“Mommy, when will the movers be here?” asked Ty, running in from the backyard where she’d been playing. Amazingly in good spirits and excited about our move, my sweet, precious girl was wearing overalls and the empowering red cape Drake had given her. I didn’t think she’d ever take that cape off. And truthfully, I hoped she wouldn’t for a long, long time. Besides my souvenir mug from the Santa Monica Pier and some photos, which I couldn’t bring myself to delete, it was my one other connection to Drake. And a very special one.
“Very soon,” I answered.
And then, the doorbell rang. The movers? I wasn’t sure since I didn’t hear a truck pull up to the house. Perhaps, they had to park it down the street. And then a loud knock followed. My heartbeat sped up. Was opportunity knocking again? Could it possibly be Drake?
With Ty following me, I hurried to the front door and peered through the peephole. I blinked hard. It wasn’t who I expected. What was she doing here? Bile rose up in my throat. She was the last person I wanted to see.
Krizia. My eyes met hers. “What do you want?”
“Please open up. I just want to talk to you for a few minutes and apologize for my behavior.”
A sickening feeling fell over me as I weighed her words, wondering how she knew where I lived. Had Drake told her?
“Please. I’ll only be five minutes. It would really mean a lot to me.”
“Mommy, who’s there?” Ty’s words drifted into my ears as I pondered what to do. The last thing I wanted was a confrontation with Krizia. Moreover, what good would her apology do me? It would be like rubbing salt in a wound and only burn a bigger hole in my heart.
“Please, Deandra. I’m not leaving until you open the door. I need to unload.”
She sounded desperate and sincere. And she actually got my name right. I hesitated. Then, with a shaky hand, I undid the double lock and swung the door open.
I immediately regretted my decision. Towering over me in her stilettos and sexy ensemble, she treated me to a slow, poisonous smile. I felt sick to my stomach.
“Come on in.” The sooner she left the better.
“Get out of my way, bitch!”
Oh my God! That voice! My heart leapt into my throat. I blinked my eyes one time too many. Before I could blink again, Kyle shoved Krizia aside, sending her crashing to the pavement, and then burst into the house.
“What are you doing here?” I asked in a panic. Madness flickered in his eyes. He was definitely high on something.
“Mommy, who is this man?” asked Ty, fear rising in her voice as she clung to me.
My heart racing, I urged her to run to our bedroom and lock the door.
But it was too late. Before Ty could take a step, he snatched her from me.
“Mommy!” she screamed.
“Oh my God! Let go of her!” I clawed at Kyle like a wild animal as he tore out the door, throwing a screaming Tyson over his shoulder.
“What the fuck, Kyle? What are you doing?” I heard Krizia mumble, stumbling to her feet. Ignoring her, I almost knocked her down again as I bolted out of the house, adrenaline pumping through my veins.
“Ty, baby!” I cried out at the top of my lungs, running after her down the narrow, serpentine street. My worst nightmare was happening. And with each step, they were getting further and further away from me.
“Mommy!” wailed my baby girl, reaching out for me.
“Ty!” I shrieked, my sobs clogging my ears. My heart was cracking over every nook and cranny of the uneven sidewalk. My lungs and limbs were burning. Every breath, every step hurt. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. How could this be happening?
“Somebody help me!” I yelled out to a neighborhood of deaf ears. “PLEASE!” Why didn’t anyone hear me?
I was at least fifty feet behind them when Kyle reached his Dodge. Tears blinded my eyes as he skidded up to the driver’s side and yanked open the door. My feisty little girl was pounding and kicking him.
“Stop it, you little brat,” I heard him growl.
“Let her go!” I pleaded. Oh, please let her go! Panting, I kept running, my eyes on Kyle as he flung Ty into the vehicle and then hopped into the driver’s seat. He attempted to start up the rundown car, but the ignition wouldn’t catch. Luck! It gave me more time to catch up to them. But as I jet-propelled myself forward with all the muscle power I had left, the unfathomable happened. My foot caught in a sidewalk crack and I felt myself lurching forward. Oh God, no! I was about to take a tumble. Trying to stop the momentum, I took two awkward steps forward, but nothing could stop me from falling to the pavement. As I hit the ground, burning pain seared my palms and knees. I’m sure I’d scraped them and torn my jeans, but without looking at the extent of the damage, I scrambled to my feet as Kyle tried to start his car again. This time the motor rumbled.
