The next two weeks were tough on Parker. Isabella�s pregnancy was always in the back of his mind, and he wondered if it truly was his. From everything that his mother said about her the night they had gone to The TigerLily, she appeared to be a very stand-up woman. Would she really lie about something like a pregnancy? Parker shook his head. Of course she would. He had learned through his career that people weren�t always as honorable as they pretended to be.
But still, something about this woman just made him think. Sure, it was possible that he was the father. He didn�t remember using a condom that night, but then again, he was so out of it that he could have screwed a hole in the wall and not known the difference. Besides, he�d had sex without a condom before, and the woman never got pregnant. Not that it happened very often, but there were a few times that he was caught off guard and was �too far in the moment� to turn back.
He laughed. Him, a father? That was a scary thought. He didn�t have the best example of a father growing up. His own father was too career driven to be around much, and when he was, it seemed like Parker was more of an inconvenience than a son. He laughed again, looks like he inherited something from his old man, his appetite for success.
What if he did have a kid? He wasn�t in the stage of his life where he was ready to settle down yet. There was still so much to see, so much to do, and so much to conquer. He wouldn�t be home very often, and it isn�t fair for a child to have a part time father. Of that, he knew.
So his child would be left only to be raised by his mother, and if she was anything like what his mother told him, she too was very career driven. If she wasn�t home very often, where would that leave the child? To be raised by a stranger, a nanny to teach him everything that his mother and father should be teaching him? Been there, done that, and it led to a lot of disappointments growing up.
He sighed and turned his thoughts back to the music track that he was supposed to be listening to. It was pointless to be thinking of the child anyway, if she was truly pregnant, what were the chances it was really his?
�Sounded great.� Parker said once the song ended. �How many more do we have left to record?�
�Two, maybe three. Depends on how well the record execs like what we have so far.� His manager, Tom told him. �We�ll probably be finished by late next week, then we can get the editing done and have a complete album by the end of the month.�
�Finally! It feels like it took this one forever to be finished.� He groaned then looked at his watch. �Ok, I�m out. I�ve gotta go home and get ready for my date tonight.�
�Alright, see you tomorrow, bright and early.� Tom told him. �And get some sleep, you look like shit!�
Parker nodded as he left the studio. If only he could get some sleep, but all he seemed to do at night lately was toss and turn, his mind running wild.
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Isabella purged over the toilet for the third time that day. If felt like her morning sickness was never going to end. She couldn�t wait for the end of her first trimester, since she had read that most of the sickness would be gone by then�at least for most women it was.
She had done a good job at hiding her pregnancy so far. The only people that knew about it were Dylan and Jason, and of course Parker. Not that he believed her, but at least she gave him the opportunity to be involved if he wanted to be.
Jason�s reaction was priceless when she told him. It was the first time that she had laughed about her situation. �Bitch, I can�t believe I�m going to be an aunt.� She remembered him saying. Then she heard his high pitched squeal as he clapped his hands. It was good that someone was excited about her pregnancy. Parker sure wasn�t, and the jury was still out on whether she was excited about it or not. She went back and forth on it most days.
Sighing, she cleaned her mouth out and went back to work, vowing not to think of the situation for the rest of the night.
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Parker walked up to the door that he had been to only once before. This time when he knocked, he knew what he would be finding on the other side. Jenny, Melinda Sue�s roommate, answered the door wearing a sexy black dress.
�Hey, you look great! Are you ready?� Parker asked her, leaning in to kiss her cheek.
�Yeah, let�s go before Melinda Sue gets home. I�ll never hear the end of it if she sees you again.� Jenny laughed and grabbed her handbag. She hooked her arm in Parker�s, and the two made their way outside to where the town car was waiting for them.
�I thought we�d go to The TigerLily for dinner tonight. Have you ever been there?� He asked. Sure, it was crazy for him to take a date to the restaurant that is owned by the woman that claimed to be pregnant with his child, but he needed to talk to Isabella. He didn�t want to show up there just to talk to her, so he decided that if he was there with a date it would seem more coincidental. At least, that was what he�d originally thought at 4:00 in the morning. It seemed like the perfect idea then.
