by Tiana Cole
He took a step back, still not letting go of her hand as he knelt by the hospital bed beside her.
“Ayden? What are you doing?” Alicia’s voice was weak, but she was still awake and he could think of nothing better than spending his life with this woman and he knew he couldn’t wait another minute to ask her.
Slowly, he reached in his pocket fishing for the small plastic ring. He pulled it out with trembling hands. The only other time he could remember being this terrified was when he had run into that abandoned building hoping and praying with every ounce of willpower inside of him that she would be okay. He thought he would have died right then if there if anything had happened to her.
Charlotte had been stopped by the police even though she had tried to run in with him and he would never forget that. He would always be in her debt and he had no doubt that she would have been their right along side him to save her friend if she could have.
“Alicia Banks, we have been through so much together over these past months, and especially of the past weeks, and especially today.” He knew he was rambling but he just couldn’t help it. Her eyes were molten dark on his and he couldn’t look away either. “I know that things have not always been perfect between us, and we’ve fought, and we will probably fight again, but today, when I realized that you might have been hurt, might have been…” He chocked on the words, unable to even say them out loud. It would make them too real, and it was hard enough to say what he was about to without breaking down in front of her.
“Ayden, what are you saying? You know I don’t blame you. It was Marcus.” She tried to reassure him and he smiled at her effort, at the kindness behind it.
“What I’m saying is that…I love you. I love you more than anything in the entire world, more than anything I’ve ever loved in my entire life. And I can’t imagine my life without you. Alicia Banks, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife? Will you marry me?” He stared at her with bated breath. Or more like he couldn’t breath at all with her looking back at him in wide-eyed shock and surprise.
“Oh my god, oh my god! Ayden!” She sat bolt upright in the hospital bed and the alarms that she was connected to started to beep and ring and make all sorts of noise that had a nurse rushing in, clipboard in hand, to see what had caused it.
“Her heart rate is up.” The nurse turned to give him a sharp look and he grinned sheepishly. “You’ll have to go, sir. You are disturbing my patient.”
“No, no, it’s okay, I just…I was just surprised, that’s all,” Alicia hastened to convince the nurse to let him stay, but she shooed him out of the room before turning back. But he still didn’t have his answer. He looked around for a minute and seeing that the coast was clear took a deep, fortifying breath and barged back in, intent on finding out Alicia’s answer no matter how intimidating the nurse was.
“…we have the test results back. They’re positive.”
“Are you sure?” He immediately heard the high pitched panic in Alicia’s voice and stopped where he was.
“I’m sure. You are pregnant, Miss Banks.”
“Pregnant!” The word was out of his mouth before he could stop himself.
“You! Didn’t I already kick you out of here once?”
“A baby? Are you sure?” he asked Alicia and she nodded at him, tears of joy filling her eyes.
“It was a blood test. They are sure.” She nodded her head and he ran towards her, ignoring the nurse who threw her hands up with a huff.
“Alicia, will you marry me? Will you become my wife?” Ayden stared at her, feeling like it was the most important question he had ever asked. Finally, she looked up at him, pure love shining from her eyes.
“Yes, of course. Yes.”
Epilogue
Ayden watched with tears pricking at the corners of his eye as the music started. The sound of cellos and violins echoed through the cathedral but he didn’t hear it.
All he could hear was the pounding of his own heartbeat. His gaze was glued to the large double doors that marked the beginning of the aisle and he was pretty sure he stopped breathing altogether as they finally opened.
They were pulled to the side slowly, so slowly he felt like they were all moving in slow motion and he was filled with impatience. He wanted to see her. He needed to see her. His bride.
Ayden shifted restlessly from one foot to the other, smiling as Charlotte sauntered down the aisle to stand to his right. The music changed slightly, slowing down even more and growing softer and finally – finally – she walked in. Alicia beamed at him and he didn’t even try and fight back the tears as she walked towards him.
Their eyes were locked together, everyone else disappearing until it was only them, no one else around them in the whole world. His universe narrowed until only this woman existed.
This woman that had so changed his life around, flipping everything he had thought he knew or wanted on its head. Because the only thing he wanted was her. For now, and forever. Through sickness and in health. For as long as they both shall live.
The thought had him remembering just how close he had come to losing her. If he and Charlotte had been a minute late in figuring out where she had gone, a minute late in finding her, he shuddered, unable to even think of what might have happened. He knew he would have lost her forever, he had been so close to losing her forever and he would never forget that.
Alicia walked closer to him, her gleaming white dress trailing behind her, fitting her perfectly with its simplicity and elegance. He could see the swell of her stomach where their baby grew. It had been almost seven months since they had found out she was pregnant and she looked more beautiful to him every day.
The dress had an understated beauty that let hers shine through and as she smiled at him it broke over him like sunshine after a storm. Finally, she came to a stop in front of him, her hands automatically clenched in his. He could never remember what the priest had said.
Only the look in her beautiful chocolate brown eyes. That look had been pure love, a look he would never forget for the rest of his life, that he would keep with him forever.
