“Mariah, I know about the babies, and I understand why you felt you had to leave but, honey, why did you disappear from me?”
“I didn't think it was a good idea to stick around and constantly run into the man I love, pregnant and him not wanting children. I didn't get pregnant on purpose and I didn't want him to think I did. In my mind, it was easier to let him think that I didn't want him anymore. I was going to call you after the babies came, Mom. I didn't mean to hurt you, but I said all this in your note. I'm sorry I haven't contacted you, but I just felt... so... crestfallen.”
“Mariah? What note? You didn't leave me a note.”
“I mailed it. The day of my flight, Mom. I was still in California for a week. I was trying to contact my former therapist, but I didn't know she had married. It took me four days to track her new name. I mailed the letter as soon as I got to the airport, explaining everything.”
“I never got it, honey. I haven't looked at any mail since you left. I don't even know where it is, all the mail from the last six months.”
“I do. I'll go get it,” Pops said in the background.
“Mom... he wants my babies,” I whined.
“Marcus? Of course he does, honey. He's their father.”
I sobbed. “No, he said he was getting his lawyers. I think he wants to take my babies from me!”
“Mariah, please calm down... I don't think that's what he means. And if it was, I'd move heaven and earth to make sure that did not happen. My grandsons belong with their mother. Thank you, Thomas. Talk to your father while I look, honey. Tell him what you've just told me.”
“Okay,” I whimpered.
“Cookie?”
I cried harder. I hadn't heard that name in months and didn't realize how much I missed it.
“Oh, Cookie... don't cry. It's going to be okay.”
“It's not, Pops. Marcus says he's getting lawyers. I can't fight him in court; I don't have the means for it. He's so much better off than I am, the courts will certainly grant him custody. What am I going to do without my babies?”
“This cannot be good for you right now; please calm down. If it did get to court, you wouldn't have anything to worry about. I have an excellent group of attorneys myself and I would put them at your disposal. I don't think it will come to that, Cookie. He's hurting and has been since the day you left. Take a deep breath, try to put your stubbornness aside and talk to him.”
“I don't know where he is. He stormed out after I made him take the ring back.”
“Here it is,” I heard my mom yell and then paper ripping.
“What ring, Cookie?”
“The engagement ring.”
“I thought you gave it back when you left, honey.”
“I did. He put it back on my hand sometime last night.”
“Cookie, Cookie, Cookie!” Pops sighed. “He put the ring back on her hand while she was sleeping and she gave it back.”
“Mariah, why would you do that,” Mom whined in the phone.
“Suddenly he's changed his mind about children? I shouldn't be saddled to a man who resents me for fucking up his plans and wishes. I cannot be tied to a man who would resent me forever! Now he says he wants them and I don't know why!”
“As much as I don't want to, I'm going to hang up now and beg that you relax and get some sleep. When you awaken, call Marcus. Talk this out. Don't let my grandsons’ lives be filled with parents who hate each other; who once loved each other with everything in them. Rest now, and call me later, with some good news, I hope. I love you, honey, and I miss you something awful.”
“I love you too, Mom and I've missed you so very much.”
“Go. Get some rest. I'll talk to you later. Bye, honey.”
“Bye, Mom.”
I wiped my face. Mom was right. I felt so tired, but hungry too. I was craving a big stack of pancakes... and watermelon.
I should call Marcus. I wondered if he'd bring me some. No, he's too pissed at me right now, probably didn't even want to see me. I can't believe he threatened to get his lawyers on me. This is why I don't like money; it is too easy to manipulate the underdog when you’re sitting on top of a shitload of it.
I heard a knock. My breath caught as I called out, “Come in.”
“Hi, here's your breakfast,” an elderly man sung to me.
“Thank you,” I said, smiling. He set the tray down and left.
Pancakes, bacon and eggs. And funky coffee. Ew. Coffee has never been my friend. These last few months in the coffee shop have been horrible. Total hell. I felt a hard kick from one of the babies.
“Cool it. I'm sending it down now!” I smiled and take a bite of the pancakes, smothered in syrup.
Another kick. I massaged my belly.
