“Holy crap,” she blows out. “So what happened to him?”
I shrug as the tears start again. “I’m not quite sure. I mean, he tried to tell me but I’m so fucking hurt.”
“Oh, Div. I’m sorry.” I swipe at my tears. The last thing I want is to upset her. I try to push it all back. “Don’t do that. You don’t have to be strong for me. Come here, lay next to me. You cry all you need.”
Careful of her casted leg, I wiggle my body and big stomach into bed beside her. It’s like being sixteen all over again. I cry for a while as all my thoughts settle.
“You know what hurts the most?” I say after I’m all cried out and the room falls silent save for the machines. Marica strokes the hairs at my temple with her good hand.
“What’s that?”
“I love him. I love how much his loves his job. I love how he treats his friends. I love how he cares for me but he hurt me so bad. Not once but twice.”
“Div, I’ve seen the way he looks at you. I’m sure there’s a reason for everything. Maybe you should hear him out. You two have more at stake this time.”
“He’s been making a fool of me for months. I don’t think I’ll ever get over that.”
She sighs, her hand in my hair pausing. “Keith told me that he wanted me to live a full life if anything ever happened to him. I’ve been trying. I… I figured having the baby would get me back into the world. Play dates, pre-school… at some point I’d start living again, you know?
“But when my car ran off into that ditch, I came to grips with the fact that I haven’t been living at all and had no real intentions to start. I’ve been rolling through the motions. It wasn’t until I found myself trapped in my car that I realized I want to live.
“Really live. When Dr. Nobi appeared to rescue me out of there I saw that as the boat God was sending. I’m not going to let this life move forward without being present. Keith is gone, but I’m still here and this baby… it needs me to be here.
“What I’m saying is, you have loved a man with everything you are twice. You were sixteen, Div. He was eighteen. You see the drama going on with your daddy and Nashawn. Could you imagine that at sixteen?”
“No.” I huff. “They would have ran him off.”
“Exactly,” she laughs. “Omid stood there by your side as your father pretty much said he wasn’t worth spit and wouldn’t treat you the way you deserve. Other than withholding this from you, has he ever done anything to hurt you?”
I sit and think. I come up short each time. He has pissed me off on so many occasions but in the end he has always had my best interest at heart.
“Maybe not,” I say, not wanting to admit she’s right.
“Girl, please. Him ruining that meeting was one of the best things he could’ve done for you. Look at your business now.”
I fall into silence. Placing a hand on her little barely there bump, I look up at her. This is why I love her.
“I’m here for you, Marica. You’re amazing,” I say.
“You have your own baby and man to think about. I’ll be just fine. God has always looked out for us. This will be no different. I’m supposed to live my life and have this baby and you’re supposed to be with that fine ass doctor,” she giggles.
“We’ll see.”
“Divine, does he make you feel good?”
I close my eyes and a shiver rolls through me. Omid knows me inside out. He knows just how to touch me, what to say, how to make me smile. He gets what my business means to me. The man listens to all of my dreams and works to make them happen.
The tears start to roll down my cheeks again. I nod my head. Marica gives a tired sigh.
“Then, that’s all that matters. You’re carrying royalty honey. There are worse things in life.”
Her words dig in. If Omid is a prince, what does that make my baby? Holy cow. He’s been dropping hints all along.
His heir.
* * *
Omid
I don’t want to move her but she can’t stay like this and they need to take Marica for an MRI. She lost consciousness a few times after the accident. Dr. Nobi has been in everyone’s ass to make sure Marica gets the best care.
I’m grateful to him. If anything were to happen to Marica or the baby that would devastate Divine. I release the breath I’ve been holding and scoop Divine in my arms.
Her eyes flutter open. I stare into those brown eyes and plead with her for forgivness. She blinks a few times.
“You can put me down. I’ll walk,” she says.
I nod but hesitantly placing her on her feet. She starts to amble out of the room, turning to me when I don’t follow right away. Her smile is weak but it’s there.
“Come on. You can explain. If I don’t like what I hear, I’ll pack my things and we can arrange how you’ll see your child,” she pauses and looks down at her stomach. “If that’s what you want. You can’t take my baby from me. I’m warning you now.”
I move to her side swiftly, placing my hands on her hips. “I will always be in our child’s life. A strong mother is the most important thing a boy can have. I would never take him from you.”
She gives a crooked grin. “Who says it’s a boy?”
Palming her stomach I smile. “Vahids always have first born sons. I’d be the first in at least ten generations to break traditions.”
She looks up at me sadly. “So he would be a prince?”
“Yes, princess. He is a prince. Heir to the throne. A throne I walked away from for his mother.”
“Yeah, you have a lot of explaining to do.”
“I will tell it all.”
Chapter 25
With Love
Omid
“I was standing in the mirror getting ready. I’d just come back from getting a haircut. Remi and Ramses were sitting on the bed teasing me. I remember turn to toss back a joke of my own. I still remember being the happiest I’d been in my life,” I say as we sit on our bed and it all comes back.
“Look at him. Never seen anyone so happy to be going to get some pussy,” Ramses teased.
