Page 32 of Tobias

Gray and Lena stepped outside the room, looking up at Tobias.

“Come down to my office,” said Gray. He followed her down the hallway as Lena went out to speak to the others.

“You’re scaring me, Gray,” he said, taking the seat across from her.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. Tobias, what they did to her, it rivals what was done to Alexandra and Rachelle. She won’t have children, honey. Nothing, not even the pond, can correct that. I’m not even sure she’ll have a normal menstrual cycle again.

“If I had to guess, she’s going to be plagued with bladder infections, cramping, many things. But the worst of it will be the nightmares and feelings of panic. You’ve seen this with some of the other women here. You know what to expect.”

“The pond won’t help?” he whispered.

“It may,” she nodded. “I just didn’t want to get her hopes up, or yours. She needs you, Tobias. She’s going to need your strength, patience, and understanding. I delivered you. I’ve known you your entire life. You’re a fine, fine young man, but patience has never been your greatest gift.”

“What are you saying?” he frowned.

“I’m saying look deep inside of you, Tobias. If you can’t do this. If you can’t be patient, let this girl go.” He stood abruptly, leaning across the desk with a furious expression.

“No. You won’t ask me to do that. No. I will not leave that woman. Not now, not tomorrow, not ever. Do I make myself perfectly clear?” Gray grinned at him, then gave a full-blown smile.

“Yep. That makes me feel much better. I just had to be sure.”

The nurse and doctor left her room, and she pulled the sheet up to her waist. She’d been given the news she dreaded. The news she was certain was coming, but no one had been brave enough to say it outright. She couldn’t do this to Tobias. She couldn’t strap him with her body.

She tried to sit on the edge of the bed but was so weak, she couldn’t slide off the edge of the bed to the floor. The door opened, and a tiny white-haired woman walked in with a robust African-American woman.

“Are you goin’ somewhere, baby?” asked Irene.

“I need to leave. Will you help me?”

“Why?” asked Ruby. “Why on earth would you leave when you’ve finally found the man you’ve been lookin’ for your whole life?”

“You don’t understand. I’m not good enough for him. I’m not what he needs.”

“I see,” said Irene. “Let me introduce myself. I’m Irene Robicheaux, and this is my dearest friend, Ruby Norgenson.”

“Oh,” she said with a little gasp. “You’re the mother to Gaspar and the others.”

“That’s right,” she smiled. “All these babies are mine. All of ‘em. No finer men or women in the world. None. And that includes you.” Gail shook her head.

“No. No, you don’t understand. I’m not good enough for him. I wasn’t a good girl. I wasn’t the girl who was a virgin or only slept with three men in her whole life.”

“Pfft! Join the club,” scoffed Ruby. Irene laughed, nodding her head. Gail just stared at the women. “I was a prostitute.”

“Wh-what?”

“That’s right. Husband left me with six babies. Six hungry mouths to feed. I had no education, no job, and no way to earn a livin’, and I wasn’t about to give up my children. So, I did what I could. I did what I knew how to do.”

“Wasn’t that dangerous?” asked Gail.

“Not nearly as dangerous as someone tryin’ to take my babies from me. My sweet friends, Irene and Matthew, they knew what I was goin’ through. Offered to help me out.”

“Stubborn woman wouldn’t take it,” frowned Irene.

“Your kindness in befriendin’ me was enough,” said Ruby. “Showed all them snooty women I wasn’t anything to be afraid of. After a while, I saved enough to buy a little house. Then, I bought my own business. When I retired, I had three strip clubs and a coupla’ sex toy shops down in the Quarter.”

“Wow,” said Gail, staring at the woman.

“My Sven never looked at me like I was anything but a woman,” said Ruby.

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