A Quirky Fun Conversation Between Brothers taken from Upcoming 'Hidden Mountain'

"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."— John LennonThis is an excerpt from the upcoming novel "Hidden Mountain" it is a sideline within the story, but a funny one.It has not had a final edit.  Please, enjoy the light-hearted fun as an intelligent guy reacts to the 'P' word!

Amanda plopped onto the bed and crawled under the covers. Once buried beneath the mounds of down, only a portion of her face was visible."Amanda." Her shriek cut into Antonio's nerves. "Okay, you're right I'm sick. Leave me alone."Antonio ignored her order. "What would make you this sick?" "I don't know my head hurts. Pleeease, leave me alone, I don't want to talk."Antonio stood frozen for a brief time, before he decided on an activity that would keep him busy, and accommodate her wishes "I'll wash some of our clothes. Everything we brought to Miami is dirty." He gathered the clothes. "I'll be back soon."Amanda's glare followed his movement until he walked out of the room. José had spotted Antonio in the hallway, and followed him to the laundry room. "Are you out of shirts?" "Pretty much, I'm also not used to living in Miami anymore. There's no one around where I live. It's so secluded. If Maria and Joe didn't come regularly, I wouldn't need clothes at all.""Wow, Antonio. I can't imagine you living in such a remote place.""Be careful when you visit José, it's contagious. Remember, I warned you.""No, I love Miami, little brother.""We'll soon find out."You seem distracted Antonio." I just learned Amanda's been throwing up since last Saturday. No wonder she hasn't eaten, she's too nauseated." "I heard Pop say a Doctor's coming… Oh my God, Antonio-""What? Tell me."  "Could she be pregnant?" Antonio glanced down at his boots. "I don't think so." He shook his head, "no." "What does she do to not get pregnant?""I don't know."Jose's eyes grew huge. "I haven't dated for a while, but shouldn't you have found out?""At this age, José, it didn't occur to me. We aren't kids anymore.""Can she get pregnant?""I do not really know." Antonio snapped enunciating each word. "Wouldn't that be cool if Amanda gave birth to your baby?" José smiled."God, no.""Antonio, you love her, and you love kids. Why would you say that?""José, babies don't come out as five or six year-olds.""No, they certainly don't. Wouldn't you like to have a baby with her?"It's not that I would hate it… You have to understand Amanda. Organic baby food, Chemical-free diapers, Natural breathable fabrics. God, José, we have plans. I don't want to raise an organic, chemical, hormone-free, baby. You see, José. You fell in love in your 20's. Organic babies are fine in your 20's, and 30's. I'm in my 40's. I want to make love, climb mountains, and chase her naked ass in the pool while I still can, but not the organic baby thing.""It sounds like you might not have a choice, Antonio. You may get your organic, chemically hormone-free baby anyway. By the way, you would have to use breathable cloth diapers. Hell, you'll do fine. Just look at you, brother, washing these clothes. What are a hundred or so cloth diapers added to the wash each week gonna hurt?""God, José, you're making me nauseous.""Antonio, surely you would love your own kid.""Yeah, well, I'd rather love somebody else's. Oh God, José, it would breast-feed, and get all her attention." Antonio sucked in a deep breath. I'd be jealous of my own kid. It is way too damn Freudian. I'm an ass. I don't even want my own kid hanging on her. He shook his head.I don't have the extra years to spare with Amanda. Besides, I'm great with the kids she has, maybe because they aren't hanging on her, breast-feeding. They no longer need chemical-free diapers or organic baby food. They're perfect.You know, she would insist on making the baby's food. Don't even think she would trust baby food labeled organic. I can hear her now, 'Antonio, surely you do not want to poison our baby, do you?'  Or what about, 'Antonio, I cannot drink wine, I am breast-feeding, you do not want our baby drunk, do you?' José, I'm screwed, if I go ask her about this, and it turns out she can't get pregnant or isn't, she'll still think I want one. Oh, God…Next thing you know, Amanda will get all worked up and think I need a baby, a super, gluten-free baby. She'd love me entirely too much to have an ordinary kid. Hell, the kids she already has aren't ordinary. We couldn't put an ordinary baby with three extraordinary kids now."José's laughter bellowed. "You seem to have enjoyed creating this wonder-baby, Antonio. Hurry, maybe you could fit one more in before your 50th birthday."Antonio rolled his eyes. "José, can a baby live in the womb on nothing but yogurt?""I don't know.""Oh God, she'll make me plant an organic garden. I'll have to get a cow, or a goat, Hell maybe both. 