Abel (5th Street #4)

by Elizabeth Reyes

  “Hey. How are you?”

  “Eh, the asthma is better, but now I’m dealing with morning sickness. So, okay, I guess.” She sat up on the bed, pulling a strand of hair behind her ear. “And you? How are you doing?”

  “Oh my God, so much better.” Courtney sounded so upbeat that it surprised her. “You know how they say that it takes you hitting rock bottom to really get you to open your eyes about how fucked up you really are? Well, that was definitely the case with me. Being in rehab opened up my eyes to so much. But forget about me, Nellie. Congrats. I hear you’re in love and that now you two have a baby on the way. And holy crap, you and Abel Ayala? Oh my God, you are so lucky. I can’t tell you how happy I am for you, but Nellie . . . I know right now is not the best time. You’re still recovering and you’re dealing with morning sickness. So once you’re feeling better, we really need to talk. There is a lot I need to say to you.”

  Curious, but at the same time a bit nervous, Nellie chewed her bottom lip. “I can talk now.”

  “I don’t want to get too heavy on you, and it’s a lot to dump on you all at once. Part of it I think you already know. I have major issues, Nell. Stuff I’m not proud of. I’ve been so jealous of you my whole life.”

  They both went silent for a moment. Nellie was speechless. She’d always known her sister was spoiled and, yes, selfish. But she just thought she was one of those people who were never happy no matter how much they had. This was news to her.

  “It’s true. You were always so complacent and sweet, and I was always such a brat, so deep inside I knew Mom and Dad loved you best.”

  “Don’t say that,” Nellie gasped. “That’s not true.”

  “No, it’s okay, Nell. I get it. Shit,” she laughed suddenly. “If I had two daughters like you and me, I’d love you more too. I was awful. But I’m really working on it. The old me would’ve been seething with jealousy right now that you’re with such a gorgeous, rich, and famous man. But, Nellie, I really truly am happy for you. There’s a lot more I wanna share with you about what I’ve learned about myself during this rehab stint, but not now. I know you need to rest, and you do sound a little tired, so I’ll let you go now.” She paused, and for a moment, there was an odd silence. “Nellie?” her sister’s voice squeaked, choking Nellie up again.

  “What?”

  “Please believe me when I say I love you. I really do, and I know I never really showed it, but there was a reason I was so jealous of you for so long. Because you were all the things I wanted to be: sweet, loving, selfless, and just perfect. I take back what I said about you being lucky. You’re not lucky to have Abel, sissy. He’s lucky to have you.”

  Nellie didn’t even try to hold them back anymore. Her tears ran freely down her face. “I believe you, Courtney, and I love you too. I never stopped loving you even after everything happened.”

  They cried together and spoke a little longer before her sister said Nellie needed to rest. Nellie had just gotten off the phone with Courtney when she heard the front door open and heard Abel walking quietly toward the bedroom. As much as she wiped her tears away, she knew she was a mess.

  Abel peeked in, and his face was immediately alarmed. “Baby, what’s wrong?”

  He rushed to her side and took her hand, wiping her tears with his fingertips, searching her eyes.

  “Nothing’s wrong,” she assured him, but his worried eyes still stared at her. “I just got off the phone with my sister. She got out of rehab today.”

  His worried expression turned to stone. “What did she say to you?”

  She smiled at him, touching his rigid face, knowing what he must be thinking. “Everything I didn’t even know I’ve been waiting to hear from her for so long. It was a good call.” She sniffed. “I promise.”

  He stared at her for a moment then hugged her, exhaling. “I found a house.” He didn’t say anything else for a moment as if he were waiting for her to react. When she didn’t, he continued. “As soon as you’re feeling better, I’ll take you to see it.”

  She pulled away to look at him. They’d talked about the possibility of buying a house, but they hadn’t said it was a sure thing. He stared at her, and she could tell he was waiting for his reaction, so she smiled. “Really?”

  “Yeah, really.” He laughed. “Hector’s dying to move in here already, especially since he knows my aunt’s moving in next month. The house is in move-in condition, so if you like it, I’ll pay cash and escrow will take a lot less time to close. And it’s not too far from here, but far enough.”

