The Marriage Clause Read online

  When the sun woke her in the morning she was sprawled across his broad chest. She lifted her head to look at him while he slept. He was amazing, and the night they shared was unlike any other experience that she’d ever had. But fear crept into her heart and her subconscious came back with a vengeance screaming it was a mistake. What have we done? she thought and closed her eyes in panic. One night of passion meant she was probably going to lose her best friend.

  Chapter Two

  “No more broth,” India moaned. “Gran, it’s disgusting, let me die of the flu in peace.”

  “I doubt very much you’re suffering from the flu,” her grandmother said.

  India cracked an eye to look at the only woman in her life she could call mom. Etta Newton had her gray hair in soft curls that fell to her shoulder. Her eyes held concern and merriment, and her face was still smooth even though a hint of age was starting to show. At sixty-six Etta still dated and thought she was in the prime of her life. Both she and Brownie, Mikael’s grandmother, took regular dance classes and went to the gym. They didn’t seem to slow down with age but instead got bolder as they progressed.

  “What do you mean Gran? It’s the flu.” India cracked an eye open and looked at her grandmother. “The flu, right? I don’t have Ebola, do I? You didn’t bring back any tropical disease that’s going to cause the CDC to quarantine our house?”

  Gran snorted. “I doubt I was there when you caught this sickness, Honeybee.” She held up a pregnancy test and waved it around in front of India’s eyes. “Time to go pee.”

  “I refuse, I can’t be pregnant. I know my cycle and I had my period last month,” India said defensively.

  “Do we need to have the talk again?” Gran asked. “Women can have a period early on in a pregnancy.”

  India sat up. “Gran, I’m not pregnant.”

  “Humor me and go pee on the stick, Honeybee.” Gran sat on the side of the bed. “Then if it’s negative we’ll get you tested for Ebola.”

  Anxiousness clenched her stomach. “But Gran, if I’m pregnant…”

  “What, the suit won’t take care of it? Brownie and I can go after him with the bat,” Gran said angrily. “I never liked that stupid asshole.”

  “Gran, language!” India gasped.

  “I’m not a child. I can call it like I see it, he’s an asshole,” Gran retorted and then patted her hands. “Don’t worry Honeybee, we’ll be a good family to the baby. Brownie will be a second Grandma and Mikael will be a good uncle.”

  “But that’s the thing, Gran.” India shifted uncomfortably and sighed. “If I’m pregnant it would be Mikael’s.”

  Her grandmother stared at her for more than a few minutes and then a big grin split her face and she clapped her hands. “I knew it, I knew it, y’all were acting so strange when we got back and Mikael took his gifts and said he had duty…. Oh, you and Mikael knocked boots and he planted a baby.”

  “Gran!”

  Gran tried to smother her smile. “Okay, let’s not get ahead of ourselves, go pee on the stick.”

  “I don’t need to go right now,” India tried stalling.

  Gran shook her head. “Eh, hell no, I’ve been shoveling broth and clear fluids in you all day. You can go.”

  She held up the box, and India snatched it and got out of the bed quickly. She had to steady herself as a wave of dizziness and nausea washed over her.

  Her grandmother pulled her back to sit next to her. “Head between your knees until it passes.”

  She did as she was told and soon she was in the bathroom taking a test. Please don’t let me be pregnant, please, please, please, she prayed. But the digital read out kept blinking pregnant and the not never made an appearance. She had to move from sitting on the toilet and lift the lid to throw up. Holy shit, she was going to have a baby, for Mikael! India washed her mouth out and came out of the bathroom. Her grandmother sat on the bed looking at her expectantly.

  “Well?” Gran asked.

  India nodded, too shocked to even speak, and her grandmother did a little happy dance of joy.

  “Wait until Brownie hears this!” Gran chortled.

  “I don’t see why you’re so happy, Mikael won’t be,” India muttered. “I don’t think he wants to be saddled down with a kid and me. We were drunk and ended up in bed.” India flopped back on the bed. “Tequila shots are bad, so very bad.”

