My Way to You (Brothers in Law Book 1)

by Lyndell Williams

  “Thank you.” Alice took the towels and wrapped her arm around Regina’s waist. “Let’s go have this baby. Fun fact. You’ll be giving birth in the same hospital where her father was born.”

  Chapter 39

  Justine Young

  Regina grabbed her gut, groaning and gritting her teeth. A ball of pain knotted at the top of her belly and coursed down. She kicked her legs trying to free them from the bedsheets. Damn hospital corners. “Where’s the anesthesiologist?” She rolled to her side and stared at the empty warmer. Her baby would be there soon.

  “They’re coming.” Alice rubbed her back. “Just breath.”

  “I can’t believe how fast this is happening. The pain won’t stop.” There were no breaks. Every time one wave of pain ebbed, another quickly followed. Her arms and legs ached from constantly seizing in pain.

  “I know.” Mercifully, Regina’s mother-in-law released her long legs from under the blanket. “I’m looking at the monitor. It should be getting better.”

  Her tense muscles relaxed as the pain eased. “Where’s Simon?” She panted and laid on her back. “Give me my phone.”

  “No. I’ll call him. You hold on because another contraction is coming.”

  Regina breathed and squeezed the pillow. The contractions were getting stronger. She shrieked through the agony. “Drugs. When am I gonna get some drugs?”

  “I told you, they’re coming.” Alice tucked Regina’s braids behind her ear and put the phone near it. “Here’s Simon.”

  “Gina? Gina, I’m coming, babe. There’s a lot traffic, but I’m almost there.”

  She huffed into the phone. “Why didn’t you take the train? How much longer? I don’t think she’s gonna wait.” Another pain shot through her stomach and she let out a long moan. “Get your ass to this hospital.”

  A nurse in scrubs with tiny bunnies on them came in and looked at the monitor. “Well, Ms. Young, you and baby are progressing nicely. I’m going to get the doctor to check you.

  Alice took the phone from Regina and walked to the window speaking Korean. she couldn’t understand, but the maternal command in her mother-in-law’s tone was universal.

  Alice set the phone next to the bed. “It’s going to be fine. Do you need anything?”

  “Ice.” Regina sloshed the tiny chunks in her mouth when another contraction and a huge amount of pressure shot through her.

  The nurse returned with the doctor trailing. “Okay, Ms. Young. Let’s see how we’re doing.” He snapped on a pair of gloves and sat at the end of the bed. He looked towards the ceiling. “Ten centimeters and fully-effaced. Cancel the epidural.” He then began spewing orders at the nurse. “Your baby is ready to come, Ms. Young. You may feel a need to push.”

  The next contraction deafened her to everyone around. The bottom of the bed disappeared while she struggled to catch her breath. “My husband.”

  “Unfortunately, baby is not waiting for daddy.”

  ***

  Simon stretched to his full length on the bed and lifted his lids. He slowly blinked and curled his lips as he focused on a small fist poking from the blanket. He placed his finger against it. The hand opened and squeezed. His heart melted. Tiny cries sprang out and the pink floral receiving blanket jumped. Justine was awake.

  He’d made it to the hospital room just when Regina started pushing to deliver their daughter. The baby was already crowning, and he’d barely had time to hold his wife’s hand before the doctor put the little body with a head full of black hair on her chest. It was love at first sight.

  “’Morning, princess.” Justine paused and stared into the air. She resumed rubbing her fist against her mouth and cheeks. “Are you hungry?” Simon kissed his daughter’s forehead. She answered her father with a series of sharp shrieks. The crib across the room remained vacant since Justine established that between her parents was where she would be sleeping. She had a lot of power for such a little person.

  Regina’s eyes drifted open. She yawned and pulled the bundle closer to her. “She needs to be changed and fed.” His wife’s drawl attested to another night of waking to care for the precious newborn.

  Simon stroked Regina’s shoulder. “Stay here. I’ll change her.”

  It was amazing how he could nestle her in his palms. He was scared to even carry her at first, but Regina eased his fears. One week since returning from the hospital, Simon confidently rested Justine’s little body on the changing table and went to work.

