Love in New York ; Cherish My Heart

by Shirley Hailstock

  “Yes, I do, and I’m behind these guys every day to show up and do the work.”

  “The work’s not shoddy,” Petra said. “And I appreciate your making sure that when the work’s done, it’s done well. My complaint is how slow the progress is. I’ve noticed some people show up hours after work has begun.”

  Jack nodded, a hangdog expression on his face. “I know what you’re referring to, Petra, and I’m working on it.”

  Then it occurred to her the reason why Jack was having problems with some of his men. “Jack, do you have relatives working for you, and they know you won’t fire them so they’re taking advantage of your kindness?”

  Jack’s mouth hung open in shock. “How did you know?”

  Petra smiled. “I have relatives, too.”

  “One’s my brother, the lazy bum. He’s always been jealous of my success. I’d fire him, but if I fire him, our mom will have a fit.”

  “You don’t have to fire him,” Petra said, eyes narrowed, but with a smile on her lips. “Do you think he resents you so much that, out of spite, he’d let you lose this job?”

  Jack considered the question. “No, I don’t think he resents me that much. That means no food in his mouth, too.”

  “Okay,” Petra said. “I’ll tell them I need this house done by say, the end of the month?”

  “Yeah, we should be able to get it done perfectly for you by then if no one slacks off,” Jack said.

  “Good. When they all get here this morning, I’ll tell them that if the job isn’t done by the end of the month, I’m firing your company because I don’t have time for this. And you know pregnant women don’t play.”

  Jack chuckled. “No ma’am. And I apologize for the hassle.”

  When the six men on Jack’s payroll got there, Petra laid down the law.

  It worked, because three weeks later the house was done according to her and Chance’s specifications.

  The show’s ratings continued to steadily climb and her belly continued to grow. Checkups with Dr. DuBois were all good. Her baby was developing nicely. She and Chance didn’t want to know the sex of the baby until she or he was born, so Dr. DuBois had kept the ultrasound results a secret. The only thing she and Chance cared about was that the baby was healthy. Although Petra had a sneaking suspicion the baby was a boy, while Chance kept talking about how great it would be if they had a girl who looked just like her.

  They moved into the brownstone the very next day after the workers left. Chance hired a company that treated their belongings as if they were museum quality treasures, so there was not one dish broken during the move. Then he hired a full contingent of domestic workers to unpack boxes and arrange the furniture according to Petra’s keen decorative style. He didn’t want her lifting a finger, let alone a heavy box.

  After they were in the house, all Petra had to do was go into nesting mode and await the arrival of their baby.

  Chapter 15

  From the first episode to the eighth, Primates of the Congo earned excellent ratings and Petra became a sought-after guest on late-night and early morning talk shows. After the book was published, she had a book signing at an independent New York City bookstore, where the profits from the sales would go to helping the homeless and people with HIV/AIDS. Petra had suggested that particular bookstore, Chance guessed, because she was thinking the sales of the books at that venue would benefit the people they served, plus the conservancy would get something out of it since those reading the book would learn about the conservancy’s efforts to save the primates and hopefully be inspired to donate to it.

  He thought his wife was brilliant. He also thought that, at nine months pregnant, she should be slowing down. However, Petra’s energy level seemed to have increased after the first trimester. She was no longer nauseated, and except for her back aching a little, she showed no signs of discomfort. But then, she was the type of person who rarely complained.

  On the day of the book signing, he insisted on going with her, although she assured him that if he’d prefer to go to work, she already had an entourage: his sister, his mother and Susie were all going to be there to support her.

  He stood in the huge walk-in closet that morning watching her try to smooth a snug-fitting tunic over her big belly. She was wearing leggings that looked like jeans but were obviously made of some stretchy material because there was no way she was going to get into regular jeans in her condition. He smiled when she turned sideways to see how her silhouette looked in her outfit. She grinned. “I look like a python that swallowed a goat.”

