by Stefani, Z.
Lila dropped to the floor and began to cry like a child. She curled up in the fetal position and sobbed.
“Get up, bitch, they gonna think I did somethin’ to you,” Beulah hissed before kicking Lila in the stomach. “I see you ain’t gonna make it round here, girl.”
“Please,” Lila cried.
“Ain’t no please in prison…ain’t no one ever gonna help. This ain’t the outside world; that shit will get you killed in here. You ain’t nothin’ but an animal with a number. Welcome to hell, bitch.”
Epilogue
Wedding
Julian looked at his watch. “She's late.”
Julian was antsy. He knew that everything was all right, and Heaven wasn’t in harm’s way. However, he needed to see her and be reassured that she was fine. Strange things happened to them. He wasn’t overly concerned, but he didn’t want to take any chances.
“She's coming.”
“I’ll be right back,” he told his cousins.
“Where are you going?” Julius asked.
“To check on Heaven.”
“She’s fine; you’re getting ready to see her in a few minutes.” Julius said, grinning.
“Besides, it’s bad luck to see the bride before the wedding,” his cousin Royce added.
“Unless that rule is a seven-hundred-pound superhero, it’s not going to stop me,” Julian replied before he headed towards the house.
***
Heaven stood before the floor-length mirror with a huge smile on her face. Her long, dark hair was pinned up in a Grecian style. Her pale-peach eyeshadow looked like powdered silk and enhanced her hazel eyes. Her deep red, matte lipstick emphasized her smile. She wore the brand-new diamond necklace set that Julian had given her.
Her corseted wedding gown looked as if it were straight out of a horror film.
“You look like you borrowed a dress from a zombie bride,” Jade chuckled.
“I love it, it could be a new trend,” Alice smiled.
“You still look absolutely beautiful,” Petal kissed her cheek as she beamed with joy.
“I love this dress; I love what it stands for. I think it’s perfect.” Heaven’s smile widened as she looked at her dress.
“You survived in that dress, I love it too.” Jade’s smile matched Heaven’s.
“So do I…I think it’s a dreamy dress,” Heaven purred.
Alice smiled. “Me too; you really look beautiful, Sevigne.”
“You look like a princess,” Julian said from the doorway. All the women turned to look at him.
“A zombie princess,” Heaven giggled.
“It’s bad luck to see the bride before the wedding,” Petal gasped.
“From past experience, I’ve found that it’s bad luck to take my eyes off my bride before our wedding.” He grinned, not taking his eyes off Heaven.
“Come on girls, let’s give them a moment alone,” Jade suggested, and everyone hurried out of the room.
Julian walked over to Heaven with a look of adoration on his face. She smiled up at him lovingly.
“We finally made it,” he murmured.
“I know…think of all we’ve been through to get here.”
They looked at each other knowingly and laughed.
***
Clive found out that Julian wasn’t someone he wanted as an enemy. No one would want him as an enemy. Julian had made Clive's life a living hell for months, and he’d made a game out of it. As if the torture weren’t bad enough, Heaven looked at Clive as if he were the lowest of criminals. He knew he’d never have her. So after months of mental warfare, Clive finally quit the firm.
Julian threw a party and made Heaven his guest of honor.
One year later
Heaven lay on the new chaise Julian had bought her. He made sure it had extra padding, and the cushions were as soft as a cloud. He’d also made sure that it was her favorite shade of red, and that there was enough room for him as well. She liked it so much, he found himself dragging it to the back porch at night so they could enjoy the view. After a couple weeks, he bought her an identical one, so he didn’t have to continue the nightly routine.
Heaven’s mother had been bringing by baskets of sweets daily. No matter how much Heaven protested, she still took the baskets and ate the majority.
Heaven was devouring a container of chocolate-covered raspberries when Julian walked out onto the back porch.
“Are you comfortable?” he asked as he sat down next to her.
She grinned. “As comfortable as I can get with a seven-pound human being trapped inside of me. A seven-pound human being who is trying to play football, nonetheless.”
“He’s going to be a quarterback, just like every other male in his family.” Julian smiled widely.
“I still can’t believe you’re going to train him so early.”
“That’s the way; you have to start early. The second he can hold that ball, he learns to play.”
“What if he gets hurt?”
“He won’t get hurt,” he reassured her as he opened her robe.
“If he gets hurt, I’m holding you fully responsible,” she warned him.
“I already know.” He grinned as he kissed her belly. “You have another basket from your mother.”
