by Tina Martin
He smiled at the thought of it, of being happy with a family which also made him think of Prasad and his issues with Lalita. Prasad had been worried and attributed Lalita’s behavior to something that may have happened in Chicago.
“Bri?”
“Yes?”
“Back when you went to Chicago, did you notice anything weird about Lalita’s behavior?”
“Why?”
“Just curious,” he said. He didn’t want to tell her that Prasad was concerned. There was no sense in alarming her unnecessarily.
“Um...” she said, thinking for a moment. “Nothing too out of the ordinary.”
“But there was something?”
“Yes, and it’s probably nothing. I just noticed that, at breakfast, I think it was the morning we were heading to the airport, she got into a little back-and-forth with Dilvan.”
“Like an argument?”
“No, not necessarily. He said something, she didn’t believe him and mumbled something under her breath. Like I said, it was probably nothing. I just thought it was odd because Lalita is usually always happy and calm...but that day she was a little, um...off.”
“I see.” So something is wrong with Lalita, he thought to himself. Maybe Prasad was on to something. But what happened in Chicago between Lalita and Dilvan that had her behaving so out of the norm? “Gabrielle?” he said, to see if she was still awake.
“Yes,” she said faintly.
“I love you.”
“I love you, too, Tyson.”
With an arm around her, he rested his palm flat against her belly, against his baby, and they feel asleep together.
Chapter 10
Gabrielle opened the door to let her mother-in-law, Rena, and father-in-law, John, inside.
“Oh my goodness. Look at you,” Rena said. She looked Gabrielle up and down. “You’re just all baby...don’t look like you’ve gained a stitch of weight.”
“Tell that to my ankles,” Gabrielle joked. She had on a pair of capri jeans, and a short-sleeved, cream-colored maternity blouse.
“Hey, sweetheart,” John said, hugging her as best as he could.
“Hey. It’s good to see you. Both of you,” Gabrielle told Tyson’s parents.
Tyson stepped out of the kitchen and John said, “Hey, son.”
“Hi Dad,” he replied, hugging his father. “Hello, Mother,” he said, hugging her right after.
“Hello, son,” Rena said looking upon Tyson in admiration.
“Did Tamera make it here yet?” John inquired. “Thought I saw her car out front.”
“Yes. She’s upstairs,” Tyson told him. “She’ll be down in a minute. Can I get you something to drink, mother? Father?”
“I’m okay,” Rena responded.
“I’ll take some water,” John said, following Tyson to the kitchen. “You know we have to get over to Padma’s house before she explodes. I think she’s more excited about the baby than your mom and I, and we’re beside ourselves with excitement.”
Tyson opened the refrigerator and handed his father a bottle of water. “Yeah, Padma loves Gabrielle. She thinks the world of her.”
“Come to think about it, Padma didn’t have any girls...just all boys. I guess Gabrielle is the daughter she never had, huh?”
“She certainly is.” Tyson walked back over to the counter, leaned against it and took a swig of water.
“She’s a special lil’ thang isn’t she? Gabrielle, that is.”
A smile grew on Tyson’s face. “Yes. She’s very special.”
“You know, I still can’t believe what she did for your Uncle Colin.” John turned the water bottle up to his mouth.
“I can’t either.”
“If she hadn’t donated that bone marrow, my brother would probably be dead. She saved his life.”
“How is Uncle Colin by the way? You seen him lately?”
“Nah, not lately. I did speak with him on the phone about a week ago. He was doing well. You know he’s in New York.”
“Yeah. Padma mentioned it to me.”
“I told him he needed to slow down a lil’ bit, sit back and relax off of those millions he made.”
“I don’t think it’s about the money for Colin,” Tyson said. “I think he’s afraid that if he sits down, he won’t get back up. He likes to stay active.”
John nodded. “Yes he does.” He took another sip of water. “So, tell me, Tyson...are you ready to have your own son? He’ll be here very soon.”
