Chapter 1

When my wife was eight months pregnant, I couldn't stand the loneliness anymore, so I brought my secretary home.

Fay James's eyes went bloodshot the moment she saw the girl sitting on my lap. "What is this? What do you two want?"

The secretary giggled. "Ma'am, you just relax and take care of the baby. I'll look after Mr. Stewart just fine."

That night, I made Fay sleep on the couch in the living room.

She lay there with her big belly sticking out, barely able to get comfortable.

In the bedroom, Alma Fisher nestled against my arm and asked, "Aren't we being a little too harsh?"

"Nothing harsh about it. A man and a woman enjoying each other, isn't that perfectly normal?"

Just then Fay pushed the door open and said through gritted teeth, "Herman Stewart, if you don't send her away, I'm calling the police."

"Suit yourself."

She called the police.

...

The female captain at the station listened to Fay's whole account, then stared at me like she couldn't believe it. "Your wife's belly is that big, she needs you to take care of her, and instead you brought another woman home?"

I waved a hand. "Alma isn't that kind of woman. She's never even dated anyone. She's a big help to me at work—"

She cut me off. "Aren't you afraid the shock could disturb the baby and put your wife into early labor?"

"She's not that fragile."

The captain went quiet for a second. "When I was seven, eight months along, I couldn't even bend over. My husband had to put my shoes and socks on for me. And look at you, bringing a woman friend home!"

She turned to my secretary, Alma. "And you, so young. Why are you always looking for a shortcut, breaking up someone else's family?"

Alma looked at me, wounded.

I pulled her behind me. "Officer, if you want to yell at someone, yell at me. Don't yell at her."

The captain sighed. "You're a successful man. Fooling around out there, I get it. But bringing her into your home, that's a whole different thing."

Fay said softly, "The truth is, my husband loves me a lot. He probably just couldn't stand being alone for so long..."

The captain patted her on the shoulder and said to me, "Your wife's still standing up for you even now. Where else are you going to find a wife this good?"

With the captain still urging me, I had no choice but to agree to send off a reluctant Alma.

After they left, Fay was clearly much happier. She wrapped her arms around me. "Herman, are you hungry? I'll cook you something."

"No need."

I shoved her away, irritated, and went into the guest room to sleep.

The next morning I woke to the light, clean smell of food.

Fay was making breakfast, big belly and all.

"Herman, is it good?"

By the time I'd washed up and sat down to eat, she was watching me with a whole face full of hope.

"It's okay."

The truth was, it tasted good.

The light went out of her eyes.

After breakfast I went to the office. In the afternoon I took Alma to meet a few clients, then went to get a hotel room.

As we reached the hotel lobby, I felt Alma's slender frame shiver a few times with shyness.

"Herman..."

But as luck would have it, Fay saw us on her way back from grocery shopping. She walked in, grabbed my clothes, and glared at Alma.

People were gathering around us on every side, pointing and muttering.

"Wife's belly that big, and this scumbag's getting a hotel room with some other woman."

"Shameless little homewrecker!"

"Trash like them, back in the old days you'd drown them in the river."