'Antonio, that is the only way we can be sure our baby is both chemical and hormone-free, and for God's sakes, Antonio, do not ever let any pig-things get near the baby.'  No way, José. I love her. I think her little issues are amusing and all, but with a baby – she'd never be mine. I don't have 20 years to wait." He took a breath. "Listen, I heard her order a turkey for Thanksgiving. I swear, this is what she said, 'I want to order a free-range, that's cage-free, grain fed, hormone-free, no salt injected, turkey, oh and don't freeze it. I want a fresh one. My son will pick it up the day before Thanksgiving, prior to noon.' She did that without a baby in the picture.""Antonio, you're joking about the turkey, right?""No, I didn't make up a single word, José." "Geez, what are you going to do about a turkey in New Mexico? It doesn't look like a trip to the 'hollers' is going to be safe, plus you'll have to get her kids to New Mexico for Thanksgiving. You damn well better figure out how to get one of those turkeys. Then, you can figure out how to tell those big boys you got their mommy pregnant." Amused to the point of hysteria, he gave his brother a pat on the back and left him in the laundry room.Antonio stood in front of the washing machine and rubbed his head with both hands. He looked up, to the ceiling."Funny, you do have a sense of humor… God…I asked you to make it possible for her to live in New Mexico. I think you know that a baby was not what I had in mind. Don't you dare laugh, either." Slowly, he walked back to the bedroom. Amanda couldn't hold food down, and her weight was plummeting faster than Wall Street on Black Monday. Oh, their baby could be starving to death. Trying to remain quiet, he opened the bedroom door. Amanda still in bed, at least looked less Gothic. She was awake. Should he talk to her? Earlier, she didn't want to talk to him. He shrugged and instead, decided to put his shirt on. Maybe he would go out and wait for the doctor. "Antonio, don't leave me." Stunned, he turned. Now, she wanted him to stay? "I would never leave you." Smiling, he went to her, and brushed the hair away from her face. "Antonio, hold me." His shoulders dropped before he sat down with his back against the head of the bed. Once situated, he pulled her upper body against his chest. They heard a tap on the door."It's open."José stepped in. "Antonio, you need to come out here.""Amanda, I'll be right back." Antonio moved her over and followed his brother out of the room. "What's up, José?" "Dr. Martinez is here, he wants to meet with you before he goes in to examine Amanda."Inside the study, Pop introduced Antonio to Richard Martinez, MD, and then left the room so they could discuss Amanda's illness in private. Antonio revealed a piece of paper with her current health information. Then he explained her two recent black-outs. Finally, he told him about the nausea, and weight loss. The Doctor reviewed the sheet of information. "Antonio, why don't you take me to Amanda? I will examine her, and then discuss these issues with her, if she is in favor of you knowing I will come out to talk with you. Okay?" The Doctor spoke soft, but direct. Antonio squinted, wrinkled his forehead, and complied with the physician's instruction. "Fine, I'll wait for you Dr. Martinez." He led the Doctor into her room, introduced them, and then left. In his father's study, he sat tapping his foot on the floor. The Doctor would likely emerge any minute and say he would soon be a Dad. Antonio rubbed his head again. He sighed. Making love with Amanda would be out of the question for nine months, plus recovery time. He could hear her now, like Jeopardy every thought would be in the form of a question. The only difference, her questions would be designed to produce a desired psychological result…from him   'Antonio, the baby is up there watching… your…you know…will scare the baby." On the other hand, 'Your…you know, will hit the tiny baby's head and cause brain trauma." Then after the baby came, she would address a new set of problems, 'Antonio, we cannot do that. The baby might hear us, or need us, and we may not hear the baby. You don't want our precious baby traumatized do you?'   