Tyson smiled. “I’m ready, Dad.”
“You know, when you were born, it was, by far, the happiest day of my life. To have a son...there’s no feeling like it.”
“Wow,” Tamera said, walking in the kitchen. “So how did you feel when I came along, Dad?” she quipped.
John chuckled. “I was so happy to have a little princess,” he said standing with open arms.
Tamera walked into his embrace and wrapped her arms around her father. “Good to see you, Daddy.”
“You too, baby girl. I hear you’re helping out around here.”
“Yep,” Tamera said happily. “Gabrielle didn’t want someone she didn’t know, and I don’t blame her not one bit. Plus, I don’t mind. I want to be here when my little peanut is born.”
“I’m just happy that your mom and I finally get a grandbaby. And speaking of grandbabies, when are you going to give us one, Tamera?”
Tamera’s mouth fell open. “On that note, I’m going back in here with Gabrielle and mom. Goodbye.”
Tyson and his father chuckled.
“You want to get rid of Tamera, say something about her having a baby and watch her disappear,” John said laughing more.
“I think the whole deal with Mark left a bad taste in her mouth. Tamera’s not prepared for marriage and a child just yet, especially after what Mark did to her. It’ll be hard for her to trust again, just like it was hard for me.”
“But you did it.”
“Yes, I did, but Tamera and I are as different as night and day, Dad.”
John blew a breath. “You don’t have to tell me that. I raised both of you knuckleheads.”
Tyson smirked. “She’ll come around. It’s just going to take the right man to make her change her mind. I already told her that the next man she dated had to be approved by me first.”
John smiled. “That’s my boy.”
* * *
“May I touch?” Rena asked Gabrielle, her hands already in position. They were sitting on the couch in the living room and Tamera was in a chair next to them. The last time Rena saw Gabrielle, she was barely showing. Now, not only was she showing – she looked like she could go in labor at any moment.
“Sure, you can touch.”
Rena rubbed her hands all around the globe of Gabrielle’s belly. “Let me guess...he’s going to be around seven pounds, huh?”
“Well, the doctor thinks he’ll be about six pounds.”
“That’s good, girl,” Tamera said, crossing her legs. She had on a pair of white skinny jeans and a red T-shirt. “You don’t want to be trying to push a monster out of there.”
Gabrielle giggled.
“Boy was your brother a big one,” Rena said to Tamera.
“He was?” Gabrielle asked.
“Sure was. Tyson was a nine-pounder.”
“Ouch,” Gabrielle said, closing her legs tight.
“Double ouch,” Tamera said, twisting her legs together as tightly as she could. “And you’re having his baby, so that means, that baby gon’ be about the same size Tyson was. I don’t know who your doctor is, but you need to fire her.”
Rena grinned. “Gabrielle, don’t pay any attention to Tamera.”
“What? I’m just being real. You have to think about all the possibilities.”
“Wait...let me get this straight,” Gabrielle said. “Tyson was nine pounds when he was born.”
Rena nodded. “Sure was.”
“But you had a cesarean section, right?” Gabrielle asked.
“But...but I thought when the baby was big like that, the doctor recommended cesarean.”
“Under normal circumstances they might’ve, but I was too far along, meaning he’d already dropped in the birth canal, so I had to go with it.”
“Wow.”
“Honey, I had to get stitches and all.”
Tamera shook her head. “Ain’t no way I’m having one now. That’s too much pain for me.”
“Stop scaring Gabrielle, Tamera,” Rena said.
“Tell the truth, mom...it wasn’t painful?”
“It was, but when you see that beautiful baby, all the pain you suffered instantly goes away.”
“It goes away because they have you hopped up on pain meds,” Tamera said, then laughed.
“No. It goes away because you appreciate the beautiful life that you helped to create. There’s no feeling like it, and I promise you this, Gabrielle, you will never forget it and you will cherish it for the rest of your life, just like I cherish Tyson and Tamera with her silly self.”
