by Scott, D. D.
These people just didn’t have any limits, did they?
It was a freaking blizzard. Less than four hours after the TV shows had aired.
And these animals were on their property, damn near beating in their windows.
Her body quivered.
Hearing shots fired, she crouched lower under the table. She placed her hands over Damian’s hands which were now covering her head and ears.
But no matter how hard she pressed against his rigid taught skin, she couldn’t block the echoes of the gunshots. She swore they vibrated her soul.
And oh God, she sooo hoped their child wasn’t feeling it too.
But just as soon as the shots and hell broke loose, it was over.
She heard a few directives being given, and she hoped it was their security team issuing the orders, for whoever was out there was now face down with their hands behind their backs. She also thought she heard someone yell to toss away the camera.
People were out there taking pictures now?! Of what?!
Her stomach, once warm and full with cocoa and scones, now felt hollow and empty, but filled, at the same time, with a new kind of fear and raw, exposed terror.
The monsters had found their house.
Suddenly, hiding for six months didn’t seem so unreasonable.
“I’m going outside to finish this,” Roman said.
“I’m coming with you,” Zoey said.
“Me too,” Damian added then kissed Audrey’s cheek before starting to crawl out from under the table.
“No,” both Roman and Zoey said simultaneously.
“You’re staying inside with Audrey. They’ll want the man behind the woman they’re after too, and we’re not ready for that yet,” Zoey said the unusual edge to her voice rather frightening.
“C’mon, Man,” Cody reached for Damian and helped him out from under the table.
“They’ve got you covered,” Zayne said patting Damian’s back and pulling out a chair for him. “Let’s just sit tight, and let these people do their jobs.”
Audrey laid her head against the cold wood floor, needing something to block the fear continuing to heat her entire being.
Soon she was flanked by both Roxy and Jules who’d evidently crawled under the table with her.
They gathered her in their arms and formed a makeshift shield around her. She collapsed against them, finally letting the tears she’d fought for six months trickle down her cheeks, waiting for the flood inside her to break the dam.
Chapter Eight
Audrey stood in front of the full-length dressing mirror now in her and Damian’s master bedroom. A gift from Zoey, Audrey couldn’t believe the transformation the mirror reflected.
Gone was her chic, platinum bob, which she’d really kinda liked after she’d gotten used to it. And in its place, was a strange, red, three-quarter length, every day normal, French-braided wig.
It wasn’t a bright orange, Pippi Longstocking or Wendy’s girl red. Rather a red-brown, Julianne Moore color. Nice really. But sooo not anything Audrey would have ever pictured herself wearing.
The French braid…it was okay. Recalling Damian’s comment that he thought it was rather hot-looking, she chuckled to herself. If he was okay with it, that made the change much more bearable. Him thinking it was actually sexy was an added bonus Audrey hadn’t expected but really got a kick out of.
She turned sideways to get a different view of the whole package Zoey had created for this first of what it sounded like would be weekly change-ups.
At she and Roman’s insistence, it appeared that Audrey would not be photographed more than once with the same look. She’d also be travelling by different means every time they left the house for all-things-Baby-Baker.
Thinking about her baby — their baby — she moved her hands in the small circles she now found most comforting, caressing the skin over the still fairly flat part of her stomach housing their child.
Today was the day. She and Damian’s first doctor’s visit.
So they’d know what to expect, they’d read all the pertinent pages on their Kindle.
Tiny shivers of excitement surged through Audrey’s body. This was it. After today’s adventure, they’d know for sure that pregnancy was their new reality.
And since she more than qualified for a high-risk pregnancy, because of both her and Damian’s ages as well as the inordinate amount of stress they were under living as almost fugitives, they would be able to have an early, first-trimester ultrasound. One couple minutes worth of video streaming from her belly would make their whole situation more than real.
Checking out the outfit Roxy had created for her, Audrey laughed out loud. They should have a red carpet leading to the prenatal exam room.
