Love and Beyond Part 3

by Nathan Colston

  JD pulled a knife. “Better her having a headache than feel this.”

  Bobby’s eyes opened wide. “What the fuck!” Bobby shouted out as JD started cutting her.

  “As you can tell, I’m kinda pressed for time. So I can’t push the little fucker back in, spin its ass around, and drag it out by the fucking head,” JD replied as he cut her. “Hold her open while I get the brat.” Bobby felt faint as he reached and held her belly open for JD. JD pulled the baby out and said, “Girl looks like her momma. Damn, boy, I don’t see why you didn’t tap that shit.”

  Bobby gave him a look as if he had lost his mind. “JD, I don’t think this is the time to be saying shit like that.”

  JD handed him the baby. “Well, let me know when the time is right, and I will say it again. That is, if we live through the damn night. Need needle and thread. Got any?” Gloria opened a drawer and got her sewing kit.

  “Damn, JD, they keep sending people in. I am starting to think they got a fucking army,” Ashley called out.

  “Jacky got the other teams on the way?” Crown said in the Bluetooth.

  “Three minutes out. Oh shit,” Ashley complained as she dove down. The front yard exploded.

  Crown shouted, “Fuck you!”

  Dumas laughed slightly. “Damn, man, you could have taken the house out with that one.”

  “It killed the fuckers, didn’t it?” Crown said defensively.

  Ashley shook her head and got up after the debris had calmed. “Boys and their toys. Damn, JD, you didn’t say your nephew was hot.”

  JD gave her the same look Bobby was giving him. “I don’t think he is hot, you stupid bitch. Fuck him later. I’m busy here.”

  Britney turned her head and groaned out in pain. JD punched her again. A few moments later, JD said, “Done. Ash, watch them.” He ran out of the room.

  Britney woke up in the hospital. Her head was facing Bobby lying on the couch in the room. She felt her belly and said loudly with a weak voice, “My baby.” Then she heard a baby cry out on the other side of the bed.

  She quickly turned her head. “Was sound asleep. Here, go to momma,” Gloria said and she saw Gloria reaching to hand her the baby.

  “What happened?” she said as her arms reached for her baby. Tears came to her eyes as she looked as the small baby wrapped snugly in a blanket.

  “Good thing you have homeowner’s insurance,” Gloria said in a slightly sarcastic tone. Then she told her what happened.

  “JD seen the baby yet?” Britney asked as she gently kissed her daughter for the first time.

  “Not since he cut her out of you,” Bobby said nervously.

  “Call him and tell him I want to see him,” she said as the tears flowed softly.

  Bobby called him. Twenty minutes later, JD walked in and said as he made a funny face, “Ouch, sorry about that.”

  “I haven’t looked in a mirror yet,” she admitted. “When I do, I will most likely come looking for you,” she warned.

  A smirk came to his face. “Want me to get you one? I hate waiting.”

  She smiled. “No, I want you to be afraid for a while.”

  He folded his arms across his chest and smiled. “Let me know how that works out for ya. Other than that, what do you want?”

  Britney took in a breath. “I want you to hold your goddaughter first. Her name is Delana Gloria Thomas. After her godparents.”

  She held the baby out and he took her. “You look like your mother minus the bruised face and black eye. You start crying, you going to look like her.”

  It was then she started crying. JD placed his hand on her head and gave her a slight thump. “Hush.”

  Britney smiled as the baby went quiet. “Must be some magic to that thump of yours.”

  “You should know. Worked on you, so I don’t see why it wouldn’t work on her. I got a lead on who was behind this. I will be leaving as soon as I connect a few of the dots. Stay out of trouble.”

  “You are coming back, right, JD?” Concern showed in her voice.

  “Yeah. I haven’t left yet, though.”

  Three days later, Britney took the baby to Bobby’s father’s place. He and JD moved out to the hunting lodge.

  Three weeks later, JD stood beside a van in Paris, France. “You sure about this, Crown?”