  “Don’t forget to rub her belly button with alcohol.” Regina rustled under the blankets.

  “Got it.” He raised the tiny packet in the air. Justine’s arms and legs splayed, demanding that her father be quick about getting her back into mommy’s warm arms. He obeyed.

  Dry and once again swaddled, Simon cooed at the light brown miniature version of his face. “Do you want mommy?” He padded his bare feet across the wood floor and back to the billowing comforter enveloping Regina. “Here’s mommy.”

  Regina propped on one elbow. The scars on her breast disappeared behind Justine’s head. Crying was replaced by a soft sucking sound. Regina grimaced and closed her fists into tight balls.

  He sat and patted her leg. “Still hurts?” It was amazing how she could bear it.

  “A lot.” After Justine sucked a few seconds more, the tension in Regina’s body relaxed. She smiled down at their daughter, stroking her black hair with her fingertips. “Only at first though. I’ll get used to it.”

  Simon took the buzzing phone from the nightstand and sighed. “It’s the caterer. They’ll be here in an hour.” He kissed his ladies and headed to the bathroom. “I’m going to hop in the shower while Princess Justine finishes. Then I’ll take her so you can get ready.” He turned before closing the door and watched his wife beaming over their daughter. So Beautiful and strong. She meant and gave him so much.

  ***

  Simon looked from his phone and to the bouncer next to him on the counter. He checked to make sure his daughter still slept before hopping off the stool to answer the knock at the door. “Hey, Ma.”

  “Hello, Simon.” His kiss scarcely grazed his mother’s cheek. She bypassed his open arms. “Where’s she?” Alice shined over the bouncer. “There you are. Look at you.” She pulled back the blanket. “You look just like your father when he was a baby. Did you know that? Did you know that, Justine?”

  “Tell me about it.” Regina strutted across the great room in a long-sleeved emerald maxi dress with her braids in a bun at the base of her neck. She joined Simon’s mother in her adoration. “He keeps mentioning it. It’s sickening.”

  “Hey.” He put an arm around each woman. “Strong genes.”

  Alice flicked her son’s arm away. “Don’t be smug, Simon. It’s unbecoming. Gina is the one who had the baby.” She opened the bag she’d carried in and handed Regina a box. “I came early because I have something you might like.” She washed her hands and proceeded to scooped the baby from the bouncer. “I hope it’s the one you wanted.”

  Regina squealed and tore the box open. “You got it?”

  Alice sat on the sofa. “Of course. You need something for Justine’s debut to the family.” Her hand patted the small back in her arms. Grandma was thoroughly hooked.

  Regina lifted the dress in the air. “It is the one.” She presented it to Simon and glanced over her shoulder. “Oh, Ma. Thanks. Let’s put it on her.”

  It wasn’t long before Justine was surrounded by lilac chiffon pleats and nursing comfortably in her mother’s arms. Things changed for the better since her arrival. Simon and Regina never felt closer, and even the social media trolls backed off with the attacks.

  Elliot’s advice to post a picture of them holding Justine with the baby’s face turned away from the camera worked. There were still the occasional vicious comments, but those were overrun by supporters quick to “shut that noise down.”

  Simon gave his mother a proper kiss and answered the door. “Young?” The caterer shot past him
holding insulated food carriers. “Excuse me.”

  Simon peered back into the hallway when someone stopped him from closing the door. “Hey, man. You don’t want us to come in?” Marcus grabbed his hand. Caught in a bear hug, Simon coughed for air.

  The Kent clan poured into the apartment and made a beeline to the sofa. Adrian took her place next to Alice, and Toni balanced her petite body on the arm. Marcus and Deverell Kent towered over Regina, mooning at Justine—the new woman in their family they’d have to protect.

  The caterer rushed past him again. “Enjoy your meal.”

  “Thank you.” Simon slapped a tip into the open hand in the hall and closed the door. He headed towards the din of admiration when there was another knock. “Oh, come on.”

  “Hello, I’ve a package for Regina Young.” The deliveryman held a large box in front of Simon.