�Oh, that�s awesome! I�ve never been there, but I�ve wanted to.� Jenny told him excitedly. �So, I know it�s crazy to talk about other women you�ve been out with while we�re on a date, but I have to know�� She said with a smile. �I�ve heard Melinda Sue�s side of the date, now tell me yours.�
�Oh god, that is one night I don�t want to re-live.� He told her, and thought in his head, �In more ways than one.� Seeing that she wasn�t going to let the issue drop, he told her of the date from hell. By the time he finished, with no need to embellish on any of the horrid details, they were both laughing at his misfortune.
They pulled up in front of the restaurant, and jokingly, he turned to Jenny and said, �Remember to use your inside voice.� Mocking what Isabella had said about Melinda Sue. She rolled her eyes, but sympathized and understood exactly what the restaurant owner was talking about when she had made that comment.
They were seated right away, at one of the best tables in the place. Jenny seemed impressed, but Parker had a feeling that her interest had more to do with his name and his appearance than with who he was as a person. He was used to it, though it sometimes annoyed him. The upside to it, however, was that when he went on a date with a girl who was only interested in his fame, they inevitably ended up in bed at the end of the night.
Throughout dinner, Jenny maintained the flow of conversation, talking mainly about herself, while Parker constantly scanned the dining room looking for the owner. By the time their dessert came, he still hadn�t seen her, and he was beginning to lose hope. Jenny was too busy telling him how fabulous she was to notice that he wasn�t paying any attention to her.
When the check came, Parker was ready to give up and head home without getting the chance to talk to Isabella. But as luck would have it, a very tired looking woman made her way through the doors of the kitchen and into the dining room to check on her patrons, before he threw in the towel.
�So, it was no surprise when the entire senior class voted me homecoming queen�� Jenny droned on and on.
�Excuse me for a minute.� Parker interrupted and stood from his seat, not even looking at his date. Instead, his eyes were focused on the woman that had been invading his thoughts constantly. He crossed the room quickly before she had a chance to get away.
��Well thank you for the compliment. I�m very happy that you enjoyed your dinners so much tonight. Hopefully we�ll see you back soon.� Isabella was talking to customers at one of the tables and didn�t realize that anyone had walked up behind her until she felt a hand on her elbow. She jumped and turned around, only to look into the eyes of the one person who had been causing her so much grief lately.
�Excuse us, please.� He said politely to the table she had been talking to. The four people at the table smiled, instantly recognizing him. �Can I talk to you in your office for a minute?� He asked her quietly.
Isabella flashed him a big, fake smile, so as not to look rude in front of her customers. �Of course.� She told him and led the way. Once they were behind closed doors, the smile disappeared and was replaced by a murderous glare. �Are you here to offer me more money, trying to buy off any parental ties?� She spat at him.
Parker rubbed his forehead. �It was wrong of me to offer you money, but in my history that�s all the women have wanted.� He told her and watched as she sat in the chair behind her desk. She looked a lot paler since the last time that he saw her, and the dark circles under her eyes were unmistakable. He had to laugh since he had a matching pair under his own eyes. �I need to know for sure if this child is mine, and I�d love to just take your word for it, but unfortunately, history has shown what a bad idea that is.�
�So we�ll get a paternity test done. I asked my doctor about it and she said that there�s a new procedure that can be done at any time. You�ll just need to provide your DNA.� She told him without any emotion. She felt drained on the whole subject.
�I want to do it soon. I need to know.� He told her, wanting all the questions in his mind to be put to rest.
�Fine, meet me at my doctor�s office tomorrow morning. We�ll have them do the test and the results will be in next week.� She told him.
�They can�t get them any sooner than that?� He asked, frustrated.
She sighed and shook her head. She just didn�t have the energy to fight with him.
�Fine, I�ll be by your apartment tomorrow morning at 9:30 and we�ll go to the doctor together.� He told her and turned to leave.
�That�s not necess�� She started but was cut off by the slamming of her office door.
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Parker took Jenny back to her apartment after they left the restaurant. She was all over him, but he just wasn�t into it. When the car stopped, she opened the door and pulled on his hand, trying to get him out of the car. �Aren�t you coming up?� She asked when she didn�t get him to budge.
�Not tonight. I have an early morning tomorrow.� He told her. �Maybe another time.�
�Are you sure?� She asked, running her finger down her chest, trying to look seductive.
�I�m sure. Maybe I�ll give you a call sometime.� He told her, then shut the door. A one night stand wasn�t something that he needed at that point. Maybe once he got the mess with Isabella straightened out he�d be willing, but for now, it just wasn�t wise.
