The Saintwood Series

Chapter 27

Chapter 27

A special delivery

Gloria

Maurice left for a couple of months. It was the end of February, and I awoke to cramps and used the bathroom. My water broke, and I called people to help me, and no one bothered, so I called an ambulance.

The paramedics arrived and took me to the hospital. The labor was difficult, but I delivered a boy. The doctor placed my son in my arms, and I cried, and he was beautiful.

I stayed in my hospital room for two days without visitors. I spent time with Dylan. I finally had someone that loved me, and I wasn’t alone anymore.

The hospital released me, and I called a cab to take Dylan and me home. Since I didn’t bring a car seat with me, I held Dylan in my arms. The cab driver dropped us off at my house, and I took Dylan inside and got situated.

Maurice came home to find us waiting. He looked at the baby and shrugged. I didn’t expect more from Maurice and took care of Dylan alone since Maurice didn’t help me. The only time Maurice acted like the doting father was around his family, and it didn’t matter because Dylan was vital to me.

I picked Dylan up and rocked him in the rocking chair as I fed him.

“It doesn’t seem as if anyone cares about you, but I do. You’re important to me, and I don’t want you to turn out like Maurice’s family. I will raise you properly and have a kind heart.”

Dylan drank his bottle.

“See, we have choices in life, and those choices can be good or bad. I made poor decisions, but you aren’t one of them. One day, I hope you understand my decision. I love you, Dylan.” I cradled Dylan.

Something told me that I would understand why Dylan was significant in my life. No matter what, I will love him until my final breath.

*****

Since Dylan’s birth, my son grew and did things early. He reached his milestones earlier than most kids. I read books and kept track of each thing Dylan did. Not even Maurice’s family’s kids hit their milestones when it happened. It boggles my mind.

I noticed while taking care of Dylan, Maurice started drinking again. Maurice would come home drunk and pass out in a chair as Dylan played amongst empty cans. I kept making sure I picked the house up to keep Dylan from getting a hold of the empty beer cans.

All I could do was watch out for Dylan even when Maurice went on his rampage. Dylan started teething, making him fussy. Maurice got irritated and tried to go after Dylan. I stepped in front of Dylan, taking the abuse because no one was touching Dylan if I could help it.

When Maurice sobered up, he apologized profusely. I didn’t want his apologies and had to protect Dylan because he didn’t deserve Maurice’s drunken tirade.

I endured the hits and protected Dylan, even if it killed me. One day, Maurice came home, flying into a rage and going after Dylan. I stepped in, enduring his wrath and hiding Dylan. Maurice finished his assault and left.

I laid on the floor, bloody, as Dylan came out of his hiding place and shuffled over to me.

“Mama.” Dylan shook me.

I groaned and propped myself up.

“Booboo.” Dylan pointed at me.

“I’m okay.” I sat up, pulled Dylan into my lap, and hugged him.

Dylan hugged me back.

“Any time this happens, you go to your hiding spot.”

Dylan nodded as I held him.

If I left, Mateo would find us and kill us. I didn’t want to think about it. I looked at Dylan as he looked at me, then I noticed his eyes. That’s when I realized who Dylan's father was.

*****

Carrington

Nikita and I settled into marriage. She got a job at the hospital while I worked with my brothers, and we bought a house close to my brothers. It wasn’t fancy, but it suited us.

We visited Charles’s twins since Nikita adored children. Even though we couldn’t have kids, we settled with the nieces and nephews.

My family has grown fond of Nikita since we got together. She played with the kids, giving the parents a break.

“I must admit, we thought you lost your mind when you got married,” Theresa said.

“Why?” I asked.

“Because who would marry your stupid ass?” Christine asked

I gave her an annoyed expression. The others laughed. My family was something else.

“Let’s play a game,” Nikita said.

The kids screamed. Great, there goes my eardrums.

“Nikita was great with the children. One day, she’ll make a fantastic mother,” Christine said.

I turned and walked away. My family glanced at each other.

I leaned my backside against the counter in the kitchen and rubbed my eyes.

“Carri?” Mason asked. “Are you okay?”

I lowered my hand and leaned on the countertop. “Yeah.” I looked down.

Mason walked over to me and stood next to me.

“Nikita can’t have children. I won’t go into detail, but she informed me the night we got married. I always wanted a family, but sometimes loving someone means sacrificing other things.”

“And sometimes, it doesn’t always destine us to have children.”

Something touched my leg. I looked down to see Ryan grabbing my pant leg. He reached up, and I didn’t hesitate to pick him up. Ryan looked at me with his chocolate brown eyes and was the spitting image of Charles, while Elena favored Maggie.

“I’m learning that. If I can’t have kids with Nikita, I’m okay with that. Plus, I understand how hard it is on Nikita. Nikita thinks she disappointed me, not giving me a child, but she didn’t.” I held Ryan.

“Perhaps, one day, you will have a child.” Mason gave me an empathetic look.

The weird part of our conversation was a nagging feeling I had for months. I didn’t tell anyone I had this feeling, not even Nikita, figuring it was nothing. One day, I will find out how wrong I was to ignore my gut feeling.

*****

Gloria

I cleaned up and looked in the mirror. I looked like hell and felt like it, then felt a tug on my pant leg. I looked down to see Dylan holding onto me.

I picked up Dylan and looked at him. God, he looked like his father in every way. I didn’t need a paternity test to recognize Dylan’s father. I set Dylan on the countertop in the bathroom.

“You don’t understand what I will tell you, but I hope you will later. Maurice isn’t your father, but people think he is. To protect you, I must pretend. Forgive me, Dylan.”

Dylan held out his arms. I hugged him as he hugged me back.

One day, this life will end, and Dylan will be safe. All I could do was to make that happen. I will discover something devastating and leaving me to stay in my situation, and it’ll be news that will seal my fate.