Chapter 11 #2
I fall asleep with my head on her hand on the side of the bed.
I dream we’re home, sitting in Jace’s room.
She’s rocking him to sleep with a bottle in his mouth, and I’m watching them.
They’re both happy and healthy, things are the way they should be.
She turns and calls my name, I stand over them smiling with all the love I have, my perfect family.
“Nick.”
“Hmm…”
“Nick.”
I feel a hand on my head, tugging at my hair, drawing me out of my sleep.
“Nick?”
I sit up, focusing my eyes in the dark. I don’t see anyone, must be dreaming. I look down and I see something that makes me wipe my eyes and do a double take. Holly shit!
“Cat?” I jump out the chair knocking it over, turning on the light.
“Cat?” She doesn’t move. I hope to God this is not my mind playing tricks on me. I don’t know if I could take it. I run my finger over the side of her cheek and my heart leaps when I see her lips move. This is not a dream—she’s awake!
“Babe, I’m here.”
I wait patiently for her to open her eyes. I don’t care how long it takes her, I’ve waited this long. Her eyes crack open, squinting at the light in the room. Her lips move again, and she can barely make a sound. She tries it again, her voice hoarse, barely audible.
“Nick.”
It comes out so low and hoarse it’s a whisper, but it’s blaring music to my ears. There is not a day I want to stop hearing it. I hug her to me at the same time pressing the call button for the nurse. I close my eyes and thank God this living, breathing, nightmare is over.
While the nurse checks on her and run tests, I call Ava, Chris, and the rest of my family to tell them she’s awake. They all want to come, but I tell them it’s better if they come during the day. She’s still lethargic, she needs to rest.
“Hey, beautiful.” I walk in the room and kiss her on the lips, sitting down on the bed.
“I want to see him, Nick. I’m ready.”
“Okay, if you feel strong enough. I’ll see if they can bring him in here. You were kind of out of it and weak when you woke up.”
“I know, but the first thing I thought about was him. It’s strange…I was pregnant and he was inside me then I wake up and he’s gone. I need to see him for myself, I need to hold him.” She looks down at her hands, lying back in the bed. “It’s my fault; I should have listened to you.”
I lift her chin and tell her to look at me. “None of this is your fault. Don’t ever think that.” I put my hand down and link my fingers with hers.
“I remember what happened.”
“You don’t need to talk about it now. I don’t want you to get upset, all of that can wait.”
“I know I’m going to have to. I want to get it over with, I don’t want to go over it again.”
“Okay.” I wouldn’t want to relive it again, either, but she still has to tell the police what happened.
“My mother got the invitation for the baby shower, and she said she had to see me. There were things she needed to say to me in person; she wanted to be a part of the baby’s life and mine.
When I got there, I asked if Kate was there, and she said no.
I came in and we talked a little, the doorbell rang and she went to get it.
She was taking so long, and I had to leave, I didn’t want you to come home and see I was gone. I knew you would be angry.”
You’re right about that.
“On my way down the stairs, I saw Kate. She was screaming and yelling at me, how it was my fault I took it all away from her, I had the baby and the life she should have had. She was saying all sorts of things. She was out of control. I was trapped on the stairs and scared. My mother tried to calm her down and told her to let me come down. She grabbed my arm. It was horrible, I was crying and screaming. I’ve never seen her like that, the anger and hate she had in her eyes for me.
She let go, I lost my balance and started to go back, she tried to grab me back but it was too late. ”
“You’re okay now, and safe. I’m not going to let them hurt you anymore. They’re going to pay for what they did.”
“No. I don’t want to keep going through this, let it go. I don’t believe she meant for me to go down those steps.”
“It doesn’t matter if they meant it or not. You almost died because of her. Am I supposed to let that go?”
“I don’t want to fight with them anymore. I want us to move on with our lives,” she says, her voice wavering, eyes watering. “I don’t even know my son’s name. What’s his name?”
I look down at our linked fingers, smiling. “Jace. His name is Jace Harrison Alexander.”
She laughs and shakes her head, her warm brown eyes sparkling. “I knew that name would grow on you. Thank you.”
“You don’t need to thank me, he’s our son. I should be thanking you for bringing him into this world.”
“Did my family see him?”
“They wanted to. They’re not allowed anywhere near you or Jace.”
“Okay.”
“I’ll be back. I’m going to tell the nurses you want to see your son.”
Forty minutes later I watch her face light up, tears running down her cheeks when the nurse places our son in her arms as she holds him for the first time.
This is what it should have been; with me holding her hand as she delivered him.
The tears and laughter, seeing him for the first time, together.
That’s what it is now. I sit down next to her, watching her holding him in her arms, transfixed by the little wonder we made.
I kiss her forehead and look down at my son in his mother’s arms, finally.
The next day everyone comes by to visit, including my father.
