Noah?” he asked loud enough for Noah to hear him on the other end.
Noah replied, “Mom could you please put me on speakerphone so dad can hear me too?”
Obeying his request, she answered her husband, “Yes, it’s Noah. He has something to tell us.
Winston gulped and braced himself for the worst possible news. The nature of their last conversation came rushing back to him. He suspected that Noah was calling to tell him his boyfriend hand gone through with the abortion and their grandchild was dead. His heart went out to his poor wife, having kept her in the dark all that time and now her heart would be shattered to pieces. He moved very close to her and draped his arm tenderly around her shoulders and they waited to hear their son’s voice. There was an uncomfortable pause and Charlene got chills when she heard Noah sniffling.
Winston broke the silence with, “Go ahead son we’re listening.” His parents looked uneasily at each other.
Noah cleared his throat and began speaking, “Mom I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you about this sooner…and there’s no way to tell you without really upsetting you because now it’s a million times worse and…”
His concerned mother interrupted, “Noah, please just tell us what’s happened sweetheart!”
He sucked in a deep breath and let it out. Then he continued speaking, “Mom, I’m going to be a father and our baby might not live through the night.” They could hear the pain in his voice as he strained to choke back his sobs.
Charlene gasped and covered her mouth, looking at her husband with a shocked expression she questioned, “Winston you knew about this baby?!”
He hung his head, then looked up at her and nodded. After a moment he inquired, “Noah why is the baby’s life in danger? What’s happened to it?”
Noah composed himself as best he could and continued, “Mom my boyfriend Reid is pregnant and he was in a car accident earlier today. His injuries are not that serious, but the baby….” He let out a shuddering breath, “the accident caused Reid to go into labor. It’s way too soon and his doctor is trying to stop it…he’s at the hospital…at Loyola hospital and I’m here with him.”
Charlene was using every bit of strength she had to keep from crying now. She swallowed hard and responded, “Noah we’re so sorry baby. Were you in the accident? Are you hurt sweetheart?”
“No mom I wasn’t. Reid was riding in a taxi when it happened.”
Winston asked, “How is Reid now? What’s his condition…and the baby’s?”
“He’s trying to sleep, but he’s still having contractions. He’s only about five months pregnant and the baby can’t survive if…” Noah’s voice trailed off and he took several deep breaths to keep himself from crying.
Charlene had heard enough. Her only child desperately needed her and she would do everything she could to be at his side. She was in danger of losing her grandchild before it even drew its first breath and somehow, someway she was not going to let that happen.
“Don’t worry sweetheart we’re coming there to be with you,” she announced as she turned to look at Winston. He nodded in agreement.
“Mom, dad you really don’t have to…”
“We do!” Winston insisted.
Noah smiled at the other end of the line. His dad had said the last word on the matter and there would be no arguing the point. He felt warm inside as he said goodbye and ended the call. His mom and dad would soon be there with him to comfort him and soothe his pain. Although he was being very strong throughout this whole ordeal, he had to admit to himself that he needed them now, more than ever.
Chapter 16