Chapter 27 Deanna
Ihurried down the stairs, moving quicker than I should’ve been with these two babies weighing me down, but I needed to talk to Tia. She’d been gone all day yesterday, and I wasn’t about to let another day go by before we cleared the air.
I spotted her and Santo heading for the door and called out, “Tia! Hold up a minute!”
They exchanged looks before Tia shook her head. “Chrys and I got someplace to be.”
“But—”
“We have a lot to do before we head back to Greece tonight,” she said. “Bye.”
They ran out that door, just like they did yesterday. Sure, they probably did have things to do before flying out, but that exit was planned. My child was still avoiding me.
Her polite little distance cut deeper than if she’d just cussed me out. This whole “I’m not mad, I’m just busy” act had me in emotional limbo, getting neither her forgiveness nor her anger. Just nothing.
That conversation two nights ago kept replaying in my mind. The confusion on her face when Aris announced he was the father. The way she’d pieced together that kiss with Kevin, thinking I was taking him back.
Lord, all these months she’d been carrying that weight, and I hadn’t known. We’d finally told the truth, but it hadn’t fixed things between us. If anything, it felt like she’d retreated further into herself instead of letting me in.
“Hey,” I heard Aris’ voice before he wrapped his arms around my waist. I leaned back against his chest, grateful for something solid when everything else felt shaky.
His hands spread over my big belly, and the twins started dancing as soon as they felt their daddy’s touch. That simple moment reminded me that even with Tia acting like I didn’t exist, I wasn’t alone in this.
“I prepared something special for you,” he whispered in my ear, and when I turned my head with a question in my eyes, he added, “A maternity photoshoot.”
“Today?” I nearly choked. The idea of pictures to capture these last weeks of pregnancy was exciting, but lord have mercy! “Aris! I need clothes, hair, and makeup. My legs haven’t been shaved in I don’t know how long!”
He laughed. “All taken care of, I promise you this.” Then he winked at me. “I will shave your legs myself, yes.”
I grinned up at him, feeling my mood lift. “Let’s go find a razor right now.”
An hour later—freshly shaved, properly pampered, and feeling almost human again—Aris drove us to the photo studio.
The moment I walked in, I was swarmed by a team of people. One started working on my hair while another went in on my makeup. A stylist kept parading back and forth with dresses for me to pick from. I chose several, eager to try them on.
Once I slipped into the first one—a flowing champagne-colored piece that draped really nicely over my belly—I stepped onto the set. The photographer positioned me in the natural light, arranging some flowing fabric around me.
“Beautiful, Deanna. You’re absolutely glowing,” the photographer said, camera clicking away.
I was just starting to relax into it, feeling good after all that pampering, when I heard footsteps.
I turned to find Aris in the doorway, looking at me as if he wanted to clear this whole studio out and bend me over the nearest surface.
He’d gotten cleaned up, too—crisp white shirt, dark slacks, hair slicked back. Looking good enough to make me forget we had an audience.
The photographer perked right up. “Perfect! Let’s get some couple shots.”
Aris crossed over to me, spreading one hand across my belly and the other at the small of my back. The photographer directed us into different poses, all of them showing off my stomach while keeping us close.
Maternity shot of Deanna and Aris...
His lips brushed my temple in some shots. In others, we stood forehead to forehead. Through it all, his hands stayed on me possessively.
We went through several outfit changes before the photographer finally called for a break.
“Father, we’re here.”
I turned to see Santo and Tia, both dressed up nicely. Tia wore a formal navy dress, and Santo a fit to Aris’s.
Tia stood in the doorway for a moment, and I could see her deciding something. Then she smiled. “Hey Mom, can we join in?”
My heart swelled. “Of course, baby!”
“I passed my driving test, by the way,” Tia said, grinning as the photographer waved us all back under the lights.
“Congratulations, sweetheart,” I said, pulling her in for a quick hug before we got into position.
As the camera started up again, Aris said, real casual, “When you get back to Greece, you stop by the Olympus showroom and pick out any car you want, yes?”
Tia’s whole face lit up. “For real? I’m going there first thing! Can’t wait!”
Family portrait of a pregnant Deanna, Aris, Santo and Tia
After the photoshoot wrapped, Santo insisted we have one last dinner before they headed back to Greece for Kayla’s baby shower, so we all filed out to the waiting limo.