  “He’ll be thrilled, and when you get married it will be great. I can see you in a nice ivory dress with a vintage feel. He can wear his dress blues,” Gran started planning out loud.

  “Who says we’re getting married? He doesn’t even know I’m pregnant,” India pointed out.

  “It’s a natural step, honey, and besides it’s been all planned for years… oops.” Gran suddenly shut up.

  India lifted her head to look at her warily. “What oops—Gran, what are you hiding?”

  “Nothing Honeybee, um, I was just excited about the baby and a wedding.” She looked away and her left eye started to twitch, a classic tell for when she was lying.

  “Gran, you tell me right now or I swear I’ll….” India couldn’t think of anything to threaten with.

  Gran held up her hand. “Okay, okay, sheesh. When you and Mikael were kids we had a sleepover at Brownie’s house. Remember when he convinced you to build the fort and you fell asleep in there?”

  India nodded. “Yes, and I don’t see how that’s relevant right now.”

  Gran rubbed her hands together. “Brownie and I thought you looked so cute and we had a few Sherries. Then we thought you should get married when you were adults. So we drew up a contract to say that you were to be married and what we both would do for the wedding and contribute to your future.”

  “Oh my God, but that was a joke, right?” India asked.

  “Well no, because we had her lawyer come over and notarize it and we both had a copy,” Gran answered and then said quickly, “The next day it was funny, but then we said why not? We both knew you’d end up with each other and in a way it comforted us…”

  “Are you crazy!” India shrieked. “Gran, you’ve done some insane things, but this? I should have you institutionalized, or even better put you in an assisted living community.”

  “I’ll have you know I am quite in control of my mental faculties,” Gran said primly.

  India glared at her. “Are you really? Because you and Brownie made a binding contract to betroth your grandchildren.”

  “Betroth is such a sweet old fashioned word…”

  India pointed at her. “No, you don’t get to be all moon-eyed. Gran, did she give you a goat and you gave her a lotus flower to seal the deal?”

  “Well that’s so silly for these contemporary times.” Gran frowned. “You should be happier over this, I mean a baby and a family…”

  India threw up her hands and laughed. “Really! Oh, I’m thrilled. Go get Brownie over here right now.”

  “Okay, and then what?” Gran asked.

  “I’m calling Mikael to get his butt here, and then we’re all going to sit down for a long, long talk,” India said. She was so mad she forgot to be sick.

  “That’s a great idea, I’ll put some tea on and some lunch, something light for you since nothing is staying down, but we need to nourish the little bit.” Gran went off merrily humming.

  “I don’t believe this!” India said to the empty room.

  She took her cell off the bedside table and went through the contacts to Mikael’s number. He was usually always in her recent calls, but since they slept together she’d been avoiding his calls, and he had called a few times. India took a deep breath and pressed the phone icon to connect the call. She listened to the ring and half expected him not to answer. He’d called and left a few messages, some of them really sweet, but she was too much of a coward to call back.

  “Well, well, well, I thought you had joined witness protection and changed your name.” His voice was a deep baritone of amusement that sent shivers down her back. She could re
member vividly what that mouth could do.

  “Hi…I’m sorry, I just needed some time,” India said.

  “I understand, we’ve been friends for so long that I hoped you could talk to me about anything, even us,” Mikael said.

  “We need to talk, and I need you to come over,” India said. “Like right now because your grandmother and my grandmother have taken insanity to a whole new level.”

  “Oh hell, do we have to go bail them out or something?” Mikael asked.

  “No, apparently they betrothed us when we had that fort sleepover and in their tipsy of sherry stupor entered us into some kind of marriage clause. Get this, it’s a legally binding contract,” India explained.

  Mikael laughed. “But we were nine and seven, what the hell? Is that even legal in the United States?”

