"Here here." Travis held his glass up in a toast and everyone clapped.
"You're such an ass," I told him when I took my seat next to him. Now that gifts were opened and the party was winding down, I could relax a little with him by my side.
I hadn't insisted that he come to the shower. I always hated the idea of men hanging around a baby shower. Travis, however, surprised me and showed up while I was opening presents. His presence pulled some of the attention off of me and my belly the size of a house, so I was thankful for that.
"If I remember correctly, you love my ass."
"Yeah, yeah. Keep it in your pants, Hamilton." I rolled my eyes at him. Now that I was approaching my due date, I wanted nothing to do with sex. Most days anyway. My husband took it upon himself to constantly bring it up or saying things to get my mind thinking of sex in hopes I would cave and give him some.
"Used to be you couldn't wait to take it out of my pants," he sighed and looked far off in thought, like he was remembering that time.
"Fine. I'll give you some tonight if you'll stop whining." I reached over and slapped his stomach. Before I could pull my hand away, he laced our fingers together.
"It's going to be a long six weeks after the baby is born if you're cutting me off now."
"I know."
"I read somewhere that having sex close to your due date can actually speed up labor," he informed me with a quirk of his eyebrow.
"Really? Well then sign me up. I'm ready to get this over with. Pregnancy was great until the last few weeks. Now I'm swollen, tired, cranky, oh and did I mention swollen?" I whined.
He picked up our hands and placed a kiss on mine. "You're beautiful."
"Such a charmer. I see some things haven't changed," my sister Kayla teased when she stopped in front of where we were sitting. Things had remained strained between us and she hadn't said much to me since she arrived. I was a little surprised to see her standing there now.
"You'd know if you ever came around," Travis told her.
She ignored his jab and turned her attention to me. "Do you think we could talk?"
"Sure. We can go out on the patio." Travis helped me from my seat and Kayla followed me outside to where the sun was shining and the spring air was warming.
I turned and looked at my sister as she shuffled back and forth on her feet nervously. I considered making this easier on her and saying something first, but after the way things had gone down between us, I needed her to make the first move.
"I guess I should start by telling you how sorry I am. Some of the hateful things I spouted at you were just... unforgivable." Her right shoulder lifted in a shrug. "It's no excuse really. All I can tell you is that I was hurting so bad and I needed someone to take it out on."
I sighed and measured my words carefully before responding. "Look, I've been there and I know how you felt. It doesn't change the fact that you hurt my feelings. Of all the people in the world, I never would have expected you to throw all the horrible things that happened to me in my face."
"I understand," she said stoically.
"Ashton did things to me..." My voice trailed off as my mind went back to that time. "I'm not proud of the things I did while I was with him. He manipulated me and it took me a long time to get past it."
"I was so in love with him. He promised me the moon, Maya. I had never had a real boyfriend before and to have this great, sexy older man showing me so much attention was more than I ever hoped I'd have after moving to the city. And then he started introducing me to people and promising to help me with my career."
"Ah, yes. I remember that well. All of a sudden you go from eating ramen noodles to dining in fancy restaurants, rubbing elbows with some of the most renowned directors and producers."
Kayla nodded. "Exactly. It still doesn't change what a little shit I became. I should have known better than to trust him, especially after I read your diary. Part of me was afraid to admit that I was so fooled by him. I hated being cast in the role of the young, naïve bimbo."
"Kayla, I have to ask, did Ashton make you do anything... you know?"
She looked away and stared off over the backyard. At first I didn't think she'd answer, but then she slowly nodded her head. Tears flooded my eyes knowing I hadn't been able to save my sister.
"I should have stopped him sooner. I hid behind that damn nondisclosure, pretending that it wasn't a big deal. Pretending that he wasn't still pulling my strings when it was so clear that he was. Every single day I sat in silence, I gave him more power. And you, my sweet little sister, suffered because of it." I closed the distance between us and wrapped her in my arms.
