by MJ Masucci
At five minutes to midnight, he carried everything into their bedroom and placed the tray on the cushioned bench at the foot of their bed. Then he woke her.
“Sweetheart, wake up. It’s almost midnight.”
She roused from her post-coital nap to smile at him.
“I brought a little celebration snack.”
She sat up to see what he had for her and became teary eyed that he was so considerate.
“I love chocolate covered strawberries. Is this why you were acting so weird when we got our grocery delivery?”
“I didn’t want you to see, Ms. Nosy.”
“That’s Mrs. Nosy. I’m a married woman.”
He chuckled and went to pour the champagne. She got up to put on his oxford shirt that he had draped on a chair in the corner of the bedroom. He handed her a glass, and they went to the window to ring in the New Year, counting down as it changed.
“No turning back now. In a few short months, we will have our ceremony, and it will be official. I can’t wait to see you in that dress.”
She began chewing her cheek, and he noticed the distressed look on her face.
“I have my test at the end of next month. Suppose it’s bad?”
“I told you before that we are in this together. Let’s wait for the test results and then we can make a decision how to proceed. We have so much to look forward to in this year. Don’t ruin it by speculating.”
It wasn’t the only thing she was speculating about. Liam was still out there and possibly coming for them. The question was when?
Chapter 33
Liam Chapman was drunk. It was New Year’s Eve, and he had decided to indulge. Papi had thrown a huge party at the same home where Liam felt trapped. Months of playing nursemaid to the idiots he was paired with on money runs had taken their toll.
He gulped another glass of champagne as the woman who shared his bed softly snored next to him. He had graduated to a better room away from the henchman. This room had its own bathroom and a view of the beach.
Liam knew why he was separated from them; he had become more valuable. His knowledge of how financial markets worked had finally come into play. Papi had been earning large amounts of cash with his drug enterprise, and now he needed Liam to invest it.
He was well aware of the rules, and the red flags raised when large amounts of money were invested. So he devised a plan to invest without being noticed using the staff members that worked for Papi.
So now that Liam’s rank had risen, so had his bankroll. Papi gave him wads of cash to invest and a wad of cash each week for his nest egg. As long as he did what he was asked, his status as a valuable member of the staff would remain. But he also knew that Papi was unpredictable. One wrong move and he would be back in the trenches with the slobs.
At least he didn’t have to strong-arm anyone. Though he had a tendency towards violence, Liam hated the looks on people’s faces when he did it. Of course, that was the faces of the addicted dregs who bought Papi's drugs. They were trapped in their addiction. He had no problem hurting people like Jayne and Ava. They had wronged him personally.
Jayne had survived with her life, and he had learned from his mistakes. When he went after Ava, he would make sure that he finished the job this time. She and he boyfriend would be dead before he left them. He would make sure to use lethally placed bullets after he tortured them.
Thinking about it in his drunken haze made him smile, and he poured another glass of champagne. His smile grew wider as he thought about assaulting Ava’s hot little body. He would rape her like he had planned to do several years before. She deserved it, the little tease.
It was unfortunate that she was no longer a virgin. He wanted the pleasure of slamming into her and making her bleed for her first time. Then she would be his, forever marked by his savagery. Of course, her forever would be short lived. After he raped her, he would put a bullet in her head.
His face took on an evil look while he thought about it but then softened. She was such a hot piece of ass that he would love to take her with him back to Brazil. She had been in love with him (at least in his mind) once before. Maybe he could convince her that she belonged with him and not that asshole.
Liam could forgive her transgressions against him if she became his. She just couldn’t understand what he tried to tell her when he had knocked out that asshole. She made him angry, and he struck her hard across the face trying to get her to shut up and hear him. He became enraged, then had decided on raping her before her boyfriend woke.
He wondered if her asshole boyfriend knew that he had tried to talk her into dumping him and letting Liam take her away. He bet that he didn’t. This time he would make sure that he did.
It was now frigid in New York, and he had no intention of carrying out his revenge in the cold. He would bide his time. Besides, Papi would never let him leave until the investment scheme was fully operational. So operational and easy that he could run it from anywhere he was.
He reached into his nightstand drawer and took out the small notebook that he kept there. Using a notepad helped him organize his thoughts and plans. In prison, he had used the same technique until the guards took it away from him. They didn’t know that he had a great memory.
But out here his mind was jumbled, and he didn’t feel stable. He needed to write his plans down so he could refer to them. He flipped through the pad, stopping on the page with the drawings he had made of the house by the lake. A laugh escaped from him as he looked at the drawing of the inner storage shed.
The four iron rings bolted to the back wall of it would help bring his plan together, perfect for imprisoning someone with handcuffs. He flipped to the next page that had a list of tools he would need to bring with him. These items would need to be purchased when he got back to New York.
It irked him that he couldn’t assemble his kit here and transport it back. But it was harrowing enough to pass through customs with fake papers without alerting them with knives, handcuffs, and rope. So he would have to keep the list and set everything up when he got to New York.