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Isabella paced her apartment the next morning. She looked at the clock, and saw that it read 9:15. She didn�t know why she was nervous, she knew for certain that Parker was the father, but for some reason she couldn�t calm down. When the buzzer echoed through her apartment, she jumped. Over the intercom, she told Parker that she would be right out.
Giving one last look in the mirror, she smoothed back her hair and made sure she didn�t have lipstick on her teeth. One more deep breath, she grabbed her purse and left the comfort of her apartment.
Parker waited in the lobby for her, looking casually sexy in his faded jeans and layered t-shirts, short sleeve over long. She had to admit, she hoped that their child looked like him. He was undeniably attractive, it was just his personality that left something to be desired.
�Good morning. Are you ready for this?� He asked her, taking in her appearance. She wore a pair of jeans and a black Ralph Lauren sweater with a button up, collared white shirt underneath. If they had started out under different circumstances, he might have been interested in her.
�Ready as I�ll ever be.� She told him and slid into the car as he held the door for her. Once they were both inside, she turned to him. �So how�re you doing with all this?� She asked, actually concerned.
Parker could tell that she was genuine in her question, and he took a moment before he answered. �Well, it�s not like this is the first time someone has claimed that I was the father of their baby, but it�s the first time that I think it�s possible. I just keep thinking how I�d make such a shit father, and how I don�t even know you.� He answered honestly.
�I�m really sorry that all this has happened. Trust me, if I could go back in time and change that night, I would.� She said, both feeling and sounding defeated. �If you don�t want to be a part of your child�s life, I�m not going to make you. But at the same time, if you want to be in it�s life, you�re more than welcome. It�s your choice to make, and I�m not going to push you one way or the other.�
Parker nodded. �I don�t know how to be a dad.� He admitted.
�You�ll learn, if that�s what you want, just like I�ll learn to be a mom.� She said sadly.
�I thought all women knew how to be mothers.� He said, jokingly.
�Not really. I hadn�t planned on having kids, or at least not for a while. My mother died when I was really young, and I only had my dad around. He didn�t know what he was doing, so I had to raise myself most of the time. I was always worried that I would make the same mistakes he made and really screw my kid up. And now with my restaurant being so busy, I figured that was my baby, and I was satisfied with that. But then this happened, so I need to figure out how to raise a kid and avoid my dad�s mistakes.� She told him, not wanting to go into detail, and hoping that he didn�t ask.
�I was just the opposite.� He told her. �My dad was never around. I was raised by a nanny and my mother when she wasn�t too busy with her charities. So I have no fatherly example to lead by.�
Isabella smiled. �I love your mother. She�s one of my best customers.�
�You may need to put her on your payroll soon, with all the marketing she does for you.� Parker told her, laughing at how enthusiastic his mother was about The TigerLily.
Both of them felt the car come to a stop and they looked out the window to see the doctor�s office. �Well, this is it.� She told him.
He nodded and opened the door, turning back to help her out once he got out. He followed behind her as she led him into the office of her obstetrician. While she checked them in, he took a seat. She returned and sat next to him, watching as his knee bounced up and down, showing just how nervous he really was.
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After the DNA extractions, Isabella and Parker got back in the town car. �Can I buy you breakfast?� He asked, not wanting to leave her yet. For some reason, it was comforting for him to be with her. �Maybe we can get to know each other a little better?�
Isabella thought for a moment. They did get off to a rough start, maybe this was the opportunity for the new beginning that they needed. �I have a better idea. How about you let me make you breakfast. Plus it will give me a chance to open the restaurant.�
�Are you sure you feel up to all that work?� He asked, surprising both Isabella and himself with his thoughtfulness.
�Yeah, I�ll be fine.� She smiled.
Parker gave the driver the address to the restaurant, and they arrived there a few minutes later. Isabella took out her keys and unlocked the door, turning on light as they went in.
He followed her to the kitchen, the place where they first met. Once in there, he looked around, something he didn�t do the first time. He was impressed with what he saw, even though he had no idea what he was really looking at. But, it was immaculately clean, and that was definitely important to him.
�So what are you in the mood for?� She asked him, heading to the large walk-in cooler.
�I�m pretty easy. Surprise me.� He called out, loud enough for her to hear him.
Isabella came out of the cooler with her hands full of ingredients. �We�re not really the breakfast-type of restaurant, so I�ll have to make do with what we have.� She told him apologetically.
�I�m sure whatever you make�ll be great.� He said politely. They sat there in silence for a few minutes, him watching her throw together ingredients. �Can we start over?� He asked, knowing that they needed to break the tension somehow.