He’s been more understanding than I thought with me not coming to work and taking over some of my cases.
He’s showing me a side I wasn’t sure he had.
Cat fell asleep when they were visiting; she’s still recovering.
My parents left, and Gage, Ava, and I went out to the waiting area for a while.
We’re laughing and joking when I see Chris walking to us with his brother. What the hell is he doing here?
“What do you want? I told you, you and your family weren’t welcomed here.” I fold my hands over my chest, Gage standing beside me, and Ava in front of us.
“I want to see my sister.”
I shake my head sternly at him.
“We’re her family; we have a right to see her! You and your family are keeping her from us, turning her against us.”
“You saw her Chris, are we turning her against you?”
“No.”
“You turned her against you. I’m protecting her from your family.”
“You’re a motherfucker! You’re not going to stop me from seeing my sister and my nephew. You don’t make the rules here, get the fuck out of my way!”
He steps up, and before I can show him I do make the rules, Ava jumps in front of him with her hands up and Chris steps up in front of her.
“Your brother needs to back the fuck up and back down, Chris. Where the hell was all this concern for her in the past seven months? He didn’t want to see her and now he wants to make demands? Get the hell outta here!”
“Ava!” Chris looks at her, gritting his teeth in consternation.
“What? He should be glad his ass is even allowed through the fucking doors. If he keeps this up he’s going to get a serious ass kicking in here.”
“Light his ass up.” Gage smirks and nods his head in agreement with Ava. “Yeah, and she’s not going to have to lay a finger on you, we’ll take care of that ass whooping.”
Chris pushes Jay back with his hand on his chest when Gage steps up to him.
“I’m not going to let y’all beat my brother down in here.
” He holds his other hand up to us to back off.
“Jay, this is not the time for more of this shit. I think you’ll agree with me, Nick.
” He bends his head down to Ava, whispering low.
“No one’s going to get their ass kicked, Ava.
Calm the fuck down, your hot-ass temper is going to get us all locked up after one of us kills someone.
I back up and head to Cat’s room to check on her, and Jace, who I left sleeping in the room with her.
Chris and Ava
He grabs my hand and pulls me down the hall to have a not-so-private talk. Gage sees and says, “Hey! Take it easy.”
“It’s okay, Gage, he has my permission to manhandle me until I get tired of his ass.”
“If you say so.” He goes back to his chair and pulls out his phone, one eye on us, texting.
Chris drops my arm and steps back. “This is why I can’t deal with your ass.
You’re all Southern charm sweet and put together, but the minute something doesn’t go your way, you’re ready to attack, escalating the situation and making it worse.
Perfect example, back there with my brother.
Tell me how it’s going to work if we hook up and I look at another girl?
Which I will. You’re going to get at me and rip the poor girl’s freaking head off like a bitch in heat. ”
Arms crossed I say to him, “Are you comparing me to a dog?”
“Is that all you heard?”
“I heard some other stuff I choose to ignore.”
“I’m starting to think something’s wrong with you.”
“You’re not alone.” I throw my hand behind me and shift my weight.
“Get to the back of the line, most men do after they get to know me. They realize I’m not all sweet and abiding.
” I sweep my hand up and down my body for effect.
“False advertising, but they should just be happy with the package they’re getting and get over themselves. ”
“You should grow the fuck up and be reasonable. How about that?”
My lips press together, I stick my finger in his face and let him know what I think.
“Your problem is you can’t handle me the way you want to.
Like I said, most men can’t. If you’re not man enough to deal with me, back the fuck up and move out of the way and go find a prim-and- proper miss who will bow down to you. ”
He grabs my hand out of his face and throws it to my side, not at all gentle. “I’m going to deal with my brother.”
“Yes, you do that. Since you didn’t before.”
I watch him storm down the hallway after his brother. Damn. Our families have turned into the Hatfields and McCoys. I’m not sure who’s winning. And things were going so good between us.
I flop down in the chair next to Gage—who’s texting away—and put my head on his shoulder.
“What’s up with you two?” he says without looking up.
“Nothing now. I’m back to square one.”
“First guy you set your sights on that won’t fall at your feet.”
“He won’t even brush my pinky toe.” He chuckles, texting leisurely.
“Maybe he’s overwhelmed by all your Ava-ness.”
“That’s not it.”
“I don’t think so either. I was trying to make you feel better about being rejected.”
I slug him in the chest, and he howls in mock pain. “Ow! This is why you don’t have a man.”
“Oh, shut up.”
“Ava, I’m going to share some advice with you that works when a girl tries to resist my charms. Eventually they come back. All you have to do is keep calm and move on.”
I lift my head off his shoulder and look at him still texting. “You’re giving me T-shirt advice?”
“Yep. You should try it. It works.”
Why not? Nothing else I’ve tried is working.