by Lyssa Layne
I close my eyes and fall asleep.
"Presley, baby, wake up. They have to transfer me to my bed."
I wake up to the sound of the most beautiful voice in the world; my wife’s. "Hey Sweetheart, sorry, our son is tired, as you can see." The nurse comes to take Lewis from my arms. I get out of Abbie’s bed and they move her. She still can't feel her legs because of the epidural. I know she’s anxious to hold Lewis and admire him. As soon as she’s in the bed, she asks to sit up and I help her.
"Can I have him now?" she demands.
"Of course, Mrs. Williams. Watch out for his little head. Place your arms like mine and I’ll put him into your arms." The nurse smiles as she watches Abbie holding our son for the first time. Abbie has tears in her eyes. I decide I need to take a few photos to capture the moment.
"He is perfect, Presley. He has your mother’s eyes. He is perfect..." Abbie says as she sobs. I take one last photo before I go to her side and hug her.
"You’ve made me so happy, Abbie. You gave me a son. You both complete me."
"You are my life now... my family. You and Lewis."
The nurse heads towards the door. “I’ll come back when he wakes up... We're going to have to feed him soon."
Abbie is willing to try breastfeeding. She knows it's going to be hard, but she wants what’s best for our baby. She looks exhausted. Her eyes are puffy, and she has dark circles below them. She's pale and looks fragile. She doesn’t complain, but I know she’s not feeling well.
"My love, why don’t you try to sleep for a while, I’ll take care of the baby. You need to rest." She looks at me in despair, not willing to relinquish her hold on our son "I’ll wake you up as soon as he wakes up, I promise."
"Presley, I can’t... "
"Shhh. Abbie, listen to me. You need to rest now. Please." I take her hands in mine. She looks into my eyes, and then down to our baby. "You went through a lot in the past twenty-four hours. Take the time you need to get some sleep. Trust me."
"Okay." She gives me back our little baby boy, and by the time I get comfortable in the rocking chair, she is already sleeping.
I let her sleep for almost three hours. Our little boy slowly wakes up. His little fingers grip my t-shirt and he makes little sounds. It’s time to wake her up.
"Abbie, it’s time!"
Her eyes open as soon as I say her name. "Hey, Daddy." She smiles.
The nurse is back just in time; sometimes I think they are spying on us. They help Abbie with breastfeeding. It looks painful, but she insists on doing it. As soon as Lewis has a little to drink, he falls back to sleep. What a life!
Bentley and Lucia are the first to arrive for a visit. They are both ecstatic. They give Abbie a huge bouquet of blue and white roses and a box of chocolates. Bentley gives me a cigar; I just knew he was going to do that. Bentley can’t stop saying how proud he is, and Lucia steals the baby from Abbie’s arms. She just stares at him. As a photographer, I can’t help myself. I take a few more photos.
We have a private room, so it’s possible for us to have more than two guests at a time. The hospital staff don’t seem to like it, but they didn't say anything. We are quiet, and Abbie knows that if she wants to rest, she only has to say so. Nobody wanted to push her past her limits. She’s the new mother here, and she has a lot of adjustments to make.
Alicia, Joy-Anna, Derek and Joshua all arrive together. Alicia remains quiet, but she looks at Lewis, and I see tears of joy in her eyes. While Abbie was pregnant, Alicia told me how much she wants a baby. Right after her marriage, she and Joshua are planning on getting pregnant. Joy-Anna can barely stay still in one place. She dances from one foot to another. They all congratulate Abbie and stare at our son. I'm so fucking proud. My boy, my blood. Mine!
This is what I’ve been dreaming about during her pregnancy: the moment where we get to share him with our family. The smiles, the laughter, the tears. The beauty of a new life among us.
Joy-Anna and Alicia have bought so many gifts for the baby. They bought little blankets, tiny Converse sneakers, plenty of pyjamas and diapers. Joshua and Derek brought Abbie a baby book to write down all the information about Lewis, and a nice bouquet of white orchids. I’ll have to ask them to take some of the things back to our apartment tonight, because the hospital room isn’t that big.
Abbie is so proud, and adapting to her new role perfectly. She's everything to me; my love for her is so much stronger after sharing this event. I admire her. I worship her.
I can't wait to take her and our son home. Just a few more days, until she is feeling better. Her body needs to heal properly. I know she is in pain. She won’t say anything, but I know exactly when she is due for more pain killers. She's tough, an amazing woman.
***
We're home. The Williams family is home. The baby is already sleeping in his crib, and Abbie is sitting on the couch, relaxing. She has pain in her lower stomach due to the C-section. I want her to rest so that she’ll make a faster recovery.
The house is quiet and peaceful. I give Abbie a bowl of warm chicken noodle soup. She says she wants comfort food. We’ve been at the hospital for nearly five days, so it’s good to be able to eat homemade food and shower when we wish. Lucia has provided us with tons of homemade meals, so we don’t have to worry about cooking for a couple of days.
