They had a special strobe light to see if there was anything that the eye couldn't see and shone that inside the trunk.
"Looks like she was placed in here and there was a cover to keep the majority of the remnants from childbirth in the trunk from soaking through."
"But that doesn't make any sense," Parker determined. "If she had one child at the house in Detroit and now you're saying that she had another child here in the trunk most likely while they drove to the cabin. But the amount of blood and fluid in the passenger seat clearly shows that something major took place in the back seat, which she didn't get in until she left the cabin with Joanie. Can you shine the light in the back seat to see if we missed something?"
The officer didn't mind at all and Parker saw the letters when the light went over quickly.
"Go back over the door again," he ordered.
'I want to live for us.'
Parker wished he could put another bullet in Cheyenne but the bitch was already dead. His text message alert went off and Parker read the message from Mandingo.
'Woman found, taken to hospital in town. Report to emergency room now.'
Running to the helicopter glad the pilot had kept it warm, Parker gave him the instructions and then worried that he wouldn't make it in time as he remembered the sheriff's words.
***
Charisse was terrified to open her eyes to address the ""monster" or even think about the possibility that she could possibly be alive.
She could hear Chyna's voice in her head saying, "You're stronger than all of us, Charisse."
But this was to be where she died wasn't it?
Although this angel looked as if an animal had chewed off the side of his face and he grunted a lot. Once he set her down on somewhere warm she instantly went to sleep holding the baby close. When she awoke again she was fighting to hold onto to the baby with a nurse.
"Let her go!" the nurse yelled. “You need immediate medical attention!"
Charisse looked around in a panic. "I wasn't trying to kill myself."
"I know what the nurse said. But we need to fully check you and the baby. Now that man said he would return and I really don’t think I want to see his angry visage again."
Looking down to see that the baby was positioned against her breast so when it was hungry all it had to do was turn its head. That had not been the baby's original position she had held it in, so she had to assume "the angel" had moved the baby to a favorable position. Now that she had gotten some decent sleep she felt stronger but the pain was still there. Now it was just a dull throb and now she just wanted to feel better so she could see her other children and beat Cheyenne with a wooden bat until the splinters punctured her skin and she bleed to death.
Yes it sounded sick but Charisse was angry on a level that she'd never felt before.
Carefully the nursed pried the baby from her arms. Her body had gone to sleep and as the blood began to warm it felt as if invisible tiny ants were runny throughout her body. They had placed Jonas in a warming crib near her bedside and a pedestrian came in to look him over while another doctor was looking her over.
Even as they injected her with penicillin Charisse was still more concerned about her well-being. "How is he?"
"He's fine," the doctor assured her. "Very tiny but strong. He’s going to be fine."'
Charisse laid her head back and relaxed as the medical staff moved around her. All she could really see was her son and all she could really feel was all the love she had for all of her children and for Parker.
Weakly she said, "M-My babies. My other babies."
The nurse said, "We just got word Ms. Mills that there are two ambulances on the way to pickup the babies and your sister."
"My sister!" Charisse said vehemently. "She's the one that did this to me!"
"Then that could be why she has a bullet wound to her head."
Damn! Someone else had gotten the pleasure of taking down Cheyenne.
Remembering that they'd called her Ms. Mills she said, "And my husband?"
"His helicopter just arrived on the roof."
Chapter 50
Parker barely put on the medical outfit they wanted him to wear because of his eagerness to see her. And all he saw was her beautiful brilliant eyes and he wasn't going to let her go again.
"I love you," they said simultaneously.
Instantly their eyes locked and they both knew those words said more that only the heart could hear. When this nose only touched, she whispered, "I never want to spend another moment in my life without you for a very long time, Parker."
Parker was so choked up he could barely speak. "And I'm going to make sure you enjoy every last moment, Charisse," he promised very possessively. "And never think of leaving me."
Her smile felt like it was ear to ear and she didn't think she would ever stop smiling because he made her unbelievably happy.
Jonas wailed as the nurse gave him his first bath and he didn't appreciate it at all.
Parker looked over his shoulder with a confused frown. “How did just one get here so quickly?"
"The other two haven't arrived yet," she said simply.
Looking back at her, Parker took a moment to digest this statement knowing that Charisse was not crazy but that had to be the most insane thing to say. How could she just disregard their daughter like that? Had she ordered the baby removed from the room?
"I named him Jonas. I hope you don't mind," she said bashfully. "I figure you could name the other two."
"What other two, Charisse?" he asked perturbed. "You only had twins!"
His sudden harness shocked her, but then she couldn't help laughing.
"I don't find the fact that you don't want to be near your daughter funny, Charisse. We need to break the cycle of a mother hating her own flesh and blood."
Her smile disappeared. "And I plan on loving my daughter immensely - once she arrives. But I thought you were told of my extraordinary condition before you arrived. The two left at the cabin haven’t arrived yet."
He looked down at Jonas and noticed the baby had his eyes unlike the other one who had Charisse's. "T-triplets?" He asked in disbelief. Moving back to the bed he kissed her again. "Thank you Charisse. Thank you. Thank you!"