  He laughed because, on the contrary, he thought she looked delectable. Her skin glowed. Her hair was still as thick and lustrous as ever. She was wearing it natural now. No more using a flat iron to straighten it as she sometimes had in the past. It was curly and wild, the way he liked it. As for her body, she turned him on more and more each day. He couldn’t stop touching her, and he knew he made a nuisance of himself, especially in bed, while she was trying to sleep. Her temperature would climb during the night and she’d throw the covers off, when all he wanted to do was hold her in his arms. At those times she would prefer some space so the air currents could flow between their bodies, thereby keeping her cool, while he preferred no air whatsoever between his body and hers.

  Now, after laughing at her comment, he told her, “You’re beautiful and you know it!”

  She looked at him with a deadpan expression. “No amount of sweet talk is going to get me back in that bed with you. I’ve got to be out of here in ten minutes.”

  “I know, I’m going with you,” he said.

  “My people will be arriving with a driver very soon,” she informed him. “I don’t know if there’s room enough in the car for you.”

  “When did the husband become dispensable around here?” he asked, following her from the closet to the bedroom.

  “When the husband wasn’t part of the plan in the beginning,” Petra said calmly. “Come outside if you want, and we’ll see if we can fit you in.”

  Sure enough, when they walked out of the brownstone there, waiting at the curb, was a late model Mercedes Benz GLS SUV. He recognized the model. He knew there was room for him because it could seat seven adults. He peered inside. His mother, sister and Susie were sitting in the back, in the third row. Behind the wheel was a professional driver whom he didn’t recognize, but the person in the passenger seat beside him was his father.

  “What is this, a conspiracy?” he said loudly as Petra climbed into the second row of seating and slid over so he could get in, too.

  “Boy, just get in,” his mother said, laughing. “We thought you had to work today.”

  “Good morning, Chance,” called Alia and Susie.

  “Good morning, ladies,” he returned the greeting. Then, “Dad, how did they rope you into this?”

  “I’m no dummy,” said his father. “When I get the chance to spend the day with four, count ’em four, beautiful ladies, I get on board.”

  To which his mother said, “I didn’t marry no dummy!”

  “I didn’t, either,” Petra whispered as she kissed his cheek. “Thanks for coming, babe.”

  That made him feel indispensable.

  * * *

  When they got to the bookstore in the SoHo neighborhood of Manhattan, Petra realized they’d done well by hiring a car and driver. There was very little parking near the bookstore on the cobblestone street. Once there, she and her entourage got out and the driver left to find a parking space.

  To her surprise, there was already a crowd waiting on the sidewalk outside the store. They made their way to the door to go inside and were met by the bookstore manager, a very nice middle-aged woman with brown hair and eyes. Genuine warmth emanated from her as she greeted them when they got inside. The space had high ceilings and hardwood floors. The bookstore was a combination bookstore/café, and the aroma of coffee was
in the air. “Welcome!” she said excitedly, looking at Petra. “I’m Peggy and you’re Dr. Gaines-Youngblood. I read your book and I loved it. Actually, I enjoyed all three of your books. You’ve led a fascinating life.”

  Petra smiled at her. “Thank you so much!” Then she introduced Chance and everyone else.

  Peggy led them through the store’s customers to the back of the building, where a large table with a comfortable-looking straight-backed chair with a thick cushion was set up for Petra to sit on and sign books. Someone had put a banner up that read: Welcome, Dr. Petra Gaines-Youngblood!

  “This is nice,” Petra said appreciatively.

  “I hope you’ll be comfortable,” Peggy told her, her eyes on Petra’s stomach.

  “Oh, I’m sure I will be,” said Petra with a winning smile.

  “All right, then,” Peggy said. “Can I get you some water, a cup of tea, anything before we get started?” She glanced at Petra’s party. “And can I get anyone something to drink?”

  Petra and everyone else politely declined her offer, after which Peggy signaled her assistant waiting nearby. Petra guessed it was the assistant’s cue to usher those who wanted to meet Petra and buy a book to start lining up, because shortly afterward she was busy signing books. Peggy and her assistant kept the line moving briskly.