Remi roared with laughter beside him. Ignoring them, I sprayed on more cologne. I smoothed down my T-shirt and turned to make sure my cargo shorts didn’t have any wrinkles in them.
“She’s going to take one look at his scrawny ass and go home. I should go with you. I’m the one she really wants,” Remi teased.
I turned ready to tell him where he could shove it. I’d grown more confident in the time I’d spent in America. My jokes were funnier to keep up with the twins’ taunting.
“She would—”
“Omid,” Baba burst into the room.
My heart raced as I stared at him in the doorway. I knew I wouldn’t make it. All of our waiting and planning had been ruined in the blink of an eye. If I had left only moments before, things would’ve been different. I would’ve made it to the park to meet my girl.
We would’ve spent the night together. I would’ve asked her to marry me and run away somewhere that we could be together. But I didn’t and Baba started to scream for me to pack my things.
“But you came back to America?” she says.
I blink away the memory and focus on her sitting in the middle of our bed with her legs crossed. She has on one of my satin pajama shirts. I take a mental picture of one of the most beautiful sights I’ve ever seen.
I nod. “Yes. I returned a year later.”
“A year,” she whispers looking down at her hand resting over her belly.
“I lied about you. Told Baba there was no girl. He was furious that I’d been on the internet. It was sinful to him.
“My cousins told him he was overreacting. He felt threatened when they involved themselves and my uncle called them home. I spent a year planning my way back. On my nineteenth birthday, I was introduced to my intended wife.”
“You were married,” she asks with so much pain in her voice.
“No.” I shake my head. “I left. My Anne Sassa contacted
the twins and they sent a plane for me. I left and never looked back. I became O.V-Shah. Navid arrived a few weeks after I did. I was unsure at first, but he proved he was still an ally.
“By then, you were gone. I couldn’t find you or your profile. I had planned to ask for help to find you but my father sent me a message. To punish me he would hurt you. Uncle Jahan was livid. The twins promised me that one day they’d make it safe. I just had to be patient.”
“Is it safe? Is that why you came for me in the bar?”
I swallow hard and shake my head. “You are safe. I could have come for you about a year ago. I… I just kept telling myself I couldn’t risk it. I wasn’t ready to risk your life. What if they were wrong? What if my father found a way? I knew all of that was bullshit. The real what-ifs were the ones that stopped me.”
“Like what? I don’t understand. You promised we’d be together.”
“What if you married? What if you were in love with someone else? What if you didn’t want me? It’s been twenty years. So much could’ve happened in that time. It would’ve killed me to see you with another man. Better yet. I would’ve wanted to kill him. You’re mine.”
She laughs and shakes her head. When I open my arms for her to come to me and she climbs into my lap, my heart nearly bursts from my chest. I press my forehead to the side of her face and inhale.
“Why didn’t you tell me who you were? How did you find me in the bar?”
“Allah has brought you back to me. I just missed you the morning you came in to see Dr. Nobi. That night in the bar, I didn’t know it was you until I started walking toward you. I saw you looking uncomfortable. I was coming to see if I could help. Then you turned to me.
“That’s when I knew it was you. I’ve dreamed for twenty years of our reunion and every time you knew it was me right away. When I realized you didn’t know, I wanted to make you remember. I wanted you to come to the conclusion yourself. I wanted our love to awaken in you again,” I breathe.
“Or you could’ve said… Divine, I’ve waited twenty years for this moment. I still love you, I’m sorry my life got in the way. I’m here now,” she says with tons of sass.
I cup her face. “Divine, I love you. I’m sorry. I’m sorry I hurt you. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you right away. I’m sorry I let my father keep us apart for as long as I have. I’m sorry that I lied to myself about second guessing my power to keep you safe and caused us to wait longer than we had to, to be together.”
“Are you sorry we’re having a baby?”
Those brown eyes look at me with such hope. I kiss her. Her submission ignites the flame inside me. Gently laying her onto her back. I look down into her eyes.
“You will be pregnant again as soon as Nobi clears you at your postpartum checkup,” I say as I work to unfasten the buttons of her shirt.
“Omid.”
“Yes?”
“I love you. If you ever lie to me again, I’m leaving you. Don’t come for me, don’t think of me. I’ll be gone to you forever.”
“My mission for the rest of my life is to bring you pleasure.” I lower my head to kiss her right breast. “Starting right now.”
* * *
Divine
I’m soaked in sweat and my own juices but I couldn’t feel more loved if I tried. Omid’s hands have been everywhere on my body. Massaging my feet, kneading my back, rubbing my clit.
I’ve come so many times my head is spinning. That’s not the best part though. The best part is hearing him tell me over and over that he loves me.
He glides a hand over my sweaty, swollen belly as he pushes into me from behind. We’re lying on our sides, my back to his front. He lips next to my ear.
“Seni seviyorum.”
“I love you too,” I cry and arch my back.
It’s weird not having his beard brush against my skin. I miss it but it doesn’t take away from his voice alone raising goosebumps against my skin. He nuzzles my ear with his nose, as if reading my sense of loss.