“Donnie or Alex... I swear you better slow down. So impatient... just like your father.”
I swallowed another bite, thinking of Donald Harvey and Stephen Alexander, growing in my belly. I chose those names as soon as I found out they were both boys. Now I wondered what their last names will be. I was pretty sure Marcus was going to insist on Cannon but I was all set on Hollander.
Oh, Marcus… how did we get here?
Seeing him this morning was so shocking but so relieving all at once. I missed him more than anything... his smile, his touch... his scent. Especially his scent. He'd been smelling even better since I got pregnant, so much so that I'd waken in the middle of the night and curl into him and just inhaled deeply until I fell asleep again.
* * *
“Hi, time for lunch,” the elderly man sung again.
“What,” I startled. “But you just brought me breakfast.”
He smiled. “That was five hours ago, ma'am.”
I looked at the clock on the wall. 12:35! What the hell? I don't even remember falling asleep.
Shit, that happens all the time now.
I raised the lid on the plate. Chicken breast and vegetables. Oh, well. Ooh... gelatin... red. Strawberry or Cherry? I picked up the spoon and tasted. Strawberry! Yum, I thought as I cleaned the cup. One of the twins liked it, too. I was being kicked like a soccer ball.
The door opened. Dr. Garza again.
“Hola, Mariah. How are you?”
“Fine, Pete.” I half-smiled at him.
He frowned at my food. “You're not hungry? You have to eat, Mariah, if you want to get out of here tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow,” I asked, hopefully.
“Only if you eat everything at every meal and stay calm. I want your tests to keep coming back as they are, if I'm going to let you travel. After your morning draw, I'll know for sure if I can let you go. For now, I can order to remove your IV.”
“Sounds good, but this food is so... I want a fat cheeseburger with lots of tomatoes and fries with ketchup and cheese. I'd love a piece of cold, sweet watermelon. I'd fucking kill for Snickers, Pete.”
“Do you eat like that when you're not pregnant,” Dr. Garza laughed, reaching into his pocket. He handed me a Snickers!
“Not at all.” I blushed, tearing off the wrapper. “Gracias,” I murmured between bites.
He smiled. “My wife couldn't get enough huevos rancheros when she was carrying our son. Our daughter, she drank pickle juice by the gallon!”
I wrinkle nose. Pickle juice!
“Sweet pickle juice, I hope,” I murmured, covering my mouth.
“No. Sour. Just glugged it right down. It was very funny.”
“I bet,” I mumbled, chewing the last piece. Now, if I just had some watermelon...
He chuckled, shaking his head. “Eat, Mariah. I'll be back before my shift ends and check on you, all right?”
“Yes, sir, Dr. Garza, sir,” I saluted and smiled.
He left the room laughing. I sighed as I stared at my food.
Try a bite. It might be better than it looks...
I bit the chicken. Too bland, I didn't like it. I tried some broccoli. Even worse. I gave up. Maybe dinner will be better. I turned on the TV then felt an urgent need to use the ba
throom. I clicked the call button.
“Hello, Ms. Hollander. How can I help you?”
“I need assistance to the restroom, please.”
“Your nurse will be right with you.”
A few minutes later, my door opened and Lainie entered. “Hello, Ms. Hollander. You need help to the facilities?”
“Yes. I need the rail down and a little assistance getting up, please.”
“Sure. I need you to catch your urine, for testing. I have a bin for you to void in. After I remove the IV, you can go, all right?”
“Okay.”
She worked efficiently and swift. We got me standing and I stretched and laughed.
She smiled at me. “That felt good, Ms. Hollander?”
“Yes. Very,” I confirmed, smiling back.
When I came out of the bathroom, there was an overwhelming aroma permeating the room. I breathed in deeply.
“Is that a cheeseburger?”
“I think it is,” Lainie grinned.
I moved as fast as I could back to the bed. The hospital lunch was gone and was replaced by a brown paper bag. I settled in the bed and ripped into the bag on my bed table.
It was a cheeseburger. With fries, smothered in cheese! And a small salad with extra tomatoes. Dr. Garza is AWESOME! I grabbed the plastic fork and went to town.