  “How am I supposed to know? I’ve never been set up in a marriage before,” India snapped.

  “Well okay, I get this can be serious, but do I need to come over right now to take care of their crazy?” he asked.

  “There’s more,” she said slowly.

  “What else?”

  “Our night of tequila shots and the fun that ensued afterwards…”

  “Mmmm yes, that was more than fun.” His gravelly voice gave her that sexy shiver again.

  “Yes well, we have some consequences to that foray into pleasure. I’m pregnant and now Gran and Brownie think we’ll be getting married,” India explained.

  “Pregnant.”

  “Yes.”

  “With my baby.”

  “That’s correct.”

  “And our grandparents set us up to be married.”

  “That’s about the size of it.”

  India listened to the silence for a moment and wondered if he’d passed out.

  Finally he spoke. “I’ll be there in about forty-five minutes.”

  “Okay. Brownie is on her way so just come on up to my place,” India replied.

  “Um, are you happy, sad, or going to put my nuts in a vise?” Mikael asked.

  India smiled. “No nuts in a torture implement, and I don’t know how I feel yet.”

  “Understandable, see you in a bit.”

  “Okay, bye.”

  India disconnected the call and looked at the phone in her hand. Well, they’d gone and done it, thus becoming the age-old adage of one night of pleasure leading to a lifetime of consequences. She pressed her hand against her still flat belly and rubbed it gently. One of the rooms she’d be designing now would be for her own son or daughter. She heard laughter and squeals of happiness from downstairs and knew Brownie had arrived. India got up from the side of her bed and went into the bathroom to shower and get cleaned up. This should be interesting, she thought. A child might bind her and Mikael together and she couldn’t help but feel kind of happy about that. Maybe she was lucky and could be in love with her best friend.

  Chapter Three

  The four of them sat around India’s kitchen table, and there was nothing but silence. India fiddled with the corner of her placemat while their grandparents grinned like loons. He met Brownie’s gaze and frowned. She had the good sense to wipe the smile off her face and look down at her hands. He loved her, she’d been nothing more than an utterly amazing grandmother who raised him. God knows where his parents were. He only knew his mother from pictures. The first face he could remember was Brownie looking down at him when he was sick in bed. Then her hair was black as a raven’s wing, and now it held more gray than black. She wore it tied back with a scarf like she was Elizabeth Taylor and could give the woman a run for her money when it came to looks and class. But right now she and Etta were in so much trouble. Plus, he and India had lots to talk about.

  “I guess we should start by saying we meant no harm,” Brownie said.

  “Honestly, it’s all worked out for the best.” Etta picked up the teapot and poured hot water into the teacups she’d set out. “India, yours is mint for your morning sickness.”

  “A contract, Brownie?” Mikael looked at her worriedly and noticed the paleness to her chocolate skin. “Have you been really sick?”

  “Oh, she can barely keep anything down but now that we know what it is I can feed her to suit,” Etta said cheerfully. “We’re having a great grandbaby.”

  Brownie clapped her hands in delight. “I can’t wait to see what you do for the nursery, you are so very creative, India.”

  “Gran, Brownie, do you not see how this was completely and utterly crazy, right?” India said. “You don’t expect us to go through with this?”

  Etta looked at her in confusion. “Well yes we do, it’s a binding contract.”

  Brownie nodded. “In many cultures this could be punishable by the family who reneges on the contract being cast out of the village. I for one will not be the one who nullifies this arrangement.”

  Etta shook her head. “Me neither, now that the baby is on its way, you two need to settle down.”

  “We don’t live in a village, Brownie, we live in New York!” Mikael yelled in exasperation.

  “You can’t force us to do this.” India folded her hands across her chest. “I’m still considering a nursing home.”

  “We’re not saying right now, but in a few months before the baby is born, everything is so new for you both and there’s lots of planning to be done,” Brownie pointed out.

