Page 88 of Levi
My lower back has a pinch to it so I’m sitting down to relieve some of the pressure.My mind drifts back to three months ago, and I can’t help but remember when the doctors came in to tell me that Brody didn’t make it.At first, I thought it was Levi and my entire world stopped for a few brief moments.Ryan, Everly and Linc had to hold me upright until they assured me that it was in fact Brody, and not Levi, who had died.
“Wha…what do you mean, he didn’t make it?”I sway and several hands catch me.
“We did everything we could, we’re sorry for your loss,” one of the doctors says, but I can’t focus on anything right now other than the fact that the love of my life didn’t make it.
“This can’t be happening,” I look over to my left and see Ryan.“He promised me forever.He said he’d never leave me and Halo!”
“Saylor…Saylor please listen.”
I think I went into shock because the next thing I knew, I was in a hospital bed.Something was holding my legs down and when my eyes focused, it was Everly with her head laying across them.She was sound asleep.I heard beeping and when I turned my head, I saw a man lying in a bed next to me, making my heart stop.
“Levi!”I shouted as if I was dreaming and wanted to wake us up.
I heard his familiar grunt as Everly sprung up from her seat.
“Shh.”Everly grabbed for my hand.“He needs all the rest he can get.”
“But…h-he’s here?The doctors?”I stuttered.
“They were talking about Brody, Saylor.Levi is in bad shape but they think he will be just fine, as long as he rests and gets through this first night.”
“Oh, thank god!”I reach over the rails and grip his hand in mine.“Please don’t leave me.”
I thought my heart died that day, and it took a long while before I felt as though we were going to be okay, after everything that had happened with Dad.We buried Brody, here in Los Angeles, next to his family.Brody had changed his will and left everything in my name.I didn’t feel right taking it, so I decided to leave the ranch in Montana in the hands of Patrick to run.With Levi’s help and his resources, Jackson Ranch is a safe harbor for women and children in Witness Protection.Patrick loves the idea, and they just had its first guests last week.Levi is helping with all the other details, and all the profits from Brody’s goggle and scope designs is going into a fund to maintain the ranch and all the help there.He’s licensed it out to a client who specializes in that field, and with a few tweaks from their R&D, they have been able to create an even better product for our military.
“You feeling okay, baby?”I hear my man’s voice.Levi saddles up next to me, then picks me up as though I’m not pregnant and places me on his lap.
“Just thinking about the past and how we got here.”
He places a firm hand on my belly, then kisses my neck.
“We only need to think of the present and future,” he whispers, sending shivers down my spine that leaves me squirming on his lap.“How’s my boy doing?”He rubs me, and a small kick follows his hand.
“Starving for cake.”I giggle when Levi bites my shoulder.
We found out that we’re having a boy a few weeks ago and couldn’t be happier.Although, Halo is not on board yet.She doesn’t want anyone taking her daddy’s attention away, especially me.We are still unsure if the dad is Brody or Levi but as Levi has stated before on many occasions,DNA doesn’t matter.I’m still planning on getting a paternity test done after this little guy comes out, for peace of mind though.I’ll love him no matter what but health wise, I want to be prepared for anything.And, he will also have the right to know if he doesn’t share the same biology as his sister, or the dad that raises him.
“Well, we can’t have that.”He stands with me secured in his strong arms.
“Wait, it’s not time for cake yet!”
“Baby, we can do whatever we want.It’s our party, these people are the intruders.”
A loud squeak rings on the dance floor as we make our way over to the cake table.Knowing that voice, we both freeze but when we see what’s going on, we laugh along with everyone else.Ryan has Halo in the air, tossing her high, as Mitch tosses her teddy bear the same height at the same time.We really couldn’t have asked for a better family than this.
Without thinking, I gather a dollop of icing on two fingers from our cake as Levi is distracted with watching Halo having fun.An evil grin forms on my face, and I launch my fingers torwards him and smear a line of icing down the side of his face.His eyes bulge as he realizes what just happened.
“You know, being pregnant won’t save you, right?”he tells me smiling and reaching over my shoulder.I love his playful side.
Zoning out the guests, Levi and I have a food fight with our wedding cake.Halo comes over at one point but only to swipe a few pieces to eat.Once we’ve had enough, Levi bends and picks me up bridal style and whistles to get everyone’s attention.
“We’d like to thank you all for coming and sharing this time with us, but as you can imagine, we have somewhere where we need to be.”Not leaving any room for arguments, he heads out the door of the barn as Reid is yelling.
“But I haven’t given my speech yet!”
Levi ignores him and takes long strides towards our house.Halo is staying with Alice tonight and will join us tomorrow, as we go on a trip to Disney World.I’ve never been and Halo can’t wait to see all the princesses.
“You are so beautiful,” Levi states as he sets me down in our bathroom, then pulls the zipper down the back of my dress.
