Billionairess's Dilemma: Reclaiming His Heart

A Big Day

Laurel

“He’s going to kill us.” Henry says as he hangs more balloons near the pool.

“He won’t because then he’ll have to raise his siblings and my crazy pack of sharks. We told him he’s their guardians a few weeks ago in preparation for this Goose.” I say with a laugh. It’s Kevin’s sixteenth birthday party. The family one at least. We are surprising him with this party in my backyard.

Ellis walks over to hang the streamers up higher than I can reach. Henry shakes his head watching us. “You know she could have used the stepstool.”

“No, she couldn’t.” Ellis says firmly as he attaches them. “Shortcake is not allowed to climb on things. It makes me nervous when she wobbles.” I silently chuckle. I already knew he’d come running if he saw me on top of the stepstool.

Henry winks as he walks away. “Guess you don’t have to doubt he’s getting ready to trade you in for a younger more reliable model. Beaumont sharks must mate for life.”

Ellis glares at him playfully. “They don’t make them like this anymore. The rare one of a kind Cinderelly shortcake model.” He says softly as he wraps his arms around me. I can hear that tinge of worry in my possessive husband’s voice. He might be a fierce shark in the office but he’s more like a cuddly manatee with me. Not that I would ever call him that.

“I won’t break you know.” I tell him.

“You almost did shortcake. I like watching over you and you know it.” His hands tighten around me. I wonder how long before he’ll relax and not be so desperate when he thinks about it. I’m about to reassure him again when we’re interrupted.

“He’s on his way.” Coline yells over the yard and we hurry to finish.

My nephew is going to be shocked. He decreed he wanted nothing special for his birthday this year. Like we listen to him. He should have realized we agreed to his demand way too quickly. Especially me and Goose whose eyes had gleamed with the challenge the minute he said it. He’s lucky we didn’t rent out a plane with a banner though I suspect my husband has done something at the hockey game we’ll be going to this weekend. It’s our annual charity game he founded to help people with transplants like Kevin. People can buy tickets and Ellis matches all the donations two to one. It’s done amazing things for the transplant community.

All the kids come running to stand with their parents as we stand waiting. Abbie shoves Sawyer lightly as she heads our way with him going to stand with his dads, Henry and Brad and his twin, Chase. My boys are going to be tall like their father. Probably taller. Hunter and Carter are way over average for their age already. Holden will be too but he’s still pretty young. Thomas moves in to stand behind us opening his arms as Abbie moves to hug him. Grandad comes jogging over from stealing a sausage puff and I see him hold one out to Carter. Those two are thick as thieves to this day. They grin conspiratorially at each other as I shake my head. Grantham winks at me over Carter’s head and I smile. I love that he is still with us and enjoys his great-grandchildren the way he does.

Kyle and Coline wait with Kevin’s younger siblings, Ashley and Nathan. They stand close to the back porch. A tree will block his view of all of us and he’ll have to turn around it before we can surprise him. His best friend, Polly who is Henry’s niece, had the task of getting him here. Those two have been attached at the hip since they met when Kevin was six and she was four. The entire shark squad swears they will end up together. I am not so sure. Kyle and I both steer clear of that assumption. Kevin is very protective of her, but I’ve seen her face a few times recently. Being the sibling or parent of someone with a chronic illness that requires staying on top of their health can breed resentment and guilt. We learned about that with the mandatory counseling they made us all undergo with his transplant. It’s a time-consuming event and while the feelings are understandable, it was highly pressed upon us that it can isolate the patient and create severe rifts in families. They didn’t mention friendships but when you are as close as those two are, it will happen there too. I know Coline, his mother has talked to Susannah, Polly’s mom about it, but I cannot help with worrying. Kevin has been remarkably healthy due to our diligence and he strives to stay that way. But nothing is avoidable.

Six months ago, he got the flu. Kyle and Coline did everything they could for him. Despite their best efforts, after a week he was getting worse. They took him to the hospital when his temperature spiked so high he had a seizure. He had pneumonia and was immediately admitted into the ICU to be given intravenous medications. It took him two weeks to be well enough to move out of ICU. And then he was in the hospital another ten days. Six more weeks before he was back to himself. It was an eye opener for all of us. Most of the time, our family forgets he has a chronic condition which is amazing for his mental state. I don’t think Kyle, Coline and I will ever forget but now our kids see it too.

My sister, Jessica shushes everyone grinning. She has two kids, Summer and Justin who stand with her husband Will. Not long after, I hear Polly laughing with Kevin protesting about being late for something. “Five minutes. I forgot my book by the pool.”

He rounds the tree with her tugging his hand as she walks backwards.

“SURPRISE!” We all yell and the littlest kids set off confetti poppers. Henry has a giant one that he blasts sending multicolored confetti everywhere. It sounds like a small bomb went off too. Brad shoves him rubbing his left ear. “Our kids will now be deaf thanks to you.”

“No, they smartly covered their ears when I raised it to set it off.” Henry fires back.