  “Yes, exactly. We can wait until you’re six months along and get a good non-denominational pastor to do it in the backyard under the gazebo.” Etta smiled. “Eat the ginger cookies Brownie brought dear, they’ll help with your nausea.”

  “Ooh yes, the gazebo would be perfect, and we can get white lilies to line the aisle, tea candles for a nice nighttime setting.” Brownie clapped. “I saw this pregnancy wedding dress website I can show you Etta. Such lovely dresses.”

  India looked at him. “Do you believe these two?”

  “I know.” Mikael shook his head.

  Secretly he was actually seeing the grandmothers’ point of view. After their night together he could think of nothing but her. Every time he called and got her voicemail, a lance of disappointment coursed through him. That night was the turning point in his life. He saw the woman he wanted in his arms and in his bed. He wanted India and was reevaluating life after their night together. He recalled the jealousy he felt since they were old enough to date and she had a boyfriend. That wasn’t brotherly love he was experiencing.

  “We should go downstairs so you can talk, and let you get accustomed to the idea,” Brownie said. She was looking at Mikael with a small smile on her face.

  Jeez, is it that easy to see? he thought, panicked. He tried to mask his happiness behind a poker face before they left him and India alone.

  “A very good idea, Brownie, we can boot up the computer and you can show me the wedding dress site,” Etta agreed. “Mikael, make sure she has that tea and eats a few more cookies. I’ll make something good for dinner and bring it up for you later, Honeybee.”

  India said nothing as their grandparents left. When they heard the door click she dropped her hand on the table. “Kill me now, just kill me.”

  He pulled his chair closer to her and concern laced his voice. “Is it that bad? Do we need to take you to the hospital?”

  “No, it’s not that, well its half that, but the Grans are insane, they’re expecting us to get married!” India moaned.

  “Would that be such a bad thing?” he asked quietly.

  She lifted her head and looked at him in amazement. “Did they feed you the Kool-Aid before you got here?”

  “You’re carrying our child.” Mikael hesitated and his heart dropped at his next thought. “Are you planning to keep the baby?”

  She slapped his arm. “Of course, what kind of stupid question is that? You were with me many Sundays at church. Though I don’t go much anymore doesn’t mean I’ve lost my faith base.”

  “I know, I’m sorry for asking but you never know how people may think,” Mikael said. “A baby
could ruin dating and all that stuff.”

  “I’m not my mother, I would put my child first in all things,” India said stiffly.

  Mikael sighed. “I didn’t mean to insult you, but I don’t know what we should do now. We have chemistry, India. I’d like to see where it goes, especially now.”

  India met his gaze. “Is this because I’m pregnant? I’d prefer to be a single mother than make you feel like you’re trapped in a relationship you don’t want to be in. We can share being parents just as easily.”

  He cupped her cheek, happy to feel her skin again, and said gently, “If India had just answered my call I could’ve asked her out on a date long before now.”

  “Maybe India thought that you’d think our night was a mistake but felt like you would feel obligated not to hurt her feelings,” India answered.

  He smiled. “She’d be wrong.”

  India gave her first trembling smile. “Okay, then we’ll learn this together.”

  Mikael pressed his forehead against hers. “We’re going to be parents.”

  “Mmm-hmm, but right now you need to move because I’m going to be sick.”

  He barely pushed his chair back before she was running toward the stairs that led to her bedroom. Mikael sat at the table for a minute before going upstairs to follow her. While Brownie had left her three story brownstone as one big family house, Etta divided hers into to a duplex, giving India the biggest apartment with the two floors. He recalled how India refused until Etta explained her arthritis kept her from climbing stairs like she should, and she didn’t need that much space. He remembered when he helped India move in, and it calmed him knowing at least one of them were there to be close by in case the Grans needed them. Right now she needed him, so Mikael turned back to get the tea and ginger cookies. By the time he got upstairs she was laying face first across the bed.

  “You should have this tea while it’s hot, and settle your tummy,” Mikael said and placed the tray on the bedside table.