by Velvet Reed
When the cab arrives at the garage, Dad comes out of the workshop wiping his dirty hands on an old rag to meet me, and he quickly pays the fare before I can. “You should have called me; I would have picked you up, Sweet Pea. You know I would have come right away,” He says, leaning in and kissing my cheek.
“I know you would have, but I also know how busy you guys are, and I didn’t want to interrupt you.”
“Hey, it wouldn’t matter what I was doing; my kids and my grandbabies come first. You’re carrying precious cargo there, Gracie; nothing is more important than that.”
“Okay, Poppy.” I wink. “Next time, I’ll call.”
“Hey there, sis, how’s my little nephew doing?” Charlie greets me, as he comes out to join Dad and me. He pecks my cheek and goes to touch my stomach.
“Whoa, no greasy hands on my clothes, Charlie; I have an appointment in half an hour.”
“Relax. I washed them before I came out. I just wanted to see if the little guy wants to say hi to his favorite uncle,” he says, as he places his hand on my belly.
“This time of morning is always quiet time, so I doubt you’ll feel anything. And what’s up with this nephew business anyway? It could be a girl, you know.”
Charlie laughs, “Yeah, it could and I’ll love her the same but I just have this feeling. What does Cole think it is?”
“Before he saw the first ultrasound, he thought it was a boy, but obviously, he could tell. Actually, I’m surprised he hasn’t mentioned it since.” Now that I think about it, Cole is being very careful about the way he says things; when we discuss names, he always suggests both female and male ones. Hmmm, I thought he would have caved in by now.
“Well, there’s still ten weeks left for him to slip up and tell you what it is.” He smirks, as if he doesn’t think Cole will be able to keep quiet until the baby is born.
“No, no. There’s no way Cole would spoil the surprise for Gracie, even accidentally. If I know anything about that boy, it’s that he’d want to see the look on Gracie’s face, when she meets their baby for the first time and finds out what it is. I’ll bet you twenty dollars he keeps it to himself,” Dad says to Charlie.
“Oh, you’re on, old man. It’ll be the easiest twenty I’ve ever made.” Charlie challenges.
Watching two of the most important men in my life banter affectionately, warms my heart. Dad, Charlie, and I have always been extremely close, even more so after Mom died. Knowing they’re always there for me, no matter what, makes me realize just how lucky I am. Not every family has the kind of relationship we have, and the fact that my baby is going to experience that as well is amazing.
“Anyway... You guys are still coming for dinner tonight, right?” I ask.
“Of course we are Sweet Pea. And you better have those ultrasound pictures ready so I can see my gorgeous grandbaby again,” Dad says, and his bright smile makes the corners of his eyes wrinkle up. Even at fifty-two, my dad is still a very handsome man. I know that he loved my mom fiercely, but sometimes I wonder why he’s never moved on; fifteen years is a long time to be by yourself. Then again, he was raising Charlie and me, and now, Charlie and Rubes have lived with him for the past three years, so I guess that doesn’t leave much opportunity for Dad to have his own life. Maybe it’s time for Dad to start putting his needs first, for a change.
“Oh, you’ll get to see them, don’t worry. Well… if you can pry them out of Cole’s hand long enough, you’ll get to see them.” I laugh. He’s like a kid who doesn’t want to share his favorite toy when he gets those pictures… You can look, but you can’t touch them.
“He’ll let me see them if he knows what’s good for him. But right now, you have an appointment to get to.” Reaching into his pocket, Dad pulls out a set of car keys. “Everything’s done and it’s running like a dream.”
“Thanks, Daddy. I’ll get the account fixed up next week when I’m in the office,” I tell him, as I take the keys from his outstretched hand.
“Don’t be ridiculous, you’ve never paid for a service in your life, and you certainly aren’t going to start paying for them now,” he chastises.
Overwhelmed with the need to tell him how much he means to me, I close the distance between us and wrap by arms around my dad, as best I can with my belly in the way and trying to avoid any grease stains.
“You know how much I love you, right?” I ask.