Isabella looked up with a surprised look on her face. He seemed like an entirely different person than the one that she first met. Maybe it was just a bad first impression�and second, and third� �That might be a good idea.� She told him, wiping her hands on the black with white pinstriped apron she wore. They met each other half way, in the middle of the kitchen, where she held out her hand. �Hi, I�m Isabella Violi and I own this little diner.� She said with a smile.
Parker took her hand in his and shook it. �Nice to meet you. I�m Parker Davidson, rock star extraordinaire.� They laughed. �Well, that went much better than the first few times.� He said as he watched her go back to making breakfast.
�I don�t know, but I think the second time we met might have been enjoyable.� Her smile changed to a puzzled look as she thought about what she just said. They both laughed, realizing how awkward the whole situation was.
They made idle chat while she finished making their breakfast, and not long after, they sat down to a table full of breakfast foods. �I wasn�t sure what you�d like, but I have ham and cheese omelets, steak and eggs, eggs benedict, and crepes. Like I said, I had to make do with what little breakfast foods we had.�
�It all looks great!� Parker told her, his mouth watering. He took a little of everything, realizing at that moment exactly how hungry he was.
Isabella didn�t take too much, her stomach was a little queasy, and she wasn�t really sure what would calm it and what would send it over the edge. Parker didn�t fail to notice how little she had to eat, and when he commented on it, she told him of her morning sickness, making him feel sorry for her and her situation.
�So tell me about yourself. You know all about what I do with my life, what�s it like to be a rock star?� She asked him.
�Better than I could�ve imagined, most days. But then there�re times when I hate it�the paparazzi, the crazed fans, the complete lack of privacy. And yes, I know that I made a conscious effort to put my life out there like that, but I don�t think anyone ever truly knows exactly what they are getting themselves into.� He explained. �But I love making music, and I love performing. It�s such a rush to be up there on stage, in front of thousands of people, with all of them hanging on your every word.�
�Did you ever have stage fright?� She asked, not sure if he would tell her the truth or not.
He paused for a moment. �Yeah. Actually I get nervous every time before I go on stage. But that all disappears the moment the first note of the song plays.�
Slowly the food started to disappear until Parker could no longer to eat anymore. The conversation kept flowing though, as he talked about his new album and his struggles with the record company. For some reason, he just found her so easy to talk to, and was telling her things that he shouldn�t be telling a stranger. He just had a feeling that she wasn�t the type to run to the tabloids and tell them everything that he had admitted.
Before long, Dylan and a few other employees filtered in the door. Isabella jumped up, feeling like she got caught doing something wrong, even though she owned the restaurant and could do whatever she wanted. She gathered some of the plates and headed to the kitchen to start cleaning up. Dylan gave Parker a dirty look as he passed him and went to find Isabella.
�I don�t want to hear it Dyl.� Isabella called over her shoulder when she heard the kitchen door swing open. �We had a good morning, and I don�t want to ruin it, so please save whatever you have to say.�
�Fine, I won�t say a word.� He told her and started to help her with cleaning the dishes.
The kitchen door opened again, only this time it was Parker and he was carrying the rest of the dishes from the table they were sitting at. Isabella turned to see him trying to balance all the empty plates. She rushed over to take some of them from him.
�Thanks, but you didn�t have to do that. I could�ve gotten them.� She smiled.
�Hey, I have to earn my breakfast, right?� He joked, completely aware of the negative feelings that Isabella�s friend and employee had for him. He pulled Isabella to the side where he could say good bye to her without her �bodyguard� watching. �Thanks for everything this morning. I really enjoyed getting to know you, and I�m glad we were able to start over.� He looked into her eyes. �You�ll let me know when you get the test results back?�
�I�ll let you know as soon as I find out. But I don�t need them to give you the answer.� She said, almost sadly.
Parker nodded. �I know, and like I said, I�d like to trust my gut, but you understand why I can�t, right?�
�Yeah, I understand.�
�Alright. Well, I have to get to the studio, and it looks like you need to get to work here too. Thanks again, I really enjoyed myself.� He told her, not sure whether to give her a kiss, a hug, or a handshake. He settled for an awkward kiss on the cheek before turning to leave.