  “Positive,” he confirmed. Isabella Boudoir was having dinner with her family.

  “Coast is clear, Jake. What you going to do? We going in or not?” Dumas asked. “If so, we need to move now before the others show up.”

  “Ash, you’re with me. Dumas, make sure the coast stays clear. Crown, take out the alarms and cameras. We go in, we go in hot. We leave nothing is alive, not even a cat if they have one.” JD started walking. As he did, Ashley moved up beside him. They walked through the door, stepping over bodies as they made their way to the dining room. As he opened the door, they quickly entered into the room. Isabella’s eyes opened wide as she saw them. Her father started to say something, when his head went back. Then everyone at the table started falling over and out of their seats. Isabella’s heart pounded as she looked at him slowly walk towards her. She was the last one alive. Tears flowed from her eyes as JD moved closer. She was too frightened to move and his eyes were cold and his tone even colder. “You fucked with the wrong family, bitch.” He pulled the trigger; her head went back slightly, and her body slumped down in the chair. Her body fell at his feet as JD doubled-checked that no one was breathing. “It’s over. Thanks, guys,” he said without any remorse.

  “I think I need a vacation. Think I am going to stick around for a while, JD, if you don’t mind,” Dumas said as they turned and walked out of the room.

  “The more the merrier. Let’s get out of here,” JD said as they walked out of the building.

  Britney laid the baby down in her crib. “Any word from JD, Be-Bob?” she said with a soft voice so as not to wake the baby.

  Bobby shook his head and the volume of his voice matched hers. “No.” Then he walked out of the room.

  “For the two of you to be so frightened of him, you sure are mighty concerned for his wellbeing,” Gloria said casually.

  Britney turned to face her. “It may be strange to you, but yes, we are both very frightened of him. If you had any sense at all, you would be too. There were four of them and they held off well over a hundred men and that was the number of those that was killed. That wasn’t including the number of those that weren’t killed and fled. He could have killed me. Instead, he cut my baby out and saved both our lives. Being afraid of him is only us being smart. Loving him is something we have always done. Yes, when he is out of sight, we tend not to worry about him. But when he is close, we use caution and do everything within our power to show we care. Jake is a good man inside. He just has issues about the value of people’s lives.”

  A few days later, Britney was holding her baby when Bobby opened the door. JD was standing there. “It was taken care of. No one is going to bother any of you any longer.”

  “Come in, JD. I will make you some breakfast,” Britney offered.

  “Maybe some other time, Britney. I am going to grab some sleep. Thank you, though.”

  Britney smiled. “Sweet dreams, JD.” He nodded his head and walked out. Bobby and Britney both let out a sigh of relief as he walked away.

  A couple days later, Gloria gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl. She named the girl Britney Shea and the boy Mack Daniel. That Thanksgiving, Britney and Gloria invited many people over. Bobby got several tables and put them in the barn. A lot of people and family were surprised at the large family Bobby and Gloria had. Britney and many of her friends danced after eating. JD sat at the table with Gina and Daniel. She laughed and said in a low voice, “Now if this isn’t the funniest thing I ever saw in my life.”

  “I think they’re pretty good,” Daniel said as he wa
tched them dance.

  “Yeah,” JD agreed.

  “Not the dancing, you moron; your brother.”

  “He isn’t doing anything funny,” JD said as he gave her a confused look.

  Gina sighed. “I wasn’t talking to you. I was talking about you.”

  “Excuse me,” JD said, stretching it out several syllables long. “You have two brothers and we each have one brother, so how in the hell are we supposed to know which one you are talking to or about?”

  “Okay, what the hell is he doing so humorous? Besides sitting with me and a fat woman,” Daniel chimed in.

  “I’m not fat. I’m pleasantly plump, thank you very much,” Gina spat.

  “When you can make tires deflate and the headlights go dim on a car just by walking towards it, that is far more than pleasantly plump,” JD said with a snicker. Daniel let out a soft chuckle.

