by Rebel Wild
“Everything is all set up,” he says and his interpreter signs to her. “I’ll step out of the room to do the activation. When the red light comes on, it means that all systems go.”
We both watch while he and his interpreter leave the room. I sit waiting with bated breath for that light to come on and after five minutes, I’m damn near ready to get up to go ring the doctor’s neck thinking he got side-tracked and forgot us. Reagan was about to try and calm me down when we see the red light on the wall come on. We both stare at it and then at each other. I get up to stand in front of her wondering if she can hear anything.
She just stares at me with her eyes wide and questioning and I realize she’s waiting for me to speak to her. She wants to hear my voice. What do I say? What can I say?
“Reagan?” I croak her name out. I swallow my emotions down and try again. “Reagan, can you? Baby, can you hear me?” She continues to stare at me but her eyes well with tears. I’m all but panicked wanting to know what those tears mean. “Baby, can you?” I implore her again. She smiles so wide I’m shocked it doesn’t hurt. She nods her head.
“I can,” she starts, but cries harder, covering her mouth with her hand. She’s heard herself speak for the first time since she was 15 years old. “I can. I can hear you. I… I can hear me. Oh, my God. I can hear.”
“Oh, Thank God. Thank God.” I pull her into my arms as my own tears fall. “I love you, baby. I love you so much.” It’s the first time I’ve ever spoken to her without her looking at me.
“I love you too,” she says back to me. “I love you so much. Thank you for helping me do this.”
Dr. Bixel enters his office.
“Success?” he asks.
“Yes,” Reagan says, wiping her eyes.
“Very good,” he smiles at us. “Now, we must give you a test, and then it is done.”
We sit as Reagan goes through the tests and passes each one with flying colors. She’s released with one more follow-up visit to come in a month.
Seeing us come into the private waiting room, her family jumps to their feet.
“Hi,” is all Reagan can get out before they descend upon her.
They pass her around as each one has something to say to her. Reagan listens and laughs as she wipes away all her happy tears and a few from everyone else. There isn’t a dry eye in sight. For Janine, it’s a bittersweet moment as years of self-imposed guilt are finally off her shoulders. She holds her daughter in her arms and whispers words of love in her ear while Reagan speaks back to her. I smile through my tears when I realize the gift of her speaking is no longer just mine and I couldn’t be happier. I’ll carry the memory in my heart forever.
Epilogue
Three Years Later
“Mom’s not getting on your nerves, is she?” I ask Reagan as I try to finish up my work before I take off for the next few months.
“No.” Her laughter comes through the phone making me smile. “She’s in the living room picking out a movie. I just uploaded the piece I did last night and I already got a hundred likes.”
Reagan has a huge following on YouTube from her uploading her music. It’s mostly her classical piano but sometimes she covers a little Carol King and even Janine joins her, playing guitar while Reagan sings. She’s surprised whenever someone new follows her. She has no idea how talented she is.
“Good, and make the movie a comedy. I want you laughing and make sure you eat something besides popcorn.”
“Your son is craving nachos.” She informs me and I can just see her rubbing her belly.
We’re eight months pregnant and at five PM today, I will join her on maternity leave.
Mom’s keeping her company. She’s happy to do it. She and Dad have been doting on Reagan ever since they found out she was giving them that ever-elusive grandchild they’ve been after Alex and me about.
Damn if he and Hillary didn’t beat us to the punch and gave them Hannah, a beautiful little girl who knows it. She’s all of two and can’t wait to have a baby cousin to take care of.
I shake my head at the thought. Between all the women in our family, my son doesn’t stand a chance. He’s going to be spoiled rotten. Alex and I have already decided to counter with a kidnapping and a day in the man cave every so often just to keep him balanced.
“Fuck,” I say out loud when I check my incoming email.
“What is it?”
“Someone doesn’t like the way their cabin furniture turned out.”
“See, you should have let me keep working.”
“No truer words.”
“So, five o’clock is out,” she says.
“I’m afraid so,” I groan. “I’ll be home as soon as I can and I’ll be all yours for the next three months.”
“Okay, I guess I can wait a little longer.”
“That’s my girl.”
“All yours,” she whispers and it goes right to my dick. I quickly get off the phone with her. Any more of that and I would have given the finger to this customer and went home to her. I don’t give a damn how famous he is.
I sigh as I look at my watch and it’s well after two AM. Like always, Charlie greets me at the door. I frown when I see Reagan at the kitchen island with her head down fast asleep. I go over to her, sweep her hair to one side and kiss her neck.
“Mmmm,” she moans.
“What’re you doing in here so late, baby?”
“I was sleepy but your son’s kicking was keeping me awake so I gave in to my taco craving. By then I was so full I couldn’t move.” I try not to laugh at her sleepy pout as I pick her up in my arms to carry her to bed. “I can’t believe you can still carry me.”
“It’s one of my favorite things in the world,” I tell her and she laughs.
I lay her gently on the bed, strip my clothes off and spoon up behind her. She’s already fast asleep.
“I love you, baby,” I tell her kissing her shoulder. “I love you too, baby boy.” I place my hand protectively over her belly. “Thank you, Reagan,” I whisper to her.
“You’re welcome,” she whispers back not sleep in the least. My mind flashes to her eavesdropping on me telling her I love her for the first time. “Damnit, Reagan.”
“Don’t you dare tickle me,” she laughs, remembering as well. “My bladder can’t take it.”
“How about I make you come instead?”
“Now, you’re talking,” she says, turning over.
My God, she’s stunning.
“Okay, I want to be Pocahontas this time,” she says, braiding her hair.
I don’t know what I did to deserve her, but I thank God, she showed up in my office that day. I would be nothing without her.
“Okay,” she says again as she straddles me, looking around. “Now what did I do with that feather?”
Fucking yes! My God, I love this woman.
She’s my ever after.
The Shattered Lives Series Books 1-5
Indian Summer
Baby, It’s Cold Outside
Daddy’s Girl
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www.rebelwildbooks.com
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