  That made Nellie laugh. “Your mom’s not so bad.”

  “She can be, and just wait ’til this baby’s here. She’s really gonna want to take over. I need to get you out of here pronto.”

  He leaned his forehead against hers as her eyes brightened. “Can we go see it now?

  Abel pulled away then seemed to mentally take inventory of her body from top to bottom. “Are you sure you’re up to it?”

  “Up to what?” She laughed. “Walking through a house? I think I can manage.” Truth was she’d been cooped up in the house all week, and she was ready for some fresh air. Abel still stared at her, a bit unsure. “I’ll be fine,” she assured him as she pulled her legs off the side of the bed.

  Finally, he smiled. “Okay. But you promise me you’ll tell me the moment you’re not feeling so hot.”

  “I promise,” she said, already rushing to her bag so she could change.

  ~*~

  It had come as a surprise when Nellie told Abel about the necklace his mom had given her. But even more surprising was what his mom had said the heart represented, not that he disagreed in any way. Nellie didn’t just own his heart. She was a part of him now, a part of him that he was certain he couldn’t live without anymore. So what his mom had said was spot on. What surprised him about his mom’s gesture was that she was so happy and all for this so quickly.

  They finished walking through the house. Nellie had been a bit quiet as she took in every room: The huge family room with the massive fireplace in the corner. The granite counter tops in the big open kitchen with the center island and state-of-the-art stainless-steel appliances.

  She’d smiled at the double shower heads in the master bedroom shower, and he knew she was remembering San Francisco. When they stepped out into the yard, she nearly gasped.

  The intricate cedar play set had taken his breath away as well when he first saw it. It was three parts with slides coming out of both ends. Wooden bridges connected all three parts. One side was shaped like a castle while the other end was in the shape of a ship with a helm and steering wheel.

  “It’s beautiful,” she whispered, her hands at her face.

  Abel walked up from behind her, hugging her by the waist, and kissed the side of her face. “So, as a whole you like this house? The location? The inside? This yard? The pool?” He stared out into the spectacular view beyond the play set.

  “It’s perfect,” she said, glancing back at him with a smile then turning back to admire the play set. “When are you planning on telling your mom that we’re moving out?”

  “I already did,” he said, nuzzling her neck.

  He felt her stiffen. “Really? What did she say?”

  Abel kissed her neck before responding. “She knew it was coming. I’d already mentioned that the back house wouldn’t be big enough anymore, and she agreed. I told her I was already looking for the perfect place for my family.” His heart sped up a little before asking. “Would you say I found it?”

  “Yes,” she nodded quickly. “It’s absolutely perfect.”

  Smiling, Abel reached into his back pocket with one hand while he caressed her belly with his other then pulled away. “Then only one other thing would make it even more perfect.”

  She turned just as he got down on his knee.

  “What would that—”

  Instantly her brows pinched, and her bottom lip began to quiver at the sight of him on his knee, holding out the ring he’d bought ear
lier that week.

  “Make my life completely perfect, Nellie. Marry me.” He held the ring out to her. “Please?”

  Bringing her hand over her quivering lip, she nodded. Abel slipped the ring on her finger and stood, immediately taking her in his arms. Life had never felt sweeter than at that moment.

  “I’d love nothing more than to be your wife, Abel, but . . .”

  Abel pulled away slowly to look at her. Everything had felt so perfect until that last word. “But what?” he asked, searching her worried eyes.

  “It’s one thing for us to move into this home and raise this baby together.”

  Her anxious eyes were making him anxious too. But what, damn it?

  “Marriage is a whole other challenge than just living together, a challenge I’ve already failed miserably at once. I just don’t . . .” She glanced away and took a breath. “I don’t want you thinking we have to get married just because I’m pregnant.”

