“So are you and Michelle going to have a baby, Daddy?”
“Precious, babies don’t come from kissing.”
“Yes, they do.”
“Who told you that?”
“I asked Mommy where I came from and she said you were kissing, and I grew in her tummy then you took me out. Sam Martin at my school tries to kiss me, but I don’t want a baby, Daddy. I wouldn’t know what to do with it, and my tummy’s way too small.”
Erik stopped walking and closed his eyes, momentarily at a loss for words. It took all his effort to hide his humor. Precious was too young to understand the facts of life, but he could not have her believing babies came from kissing someone of the opposite sex. And he was definitely going to have a little chat with this Sam Martin. He spoke in as casual a tone as the delicate situation afforded. “Precious, babies don’t come from kissing.”
“Mommy lied to me?”
Caught in a pickled jam, Erik stooped down to her eye level. “No. She didn’t,” he said firmly, taking her hands in his. “It does start with kissing, though. When two people like each other, they enjoy touching, hugging, and kissing each other.”
“You like Michelle?”
“Yes.” Love her. His forehead wrinkled as a faint memory from last night flashed across his mind. Did he say it? “I enjoy kissing her and hugging her, but it takes a lot more than kissing to make a baby.”
“Like what?” Her eyes were wide and questionable.
Erik stood up. Here he was, a gynecologist, and he was too embarrassed to discuss the facts of life with his daughter. Damn. He didn’t ever want to explain sex to her. He wanted her to remain his sweet innocent baby, forever. “It’s complicated. When you’re older, I’ll explain it.” She needed a mother. He was more certain of that now than ever.
“How old?” she asked, skipping merrily along beside him.
“About fifty,” he grumbled.
“Fifty? I’ll be too old to have a baby then.”
“That’s the idea.” He grinned down at her scowling face. “Okay. Maybe in a year or so.”
“Okay. I’ll remind you.”
“I’m sure you will.”
“Daddy?”
“What now?”
“If you and Michelle get married and have a baby, will she be my mommy, too?”
She already is. “I suppose so.”
“I think she’d make a great mommy.”
“You think so, huh?”
“Hmm.” She threw back her head and smiled at him.
Erik squeezed her tiny fingers. “I smell banana pancakes and sausages all the way down here. You think those are Michelle’s?”
She wrinkled her nose. “Yeah. We better hurry before she eats them all up. I’m really hungry,” she said, rubbing her tummy.
“Me, too.” He picked Precious up, and with one swift motion, tossed her over his shoulders. Her soft giggles blended harmoniously with his deep chuckles as he trotted in a happy gait back to the cottage and Michelle.
Erik couldn’t remember ever being this happy. Life was smiling on him once more.
After breakfast, they took the ferry across Nantucket Sound to Nantucket Island and spent half the day touring the island and shopping exclusive stores.
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Michelle couldn’t believe how easily Erik dished out money on her and his child. Her protests were lost on him. Last night, she learned he was a man who always got what he wanted. He had ways to make her do things, try positions she didn’t even know were possible.
When she’d asked how he became such a master at the art of love, he’d grinned and said, “The Kama Sutra, baby.” Then he’d explained some of the Tantric and Taoist secrets of love to her. If every man on the planet would take the time to learn those secrets, all women would walk around with stupid grins on their faces all day, Michelle thought. She was blessed to be one of the grinning, lucky ones.
“Come in here for a minute.” Erik edged Michelle into a small jewelry shop. “You have one more birthday gift coming.”
“You just bought me three gorgeous dresses and a Prada purse, Erik. I think that’s more than enough.”
Ignoring her, he pulled her over to a middle-aged man behind a glass counter.
“Erik, you made it,” the man said as he pulled a pair of thick spectacles from his face. He smiled at Precious. “She’s getting more beautiful every day, man. Wait until she starts dating. You’ll be wearing a hole in your floor and tearing your hair out.”
Erik chuckled. “So that’s why you’re bald, Joel?”
“Mock all you want, man. Your day will come.”