Jessa looked down and read what she had so far, starting with a prelude detailing her original plan to steal Eric from Jaime:
“Where do I begin? How do I tell the story? Our story. His and mine. He was my lover and her husband. You would think that wasn’t possible–like saying dry rain or cold heat–but it was true. She had the ring and the certificate ... but I had him. ”
Those words came easily. She had thought them in the days when she felt like she couldn’t live without Eric.
The difficult parts—her past, her relationship with her mother, her near death, her closer relationship to God—those words she struggled for. Those were things she felt were out of her control.
But when she was still deluded about her feelings and her power over Eric, she had thought it all out and felt everything was of her own design.
Setting the laptop aside and needing to feel more activity than shifting her wide ass on the bed, Jessa eased her cumbersome frame off the bed and walked out onto her balcony. It was hard to miss the colorful pastel balloons and streamers floating around Jaime’s backyard.
Aria’s baby shower.
Jessa knew she shouldn’t dare let anyone see her taking a gander at their festivities for Aria’s baby when she knew they all damned her baby to hell.
But she did allow herself a moment to take in the colorful rose topiary arrangements on each table. The bartender serving of fruity drinks. Four to five tables of food laid out buffet style. A huge, round table filled with brightly wrapped gifts that grew in size as more and more people strolled into the backyard.
Jessa felt a pang of sadness as she finally turned and moved back into her bedroom. She continued across the floor and out the door to the nursery directly across the hall.
Again, Keegan had worked wonders. The nursery was soft and warm and inviting with its creamy vanilla décor and furnishings with just a tiny hint of pale pink for the girl she was having.
No, there would be no baby shower celebrating the arrival of baby Delaney.
But there were people in Jessa’s life who cared.
She lightly touched the creamy afghan folded over the rails of the crib. Her mother had knitted it for her grandbaby, and Jessa was surprised when she gifted it to her during her last visit to the long-term rehabilitation facility.
Keegan gifted the beautiful Italian recliner chair and waived her usual fees for the interior design.
Henry gifted the bassinet that was ready to be pushed into Jessa’s room once the baby arrived.
Jessa laughed at the basketload of newborn clothing Myra dropped off. All designer, of course.
Still, that would have made one sorry shower. Four people and five gifts. Hell, she counted at least twenty gifts or better on Aria’s table and the shower hadn’t even started yet. I oughta crash it, Jessa thought spitefully even though she knew she never would.
She had outgrown that kind of childish drama. Plus, she honestly didn’t think her ex-friends were worth the effort anymore. She was trying to stay right with God, and those heifers were not worth a trip to hell.
Giving the nursery one last look, Jessa made her way back to her bedroom. Jessa settled back against the many pillows on her bed just as a twinge radiated across her lower back. She whistled until it disappeared and closed her eyes, taking deep breaths. She wasn’t due for another two weeks and figured they were just Braxton-Hicks contractions.
Ten minutes later, the twinge returned.
In another ten minutes, the twinge intensified in pain.
And every ten minutes after that.
Jessa frowned and popped her eyes open. Oh shit.
She picked up her phone and dialed Keegan’s number.
“Hey, sugar,” Keegan said in her usual big and bold voice.
“Lookey here, sugar,” Jessa bit out, swinging her legs off the side of the bed to sit up on the side. “Remember the plan for you to stay here with me the last week before my due date?”
“Yes.”
“Huge failure,” Jessa drawled. “Where are you?”
“Oh Lord, I’m in upstate New York. It’ll take an hour or better for me to get there, honey bell,” Keegan said in obvious distress. “Are you sure it’s time?”
Jessa felt a gush and she looked up to the ceiling. “My water just broke ... on my custom duvet!!! Like really, God? Really?!”
“Oh Lord,” Keegan drawled.
“Just call my doctor for me and come to the Overlook Hospital as soon as you can,” Jessa said, hanging up on Keegan before another of her affectionate and sugary nicknames made her literally vomit.
