Page 34 of Beneath Submission
~Twenty-four~
Feeling like I was waking up to a bad dream, the smell of antiseptic filled my senses, making my stomach churn. Rubbing my eyes to clear my blurred vision, I knew exactly where I was. As I looked to the door, Xavier was standing just outside talking to a doctor. I was too far away to understand what they were taking about but knew that their conversation was about me. Using all the strength I had, I pushed my body to a sitting position and yelled, “Hey.”
Xavier immediately looked my way and hurried over to the bed with the doctor close behind. Taking hold of my hand, he placed a sweet kiss on it and looked up at me. “You had us worried.”
“What happened? The last thing I remember was feeling dizzy,” I confessed, trying to think back. “Oh, God. My father, he was shot.”
Holding me down as I tried to get out of bed, Xavier responded, caringly, “Tessa, your father is fine. The bullet just grazed his shoulder.”
Leaning back against the bed, I took in a deep breath, willing my body to relax. When I was finally able to compose myself, a thought came to mind. Something bad was going on, otherwise why would have Xavier been talking to a doctor? Moreover, why was he in my room? Concerned, my eyes met Xavier’s, searching for an answer. Switching my focus on the doctor, I stared intently at his face, ready to hear what he had to say.
“Ms. Sands, there is a reason you haven’t been feeling well lately, and the added stress hasn’t helped your situation,” he admitted.
“This flu has really done a number on me. Is there anything you can do for it?” I asked, hopeful.
“I’m afraid that it isn’t the flu that is making you ill,” the doctor paused for a moment, looking between Xavier and me as though he was searching for permission to tell me why I had felt so bad lately. “Ms. Sands, you are about five weeks pregnant.”
“How can that be, I was on the pill,” I cried.
“Only abstinence is 100%, Ms. Sands,” the doctor confessed.
If I hadn’t already been lying down, I would have fallen to the floor. Hearing that I was pregnant was not what I had expected. Even though I hadn’t taken my daily pill while under Mr. Sakai’s control, I never had intercourse. It was impossible, I had been on the pill and every man that ever touched me had used a condom. Everyone except Xavier. Looking over to him, I couldn’t bear to see his reaction when I regretfully said, “Xavier, I’m sorry.”
Taking my hand in his, he lowered his head and said, “Doc, can you leave us alone for a minute?” Waiting until the doctor was out of the room. Xavier looked up at me and continued. “Tessa, you are my life and I never want to be without you. This baby is a part of us and I will love he or she as much as I love you.”
Wrapping my arms around his neck, I held him tightly. I thought for sure that he would leave and have nothing to do with me or the baby.
~*~*~*~
Every day since I left the hospital had gotten better. The morning sickness was a thing of the past and my due date was quickly approaching. We no longer had to look behind us. Mr. Colin was dead, and his associate Mr. Sakai received his own punishment when he was beaten to death by a client who went ballistic on him.
The only thing I had to deal with was Xavier and his mother hen affection. It got to the point that he wouldn’t let me do anything. We decide to turn his workout room into a nursery and with everything that needed to be done, I could only tell him how I wanted it decorated. He was afraid that I would hurt myself, or worse, the baby.
I could tell that my presence was getting on his nerves. I just wanted the nursery to be perfect and that meant telling him when he missed a spot. Having a baby was a lot to take in, and just like me, I knew that he wanted everything to be perfect as well.
There was one thing that we did manage to agree on. We both decided to wait until the baby was born to find out if it was going to be a boy or a girl, therefore we thought it was best to go with subtle colors that would be appropriate for a little boy or girl. Choosing a soft yellow and light green for the colors, Xavier began painting the walls and trim, while I searched online for the perfect crib.
I still had three weeks to go, and all I wanted was to have the baby. It was only when a sharp pain radiated through my stomach like someone had stabbed me with a knife that I knew it was time. Knowing that Xavier was in the other room, I screamed his name loudly, “Xavier.”
Within seconds he was at my side and knew by the look on my face that we needed to get to the hospital. Lifting me in his arms, he carried me all the way to the SUV and gently placed me inside. Staring over at his Jag, I was glad that he decided to take my advice and keep it instead of trading it in for the MRX that we bought for the baby.
Backing out of the parking spot, Xavier was a bundle of nerves as we headed out of the garage and to the hospital. Placing my hand on his arm so that he looked over to me, I assured him, “We have time, sweetie.”
“I just want to make sure, Tess.” he replied.
I loved everything about him, but more than anything, I knew that he loved me. Feeling the onset of another contraction, I held on to the seat and waited for it to pass. They were about five minutes apart and more intense, but I knew we still had time. Xavier, being the worrier that he was, estimated the shortest route to the hospital would take us forty-five minutes. He even considered the time of day and the traffic.
When we pulled up to the Emergency entrance, Xavier was at my side before turning the engine off. Lifting me from my seat, he entered the hospital, yelling and shouting for someone to help him. An emergency room nurse jogged up to us and asked, “How long?”
Xavier tried to tell her but was filled with so much emotion that all he could do was stare at her with a blank expression on his face. Trying to control my breathing, I managed to get out, “Five minutes.”
It was probably more like two, but I needed to do something to help ease Xavier’s nerves.God, he was going to be a great father, I thought to myself.
~*~*~*~
Six hours, twenty-three minutes later, Xavier was sitting beside my bed holding our son. It was the most breathtaking sight I had ever seen. Joshua Paul is the name we decided on. Even though Xavier would never go back to being Joshua Hyatt, he wanted his son to have his name. His little hand fit perfectly in Xavier’s as they slept together. Smiling to myself, I knew that my life was going to be amazing.
When the nurse arrived, letting me know that it was time for Joshua’s feeding, I didn’t have the heart to wake them. As she gazed down at them, she pulled her phone from her pocket and took a picture of them sleeping contentedly on the chair. When she had finished, she handed her phone to me and showed me. I could feel the tears begin to form as I truly saw what love was about. It was then that I knew I would love this man forever, and nothing and no one would ever take that from me. Only Xavier would have my heart and he would be the only man I would ever submit to.
