by Jacki Kelly
After growing up with parents disconnected from each other, he couldn’t do that to his son. If she can’t forgive him, then they need to make some other permanent arrangements. He straightened his shoulders and tugged on the leash.
“Come on, Turbo; it’s time to face the music. Even if they’re playing a tune we don’t want to hear.”
Melissa wasn’t in the living room when he returned. Happy to have a few more moments before talking with her, he removed the leash from the dog and strolled into the kitchen.
After popping the cap on the Corona, he sat on the bar stool and focused on the refrigerator. Even without asking her the question, he could sense her reply. If only he could script what he needed from her.
Three gulps and he emptied the bottle. After turning off the lights, he slipped into the bedroom. Melissa was curled around a pillow. Her breathing was steady and even. He stripped off his clothes and stepped over Turbo to climb into bed.
Like all the nights since the baby began kicking, he settled in behind her and placed his hand on her stomach. Her hair was damp and smelled like flowers. Careful not to wake her, he tried to slow his breathing. He’d been granted one more day. Maybe the magic he needed would come to him in his sleep.
Chapter Forty
Darius turned over in the empty bed without opening his eyes. He’d heard her get up over an hour ago. Stalling never solved anything and time wasn’t for sale. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and buried his face in his hands.
“There you are. I was beginning to wonder if you were ever going to wake up.”
“Why are you up so early; it’s only seven?”
“I’ve got to get some stuff done at the gallery. With only two more weeks left, I want to make sure Henri and Amanda can take care of everything while I’m away.”
She’d changed into the shortest shirt ever made. The top half of her stomach was covered and the round smooth skin on the underside gleamed like sun on water. Her panties covered the small patch between her legs. “You make pregnant look so sexy, I’d like to keep you that way.”
She put her hand on her hip and pushed out her round tush. “I may make this look easy, but believe me, it’s not. My body will need a few years to recoup after this.”
He pulled her down on top of him and ran his hands inside her panties. She squealed as he grabbed her firm butt cheeks and squeezed. “I can’t get enough of you.”
“And I thought I was the only one affected by my pregnancy. I see you kinda like all this extra stuff, don’t you?”
“Melissa, I like everything about you. It may have taken me more time than it should have to realize how much you mean to me, but now, I know I want to fight for us.”
She grew still and rolled off him onto the mattress. For several moments, neither of them said anything. The only sound was Turbo licking his big, hairy paw.
“I know we need to have this conversation. I’ve been thinking about us too.”
“My mom’s comment last night upset you, didn’t it? I saw you coming out of the bathroom with your sisters and Pam. You were upset,” he said while still lying on his back.
“Not by her comment. But, we’ve been playing house. The last few months have been so nice, I just pretended this was real. I don’t know what to believe. I don’t know if I can tell reality from make-believe.”
“Why can’t what we’re doing be our real life now? If we both want this life, then what’s stopping us from living it?”
She pulled on her bottom lip with her teeth before scrambling off the bed and beyond his reach. “I got to get going. My meeting…” She ran into the bathroom and closed the door.
He opened the door just as she turned on the shower and stepped into the stall. “Darius, I really don’t have time for this conversation this morning. Can’t we talk when I get home tonight? And put on some clothes.” She turned her back to him.
“I’m not going away, Melissa. I’ll be here when you get home. I’ll be here tomorrow morning and the morning after that.” He stood just outside the shower with his hands on the top of the door.
“Please don’t come in here, Darius.”
He opened the door and stepped in behind her. She dropped the soap at his feet. Either she was crying or water from the shower ran down her face.
“We need to talk,” he said.
“I know. I’m just not ready,” she pleaded with him.
“Ready for what? I’m not asking you to do anything. Just love me and let me love you.”
“We’ve been trying for five years. Nothing is different now except you knocked me up.”
“I’m different. Can’t you tell?”
“Yeah, but for how long? Until the next phone call from Dan, or the next tour, or awards show, or the next something.” Her voice grew louder with each accusation, and he deserved each one. But, he couldn’t apologize again.
“You just have to trust me. Believe when I tell you this time, I’ll be different.”
Water splashed over them. Steam clouded the clear glass. She stood perfectly still, her arms clamped to her sides.
A stream of water trailed over her shoulder and over her breast. Her nipple hardened, but she didn’t move. Her eyes never left his face.
“If my word isn’t enough, I don’t know what else I can give you.” He held her tight as she released the sob she must have been holding back.
Chapter Forty-One
Melissa sat with her back to the door. Getting through the meeting with her staff was hard enough, but she couldn’t hold back the tears a moment longer. Without smearing her mascara, she dabbed under her eyes and swiped her nose.
If only she could roll away all the hurt and unhappiness into one big ball and throw it out like trash, everything would be just fine.