He gives a short breathless laugh. “Would you like me to grow it back?”
“Maybe, you’re sexy either way.”
“Am I now?” I can hear the smile in his voice.
He glides his hand up to rest over my heart and kisses the side of my head. I exhale contentedly. His slow pace allows us to stay in the moment. It’s lazy makeup sex. Perfect.
“You’ve grown into such a beautiful woman. The same kind heart that drew me in twenty years ago, but your passion for life and love is intoxicating. I love you more than I ever have. Allow me to make you a princess, Divine,” he says.
“Are you proposing? Like this,” I laugh.
Reaching for my face, he turns it to face him. His eyes lock on mine. He has that serious look.
“I’m not proposing. I’m asking if you’re ready for me to? You’ve pushed back on every step we’ve made. I’m telling you now this isn’t something I’m going to tread lightly with. When I know you’re ready, you will be my wife,” he says.
I cup his jaw that already has growing stubble that scratches my fingertips. I nod my submission. “Yes. I’m ready. I’ve been waiting forever for you.” A thought comes to me. “Hold on.”
I pull away and crawl from the bed. Padding into the walk-in closet he had redone for me, I go to my jewelry box to find what I’m looking for. I smile as I place the piece of jewelry around my neck. A blue silk scarf catches my eye. It was a gift from Omid.
I snatch it up and wrap it around my neck and return to the room. He’s sitting up with his back to the headboard, still hard. I saunter over and straddle his lap. He guides me to sink down on him as we keep our eyes on each other.
“Oh?” he chuckles eyeing the scarf around my neck.
Grasping the back of my neck he kisses me deeply. Groaning when I circle my hips. I break the kiss and keep my eyes on him as I peel the fabric away.
The look on his face is priceless as I reveal the heart pendant he gave me all those years ago. “I’ve always been yours. I’m ready when you are.”
Face full of emotions, he nods and pulls me into his chest. He holds me as close and as tightly as my belly will allow. He’s still inside of me, but neither of us moves. We just feel.
Chapter 26
Come Away
Omid
“That’s two babies,” she gasps in awe.
Dr. Nobi and I both laugh. John pats me on the shoulder wearing a broad smile. I rub my hands together trying to contain my joy. Today is one of the greatest days in my life. This is just the beginning.
“Congratulations. They both look nice and healthy.”
“I… two… like at the same time.”
The confused look on her face is priceless. I told her this was a possibility and I didn’t remember at the time that her oldest brothers are twins. I’ve been positive about it for weeks now. The sonogram just confirms what I knew.
I peck her lips. “Yes, twins at the same time.”
I nuzzle my nose against hers while Dr. Nobi cleans the gel from her stomach. It’s surreal to be on this side but I couldn’t be happier.
“Any questions for me?”
“Can we save one for later?” Divine says.
Nobi and I burst into laughter. She just blinks at the two of us. Giving his congrats once more, John leaves the room.
“We’ll just buy two of everything. Navid is ready to put the nursery together.”
“Simple for you to say. You’re not going to be pushing two babies out. Like, wow, two babies,” she repeats.
I shake my head at her. “Come on, you. We have someplace to be.”
“Where are we going? I wanted to go back to the hospital to see Marica.”
“She will be taken care of. We’re seeing to everything she needs. Just humor me today.”
She gives me a side glance. “Humor you. Not sure I like the sound of that.”
“There’s cake involved,” I croon.
She sits up, fixing her shirt and starts to get off
the table. I laugh at her some more, but help her to stand. She’s been talking about strawberry shortcake for days.
“You should’ve mentioned the cake first,” she says as we leave out of the exam room.
We step out of the door and run into one of my medical assistants. She stops and looks at us. I have Divine tucked under my arm, holding her closely to my side.
Gretta is one of the older assistants here. She has been with us the longest. She treats me and Dr. Nobi like her sons. She’s been on leave to take care of her husband who was ill with cancer.
Her brown eyes fill with tears, her lips tremble. The smile on her brown face is one of a proud mother. She rushes forward and pulls Divine into her arms.
“I heard someone stole his heart. You’re such a gorgeous woman. I’m so happy for him, for you both,” Gretta says as she rocks Divine in her arms. She pulls away. “Oh, forgive me, honey. I’m Gretta. You’ve got yourself a great one here.”
“Hello, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Divine.”
“Your parents named you perfectly,” she snickers.
“Welcome back, Gretta. Is there anything I can do for you, anything you need? Nothing’s too much.”
She reaches to pat my cheek. “Charlies lived a happy life. I’ll be just fine. Your generosity and thoughtfulness were more than I could’ve asked for. You and Dr. Nobi made his last days very special. I don’t know what to do with the fishing boat now.”
“We can help you sell it or find a dock for you?”
She waves me off. “No, I think I’ll keep it at the cabin for now. You boys are welcome to stay there and use the boat whenever you like.”
“I’ll be happy to help make sure the place stays maintained.”
Doctor Feel Good: A Novel From The Be Yours Series Page 17