She’d never dressed this Hollywood before. Who knew what the hell Roxy’s inspiration was for this ensemble, although knowing Roxy’s obsession with all-things-Kardashian, it was probably safe to call her muses by the names Kim, Kourtney or Khloe.
Although, in this outfit, Audrey looked like a red-headed, Kardashian stepchild. And she had the super-sized shawl, black jeggings, thigh high boots and hobo bag to pull it off — a bag so obscenely large, she could have packed a baby carrier inside it.
Only because Audrey knew Roxy so well did she not mind the imposition she and Damian’s situation was putting on Roxy’s workload. Hell, if Audrey didn’t already know that Roxy didn’t have the time for this, she’d think her friend was about to launch into all new lines. Audrey couldn’t believe the fun Roxy was having designing, then making, these get-ups - get-ups that were to become Audrey’s reality in front of both her dressing mirror and then every paparazzi lens.
Speaking of paparazzi, Audrey flipped on the portable radio Roman and Zoey had given them, listening to the handlers’ communications while she packed the beast of a bag Roxy had given her. As she shoved-in her notebook containing questions she had for their doctor, she decided she’d better take the Kindle too, figuring they’d have plenty of time to recheck all the pages they’d bookmarked with their concerns. She also made sure she had a few pens, in case one or more ran out of ink, she packed her Flip camera in case the doctor would let them take a few videos of their own.
A video of these excursions might be nice to have, she thought.
Hopefully someday, their kid would be able to laugh at and get a charge out of the fact that every time his or her mom went to the doctor during the pregnancy she looked like a completely different person. Heck, it might even give Audrey some ideas for their future Halloween costumes too.
Jules had already filled the bag with several food treats for their time in the office. The book said this would be the longest visit of the entire pregnancy, but damn if Jules must have thought they’d be spending the entire nine months in the doctor’s waiting room.
She’d sent all kinds of muffins, including Damian’s favorite carrot cake kind and her favorite banana bran variety.
Just the thought of banana anything now had her almost drooling. Yummy. Maybe she was experiencing her first craving. Funny it would be bananas. She’d always liked them, but they were never her go-to snack.
Interesting. She’d once heard her mom say she’d craved bananas when she was pregnant with her.
Remembering that fact, a slight chill crept through the thick black shawl Roxy had wrapped around Audrey’s upper body. Playing with the gigantic fringe hanging from the shawl’s ends, she tried to block out any connection with her mother. She hoped to never be like her.
Suddenly the thought of bananas made her sick. She reached in the bag, took out the banana bran muffins and threw them in the trash.
Jules had plenty of other goodies in the bag like her fabulous cupcakes. So yeah. Maybe cupcakes would be her craving.
But definitely not anything bananas.
Picking up the bag, her arm plummeted to her side. She’d need a fourth vehicle in their entourage for just the bag.
She shook her head, thinking about the obscene trav
el plans Roman and his marshal monkeys had meticulously laid out on all the maps they’d spread across their kitchen table. Hell, he even had charts and spreadsheets to go along with the Google and MapQuest print-outs.
The car she was assigned — a cute little, black, VW bug — would be lead by a pick-up truck then followed by a family van, both the lead and follow vehicles driven by members of the new security team Roman had hired.
If this first plan worked, Audrey’s car, thank God, would always be driven by Zoey, Jules, Roxy or one of The Mom Squad members. If it didn’t, she’d be driven by the trained drivers who could handle diversion tactics if needed.
Despite Cody’s Gramma Lucy’s insistence that she could handle the stunt-style driving — why, because she always watched the special effects reels included in the extras on DVDs - so far, Roman hadn’t agreed to let her act in this capacity. Although, the woman was constantly on him to change his mind, on him like a pesky fly Audrey swore he wanted to crack with a swatter.
For this first trip, it would be Zoey behind the wheel, Roxy in the front passenger seat, and Jules and Audrey in the back, making it look like they were just a bunch of girls out and about. Damian was to go ahead of them by over an hour and was then to meet them at the office.