We're spoiled and happy. We have a loving family; what else could I ask for? Maybe a little more sleep, but I think it’s a lost cause until Lewis is older. The color of his eyes won’t be stable until he reaches a year old, but I can see my mother in the shape of his eyes. They could be green or grey, but it doesn’t matter. I just feel like she is living through him.
I hear the baby cry and I hurry to his room. I change his diaper. I always thought changing a diaper would make me nauseous, but it turns out, I don’t mind. It doesn’t bother me at all. He is only a few days old and already I'm in infinite adoration with him. He is a strong little man. I’m already planning his first photo session. I can't wait.
I bring our son to my wife and watch as she breastfeeds him. She says it's a little painful at first, but it’s getting better with time. I could watch them all day; it brings me such a pure joy.
A year ago, if I has been asked where I thought my life would be twelve months later, I would never have thought I would be a husband, let alone a father. I never expected to fall in love with someone the way I did with Abbie. It was unexpected, but so amazingly strong and real. She has changed my whole world and my perspective on life. She and my son are the most single most important things in the world. I worship them.
Every day I love Abbie more and more. Our love is growing every single minute we spend together.
I’m a very happy man.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
This novel is the first story I’ve ever completed in English. At the time, I had the support and help from a couple of friends. Tracey and Judy gave me the best advice possible and Emily went through hell reading my first draft. It really was hell. I published a chapter of this story online week after week and I was highly surprised by the feedback I had.
I put this story on pause for a while until I found a way to make it shine again. Debbie edited it and I knew I had more work to do to make it better. I did some and Megan proofread it with many suggestions. After going through them, I think, I reached a level which I’m happy with. Thank you Simone for reading it quickly and giving me your input. Also, Jennifer Theriot, your help was truly appreciated. THANK YOU!
I’m surrounded by so many caring and nice friends. I feel very grateful.
I hope you enjoyed this story. Thanks to Danielle for reading it when I shouldn’t have let anyone read it. It was a mess. Your support means a lot.
Thank you ALL.
Jude xox
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jude Ouvrard is an author who writes from the heart, and reads with passion and devotion. Jude enjoys stories of drama, true love, tattoos, and everything in between. While writing is her therap
y, reading is her solace. Life doesn't get better than books and chocolate, and maybe a little bit of shopping.
A romance lover, Jude writes about love, pain, heartbreak and matters that will challenge your heart. A book can tell an unexpected story, no matter which directions it takes. Jude embraces words that have haunted her for years.
Jude is a working mom who dedicates her time to a law firm and writing books. She has an energetic five-year old superhero son, and a supportive boyfriend of thirteen years. Her family is her rock; she could not survive without them. Born a country girl, she transformed into a city woman who now lives in Montreal, Canada. Although French is her first language, Jude decided to write in English because she liked the challenge.
Jude Ouvrard is the author of two novellas, Under the Sun and Wonderland, and three novels, Lost Dreams, Body, Ink, and Soul, and Ophelia. She is currently working on a new project.
"Drama, true love, tattoos...and everything in between!"
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With Love;
Now & Forever
RaeAnne Hadley
Other books by RaeAnne Hadley
Mechanics of Murder
A Wrench in the Plan
With Love; Now & Forever
Shadows
Love's Everlasting Song
With Love; Now & Forever
Copyright © 2017 RaeAnne Hadley
All rights reserved.
DEDICATION
This book is dedicated to all of my family and friends who have helped support me. They know that writing to me is as important as breathing and have given me the encouragement when I needed it and a swift kick in the ego butt when I doubted myself. My husband who is so wonderful to let me bounce ideas and phrases off of him, even if he is in the middle of his games. Thank you to my musical inspirations that help me with my ever changing moods that flow through to my characters, I need that anger, that sorrow, that happiness, that sexuality. My ipod worked overtime on this one. Of course, thanks to my Dad, though he isn’t with me in his physical form, he is always with me in spirit.
ONE
The hot southern air was thick with humidity and so still that even the birds flying towards their evening roost couldn't seem to stir it. The cicadas attempted to break through the silence but their music sounded as heavy and bloated as the steam coming up from the streets. The bedroom in the older mobile home was small and cramped but Austin had cleaned his room to make it spacious as possible. He scattered flower petals over the made bed as a romantic gesture. The little table fan worked incessantly, clicking and whirling. Its faint breeze ineffectually cooling the air and caused the flames of the burning candles to cast dancing shadows across the room. Ana knew he had gone above and beyond to make their first time special and magical but she couldn't stop her apprehensions. It wasn't because of him; all she had to do was look into his eyes or hear his voice to know she was ready and willing to give herself to him. At sixteen years old, she knew he was the one she was going to spend the rest of her life loving.
No, her apprehension tonight had nothing to do with him and everything to do with his mother. His mother never liked her and made it obvious that she put up with her because her son loved her. Ana's young heart was saddened at the thought that her future mother-in-law couldn’t see the whole picture as her gaining a daughter. She saw it more of losing her one and only son.