“I refuse to take it, that woman has to stop!” She shook her head and pouted silently for a moment. Julian held his smile back as he watched her emotions run across her face. Then she asked the question that he knew she would ask. “Were there chocolate-covered raspberries?”
He chuckled. “Yes.”
“It’s not funny, I have a serious problem. I am one hundred percent addicted to chocolate right now. My mother is enabling my addiction, and you’re enabling her!” she grumbled as she picked up the remainder of the chocolate-covered raspberries she’d been eating. The box was almost empty, and she was already feeling a bit sad in anticipation of the loss. “Seriously, Julian, do you not see all the weight I’ve gained? Help me help myself.”
“You look fantastic. Your breasts are unbelievable, and your ass is phenomenal. I say…keep the calories coming.” He opened the side of her robe and kissed from the top to the tip of her breast.
***
Heaven held her stomach as the cramp began to rock her midsection. She had never experienced pain like it before. She was thrilled beyond words that the prosecutor was hurrying through his closing statement.
This was the one time when her poker face was near impossible to achieve. Somehow, she managed to act normally despite the fact that her stomach felt as if it were ready to implode. She took a deep breath as the cramp finally subsided. As if time itself had decided to lend her a helping hand, the prosecutor closed his statement.
She stood up as if she were not going into labor, and walked over to stand before the jury. She held her composure as she began her closing statement. Her words were precise, but she was speed talking. There were ten minutes between the last two contractions. She knew that she had about ten minutes to get through her closing statement before another cramp hit.
She managed to deliver her statement with one minute to spare. She walked back to the table and sat down in the nick of time. She felt the next contraction rip through her. This time she was unable to keep her poker face in place.
Julian had noticed and stood up just as the jury left.
“Are you all right, Mrs. King?” the judge asked.
“Yes, Your Honor, I stubbed my toe,” she lied gracefully.
Julian sat back down, but he didn’t buy it. He knew she hadn’t stubbed her toe. The woman could be hit in the head with a baseball bat and not lose her composure in the courtroom. He sat on the edge of his seat listening to her. If she even breathed too hard, he would pull her out of court.
It didn’t take long for the jury to come back with their verdict. The courtroom erupted in applause when Heaven won, but she didn’t react. Instead, she stood up as Julian walked over to her.
“What’s wrong?” he asked as
he put his arm around her for support.
“I think I’m in labor,” she gulped as she held him tightly.
Julian picked her up and raced out of the courtroom without saying a word to anyone. It was the fastest, albeit safest, trip he had ever made to the hospital.
***
The hospital waiting room was packed. Sybille, Coco, and Maude had brought a few girls from the brothel to help with refreshments. Every nurse, doctor and patient on the delivery floor were welcome to join their party. They also brought armfuls of gifts for the baby. It was obvious that Sybille had overdosed on baby shopping. She had bought enough stuff to fill the room, and that was only what she’d brought in with her.
Jade flew back the day she found out that Heaven was in labor. She had found an unusual pirate-themed bedding set for the baby’s crib. It was black, white, and blue with a red pirate flag. Heaven couldn’t be happier; she was decorating the baby’s room in black, white, and blue. The red pirate flag would make the perfect touch.
Julian was also happy with the bed set because it was masculine. He didn’t care what Heaven did with the rest of the house, the wedding or even their bedroom. However, he was adamant about his son’s room not being overly red.
Alice was there with a fringed, black leather baby blanket she had custom-made. The opposite side was a soft faux fur. She also had the matching leather jacket and a bottle set with black skulls.
Petal and Alex were also there bearing gifts. Petal had picked out a gorgeous layette set that Heaven planned to take her son home in. She’d also bought a red Stevie Zell handbag. It was a large handbag designed to pose as a diaper bag. It also featured a line of designer baby accessories, which Petal bought on the spot.
Ayden was there; the big tough lawyer nervously pacing the floor, waiting to see his grandson. Occasionally, he would step out to take an important phone call, but he would return to the room quickly.
Ian sat in the corner with Gloria. They were talking up a storm and enjoying each other’s company.
***
In the delivery room, Julian was staring at his son in awe. Although he was six-feet-one, he felt as if he were thirty-feet tall. He was overcome with pride and a strong sense of accomplishment. He then looked at Heaven and felt overwhelming graciousness. He pushed the loose tendrils back from her face and kissed her forehead.
“Thank you.” He was overcome with emotion and unable to express his true feelings. He had never been blessed with such an amazing gift. “There is no greater gift in the world—thank you for my son.”
“I couldn’t have made him without you,” she reminded him, and Julian’s smile widened. “Thank you, too.”