Kevin stands shaking his head. “I said not a big deal.”

Kyle and Coline embrace him. “This isn’t a big deal. Do you see a flyover or a huge neon sign displaying that it’s your birthday to the entire city.” Coline says teasingly.

“We make a big deal out of this birthday.” Kyle adds softly as he meets Kevin’s eyes. He nods slowly before hugging his dad again. Their bond will always be unbreakable. Kyle kept it together for Kevin while he was in the hospital, but he would collapse as soon as he was out of the kids’ sights.

“Hey buddy.” He wraps me in a hug. He’s taller than me already. “We had to celebrate you. Especially your parents after the past year.”

“Thanks Aunt Relly. I know I scared you guys.” He whispers only for me. “Scared me too.”

“Enjoy this then. I love you.”

“Love you too.”

He roams around to see everyone. Henry ruffles his hair when Klein distracts him. He shoves him away playfully. After cake and presents, Kyle stands up. “We have one more thing for you.” He hands him a small black box. Kevin opens it and pulls out a key. “Dad…..but I didn’t earn enough. I….”

Kyle cuts him off. “You were in the hospital and too weak to work. You were well on your way to earning it. And I think your grades over the years plus always being a good sport helping with your cousins and siblings should count for something.”

He reaches over to grip Kyle in a tight embrace. I can hear them whispering. Kyle and Coline made him a deal. If he would work for a year and save up, they would match him a certain amount and buy him a car. Thomas and Grandad agreed to also do the same. When he got sick, he had to quit working. He’s gone back but had been pretty discouraged about his car chances.

“Let’s go see it.” Thomas urges with a big grin.

He starts walking slowly but Henry calls out “run speedy. Let’s see if you're as fast in tennis shoes as skates. You know you’re dying to see it.”

Klein adds to it. “Move it. I’m going to outrun you.”

With that he turns and grins before taking off. I don't miss him grabbing Polly's hand to bring her along with him. We find him staring shocked at a brand new black Jeep. “It’s….wait seriously?! This is mine?!”

Kyle nods. “We extrapolated what you would have earned if you hadn’t gotten sick. Papa and Grandad matched too remember. What do you think?”

He’s walking around it slowly running his hand along the side. “It’s perfect. I love it. Thank you all so much.”

“Our gift is on the front.” I call out and watch him move that way. He looks down at the license plate before he grins.

It says “RDLIGHT” for his nickname on the hockey team. Kevin is a goalie and he has blocked so many from scoring they call him Red Light. “I like it Uncle Ellis and Aunt Relly.”

“Go take it out for a spin, Kev.” Kyle tells him.

“Don’t have to tell me twice. Who wants to ride?” He asks.

They all demand to go of course. He laughs. “Alright, I’ll have to make a few trips I guess. Polly, Tyrese and Hunter first.” He opens the passenger door for her and lifts her into the seat.

That night at home, I sit scrolling through today’s pictures. Ellis hands me a bowl of ice cream as he sits down next to me. I laugh. “I had ice cream earlier.”

“Life is short and unpredictable shortcake. Eat the extra bowl.” He lifts me into his lap and I set the bowl down before framing his face with my hands.

“Ellis, you have to stop worrying.” I tell him as I brush a kiss across his lips.

“This time of year, I can’t Laurel. I will be like this until we go to your appointment next week.” He lays his head on top of mine. “It’s a big day.”

“It is Jaws. Everything at my last appointment looked good. This one will be the same. We have to think positively.” I lean against him. Four months after my surprise party they threw me, my annual pap smear came back abnormal. I remember going to the next appointment after they called. I had to have a biopsy. Ellis had gripped me tightly in his lap and refused to let me go. When it came back as early stage cervical cancer that hadn’t spread, our world came crashing down. Staring at the doctor as she explained my options for surgery and then a few rounds of chemotherapy had been surreal. Ellis held it together asking questions rapid fire. By the time we left, he had two specialists ready to see me for second opinions. Two weeks later, I had a hysterectomy and Ellis never left my side. I went through two rounds of chemoradiation and they haven’t found any other traces since then. My two-year anniversary remission appointment is next week. Ellis has the specialist see me every three months though because he refuses to wait six months or a year. We have to make it to five years free and clear before I am declared cured.

“I do. But I told you once, I’d go f*****g feral without you and I will. It wasn’t a bluff. Even if I have to keep it together for our kids, it won’t be pretty. I love you too much.”

“I love you too. I don’t plan on leaving you.” The idea paralyzed me when I heard the diagnosis and it still does. Leaving my children and him gave me nightmares. Once they said I was in remission, Ellis took a month off and we traveled with the kids. He told me to pick the two places I wanted to visit most. We went to Fiji and Iceland. He and Klein both cut their workloads after that. Beaumont Holdings continues to grow just a little less aggressively. Not that Ellis needs to prove anything to anyone at this point.

“Good because we have a lot more big days ahead of us shortcake.”