Cinderella Man

Aubrey went through every piece of clothing that she owned, trying to find the one that slimmed down her blown-up stomach. Being six months pregnant was taking a toll on both her body and her wardrobe.

She finally settled on a pair of “maternity” black slacks and a rosy colored blouse with a black cardigan. She slipped into a matching pair of flats, heels were out of the question in her state, and proceeded to look herself over in the mirror.

Her hair was pulled back into a neat bun with a few bangs cupping her face. She couldn’t help but smile at the sight of her growing belly. She placed her hand on it, gently rubbing it in a circular motion. It was time to tell daddy about his unborn son.

She had found out during her last visit the sex of the baby. She wanted it to be a surprise on her delivery day, something that she could look forward to and be excited about. But the dumb gynecologist let it slip. His exact words were “Well, look at that. Not even a day old and he’s already well endowed.”

Takes after his father, of course.

Aubrey took a deep breath, letting it out in a heavy sigh. It was now or never.

…….

Marshall sat at his desk, his right hand furiously writing down words only to scribble them out again. “Damn it,” he cursed to himself as he once again scribbled out the word that somehow kept ending up on his paper.

He was writing a rap, one with an underlying hint of Aubrey. He glanced over the first paragraph he had jotted down, rapping it to himself quietly.

We touch, I feel a rush, we clutch, it isn't much
But it's enough to make me wonder what's in store for us
It's lust, it's torturous, you must be a sorceress
Cuz you just, did the impossible, gained my trust
Don't play games it'll be dangerous if you fuck me over
Cuz if I get burnt, I'ma show ya what it's like to hurt
Cuz I've been treated like dirt befo' ya
And love is "evol", spell it backwards, I'll show ya

When he finished, he chuckled at the words. How close they hit to home. He picked up his pen again, ready to produce more rhymes, but the ring of his phone stopped him midway of connecting the pen to the paper.

“Yeah?” he answered, the annoyance in his voice hinting that he did not want to be bothered.

“Mr. Mathers, Aubrey Davis is here to see you. I’ve tried telling her that you’re not available to see anyone today but she insists on speaking to you.” It was Vanessa Johnson, his new assistant and Aubrey’s replacement.

The sound of her name froze everything around him. His heartbeat accelerated, his mind raced with thoughts, and his palms began to moisten. She was here.

“Send her in,” he replied nonchalantly.

“Yes, sir.”

The seconds that ticked by felt like eternity. He had his game plan ready – he was going to act like nothing was wrong. He wouldn’t look at her, let alone give her any attention. He would reply any and every question with vague interest. And, above all, he would treat her like he treated the rest of them – like trash.

After what felt like a millennium, his office door slowly creaked open. He busied himself with his paper, giving it his undivided attention. Her soft footsteps echoed in his ears as she approached his desk. Seconds of silence ticked by.

“Hey,” her sweet, honey laced voice was like a lullaby to his ears. She seemed hesitant to speak, almost nervous.

He still kept his eyes glued to his paper, not even giving her one glance. “Come to beg for your job, Miss Davis?” His tone was harsh, something Aubrey was not used to. She grew comfortable with the perverted and jocular side of Marshall. This was not her Marshall.

She cleared her throat. “Not really,” she replied, her voice trailing off. Why couldn’t he just look at her? The reason for her visit would be answered in one glance.

“I’ll make it easy for you,” he began with a cocky smirk, “Do what you do best and give me some good head. You’ll have your job back in no ti-“

He had finally looked up at her. The sight before him cut off his sentence, but not soon enough. The damage was done.

Aubrey’s cheeks were burning with anger. Was that what he thought of her? Just another play-thing that he could use to his pleasure.

“Aubrey,” his voice trembled as he spoke, his hands shaking. He stood up, his feet carrying him closer to her.

She shook her head, signaling for him to stop. “Is that all it was, Marshall? Just sex?” She managed to choke the words out between the sobs that she suppressed. “Is that all it ever will be?”

His eyes fell to the ground. How was he supposed to answer that? Should he swallow his pride and tell her he was sorry and confess his true feelings? Or would Slim Shady once again prevail?

“Aubrey… I ain’t mean to say that…” He struggled to find the words. “It’s just…when you left, I thought you got rid of…you know. And I hated you for it…or, at least I tried to hate you for it. But I couldn’t…” he looked up at her, once again inching his way closer to her. “I kinda fell for you… hard…and you basically rejected me by walking out. So, I was gonna get back at you by treatin’ you like shit.”

“That doesn’t answer my question,” she stated sternly.

He sighed, thinking over his words carefully. “Yes, it was about sex…in the beginning. But I can’t deny the fact that over time it became more than that.”

Aubrey stood there, processing his words. She tuned out everything, losing herself in her own thoughts. Was he lying or was he being honest? Was he just saying what she wanted to hear so he could secure himself a spot in the life of his unborn child?

Aubrey was snapped back to reality by the sudden pressure of Marshall’s hand on her stomach. She hadn’t even noticed him move. His hand gently felt around her belly, a small smile tugging on his lips.

She had never seen him smile like that, at least not around her. It was a genuine smile. A smile of happiness. In fact, that was the same smile he gave his daughter the night at the supermarket.

He was happy.