My dad kisses the top of my head. “Yeah, I do, Gracie, but it’s nowhere nearly as much as I love you.”
“You’re the best dad anyone could ask for, and I want you to know that I’m so thankful for everything you’ve ever done for me,” I tell him sincerely.
“Hey, where’s all this coming from?” he asks, pulling back with furrowed brows to search my face for an explanation.
I look at the man who has dedicated his life to our family. “Nowhere, I just love you, that’s all.”
“Enough with the mushy stuff, Gracie.” Charlie chuckles.
I pull back from my dad’s arms and turn to my brother. “Awe, are you feeling left out, big brother?” I tease.
“Whatever.” He smirks and wraps me in his arms too. “Now go, before you miss your appointment.”
He lets go of me and I step back.
“Yeah, yeah, I’m going, and I love you too, big brother.” I wink, and Charlie shakes his head, smiling after me.
When I get to the car and open the door, Charlie calls out to me. “Hey, Gracie?”
“Yeah?” I reply.
“Can you let Cole know that he’s going to need new tires on that thing when he brings it in next time?” he says.
“Sure, no problem,” I reply. Then I jump into Cole’s Jeep, crank the engine, and pull out of the garage ready to go see my gorgeous man and my precious baby.
Chapter 45
I’ve waited...
I’ve watched...
I’ve bided my time...
Opportunity came knocking and I took it.
Do I regret my actions?
Fuck, no!
I’m finally gonna get what’s mine.
She’s finally gonna belong to me.
The fucker isn’t gonna be an issue much longer.
Those tits, that face, that body...
All fucking mine!
She doesn’t even realize yet how happy she’ll be without him.
I’m on cloud fucking nine!
See you in hell, Tierney!
Chapter 46
Cole….
I’ve only been at work for about two hours and I’m already missing Gracie like crazy. Waking up with her beside me every day is incredible, and something I definitely won’t take for granted. Making love to her this morning was the perfect start to my day; her soft skin and her full, firm breasts demand to be explored, caressed, tasted, and devoured. Nothing tastes as exquisite as Gracie. How I would love to be back in our bed right now, running my tongue all over her perfect body, kissing and nibbling every inch of her. Just thinking about it causes movement in my scrub pants, which isn’t something I want to be displaying in the hospital corridors. I head to the doctors lounge to grab a coffee.
Sam’s already in there, when I arrive, stretched out on the couch. “So, this is how other doctors spend their time.” I smirk.
Sam looks up and chuckles. “Not usually, no, but I’ve already had two deliveries this morning and I’ve only been in for three hours, so I’m taking a few minutes… Plus, I have a VIP patient coming in this morning, so I have to be at the top of my game.” He’s really smiling now.
“VIP patient?” I question as I make myself coffee.
“Yeah, I have to take extra special care of this one,” Sam retorts.
“Okay; so who’s the VIP?” I’m really curious now. “Wait, is their appointment before or after Gracie’s because I really want to be there for the ultrasound, and I can’t be out of the ER for too long if you’re running late?”
Sam gives me a look, stands, and says, “Really Cole… Man,
I’m talking about Gracie.”
“Right, okay… Well, you better be at the top of your game, our friendship depends on it.” I smirk at him.
“As if you’d get rid of me, Cole; no one knows you like I do.” He smiles wide and chuckles. “Well… except for Gracie, and I sure as hell don’t want to know you in the intimate ways she does.”
“Jealous, are you?” I quip.
“Maybe, a little,” he replies. “All right, I’ve gotta head back…” He trails off and looks at me as if he wants to say something else or ask something, but he doesn’t. “Catch you later, Cole,” he finishes and walks out of the room.
I know exactly what he was going to ask about because it’s always at the back of my mind, too. There have been no more notes or photos, and while I take that as a good sign that the sicko has moved on, there’s always a small bit of doubt hovering around. Sam and I haven’t told anyone else about the notes, but I’ve managed to talk Mom and the girls into setting up the nursery for the baby, which means that Gracie’s rarely alone for very long.
