She quickly turned a sharp corner and then stopped outside a large glass window. Jake scanned his eyes into the large ward where babies among babies were being treated for various illnesses and struggles.
“There are only two allowed in at a time, so if you would like to bring someone with you?”
He wanted to bring Jess with him. He wanted her to experience this with him, for her to hold their child and feel the joy and sheer happiness.
He turned around and faced her family. The choice he was going to make stood out like a sore thumb.
“April? Do you want to come in with me?” He tilted his head toward the ward.
Her eyes lit up like a Christmas tree, the endless tears falling from her light-shaded green eyes.
“Of course, I do.” She smiled, taking a deep breath to calm her unstable nerves.
Jake had always seen her as a little sister, and right now all he wanted to do was wrap her up like a child and hug her; she obviously needed it. So, he did. As she stepped towards him, he pulled her into his warm embrace, kissing the top of her blonde head.
“Jess wouldn’t want to see you like this. Take a deep breath. Everything is going to be absolutely fine, sweetheart,” he assured her, placing an encouraging hand on her back.
The nurse guided them both into the warm, dimly lit room. His heart was pounding at an unnatural pace, resonating throughout his body.
He was about to see his son for the first time.
The nurse gestured to a small incubator.
And then it happened.
Jake never knew so much love could smack him right in the face the way it did when he looked at the small body, comfortably lying in this glass box with only a hole to put his hand through.
“Is Jake Williams crying?” April teased.
“I think I am,” he sniffed, not ashamed of the overwhelming feelings he had looking at this tiny little boy.
That little boy was his son. His life. Something that he created with the woman he loved more than life itself.
“He is so tiny,” April squealed, cooing at her new nephew.
Jake reached in and placed his finger in his little boy’s hand, careful not to touch the IVs connected to him. Jake couldn’t take his eyes off him. He smiled at every blink, every whinge, every movement; just everything about him was so perfect.
“Sorry, Jake.” April patted his back. “But I am afraid he got his beauty from his mother.”
“I don’t have any problem with that.” He sighed gently, taking everything in. “I’ve never seen anything so perfect.”
He couldn’t wait for Jess to see him. She was going to be a blubbering mess, and he was going to be there to laugh at her, never admitting that he too also cried when he first saw their son.
“Got any names picked out yet?”
“Jess said one would come to her when she saw the baby.”
It saddened him he couldn’t hold his child, to feel him in his arms. Instead, he had to sit there and listen to the annoying, constant beeping that told him his little boy’s heartbeat was stable.
It would be worth it, though, to have his child and Jessica well again, and back in their home where he could take care of them. He just wanted to be a father and make Jess happy.
Hesitantly, he patted the outline of the square box, secretly hidden in his coat pocket.
Someday, he thought, someday, she was going to be his for life.
Chapter Thirty
Jessica squinted tightly as a light shone down on her, painfully filtering through her eyes. She closed them again, hoping that this was not the light she should go to. Heaven was not meant to be so painful.
She tried to moisten her dry lips by rolling her tongue over the skin, but her mouth felt like sandpaper.
It was then her ears adjusted to the sound of a constant, even beat. She flinched, cried out a quiet moan as she tried to position herself comfortably. Her frail hands trembled beneath her weight.
Opening her eyes again, she scanned the room. The white walls were carelessly decorated with tasteless paintings. Machines smothered her presence on either side. The clock hanging over the door and the bright stars sprinkled in the night sky told her it was 8.30 at night.
Her baby.
She suddenly gasped.
“Jake!” she wailed out in what should have been her voice, but instead a hoarse, painful, and weak cry echoed in the room.
She felt a jolt next to her. It was only then she realized the warm grip clutching at her fingers. She looked down to see Jake’s tired eyes, levelling to meet hers.
“You’re awake.” He leaned over and kissed her with a hungry essence that would have woken an extinct volcano.
“I’m awake.” She laughed tiredly. “The baby?”
“We have a beautiful little boy, Jess,” he told her, joy written in his amazing eyes.
“A little boy,” she repeated quietly to herself with amazement. “I have a son.” Her sobs came then, and she tried to control the hot tears from falling, but no matter how much she wiped them away, more fell in their place. “I told you it would be a boy,” she taunted, poking him.
“He looks like you. A lot like you.”
The only thing she recognized in his smile was adoration.
“And another thing.”
She watched his strong jawline tense before swallowing hard. For a long moment, he did nothing. He sat there, staring straight at her. His gaze was so intense she could feel her body heat and her heart pound.
“Looks like you are coming home with me after all.”
“Of course, I am,” she answered, furrowing her brows in confusion. Where did he expect she was going to go?
“Jess, I am talking about the operation. They took away the cancer. It spread a little, but they said they can treat it. You are going to be fine.”
And for the first time, Jessica saw Jake’s eyes brim with tears. She could always tell when he had been crying. His eyes looked sore and blotchy. But not once had she witnessed the man shed a tear, not even at his mother’s funeral.