  “You can’t be serious.” His brows came together, and he stared at her very intensely. “First of all, you didn’t fail at anything. That idiot ex-husband of yours failed to see what he had. I know what I have, and let me tell you that being married to you will not be a challenge. Maybe that’s what marriage felt like to you because you married the wrong guy. But I have every intention of making you the happiest woman on earth or die trying. Baby . . .” He softened up what he was sure was too hard of an expression because he wanted to make that anxiousness he still saw in her eyes disappear. He wanted her to look as happy as she made him. “I already feel like the luckiest man alive. I have everything any man could ask for, but I’m gonna be a greedy bastard because I want more. I want it all.” Finally the apprehension in her eyes gave way to a smile, and it made him smile too. “I’m not asking you to marry me because your pregnant, Nell. I’d wanted this before I even knew you were pregnant. When you didn’t show up at my fight and even after I reached what I thought at the time was the ultimate goal in my life, and I was now the champ . . . When I couldn’t find you . . . When that doctor said there was a possibility you might not wake up . . .” He swallowed back the overwhelming emotion. “I realized something. Without you in my life, none of that matters. I need you, baby. I need you to make my life complete.”

  With the tears rolling down her beautiful face, she wrapped her arms around his neck. “I need you too.”

  He wrapped his arm around her waist tightly. “My beautiful Nellie,” he whispered against her ear. “I love you so much.”

  Sighing deeply, she hugged him tighter. “I’m the luckiest woman alive. I love you too,” she whispered, “so much.”

  Epilogue

  Two false alarms in one week were enough. Nellie wasn’t about to mention her contractions this time until she knew for sure they were coming closer together. A third trip to the emergency room in the same week, only to be sent home again, would be embarrassing now. But she knew being embarrassed was the last thing Abel would be worried about. He was already so anxious, and one mention of her contractions would have him herding her out the door immediately as he had the first two times.

  Nellie was anxious too. But unlike Abel, she had more than one reason. She hadn’t mentioned it in months because so far she’d had a normal pregnancy. There were no complications at all, and the baby was, as far as the doctors could tell, perfectly healthy. But there was still a tiny piece of her heart that feared that maybe her asthma attack so early on in her pregnancy had damaged something. She wanted to be nothing more than excited about this baby’s arrival, but it was hard to silence that fear completely.

  Not only did she not want to embarrass herself with a third false-alarm trip to the emergency room that week but today was Hector and Charlee’s engagement party. Nellie wanted Abel to be there for his brother. Earlier that week, she’d been disappointed that perhaps he’d miss out on the party because she might still be in the hospital. She was glad now that Hector had simply wanted to make it official, even if they wouldn’t be getting married for several years when they both graduated. Making Charlee Hector’s wife was merely a formality because Charlee had moved in that back house with him months ago.

  Abel had mentioned how surprised he’d been at his mom’s willingness to accept things that years ago she wouldn’t have been okay with. He didn’t say it and Nellie didn’t tell him she knew, but Caro’s acceptance of Charlee moving in with Hector even before they were married was probably as surprising to Abel as her welcoming Nellie so quickly.

  Roni had explained her theory, which made sense to Nellie. Like Roni had been when all the boys of 5th Street came into her life, Caro was more excited now about her expanding family than she was about old-fashioned traditions and beliefs.

  Nellie had made it through the morning and a better part of the afternoon without letting on to anyone that she was experiencing the strongest contractions she’d had all week. But they were still very erratic. At one point, they’d stopped all together, so it’d been a good thing she hadn’t said anything.

  Now she sat at a table with Roni and Bianca as they watched Hector and Charlee welcome more guests. The party was supposed to have been an intimate one, but Caro had invited a few more people than Charlee and Hector had originally planned.

  Roni leaned over and rubbed Nellie’s belly just as it contracted. Her big smile immediately fell, and she stared at Nellie. “Wow, that’s hard.” She lifted a brow. “Are you contracting?”

  Nellie shrugged. “Yes, just like I have been all week. But none are significant enough to have me making another trip to the hospital just yet.”

  She forced a smile, taking a sip of her water as a bitch of a contraction hit harder than any so far and took longer to pass. Glancing down at the time on her phone, she made note of the time. That prior one hit about eight minutes earlier. They were definitely getting closer. Needing to get the attention off her before Roni noticed anything, she turned to Bianca. “So have you and Gio decided when you two will start with the baby making?”