Gracie’s excitement over the nursery is beautiful. Whenever something new is purchased, she tells me every little detail about it. The further she gets in her pregnancy, the more she glows, which proves keeping my eyes and hands off her nearly impossible.
Thinking about Gracie again, I pull out my phone and dial her number. It rings a while before she picks up. “Hey, Sweet Cheeks.”
“Hey, yourself,” she replies breathlessly.
“You okay, baby? You sound out of breath. What are you doing?”
“No, no, I’m good. I was sitting in the nursery, so I had to rush to the bedroom for the phone.” Apart from Grace getting emotional at times, her pregnancy has been almost perfect. Lately, she’s been getting more tired; so she’s working from home more, which means she can nap when she needs to.
“Okay, well, I just wanted to hear your voice and tell you that you’re the most beautiful, pregnant woman in the world and I love you more than life itself.” I know I sound sappy, but I couldn’t care less. I love this woman and I will always let her know.
Gracie sighs deeply and I can hear the smile in her voice. “You have no idea how much I love you too, Cole. I can’t wait to see our baby again today; you’re going to try to be at the appointment with me, right?”
I can’t help smiling. “Of course, I’ll try my best, baby. Listen I have to go, drive carefully and I’ll meet you in Sam’s office. I love you so much, Gracie.”
Gracie giggles. “I know, Cole, love you forever, and see you soon.” We both hang up and my heart swells with love and contentment.
I can’t wipe the smile off my face as I walk through the halls of the hospital, and as I turn the corner into the ER, Allison comes to a stop in front of me. “Wow… Dr. Tierney, I don’t think anyone could possibly look happier than you right now.”
My smile gets impossibly bigger as I nod and gush. I actually gushed. “You know what, Allison? I don’t think anyone could possibly be happier than I am; life really couldn’t get any better. I have an amazing woman who I’m ridiculously in love with, and in ten weeks, we’ll bring a beautiful new life into the world.”
Allison smiles widely. “So, how’s Grace feeling? I haven’t seen her in a few weeks.”
I seriously think my jaw is about to lock in place; the muscles are starting to ache from all this constant smiling. “She’s really great, Al, feeling good and absolutely glowing. I actually just got off the phone with her and you might see her today; she’s on her way in for an appointment with Sam. I’m hoping to skip out and be there for the ultrasound.”
Allison starts to move away. “Well, you tell her to drop by and see me if she gets a chance, and I’ll try to make sure all is quiet in the ER for you so you can see that gorgeous baby of yours,” she says, on a laugh. Yeah, like she can make that happen! She continues walking, but spins back. “I’m so happy for you, Dr. Tierney; we all are.”
With another smile, I call out, “Thanks, Allison,” and walk down the hall to my next patient.
The morning seems to fly right by, and as I walk out of exam room two, I glance at my watch and see that it’s not long until Gracie’s appointment. God, I can’t wait to see our baby again. I’ll check with Allison and see if I can leave for a while. Just as I’m thinking that, Allison and Sam rush around the corner toward me.
“What’s up?” I ask, and Allison speaks first.
“Incoming trauma. The patient’s heavily pregnant and reports are that she ran several red lights and stop signs before three other vehicles collided with her car at an intersection. She’s unconscious, possible broken ribs, broken arm and leg, facial lacerations and head trauma, and a major concern is the distress the baby’s in; that’s why Dr. Evans is here.”
I shoot Sam a sidelong glance and fall into step beside them heading for the ambulance bay. “ETA, Allison?”
“Approximately five minutes, Dr. Tierney,” she replies.
“Okay, Sam and I will go make sure everything’s set up. You go ahead and wait for the ambulance.” Allison nods and heads away from us. Sam and I go to trauma room one. Our efficient team already has everything in place, so we put on gloves and are ready for the patient.
“Cole, if this baby is in serious distress, I’m going to have to do an emergency C-section, quickly. The mother needs to be assessed and stabilized as fast as possible so I can get them to an OR.”
“Sure thing, I’ll assess the mother; you worry about saving the baby; any broken bones can be fixed later, but it’s the head trauma I’m worried about.”