  “Okay, thank you.” Simon opened the wallet still in his hand and tipped the young man before taking the package. Finally making it to the seating area, he filled the side chair. “You have a package, Gina.”

  “Who’s it from?” Simon read the store’s name on the box

  Regina shot Alice a suspicious glance. “Ma?”

  “I had nothing to do with it.” She smirked. “Open it.”

  He eyed the two women. “What’s going on.” Something was apparently afoot.

  “Nothing.” The twinkle in his wife’s eyes said otherwise. “Can you open it for me, please?”

  He pulled back the tissue paper. “It’s pajamas. A bunch of them.”

  Adrian reached and held one in the air. “Very nice. I wonder who sent them?” Justine startled when all the women on the sofa laughed at what was obviously an inside joke.

  “What,” asked Simon.

  Marcus slapped him on the back of the neck and released a booming laugh. “When will you learn to just leave things alone?”

  “Exactly,” Deverell agreed with his son. “Trust us, it’ll make things easier. Let’s eat.”

  The women continued to chat while the men peeled back the tray lids. Simon focused on his wife and daughter. They truly completed his life.

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  Alhamdulillah, I’ve been blessed by the Creator with a great bunch of people.

  A special thanks to my fantastic content editor, Tiffani Burnett Velez for rolling up her sleeves and hitting the ground running to help me polish this work.

  A warm thank to Sandra Barkevich for being a patient friend and writing coach. I couldn’t have even imagined writing this novel without her gentle guidance, encouragement and support.

  Shout out to Rameez Farooqui, a brilliant legal mind and my inspiration for main character Simon Young. Jazakallah for always taking the time to let me bend your ear.

  Jazakallah ALKEBULAUN for writing a beautiful and inspirational poem about Simon and Regina's love and as a tribute to interracial couples.

  I have to thank my girls–Djamila Abdel-Jaleel, Nadia Anwar, Maritza Flowers as well as my beautiful and talented daughter Hameedah Poulos for listening to me day and night—night and day—and day and night again—as I worked and flustered over finishing this book.

  Jazakallah to my wonderful husband, who works incredibly hard so I can do what I love and stays blissfully ignorant about just how much heat I stoke.

  THANKS SO MUCH FOR READING!

  I hope you enjoyed Simon and Regina’s story of love and perseverance. Please leave a review!

  CONTACT

  Thank you for reading. I would love to hear from you.

  Email - laylafied@gmail.com

  Website - www.laylawriteslove.com

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  SPECIAL BONUSes

  Swipe the page and start reading the Brothers in Law short story and learn how these 6 dynamic men met.

  1-Dinner

  Simon looked at his watch and tapped the dewy beer bottle in front of him onto the table. “As usual,” he peered across at his law school roommate, “your boy, Adam is late. Where is he? I skipped lunch.” He waved the waiter away for the third time. Agreeing to have dinner with the unreliable Adam Kane was a bad idea.

  “Relax man.” Marcus leaned back in his chair and scratched the black stubble spanning his brown face. “Have some more bread or somethin’. I think he’ll be a good fit for this next project. We need a lot of funding, and he’s great at getting money out of sponsors.”

  Simon lifted a crust of dry bread and dropped it back into the wicker basket on the white tablecloth. “That may be, but he’s not the most dependable of people. We’re always waiting on him.” He pulled out his phone and responded to the text. “Sorry, gorgeous. I’m tied up. I’ll be over soon.”

  “Yeah, but he comes through in the end.” Marcus glanced at Simon’s phone and looked at him sideways. “I bet this isn’t just about food. What? You got another woman all hot and bothered waiting for you?”

  Simon smiled and reclined as he laid his phone face down on the table. “I do have plans for later.”

  Marcus shook his head and let out a baritone chuckle. “The way you go through women with that smooth Asian game of yours.”

  “It’s the eyes.” Simon passed a finger over the thick lid of his hazel eye. “Chicks dig ‘em.”

  “You need to settle down.”