***
There was a party in hospital room 301. Everyone was there to celebrate the birth of Levi King. The guest of honor was sleeping peacefully in the nursery, while his friends and family popped bottles of champagne.
Ayden paid a hefty sum to every security guard, nurse and doctor on the floor to turn a blind eye to the festivities. Every patient was given a sizable gift card for the baby store.
“We need to make a toast!” Alice said as she began to fill the glasses.
“Do you want champagne?” Petal asked Heaven as she handed her a glass.
“No,” Julian answered as he took the glass from Petal instead.
“I have sparkling apple cider for you, darling,” Sybille said as she poured a glass for her daughter.
Ayden raised his glass high. “A toast to my first grandchild—Levi King.”
“Our amazing grandchild is already the apple of his grandparents’ eyes,” Sybille added as she held up her glass.
“To Levi!” the crowd cried simultaneously as they clicked their glasses together.
“And to his amazing parents,” Coco added.
“I’d like to toast my husband,” Heaven added as she raised her glass of sparkling apple cider. “This would not be possible today if not for him. I would like to officially thank him for searching half of New York City until he found me. Thank you for never giving up.”
“And I would like to toast my wife, for keeping herself alive until I found her,” he said with a grin as he kissed her lightly.
The nurse suddenly came into the hospital room with Levi. Everyone grew silent as they looked at the swaddled baby.
“I think he must know that his family is celebrating. He refuses to rest.” The nurse smiled as Levi cried.
Julian grinned. “Already stubborn like his mother.”
“You mean like his father.” Heaven smiled at him.
“Already showing signs of being a genius, like both of his parents.” Sybille smiled proudly.
“And his grandfather,” Ayden interjected.
“And his Aunt Coco,” Coco chimed in.
The nurse handed Levi to Heaven, and he immediately stopped crying.
“He just wanted his mother.” Julian smiled as he sat in the chair next to Heaven and began to whisper so that only she could hear, “I know how you feel, son; I want your mother too.”
***
The long day finally came to an end. The thick, navy-colored sky was illuminated by the bright, full moon and cast a glittery darkness across the city.
After everyone had left for the night, Julian and Heaven sat on the bed looking at their baby.
“You’re exhausted, Princess, you need to get some rest.” Julian ran his hand across her cheek.
“Not yet, I’m afraid I might miss something. This is the best moment of my life, and I want to make it last as long as I can.” She smiled at her son adoringly.
Julian smiled in response. He knew how deep her stubborn streak went. He also knew that she would stay up until she passed out from sheer exhaustion.
“Trust me, I understand, but you just gave birth to my ten-pound son. You need to rest your body.”
“Not now,” she said as she pushed the hair back from her son’s forehead. “I can’t believe how perfect he is.”
As she spoke, her face lit up with joy and pride. Julian watched his wife and his son with an incomparable pride. He knew that he was blessed. After a childhood filled with deceit and distrust, he was looking forward to spending the rest of his life in bliss.
“He’s perfect, and he looks just like his father. You know what that means,” Julian grinned slyly, “you lost the wager. You now owe me a five-day contract.”
“Not yet, it’s still too early to tell. He might look more like me in the next few months,” she argued in a soft tone so she didn’t wake the baby.
“I don’t think so, Princess. He is my spitting image, even down to the color of his hair and his birth weight. My father said it was like seeing me as a newborn again. So when do you want to start your contract? ” he grinned wolfishly.
As if Levi realized that his parents were discussing him, he opened his eyes.
“Oh, just look at him,” Heaven sang as her heart skipped a beat.
“His eyes are going to be gray.”
“It’s too early to tell yet, Julie,” Heaven managed to bark at him in a sweet tone.
“They are already close to my color.”
“It’s a proven fact that the color of the baby’s eyes will change within the first year.”
“Not a chance. Just admit it—Levi is going to look exactly like me.”
Levi began to cry a little and Heaven kissed his forehead.
“I refuse. I think he’s hungry.”
Julian sat behind Heaven on the bed and untied her hospital gown. He slid the material off her shoulders and unfastened her bra. He pulled down the strap and bared her breast, then watched in fascination as she began to nurse their son.
“What I would give to be able to do that all day. I would love to be permanently attached to your breast.”
She grinned. “I bet you would.”
“I told you that you would be an amazing mother.” He felt relief as he watched them. “You are going to be able to give him what I never had—a mother’s love. Bec
ause of you, he’s going to have a better appreciation and understanding of women than I did growing up. My son could not ask for a better mother.”