After each one he kissed her cheek, nose and forehead in appreciation for what she had accomplished.
"I'm sorry you couldn't be there for it. I'm so sorry Parker because I know it meant a lot to you."
"You don't have to be sorry for something you didn’t have control of," he said with understanding. "Cheyenne and Joanie are out of the way."
"Chyna's dead isn't she?"
He briefly explained that she had lived to make it to tell him a little, which had helped to confirm Mandingo's assessment as to her whereabouts.
She looked regretful knowing that her sister who had tried to help her was dead. "And what about Cheyenne and Joanie?"
"It may be a possibile Cheyenne…” His voice trailed off not wanting to say the words because it felt surreal. “But Joanie could be,” he said with disgust and relegated what had happened in the cabin.
She relaxed a lot and felt exhaustion take over her. "I'm still angry at the both of them for ruining everything we had waited nine months for."
He tried his best not to be upset over it even though he felt the same way. "We can enjoy raising them together, which I've heard is just as much fun."
Shyly she admitted, "Can we wait a while and try again?"
Surprised by her forward request, he said, "Yes, we can certainly do that. And before that we can put in a little practice.” he winked mischievously and she smiled wide again loving him more and more as he stayed by her side.
He even held Jonas until the other babies arrived. The doctor returned and let her know she would need a weeks worth of rest and they wanted to keep the babies as well for observation.
Parker had no qualms about it and didn’t mind staying there with her even though she had insisted that he return to Detroit to take car
e of his business.
"Didn’t we talk about me being able to handle my business before, Charisse?" he growled in irritation.
She could hear a foul tone of voice but she could see in his eyes soft brown embers of respect and love for her. "I know you can Parker, but I can handle this until you return."
Kimberly arrived the next day with the baby and ordered Parker immediately out of the room. “Jaelen and I have arranged for the cabin to be cleaned and arranged for us, so get over there and get some fresh clothes on. Charisse doesn't need to smell you and the babies." Even though she was teasing Charisse could tell he was relieved at the thought of someone staying with Charisse while he went to clean up.
Having another female's company around that could talk babies was wonderful and Kimberly made her feel so proud of herself when Jonas was brought in.
"You're amazing, Charisse and he's the most precious thing in the whole wide world." She picked him up and coddled him. Jonas loved the attention and once he found his niche in Kimberly's arm he clumsily sucked on his bawled up fist trying to make up his mind to look at her or sleep.
"You're going to be a beautiful handful," Kimberly told him. "And you named him after your father."
"Yes. I was going to name her after Parker's mother until I found out it was Lula Belle. Even he was against that and we agreed with Shawna Kimberly Mills."
Kimberly gasped. "Seriously? That's too sweet. You sure its not too long?"
"It's perfect."
"And the other?"
"He's a junior and I made Jonas’ middle name Nevada."
"That's an unique name, but he's extraordinary, just like his mother. Why didn't they see him on the scan?"
"I only had three of them in all and the last one was in my seventh month. Dr. Redmond looked at the pictures again and said he must have been hiding behind his very large brother, which Parker Junior was at eight pounds. Jonas was only six."
The fist was not cutting it anymore for Jonas and Kimberly brought him to Charisse's bedside. After he greedily latched on, Kimberly asked Charisse. "Are you ready to begin your happily ever after?"
"It's weird, but at the same time wonderful to hear people acknowledging me as Mrs. Mills. I love being and knowing that I’m his wife, but I’m worried about his expectation."
Dryly, Kimberly said, "Trust me when I say from being a spectator to Parker's life you can't go anywhere but up." Sitting on the bed by Charisse's leg, Kimberly continued, "Chyna didn't do very well as a wife but you stop worrying. Be yourself, Charisse. He fell in love with you before he even realized who he was falling in love with and nothing you can do wrong can change that about his heart."
Charisse was very glad to have Kimberly as a friend.
"And I've already made the arrangements so please don't argue with me when I say you’ll be moving into the house with us until Parker finds a house."
"You already– " she started to protest.
"Not another word," Kimberley said adamantly going over to check on Shawna's diaper that had started to fidget. "I'm so happy to have babies in the house and I can get the benefits of babies around without being physically tired."
"If I haven't told you what a great friend you are Kimberly, I'm telling you now."
***
On her last morning at the hospital when she awoke immediately she sensed something was wrong. All the curtains in her room had been drawn closed and only the bathroom light had been turned on. Kimberly had spent the night in the room helping her pack and she was still asleep in the chair by the bed with Jessica lying over her lap, but Jessica wasn't asleep.
The little girl was looking in the darkest corner of the room and quietly giggling.
She turned to where the child was looking and gasped now seeing a large dark figure that stretched up to the ceiling. He knew the moment he was noticed and crotched down. Charisse looked quickly over at her sleeping set as terror gripped her and realized that her nurse’s button had fallen down to the floor. Could this Goliath have the speed along with the strength it looked like he possessed?
And if she screamed could they save her in time if he had a gun?
It was too dark to see any details about him and the fact the he didn't move from the darkness to allow her to see his face made it even more terrifying.
Jessica wiggled down to the floor not waking her mother and waddled toward the dark.
