Chapter 1.12 "Best Laid Plans"

Midnight Sun Challenge Story

The Best Laid Plans...

Maya had slowly and methodically been working her plan for escape to get off the island and start her new life.  She didn't want Ian to have any idea, so she tried to play the loving wife as best as she could, while also keeping her distance from him.  She walked around in fear of doing or saying something that would finally set off his temper and she would see the real man within.  It was a tricky game of back and forth, that had her walking on egg shells most of the day.

Before her day of marriage to Shen, she knew what she was walking into, as she had years to really get to know him and see the kind of man he truly was. He was such a miserable person in general, you could almost see the evil in him radiating off his skin.  She delicately tried to beg her father not to make her go through with the marriage, but as there were no other suitable candidates she was stuck with his choice.  She wished now that she had found a way to run away before the marriage. Perhaps she could have enlisted her best friends sister to help her, but she was too scared to ask and not entirely sure who to trust.  If her father had found out what she was planning, she probably wouldn't be alive today.  

With Ian, it was nerve racking waiting for the good man act to drop and for the terror to begin.  Day after day, she and Ian carried out a routine of painting, sculpting and spending a little time together in between projects.  He appeared to be very careful with her, which made her even more on edge and cautious around him.  He was a very hands on kind of man and she found him softly touching her in all different kinds of ways; from a stroke of her arm or a soft caress of her back as she washed the dishes.  It was incredibly alarming at first because she wasn't sure how she was to respond.  Shen had never been gentle with her or kind for that matter and she didn't know what the touches meant. Was he just touching her to show his possession, or did he want to have sex?  

She had begun to open up to him in the bedroom, allowing him to kiss and cuddle her, but beyond that he asked for nothing else.  Remembering their afternoon in China when she allowed him to take her to bed, gave her goosebumps and ignited feelings of arousal all over her body.  She knew if she stayed much longer that she wouldn't be able to resist him and that she would eventually need to give in to him.   Her body was telling her yes, while her head was saying no. She needed to stick to the plan if she was going to get free from him. Right now it appeared she had all the rights of a free woman.  He imposed no household laws or traditions upon her to tie her down and threaten her safety.  If she angered him, things could change and her situation could become dire indeed very quickly.  

Yet Ian seemed such a loving man and all those caresses fueled her need for him to touch her body the way he once did.  Her body longed for him to hold her close and ignite her passions, while he rocked inside her and brought those passions to a climax. Perhaps one night lying with him would be enough to ease this torment and make her husband happy.  

No, no no.  She must not give in to this baser nature of hers. This was not the life she wanted for herself and she needed to keep things in perspective.  Perhaps giving more effort to her money making tasks and more physical activity, was all she needed to help to keep her on track.


Painting always had the effect to calm her troubled mind and put things back into perspective, but today it wasn't enough.  All she could think about was Ian.  She painted two mediocre paintings before it was time to start dinner.


She kept taking furtive glances his way studying his profile and the way he moved about the room.  He was so incredibly sexy and she found herself daydreaming about him instead of watching the meal.  

"Maya, watch out."  Ian said loudly to get her attention from across the room.  "The pot is boiling over."  

"Oh no!"  Maya grabbed the oven mitt and removed the lid from the pot to throw in the sink.  She stirred the contents and almost began to cry.

"It's burnt.  I'm so sorry.  Please forgive me.  I will start again."

Ian came across the room and touched her back which caused Maya to flinch.  He turned her and saw the tears running down her face.

"I'm sorry.  It will never happen again."  She couldn't look him in the eyes, had her hands raised in defense and waited for his anger to finally rise. Instead, Ian took her face in his hands and lightly kissed her cheeks. He then forced her face up and waited for her to look him in the eyes. 

"It's just food Maya."  He lightly kissed her on he lips.  Maya stood still trembling, while he softly caressed her with his lips. She knew she couldn't fight it any longer and taking a chance, she deepened the kiss.  Ian groaned, wrapped his arms around her and used his thumb to gently open her mouth a little more, to deepen the kiss even further.  

A few hours later Maya rose from the bed, her body still tingling in every spot he touched.  She quietly dressed as to not disturb him, and headed downstairs to begin cooking dinner again.  Ian came down shortly after and wrapped his arms around her from behind.  This time, she didn't flinch at his touch.  He released her and went to sit at the counter,while he did some searching on the web.

By the time she had finished making the meal, she felt quite unwell and excused herself from her husband. She didn't know quite what was wrong, but she was hopeful that sleep would clear it up.  Sometime later on, she woke to her husband quietly climbing into bed and snuggling up to her back.  It was around two in the morning, when Maya awoke to slight stomach pains that made her unsure as to whether she was hungry or sick to her stomach.  So as quietly as she could, she tiptoed downstairs in the dark for a glass of milk from the fridge.  One mouthful of milk and she felt shaky and a little hazy as if she was going to faint. She felt quite as if she was having a little bit of an "out of body experience" but this was different. And then she knew.  

Covering her mouth with two hands to hide the gasp, she almost began to cry.  'I'm pregnant', she thought.  No no no, that can't be!  What am I going to do?  How could I be that stupid!  Maya began to quietly whimper in her effort not to cry.  I'm trapped!  This is what I was trying to avoid with my first husband.  Stupid stupid stupid girl. As the tears fell down her cheeks, thoughts whirled around in her head as Maya continued to berate herself for her foolishness that afternoon in China.  'You did this to yourself and now you have to live with the consequences.'

From out of the darkness, Ian was suddenly at her side. "Maya what is wrong" he asked, holding her tight to his chest. "Please tell me."

"Oh Ian.  I'm, I'm pregnant."

"Pregnant? A baby?  A baby!  Oh Maya you have made me so happy!"  Ian grabbed her up into a hug and a dip kiss.

"We are going to be so happy!  And baby makes 3", Ian said with a laugh.

Hmmm, Maya thought to herself.  Maybe, just maybe.