Second Hand Waitress

And one day—when the child was old enough—it would have to accept the truth.

The truth that its father had chosen not to know or love it.

Tesah barely noticed that his hands had started to shake. He dropped the envelope onto his desk and clenched his fists, trying to steady himself. A moment later, he picked it up again, took a deep breath, and ripped it open—like pulling off a bandage quickly to get it over with.

He unfolded the paper carefully, scanning the scientific terms until he reached the most important part.

Cannot be excluded as the father of the child... probability of paternity 99.9992%.

Right.

Tesah refolded the paper along the original creases. His hands were trembling again. He slid it back into the envelope, smoothed it flat on his desk, then tucked it into his jacket pocket. The weight of it felt like it was burning into his chest, so he pulled it out and locked it away in his desk drawer. He placed the key back into his pocket.

He had expected this result. It changed nothing. Mike Lawson had been handling the financial arrangements, waiting for confirmation of paternity before moving forward. Tesah had done what was required. Now, he could go back to his life.

He could focus on his business. Expand his hotels. Date beautiful, sophisticated women. One day—years from now—he would settle down and start a family with the right woman. Someone who understood his lifestyle. Someone who wouldn’t complicate his life with endless demands for attention or validation.

Kira and the baby were just bumps in the road, something to get past so he could continue moving forward. He wouldn’t have to think about them again.

Except…

He thought about the last time he had seen her. Had she found another job yet? Had she moved to a safer apartment? Was her glossy black hair still streaked with that awful shade of pink?

Was she still dealing with morning sickness?

What changes came with week fourteen of pregnancy?

Damn it!

He needed to stop thinking about this. He picked up his phone and scrolled through his contacts until he found the name he was looking for.

"Nicki, darling, it’s Tesah. Want to meet for a drink later?"

This was how he would clear his mind. The old-fashioned way—with alcohol, beautiful women, and plenty of distractions.

---

Kira read the test results, let out a laugh, then teared up a little before laughing again. She ripped up the paper and tossed it in the trash.

She would probably hear from Grantley Bingham, her grandparents’ elderly lawyer, soon. He had kindly offered to help her at a reduced rate, saying he owed it to her late grandparents. He had been speaking directly with Tesah’s lawyer, Mike Lawson, and so far, everything was running smoothly.

Grantley was a kind old man. Despite knowing her since childhood, he remained completely professional and never judged her situation. He had simply congratulated her on the pregnancy and given her plenty of unwanted advice on everything—from handling morning sickness to picking baby names.

Kira rested a hand on her still-flat stomach. The nausea hadn’t completely gone away, but it was more manageable now. According to her pregnancy book, she should be feeling more energetic, but she still felt drained all the time. Probably because she was feeling a little depressed.

She didn’t have a job yet, and once she started showing, it would be even harder to find one. Lexington and Becky kept urging her to move in with them, and at this point, she was starting to think it might be the best option.

Lexington had been furious when she told him she had quit her job. He had called it “typical Kira, being irresponsible again.” She hadn’t bothered arguing.

She felt scared. Alone. Even with Jake constantly checking in and Lexington and Becky hovering around, she still felt isolated. Most nights, she woke up drenched in sweat, panicking about how badly she might mess up her child’s life. And she had no one to talk to about it.

Her first ultrasound appointment was in a few days. She hadn’t even told Becky. The appointment was scheduled for noon, and she didn’t want Becky taking more time off work just to go with her. Lexington ran a small IT company in a struggling part of town, and every time he stepped away, the place practically fell apart.

She could ask Jake to come, but honestly, she’d rather go alone. His overbearing nature only irritated her when she was already feeling stressed.

Looking around her tiny flat, she let out a long sigh. She had been cooped up for too long. Lack of money and motivation had kept her from going out, but she wasn’t used to being this inactive. The lack of movement was making her restless.

Determined to shake it off, she gathered her apron, a few recipe books, her favorite set of measuring cups, and her baking utensils, stuffing them into a tote bag. She tied her short hair into a neat ponytail and grabbed her coat on the way out.

It was mid-spring, but the air was still chilly. It had been an unusually rainy October, and a fine mist drizzled over Medina. The moisture frizzed her hair and cooled her skin as she walked the short distance to her favorite little bakery.

The smell of fresh bread and vanilla filled the air, and she inhaled deeply. She knew she shouldn’t be spending extra money right now, but she needed this. Just a little bit of normal

cy.

For a little while, she just wanted to lose herself in baking.