“There's a cooler over here, too.”
“What,” I mumbled with a mouth full of fries.
She brought over a little blue cooler and I opened it. There were three containers of cubed watermelon and two bottled waters.
“Oh, goody,” I clapped, grinning big.
“Enjoy,” she said and left me to it.
I pulled out a water and noticed the square bottle. Same kind Marcus likes, I thought as I opened it. Marcus. I sighed then devoured my lunch.
I let out a huge belch and giggled. That burger was awesome and the twins seemed content after I ate. They were playing soft tag with each other as I cleaned the table off and threw the trash away.
Shit… sleepy again. I let the bed down a little, settled on my right side and knocked out.
Chapter Twenty-Five
I missed these guys too…
A hand was on my belly and a woman cooed. Then more hands rubbed and a man's voice whispered, “Hey, nephews.”
“My turn.”
“No, me first.”
“I'm the oldest, I go first,” a man demanded, loudly.
“By only a year, fool! Move aside!”
“Matthew,” I mumbled. “Aw, damn it... I'm dreaming again.”
“Ugh! You woke her!” That's Monica.
“She's dreaming about me... quick, knock her out again!”
I frowned as I opened my eyes and looked around. It was not only Matthew and Monica, but Tom, Lisa, Nathan, Ethan, Joshua, Mandy and some girl keeping her distance, but still smiling with the rest of them. I looked around the room again and burst into tears.
“Aw, Cookie...” Lisa crooned, holding my head. “What's wrong?”
“I missed you guys so much,” I wailed, grabbing her. “I dream about all of you, all the time! And now, here you are!”
They gathered around the bed, attempting to soothe me and saying how beautiful I looked.
“Not to me,” Matthew says. “Cramp’s ruined you forever for me. I just got over you, Mariah.”
I laughed through my tears. Matthew was very good at cheering me up.
“Aww! Now I'm heartbroken! Gimme a kiss, Matthew,” I whined as I wiped my tears away.
“No,” he said, stubbornly while fighting a smile.
I grinned at him and held out my arms. “Come on, Toad.”
“Fine, but I won't like it!” He hugged me tight, kissed my temple then sat next to me.
“How are you feeling, Cookie,” Matthew asked.
I smiled. He used my family's name for me and I liked it.
“Fine. Tired. I keep nodding off without knowing I'm sleepy and you say goofy things to me in my dreams.”
They all laughed. I wiped my face with tissues from Nathan.
“What are you guys doing here,” I asked holding Matthew's hand on one side and Mandy's on the other. Nathan was sitting behind Lisa at the foot on my right, Monica on my left.
“Are you kidding? We haven't seen you in six months and you have our first nephews in there!” Lisa pointed at me. “Don't you ever disappear on us again!”
“No, ma'am. I won't,” I agreed and gave her a pout face.
She taps my leg and rubbed my belly as she said, “Lucky for you they’re in here, Cookie! Otherwise, you’d get more!”
“And would deserve it, running off that way,” Monica tutted.
“You have our mothers going crazy. Mine has not stopped shopping since she found out. I genuflect and thank you Mariah because you have taken the pressure is off Mandy and I,” Joshua laughed, then kissed my head.
“Pressure?”
“Yes, starting at our reception, asking for grandkids... you should have seen her face when Mandy told her not yet.” He rolled his eyes. “Now she's off our backs and you, sweetheart, are going to get suffocated. She's not going to let those boys out of her sight for long!”
“Ugh! My mother too, I'm sure. I may never see my own sons.” I rolled my own eyes and they settled on the strange girl hovering in the corner. My, she was pretty. Long black hair, deep caramel skin and big brown eyes.
I smiled at her. “Hello.”
“Hi,” she smiled shyly.
“Oh, shit! Alissa, I'm so sorry. I was just so excited to see my sister. Cookie, uh, I mean Mariah... this is Alissa Juarez. Mi novia.”
My eyebrows shot up.
“Very good, Ethan,” Alissa cooed.