As the ceremony ended and he slipped the ring on her finger, right next to the engagement ring he had given her to replace the original he had proposed with, although he knew that she still kept it locked up like a treasure even though he had gotten it from a quarter vending machine in the hospital lobby.
“With this ring, I do wed,” he repeated the words, not paying attention to anything but the feel of her standing next to him, her delicate fingers sliding a ring on his own finger as she said the same words, her voice thick with choked back tears. Ayden looked at her, his wife, the woman he loved more than anything else in the whole world.
He barely waited for the priest to say the words before she was in his arms, his lips on hers and finally, everything was exactly how they were supposed to be. He had never felt more right in his entire life that standing there holding his wife in his embrace.
“What are you thinking about?” Alicia’s soft voice cut through the daydream and he cracked open one eye to glance at her from behind the darkened lens of his sunglasses. Her skin gleamed like velvet in the tropical sunshine and her belly was swollen after eight months of pregnancy.
He had told her they could postpone their honeymoon but she had refused, saying that she wouldn’t let a little thing like being the size of a planet stop her from going on the honeymoon they had planned in the Bahamas.
She had always wanted to go there, and despite his misgivings about taking his very pregnant wife on a trip, he couldn’t deny her anything and she knew it. Alicia reached her hand out and without thought he reached out, taking it in his own.
“So? Are you going to tell me?” she asked with a huff of annoyance.
“Tell you what?” he asked, distracted, as he so often was, by her indescribably beauty. Sometimes he still couldn’t believe he had been lucky enough to get her to marry him. Beauty and brains, all in one incredible package.
“What were you thinking about? You had this goofy smile on your face,” she teased him with a soft laugh.
“I did not!” Ayden’s words were full of mock effrontery, but after a moment he was laughing along with her. She was probably telling the truth. “Alright, alright. I was thinking about our wedding day.”
“You were?” She turned her head on the lounge chair so she could look at him. It was the twin to the chair he was sitting on, right on the edge of the private beach he had reserved especially for them.
Ayden nodded, not sure how to express the tangled mix of emotions that had swept over him at the memory. It was so full of happiness he couldn’t put it into words.
“I was just thinking about how beautiful you looked, and how lucky I am to have found someone as amazing as you.” His hand squeezed tight around hers and he could see her tense, as effected by the memories as he was, “I was also wondering how I got so damn lucky to have found you, and someone convince you to marry me of all people.”
“Uh, Ayden, that’s really sweet but–”
“It’s not sweet,” he interrupted softly, “It’s just the simple truth.”
“Ayden, really, that is so great, but now is not the time–”
“I can’t think of a better time, my love. I wish I could tell you just how amazing my life has been since you crashed into, how you’ve made me a better person.”
“Ayden! Stop talking!” Alicia yelled the words and he looked over, for the first time hearing the note in her voice. “I appreciate it, and I love you too, but I think…I think my water just broke.”
“What? What? What!” Ayden couldn’t get any other words out as he jumped to his feet, throwing sand everywhere as he ran in a circle.
“Ayden, calm down. We have a plan for this remember?” Alicia said, and he couldn’t understand why her voice was so even and calm when his heart rate had just shot through the roof.
“Right, a plan. A plan. What was the plan?” Ayden looked at her helplessly and she just laughed as she got to her feet. She was laughing! At him!
“Yes, a plan. There’s a state of the art hospital right next our hotel. Dr. Mancino is great, she’ll be so excited for us.”
“Excited, right. She’s excited.” He knew he was rambling, but it was like a switch had been flipped and his mind had just completely shut off.
“We have to get to the hospital, it’s just over that little rise.” Alicia gestured across the small beach and he could see the top of the building from there.
“Wait a minute, sweetheart. You can’t walk to the hospital,” he said, horrified.
“Of course I can.”
“No, you can’t.” Ayden still hadn’t taken a single step, while Alicia was getting farther away from him by the minute. Nothing was slowly her down. Not even the protests of her loving, concerned husband.
With resolve, he finally forced his legs to start moving despite the shock and panic trying to immobilize him. Soon, he was standing in front of her and she stopped, hands on hips and looking up at him with an arched brow. Without another word he bent down, sweeping one hand behind her legs and the other around her should as he lifted her into his arms.
“Ayden, you don’t have to carry me. Really, I can walk.” Alicia tried to protest but he refused to set her down, carrying her the rest of the short walk to the hospital and still not putting her down as he entered through the emergency room. This was most definitely an emergency. He was still holding her as he walked up to the front desk.
“We are having a baby.” Ayden said the words all in a rush and luckily he didn’t notice when Alicia rolled her eyes.
“Okay, sir, and do you already have a doctor here?” the woman behind the desk asked as she grabbed a clipboard full of papers.
“Yes, Dr. Mancino,” Alicia said before he could get the words out.
“Great. Sir, if you would just like to put her down, we’ll get a wheel chair for her and–”
“No. No, I’m not letting her go.” Ayden wasn’t even sure where the sudden stubbornness came from but he knew without a doubt he wasn’t going to let anyone else take her.