  Bianca grinned playfully but looked away without responding. Nellie and Roni exchanged glances then looked back at Bianca. “Bianca?” Roni’s cautious question was laced with the same excitement Nellie was beginning to feel. “What is that grin about?”

  Seeing Bianca cover her mouth in obvious pleasure made both Nellie and Roni’s eyes shoot open. “I can’t say yet,” she gushed. “Gio wants to wait until we know for sure.” She leaned in after glancing around and whispered. “You can’t say anything, okay?” Both Nellie and Roni immediately shook their heads, smiling. “The early pregnancy test I took a few days ago was positive. But it’s only been like three days since I missed my period, and we’re nervous about making any announcements.” Her smile suddenly waned. “I’ve been off the pill almost as long as you’ve been pregnant, Nellie. When we found out you and Abel were having a baby, we started talking about when would be a good time for us to start planning for one, and a few weeks later, we decided it’d be a good idea for me to at least get off the pill. I figured it would take a few months for it to get out of my system, but I didn’t think it would take this long.”

  Roni and Nellie both spoke at once then laughed. They assured Bianca she was pregnant, especially after she mentioned her overly sensitive breasts and how incredibly tired she’d been lately. “I was beginning to think I was coming down with something. I’ve been so tired.”

  “Oh girl,” Roni reached over and squeezed Bianca’s arm. “You are so pregnant.”

  Bianca smiled giddily. Nellie was about to tell her about stocking up on fideo and crackers for the next couple of months because it was the only thing that got her through those first few months when another contraction hit her hard.

  Holding her hand to her side she wasn’t able to refrain from grunting. Roni turned to her, immediately looking concerned. “Honey, are you okay?”

  Nellie nodded, unable to say anything as unbelievably the contraction kept on and was brutal. She started the breathing she was taug
ht in Lamaze classes, but either she was doing it wrong or they were full of shit because it wasn’t helping. Glancing down at her phone, she saw it’d been only six minutes since the last.

  “Nellie, this may be it.” Roni said, standing up. “Where’s Abel?”

  With the contraction finally passing, Nellie looked up and across the yard. Abel was standing with Noah and Gio under the large patio by the backhouse, holding a beer and laughing. He glanced her way and did a double take, his eyes abruptly locking on hers as she still held her side. At that moment, she knew that he knew. It was as if he froze for a moment, and then he moved quickly, so quickly that the guys all turned and watched him rush toward her. Roni waving him over only made him move faster. “Don’t make him nervous, Roni,” Nellie warned. “He tries to hide it, but he’s been a wreck for days.”

  Nellie almost felt guilty that she’d interrupted a moment where he seemed to be relaxing for the first time in days. Ever since their first trip to the hospital earlier that week, he’d been so jumpy. At any sign of discomfort he noticed she might be having, he was on her, asking if she was okay.

  “What happened? What’s wrong?” He asked as soon as he reached her and knelt down in front of her.

  “Nothing’s wrong,” Roni said a very reassuring voice. “It just might be time to go to the hospital,” she informed him as he continued to search Nellie’s face.

  “For real this time,” Nellie said, forcing a smile because she felt another contraction coming on already.

  Well shit. Maybe she shouldn’t have waited so long to say something. There was no way it was six minutes from the last one. She moved to her side, squeezing the armrest of the chair in an unsuccessful attempt to ease the discomfort she was now feeling.

  She didn’t even realize she’d scrunched up her face as the contraction continued to clobber her lower back, until Abel kissed the side of her face. “Breathe, baby,” he whispered, massaging her back. “Breathe.”

  As soon as she took a long breath, she felt it. If Abel’s face hadn’t been so close, he might not have heard it, but he did—the wheezing. She’d seen the alarm in his eyes earlier that week and saw it when he’d rushed over to her, but now there was something more in them. His eyes widened and she saw the terror. “It’s okay,” she said, trying to mask the effort it took her to breathe. She hadn’t had an asthma attack since . . . “I just need my inhaler. That’s all.”