Slowly, ever so gently, she caressed his skin with her fingertips, teasing away the tears that were threatening to spill. Before she could move her hand, he pressed the skin of his warm cheek against her palm, followed by a sweet kiss.
The kiss was so simple, yet so exhilarating.
“I told you I was going to be fine,” she whispered, smiling as he roamed over her face. He looked - she didn’t even know - helpless, lost; she didn’t know what it was, but she just wanted to hold him.
“Jessica.” Her doctor came striding into the room, totally unaware of the blissful moment he had interrupted. “How is our new mommy?”
“I’m doing good.”
“I am guessing the new daddy has given you the good news,” he said while giving her a quick once over.
He was about to sit down on the edge of the bed; she guessed he was going to tell her about the treatment and blah blah blah. She didn’t want to know right now.
“Can I see my son?” she questioned, placing her loose curls behind her ears.
“Just give yourself another few minutes to gather your surroundings. You are going to be in a little pain, but I will get a nurse in here to get you on a wheelchair and bring you downstairs to see him.” Doctor Harris grinned from ear to ear, turning on his heels and striding out of the room to do as he said.
Ten minutes later, she was sitting next to her baby, holding his hand for the first time.
“He’s perfect.” There was no other way to explain the little face sleeping next to her. “He’s so tiny,” she whispered in fear she would startle him if she spoke any louder.
“I know.” Jake pulled over a chair to sit beside her. “Congratulations Mommy.” He placed his hand on the back of her chair and tangled his fingers around the loose curls that were falling onto her back.
“You too, Daddy.”
She sat back and leaned into him.
“Have you thought of a name?”
She had forgotten about that. But she didn’t have to look at him again to know it. It should have been the most obvious and one that popped into both of their heads a long time ago.
“Jay.” She shrugged, enjoying the warm feeling it brought to her. “Both of our names start with that letter. It’s simple but beautiful.”
“You just created a tradition.” Jake kissed her temple before pulling her back into his arms. “Nice thinking, Connors.”
“We have our own little family thing going on now.”
“Yeah, we do,” he agreed, but he sounded like he was somewhere else. “You know what would make this even more perfect than what it is?”
“What?” she breathed, glancing up at him and back to Jay, lying there without a care in the world. She was sure nothing else could make this time any more beautiful.
He stayed silent for a moment, shuffling his hands through his hair.
“If you would marry me?”
She was probably looking at him as if he were totally mad now; her mouth hanging open, her eyes wide, and her wild hair falling onto her face. Or maybe she was the one who looked mad.
He reached into his pocket, pulling out a small, black, velvet-covered box, and opened it.
She gasped inwardly, feeling her lungs expanding as a band of circular diamonds glinting under the light, a heavy rock rightfully taking its place gracefully in the centre.
“Jake that’s your…”
“My mother’s ring,” he cut her off. “My father gave it to me when I went to tell him you were pregnant.”
She noticed how his leg was bouncing nervously.
“So, are you just going to sit there all night and look at me, or are you going to answer me and make this the best September 15th ever? Jessica Connors, will you marry me?”
Now her heart was going to explode and shatter her into a thousand pieces. She loved him so much, and without him in her life; it wasn’t even worth bearing the thought.
So, it was no surprise that the word that flowed from her mouth next was the easiest she ever had to say.
“Yes!”
Chapter Thirty-One
“Come on, Jess. Get your ass moving. You’re already late,” April huffed around Jessica’s old bedroom at her parents’ house. The place was a mess. Her bed was full of makeup, hairspray, perfumes, and other feminine toiletries.
“The bride has to be fashionably late.”
Jessica eyed her sister, who dressed in a long, flowing royal blue gown. Her hair tossed to the side, falling from her narrow shoulders.
“And just because you are the maid of honour, doesn’t mean you can boss me around.”
April rolled her eyes and went about fixing Jessica’s long veil.
“Who has Jay?”
“Mom has him,” April answered quickly, blowing the strands of her blonde hair from her makeup-perfected face.
Sharon strolled in, so laid back she could be in a coma, swinging her arms from side to side in an identical dress to April’s. Then she just threw herself on the bed with the same elegance as a piece of lard.
“I swear if you wrinkle that dress,” Jessica warned her.
“Don’t get your knickers in a twist. That’s what got you into this mess in the first place,” Sharon retorted. “You look beautiful.” She pointed towards her lazily.
“Thank you.”
“You nervous?”
“Strangely enough, no. It’s only going to be Jake at the end of the aisle.”
“God, you two make me sick,” Sharon gagged mockingly.
“The car is here, love,” her father shouted from downstairs.
Maybe now she was a little nervous. Everything was happening so fast. Just six months ago she was in the hospital, not sure if she was ever going to leave it.
But this was it. Jake was the one. And she didn’t need time to think about it, especially after what they had both been through.
“I will follow you both down,” she told them before they left the room.
Jessica turned to look at herself in the full-length mirror. Her white lace dress was straight with a long train travelling behind from her slim waistline. The strapless corset fell in a V shape and continued into the simple flowing bottom, which hugged her every curve and accented her figure. Her long curls flowed down her back. A diamond hairpiece placed gracefully in her hair secured the lace floor-length veil.