As she rose and calmly peeled off her soaked satin nightgown and robe, she tried to call Henry. His phone went straight to voice mail. Reverend Dobbins. He was at a church revival in Philadelphia. Her attorney, Lincoln, was in court. Her mother was in rehab. Myra’s phone just rang endlessly.
“WHAT THE FUCKKKKKKKKK!!!!” Jessa screamed at the top of her lungs, fighting the urge to throw her cell phone against a wall.
Standing there nude with her thighs still damp, Jessa gripped the edge of the dresser and forced herself to just breathe. “Calm down, Jessa. This is your baby and this is not the first time you’ve had to face things alone. You can do this. Don’t lose it.”
The phone rang in her hand, she answered. “Yes,” she sighed, feeling another labor pain building.
“I called an ambulance and it’s on the way, sugar,” Keegan said. “I’m already in my car heading to Livingston. GET DOWNSTAIRS AND OPEN THE FRONT DOOR!”
Jessa made a face. “Keegan, I’m in labor. Not deaf.”
“I’m sorry. I want to be excited for the baby coming, but right now I am as scared as a near-death hooker who ain’t been read her last rites until you get some medical help.”
Jessa paused in pulling on a strapless maternity maxi dress. She actually laughed. “Boy, a ho never gets a break,” she joked.
“At least you’re laughing.”
“I was,” she moaned, before another pain gripped her as she slid her purse over her shoulder and slid on a pair of flip-flops.
Jessa breathed through it.
“Don’t worry about the bag you packed, I’ll get it later—”
“Keegan, fuck that bag!” Jessa bit out just before the contraction subsided. She left her room and held up the hem of the dress as she made her way down the stairs slowly.
When she neared the bottom she heard the sirens of the ambulance, and it was in that moment that the reality of her life hit her. She was pregnant and in labor without a familiar face to support her. Jessa released a sharp breath as she lowered her chin to her chest and blinked her eyes to keep the tears from falling.
This shit is pitiful, Jessa thought, as she gingerly made her way to the front door and set her alarm to activate in ten minutes. Just pitiful.
But as the medics rolled the stretcher into the house and helped her on it, Jessa remembered something Henry always told her. “It is when you are at your lowest that God is truly with you, seeing you through to the other side. He never leaves you. Never.”
She forced herself to relax as the mix of her impending labor and the sound of the sirens evoking memories of that night ate at her. Jessa closed her eyes and breathed, hating that the image of Eric—an image she hadn’t been haunted by in months—suddenly appeared.
“It is when you are at your lowest that God is truly with you, seeing you through to the other side. He never leaves you. Never.”
“Be with me God,” she prayed, as the medics rolled her out the house and closed the door.
Jessa ignored her neighbors already gathering outside her door and around the ambulance, whose sirens still flashed red and echoed throughout the subdivision. She closed her eyes, not wanting to see anyone gloat or glare as the ambulance sped her away from her house.
“Hello, Delaney,” Jessa cooed to the swaddled bundle the nurse placed in her arms. “We did it. You’re here and healthy and all mine. Me and you are one helluva team.”
Jessa lightly kissed her daughter’s chubby cheeks and longed for her to open her eyes and look up at her. But she slept peacefully. “It’s okay. It’s been a long night,” she whispered, opening the blanket a little to guide her finger into Delaney’s tiny palm.
Her heart surged when tiny little fingers wrapped around hers. “Are you strong like your mama?” she asked into the quiet. “You look like me, so you better be strong like me. But don’t make the mistakes I did. We’re both lucky to be here.”
Memories of the night Eric almost killed her caused her emotions to choke in her throat, and Jessa tilted her head back and closed her eyes tightly to try to free herself from the thoughts.
“I will fight for you. I will die for you. I will not let anyone take you from me. Or make me leave you. I promise. I’m your mother. Nobody else. And I never knew I could love someone so much.” One of Jessa’s tears raced down her face and fell on Delaney’s brown cheeks.