  “If Momma didn’t love you so damn much, I’d shoot ya with your own damn gun,” she said and they both stopped laughing.

  After a moment of silence, he said, “So you going to tell me just what the hell Jake is doing that is so funny?”

  “It’s musical stares. When JD isn’t looking at her, she is looking at him. He looks until she looks his way and then he turns his head. She looks at him until he looks back at her and then she turns her head. That’s been going on now for a couple hours. I’m surprised you haven’t noticed. I think she likes him. Jake, you should ask her out,” Gina said.

  “Hell, he is old enough to be her father,” Daniel scoffed.

  “So was the father of her baby. She isn’t a child anymore. She is a grown woman, old enough to make her own choices.” Britney looked over at JD and turned her head when she saw he was looking at her. “The two of you should get over the idea that her and Bobby are going to get together. Jake, I’m telling you that girl likes you. She is eighteen, young, and very beautiful. Sharp as a tack, not afraid to work. Knows how to cook and keeps a spotless house. From what I hear, also very wealthy. Everything about her screams that some man is going to be very lucky. If it isn’t you, it will be someone. I say, at the moment, have an edge over someone. You wait and you’re not going to have that edge. I’m going to go play with my darling great nephew and niece.” She got up and walked away.

  Daniel let out a sigh. “I should’ve known that loud mouth would have noticed it.” He looked at JD. “Jake, that girl has a heart of gold. You best make damn sure you care for her before you lay one finger on her. Because if you don’t and she gets hurt, I’m going to burry you beside Jordon.” He stood and walked away. JD knew Daniel was very serious; she was like family after all. ‘Hell, that girl ain’t never gonna find anybody. She doesn’t ever leave the house. If she does, she is back home before an hour is up. She’s too pretty to spend her life alone. She does need to get out some. But hell, what do I know about females? She damn sure deserves better than the likes of me.’ JD sat and thought as he looked at his red plastic cup of ice.

  That Saturday, there was a knock on the door. Britney answered it. JD was standing there holding some flowers. She gave him an odd look as she saw the flowers. “Hello, Mr. Jake.” She moved to one side. “Please come in.”

  He walked in and Bobby gave him the same look as Britney did. Jake spoke in what they thought to be an almost nervous tone. “I am not good at this sort of thing. I wouldn’t blame you if you said get lost.” He held out the flowers towards Britney. “If you are not busy next Saturday, I would like to take you out.”

  Bobby went wide-eyed as his mouth opened slightly. Britney took the flowers with a shocked and surprised look on her face. “Thank you, JD. What did you have in mind to do?”

  “Dinner and a movie are a popular thing for people to do on a date. Somewhere public, sit down across from each other, have conversation. My social skills are rusty. But I will try to keep it civil.”

  “Sounds fun. What time?” she said with a soft giggle in her voice.

  “Five too early or late?” he asked with a tone of uncertainty in his voice.

  “Five is perfect,” she said, trying to offer comfort to him.

  Gloria smiled. “I will watch the baby for you.”

  “See you then.” He walked away.

  Bobby said in a voice of disbelief, “Now that was a surprise. He has gotten better.”

  “Yes, he has,” Britney admitted in nearly the same tone.

  “Better?” Gloria said with a confused voice

  Bobby nodded. “The last woman I know about him asking out, he held a gun to her head when he asked.”

  Gloria gasped out, “No, he didn’t.”

  Britney nodded. “Cindy was her name.” She laughed. “Yes, he did.”

  Chapter 5

  Date Night

  Britney was sitting in the front room while Bobby was playing with Angelina. “I think it’s cool that Rachel and Cody come and get Delana to spend time with her,” Bobby casually said.

  Britney nodded. “I do too. I’m glad they spend time with her. I want her to know her brother and sister. That was something that concerned me in the beginning. If they would have a relationship with her or not. But everything seems to have worked out well.”

  Bobby turned to face her. “It isn’t often someone in my family does something to floor me. But the other day when Uncle Jake walked in and asked you out, you could have knocked me over with a feather.”