"Jessie!" Charisse hissed. "Stop! Come here."
Jessica looked over at her pausing in her steps. "Unc' Manna! Unc Manna!" She looked at the dark figure. "Unca' Manna" She put her arms out because she was trying to be obedient for Charisse but her desire to go in the corner was greater.
"Come here," Charisse ordered the child because the dark figure had yet to move.
Reluctantly Jessica came over to the bed and allowed Charisse to pull her up on it.
Jessica pointed to the corner and said, "Unca' Manna, friend."
Confused as the child kissed Charisse's cheek to assure her and then wiggled down, she waddled over to the dark corner. Charisse gasped as the figure took the baby in arms like thick pipes lifting her slowly. Jessica giggled and repeatedly said, "Aunna Char Char, friend Unca Manna" The giant put the child down and Jessica waddled back over to her mother dug through the baby bag for a sipping cup full of juice and plopped her fat butt on the floor as if there was nothing in the world to be afraid of.
Charisse asked bravely. "Are you Mandingo?"
"Yes," his scratchy deep voice, which sounded like a vicious growl, said.
"Why are you sneaking around? Or is that your specialty?"
"I have a quiet step."
"Come into the light," she ordered.
"No," he said refusing. "I'll make this quick. Who's the ugly girl?"
Keeping Nevada's secret safe until her trouble was over with felt important to Charisse. "She's no one for you to be concerned with."
"How did she slip out of the house before you went out of town?"
"I let her in the nurse's room and she slipped out the window. How she got to the ground I do not know."
"You aren’t a very good friend. I only want to help her."
Charisse was peeved that he had to nerve to use guilt on her. "She doesn’t want your help. If memory serves me correctly you are the big man she wanted to stay very far away from. I don't think she likes you very much."
"Angrily he said, "She's seen me?"
"She says she has."
"Then it isn't my personality she's afraid of." He finally stepped into the light and Charisse gasped. This was her seraphim. He was the one who had saved her.
Now she understood all the dreams and she calmed her heart. Knowing that he had saved her made her also understand that he had no plans to inflict hurt upon her or any of the other occupants in the room. "She still expressed deep resistance to knowing you so telling you anything about her would not make me a very good friend."
He put on a hat he had been holding low on his head and his white eye pierced Charisse, angry he hadn't gotten his way.
She knew he was about to leave. "Why do you want to see her so bad? Because you like the way she looks?"
He frowned. "She seems intelligent, resourceful and it just gets my goat that she can hide from me so well. I haven't seen that kind of woman since Onyx."
If she just looked at the normal side of his face she could actually see a very handsome man, but she felt pity. "If she comes around I'll– "
He practically leaped across the room, leaned down on the bed and glared at her the injured eye white all the way to the iris seeming to beam anger into her soul. “I don't need your pity or your help. I'll find her myself."
Kimberly stirred awake. Charisse glanced over at her friend and then returned to him, but it was only to see the hospital door closing.
Nevada was right. He was creepy and it had nothing to do with his face.
***
Parker watched her sleep peacefully in the guest bed at Jaelen's large home
. It was going on four weeks after the trauma and Charisse was holding up so well. He was amazed and revered that she was his wife.
Beside her bed, the babies slept quietly in three separate cribs. He tenderly kissed each one before sitting on the bed next to his wife on the bed. Usually she was an early riser but Junior had been extra fussy last night and just couldn’t sleep until his mother showed him some attention.
He had been almost jealous watching her give his son so much attention, but occasionally she would glance his way and wink at him.
This was his family and he couldn't begin to describe how elated he was. On cloud nine about this whole situation even Jaelen's usual sour demeanor couldn't get him down. Ethan and Nicole had come over yesterday with their new bundle of joy to share with Parker and Charisse.
"What time is it?" Charisse asked yawning as she stretched her luscious body out.
"It's going on ten, but I ordered Kimberly to let you sleep as long as possible. She agreed." He gave her a good morning kiss and she could tell by the way he pressed forward that he had waited several hours for it.
Charisse briefly visually checked the babies and then looked back at him. "You never got a chance to tell me what's going to happen to them."
Parker didn’t need to be told who "them" was. "Well, the prosecutor will charge them with murder and attempted murder, kidnapping, embezzlement and even tax evasion. Joanie's been helpful with her testimony. What did you say to her?"
"In so many words I made her grow a conscience,” she said. The police had come to her hospital room to retrieve her testimony in the entire incident. Eventually if Cheyenne fought the charges against her, Charisse would have to get on the stand and testify against her sister.
She had no qualms about that and looked forward to telling the court just how truly evil her sister was. Not to get revenge against her sister, but to protect her new family from Cheyenne. Either way, Cheyenne would be in jail for the rest of her life and Joanie wouldn’t see the light of day for a long time despite her testimony against her so called friend.
“I’m so proud of you, Charisse,” Parker said holding her hand and kissing her knuckles. Getting up from the bed, he went over to a table he had passed when he had come into the room and set something on. Bringing the tray closer to the bed, she giggled at the neatly cut up apples, toast and eggs.
His Substitute Wife... My Sister Book Two Page 26