Hell no! I don't want to share it. I want it all to myself. He'd have to find a chemical, gluten-free, organic preschool. Did they even exist? They sure as Hell had better. He wasn't going to home school the kid. When would he have her to himself?"Antonio." Dr. Martinez's entrance interrupted his thoughts. The door shut, and the Doctor sat down. "Amanda signed the release. I am free to speak to you about her health." The man spoke slow, articulating his words. "Good, thank you, Dr. Martinez.""I'm sorry to say, I do not have much to report to you at this time. I need results from her blood tests first. I took some samples and after I leave here, I will drop them by the lab. I should have some of them back as early as tomorrow afternoon. I can let you know when they are available. I understand you are going back to New Mexico the day after tomorrow. Amanda says she does not have a Doctor there. I think it is imperative she have a doctor nearby that understands her health issues. I have a colleague in New Mexico, and with your permission, I could telephone and share my findings with him. Perhaps, he could see her soon."Antonio nodded, "I would appreciate your help.""She is very dehydrated." The doctor opened his bag and pulled out a huge bottle of liquid, and some pills. "I want you to mix this liquid with whatever she will drink. These pills should keep her from vomiting. If her condition has not improved by morning, call me. We will have to put in an IV. There are simple directions listed on these labels."Antonio took the medications from the Doctor. "Thank you." Antonio shook his head. "What could make her this nauseated?""It could be any number of issues, some of her blood levels, however unlikely in my opinion. It sounds as if she has taken her medications regularly, except for one day. I do not believe one day would create such an imbalance, not as substantial as this. A Hormonal imbalance is doubtful, but maybe. A virus, no, it's been too many days now. Pregnancy is possible. I hope that the results of the blood tests will show us an answer or an indication. I believe they will."Oh my God, he used the word… pregnancy. Antonio felt heat rush through his body."I really appreciate everything, Dr. Martinez. I will be anxious to hear from you tomorrow." He hastened to show the Doctor out.He turned his back towards the outside door and leaned against it. That's it - I get the woman, love her for a minute, and spawn the very being who'll take her away from me. Pretty damn ironic. He rubbed his head. José walked in. "What did the Doc say?""He doesn't know. He took blood. Some of the tests will be back tomorrow afternoon.""The Doc thinks she's pregnant, right?"Antonio glared at his brother. "It's one of the more probable possibilities.""Hot damn, Antonio," José beamed with excitement."Why are you so happy, and I'm not?"José enlightened. "You'll get used to the idea. Hell, you'll be happy by the first ultrasound." "Yeah, sure, I have to go talk to her. I don't know what to say.""Good luck." José grinned."Thanks for nothing."

"Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous."— Albert Einstein (The World As I See It)

Antonio slowly entered. Amanda sat as if she were waiting for him."How did you get along with Dr. Martinez?" He questioned."Well enough, I suppose. How about you?" "Yeah, about the same... Amanda, I'm gonna go fix this drink for you." She stared at Antonio blankly, and then raised her brows. Soon Antonio returned with a pill and drink concoction. "Here, you have to keep this down or they'll give you an IV in the morning." She took the pill."Antonio, what is wrong with you?""Nothing."She insisted. "What did the Doctor say to you?""He ran blood tests.""What else? Tell me now." She demanded."Nothing Amanda, he needed the results before he would know anything.""Something else is going through your head.""Nope.""Okay, don't tell me." Her face tilted towards the ceiling."Amanda, what kind of tests did he tell you he would do on your blood?""Mostly he would check levels against normal profiles, and check for pregnancy."She said it. Jesus. Now what? The word vibrated in Antonio's head. 'Pregnant…Pregnant…Pregnant'"Amanda, can you get pregnant?" "Unlikely, but of course I could.""Are you?""No.""How do you know?" He asked."I know.""What do you mean? Do you take the pill or something?""My God, Antonio, it's a chemical. Besides, I was not having sex until I met you. Why would I take the pill?""Amanda, we... a lot""You think I'm pregnant?""Well, it's starting to sound that way." Sarcasm pushed his words."I'm not, Antonio, and I am sorry. It would not work anyway." Her sarcasm counter-attacked. "What wouldn't work? Why are you sorry?""The pregnancy, it would not last, and I am sorry, but I told you before. I cannot give you a baby.""I didn't ask for one. Amanda, I don't understand. You could be, you can't, and you're sorry because you think I want one?""The way you have grabbed a hold of the issue, it certainly seems like