I was still wearing one of the maternity dresses from the shoot. Aris had requested I keep on, wanting the pleasure of removing it himself later.
“You know Kayla’s baby shower is women-only, right?” Tia teased as we walked.
Santo frowned. “Why? It’s Theie Kostas’s child. He should be there.”
“Simone’s going to be there, and if we invite Kostas, we’d have to invite Matthaios, and—” She clapped a hand over her mouth.
My son-in-law stopped walking. “Wait. Simone? As in the Simone that Matthaios has been losing his mind trying to find?”
Tia grabbed his arm as they reached the limo. “You can’t tell him. Please, Chrys. Kayla will kill me.”
“Tia…”
“Promise me.” Her voice was firm now. “Both of you,” she added, glancing at Aris. “This stays between us.”
Tia's husband helped her into the car, shaking his head with a reluctant smile. “You’re asking me to keep secrets from our family now?”
“Kayla is family, too,” she countered, settling into her seat. “And all of you kept a major secret from her.”
Santo sighed, sliding in beside her. “Fine. But when Kostas and Matthaios eventually find out and comes for all of us, I’m telling them I was forced.”
They settled into their seats, and I caught Aris’s amused expression.
Tia’s lighter mood was lifting my spirits. As Santo continued negotiating terms for his silence, Aris and I exchanged looks across the seat. It felt like we’d finally turned a corner, and lord knows I needed that right about now.
I was about to ask where Santo was taking us when the limo pulled up in front of my favorite Creole fusion spot, the one with those spicy curries and coconut rice that makes my mouth water just thinking about it.
When we entered the restaurant, I stopped in my tracks. The place had been transformed into... a baby shower?
“Surprise!” everyone shouted.
The whole restaurant had been reserved, and it seemed like half my world was here. Kandi was there, grinning, while Mama Nettie sat near the dessert table, fanning herself with a napkin. I recognized women from church and former coworkers from the nursing home.
Everything was done up in soft lemon and green, with teddy bears and unicorns tucked into corners under matching balloon sculptures. Fresh flower arrangements sat on every table with ribbons saying “It’s a Boy!” and “It’s a Girl!”
In the center of it all was a three tier cake with two pairs of tiny baby shoes on top. Aris’s hand settled on the small of my back.
I turned to him. “You put all this together?”
“The idea was mine, but not the execution. Your daughter was the mastermind.”
I looked over at Tia in surprise.
“Do you like it?” she asked
“Very much,” I managed to get out. After everything we’d been through, I hadn’t expected this. Hadn’t dared to hope for it. “I thought you didn’t want to... Thank you!”
“It wasn’t just me. Chrys helped a lot. And Kandi came through with the invitations.”
I reached for her hand. “Baby, this means everything.”
“My whole life, you’ve put me first, Mom,” she said, squeezing my fingers. “You sacrificed so much just for me.” She pressed her other hand on my arm. “It’s time somebody put you first instead.”
My eyes started burning with tears. All those years of struggling as a single mom, trying to build something good for us... The fact that my baby girl saw that and appreciated it made every sleepless night worthwhile.
I let Tia pull me toward the center of the room where everyone was gathering. Women I hadn’t seen in months wrapped me in hugs, their voices overlapping with congratulations. I blinked back what was left of my tears and let myself be folded into all of it.
Once the hugs and belly rubs died down, Mama Nettie rose from her chair, and the room went quiet. “Before we eat,” she said, her voice carrying, “let us bow our heads.”
Everyone reached for the hand nearest to them. Tia slipped hers into mine. On my other side, Aris’s fingers laced through my own.
“Lord, we thank You for bringing us together tonight. We thank You for our Dee and these two blessings she’s carrying.
You’ve brought this child through more than most folks could bear, and You’re still not done with her yet.
Keep her strong, keep her well, and let every woman in this room be a hedge of protection around her and those babies. In Jesus’ name.”
“Amen,” the room echoed.
Then the food came out, and I nearly lost it. Coconut curry shrimp, jerk chicken over rice, plantains fried golden, collard greens with smoked turkey, and cornbread that smelled like somebody’s grandmother made it from scratch.
I loaded my plate without a shred of shame. I was eating for three, and nobody in this room was going to judge me for it.
Kandi sat down across from me with her own plate piled high. “Girl, slow down before those babies come out seasoned.”
“They better,” I said with my mouth half full, and she cackled.