Then, as I stood up, a familiar voice startled me.
“Dee, what’s going on? Are you okay?”
Drake! He was in his convertible heading up the street. Oh my God! What was he doing here?
“Drake! Kyle’s got Tyson!” Frantically, I pointed at him, taking off in his car.
“Fuck!”
My heart beating out of control, I clasped my hand to my mouth as Drake cranked his wheel and made a lightening-sharp U-turn that screeched in my ears and left tire tracks on the street. My heart in my throat, I trailed behind him as he zoomed down the narrow, twisty street that could barely fit two cars in hot pursuit of Kyle. Oh dear God!
Driving recklessly at some ridiculous speed, Kyle was almost down the hill where the road made a hairpin turn. As he rounded it, a large moving van came into view and climbed up the street. I stopped dead in my tracks. Everything happened all at once. As a horn blasted from the van, Kyle’s car slammed head on into it, the explosive crash clamoring in my ears. “Noooooo!” I screamed as Drake’s car came to a screeching halt. My heart literally stopped as I watched him jump out and sprint down the street to the scene of the accident. With a mixture of adrenaline and dread pumping through my veins, I ran toward it too, my heart now pounding so fast and furiously I thought it would ricochet out of my chest. Through my glazed eyes, I saw Drake run up to the passenger door and yank it open. On my next excruciating breath, Ty was lying limp and unconscious in his powerful arms. Oh, my baby! My poor baby! She was hurt! Hysterical sobs wracked my body as I began to think the worst. No, oh no! Oh, please God, NO! You can’t take her from me!!
Holding her in his arms, Drake dashed onto the tree-lined street. “Dee, call 9-1-1!” I heard him shout out. Fuck. I didn’t have my phone. Had it fallen out of my pocket when I fell? Or was it back at the house? Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God!
A horn wailed in my ears like a siren. And then—BOOM!—Kyle’s Dodge burst into flames. All I could see ahead of me was a thick cloud of black smoke and a massive fireball. The air was heavy with the smell of the smoke, burning rubber, and charred flesh. They were gone. NOOOOOOO! The earth opened up beneath me and everything faded to black.
CHAPTER 45
Drake
The ambulance siren blared in my ears.
They were taking Ty to Children’s Hospital, which happened to be the closest hospital to Dee’s house. A few minutes away…with no traffic.
The poor little thing was strapped onto a gurney, which made her tiny form, look so frail and vulnerable. An oxygen mask covered her face and she was wrapped in a thick blanket. At this point, the paramedics didn’t know the extent of her injuries, but what I surmised was that she was in critical condition. She was hanging on to life by a mere thread.
The moving van driver had miraculously escaped the harrowing crash without as much as a scratch and felt terrible about the fatal incident. Both the cops and I assured him it wasn’t his fault.
Kyle didn’t make it. After his car burst into flames, the motherfucker was burnt beyond recognition. Under different circumstances, I may have rejoiced—ding-dong, the fucker’s gone—but all that mattered to me right then and there was the condition of
Dee’s precious little girl. Krizia had joined me at the scene of the accident, tearfully begging for forgiveness. The crazy bitch had no clue that when Kyle had asked her to help him get access to Dee in exchange for some blow that he was going to kidnap her daughter. I had no interest in her tears or rant and, in my rage, told her to fuck off. There was someone far more important who needed my attention. My support. And my love.
Sobbing softly, Dee sat huddled next to me, my bomber jacket over her halter-top to keep her warm. My arm was wrapped around her. She had fainted at the sight of Kyle’s car blowing up, but fortunately hadn’t sustained any major injuries except for a few minor cuts and scrapes from her earlier fall, which the paramedics patched up.
