Page 56 of A Twist of Fate

Kane helped me into the car in the time it took for Zeke to do everything asked of him. Merc had been on his cell as we got our shit together, no doubt alerting everyone that we were headed to the hospital.

“Call Beth,” I grunted out.

“How about I do that after I get you there?” Kane drove us to the hospital, and still the only thing on my mind was that this baby was coming, and maybe the day wouldn’t always be a sad one for me now. The panic I felt earlier about having to give birth on this day suddenly dissipated and an overwhelming calm swept through me. Of course, that beautiful serene experience lasted less than three minutes and then another contraction came crashing through my uterus. I would have sworn in that moment of tranquility it was Toby and our baby letting me know that everything was going to be okay.

“You okay over there?” Kane asked me.

“I’m just fine. Little contraction,” I managed to get out. He screwed his brow up at me as if he didn’t quite believe me, but that was okay. I’d never be able to properly explain why I no longer worried about any of this. I knew we would be in good hands and we had angels looking out for us.

Despite the contractions, the labor, and all of the controlled chaos that comes with giving birth to a baby, that same peaceful tranquility stuck with me throughout the entire process. When our son was laid on my chest and I was able to see all his little fingers and toes as he screwed his angry little face up and wailed at me for the first time, all I could think of was that he was a gift straight out of heaven. My boy. “Thank you,” I whispered to the spirits that helped guide him home to me safely.

Ever

The stone felt cold to the touch as I placed the little toy motorcycle there. I was sure he would love it even as it made me supremely sad to know I’d never get to see him ride again. I would never get the chance to let him know how much I appreciated all the things he’d done for me over the years. There were so many bitter times for us before he passed, and now the worst pain of all was the regret for all the lost time between us. The things we could have known about one another, but would never have the chance again, stood sentinel just as much as the tombstone did thanks to its unique markings.

I leaned down and traced my fingers over the etching of the tattoo I had done for him. I hadn’t known until it was put here that he’d requested it be done before his death. Having been one of the six, the fool had a Last Will and Testament drawn up with the words in it that would etch our shared pain in this stone for as long as it stood sentry over his dead body. I still didn’t understand why it was important for him to put it there, but it set my heart to aching for both the painful memories, and the beautiful moments we were allowed before he passed, thanks to that tattoo giving us another start. My hand shook as I pulled it away and looked up into the equally saddened eyes of my husband. He startled a bit as his phone began to ring, and he passed our niece to me. I stood; bracing the tiny little girl on my hip as Deck spoke into the phone quietly, and then glanced at me, his lips tipping up into a slight smile. Good news then.

It was fitting we receive good news while standing here mourning the anniversary of the loss of our fallen family. My life had taken on a crazy balance over the years. For every horrible thing I had endured, I had also been given its equal and opposite. I lost my mother, who had been a hard woman to love. I ended up gaining another who was as warm as they come. I lost years to misery a club brother cost me that I never wished to endure again, only to be given insurmountable peace by another. I once thought that every eight years, give or take a few months, I would experience a horrible change in my life. I knew now that the overwhelming change wasn’t always a terrible thing. This year, things would change for the better. As I stood with my niece in my arms, honoring the fallen, and watching my husband take his call, I knew without a doubt that things were not going to fall apart again. Especially when in our time of mourning and remembrance, there was news that put a smile on my husband’s face again.

As he hung up and turned his full attention back to me it took him a moment to speak. In that time of quiet reflection he watched me with my niece, a pensive look etched in the fine lines on his face. “We’re welcoming a new family member today. We need to get to the hospital.” I tipped my head in a slight nod as I shifted my darling niece’s weight a bit. I was a tad queasy and carrying her this way wasn’t helping. “This is a natural look for you, Ev. I can picture it clearly one day when it’s not our niece you’re holding, but our own little one.”

“So, you want to have children with me someday?”

“As soon as you’re ready, babe,” he answered which made me smile. I took his hand in my free one and grinned up at him then.

“How does about seven months from now sound?” I watched as his eyes grew wide, and his smile followed. His hand released my own and he clasped my non-existent belly with both of his palms splayed out to encompass where I would grow full and round with his baby soon.

“It sounds perfect.” Deck glanced back over at the tombstone again, his smile dimming just a smidge. “You hear that? We’re adding to the family too. I promise you, they will know all about you, as if you were never gone from us.”

A tear trickled down my cheek as I leaned into Deck for support, my knees having gone a bit weak with his promise. He took our niece from my arms, and we walked back over to my car in order to head to the hospital to welcome another cherished member to the Aces High family.

By the time we got to the hospital everyone was already there. I was surprised to see my sister standing there with her husband. “Momma!” My niece, Tabby, shouted the minute she saw her. I put her on the ground and watched her run her rambunctious butt to Anna. She would be three-years-old in just a couple of weeks. I couldn’t believe how fast time had flown by. “We didn’t expect to see you both here.”

My brother-in-law, Joker, just grinned at me. “Someone called and mentioned the baby was coming. I couldn’t keep her away.”

“What?” Anna asked innocently. “Babies are so tiny and sweet, and,” her lower lip started to quiver. “After everything,” she tried again, but this time tears began to spill over onto her rosy cheeks that were glowing moments ago.

“Oh shit!” I laughed while swiping at my own tears then. “Little sister, I think you have some news to share with the rest of us,” I teased her.

“What? How?” She narrowed her gaze on Joker menacingly, as if he had spilled all of their secrets.

“Wasn’t me,” he told her with his hands in the air. Then he grabbed hold of his precious daughter and moved to go stand over by Merc and Tiger Lily who were very obviously amused by the rest of us.

“Well, what are you crying for, then?” Anna finally asked me as she huffed out each and every word. She was angry I had stolen her thunder, and now she was going to steal mine too. Damn it.

“She’s just mad because she has the same news to tell everyone,” Deck – my betraying husband – told her. He did it loudly too.

“What?” Tiger Lily shrieked at the same time that Anna did. Only, my sister started hopping up and down as her eyes widened in surprise. She grabbed my hands in hers and said, “Oh my Gosh, we’re having babies together!”

“What? Are you serious?” Tiger Lily asked again. I nodded my head and then both Anna and I were engulfed in a hug. “I need to call your momma!” She squealed.

“No!”

“Please, don’t,” I said quickly, reiterating Anna’s, ‘No!’ as well. “We want them to enjoy their time away.” My parents had gone on a cruise to the Virgin Islands. It was a much-needed getaway for them, and neither my sister or I wanted to ruin it for them. “We’ll be able to tell them over family dinner when they get back, so long as no one spills the beans before then.”

Tiger Lily pretended to zip her lips shut. “I think Lucy and D would love that.”

The double doors that separated the waiting room from labor and delivery slammed open and Kane came bounding out with the biggest grin on his face that I had ever seen. “It’s a boy! All 9 pounds, 6 ounces of him.”

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