Each car in Audrey’s group would leave at different times to hopefully confuse the paps and their blinding cameras.
All lights in the house would be left on, the fireplace going too, so appearances were that Audrey was still home.
Damn she sure hoped all this worked, and they didn’t have to up the ante. But after the blizzard night incident, she no longer doubted they needed the protection.
She went into the kitchen where the girls were waiting for her, but had to slow down her normally brisk gait in order to handle the huge boots Roxy had her wearing.
Stopping behind them before she made her presence known, she, Jules, and Zoey were now leaning over the table watching Roxy draw on her tablet.
“Oh I like that one,” Zoey said. “Very Lady Gaga.”
That did it. Time to let ‘em know she was there, Audrey thought.
“I am sooo not wearing some Lady Gaga get-up,” she said, moving Jules aside so she could better see the drawing they were discussing.
“Relax, Fugitive,” Roxy said, laughing at the sound of her new nickname for Audrey. “This one is just for fun.”
“Yeah. Right. Don’t you even think about it unless it’s for some Halloween Event.” Audrey took a deep breath, settled her feet again in what felt like KISS boots, then switched arms for the crazy bag handling as her right one was now about numb.
“Here. Let me get that for you,” Jules said, taking the bag.
“Good idea. You are the bag lady of the bunch,” Roxy said, standing up, putting her fancy French drawing pencils into a pouch and closing the lid of the sketch pad that, these days, went everywhere she did.
“Speaking of which. Get me one of these bags, Rox. This is fabulous,” Jules said, turning the bag in her arms and admiring the gorgeous leather and brass hardware details.
“At least one of you appreciates my efforts,” Roxy said, her trademark pout in place, tinged a wicked red glossy sheer.
“You know I appreciate all you’re doing,” Audrey said, wondering if she hadn’t hurt her friend’s feelings a bit by bitching a little too much about her new look. “The boots may be a bit overkill, but other than that it’s great.”
“She is pregnant, Rox. Not a rock star, for God’s sakes,” Jules piped-in.
“Who ask you, Martha Stewart? What did you want me to put her in to pull off that look? Sketchers?!”
Both Audrey and Jules looked at Roxy with interested faces. Audrey couldn’t even pretend she didn’t think that Sketchers would be a great idea. Her feet and back were already aching in spots they never had before, and she was only about six weeks along.
“Oh, you both are sooo nuts. Obviously low on sugar or something,” Roxy said tsk tsking her hands as if to completely blow ‘em off.
“Maybe the Sketcher’s Kardashian line. But that’s as far as I’m even willing to consider. I mean it. Give me one of those cupcakes in your purse, Audie, and you’d both better eat one too,” Roxy took the bag out of Jules’ hands and rummaged through it ‘til she came out with three gorgeous buttercream frosted cupcakes. “Sketchers. Hmmmppphhh.”
“I love the idea, Audie,” Jules whispered. “Don’t worry, she’ll come around.”
Audrey raised her eyebrows and lowered her head, letting Jules know she highly doubted it. She’d be stuck in KISS boots most of the winter, and they both knew it.
“Time to get this show on the road,” Zoey said, hustling them out of the kitchen to their VW super secret coupe. “The first car is exactly nineteen minutes out. We need to leave in the next two minutes.”
Too bad pregnancy wasn’t this predictable, Audrey thought, then got in the car, allowing herself to be chauffeured to her and Damian’s new destiny.
• • •
Damian had been in the doctor’s office for damn near thirty-five minutes before the door finally opened with Audrey in the threshold.
Seeing her sweet but unsure smile immediately calmed his nerves.
He didn’t like not being able to ride with her. He wanted to be the one right next to her, protecting her and their baby. But he knew, for now, he wasn’t the best qualified or trained to take that responsibility.
This time, to protect his family, he had to step-aside and let the professionals do their jobs. A tough pill to swallow.