How surprised she would be when he appeared. He couldn’t wait to see the look on their faces. A thought popped into his head, and he scribbled it down on a fresh piece of notepaper.
The woman beside him, Rosita, began to stir, and he thrust the pad back into the drawer and closed it.
“Alto, I need something to drink.”
He handed his half drunk glass of champagne to her.
“No. Water. I’m thirsty.”
“You know where the bathroom is. Get it yourself.”
“What a gentleman.”
He slapped her face, making her cry out, “Don’t disrespect me. If you don’t like the service, then go somewhere else.”
Rosita rubbed at her face, “You didn’t have to hit me.”
“You don’t learn. I’ll hit you as much as it takes.”
She acquiesced and snuggled up to him. Her hand wandered between his legs, and she teased him. But he was in no mood and pushed it away. He was repulsed by her after thinking of Ava. This woman couldn’t hold a candle to her.
“You don’t want it?”
“No. Why don’t you go home? The night is over, and I need to sleep.”
She got up from the bed and pulled on her dress, not looking at him. When she was gone, he went to the bathroom to shower. He needed to wash her stink off him. The perfume she wore was giving him a headache, and it clung to him like sweat.
Liam knew she would be back. Rosita always came back no matter what he did to her or how nasty he was. If Ava came back with him, there would be no need for her anymore. He couldn’t wait to show her off on his arm. As he showered and then got into bed, he thought about what the future would be like with Ava. It was the last thought that was in his mind when he faded into sleep.
Chapter 34
The weeks of January into the first week of February were rough for both Ava and Xander. With the New Year came lots of new business, espe
cially in the real estate division. Without Victoria, the workload was heavy. Ava and Xander often entered the office at seven and left after six almost every night.
There were days Ava would stay past eight or nine in the evening, which upset Xander. He was busy, but not so much that he needed to stay past five. They started to have petty fights over trivial things. One morning they even argued about a tube of toothpaste that had not been squeezed from the bottom up.
As her HSG test grew closer, Ava became more agitated and found it hard to concentrate on her work. It was these days that she leaned on Philip more, much to the chagrin of her husband. The day before her test, he caught them embracing as they sat on the couch in her office. This caused a two-hour argument when they arrived home until Ava burst into tears.
“You don’t trust me,” she cried.
“No, sweetheart, I don’t trust him.”
“I would never allow him to touch me.”
“You already did. It was all I could do not to barge in there and throttle him.”
“He was comforting me. I’m worried about my test. At least he cares.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? You think I don’t care?”
“I sometimes do. Last week you told me to stop whining about it. I think my worry is legitimate, not whining.”
It was true. He had been awful to her. He should have known better. Xander sat on the bed and patted the space next to him for her to sit. She was hesitant but did as he requested.
“I didn’t mean to say that. I haven’t been a very good husband lately. This has been a very hard month. I miss you so much and our time together has been scarce.”
“I know. I’m sorry. Uncle Daniel said they have finished interviewing for the open position in my department. Victoria has decided only to work part-time, so we will need the help even after she comes back.”
“I hope that this new attorney will allow me to get my wife back for at least some of the time. Do you realize we haven’t made love in two weeks?”
“I had my period last week.”
“And usually you are all over me, but not this time.”
“I’ve been very tired. After the test, I promise to scale back some work hours.”
He took her on his lap and kissed her head, “I hope so.”
Ava was restless most of the night. She couldn’t help thinking what she would do if the doctor gave her bad news. It was her one wish, to have children. Shortly before 3:00 AM, she got out of bed. There was no use trying to sleep. She sat at the breakfast bar staring out the terrace windows, which is where Xander found her an hour later.
He had reached out to her, and the sheets were chilled on her side. She had been worried when they went to bed and didn’t want him to touch her. He understood her worry but not her denial of his comfort. It hurt him that she didn’t want him near her, but he wasn’t going to make this about him.
“Sweetheart?”
“Huh?”
“Are you okay? I’m worried.”
“Everything is alright. I just want this test done.”
“In a few hours, it will be. Come back to bed.” He took her by the hand and led her to their bed, tucking her in before he went to his side of the bed.
“Xander, can you snuggle me?”
He said nothing but curled his body around hers, pulling her against him. She felt comforted and promptly fell asleep for the next three and a half hours. At seven-thirty, the clock sounded, and immediately the anxiety started to envelop her. In less than three hours, she would have her answer.
She quickly showered and got dressed. Xander left her alone because he sensed that she didn’t want to talk to him. He found her sitting on the couch in the living room talking to the cats.
“You two might be my only babies. I love you, but I want one of my own.”
It tore at him to hear her say that, but he pretended he didn’t hear.
“Are you ready to go?”
She sighed deeply, “As ready as I’m ever going to be. I need to take some Ibuprofen. The doctor said it would help with any pain. I told her I preferred that than to be groggy from anesthesia.”
As he drove to the doctor’s office, Ava looked out the window. He noticed that she was picking at her nails before he dropped her off. When he came into the office, the nurse was putting a bracelet around her wrist with her identification and allergies listed on it. He sat down next to her.