"It isn't your fault," her muffled voice told me. "I went back to him even after reading your diary. That was when the worst of it was. I think he was trying to prove a point by subjecting me to whatever kink he could come up with. I shouldn't have let him."
"Well now the fucker is behind bars where he belongs." Ashton had been sentenced to twenty years in prison for all his crimes. I had given Grant permission to tell the feds about what had happened with the Senator. I didn't press charges though because even though what he did was despicable, he ultimately hadn't known he was, in fact, raping me. Fortunately, I never had to testify when he went to trial. I tried not to think about how that would have even gone.
"I went to visit him," she confessed after we pulled away from each other.
"You did?" I was surprised after everything she just told me.
"I wanted closure. My therapist encouraged me to do it."
"Oh, sweetie," I whispered.
"I feel better. I'm going to be okay." I grabbed her hands and held them between us.
"I'm glad and if you ever need me, I'm here for you."
"Thanks, sis. I love you."
"I love you too, boo." I used the nickname that she hated from when we were growing up.
"So tell me. Boy or a girl? I know you haven't told anyone, but you'll tell me right? I mean I am still your favorite, right?" She winked and headed towards the patio door.
"Actually, I don't know so I can't tell you. We decided not to find out."
She turned back before opening the door and looked at me. "I give you credit. I'd never be able to do that. So what about names?"
"I guess I can tell you that, but whatever you do, don't tell E. She's been harassing me to tell her and I won't. You'll be the only one besides Travis and me that will know."
"Okay!" She cried out enthusiastically, and I was glad I could put a smile on my sister's face. Especially after everything we had been through. I was grateful our sisterly bond was still intact.
"Anna or Max," I announced and proceeded to bite on my nail afraid she wouldn't like it. Until now it had just been Travis and me discussing it. I had never realized how anxious it would make me to put it out there for someone else to hear.
"Grandma Harris?" She correctly assumed where I got the name Anna from.
"Yes. And Travis' grandfather's name is Maxwell."
"I dig it."
Just then Elizabeth opened the door and popped her head out. "Is everything okay out here?"
"Perfect," I assured her.
"Good. Now get your butt inside so people can say goodbye."
"Ay ay, captain," I joked. She stuck her tongue out at me and shut the door.
"So we're good?" I asked Kayla.
"Perfect," she echoed. "Now get in the house."
* * *
"Leave it to you to be a week overdue," Elizabeth commented as she strolled effortlessly into my bedroom where I was resting comfortably on the bed.
"What do you mean by that? It isn't like I can help it," I said testily.
"I mean, you're overdue and both my kids were premature. You've gotten crankier and crankier as the week has gone on."
"Yeah, well you would too. I swear this child just doesn't want to come out. It's already testing my patience." I smoothed my hand over my protruding stomach. I couldn't even see my feet. It was horrible.
"What are you doing here anyway? You didn't mention you were coming over today."
"Travis asked me to stop by and check in on you."
"I don't need a babysitter," I argued.
"I'm not babysitting. I'm making sure you don't need anything and spending some time with you so you can get your mind off the fact that you're waiting. Now stop being such a bitch. I brought you lunch. Do you want it in here or the kitchen?"
"Sorry," I grumbled. "I'll eat in the kitchen. I just need some help getting up."
"I thought you said you didn't need help."
"I said I didn't need a babysitter. Are you going to help me or not?" I crossed my arms and gave her a dirty look. Because my breasts were so big, my arms slipped down and hit my face. Geez, I couldn't even pull off an angry look because I looked like a fool.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm coming." Elizabeth reached out and offered me her hand. I took it and we both grunted as she pulled me off the bed.
Once on my feet, I felt more tired than I had before. I gave a longing look at my bed but shuffled after E when my stomach growled reminding me I had yet to eat.
"Damn I'm hungry," I announced as I quickly dug into my plate of chicken parmesan that Elizabeth set in front of me.
