“Everything’s going to be okay. My sisters are tough. I know they are. Because I’m really tough, Mom. Do you ‘member when I fell off the swing and scraped my knees all up and blood was everywhere?”
She nods. “Yes, I cried, and you didn’t.”
He nods. “Yeah, you do ‘member. Mom, why did you cry?”
“I cried because I had bought the swing set and I felt like I had done that before you were big enough to enjoy it safely. I cried because you got hurt and it was all my fault. And you were so brave with your little bleeding knees and it made me mad at myself for putting you on the swing you weren’t ready for.”
“Kids get hurt, Mom.” He reaches up and wipes a tear from his mother’s cheek and I try hard not to cry too.
“I know, Baby, but it’s a mommy’s job to do her best not to let them. You know what I mean. I made a mistake putting that swing set up too soon,” she says then kisses the top of his head. “I’ve made lots of mistakes and I’m sorry, Baby.”
“Do you think having my baby sisters was a mistake?” he asks her and I can see him searching her eyes.
She waits a while before she answers him. “Woody, of course not. I think I wanted something too bad, though. I didn’t think about what all could go wrong. And now there will be two little girls in the world who have to undergo life-threatening surgery before they even breathe their first breath. And that’s because I couldn’t manage to keep their bodies apart.”
“That’s not your fault,” I say in a whisper as I move in behind her. “Things just happen, Baby. None of it is your fault or anyone else’s for that matter. Bad things happen, Pumpkin. I thank God we have the money and resources to do the best we can for our babies. What more could anyone ask for?”
I run my hand over her shoulder and can feel the tension in her body.
She runs her hand up and rubs it over mine. “I know you’re right. I do.”
“Woody, give Mommy kisses. I need to get her to the hospital. You’ll stay here with Grammy and Grampy while we’re gone. You can visit Mommy when she wakes up after the surgery, okay Buddy?” I ask as I lift him up and put him down on the floor.
He nods and wipes his eyes where a few tears have managed to escape the tough little man.
After I help Angel up, he grabs her around her knees and hugs her tight. “I love you, Mommy. You be good, okay?”
She runs her hands over his head and the tears start flowing out of her. She can only nod and look at me to help her not to freak the kid out.
I run my arm around her and she buries her face in my chest. “Mommy will be good and you be good too. I’ll call as soon as she’s awake and your grandparents will bring you down to the hospital.”
Staying positive is getting harder and harder to do as the time grows closer.
But I have to be strong for my family. Now more than ever…
Chapter 9
ANGEL
It’s funny how no one tells you things might not always go according to plan when bringing life into this world. If this had been part of the plan, then I’d have said, no thank you, to it.
But I wasn’t given any idea this could happen. Planned or not, I’m getting prepped for surgery. My little babies are all snuggled up, holding each other inside of me.
The little things aren’t expecting sharp instruments to be cutting through their soft skins and stomachs, separating them merely an hour from now. They’re just a couple of peaceful beings right now whose world is about to be shook up.
I lie here and I can blame myself forever but it won’t change a damn thing. It won’t change the fact my daughters will be born with scars. It won’t change the fact one or both might not be born at all. And it won’t change the fact that we all three have a chance of not making it through this surgery.
The surgery isn’t a necessary thing. This is not a life or death situation. I chose this. It was either do it in utero or do it after they’re born or not do it at all.
The scars will be less visible and they will have less chance of complications if my body and immune system can sustain them after the surgery. So I’m taking the chance to give them theirs.
I’ve bulked up on my vitamins and made myself as healthy as I can be to help give them the extra boost only I can at this point. So I can kick myself and blame myself but the fact is I have to get a hold of myself and stop doing that.
I have to be strong and brave for my little girls. And if something does happen to me, then I trust Benny to raise our son without me. I did pick a great man to marry and have a family with.
I just hope we get to continue on this journey together. And I pray our daughters will both be joining us.
The nurse leaves after getting me all hooked up to the lines and then I see my husband coming in, followed by my grandmother and his grandfather.
I smile as big as I can to let my grandmother know I can do this. Her expression is filled with worry and I’m glad she has her husband to help her through this.
“Hi, Grams, and Gramps.” I hold out my arms and they both hug me.
Kisses are placed on each of my cheeks by them then there they are, looking at me like it might be the last time they get to see me. Gram’s bottom lip quivers as she says with a shaky voice, “You stay strong for me, you hear me?”
I nod. “I’m trying, Grams.”
“We’ll be right here until you three are alright and safe. I’ll take good care of Benny for you,” she tells me.
I notice Benny’s grandfather can’t seem to say a word. Which is highly unusual. He kisses my forehead and takes my grandmother’s hand and leads her out of the room.
Benny sits down on the side of the bed and takes my hand. I run mine over his and his thumb touches the place the needle from the IV goes into my hand.
I lick my lips and swallow back the lump in my throat. “Benny, if I don’t…”
He quickly puts his finger to my lips. “Don’t even say it, Angel. You know I’ll take care of Woody. So don’t even say it.”