Sam gasps. “Shit, I’m going to miss Gracie’s appointment.”
I chuckle and shake my head. There isn’t another baby or pregnant woman as important to him as Gracie and his godchild. “Don’t stress, Sam, she’ll understand and I’m sure she’ll still let you be the baby’s godfather.”
Sam glares at me. “That’s not funny, Cole.” His expression and tone, are full of annoyance. I chuckle to myself again.
We’re moving back toward the ambulance bay doors when Allison appears running through them with a horrified expression on her face. She’s completely unsettled and nothing ever gets to Allison. She’s always calm and collected, but now her eyes are darting between Sam’s and mine. Sam and I share a look and Sam snorts. “Jesus, Allison, are you all right? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
Allison looks back at me as her eyes fill with tears. My heart jumps straight into my throat. “Allison?” I croak.
“Cole,” she says, in barely a whisper. Cole? She never calls me Cole at work; something is seriously wrong. The bay doors open and the EMTs push the gurney through. I can see the pregnant patient. My gaze is drawn to her blood-covered shirt. It’s yellow, bright yellow. The same yellow, my beautiful girl was wearing when I left the house this morning. Please, God, No!
“God, Cole it’s… it’s Grace.” Allison sobs.
I hear Sam call my name. He sounds far away, very far away. I feel someone grab for my arm, but I pull free and I’m running. I make it to the gurney where the EMTs are rattling off a list of injuries, BPs, and oxygen saturations, but nothing makes sense. Please, please don’t be her. Please, God! I look down at the woman and take in her face which is covered in blood and lacerations. It’s Gracie…
My beautiful Gracie.
There’s movement all around me. Sam’s shouting my name, but I don’t answer him. I’m vaguely aware of other doctors and nurses in the trauma room, but all I can do is stare at Gracie’s face. Different voices are bouncing around the room, and someone’s tugging at my arms, I pull away and continue staring at the woman I love, at the reason for my existence. Somewhere in the back of my mind I acknowledge that I AM a doctor… I should be helping her, but my mind isn’t working as it should be.
Sam’s face appears directly in my line of sight. “Cole, you need to get out of here now! You need to move so we can take care of Gracie and the baby!” He yells at me.
&
nbsp; I shake my head and slowly find my voice. “No, I won’t leave her!”
Sam grabs hold of me and yanks me away. “I’ll take care of them, Cole; I promise, but you need to leave.”
I feel like punching my best friend in the face. “No, goddamn it, she’s my life; I’m not leaving her!” I scream. I turn back to Gracie, and I think I hear Sam tell someone to call security, but I really don’t care.
For a few seconds, I look her over from her beautiful head to her toes, as they cut her clothes from her body, trying to assess her injuries myself. Oh, God. They shouldn’t be seeing her like this.
There’s blood everywhere. Her left arm is lying at an unnatural angle and I can see it bruising and swelling already. Her left leg is covered in even more blood; even at a glance, I can clearly see it’s broken. There are so many small cuts to her face and experience tells me that they’re from shards of glass; the impact would have shattered the windshield. The largest gash to her forehead has been covered with gauze and pressure is being applied by a nurse. I fall to my knees as her name softly escapes my trembling lips, “Gracie.”
As wires and tubes are attached to her body and the heart rate monitor continues an erratic beat, I silently pray to God to keep both Gracie and the baby safe. Please, God. I won’t survive without them.
Suddenly, two sets of thick heavy arms grab me from behind and start to drag me away. I instantly start to struggle and thrash about and I’m screaming, “Let me go for fuck’s sake; get your hands off me.” I glance at Sam, but his attention is focused on Gracie, along with two other doctors. I know they’re doing everything they can, but I just can’t leave her.
The security guards get me to the doorway, and with my eyes still locked on Gracie, I yell, “Gracie, I love you. Stay with me, baby, please stay with me. I love you, Gracie!”
I can feel warm tears running down my face. The pain in my chest is horrendous and it’s at that exact moment that the heart rate monitor lets out one long continuous beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep………………………………