  Petra noticed Chance, his parents, Alia and Susie were sharing a table a few feet away in the café section of the bookstore. She looked up occasionally and smiled in their direction while she chatted with the bookstore’s customers and signed their books. She hadn’t done much in the way of promotions for her previous books, so this was quite the experience for her.

  An hour after getting there, she must have already signed over a hundred books and the line was still out the door. She’d agreed to sign for two hours and was determined to last that long. With the baby pressing against her bladder, she made frequent trips to the bathroom these days and would have to take a bathroom break soon.

  Suddenly, she felt the baby shift. In fact, she not only felt it, but saw the imprint of her baby inside of her on her stomach when the baby moved. A customer waiting to get his book signed also noticed it.

  He smiled. “Looks like someone is changing position.”

  “This little guy likes to dance,” she joked.

  Petra managed to smile at him, but she was a little concerned. She’d been having twinges all morning. Not pain, exactly, but instances where the baby would move, her belly would grow tight and then relax. Dr. DuBois had told her about Braxton Hicks contractions, or false labor. She hadn’t been unduly concerned when she’d started having them before dawn. She hadn’t even mentioned them to Chance. He tended to panic when there was something wrong with her health. She stubbed her toe not too long ago, and he’d wanted to take her to the emergency room for an X-ray. He’d totally overreacted.

  She continued to sign books, enjoying meeting the customers, a diverse group who were from all kinds of backgrounds. Peggy and her assistant supported her by handing her the books and keeping the customers moving along. Peggy also showed concern for her energy level by offering refreshments from time to time.

  Peggy leaned toward her now and asked, “How’re you doing? I didn’t know what to expect when you offered to come here and sign. I hope we don’t run out of books!”

  “How many left outside?” Petra asked. She estimated there were fifty people waiting inside the store.

  “The line outside is nearly a block long,” Peggy said almost apologetically.

  Petra suppressed a tired sigh. She was actually getting fatigued. Maybe it was dehydration. She hadn’t been sipping from her water bottle because she was trying to stave off a trip to the bathroom. She drank some water and continued signing.

  Half an hour later, she had to go to the bathroom. Rising, she asked Peggy, “Where’s the restroom?”

  “You can use the one in my office,” Peggy said gently. “Follow me.”

  It was, fortunately, a short walk, because as soon as Petra got to the small, very clean restroom, her water broke. Peggy had gotten only two feet away from the bathroom door before Petra called, “Peggy, please go get my husband, Chance! I think I’m going to have this baby any minute.”

  She cursed her habit of ignoring pain and being stoic. She should have known those weren’t Braxton Hicks contractions she’d been having all morning, but real contractions. She was going to deliver her baby in a bookstore.

  She tried not to panic as she heard Peggy screaming, not at all trying to disguise her own panic. “Chance! Chance! Petra’s having the baby, come quick!”

  * * *

  Chance was on his feet and racing in the direction of Peggy’s voice as soon as he heard the word baby. His mind, although gripped by panic at the thought of what might transpire in the next few minutes, also told him it was imperative for him to stay calm.

  Peggy was frantically waving him forward. “This way!”

  Out of the corner of his eye, Chance registered that everyone at the table where he’d been sitting was following him. So when he got to Peggy and she pointed in the direction of her small office, he wasn’t surprised to have several people go into the office with him. He found Petra sitting on the toilet, holding her stomach. Her face was twisted in pain, but she laughed anyway when she looked up at him. “Today’s our baby’s birthday.”

  He went to her and kneeled in front of her, not caring that he was kneeling in some kind of liquid. “Can we make it to the car?” he asked hopefully.

  She winced and shook her head. “I don’t think so. My water broke and the contractions are coming on top of each other. I misread my symptoms, sweetie. I thought the contractions I was having were false ones. They’ve been coming and going for hours.”