“Are you feeling alright? You look pale.”
“I wish you could go in with me.”
“Me, too. I’ll be waiting right here.”
She bounced her knee in anticipation until the nurse came back to get her. Xander grasped her hand before she went in and then it was his turn to bounce his knee as he waited.
In the prep room, she undressed and got into a gown. Dr. Emory stopped by to explain the procedure in fine detail. She didn’t understand half of it but was grateful the doctor cared enough to inform her. At 9:42 AM, she was wheeled into the testing room, and the preparation for the procedure was started.
As the doctor performed the test, she listened to the murmurings of the staff trying to figure out what was on the X-rays. She felt some pressure but had very little pain. After it was over, they wheeled her out to the recovery area, and she waited.
Many minutes passed by as she waited for any news. Eventually, the nurse came by and told her to get dressed and meet the doctor in her office. She quickly dressed and hoped that the news wasn’t devastating. As soon as she sat down, Xander came in, which she was thankful.
“How do you feel?”
“It was a little uncomfortable, but it wasn’t that bad.”
“Did the doctor tell you anything?”
“No. She will be coming in to discuss her findings.”
Two minutes later Dr. Emory entered the office and closed the door. Ava looked at her with intent hoping she had some good news. She waited as the doctor shuffled the papers of her file.
“We had some interesting findings while I was performing your test. You only have one fallopian tube. You had told me that the hospital had said you lost an ovary. Did they ever mention you lost a fallopian tube?”
“I don’t remember. It was a bad wreck, and I might have been listening with half an ear.”
“The fact is that you have one fallopian tube. Your uterus is in pristine condition. There is no scarring or abnormalities. However, that being said, your one remaining fallopian tube has a blockage. Without an open fallopian tube, eggs cannot pass through to meet sperm for fertilization.”
“Does that mean I can’t ever get pregnant?
“No, you can get pregnant. In vitro Fertilization can allow you to have your own baby and carry to term. I have some literature explaining the procedure. Are you ready to get pregnant?”
Ava looked at Xander, “Not yet, but I do want to know my options.”
“I suggest you look over the material and call me when you’re ready to get pregnant. I want you to know that you might experience some minor bleeding for a couple of days. You will also have some drainage of dye through your vagina. It’s normal. If you have heavy bleeding, fever, severe pain or bleeding that lasts more than three or four days, please call me immediately. Do you have any questions?”
“No, I think you’ve answered all of them,” she softly said.
Xander said nothing and they stood up, thanking the doctor as they left her office. On the way to the car, Ava started to cry.
“Sweetheart, she said you can get pregnant. Why are you crying?”
“I’m happy. I thought she would say it was impossible.”
“It’s not, and when we are ready, we will try. Now let’s get you home so you can rest.”
At home that afternoon, Ava fell into a restful sleep. She was exhausted from lack of sleep and overwork the past few weeks. Her dreams centered on babies. She dreamt she was a mother to several babies; some looked like her and some like Xander. He came to check on her, and he could swear she ha
d a smile on her face.
She spent the weekend catching up on activities she had ignored. Several New York Times magazines were stacked on the coffee table waiting for her to start filling in the crossword puzzles. “To Kill a Mockingbird” sat on her dresser. Xander waited on her hand and foot even though she said she was fine. He told her to rest while he went about the apartment cleaning and doing laundry.
It amused her to see him so domestic, even though he had always had that tendency when they dated. On Sunday morning, she awoke to the smell of cinnamon in the air. She jumped out of bed and hurried to the kitchen. He was sitting at the breakfast bar drinking coffee and reading the sports page.
“Am I smelling Mrs. Nagle’s cinnamon rolls?”
He chuckled, “Maybe you are.”
She went to the oven and switched on the light. Inside was a round pan of the rolls.
“Did you ask her to do this?”
“I might have, or I might have told her how you weren’t feeling well and how her rolls usually cheered you. She came over this morning and brought them. The icing is in the refrigerator.”
She went and kissed him for his thoughtfulness. Now that her test was finished and the possibility of pregnancy was there, she could relax. The timer pinged, and she got potholders to take the pan out of the oven. Xander prepared her a cup of coffee, black with four sugars while she iced the rolls.
After breakfast, she went to shower. Tomorrow is going to be back to hell, she thought. Though she loved being an attorney, the workload had come on so fast and sudden that she had no time to adjust. She only hoped that the addition of another attorney to the department would make her life easier.
They spent the rest of the day relaxing. She slept in Xander’s arms, her favorite place to be, while he watched a hockey game. Since her test, they hadn’t had any disagreements or arguments. It had only been two days, but they were getting along well.
Monday started off with a bang. She was fully dressed, and they were walking out the door when the heel of her shoe broke. Then in the elevator, she realized she forgot her briefcase, and they had to go upstairs to retrieve it. She almost slipped on some ice in the front of their office building, and her knee started to ache. To top it off, Tom Brannick (one of the attorneys in her division) had called in sick.