Numbness hadn’t gripped her like this since the night her parents were killed in the horrific accident that changed her life. Back then, she’d been too young to know the consequences of her actions. This time, whatever she decided wouldn’t only impact her, but her child. Her shoulders sagged against the weight.
She snatched her purse from the drawer and marched out of her office. “Amanda, Henri, I’m leaving.”
Amanda’s eyes widened. “I thought you were here all day. What if—”
“You two can handle everything and you know how to reach me. Call me anytime if you need me. I really need to go.” Without waiting for more protests, she walked out of the gallery.
She couldn’t walk away from Darius. They had so much unfinished business. She had to give their marriage another try, and another one, if the first one didn’t work. She owed herself, their baby, and him to try.
The moment she stuck her key in the lock of the front door, she prayed he was still there, still willing.
“Darius,” she called to him and closed the door.
“In here, in the kitchen.”
Her heart lifted, happy to hear his voice.
She found him on the stool in the kitchen. A half-empty Corona and the divorce documents were in front of him.
He held up the bottle. “I needed something a little harder than soda.” He swallowed the last of the beer and set the bottle down. His eyes pierced her. “If this is what you want…”
“It’s not what I want.” She sounded so loud she hardly recognized her own voice. “We have an unfinished story. I want to know how it’s going to end.”
His face contorted. “What made you change your mind? You’ve only been gone a few hours, so what happened?”
She sat next to him. “Nothing happened. I know we’ve got some work to do, but I think we ought to try. I love you enough to keep trying until we get it right. Tell me you feel the same way.”
He picked up the empty bottle and gazed inside the opening. His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down. “See, here’s the thing...”
“No, Darius, I just poured my heart out to you, don’t tell me there’s a thing. If you had a thing, why didn’t you tell me this morning?”
“I thought you wanted to try again. This morning you said--”
He reached for her hand. “I want to try. But either you’re all in or we need to part ways now, while we can still tolerate each other.”
She placed her hand on her hip. “And what are you going to do differently? I’m not the only one who needs to make some promises.”
He tilted his chin like he was getting ready to take a blow. Despite the baby kicking, her stomach did an extra rumble. He slipped off the stool and dropped on one knee.
“Are you proposing?” Her eyes stung with tears.
“Shhh and no, I’m not asking you to marry me.” He held her hand between his palms. “Melissa, I promise, with all my heart and all that I am, to love you, cherish you and treat you like the jewel you are. I’ll never again as long as I live, take you for granted. Every day, I’ll put your happiness and joy before everything else. If you’ll take care of my heart, I vow to take care of yours. Forever.”
Her stomach made getting on the floor awkward, but she managed to get on one knee. “Yes, Darius. I’ll take care of your heart, if you let me.”
Chapter Forty-Two
Melissa settled into the armchair like a cow being lowered in front of a trough. Her stomach couldn’t grow another inch; there was no more room in her. Every position she maneuvered her body into was only comfortable for a few minutes.
“Darius, am I as big as I feel?”
His eyes rolled over her and rested on her belly. “You’re carrying my son. If you had to get ten times bigger, that would be fine. You’ve never been prettier to me.” He bent to kiss her. His tongue lingered on her lips before finding her tongue.
“Let me play some music for you.” Darius shuffled through his album collection. “Somewhere in here is the right music to coax the baby out of you.”
“I’m a week late. I would have bet I was going to be early. I’ve never been late for anything.” She pulled up her shirt and glared at her stomach. The skin was taut and hard.
“Instead of having someone else sing to me, why don’t you sing for me?”
He helped her out of the chair. “I’ll sing if you’ll dance with me.”
“You can’t even hold me tight. I’m a mile away.” She protested when he tried to pull her close.
“I can always find a way to hold on to you.” He pulled her closer
She dropped her head against his chest. “You’ve been so patient with me. And every day, I think I get crankier.”
“You’re fine. Now, son, come on out of there and give your mommy a break.” He placed his mouth near her ear and started to sing.
Nothing feels as good as this
Never knew this kind of bliss
You’re the life I dreamed
You’re everything; you’re everything to me.
And all I’ll ever need.
A sharp pain stopped her. She clutched her stomach.
“What’s wrong?” Darius held her up just as another pain gripped her and buckled her knees.
“I think I just had a contraction. But it was too painful. If contractions are this painful, I can’t take labor.” She almost didn’t feel the gush of water soaking her bare feet. Darius moved before she realized what was happening. He lifted her up and placed her on the kitchen stool.
“Baby, stay right there. I’ll get your bag. Don’t move.” He reached in the closet and grabbed her bag. “I can carry you and the bag.”
“Don’t be silly. I can walk. I think walking will help with my labor. I know everybody says this, but you know when we come back, our lives won’t be the same.”
“It’s going to be better. So much fuller.”
