Three Lovers on the Grift - 8

Once Vaughn was gone, Page started pacing the motel room, a frown on her face. Nigel watched, not interrupting her. He knew her well enough to understand that she wouldn't tell him what was bothering her until she was ready.

Finally she came back to settle down beside him on the edge of the bed. After a very long pause, she said simply, "I'm pregnant."

"Shit," Nigel muttered. "You're sure? Damn, Page, that's—" he thought for a second then smiled. "Actually, that's fantastic." Hugging her tightly, he asked, "Boy or girl?"

Page nestled into his hug, laughing softly. "It's a bit early to know, silly man. I'm just a little over a month into it." Looking up at him, she said tentatively, "You're really okay with it?"

"Well, yeah. Why wouldn't I be? How does Vaughn feel about it?" One look at her face and he knew the answer. "You haven't told him."

"I'm afraid to. He's always made it clear to me that kids were out of the question because, well, of what we do and the fact that it's the three of us."

Nigel nodded slowly, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "Well, it's sort of a moot point now, isn't it? We'll have to tell him." He lay back, keeping her in his arms, letting her head rest on his shoulder. "He's going to want to know how it happened."

"It was a fluke, I think." She chewed her lip distractedly. "Remember the job we did just before we moved on to the last city? Well, we were so involved in setting it up and all, and I was so nervous because it was a new con for us. I honestly forgot to take the pills for a few days. Unfortunately," she chuckled morosely, "it was the wrong few days."

"Ouch. So you weren't taking them, and we were doing our best to help you relieve your tension." He stroked her hair gently. "He'll be all right with it once he gets past the initial shock."

"God, I hope so because it is going to happen, whether he likes it or not." Her tone of voice was firm as she said that.

"Of course it is. I'll back you to the hilt on that. After all, the chances are fifty-fifty it's my kid and that being the case, he or she is going to arrive and have at least two parents who want him, or her." He tilted her chin up then, scanning her face. "You do want this kid, right? I mean really and truly and not just because you don't like the alternative?"

Moving so that she was lying on top of him, she smiled, tracing a finger over his lips. "Yes, Nigel, I do want this baby, very, very much."

"Then you'll have it, come hell or high water, or Vaughn."