  Simon raised his hands. “Hey, I’m happy that you found Toni, but I, for one, am not ready to be exclusive.” He examined his buzzing phone and raised an eyebrow at the picture his “date” sent. “Oh, yeah. She’s ready.”

  Marcus rolled his eyes and raised his hand. “There’s Adam.”

  Adam dropped his helmet on the table with a thud and tugged at his lambskin biker jacket. “Hey, sorry, I’m late.” He tapped the shoulder of the tall man next to him. “I ran into my man, Brandon, and we started talking. He graduated a couple of semesters back and passed the UBE and PA Bar and is already a junior partner at his firm. Brandon Hulse,” he lifted his palm to the ceiling, “This is Simon Young and Marcus Kent.”

  “Hey, man. Congratulations.” Marcus shook each of their hands as they sat. “You guys want a beer?”

  “No, thank you,” Brandon smoothed his tie between the manicured fingers of his umber hands, “I don’t drink.”

  “Brandon is Muslim.” Adam pushed up the sleeves of his gray Henley shirt. “That’s what we were talking about. I’ll take one though.”

  Simon jutted his chin at the duo. “That’s fascinating. Can we order now?” He lifted the menu.

  “You’ll have to excuse Simon.” Marcus signaled the waiter. “He’s trying to satisfy his hunger and a bunch of urges tonight.”

  After a much-deserved glower at his best friend, Simon scanned the menu. “No more banter or distractions. There’s a hot woman waiting for me to cool her off.”

  2-Brawl

  Marcus released a satisfied sigh, tapped his belly and stepped into the evening Boston air with his three companions. It was a very productive meal—things were going just as planned. “Right, how about we meet again at the end of the week and see what progress Adam made with fundraising?”

  “Don’t worry, Marc. I’ll get my mother on it.” Adam zipped his jacket and hung his elbow from Simon’s shoulder. “There’s nothing Vivian Kane likes more than a chance to dress up with her rich friends and throw money at a cause. It helps her feel like she’s making a difference.”

  “Just make sure they’re doin’ a bunch of throwin’.” Simon set his lips in a thin line while tapping at his phone. “This can help a lot of people.” He was obviously still wary of Adam’s ability to come through—not without cause. Adam Kane was very privileged, which meant he didn’t really vest a lot of time or energy in anything�
��not even his studies. Everything just came too easily.

  Marcus opened his mouth but closed it and turned to the faint sounds of grunting and scuffling. “What the—” He peered at the far end of the parking lot. A group of men surrounded another wearing a black leather jacket, jeans and sneakers. Their angry porcelain faces glowed from the light of the street lamp above them. They circled their prey like a pack of buzzards. Clearly, this was no quaint little get-together. They meant to do some damage. Marcus glanced at Simon; the pair stormed towards the scene.

  “Why don’t you go back where you came from, terrorist?” A White guy shoved the light brown man from behind towards one of his fellow thugs.

  Simon scoffed. “You’ve gotta be kiddin’ me. Do they ever get tired of this?”

  It was yet another pack of drunken White college students, who had decided to have a little “fun” by jumping a Person of Color unlucky enough to cross their path. It happened more frequently than a lot of people thought. They always chose a victim who didn’t appear to be much of a threat and easy to push around. Unfortunately for the crew of 10 knuckleheads that Marcus counted, they chose the wrong guy to mess with that night.

  The tall man ducked a punch from the oversized jackass in a red baseball cap. The “victim” then delivered one squarely on the jaw of his attacker. The cap fell off the buffoon’s head as he hit the pavement.

  Marcus raised his eyebrows. Impressive. He pulled at his zipper. Definitely not a soft target, but the numbers are still against him. He dropped his jacket and tugged up the sleeves of his cardigan. “Yo,” the collegiate riff-raff simultaneously turned to him, “leave the guy alone.”

  A lanky blond stalked towards him with a scowl on his whiskerless face. “Who’s gonna stop us, coon?” Marcus struggled to keep the corners of his mouth from twitching. Wearing an Abercrombie and Fitch hoodie and designer skinny jeans, the “thug” did not cut an intimidating figure, which was probably why he needed his gang with him.