“Aw, you cherish me, mom?” Tamera asked, standing up from the chair and sitting next to her mother on the couch, wrapping her arms around her.
“I do, and I’ll cherish you even more when you give me a grandbaby.”
“Well, that’s my cue...time for me to go to bed,” Tamera said, quickly standing back up again. “Goodnight, y’all.”
Gabrielle and Rena giggled.
“Goodnight, Tamera.” Rena said.
Chapter 11
Tyson’s parents settled in comfortably at Padma’s. She’d showed them to an elegant guest master, equipped with a seating area, flat screen TV mounted on the wall and its own private bathroom with Jacuzzi. There wasn’t a hotel that could top those amenities.
While John caught up on sleep, since he drove from Chesapeake to Southern Shores, Padma and Rena were in the kitchen discussing the seating arrangements for the baby shower, especially after determining that it was going to be outside on the deck. There was no rain in the forecast. Only sunny skies. Fair weather. Not too hot. Not too cold. Conditions would be perfect for a party:
~~~~~ * ~~~~~
Welcoming Their New Little Man!
Tyson and Gabrielle are having a baby boy.
PLEASE JOIN US FOR A BABY SHOWER
The Home of Colin & Padma Alexander
Saturday @ 2:00 p.m.
Hosted by Padma Alexander and Rena Alexander
~~~~~ * ~~~~~
“So the jazz band will set up in the back left corner on the deck.”
With raised brows, Rena asked, “You got a jazz band coming, Padma?”
She smiled. “Yes...it’s just three guys. I thought it will be a nice touch.”
“In the corner directly opposite of them will be a drink bar. Non-alcoholic of course.”
Rena nodded. “I was thinking...I know there will only be a handful of kids, but I think we should make a kiddie table for the children,” Rena suggested. “I think that will make them feel special.”
“That’s a good idea, Rena.”
“What about the gift table? Where do we want to put that?”
“Hmm...” Padma said, thinking, but her thought process was interrupted by her ringing cell phone. “You think on that,” she told Rena. “I have to take this call. Be right back.”
Padma stepped out onto the deck and said, “Hello, Beatrice. How are you?”
“I’m okay, Mrs. Padma. How ‘bout yourself?”
“I’m okay. How’s that son of mine?”
“That’s the reason for my call, Padma. I’m a lil’ worried ‘bout Dilvan.”
You ain’t the only one worried about Dilvan. “What has you worried, Beatrice? You don’t need to be stressing yourself out over there, hun.”
“I know, but Dilvan has been trying really hard to be a better man. I see it. But he continues to struggle with Gabrielle and I just don’t want to see him throw all of his hard work down the drain.”
“What makes you think he’s struggling with Gabrielle?”
“’Cause he said something that didn’t sit well with me at dinner last night. Now, Mrs. Padma, you know I don’t like being caught up in no mess.”
“Yes, I know.”
“But I couldn’t keep this to myself. First off, he seems to be a lil’ upset that he didn’t get an invite to the baby shower, and I’m thinking to myself...why would this man want an invite to a baby shower, knowing full well he ain’t got no business there.”
Padma sighed. “Oh, Beatrice, you have got to be kidding me.”
“I wish I was, Padma.”
“Is he there now?”
“Sho is... got his self shut up real nice and snug in that there office of his. That’s where he spends most of his days. Personally, I don’t know how he can stand it.”
Padma threaded her fingers through her hair. “Well, he’s definitely not getting an invite to the baby shower. I’m like you...I don’t even understand why he would want to come.”
“Well—”
“What is it, Beatrice?”
“I think I might have an idea why he wants to come.”
“And that is...”
“He tried to tell me that...” Beatrice struggled to say the words. “He tried to tell me that the baby could be his.”