She shivered against me. “Oh, Drake, I’m so scared.”
“D-Baby, she’s going to be okay,” I assured her, lying through my teeth as I brushed away her tears. The truth was I wasn’t sure, but I couldn’t share this with my vulnerable, beautiful companion. I squeezed her shoulders, feeling closer to her than I ever had. Tragedy, I realized, had a weird way of bringing people together, and for a brief moment, I thought about the untimely death of my sister, who I’d never gotten to know. It could have separated my parents, but instead it made them stronger. Cemented them forever.
Uncertainty coursed through me as we raced up Sunset Boulevard, weaving in and out of the minimal Saturday morning traffic. I called my parents to let them know what had happened so that arrangements could be made to give Tyson the best medical care possible. Being major benefactors of this renowned hospital came with benefits as they should. Both my parents, who had in a short time grown very close to this special little girl, insisted on joining us at the hospital. I told them not to come until I called them. Fingers crossed that phone call would come with good news.
Then, I gave my phone to Dee so she could call her sister Lulu. With all the fire trucks and police cars at the scene of the accident, she was trapped on the street. Driving behind the van, she’d witnessed the whole thing, not knowing who was involved. She promised to get to the hospital as soon as she could. All she could do for now was send prayers and positive thoughts. God knows, we needed them.
After a long fifteen minutes, the ambulance pulled into the emergency entrance of the hospital. The paramedics pushed the back doors open, and I hopped out and then helped Dee, who I feared would collapse again if I didn’t hold on to her. With my arm wrapped around her waist, our eyes stayed on the stretcher as the paramedics worked quickly to slide it out with our little Tyson fighting for her life. A team of doctors and nurses met us at the entrance.
“Drake, are you sure she’s going to be okay?” asked my teary-eyed companion.
I was about to say yes. But as Ty was transferred to another gurney, she began to convulse. Her little body shook violently.
“Move it! Move it!” shouted one of the medics.
“Oh my God! What’s happening?” Dee cried out.
“She’s going into cardiac arrest!”
Jesus.
“Where are you taking her?” I blurted.
“Straight to surgery.”
“Oh my God,” Dee gasped again as the emergency team charged through the automatic doors. We kept pace with them as they raced to an elevator, everything a blur. Holding Dee’s ice-cold hand, I knew in my heart we were racing against time.
CHAPTER 46
Dee
Drake gripped my hand as we waited with baited breath for some news about Tyson. After being admitted to the hospital, she’d been rushed to the Hanson Trauma Center and was now undergoing surgery. My heart ticked with each minute of the clock, my stomach twisted into a painful knot. I hadn’t stopped praying. Only prayers could keep my mind off two frightening words: what if.
Finally, after three excruciating hours, a doctor headed our way. She was wearing scrubs and had her surgical mask strung on top of her head. Probably in her forties, she adjusted her half-moon glasses as she approached us. My heart beat faster with each step she took. Still holding hands, Drake and I jumped up from the leather couch in unison.
“Mr. and Mrs. Hanson? I’m Dr. Wang, your daughter’s surgeon.”
I didn’t even bother to correct her. “Is she okay?” I blurted out, my heart beating a gazillion miles a minute.
The doctor lifted off her glasses and pinched the bridge of her nose. She looked weary and stressed. I thought my heart would combust or beat out of my chest as she blew out a breath.
“Your daughter sustained major trauma to her body and is bleeding internally.”
“What does that mean?” Panic peppered my voice.
“We can’t find the source of the bleeding. She’s lost a lot of blood and needs a transfusion.”
“Then give her one,” I barked.
“There’s a problem.”
A giant lump formed in my throat. A problem? Drake squeezed my hand as I asked what it was.
“Your daughter has a very rare blood type. And the hospital doesn’t have any available. We’re looking for donors and calling local blood banks.”
Silently, I processed her words. I knew this when she was born, but truthfully had never thought much about it. Or ever thought it would be a matter of life or death.
“Is it AB negative?” Drake asked matter-of-factly.