“But I want you to know that I’ll be okay if you move on…”
His mouth stops me from saying another word as he kisses me. He always has known how to make me shut up.
My mind goes blank with his kiss and suddenly I realize the nurse put something in my IV and everything is going black. He kisses me still and away I go.
BLAZE
Sitting in between my grandfather and Angel’s grandmother, I can’t help but think about how far apart he and I were before I met Angel and how she brought me and my family closer than we had ever been.
If I had never met her, I’d probably be still hating this man who I’ve come to really love. If Angel and I had never, met my life would have been so different.
I don’t really like to think about such things but with her in such a compromised state, I have to look at things and really appreciate her being in my life.
She is stubborn and can be a she-devil at times. Then she can also be the sweetest, kindest, and loving person at other times. She’s a paradox of feelings and emotions and I never know what part of Angel I’m going to get at any time.
Sometimes she’s the rock in the family and other times she’s the drowning chick who’s screaming and calling out for help. Grabbing onto me with a panic that threatens to sink us both. She’s perfect!
And right now she’s asleep and our babies are being separated from each other. I wonder what they’re thinking. If they can really comprehend anything at all.
I find myself praying that they’re asleep and as unaware as their mother is, of what’s happening to them. The phone rings in the waiting room we’re in and I jump up to answer it.
A female voice says, “Hello, Mr. Worthington?”
“This is him.” I find myself crossing my fingers and hoping for great news.
“I’m calling to inform you that the surgeons have successfully separated the babies. Their vitals are nearly back to normal. Mrs. Worthington is taking longer to get back to norma
l. Her blood pressure has spiked.” She clears her throat and my chest gets tight as I wait. “She may have suffered a small stroke with the spike. We won’t be able to do a CT Scan until the operation is completed. Once it is, though, she’ll be transported to radiology where that will be done. It means another hour longer than we thought. Someone will call you when that’s done.”
Then she hangs up and I stand here in shock.
“What did they say, Benjamin?” Grandfather asks me.
“Um, uh, she might have had a stroke,” I mumble then place the phone back down.
Her grandmother grabs her chest. “What? No!”
I nod. “Her blood pressure spiked pretty damn high, I guess. They’ll have to do a CT Scan once the surgery is finished to find out if she did have one or not.” I have to go to the bathroom.
I try to walk out of the room but my grandfather gets up and grabs me by the shoulders and pulls me into his arms. “No, you don’t. I’m here for you, Son.”
His arms are so strong and so comforting and I find I’m crying like a little kid in them. “Grandfather, I can’t live without her.”
He sways back and forth with me. “I’m sure you won’t have to.”
“What if something happened to her brain? What if she’s not the same when she wakes up? What if she’s not capable of taking care of the babies? What will I do then?”
“We’ll get her therapy to get her back on track. That’s all we’ll have to do. You have a family who will jump in and help you both with your children. That’s what families do for each other after all, Benjamin. We’re here for you all.” He pats my back as I sob and cry so much harder than I ever have before.
Not even when I was little, do I recall crying like this. Then it hits me that I have to be strong for Angel and our kids now. So I suck it up.
I can fall apart later. Right now they need me to be their rock. I pull out of my grandfather’s arms and pat him on the shoulder. “Thank you, Grandfather. Thank you for being here for me and my family at such a hard time. Thank you for showing me what it means to be the man of the family. Without your influence, I’d have no idea of how to be a man, a husband, or a father.”
“You’ve become a man I’m proud to call my grandson, Benjamin. No matter what happens, I know you can handle it the best way possible.” He takes my hand and pulls me back to sit down between him and Rebecca.
I see how pale she is, and it suddenly dawns on me how frightened she must be for her granddaughter. I take her hand and hold it. “I’m sure she’ll be fine. I think that girl always runs on higher octane than most, anyway.”
She nods her head and looks at me. “I’m sure you’re right. She has always been a little high strung and quick tempered. Maybe that spike looked big to them but not so much to her.”
I nod and hope we’re right about that.
Because I don’t know what I’d do without her being her anymore.
ANGEL
A bright light flashes into my eyes as someone asks me, “Mrs. Worthington can you see me?”
“No,” I answer in a scratchy voice that makes my throat hurt very bad. “There’s a light in my eyes.”
The light goes away and there’s a shadowy figure in front of me. “Good.”
“Her voice sounds clear,” I hear some man say from the corner of the room. “The scan is up on the monitor, Doctor.”
I watch the blurry figure move away from me and go towards a box with gray fuzzy stuff on it. I close my eyes to try to get the blurriness to go away as I listen to them talk.
“Okay, I see no damage,” the doctor says.
“Damage?” I ask. I open my eyes and blink and things start looking normal. “To what?”
He comes back to me and looks down at me then removes the strap that’s holding my head down. “You had a spike in your blood pressure. We had to check for signs of a stroke. How do you feel?”