“Really, Ayden, it’s okay. I promise. Cross my heart.” Alicia smiled gently up at him and some of the panic eased. Finally, he nodded, setting her gently in the wheel chair and they were seen to one of the private rooms in the obstetrics wing.
The hours passed in a blur for Ayden. Sometimes he would be holding Alicia’s hand, helping her to breath through the pain, or telling her jokes just to see her smile. It was the most terrifying, amazing experience of his life and he was pretty sure he was in shock for most of it.
He reached over, brushing the hair of her his wife sweat soaked forehead as the doctor finally told her to push, push, push. And then a new sound echoed through the room, the sweetest sound he had ever heard as their baby took its first breath in the world. He was trembling all over as the nurse quickly washed and dried the crying child and a moment later a swaddled bundle was placed in his arms.
“Congratulations, it’s a beautiful baby girl.” The nurse smiled at him but he didn’t see it. He only had eyes for the baby in his arms. He turned to Alicia, wonder filling his blue eyes.
“Our daughter. Our perfect daughter.” Alicia smiled wearily up at him and he placed their daughter in her arms. He stared down at them, overwhelmed. In front of him was the two women he loved more than anything else in the entire world.
“I love you so much. More than I can ever say.” He leaned down and laid a gently kiss first on his daughter’s cheek, and then his wife’s. He didn’t know what he’d done to deserve them in his life, but he was ready to spend the rest of his years making sure that they were happy. Alicia looked up at him with tears of happiness glistening in her eyes.
“I love you too, Ayden.”
THE END
Thank you for reading!
AND IF YOU HAVE TIME FOR ONE MORE...
Turn the page to read: “A Gambling Heart” by Tiana Cole
A Gambling Heart
Chapter 1 ( Sienna )
I cringed slightly as a girl left the room, slamming the door behind her. The banging sound hurt my ears. Someone should really tell maintenance to check on the door jamb; maybe I should just do it.
I realized my exhaustion made even my ears sensitive despite the fuzz clouding my brain. But it’s alright. In a little while I will be home and can sleep. Home. The idea never sounded sweeter. My bed is where I want to be right this minute.
I rubbed the back of my neck, hoping to ease the crick that had formed between my shoulders. I searched the room, looking for a familiar face among the women changing into street clothes.
I wondered where Chantal was. She texted earlier saying she wanted to see me after my shift. Probably wanted to pass by a food joint or something. I realized my last meal was yesterday at lunch and my stomach was grumbling.
I was about to call her when the door opened with a flourish. Typical Chantal entrance. There she was, eyes shining and all excited. I wondered why. Didn’t she just pull a long one today, just like me?
“They’re here, Sienna! They’re here…”
I wondered who was here. God, I hoped it wasn’t another emergency situation. We had to get out of here before Nurse Silva popped her head in to see who was still around.
“The Krazey Aborigines.”
Chantal said the name like it was an orgasm. It sounded familiar before I made the connection. The Krazey Aborigines, a band she had been following in the internet. She talked about them incessantly. It was her latest guilty pleasure.
From her excited bubbling I gathered that The Krazey Aborigines was playing in a local bar...for one night only. They would be signing autographs and it was a photo-op for their fans. Chantal was raring to go. She wouldn’t miss this for the world. Apparently I had the honor of being her date. God. Really? All I wanted was to curl up under the sheets till kingdom come.
Chantal was adamant. But she always is and I always end up giv
ing in to her anyway. I shook my head, indicating it wasn’t a good idea. Not for me, at least. I hoped she would get the hint. No band, no matter how popular, was going to make me feel better. And right now I felt like I had just been through a meat grinder.
“C’mon, Sienna. How often will they be in this side of town?”
The whine in her voice was grating. This was one of those times I wished she wasn’t my friend and sat with me through good times and bad.
“I have to be back at work by six tomorrow morning,” I replied as I banked on my last reserves of perseverance. If I agreed to go out tonight that meant less than six hours of sleep. Not a good idea.
“We won’t stay long I promise. It’s ladies’ night tonight and all our drinks are at fifty off. We’ll grab a few beers than we’ll be on our way home. Pleaseeee…”
I tried to ignore the pleading look in her sapphire blue eyes. She was a master of persuasion. The girl is from Kentucky, typically blonde, svelte, and a knockout in her tight jeans and even tighter tees. Though petite, she is very confident about her sexy curves and often flaunted it.
Anyone who knew us wondered why we clicked. I stood at a towering 5’9’’ and my mahogany skin was Chantal’s surreptitious desire. She often said I should be working as a Victoria’s Secret Angel. I think my ass is much too ginormous for a modeling job. My boobs aren’t too bad.
But if she thought I had the makings of a fashion model, I won’t argue. I knew I wasn’t lacking in the looks department. I got the best traits from a black dad who married my mom, a black woman from Nebraska with European descent which probably explained my grey green eyes.
My shoulder length hair went well with the rest of me. Too bad that in our line of work we weren’t supposed to look like pageant beauties.