‘Course the tougher pill yet was the fact that he was waiting for her in their new perinatologist’s office. Even scarier still. He — Damian Baker — knew that unlike a regular OB-GYN, a perinatologist specialized in maternal-fetal medicine, a necessary specialist for their high-risk pregnancy.
He got up to help Audrey off with her coat, then gave her a once-over.
He was still very much into the red French braid thing, but the rest of the outfit was a little out there for him.
He couldn’t wait ‘til he had his normal Audrey back. And he so hoped that day would come soon, although he wasn’t so sure it would.
“What the hell’s up with those boots? Should you be wearing something like that?” He asked, not really caring if it was supposed to be some fashion statement. She needed to be more careful and conservative now and take care of herself first, not be the poster child for Roxy’s Raeve promotions.
“Don’t even go there about the boots,” she cautioned him, and he could tell from her tight frown she didn’t much care for ‘em either.
“Okay. Okay,” he said throwing up his hands in mock surrender.
“Did you bring that little notebook we started?” He asked, then reached one hand into his back jeans’ pocket and took out a folded sheet of graph paper.
“Sure, Baby,” Audrey said maneuvering the monster bag onto her knees to dig for the tablet. “What you got there?”
“Oh, I thought of some more questions this morning while Zoey and Roxy were getting you ready, and I wanted to add them to our list,” he said, the slightest hint of heat warming his neck.
Yeah. He knew he was had. He was taking a liking to this whole process. And she knew it.
He’d also learned he sure enjoyed working together with her on a project. They made a great team. And would maybe make great parents too, he thought. He actually looked forward to how they’d been taking a couple hours each night over the past couple weeks to sit by the fire and read their pregnancy book, making notes together then planning what to do with all this new information.
He looked at Audrey as she handed him their notebook.
Aw shucks if she didn’t have that goofy ‘I love you — you’re adorable’ smile shaping her silky smooth lips. That look got ‘em square in the heart every time.
“So what kinds of things you got on that list?” Audrey asked, looking over the side of the sheet while she wrapped one of her shawl-covered arms over the
top of his shoulders and base of his neck.
“Well, we need to know exactly what you should be eating,” Damian said pointing to his notes.
“How’s this,” Audrey said, reaching back into the monster bag and pulling out two cupcakes.
“Nice try,” Damian said taking one of the cupcakes then chuckling. “But I doubt that’s gonna be part of your regular diet.”
“What else?”
“I’m afraid to say what else or you might pull that outta that huge ass purse too,” he said enjoying their playful banter.
“Try me,” she said, pulling lightly on a piece of his hair then rubbing the back of his neck ‘til it made his knees weak. Good thing he was sitting down.
“We need to know what kinds of vitamins and supplements we need to get you. Also, whether or not you should be exercising and if so what kinds of exercise,” he said then gave her their we’d-so-rather-be-in-bed-look, anxious to get her sure-to-be whooped-up response to that suggestive topic.
She pulled on the loose curls at the nape of his neck a tad bit harder then laughed that cute little giggle thing she did when they were talking anything that could remotely be considered a sexual connotation.
“And,” he said, wanting to get this last point in before it was their turn in the exam room, “I wanted to make sure they have your complete Pregnancy Profile. You know, all the back history that got us both to this point.”
He folded up his list and tucked it inside the front pocket of their notebook.
“You’ve been studying our pregnancy bible wayyy too much,” Audrey said, teasing him.
Although he knew, by the look on her face and the warm spirited sparkle in her baby blues, that he’d warmed her heart and put her more at ease with his interest in being fully a part of their pregnancy.
And wow was he so vested in making this the best experience he could for them, despite the hell they were going through because of Audrey’s family.
“All kidding aside, the book said we’ve got to tell the whole truth and nothing but. We’ve got to fess up about all the craziness in our world right now,” Damian said, sad to see her playful expression turn to one of quiet intensity and regret.