Padma put her hand over her heart and felt like her feet were about to come out from underneath her. Suddenly, she could feel the earth spinning and she was so dizzy, she had to walk over to a patio table to catch her balance. Lalita had mentioned that Dilvan had possibly drugged Gabrielle and now Beatrice was telling her what Dilvan had admitted to over dinner – that Gabrielle’s baby could be his. Padma knew she had to try and dispel any inkling that this may be true. Colin didn’t want this getting out prematurely.
“Ms. Bea, don’t put much stock in what Dilvan says. He’ll say anything to get Gabrielle back, obviously.”
“Yeah, you’re right about that, Padma. I’m confused ‘bout all of this.”
“I am too, Beatrice, so for now, let’s keep this quiet. I’ll be over there Sunday evening and we can all sit down and talk about this.”
“Okay, Padma. I’ll see you at the baby shower then.”
“Alright. Talk to you soon.”
Padma inhaled deeply and squeezed the phone in the fist that she’d balled up. How could she plan a baby shower amidst so much controversy; knowing that the baby could he Dilvan’s. Things weren’t right and once again, it was Dilvan’s fault.
She wanted to put the baby shower on hold until she could get matters settled with Dilvan, but caterers had already been called. The jazz band was booked. Tyson’s parents were in town and Gabrielle’s family was due tomorrow. Invites were sent out a month and a half ago. Over fifty people had R.S.V.P.’d with yes. The party had to go on. Dilvan wouldn’t take the spotlight away from Tyson and Gabrielle. He was probably lying anyway, his way of retaliating against Tyson for, what he calls, stealing Gabrielle away from him. He wouldn’t win this time.
Chapter 12
Tyson was busy in the kitchen cooking a Friday-night dinner for the family. Gabrielle’s father, Henry, and her sisters, Carmen and Destiny were in town, having just arrived a few hours ago. Rena and John, came over from Padma’s so they could get acquainted with Gabrielle’s family and share dinner together. Heshan also came by and was in the kitchen playing cards with Henry and John.
The ladies were in the master bedroom, helping Gabrielle decide what to wear to the baby shower.
“You need to wear a dress that shows your belly really, really well,” Carmen suggested.
“I don’t know, Carmen. I don’t want to look too huge,” Gabrielle said, sitting at the foot of the bed.
“Nobody is going to be thinking about that, sweetheart,” Rena said. “I think your sister is right. People want to see the belly and take pictures with you. So let’s find something that accentuates that gorgeous belly of yours.”
Gab
rielle smiled.
“Here,” Tamera said, walking from Gabrielle’s closet. “A black pair of leggings and a tunic should do the trick.”
“No, I’m thinking something a little more on the dressy side, yet comfortable,” Gabrielle said.
“So you want to wear a dress?” Destiny asked, browsing through Gabrielle’s wardrobe.
“Umm...not quite sure.”
“Well, we’ll figure out something,” Rena said, “Even if we have to go buy an outfit.”
“Shoot. All these clothes, we should find something in here,” Tamera said.
Gabrielle giggled. “Yeah. I’m sure we’ll find something.”
* * *
“What you cooking up, son?” John asked Tyson.
“I’m making chicken marsala, asparagus, mashed potatoes and homemade macaroni and cheese. Gabrielle has been craving macaroni and cheese so...”
“I couldn’t ask for a better man for my baby girl,” Henry said, proudly. “You raised a good one, John.”
“Thanks, Henry. I appreciate that. And while we’re handing out compliments, I might as well let you know that your daughter has been nothing but a blessing to Tyson.”
Tyson smiled as he drained macaroni elbow noodles.
“Thanks,” Henry said. “That means a lot.”
John took a sip of water. “Boy, I remember when Tyson first told me he wanted to be a chef. I was speechless.”
Tyson grinned. “You’re starting on that again, Dad?”
Henry chuckled.
Heshan stared blankly at the table. Stoic.
John continued, “I mean, he was just coming out of the Marines, doing manly work, you know.”