22
After the breathtaking five-hour tour, everyone returned to his or her room to freshen up. Dinner and activities were planned for those who remained at the resort, but some close relatives headed to the house. After a quick wedding rehearsal on the grounds of the mansion, the group of twenty sat down at 8:30 P.M. for the rehearsal dinner.
Brian's parents and a few of Brian and Jillian's friends, who were staying at the Eden Rock, joined them for a spectacular meal, featuring lobster, steak and scallops. It was all expertly prepared by the resident chef and served in the large outdoor covered dinning area. The food was excellent, the mood was jovial, the alcohol was flowing, and everyone was having a blast.
All twenty guests’ appetites were more than satisfied. All were a little tipsy except for Victoria, who was drinking apple juice that she claimed was white wine. Brian's parents and a few of Jillian's friends headed back to the resort before desert was served at just after 11:00 P.M. As the crème brûlée was being tasted, Victoria felt a little nauseous. She stood up as she said, "I'll be right back. Does anyone need anything from the house?"
"Bring another bottle of that white wine," Jillian said.
Rob was seated between Victoria and Laura. Laura's hand was resting sensually on his knee. She was anxious to get him back to their room because the alcohol had accentuated her libido.
"How's that wine?" Rob asked Laura.
"I didn't have any."
Rob glanced around the table, spotted Victoria's glass, and picked it up and took a whiff. He smelled the apple juice, frowned, and then glanced back toward the house to catch Victoria as she stood outside the house trying to steady herself. He studied her suspiciously and then took a quick sip of the juice.
Jillian said, "Oh, Brian would you run in and tell her to bring the German wine, not that other one?"
"I'll just use the intercom," he said with a smug grin.
"Good idea."
As Victoria entered the house, her nausea had disappeared. She entered the kitchen, grabbed a glass, and filled it with water. As she took a sip, Brian’s voice came over the intercom.
"Victoria. Hey, Victoria, if you're not too drunk, please report to the intercom." The laughter of everyone outside was also flowing out of the speaker. She smiled and headed over to the box, which was on the wall. She glanced at it confused. "Yes?"
She heard Brian say, "I'm not sure how this thing works. Maybe she went to the bathroom or something."
"Can you hear me? Brian?" Victoria studied the box, which was filled with buttons, shook her hands in confusion, and then hit one button after another while saying, "Brian? Brian?"
"Oh, good. You’re there. I'm in no condition to make the long trip to the house… please bring the German wine not that other crap."
"Sure thing."
"Thanks," Brian replied.
Victoria continued to hear the loud talking over the speaker until she hit a button that cut it off. She turned away unaware that she had put the system in a broadcast-only mode. She moved back to the counter and grabbed the glass of water. She opened the refrigerator, and the strong combined odor of all the food wafted out. She was quickly overcome.
Victoria rushed to the bathroom just as Rob entered the kitchen area. He heard the sounds of her vomiting and became concerned. He knocked on the door. "Are you okay?"
"Oh yeah. I'll be right out," she said.
When Victoria emerged from the bathroom, she spotted him standing in the kitchen. She approached him with a smile. "I think I drank too much wine."
"Uh, huh. How is that wine?" he asked skeptically.
"Oh, it’s really good."
Rob shook his head and just stared at her.
"What?"
"I know you're drinking apple juice."
Victoria looked away. "I just switched over with that last glass."
Outside there was a lull in the conversation and laughter just as Rob asked loudly, "You're pregnant aren’t you?" The sound flowed out as clearly as if he were standing right there at the table next to them. All heads turned to the box on the wall. Everyone stared at it stunned.
In the kitchen Victoria shook her head, "I don’t know what you're talking about."
"Let's see…you're not drinking and you just threw up. I haven't seen you in a bathing suit since we got here, and you're normally running around nearly naked. And your tits are huge. So unless you recently got implants…"
She glanced down to her chest with a big smile, "Really, you think they look…" Her smile melted away to a frown, and she continued, "I, uh, just haven't been feeling well."
"Let me see your stomach," Rob said firmly.
Victoria looked at him nervously. "Why?" She glanced around the corner to the door that led to the pool area and didn't see anyone. She looked back to him, put her finger in the air, pointed out the window, and then said softly, "Keep your voice down."
He glanced down to her stomach, grinned, and said in a quiet voice, "You totally have a baby in there." He paused thinking, and then his eyes lit up, "That's why you had me take that blood test. There's no ancestry gift thing. That's a load of shit…I knocked you up, didn't I?"
Jillian's jaw hit the table, and Brian looked at her concerned. Everyone else stopped eating desert and watched the box with mouths agape as the conversation continued over the speaker. Rob added, "That night we had sex we didn’t use a condom. We, uh…" There was a long pause and then he continued, "I was pretty drunk, but I remember you gave me that blow job, and then I went down on you. And uh, I didn't pull out and shoot on your tits or anything…"
One of Brian's college friends, Eric, continued to listen, but also returned to eating his crème brûlée. Everyone else at the table wore disgusted looks until Laura said, "He, uh…likes to do that. It's like some kind of porn star move." The appalled looks slipped away, and they all nodded casually.
Rob continued, "You were sitting on me, and I remember exactly…"
Eric slipped a huge spoonful of the creamy custard in his mouth as Rob continued, "I shot a big load that night. It was huge…I remember it was everywhere and dripping out of you." Eric nearly gagged while everyone else exchanged sickened looks. "You're having my baby. I can't f*cking believe this."
"It's not yours."
Rob ignored her as he asked, "When were you going to tell me?"