The touch of his hand cupping her face brought her back to the moment and conflicting emotions of desire and fear stole over her. Believing her shudder as anticipation he started kissing her. Oh God, how she could lose herself in this man. She knew others didn’t see him as a man yet being only a year her senior, but she looked at him as her man, her love and her future. She knew they would be together forever and that they were meant for each other, soul mates, as some would describe. But she couldn’t push away the fear that they shouldn’t be doing this tonight.
"Austin, I can't do this. Not now." She whispered.
He pulled back a little and looked at her, confusion filling his eyes.
"I thought you were ready. You told me you were. Have I done something....?" his voice trailed off.
"Oh honey no. I love you and I haven't changed my mind. It's just your mom. She could come home at any minute and if she finds us. She'll never forgive me. Defiling her only son under her own roof." Hearing those words come out of her mouth sounded silly and she couldn't hold back her giggle.
"She's not going to be back for a while. She's having supper with my aunt and then they’re playing cards. Dad is closing the shop tonight so he won’t be home until at least eleven. We have plenty of time!" He resumed the kisses that led to her ears and she felt her inhibitions melt away. Beautiful, compassionate Austin. His dark hair and deep blue eyes always amazed her because of their stark contrast. Facial features that were slightly awkward now would mature into a masculine face that would soon cause women to turn their heads. As striking as Austin was, Ana loved him for his heart and his mind.
"It's going to be fine baby, I love you. I'm going to marry you no matter what anyone says and someday, I'm going to be someone! We'll have it made, our love will survive anything and we’ll have more money than you've ever dreamed possible!"
She listened to his vows of the future and believed them to be true, whenever Austin put his mind to something, he got it done, and nothing held him back.
He eased her back onto the bed and she gave a heavy sigh of contentment. If Austin said he was going to marry her, he would, she needed to stop being such a worry-wart. She gazed around his room, which sat at the front of the trailer and overlooked the street. Shelves of books, art work, mostly his, on the walls and awards for singing competitions were scattered haphazardly throughout the room. He was talented in the arts; creativity, music and drama were his passion. Although he had a body that could have easily mastered basketball, soccer or football, he chose to spend his free time using his imagination, creating other worlds with paint and brushes, acting out roles for the school drama classes and using his heavenly voice to sing praises of love, life and happiness. How many nights had he sung to her? Used his voice to seduce her in his truck, never pushing to go all the way, but enough to make her wet and hot? He was so talented, in so many ways, she knew he was going to go far in this life and she was going to be right beside him, loving him, supporting him.
She moaned as he caught the tender spot on her neck with his teeth and she started unbuttoning his shirt. His warm hand hesitated at the swell of her breast, unsure of whether he would be permitted to proceed or not. When Ana didn’t protest, he moved his hand over her breast, pushing her bra up at the same time. Her breath caught in her throat as he began to play with her nipple and she floundered at pulling his shirt off of him, kissing his neck and his chest. This wasn’t the first time she had seen him with his shirt off as they’d spent many summer days swimming at the pond. She had always marveled at the dark colored, soft hair that grew on his chest, how it curled around his nipples and trailed down his stomach to his navel. Her eyes were constantly drawn to where that trail of hair disappeared below his waistline and that’s where her imagination took over. Of course she had the sex education classes in school but she had never seen a real naked man, only the drawn illustrations that were approved by the school to teach the students of the physical attributes of the opposite sex.
Feeling bolder, she moved her hands down to his thighs and then slipped in between them, gently cupped the bulge that pressed against his jeans. She heard him moan with his own pleasure and she began to softly knead and stroke against the rough fabric, as Austin’s hips began to move rhythmically against her hand and he moved his hand down between her legs.
She had never let him go as far as she was allowing him tonight and she felt a hot, wet sensation spread at her feminine center
. Her hips began to rise to his touch, as if her body had taken over to fulfill its own need and she allowed herself to react, surprised at how natural it all felt. She moved her hand away from his groin to unzip his pants. Austin was already working on her shorts, sliding them down her long, slender legs. She had a moment's hesitation as her mind briefly flickered back to the possibility of being caught but her body quickly overcame her fear, she wouldn't worry tonight, she was with the man she loved. He was her best friend and the first man she had ever loved. She closed her eyes to savor the moment and shut out the rest of the world. She never saw the reflection of light bounce off his walls as down the road, headlights turned onto their street…
TWO
"Ana. Hello. Are you there? Come back to earth!" Anastasia Cassadine’s reverie was broken and the memories of the past wavered away like the heat off of a long stretch of highway. She sighed and turned to face her assistant and friend.
"I'm here, what's up Sally?" Ana tried to focus on her, the petite, five-feet-two inch brunette who had a killer body.
Ana's blasé tone of voice caused Sally's eyebrow to rise and Ana knew she hadn't fooled her friend. Sally stared at her boss and friend. Ana was a stunning beauty. At five foot nine, Ana had grown into her skin and in Sally’s opinion, could have done anything in this world that she had put her mind to. Her long, flowing hair was lighter than the color of winter wheat, her dimples so deep that they peeked out even when she wasn’t smiling and her face still held the illusion of innocence. Her delicate features fooled people into believing she wasn’t as strong as she truly was which turned out to be their downfall. Anastasia Cassadine was a person not to be underestimated.