"I remember those days. Once the baby is born you'll be trying to sneak times to eat and that's if you even remember." She sat across from me and started eating a buffalo chicken salad.
"Has the doctor talked about inducing you?" She asked a few minutes later.
"I have an appointment tomorrow. She'll decide then. Are you all set with my calendar for the next couple months?" Elizabeth was filling in for me so my clients wouldn't go somewhere else while I was on maternity leave.
"Nothing to worry about. I'm an old pro." She winked and took another bite of her lunch. "I saw the perfect house for you yesterday. It's right down the street from us."
I fought the roll of my eyes and focused on my food. Elizabeth had been trying both subtly and not so subtly to convince us to move to Scarsdale. I knew it was coming from a good place, but I was ready to wring her neck just the same.
"We aren't moving to the suburbs. I like living in the city."
"That's what you say until the first time you have to trudge a stroller, a diaper bag, a purse and a crying baby across the city."
"And when that time comes, maybe I'll feel differently. But please. I want my baby to grow up here. This is home."
"Fine," she grumbled.
I set my fork down and let out a loud burp. Slapping my hand over my mouth, I stifled a giggle. "Whoops."
"I remember those days too." Elizabeth laughed with me.
"Hey, you want to see the finished nursery?" Travis had hired a designer to bring my vision of a subtle and sophisticated nursery to life. Sometimes I thought he had no sense when it came to spending his money, but this was one time where I agreed with him. Even after factoring in her overpriced commission, I still had to admit it was money well spent.
"I'd love to." She got up from the table and took care of our plates, while I rubbed my belly. The longer I sat in the chair, the more uncomfortable I was becoming. And my lunch was giving me horrible indigestion.
Elizabeth helped me from my chair and I waddled down the hall alongside her. When we got to the nursery, I pushed open the door and let her go in first.
"Holy cow," she whispered. "This puts Vivi and DJ's nurseries to shame."
"Thanks." I blushed and watched as she took the room in with wide eyes.
The walls were more cream than white and we chose white curtains that complemented the walls perfectly. Framed prints of the old school, classic Winnie the Pooh peppered the walls. Above the dressing table was a large white, oval mirror. The white crib with Pooh bedding sat in the middle of the room underneath a chandelier. In the corner was a white oversized chair as well a gorgeous bassinet with brown accents and white bows. It was feminine while still being masculine, so it would work for either gender baby.
"If we have another child, I am so hiring this girl."
"I'll give you her card. Just be prepared to pay through the nose," I semi-joked.
"I don't care as long as I get something as spectacular as this. Wow."
I braced my hand on the built-in bookshelf—the one that once again housed the gifts Travis had given me before—when an ache started low in my belly. I took several deep breaths and attempted to alleviate the pressure that was building.
"Um, E?" My voice came out strained.
"Do you mind me asking how much this all cost? I know... I know... It isn't like I'm pregnant but I might get pregnant just so I can get a room like this done in my house."
"E?"
She kept on babbling about the drapes and the carpet. "E!" I yelled. She jumped and turned towards me.
"What?" She yelled back.
"In an effort not to completely ruin the carpet you love so much, do you think you could listen when I'm trying to tell you my water just broke?"
"It what?" She shrieked and ran over to me. "Oh, I guess it did. Gross." She scrunched her face up in disgust at the wet carpet.
"Can we focus here?"
"Sorry. Where's your bag?"
"Next to the door in my bedroom."
"Okay. I'll go get your bag. You waddle over to the front door and call the valet to bring my car around."
“Dude, I need to change my pants.” I scrunched my nose up at how gross my wet clothes felt.
“Good call.” Her face mirrored my own. “Now let’s go,” she barked at me like she was a drill sergeant when I didn’t move fast enough for her.
Pants changed and bag in hand, we walked out the front door and towards the elevator.
"Travis?" I panted in between contractions.
"We'll call him on the way."