  Britney laughed and deepened her voice to mock a man. “Bitch, you going out with me. If you’re lucky, I may let you live long enough to have dessert.” Then she laughed a little harder.

  Bobby laughed with her. “Yeah, that’s how I would have pictured him doing it.” He became serious after he stopped laughing. “Brit, I know you like older men, always have. I also know you had a heck of a crush on him at one time.” She started to say something, but Bobby held out his hand and continued speaking. “I know you were young, yada, yada, yada. That was then and this is now. You know what we saw that day we followed after him. You also know what he did to those bikers at the lake. More recently, the night Delana was born. You have no doubt in your mind the problem has been taken care of meant a pile of bodies were left.” Britney huffed out a breath and Bobby nodded. “Brit.” His voice was soft and sincere. “I love you. Things are starting to get back somewhat normal. Thank God Uncle Jake was here. Otherwise, people would be looking at us like we were the ones responsible for what happened. If we even survived, that is. I made the right choice in making sure they hung around.”

  “And I made the right choice in getting you to let Mr. Daniel see his grandbabies. Angelina loves her paw paw. Get to the point, Bobby. You don’t want me going out with your uncle. I know that.”

  “I’m not too fond of the idea, no. But hell, who am I to take a stand on who you should or shouldn’t see? I damn sure ain’t stupid enough to say, ‘Uncle Jake, stay the hell away from her.’ Might as well go pick out my casket.”

  Britney moved fast to his side and wrapped her arms around him. “Don’t you ever talk like that again, Bobby Mack Coleman.” Her voice quivered. “Never again, Bobby. Never.”

  He returned the embrace. She felt his lips touch her head. “I should have thought that one out a little more.” He moved her back a little and placed his forehead next to hers. “From the word go, Brit, you need to be upfront with him. He isn’t the kind to take strange or change well. You know you pretty girls have a thing for bad-asses. JD isn’t one many live to tell about, Brit. You need to keep that in mind.” Gloria walked in with Robert in her arms and sat down beside Bobby. The conversation ended.

  Saturday, JD came by and picked her up. They went out. They went to a movie of her choice. Afterwards, they went to Rosey’s to eat and have a couple drinks. She said cautiously, “JD, I have been talking to Ivan, my dance partner. I am thinking of competing.” She talked about the curse between dance mates and the closeness
that dancing brought.

  After she was done talking, he said, “You know if you didn’t want to see me again, all you had to say was it’s nice or you hated it, but you didn’t want to do it again.”

  She took his hand in hers. “You got it wrong, JD. I was hoping that you did ask me out again. I just wanted to explain if you saw something, then you would understand why.”

  He could hear the sincerity and honesty in her voice. The trembling of her touch made him sad a little. The wanting and needing him to understand look in her eyes. “So all that you said was real?”

  She looked away. “Every word, JD. I know it sounds crazy.”

  JD touched her engagement ring. “He must have been one hell of a man.”

  “He was,” she said sadly.

  “Friday night good with you?”

  She smiled. “Yes, look forward to it.” Then she looked back at him.

  They walked out, and he took her home and walked her to the door. “Have a good night.” He turned and walked away. She walked in. Bobby and Gloria was sitting on the couch. “You are home early. How was your night?” Bobby said, looking at the clock on the wall.

  Britney smiled big; it reached her eyes. “Surprisingly great. I was thinking about asking Gruban and Natasha over for Christmas and talking to Ivan about starting a dance career next year. You think I am good enough to compete?”

  “Without a doubt. I can coach you, but keep in mind that Ivan is your dance mate. The more you dance, the closer the two of you are going to get. So you might want to keep that in mind if you plan on seeing JD. If he is like you say, then Ivan might disappear.”

  “Talked to him about it tonight,” Britney confessed.

  “Damn, and you came home alive,” Bobby said with a sound of shock in his voice.

  Britney laughed. “Shocked me too.”

  “Okay. Why?” Gloria gave a curious look, waiting for a response.