The Stepbrother 2: Noah

Creed-

"Stop looking at my daughter like that, Creed," Tempest swatted at me with a diaper.

I scrunched my nose.

"But should all that be coming out of her? How can she stink this badly when she only drinks milk?" My hand did little to shield my nose from the assaulting smell.

"What do you think your baby will smell like?" Tempest shot back.

My eyes went wide.

"I hadn’t thought about it." Tempest's comment made me realize I'd never changed a diaper or even smelled a baby.

I was the youngest of my parents' children; that wasn’t my responsibility.

I didn’t want my kids raised by a nanny. I was going to have to figure it out. I admit I had not thought about what raising an actual child would be like. I had not considered many things, like involving Noah. I believed him when he said he tried to tell me about Maine, especially after he confessed, he wanted me hurt. I had no reason to involve him in my wrath, but I think subconsciously, I wanted him to be my child's father. A funny feeling stirred in my stomach just thinking about it. That was why I decided to have the talk with him. We could co-parent.

"So you’re leaving today?"

Turning my attention back to the task at hand, I handed Tempest a diaper and nodded.

"In six hours, I'll be back at home."

"Aww, friend," she pouted, "I'm going to miss you."

After Noah had given me my keys, I went straight to Tempest's house because AJ called and said she was going into labor.

After the three-day hospital stay, I’d been at their house for just over a week, but I needed to get home.

I had a business to run and baby plans to make on my own.

"I’ll miss you too, and little stink stink here," I laughed, just as my phone rang.

I pulled it from my pocket and checked the caller ID.

My heart skipped a beat when I saw it was Noah.

He hadn’t called since I’d left.

I let it ring a few more times, sensing Tempest's gaze on me. I wanted to walk out before answering but didn’t.

"Hello?"

“I need you to meet me after you get your things, before you leave.” He spoke.

An hour later, I was all packed and heading toward my grandparents' old house.

They had moved into something smaller when I was a child and never sold the old place.

Now, Noah was talking about buying it.

He said he was there with the bank assessor, and we could talk privately afterward.

It took about twenty minutes to get to the house.

I didn’t feel the nostalgia I expected, but I could envision Noah living there, raising a family.

But when I thought of him with me and our baby, I quickly shook the thought away.

I exited the car and headed into the house. Noah said he'd leave the door open for me. The inside was empty, so when I called his name, he responded right away.

"Creed?" I heard his voice coming from the kitchen.

I followed the sound.

He wasn't in the kitchen but must have heard me.

"Creed, down here."

I descended the steps to my father's old bedroom, chuckling to myself.

I thought of Uncle Kyle's book.

He claimed that he, my dad and my mother had a wild night here, but I doubted it.

My dad didn’t like men even looking at Mom. He certainly wouldn't have shared her with one.

I frowned, surveying the room.

It was fully furnished with a bed, sofa, and even a kitchenette.

It looked like a high-end studio apartment.

But where was Noah?

He emerged from the bathroom right on cue.

His full smile was on display when he saw me, and I couldn't help but smile back.

I thought he'd still be mad at me.

He had been right. I shouldn't have tried to fight Maine while pregnant. But I had a score to settle with her for when I wasn’t, and it was on sight.

Dressed in red basketball shorts, compression leggings underneath, a black t-shirt, and matching Nikes, he looked like a Nike model.

"You came?" he beamed.

He walked over and gave me a kiss on the head, making my insides tingle.

"Hey," I began, "I did.

So, you're thinking of buying this place?"

He nodded, running his fingers through his disheveled hair.

"Yeah.

I thought it might be a good place to start our family."

I ignored the last part of his statement.

"I don’t mean to rush you, but I have a flight to catch.

What did you want to discuss?" I inquired amicably.

He took a seat.

“Come sit," he beckoned, patting the cushion next to him before leaning over to pick up a remote.

I found that strange.

Were we talking or watching TV? But I kept silent.

I sat, noticing that our knees touched.

"I want to start by saying I apologize for my reaction to the last incident with Maine.

I shouldn’t have gotten so mad at you.

Just the thought of something happening to our child made me angry, you know?"

I nodded.

"With that being said, I'll never sign over my rights, so you can drop that idea."

Curious about his stance on the situation, I asked, "What do you think we should do?" Even though I had already settled on us being co-parents.

He ran his hand through his hair before meeting my gaze again.

"I think we should get married and figure out whether we're staying in Florida or Georgia before the baby arrives." He kept tapping the remote against his thigh, drawing my attention to it.

"I’m not marrying you, Noah, and my home is in Georgia.

That’s where my child and I will live."

He chuckled darkly.

"See, I don’t like that you keep referring to our child as only yours, or that you turned down my marriage proposal.

You love me, Creed.

I love you. You're pregnant. Marriage is the next logical step." He said it as if that was all there was to it.

Did I love Noah? Yes, probably since I was a little girl.

But I wouldn't admit it.

Our family was already complicated.

"No, it’s not logical, Noah." I stood up.

"I think we should discuss this later, closer to the baby's due date.

We've just been through a lot.

I don’t think you’re thinking clearly." I stood to leave.

He got up from the sofa and crowded me.

"I'm thinking very clearly, clearer than ever.

You know, I used to always fantasize about life with you, but I made excuses as to why I wouldn't and couldn't have you.

The issues between our parents, and how close I was to yours — Troy and Scarlett really treated me well, considering the circumstances. I never wanted to do anything to hurt them or make them look at me differently. So, I put on this mask. I played the peacemaker, kept Tiffany away, and hid my true nature. But then that incident in the van happened, and you kept picking and pulling at the mask I wore until I just said 'fuck it' and indulged.”

He threw his head back and closed his eyes.

“Oh, how I loved indulging," he groaned, as if reminiscing about all the times we had indulged.

My back hit the wall.

I hadn't realized we'd been moving.

His warm body pressed into mine.

"I even convinced myself to leave you alone while you grieved for Lil Compton.

I knew you would come around.

When you told me you wanted to give me a baby, I knew you had. But you don't know how to make anything simple. You could have revealed my secret like you did all the others, but you didn't. And by doing that, you let me know you wanted me as much as I wanted you. I told you, if you didn't come to your senses, I would do something drastic. Now here we are, you forced my hand. Just remember I warned you," he said, taking a step back.

My heart raced in my chest.

What was he about to do?

He raised his hand, pointing the remote towards the steps.

I jumped when the door slammed shut.

Noah dropped the remote to the ground, then raised his foot and stomped down on it, scattering the pieces everywhere.

"Now we have a month to figure everything out without interruption."

My brain caught up to what he was saying a few seconds too late.

I jogged up the stairs to try the door.

It wouldn't budge.

Panic set in, and sweat beaded on my forehead. I turned back, hoping Noah was joking, just in time to watch him stomp on my cell phone.

"Now, everyone will think you're back in Atlanta, just not answering calls, like usual.

Don't worry, we aren't trapped here.

I have someone coming out to let us out in a month.

It's not that long of a time, so we better start talking and figuring out some things."

I didn't know how to respond.

I thought Noah being a little off was endearing, but now I could see that this man was fully unhinged, and I had unleashed him on myself.