“I can’t believe God has blessed me like this,” Jessa admitted. “Thank you, God. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
The door to her private room opened. Jessa looked up as a nurse walked in with a smile carrying a pale pink chart. “How is Mama and baby?” she asked.
“You’re not coming to take her, are you?” Jessa asked.
“No, not yet,” the nurse said, coming to stand by the bed. “I just wanted to let you know that we have been bombarded with calls from the press about you all night.”
Jessa figured as much. When Myra called to check on her, she alerted Jessa that the news had broke that she had the baby. Although Myra had released a statement asking for respect of Jessa’s privacy at this time, the press had other plans.
“Also ... we caught a photographer trying to sneak in to the unit to take a picture of the baby.”
Jessa’s heart damn near stopped as she sat up and clutched the baby closer.
The nurse held up her hands. “We have let everyone know they are to treat you as a high-profile client and we are being even more strict with everyone on the unit—even those people coming to see other patients.”
Jessa forced herself to relax as Delaney stirred. She looked down and cooed to her.
The nurse set the chart down on Jessa’s nightstand and moved around the bed to grab a bottle from the rolling crib. “She may be hungry.”
Jessa nodded, forcing herself to calm down as she accepted the bottle. She didn’t want her sudden fears and anxiety to upset the peace of the baby. She nuzzled the nipple of the bottle to the baby’s lips and Delaney latched on.
Jessa’s breath caught as Delaney’s eyes opened. “I know she can’t see me really, but just knowing her eyes are on me ...”
The nurse smiled.
“If the press calls and they’re harassing you guys, please refer them to my publicist and let the staff know I am so sorry about all the hassle,” Jessa said, before the nurse could walk out the door.
“No problem.”
Jessa finished feeding Delaney and changed her Pampers before she swaddled her back in her blanket and laid her down inside her crib. She darkened the lights of her room and moved to stand by the window. She felt a little light-headed from suddenly being up on her feet, but she leaned against the wall as she looked out at the night.
The press releasing the news of the baby’s delivery might have set the Halls on her ass just a little quicker. And that’s all Jessa could think about. So much of her life and her sins had been exposed, but there was more to her story that she wanted to stay in the past. Even they could stumble on the truth, even after all the years that had passed ...
What the fuck am I going to do?
And that wasn’t the only decision she had to make.
Jessa turned and walked over to the small clear crib to look down at her sleeping daughter. She wasn’t giving Delaney Eric’s last name, and giving her Marc’s last name wasn’t right either. “Delaney Logan,” Jessa said.
She loved Marc, but she had made the choice to go back to using her own maiden name as well. She wanted her and her daughter to have the same last name ... and it would kill the whole Jessa Bell/Jezebel reference.
But what about the lawsuit? Jessa thought. Do I have the time or energy to fight Jaime when the Halls are gunning for me?
The door opened and another nurse came in. “We need to do an assessment of the baby.”
Jessa moved to stand in front of the crib. “Can I see your badge please?” she asked.
The nurse handed it over. “I understand completely and don’t worry, we’ll take good care of her until we bring her back.”
Jessa turned over the badge. “Could you also let everyone know that I need to give approval for anyone before they’re allowed on the unit to see me?” she asked, moving to climb back into the hospital bed.
“Of course.”
Jessa pulled the cover up to her chest and closed her eyes. The Halls were Delaney’s grandparents, but they started the war and now Jessa was playing her hand. They would not lay eyes on her daughter until she said so, and Jessa doubted she would ever feel comfortable enough for that. Ever. Fuck them.
Her job was to protect her child and the more she thought about, she didn’t know if she trusted her neighbors of Richmond Hills enough to send her daughter out among them once she was older. As she had many times over the last few months, Jessa wondered if perhaps it was time to say good-bye to the subdivision. Maybe even the state.
Yes, there were a lot of decisions Jessa had to make and she prayed to God that she would make all the right choices.