it.""Amanda, it's not like I could ignore a kid if it came… even if I didn't particularly want to go that route."She seemed skeptical."What makes you so sure you aren't?""I know when we should not make love."Antonio smirked. "Oh, Baby…that sounds foolproof.""It works," she declared.He laughed. "Okay, we'll find out tomorrow.""We sure will.""Please drink, Amanda."He thought for a minute. Maybe he could talk Maria and Joe into just moving in. Maria could be the nanny, and Joe could shake a rattle…it might regain him a little of her time and attention.He sat at the head of the bed. Her head rested on his upper chest as he smoothed her hair. "We're taking guests home with us.""Really, that is exciting. Who?" She asked."Pop, José, and Marc.""Awesome, Antonio." "Baby, I'm so ready to go. I want to get you back home with me."She squeezed his waist. "Antonio, you know, I feel better right now, so lock the door." She wanted to play. For a moment, he froze. What if he caused their baby some sort of trauma? He sighed, but still locked the door. Perhaps, he would tell her that he couldn't make love right now. Hell no, she'd think all sorts of crazy things. He crept back over to her with a smile in an attempt to hide his concern. In a flash, Amanda had his shirt off. Her wandering hands massaged his chest and stomach that sent his senses into an electrical frenzy.When his eyes closed, he heard a voice inside say, 'play while you can Antonio'. His lids opened only to find her chest in his face with a feature film cast across it starring the cutest little gluten-free baby's face, staring back at him while enjoying her breasts. They were supposed to be his. The kid knew it.Shutting his eyes again, he felt Amanda grasp his hands. She guided his palms to her feminine mounds where the baby had just been. She continued to pilot them across her scrumptious body. Before she whispered, her kiss tickled his neck. "Do you not want to make love to me, Antonio?""Of course, I want to make love to you, but I don't want to hurt you.""Why do you think you would hurt me?" she interrogated."Because, you're sick.""I'm not nauseated right now. I feel good." "That's great, I'm glad, but..."She kissed his neck, moving down his chest with a trail of tiny kisses. Antonio placed his hands on her cheeks and coaxed her mouth up to his. He kissed her lips, desperate for a quick distraction. She began to unbuckle his belt an act designed to unleash the baby traumatizer. Her finger tickled his spine. His breathing so heavy it became a pant.Amanda moved away from him, and put her tank top back on."Amanda, why did you do that?""I hope you are not disappointed tomorrow.""Amanda, what are you talking about disappointed?""You can't make love to me because you think I'm pregnant. It is silly, but sweet. I am more concerned about your potential devastation when you realize I am not pregnant. Truthfully, Antonio, you are awesome. But I really do not want a baby.""Amanda, if you are, I'll be okay, I promise. Honey, I just want you all to myself. I don't want to be jealous of my own kid."She laughed."Antonio, you are so cute."His face contorted. "What? Honey, did I understand you correctly? Even if you were pregnant, I wouldn't scare the baby or cause brain damage by making love to you.""There are not two of you…are there?""I don't think so. Why?""Because, you are so beautiful."He sighed. "Why do you say that, Amanda?""You would not make love to me, for nine months, just to keep from scaring or injuring a baby… I don't deserve you."His eyes grew, and his voice became louder. "Wait, Amanda, hold on. If someone could just assure me that it wouldn't hurt the baby – I'd do it… a lot. See, I'm not that good…  Does it hurt the baby?"She giggled. "Honey you are hot, even wild at times, but no, you would not hurt the baby.""Amanda, could you take your shirt back off?""No, but you could.""I can do that."Her shirt off, Antonio buried his face in her chest, and kissed her breasts. There was no one to share them with right now.He gasped when he heard the knock on the door. "What?" He called out."Ruger's here to see you. He's in the study." José called back."Tell him I'll be there in a moment." He planted a couple more kisses. "Damn it, this hurts, but I have to go talk to him.""Okay, Antonio.""Like hell it's okay. Amanda, I want you so much right now."She kissed him. Antonio put his shirt on and she buttoned it for him. Their lips locked as her fingers worked. He clutched the back of her neck, placing his hand in his favorite spot, just below her shoulder blades."Amanda, God you make me crazy, don't go anywhere. I'll be back as soon as I can."
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