Oh my God. How did he know this?
Returning her glasses to her nose, the doctor nodded. “Yes.”
Drake heaved a deep breath, his chest rising and falling. “That’s my type. Tell me where to go.”
Anxiously, I waited for Drake to return. The thought of losing my little girl consumed me—every breath, every heartbeat, every cell of my body. How could I live without her? She was my everything. I loved her more than life itself. A little voice in my head said don’t go there, but another kept screaming the worst possible scenario so loudly my head pounded. Closing my eyes, I rubbed my temples, trying to assuage the madness.
I so wanted Drake to come back. He was my only solace in the sea of despair that was drowning me, pulling me under. Thank God, he had the same rare blood type as Tyson. What were the chances of that? Maybe it was a sign from God that things would turn out okay. “Oh, please God, please,” I prayed softly. “Don’t take my sweet little girl from me. Please.” Tears seeped out of my eyes. “Oh God, do you hear me?”
The sound of footsteps broke into my prayers. Blinking my eyes open, I looked up. It was Drake.
He stopped midway; our eyes met, mine watering, his filled with worry. And then totally distraught, I sprung out of my seat and ran into his arms. The waterworks broke loose and I cried my heart out as he held me tightly. Stroking my hair as I soaked his shirt, he just let me cry for as long as I needed. Losing track of time, I cried until I could cry no more and then looked up at him with my stinging eyes.
His face pinched, he looked tense. Slowly, he tilted up my chin with his thumb. My voice thin and watery, I thanked him for donating his blood. A miracle of miracles.
He held me intensely in his gaze and then took a deep breath.
“Dee, does Donor 5262 mean anything to you?”
My heart practically stopped as my jaw dropped to the floor. The floor felt like it was going to open beneath me. My breath hitched in my throat, his words stunning me into silence. Oh my God!
Drake rubbed the bandage on his upper arm that was covering the site where they must have drawn his blood…Tyson’s blood.
“I need to eat something and we need to talk.”
CHAPTER 47
Drake
The hospital cafeteria was busy. It was filled with weary-looking hospital personnel, but mostly worn out, worried parents. It saddened me that so many people had sick or injured children, and I was among them. My only solace was that they were getting the best care possible at this world-class hospital.
Dee and I both ordered burgers and large coffees and found a table for two in the corner. We hadn’t spoken a word since I asked her that one question. I had many more to ask, but I ha
d to get something off my chest first.
I took a sip of the steamy coffee to fortify myself and then it just spilled out. “Dee, I am donor 5262.”
My eyes stayed on her as she lowered her lidded cup to the table. A look of shock washed over her face. She blinked hard several times, processing my words. Her mouth parted, but words didn’t come out.
“I’m Tyson’s real father, right?”
She nodded silently, still too shocked to speak. A short, intense silence stretched between us and then she broke it.
“I-I can’t believe it.”
There was no denying it. I had all the proof I needed.
Dee nervously picked at her burger. “I’ve never told a soul about what I did. Not even my sister. Kyle was on a downward spiral, going into bouts of deep depression and reckless behavior; our marriage was on the rocks. I thought that having a child would turn him around and save our marriage, but it wasn’t possible with him. He was infertile from all the booze and drugs though he didn’t know that. Determined, I read about sperm donation and learned about a sperm bank in Los Angeles.”
The one in Westwood. I knew it well. Dee continued.
“So, when I went to visit my sister, one fateful weekend seven years ago, I made secret arrangements to visit the sperm bank to pick out a donor.”
“Why did you pick me? There were dozens to choose from.”
“I picked you because you sounded amazing and had many of Kyle’s attributes—or should I say former ones. Your profile said you were tall, athletic, smart, funny, and healthy. Blue-eyed with dark hair.” She paused. “Oh, and you played the guitar and sang like a rock star.”
While I could have lived without the mention of Kyle, my lips twisted into a smile. “I am all that, but I lied on my application about a few things.”
Baby Daddy: A Sexy STANDALONE Romantic Comedy Page 25