The next day, Jessa was bombarded by guests and she enjoyed every chance to show off her beautiful daughter. First Myra—before she jetted off to work. And then Lincoln—before he rushed off to court. Keegan sat with her and the baby nearly all morning before she too had a meeting that called her away.
By the early afternoon, Jessa was yawning and ready for a light nap as Delaney slept peacefully on her own.
She was just closing her eyes when her room phone rang. She rushed to grab it before it awoke the baby. “Yes?”
“Ms. Logan, there’s Eric Hall Sr. and his wife requesting to see the baby.”
Being addressed by her maiden name sounded weird to her. She’d made the change weeks ago in preparation for the baby’s birth and she was still getting used to it again. “No, absolutely not,” Jessa said finally, sitting up in bed as her heart pounded.
The line went quiet.
“They are insisting, Ms. Logan.”
“Can I speak to Mr. Hall?” she said, her hand gripping the phone so tightly that her palm hurt.
“Yes, Jessa, you cannot be serious keeping us away from the child you claim belongs to our son.”
“And you can’t be serious coming here to swoop down on my baby like a couple of vultures after the way you insulted me in my home,” she told him coldly, reaching over to stroke Delaney’s back.
“This isn’t going to make things any better, Jessa,” he said.
“Are you still planning to go forward with fighting me for custody of my baby?” she asked, as she held out hope that they would just fall back and let her be.
“Listen, we just wanted to see the baby,” he answered, dodging the question.
Jessa was many things, but dumb was not one of them.
“No, you want to play I Spy and see if she resembles Eric. So the answer, without any doubt, coming straight from my mouth to your ears is for you and your wife to get the fuck away from me and my baby.”
“Jessa, you’re far too beautiful a woman to use such language.”
His voice was warm. Too warm. Too inviting.
Again, Jessa wasn’t dumb. She knew men all too well.
She flashed back to his obvious interest the day of Eric’s funeral. “Listen, you sick son of a bitch. Grab your troll of a wife and get out of here before I have security drag your asses out of here.”
Jessa hung up the phone and massaged the bridge of her nose with her free hand.
Two seconds later, the phone rang again. “What?” Jessa snapped, still upset.
“We’re sorry to bother you, Ms. Logan, but you did request we call the room for approval for all visitors.”
“Yes, I did. Are the Halls gone?” she asked, forcing a calmness to her voice.
“Yes, they are. This is a Mr. Tyson—”
“Tyson?” Jessa gasped, her mouth falling open as she pictured the sexy captain she hadn’t seen since their one-night stand in New York. What the hell is he doing here?
“Yes,” the nurse said with a hint of impatience.
Jessa couldn’t blame her.
“Okay. Let him back. Thank you.”
Jessa climbed from the bed as her heart raced in anticipation. She went into the bathroom and made sure her long uncurled hair didn’t look too crazy before she dug in her purse and put on a light amount of clear lip gloss; then she pinched her cheeks for a little color to her caramel complexion.
She was freshly showered but wished she was in one of her sensuous nightgowns and not the hospital generic, bulky and unflattering gowns. Then again, she thought, turning her mirror to see her stomach still as round and full as if she was six or seven months’ pregnant. Her uterus hadn’t shrunk down yet.
Jessa quickly checked on Delaney before climbing back in bed and arranging the covers neatly around her body.
“Well, hello stranger,” Tyson said as he strolled in the door carrying what had to be two or even three dozen long-stemmed pink roses.
He completely changed the energy in the room and Jessa felt breathless from seeing him again. Maybe it was the surprise of his appearance or just simply how sexy he looked in his navy blazer, white shirt, and jeans.
“Hi, Tyson,” she said. Her heart pounded as she smoothed her hair behind her ear.
He set the floral arrangement in the windowsill next to the ones she received from the church, Henry, Lincoln, and Myra. He towered over them like trees over bushes.
Jessa watched his every movement and remembered every technique he used on her that night. Then, like now, everything about him spoke of power and strength.
Mistress, Inc. Page 18