Chapter Twenty-Two
"Where is she?" I heard Travis' anxious voice out in the hall right before he burst through the door like a man on fire.
"Quite an entrance," Elizabeth murmured but Travis was focused solely on me.
"I'm here," he whispered as he gathered me in his arms as best he could with a bunch of wires and the bed between us.
"Hey," I whispered back.
“Sorry but traffic was ridiculous. I was beginning to think the universe was conspiring against me.” He pinched the bridge of his nose and took several deep breaths to calm down now that he was with me.
“It’s okay. You haven’t missed much.” I ran my hand over his to soothe him. Quite ironic that I was the one soothing him when it was my body being put through the wringer.
“She only bit my head off a half a dozen times so far,” Elizabeth contradicted me in an amused tone.
"Does it hurt?" I shot Travis a look that told him just how stupid I thought that question was. "Sorry." He held his hands up defensively.
"She has an epidural," Elizabeth informed him.
"Shit, did I miss that much?" He pouted as he sat in the chair next to my bed and Elizabeth slipped into the one further away from me.
"I'm dilating quickly. Seems our child who couldn't be bothered to come a week ago, is more than ready to make up for his tardiness now."
"Sounds like his mother," he quipped.
I slapped the back of his head. "That orneriness sounds more like you, mister."
"This is highly amusing and it's only just begun," Elizabeth snickered.
"Whatever," I mumbled.
Travis coached me through my breathing exercises in between having a quiet conversation with Elizabeth. All the while I tried to stay Zen and meditate, completely ignoring them when not contractions. If I didn’t, I probably would have become the fire breathing dragon Travis predicted I’d become.
“Want some ice chips?” Travis whispered after a particularly long contraction.
“Yes, please.” I pressed my head into the pillow and glanced over at E after he moved away to get me the ice. “What are you doing?”
“Tweeting,” she informed me without looking up from her pho
ne. My eyes narrowed and I felt my restraint slipping.
“What are you tweeting?” I asked suspiciously when she bit her lip.
“Oh nothing really. Just keeping everyone informed,” she told me in a blasé manner.
“Are you serious? I don’t want everyone on twitter knowing that my vagina is on fire.”
“It isn’t like I’m posting pictures of you. Now that would be over the top.” She nodded her head sagely and went back to typing.
“I’m going to take that phone and shove it up your—” I was cut off when Travis came back into the room with a cup of ice chips.
“I tried to get you more but I don’t think that beastly nurse at the desk likes…” He glanced between us, closed his mouth and then opened it again. “Are you guys actually fighting?”
Instead of answering him, I glared at her until she finally caved and threw her phone in her purse sitting on the window ledge behind her. “Fine. You win. God, you’re bitchy when you’re in labor.”
I rolled my eyes and snatched the cup from Travis.
“You’re welcome,” he muttered before sitting back in his seat.
I gave him a glacial look that had him quickly backing off and kissing my hand. I chewed on my ice chips as we all sat in silence. It would seem that labor was either really boring or really volatile.
Closing my eyes, I tried for a while to fall asleep, but it just wasn't going to happen. Between Travis' breathing and the beeping of machines, I was going out of my mind. I should have taken a nap when I had the chance earlier in the day.
"Our parents are out in the waiting room," Travis informed me.
"And that's where they're going to stay. I don't want anyone to see me like this."
"You mean you don't want to deal with anyone right now," Elizabeth added.
"Exactly."
"Knock, knock." A nurse poked her head in the door. "Time to check and see how far along you are."
"Should I leave?" Travis asked and started to stand. Elizabeth laughed at him and I bit my lip to hide my amusement at his awkwardness. It was so unlike him. I wished I had a camera to catch the whole thing and torture him with it later.
"No, sweetie, you can sit right where you are." She lifted the sheets up and I opened my legs for her. When she was done, she lowered the sheet and gave me a grin. "Well, good news is I think you're ready to push. I'm going to go get the doctor."
Forever Your Concierge Page 20