“Like shit, to be honest.”
He laughs and moves the bed up just a little. “Yeah, that’s normal. Can you think and focus?”
“Yes.” I look around and can see everything clear. “So, how’d the surgery go? Are my little girls two separate kids now?”
He nods. “It all went really well. The interns are going over the video in the gallery right now. They’re excited to see the procedure. I think you’ll be really happy to see your babies when they arrive. I foresee little to no scarring. It’s amazing really.”
“What about my husband?” I ask. “And did you guys tell him about thinking I had a stroke?”
He nods and I feel awful. “You need to hurry up and let him know I’m fine. He’ll be worried sick. I can’t imagine what all went through his head. What torture.”
He looks over at the nurse. “Go get her family, will you?”
The nurse hurries out and I ask, “So when can I get the hell out of here?”
“After the babies are born,” he says.
“What?” I shake my head. “That’s like a month away.”
“Didn’t your doctor tell you that?”
“No. Damn!”
The door opens and Benny comes in alone. “Angel?”
I nod and he comes to me and leans over the bed, rubbing my shoulder and I see his eyes are all red and his nose is too. “Benny, you’ve been crying.”
“You’re damn right I have. I was worried sick about you.” His hand rubs my shoulder harder like he’s trying to tell himself I’m really okay.
“Sorry,” I say with a little smile. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
He kisses my forehead. “Well, you did. And I don’t want you to do that anymore. I’m never going to ask you to do this again. This will be our last pregnancy.”
“Hold up there, Big Daddy.” I take his hand in mine and give it a little squeeze. “That’s jumping to conclusions. We can see how things go. I’m not getting on that wagon just yet.”
“I thought you’d be the one telling me that, to be honest. I was just wanting you to know I’m onboard with that idea. My heart nearly gave out, and this thing isn’t even all the way over yet.” He kisses my forehead again. “I’m not cut out for this.”
I laugh then stop as it hurts pretty damn bad. “It’s just life, Benny. I had a dream while I was under. And in that dream, there was another son. He looked like you. I can’t think of not having another kid right now.”
He pats my shoulder and smiles. “Okay then. I’m leaving that all up to you, Sugarplum.”
“Good.”
Somehow I think everything’s going to work out fine.
BLAZE
“Hush, girls,” I hiss as Serenity and Harmony run into the nursery where I’m rocking the latest edition to our little family.
“Daddy, I want to hold him. You’ve been hogging him for over an hour,” Serenity gripes as she puts her hands on her hips.
The girls look just like me only with feminine qualities. They just turned sixteen last week and think they’re grown.
Harmony holds out her arms. “No, Daddy, give him to me. She held him last. Oh, and Mom wants you, anyway. Woody took your old Harley out last night and he accidentally ran over something. She wants you to see what happened before she fixes it.”
I set my jaw and get up out of the rocking chair. It’s the same large wooden chair I rocked all of my kids in. Harmony sits down, and I put little Ronald Reagan Worthington in her arms.
Grandfather has passed on, but he told Angel his favorite president was Ronald Reagan just before he died. She was adamant our last son would carry on the tradition he started. We call him Ronnie.
Her grandmother joined my grandfather in the hereafter only three months after he left us. I guess she just didn’t want to go on without him.
I make my way down the stairs and out to the shop to find Woody and Angel looking over the bike I had when I meet the mother of my children and love of my life.
“Gross!” I shout as I see blood covering the front fender. “What the hell, Son?”
&nbs
p; Woody shrugs his shoulders. “I think it was a jack-a-lope, Dad.”
“It bent the rim a little, Baby,” Angel tells me. “I have one I can swap it out with. But I wanted your permission first.”
I look at her with a lopsided grin. “Baby, when will you understand that I completely trust your judgment where any bike of mine is concerned. You are the top designer of the lightweight Harley, you know. Your call is always great with me.”
She smiles back at me and nods. “Okay then. If you’re sure.”
I walk over and pull her into my arms as Woody makes a face. “Geez, when will you two get too old for this mushy crap? I’m out of here. Sorry about your bike, Dad.”
Angel cocks her head as she asks, “Are we ever going to get too old for this, Benny?”
“I sure as hell hope not, my Angel.” I kiss her and her sweet mouth still takes me to the place it always has.
Beyond this place and time to another world where only she and I exist. And hopefully, it always will.
And we all lived happily ever after…
The End
Preview of: The Billionaire’s Brother
An Alpha-Male Billionaire Bad Boy BDSM Romance Thriller
By
Michelle Love
©Copyright 2016 by
Michelle Love- All rights
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Bad Boy Romance
, alpha billionaire romance 2016 short stories series
The Billionaire’s Brother
An Alpha-Male Billionaire Bad Boy BDSM Romance Thriller
Hot Nights in Sturgis The Complete Series: A Billionaire, Bad Boy, Motorcycle, BDSM, Romance (Billionaire Romance Novels) Page 24