“Wow... Ethan has a girlfriend! Encantado de conocerte, Alissa. ¿Doctor o abogado?”
She looked surprised for a moment and then brightened. “Soy un abogado en el bufete de abogados con Ethan.”
“Good! We need another lawyer. With all the doctors and nurses around, Ethan needs someone to talk to at Sunday dinner.”
Everyone chuckled.
Ethan blushed. “Cookie! Geez!”
“Ethan! You passed the bar,” I squealed.
“Yeah, I did... second time out,” he confirmed. “I was a little distracted the first time,” he murmured, giving me a knowing look.
“I'm sorry.” I looked around the room. “Where's Evelyn and Russell?”
“They stayed behind, in California,” Joshua answered. “She showed Marcus, well, all of us, the ultrasound image and she wasn't sure if you'd want her here.”
I shook my head. “I don't blame her. I'll call her later.”
“So how are you and the babies,” Mandy cooed.
“They're fine... very active but not as much as before. You know, less room.”
“Any names,” Nathan prompted.
I looked down. “I don't think I have that choice anymore.”
“Look, Cookie. I hate to bring it up now, but I think you shouldn't judge Marcus so quickly on this whole baby-lawyer thing. I talked to Pops when we landed and he told me what you said. I think you've got the whole thing wrong.”
“Do I, Ethan? You know what he said to me before he stormed out this morning? 'Disappear again, I will find you. Save yourself the time and energy and go back to California. My lawyers can hash out this fucking mess!' How did I get anything wrong,” I asked, fighting back tears and losing.
“I don't think he meant it as to take your sons from you, Cookie,” Tom offered quietly.
“Well, that's what it sounded like to me. I can't understand what he wants with them. From the beginning, he was adamant about no children. It couldn't have been any clearer.” I caressed my belly. “When I found out about them, I tried to tell him, but he still wouldn't budge and it wouldn't have been fair for him to have been saddled with something he didn't want. So I kept the news to myself. This was an accident and I couldn't let him think I did it on purpose. Well, they're coming now and I
... I can't be without them. What does he want with them?”
“Just to be their father, Cookie.” Matthew sighed as he left his chair and sat on the bed. He puts his head on mine as he rubbed my arm, saying, “Our father had an affair that produced Evelyn. Mother didn't find out about her until Evelyn was ten, and her mother was dying from cancer. Marcus disowned Dad, but as much as he felt angry with him, he missed him. Probably as much as Josh and I did.”
“No, more,” Joshua asserted. “And another thing, Marcus also doesn’t want someone to be his fill-in. That’s another thing he learned from experience. Can you believe that stubborn fool tried to take over in any way he could with Matt and I... actually ruined everything we tried to do, as far as misbehaving goes.”
Cramped their style. I got it.
I smiled. I believed Lisa’s rubbing on my belly lulled twins to stop moving. Maybe they liked her caresses. It felt good when they relaxed.
Joshua continued. “What Dad did, it was unforgivable and I think Marcus and I are the wiser, and Matthew in his own way. Toad fucks around a lot but at least he didn't get married and then do it.”
“Hey! Not a lot... some.” Matthew grinned.
“Anyway,” Joshua chuckled then placed a hand on my chin and turned me to look at him. “My point is this: Marcus, for however angry he was, missed Dad growing up and he doesn’t want his sons to ever feel the same way about him.”
“But does that mean he can love them and want them? Not only as a sense of duty?”
“I think he does already. I believe Marcus was afraid to have children,” Matthew informed.
“Afraid? Of what?”
“That he could do the same thing our father did. Marcus is a lot like Dad in many ways, so he closed himself off... until some hot girl walked passed him in a little white skirt and caused him to rethink everything from the age of fourteen,” Matthew teased. “Marcus does want children, I’m sure of it. He's afraid of hurting them.”
“Are you really sure,” I whispered.
“I am.”
“So am I,” Joshua says. “Haven’t you ever wondered why a man, who didn’t want children, became a pediatrician?”
“When he expressed he wanted a relationship with me, yes, I certainly did. It seemed odd to me.”
Mariah: The M Series: Book Two Page 33