Stealing Grace
Page 33
They left with a police escort and waved one last goodbye before turning into the wide white corridor and walking out of Mack’s and their own lives forever. Alex held Elena close, hiding her tear streaked face in his chest.
Where they were headed they didn’t even know themselves but one thing was certain, as they walked side by side, they’d be together.
Epilogue
A few months later
“Come on, baby. Push harder,” Alex urged.
“I’m pushing! I am pushing!” Elena yelled, red faced, exhausted and breathless.
“I know you are. You’re doing great. You are so beautiful right now.”
“Alex! Please! I love you but not now, ok?”
Elena could hear one of the nurses’ chuckle but couldn’t tell which one.
“What do you need me to do?” Alex asked, smoothing her hair.
“I need this baby out of me! That’s what I need!” she yelled and huffed.
“He’s coming. He’s coming, I can see his head. You are doing so great, keep going.”
“Oh, Alex,” she cried and lay back on the pillow. “I don’t think I can,” Elena breathed.
She felt Alex lean his forehead against hers.
“Oh yeah, you can. This is what we’ve been waiting for, El,” he said sweetly.
Elena felt a burst of sweetness. She sat up determined and pushed with everything left in her, which, granted wasn’t much. But somehow, someway, that precious baby boy emerged and she could feel the pressure give way just as Alex started to kiss her and croon that they had a son.
“He’s here, baby. Ah, man, what a good looking kid. You did so good,” he whispered in her ear.
“You mean she’s here,” they both heard the doctor’s deep, raspy voice say.
“What?” Elena asked frantically.
“I said ‘she’. You have a girl.”
“But the ultrasound-” Alex started.
“Not one hundred percent certain,” the doctor advised as he suctioned the baby’s mouth out.
“Ugh!” Elena groaned and fell back onto the bed in exasperated exhaustion. “We don’t have much luck with modern medical advances.”
Alex laughed and once again pressed his forehead to hers since the rest of her body was otherwise engaged.
“No, I don’t think we do.” He raised his head quickly in alarm. “How come she’s not crying?”
“She’s fine,” the doctor assured and placed the baby on Elena’s chest on a blanket. “She’s just happy to finally be in the world. Look at those eyes. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such an alert and content newborn before.”
“Oh,” Elena breathed as she touched the baby’s face. “Oh my... Alex.”
“I know, me too,” he chuckled. “Wow, babe. Didn’t I always say the baby was gonna look like you? Man, she is gorgeous.”
“Yes, she is. Oh, no, Alex, we never picked out any girl names.”
“Sweetheart.” He kissed Elena’s lips, her forehead, her cheeks and lastly the sweet baby’s head. “There is only one thing we can call her.”
* * *
So, they wound up being about three hundred miles from the previous place. From Mack and the flower shop and trouble, they hoped.
Elena couldn’t call to check on Mack, no matter how badly she wanted to, so instead she found him on Facebook.
His profile picture was him with his arms around a pretty blonde from behind and him kissing her cheek, both were smiling and laughing with the sun haloing around their bodies. Elena smiled at it and knew he was happy.
Even though they weren’t supposed to contact him, they couldn’t just do nothing for him after he saved their lives. So, with a short letter and picture of the new baby with mommy and daddy, Agent Wright delivered an envelope, his one time rule-break. Wright jokingly said Elena had too much sway over him because she kept talking him into things he wasn’t supposed to do. He swore he’d never do it again and they understood.
Along with the picture contained a letter from Elena explaining everything about the baby and again thanking him for his help. Also attached was $5000.00 in cash for him to be able to do what he wanted when he graduated instead of whatever his parents wanted.
Agent Wright told them he begged and pleaded to please tell him where Alex and Elena were, he just wanted to talk to them, but he refused. Mack said to tell them he missed them, especially Elena and he really appreciated the money. His parents had decided to send him to college the first week of summer, early admission to their choice of Ivy League. Now, he could do what he chose and work the law enforcement intern program without worry. He was happy, which made Elena happy.
* * *
Their new last name was Carter. Elena had to keep cutting her hair to right under her chin and Alex grew a goatee in order to change their appearances. He hated it but Elena could barely keep herself contained around him the first few weeks of it.
Roger and Amy were moved with them and lived only fifteen minutes away. They too changed their appearance and believe it or not, were expecting their second child already. Elena and Alex still saw them often.
And now, Alex and Elena’s baby girl was three weeks old and they were taking her on her first road trip. The last thing was to set their house alarm and pack up the baby and Elena in the back seat of their new car, the truck long gone.
They had a little bit of a drive ahead of them. The suitcases were strapped to the roof of their SUV and Elena kept seeing Alex watching her in the mirror. She smiled at him as she rubbed the baby’s cheek, so entirely happy. And so ready to get where they were going.
* * *
The dust flew around in shapes and swirls as they turned into the long driveway. A small yellow beat up house sat at the end of the drive. The owner of the house had no idea she had company until she came to the porch. She covered her eyes with her hand to shield the sun and cocked her head.
Then her mouth fell open. Alex got out and ran to his stunned mother on her porch. They embraced and hugged tightly for a long time before he broke away to help Elena with the baby. Rachel followed him to the car and with the baby in Elena’s arms, she hugged her tightly too.
“Oh, my,” Rachel said when she saw the baby, “Alex.”
“I know. She’s beautiful, both of them,” he said and winked at Elena before placing his arm around her and kissing her forehead.
“Oh,” Rachel cried, “I can’t believe you have a daughter, Alex.” She wiped her tears with her apron and placed a hand softly on the baby’s head before Alex spoke with such love in his voice, it took Elena’s breath away.
“Grandma, meet your granddaughter. Her name is Grace.”
The End