****
Darius stood at the head of the bed next to her. Melissa was tough. Watching what she had to go through showed him she was strong. Unable to find the words to express what he felt, all he could do was brush away the hair plastered to her temple.
Her labor lasted too long. The pushing, the breathing, and the panting were endless. Two hours should have been enough, but she endured seven. Her resilience had no limits.
She managed a smile. Finally, the pain in her face had vanished, but she continued to cry.
“Honey, please stop crying,” he whispered in her ear as he stroked her forehead.
“I can’t help it, Darius. Every time I think I’m done, they start again.” She shifted the baby in her arms and cooed to him. “He’s beautiful, isn’t he?”
“Yes. And I have something special for his mother.” He lifted the baby out of her arms and placed him in the bassinet. Melissa glanced at him through her long, wet lashes. “This is for you.” He placed the big box in her lap.
“What is this?” she asked as she tore the wrapping away from the big box.
He rocked the baby’s bed without answering her. She pulled the box free and raised the lid.
“The boots.” She gushed. “Darius, you bought them for me. How could you even remember what they looked like?”
“I should never have forgotten.” He kissed her forehead.
“I love you so much,” she whispered.
Not trusting his voice, he nodded. Coming so close to losing everything was hard to admit. Watching Melissa hold their son was better than anything he’d thought he wanted. In the sterile, white hospital room, his life was happier than he thought possible.
Epilogue
Melissa slipped into the gown Asa had made just for her. Her hips were a little fuller than they used to be, but her stomach was flat again. She examined herself in the three-way mirror of their suite and nodded.
A year ago, this life was unimaginable. In the last five months, she’d become a wife again and a mother. Hitting the lottery couldn’t have brought her more joy. When she returned to Philly in a few days, she’d start decorating the house they’d purchased in Rittenhouse Square. Nothing from San Francisco had made the cut and only a few items from the condo. Tonight she could be Cinderella getting ready for the big ball. Since the day they both got down on their knees and committed to their marriage, neither had spoken a cruel word. The ones said during labor didn’t count. Nothing during those hours could be held against her.
“Yeah, you look good, baby.” She spun around to see Darius leaning against the door jamb holding DJ in one arm like a football.
“I didn’t hear you come in.” She sashayed toward him and kissed the baby’s full head of black curls. “You clean up good in a tux, Mr. Bellamy.”
“Not as good as you look in that dress. Girl, if you keep looking so sexy, you’re going to be pregnant again in a hot minute.”
“I was just thinking about how far we’ve come. The last time you went to the Academy Awards, I had to stay home. Remember?”
“I was stupid. If I could, I’d even take DJ with us tonight.”
“Oh, no, this is our night. We haven’t been away from him for more than a few hours since we brought him home. We’ve flown the best au pair in the country out here just so we could celebrate tonight. And we’re going to do the night up right. My sisters are here, your parents are here, and our friends are here. You understand, don’t you, DJ?”
A long trail of drool hung from the baby’s mouth almost to the floor. Melissa reached for the drool cloth on Darius’s shoulder and wiped his mouth.
“You’re right. You deserve this night and I’m going to make sure it’s special.” He reached for her hand and twirled her around.
“If you keep this up, he’s going to mess up your tux and you’ll have to wear jeans.”
He lifted the baby up until the tips of their noses touched. “I wouldn’t even care. I used to think getting the Academy Award for best
music score would be my crowning glory. Ha, was I wrong.”
The baby started to coo and flashed a wet, toothless grin.
Claire appeared behind Darius. “It’s time for me to feed him and put him down for the night.”
“Good night, champ.” Darius kissed DJ’s forehead and handed him over to the au pair.
“Wait, I need to kiss him too. We might not get back to the hotel until tomorrow morning.” She cradled him in her arms and cooed him until he quieted.
“Don’t look so sad, Melissa. Didn’t you just give me a big lecture about this being our night?” He eased the baby out of her arms and handed him over to Claire.
“You’re right. Let me put on the six-inch heels I just had to have and let’s go win your gold statue.”
Other books in the series:
The Sweet Road to Home
A house brought them together, but will it tear their love apart?
Determined, Asa Conroy has moved back to Bristol to organize her life. The house where she grew up is just the place to take control of her future. But her happy return home is soon quashed when she finds out the house is slated for demolition by the same man that shunned her in high school.
Career-driven Simeon Harper is one construction project away from erasing his dysfunctional past and fulfilling his promises to his dying mother.
When these two childhood friends collide, will they be able to salvage their love, or does it go down in the rubble?
The Sweet Road to Love
Bookstore owner Dakota Conroy has been dumped by her long-distance boyfriend. While the sting is still branded in her brain, she decides to pour her excess energy into the store's renovation with the help of engineering specialist, Bishop Contee. His charm is irresistible, but his reputation for womanizing is legendary. Could he be a nice distraction while she mends her life?