"It's not yours," Victoria repeated loudly.
"What? Then why the blood test?"
"Your not the only one who needed to take a test."
Jim swallowed hard and then glanced down to the table. Victoria said, "It's Jim's baby. All right? He's the father."
Caroline's face turned pale white. All eyes moved to Jim. He glanced around the table in shock. He stood and then moved to the intercom box. "Brian, show me how to turn this off. This isn't—"
Caroline, Laura, and Jillian all said in unison, "Don't touch it."
Just as Jim reached the box, Victoria said, "I love him."
Rob asked, "What's he doing here with Caroline if you guys are together?"
Back in the kitchen, Victoria exhaled deeply. "He doesn't know about the baby…or how I feel. He's in love with her, and I don't want to do anything to spoil that. You cannot tell him. He's going to ask her to marry him after the wedding."
"How do you know?"
"He cleared it with Brian and Jillian. He didn't want to steal their day. He even asked if it would be weird for me. He's so thoughtful and caring and sensit—"
"This is a guy were talking about right?"
Victoria glared at Rob for a moment. "Yeah…the most amazing one on the planet."
A tear fell from Caroline's eye as she just stared at Jim. He returned and knelt down beside her. He breathed out hard and opened his mouth to speak just as the intercom blasted out Rob latest gem.
"I can't believe he knocked you up. There is no way he shot more than I did that night. It had been like a week since I jerked off if I remember correctly. How much did he shoot?"
Jim stood and glared at Brian with the veins popping out of his head. "Turn that f*cking thing off now." Brian rushed over and turned it off. Jim returned to Caroline. "I'm so sorry. I didn’t know."
"Obviously…Were you really planning to ask me to marry you?" Jim nodded, and she said, "Look me in the eye and tell me you don't love her."
"I love you."
"That's not…what does it matter. You two are having a baby. She's in love with you. I know you still have feelings for her." Caroline stood just as Rob and Victoria walked out the back door. Caroline stared at Victoria as she said, "I've got to get out of here."
Laura stood. "I'll go with you."
Rob and Victoria reached the dinning area just as the two women stepped on the path toward the house. Laura and Caroline stood glaring at Victoria. Victoria and Rob scanned the faces of the silent crowd and were completely at a loss.
After she caught Jillian's glare, Victoria asked, "What the hell is going on out here?" No one said a word until Caroline looked at Victoria and said in a voice dripping with sarcasm, "Congrats."
Laura added, "Are there any guys here you haven't banged?"
Victoria scanned the room a moment instinctively and did a quick count while thinking, I haven’t even slept with half the men here—well unless you count holding Brian's penis, but shit who would count that?
Laura slapped Rob hard across the face as everyone looked on in shock. She glared at him as she pushed past him and walked toward the house. Victoria looked completely mystified as her eyes went from Jim to Caroline and then to the group staring at her from the table.
Brian said, "Uh, the intercom was on when you two were talking…we kinda heard everything."
Victoria's mouth fell open, and she began, "Look, I, uh—"
Caroline interrupted, "He's in love with you. I hope you'll be very happy together." She moved her stare to Jim. "You should know that I slept with Jeff a couple weeks ago. It just happened. Evidently I still have feelings for him. So now you don't need to feel guilty at all." He looked at her crushed.
"Come on, let's go," Laura called out to Caroline, while giving Rob another icy stare.
Rob turned to Laura. "We weren't even going out when this happened. How can—"
Laura sneered at him and yelled, "You'll never touch me again. I don't want to see you or speak to you ever again."
Caroline disappeared into the house as Rob rushed to Laura. "I made a mistake. I love you." As they stood alone near the house, she leaned in and whispered while glaring at him like she wanted to kill him, "I'm not really mad. This is pretty hot, right?" He looked at her confused as she continued softly, "Let's have amazing make-up sex."
"What?" he asked softly.
"Just go with it."
He took hold of her arm gently. She pulled it away and yelled, "Don't put your hands on me." Laura whispered, "I'm going to find a hotel, and I want you in my ass."
Rob whispered, "Really?"
Everyone at the table was straining to hear what they were saying, but not getting a word of the good stuff.
He grinned for a moment, and she said softly, "Don't break character."
Rob said loudly with a slightly lame performance, "Yes, well…I'll die if I can never see you again."
"Well, I guess you'll die then."
Rob whispered, "Nice touch."
She moved close to his ear. "When we f*ck, be angry. I don't want to be able to walk when you're done."
She pulled away, and he nodded. He leaned in and whispered, "I'm so hard right now."
Laura sighed, as she glanced down to his bulge. She looked him in the eye, glared, and then headed toward the house. She turned back, rushed to him, and said softly, "I'll text you the hotel and room number…Uh, I'm sure the hotels here are really expensive, do you have any cash?"
He leaned in and whispered, "My wallet's in the room."
She scoffed in mock disgust and then slapped him even harder across the face. Everyone at the table gasped. Rob rubbed his jaw as he stared at her, desperate to be inside her instead of watching her walk into the house.
All eyes returned to Victoria. Her gaze traveled from face to face and then she landed on Jillian. "It was that night Rob found out about you two, and I was thinking about David. I was drunk, and it just…"
Jillian just shook her head as Brian put his hand on her shoulder.
Eric said, "Well this is a rehearsal dinner that you'll never ever forget." All eyes went to him. He shrugged. "What?"
Victoria glanced back to Jillian who refused to look at her. She sighed. "Sorry everyone for spoiling an otherwise beautiful evening." Then she walked toward the house with everyone watching.