Biting on her red-painted lip, she hoped the makeup artist would have an amazing life because she managed to make the bruise-like circles engraved under Jessica’s eyes disappear.
It was the treatment. It was making her tired and delicate, and so before she became any weaker than what she felt, she lifted her dress and headed for the stairs to marry the man she couldn’t live without.
*****
The clinking of a wine glass knocked her out of her trance. Her eyes roamed around the large hall where her guests were seated, enjoying a beautiful meal.
The day had been perfect. The church had been beautifully lit; flowers lining the pews on either side as she elegantly—well, as elegantly as she knew how—walked up the aisle to the Wedding March. And his smile was so big and infectious, it made her heart swell with overwhelming adoration for him. And that was all that mattered. Just seeing him there, happy and proud. It may have been a bumpy road to get them there, but they did it. And he stood by her, holding her hand through the complete journey.
Jay was quite content, sleeping through the whole ceremony, but having her little man there meant so much.
Her miracle.
That was the only way she knew how to describe him. He was her little miracle.
They held the reception in an old castle with the most amazing gardens Jessica had ever seen. Stepping inside was as if she had come from two different worlds.
She turned to say something to Jake, but she was met with the material of his black tuxedo. Her eyes travelled along his body until she reached his face. His hair cut short; his entire face was smiling.
“Jake, what are you doing?” She tugged at his crisp white shirt.
“I am making a speech,” he said casually, staring down at her.
“You could hardly say your vows. What are you doing making a speech?” she demanded under her breath.
“Hush, Jess. Just sit back and listen to me ramble on about how amazing you are. It’s sickening really, and I have a feeling Sharon is going to throw up the contents of the dinner we just paid for.”
She was nervous. What was he going to say?
“I just want to thank everyone for coming,” he started, and she felt her stomach tie in a thousand knots as he spoke. “It has been the most amazing day, but I think everyone can agree that Jess, my new wife, has made the most beautiful bride.”
She blushed a bright pink as everyone began to clap and cheer. The heckles mostly came from three tables at the back where Jake’s friends sat.
“Calm down, guys. I got her first,” he hollered at them. “But I am standing here today to tell you all just how lucky I am. For those of you who have known either of us for a long time, you will know we were never exactly best friends,” he trailed off.
More laughter.
“But it didn’t take long for me to realize that I loved her all along. Of course, she was too stubborn to admit anything apart from she hated me immensely.”
Another round of laughter.
“But her strength is undeniable. Falling in love with Jess was the best thing that ever happened to me. She has given me Jay; the most adorable little boy; a little boy she almost gave her life for. That alone shows exactly what kind of person she is. But with a combination of breath-taking beauty, a sense of humour that can have me laughing in seconds, and the charm that any man would fall for, she has become a wonderful mother, a best friend, and someone that I promise to love for the rest of my life. Now a toast to my beautiful wife, Jessica.”
Everyone stood up and cheered as he leaned over and covered her mouth with his. N
uzzling his face in her neck, she quickly wiped the tears away from her eyes.
“That was beautiful. Thank you.” She kissed him again. “I love you. I always will, Jake.”
A while later, he was leading her onto the dance floor for their first dance. Surrounded by all the people she so deeply loved, it was overwhelming to be standing there, swaying to the sweet music filling her ears. This was exactly where she belonged, in his arms for him to hold her tight, her cheek pressed against his neck.
“You know, I had it all planned out,” she told him, her lips close to his ear.
“You had what all planned out?”
“How I was going to die.”
He winced but didn’t stop her. He blinked and waited for her to go on.
“I didn’t want to die in the hospital. I wanted to go home and be with you and Jay. I wanted to wrap up in your arms and tell you how much I loved you. I wanted to kiss you so hard you would never forget it. I had accepted the fact that I would only have so long with you. Not now.” She let out a long breath. “Here I am, standing in my wedding dress, dancing my first dance with the man I love.”
“But you are here now. You don’t have to accept anything. And you can come and be in my arms any time you like. And you can tell me how much you love me any time you like too. You don’t have a time limit on that anymore, baby. You have no idea how good that feels, to have you here in my arms. You are not going anywhere, Jess. I love you too much to let you go. I always have.”
Then he pulled her closer and gently pressed his lips to hers, remaining like that as they swayed throughout their first dance.
Later that night, Jessica strolled out of the bathroom, fumbling over her steps as Jake sneaked behind her, nudging his fingers into her flesh.
“Hey, beautiful.”
“Hey.”
“Your Mom took Jay home to our house. The music was too loud for him.”
“Okay.” She nodded, making a mental note to thank her mother for how good she was being. Maybe it was because he was the first grandchild, but she had seriously spoiled him.
“You’d never guess what?”
“What?” she giggled, rolling her eyes.
Watch Over My Life: Emotional Love Story (What Will Be Book Series) Page 23