Chapter 244) Episodes – One In A Million

“The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it.”

– Moliere

Windenburg
Lake House
About 5 weeks since Liam and Vivien's separation
Divorce has been filed; no court date set yet

Liam opened the door to find Lana, unusually early in the day for a visit. He smiled.

“The sun just rose in my humble hut. Come on in girl. You’re here early in the day. Playing hooky to see me?”

He kissed her briefly, then she followed him into the kitchen, where Liam poured her a cup of the coffee he was drinking.

“Let’s go sit.” Liam suggested, Lana quietly followed him to the table.

“You okay? You seem quiet and you look pale. You coming down with something?” Liam wondered concerned.

“No, I am fine.” Lana took a big sip of her coffee, while Liam looked her over.

“Liar. I can tell something is wrong. You’re tense and haven’t smiled once, you’re here when you should be at work, yet you haven’t tried to tear my clothing off, so it’s not for a booty call either. Spit it out, girl.”

“I called in sick to work, wasn’t the original plan, just had a doctor’s appointment, but now it’s not even really a lie. Liam, you had a vasectomy, right?”

“Yeah, years ago, not long after Nicholas was born around my 30th birthday. Why?”

“Imagine my surprise when this morning, during my annual routine gynecologist visit, the doctor congratulated me. I argued with him for half an hour, we did two more tests, all positive. I am pregnant, Liam. It’s yours. Has to be. You’re the only man I have been intimate with in months and I thought you were safe because you got snipped. Guess not.”

“What?! Could it be your husband’s? It’s been over 7 years since the procedure and without getting too graphic, up until we started having all those problems, Vivien and I were the opposite of abstinent, we fucked like rabbits, and we never used any birth control.”

“Liam, I don’t know how either, all I know for sure is that this wasn’t immaculate conception. My gyn just shrugged when I argued that the only man I had intercourse with had a vasectomy years ago, and told me there have been rare reports of something called recanalization, then suggested you get a sperm count to make sure and I can do a prenatal paternity test when I am about 9 weeks along to confirm. That has to be what happened, because there was nobody else and Dane moved out over 6 months ago, I have only seen him one time since, with our both our lawyers present in a room to agree to the terms of the divorce. I guarantee you that wasn’t exactly the type of meeting to get me in the mood for sexy time, especially not with him, after all he put me through. I am only around 4 or 5 weeks along which is exactly the timeline you and I started ‘seeing’ each other a lot more and would explain why I didn’t even notice anything yet. Too early. I know you have your plate plenty full, as do I, but this is a serious problem for both of us, considering neither of our divorces are final yet, and you even have a custody thing on the line. I am at a loss here. Didn’t know what to do, so I came here.”

“SHIT! Well, I guess I was overdue for a Cameron Curse baby, considering all the pipe I laid in my days. Assume you had the blood test. Did they tell you the gender?”

“Yeah, one blood test and two urine tests, but only to confirm pregnancy, way too early for the gender blood test thing, I think that’s at 8-10 weeks or so. But why bother, considering we likely have to decide against having it? But I am gonna need you there for that. I can’t do that alone.”

“Against? You mean abortion? Lana, NO!”

“Liam, don’t get judgy here. I know it’s not ideal, but we are both going through stuff, this is really not the right time for misplaced morals. I am house-hunting, while selling the penthouse to pay off my greedy, gambling-addicted no-good soon-to-be-ex, so in a way I am one step away from homeless if I don’t find something soon, I just started a new job, all while trying to juggle my daughter, there is no way I can swing a pregnancy on top of all. Plus, let’s not forget we are not exactly 20 anymore. I am 37 years old, this would be a high-risk pregnancy where a lot of things can go wrong. And even if not, we both would be in our mid-50s when the kid is 18. I came here to tell you as a courtesy, Liam, and because I am in serious shock and needed a friend.”

“Yeah, I get all that, and ditto, but Lana, we’ll figure something out. I’ll take care of the baby, if all else fails. Don’t do this. Please. I always wanted another child, now granted, DEFINITELY not like this, but hey, I am sure my sisters and parents can and will help.”

“What a mess, Liam. SHIT! This was NOT what I wanted. Not at all. Crap!”

“No kidding, same here, but we’ll get through this. Somehow. Please Lana, I beg you, don’t do anything stupid. I swear I’ll do the right thing. I won’t leave you hanging. My word’s good and I have always been absolutely honest with you.”