  Chance made a decision. “Okay, darling.” He rose and helped her off the toilet. Her leggings were soaked. He helped her out of them and her panties. The tunic she was wearing was long enough to give her some modicum of modesty.

  Behind him, his mother asked, “What can we do, son?”

  “Call 911,” he said. “Petra’s having the baby now.”

  Peggy, standing in the doorway to her office, said, “I’ll go see if there’s a medical professional in the store.”

  She left, and Chance’s mom got on her cell and dialed 911.

  Chance picked Petra up and carried her to the small leather couch in front of the desk in the office. He gently laid her down.

  Peggy returned with an African American woman with silver hair wearing a pair of scrubs. “I’m Alice Montgomery. I’m a nurse,” she said when she saw the tableau opening up before her. “I just got off from work and came by here to meet Dr. Gaines-Youngblood.”

  “Thank God,” Chance said.

  Alice got to work ordering everyone around her to clear out of the room except for Chance. When the room was empty except for the three of them, she told Chance, “I want you behind her on the couch, supporting her back.”

  Chance got into position. In the meantime, Petra was moaning slightly, but otherwise quiet. Her eyes were keenly watching the woman who was there to help her, though. “Just tell me what to do,” she told Alice. Chance knew she was concentrating on doing everything right.

  Alice took a careful perusal between Petra’s splayed legs and said, “This kid isn’t wasting any time. The head’s crowning.”

  She looked straight into Petra’s eyes. “I know you want to push and you’re going to in a minute, but I need you to try not to push too hard. Push, but gently. Do you understand?”

  Petra took a shuddering breath and slowly released it. “Yes, I understand.”

  “Okay, then, here we go,” said Alice with a smile, and she bent to the task. “Push, Dr. Gaines-Youngblood, push!”

  “Call me, Petra,” Petra said as she pushed. “I feel like we’re already intimate friends.”

  Alice laug
hed, but her concentration was unswerving. Chance held Petra underneath the arms as she lay against his chest. He hoped he provided the stability she needed. He hoped she knew how much he was praying she and their baby would come through this with flying colors. He’d never known this kind of fear. But in spite of the fear, he felt fortunate to be there because this was a moment he’d never forget, and they were going through it together.

  The next thing he knew, Petra fell back against him as though she no longer possessed any muscle control. Then the baby was crying and Alice was cradling the baby in her two hands while simultaneously looking the baby over.

  “It’s a boy!” she cried joyfully. “And he’s a big one.”

  The baby was covered in mucus and blood, with the umbilical cord dangling. Alice laid the baby on Petra’s stomach and Petra enveloped the child in her arms. Chance took his jacket off, covered his wife and child with it and kissed both Petra’s head and his son’s.

  “I love you, Pet. I love you so much. You and our son.”

  “I love you, too,” Petra said, gently cradling her son in her arms. “What are we going to call him?”

  “We never could settle on a name,” Chance said. “No juniors in the family. How about Benjamin Alphonse James, after your grandfather and both our dads?”

  “That’s a lot of name for such a small guy,” Petra joked. “But I like it.”

  She regarded Alice, who had taken a step back to allow the family their privacy. “Thank you, Alice. We’re grateful for your help.”

  Alice smiled at her. “I’m honored,” she said. “I’m a fan.”

  Petra laughed softly. “I’m very appreciative. You’ve got to come to our get-together in February, Alice. You’ll be our honored guest.”

  * * *

  Petra and Chance hosted the family get-together at their brownstone in Harlem in February. They had a nondenominational minister perform their wedding ceremony, with Chance holding Benji in his arms. Both their families were there, as well as some of their closest friends, including Paul and Noella Olomide from Kinshasa. Paul had secured a spot on the show for season two. All of the male relatives they’d named Benji after were present: her dad, Alphonse; his dad James; and her Grandpa Benjamin Beck, there with her step-grandmother, Mabel. Grandpa Beck was particularly pleased there was another male child in the family.