Once he was gone, Isabella turned around. �Not a word Dylly!�
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Over the next week, Parker was busy at the studio, trying to get the last of his songs recorded. When the last song was finished, they decided that it was time to celebrate. �Tommy, my man, you�re taking me to dinner tonight.�
Tom looked at his client who was smirking at him. �And why am I taking you?� He asked.
�Because you need to appreciate your clients. Without me, you wouldn�t be nearly as successful.� Parker pointed out.
If Parker would have been serious or malicious in his statement, Tom would have told him to go get bent. But he knew the man too well, and knew he was just trying to get a rise out of Tom. �Fine, McDonald�s it is.�
�Not a chance. We�re going to The TigerLily.� He smiled.
�You�ve been going there a lot lately. I thought you got tossed out and completely embarrassed.� Tom questioned.
�I did, but we worked it all out. They really do have some of the best food.� He admitted. �Besides, I want another chance to talk to Isabella and see if the results came in yet.� He thought.
�Ok, lead the way!� Tom told him as they left the studio.
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Their meal was nearly over, and Parker still hadn�t seen Isabella. He was just about to ask the waiter where she was when the paramedics rushed in. The whole dining room was silent as they watched the emergency crew take the gurney into the kitchen. Parker stood at his table, trying to catch a passing waiter to ask what was happening, but none of them would stop to talk to him.
He tossed his napkin on the table and headed to the kitchen. The bartender and another waiter blocked his path as he tried to enter to see what was happening. He had a feeling in the pit of his stomach that he didn�t like, and he had to make sure that Isabella was ok.
He tried to explain to the two guys that he needed to see Isabella, but they weren�t accommodating him. As he tried to talk reason with them, the paramedics burst back through the door.
And, just as he�d feared, there lay Isabella on the gurney. �Bella?� He shouted as she passed, but she didn�t respond to him. He found Dylan trailing behind the EMTs and tried to get information from him. �Listen, I know you don�t like me, but I need to know what happened to her.�
�You�re right, I don�t like you.� He spat, then thought of what Isabella would have wanted and sighed. �We don�t know what�s wrong. She collapsed a few minutes ago and has been out since. You can follow the ambulance to the hospital if you want.�
Parker nodded his head and followed after them, completely forgetting that Tom was still at the table with no clue what was happening. All that mattered was finding out what happened to Isabella.
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They waited for what felt like hours. The tension in the waiting room was thick as Parker and Dylan sat on opposite sides of the room. Neither one said anything to the other and the quiet was deafening. When the doctor finally appeared, neither was prepared for what she said.
�Ms. Violi is conscious again, but unfortunately, she lost the baby. We really aren�t sure what happened, sometimes women just end up having spontaneous miscarriages in their first trimester.�
�Can we see her doctor?� Dylan asked.
�Only immediate family at this time.� The doctor told them.
�I�m the father of the baby though.� Parker told her, hoping that would give him access. He wasn�t thinking at that point, he couldn�t think. All he knew was that the baby that he wasn�t ready for had died, and it was the worst feeling in the world.
The doctor nodded her head. She looked at her chart. �Mr. Davidson?� She asked.
�Yes, and I�d appreciate it if you could keep this quiet. I don�t want the press to know about any of it.� He told her.
�Of course.� The doctor nodded her head. �If you�ll come right this way, you can see Ms. Violi.�
Parker followed behind the doctor, not sure what he would be walking into when he saw Isabella. He walked through the door to her room to find her laying on her side, with her back to him.
He slowly walked around the other side of the bed so that he was on the side where she could see him. Her face was tear-stained and her eyes were closed. She looked so tired and so pale, just a shell of the fiery woman he first met. He placed his hand on hers, causing her to open her eyes. �Hi.� He whispered, not sure what to say.
�Hi.� She said, rolling over to her back and running her hands over her face. �I must be a sight, huh?� She said with a humorless laugh. She reached over to the stand beside the bed, picked up a manilla folder and handed it to him. �Here�s your results.�
Parker held the folder in his hand, but didn�t open it. Instead, he tossed the folder into the garbage can next to her bed. �I don�t need them. I already know that I�m the father.� His throat tightened. �That I was the father.�
Isabella began crying. �I�m so sorry Parker. I�m sorry that I lost our baby.�
Parker sat on the edge of the bed and hugged her body to his. �Shh�it�s not your fault. The doctor said it just happens sometimes.� The tears were building in his eyes. Neither one had been ready for the baby they created, but neither one had been ready to lose the baby either. It was a hurt that would take a while for them to get over.