“I know, but we both agreed, this was supposed to be casual and super-slow, now it’s everything but. Friends with benefits having a baby now? What are we, teens who don’t know how to use birth control?! What a mess! I REALLY don’t know what to do. How am I even gonna tell Meaghan? Or my employer. I literally just started working there. What are they gonna do with a super-pregnant defense attorney? Some of our cases run for months or years, I can’t take a lead on something big now and then drop out when push comes to shove – pun fully intended – because I am in a delivery room somewhere having a baby neither one of us can use. I’ll probably get fired once I start showing anyway. Goddamn it! I need this job. What a disaster, no matter how you turn it.”

“Lana, I don’t have any answers, but there is no scenario where I would reject my own flesh and blood and I think you know that. We WILL figure out a way. And without having to do anything drastic.”

“I feel like I need to reiterate this: I swear the pregnancy is an accident though. I would never do that to you.” Lana mumbled from beneath her arms on the table, very much unlike her usual always poised behavior.

“I know that, Lana. How could you have, we both thought I couldn’t father kids to begin with. Back when I had the procedure, I now remember skimming over the fine print of the paperwork I had to sign and the doctor mentioning this recanalization even 10 years after surgery. He said it was extremely rare and nothing to be concerned about, because even if that happens, the sperm count is usually very low, so I blew it off and forgot all about that. Just my luck that I would be one of those rare cases and end up with some overzealous swimmers. I know you would never lie to me about this, if you say the baby is mine, I believe it. With all both of us have going on, there was no room for anybody else, so while we both considered this something casual, we have been exclusive, even if maybe not fully intentional.”

“Either way, I will go for that prenatal blood test and get that paternity test done too. If for nothing else then just for completion’s sake. And to have a written record of fate flipping us both off.”

“No kidding. Lana, I realize this will make me sound like a dick, but I just cannot make any promises about us and our future together. I am so sorry, but I really can’t and won’t rush into a relationship before I am even really out of my marriage yet, not even under these circumstances. I will, however, 100% be there every step of the way and for everything the baby needs. I know I am far from perfect, and can be accused of a lot of BS, but being a deadbeat dad isn’t one of them.”

“I get that, and I don’t want to rush into anything either, least of all a relationship and I 100% do not want to get married because of a baby either. I have been in two marriages for the wrong reasons, and I will never do that again. If we were to end up together, I want it to be because that is what we both decided, from a place of love and compatibility, without pressure and after really getting to know each other. Plus, I have a daughter to think of, who really has been through enough shitty relationships with me that failed. You don’t even really know my Meaghan yet.”

“Well, that’s something we could work on. I mean, I understand why you have kept her away, same reason I haven’t really introduced you to Nick, why confuse the children if we are not even sure ourselves yet about what we have here, but since it now looks like both of them will be sharing a half-sibling eventually, this could be a first step. Get to know each other’s kid and maybe get those two together, without telling them why yet. Would you agree?”

“Yeah. Eventually, and maybe say you and I are old friends, initially. But first, I need to come to terms with these news and need some time to wrap my own head around all this yet. This is just complete insanity.”

“Get used to it. We Camerons don’t do normal. The closer you get to one of us, the crazier your life will become. I’d tell you to run, but guess we’re past that now.”

“Funny. Hey, Liam?”

“Hm?”

“Thank you for being so decent about this. I am glad I came to you, because I was about to lose my mind.”

“Decent? Lana, I am as much responsible for this as you are, if not more. I should have made sure I am really still shooting blanks, just honestly never occurred to me.”

“Hopefully my divorce happens fast. Last thing I need would be having to explain to the judge why I puked my morning sickness all over Dane and his greedy demands.”

“And I am just glad it’s us and I didn’t do what most dumped almost divorced men do and just whored my way through all the bars, nightclubs and hookup apps for an extra ego-boost, thinking I am sterile. I wouldn’t be able to afford a piece of gum anymore after all those child support payments, and I am pretty sure my dad wouldn’t get voted back into office for the next term as mayor with a son like that.”

Both laughed.

Author's Note:
None of this was planned. I did let them start the affair, but to this day Liam's setting is flagged to not being able to get another Sim pregnant in both MCCC and CAS, but Lana definitely reads that he is the father. As many of you know I am pretty well-versed with modding and computers, but cannot explain it with anything other than a glitch. Well, anyway, I had to learn about vasectomies because of it, since that is what I chose for him back when. 
Evidently, there REALLY are very rare confirmed cases where the body heals itself and generates a viable sperm count making a pregnancy possible, even though the chances are much lower than before the procedure. Usually, as in Liam's case, the men don't find out it happened until they already knocked someone up, since annual sperm counts are not required.
Now we know, don't say my story doesn't also teach things (even if it's probably mostly useless knowledge for most of us).