His Desert Rose

by Deborah R. Brandon

  “Oh my God, that is so cool. I want a relationship like that,” Lisa said. “I am so jealous,” Lisa said animated.

  “Don’t be your time will come,” Renee said laughing along with her.

  “What does Antonio like to do in his leisure time,” Lisa asked.

  “Antonio wakes most mornings and goes for a leisurely swim in the family pool. He enjoys playing soccer with his brothers and cousins after a nice Sunday family meal. He also has friends that he loves like brothers, and they do all kinds of things together,” Renee said.

  “Can you give any hints about the wedding?” Lisa asked.

  “Awww…No,” Renee answered.

  Lisa laughed again and then said, “I had to try. Then becoming more sober she said, “I will be the first to admit that I was wrong about you. Thank you for helping me with getting my job back. Thank you for giving me this exclusive, which will probably jumpstart my career,” Lisa finished completely humbled by the experience.

  “No problem,” Renee responded.

  The ladies talked and laughed a little more before Renee walked her through the house to the front door. She was standing there, waiting for Lisa and her photographer to leave when and Antonio came up behind her.

  “Impressive, you handled yourself very well,” Antonio said. Noticing that he had startled her, he began to rub his hands cross her bare arms and then said, “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

  “I just didn’t know you were there until you started talking,” Renee said with a smile, and then continued with a simple, “Thank you.”

  Chapter 19

  “Do you want to grab something to eat and drink before we go to your doctor’s appointment?” Antonio asked.

  “I’m starving, and I already know what I want,” Renee said.

  “Enlighten me my dear,” Antonio said teasingly.

  “A sweet Italian sausage dog with chili and onions, some fries with barbeque sauce, and a peach flavored iced tea,” Renee said with enthusiasm.

  Antonio’s smile broadens, “You are always full of surprises. I am ready if you are.”

  “Let me freshen up and I will be right out,” Renee said.

  Antonio took her into an Italian pub. The fresh spices and herbs that were cooking in a variety of sauces filled the air with a delicious aroma. It was midafternoon so the pub was not as crowded.

  The owner came over immediately, and greeted Antonio with a hug and a kiss to each cheek. Then she turned and greeted Renee in the same manner. She was a chubby motherly like lady who was full of cheer. She escorted them to their table. She spoke in rapid Italian and then stopped herself and apologized to Renee in English for her rudeness.

  Renee answered back in rapid Italian, to let her know that she spoke the language, and that she was not being rude. The owner was pleasantly surprised. Renee placed her order after Antonio. The food arrived quickly. Renee closed her eyes as she took the first savory bite. It was so good and exactly what she was craving.

  Antonio ate his food and enjoyed watching her eat. He loved the fact that she was at home in this little pub, as she was in a five star restaurant. She was just a down to earth person.

  Halfway through the meal, he reached into his pocket and gave her a list of his groom’s men. She accepted the paper, and looked over the list. Federico and Marco she had expected. Prince Kamar Jamal Abdul also known as KJ, one of his college friends, Daniel Harvey another college friend, Trujillo Santino, Ethan Hightower and Michael Blake-Moore. She smiled.

  “I did good, didn’t I?” Antonio asked teasingly.

  “Yes,” Renee said then continued with, “This line up no one will doubt our intentions. No one would even guess that this is just a marriage of convenience.”

  “Right,” Antonio said, wiping his mouth with a napkin and throwing it across his unfinished plate. Are you ready to go to your doctor’s appointment?”

  Renee took her napkin and wiped her mouth as well and nodded her head in agreement that she was ready to go. Antonio took his hand written receipt to the counter to pay while she freshened up.

  They arrived at Dr. Belmonte’s short thereafter, and the same nurse from the phone was checking in patients. She greeted Renee in a bright and bubbly manner. Renee signed her name to the sign in form, and received several clipboards of forms to be completed along with a cup and wet wipes for a urine analysis.

  Renee set about the task of filling out forms about her medical history, as well as that of close family members, while Antonio filled out the family medical history for himself and his family. When she completed them, she returned them, to the nurse. She then went to the restroom and did what she had to for her urine analysis and returned the cup to the nurse. They were called back, and her temperature and blood pressure was taken as well as weight. She stood behind the curtain and changed into the gown that had been provided for her. She laid back onto the cool sterile table. Antonio was sitting on a stool and rolled closer to the table and looped his fingers within hers. She didn’t resist. She was scared to hope that everything would work out and that she would be okay. She knew that she couldn’t survive losing another baby. The longer she lay there the heavier her eyelids became. After a few minutes, there was a light tap on the door and then Dr. Belmonte came in followed behind a nurse.

  “Hello Renee, how are you doing?” Dr. Belmonte asked.

  “I’m fine,” Renee answered kind of groggy.

  “How about the nausea,” Dr. Belmonte asked.

  “Better, the last couple of days,” Renee supplied.

  “That’s good. I have assumed, which is something that I never do in this line of work, but I did with you all, that you all are planning on keeping the baby and that I don’t have to talk to you about termination options or adoption?” Belmonte asked half stated.

  “That would be correct,” Renee replied.

  “Well, congratulations to you both. Today, I want to get a pelvic exam and do a breast exam. I will also do a vaginal ultrasound. I want to meet with you every two weeks to track your progress because you have miscarried before. I want to make sure that we do everything within our power to keep both mom and baby healthy throughout your pregnancy,” Dr. Belmonte explained.

  “Okay, thank you,” Renee said.

  Dr. Belmonte nodded her head at Renee, then walked over to the sink and scrubbed her hands with medical soap and warm water. The nurse handed her a towel and she dried her hands.

  She examined Renee’s breast and gave her a pelvic exam as promised. Then the moment that Renee had been waiting for began. Dr. Belmonte inserted the vaginal ultrasound inside and began to bring up a picture on the fetal monitor. The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. There it was a muffled thump…thump…thump…Dr. Belmonte smiled as she clicked on the screen, getting measurements.

  Antonio and Renee, you have two healthy babies growing in there. That’s why the heart beat is so easy to pick up, there are TWO little babies growing in there,” Dr. Belmonte said experiencing the joy with them.

  “Two,” said Antonio, a smile of pure proud and joy spread across his face. He ran his hands through Renee’s curls. He looked down into her shocked face and said, “Two healthy babies.”

  Renee nodded her head then turned her head towards Dr. Belmonte and asked, “Doesn’t a multiple birth increase my risk for a miscarriage?”

  Dr. Belmonte was removing her glows and answered, “Renee, it can. Right now, everything is on track, so that is where we will keep our focus.”

  “Okay,” Renee responded laying her head back on the table.

  You can still exercise in moderation, for example, light walks, swimming, and some yoga. It will keep you healthy and help reduce stress during your pregnancy. Try to eat throughout the day, and you can take your prenatal vitamin at night if it is makes you sick during the day, some of my patients say that that helped. Anymore questions for me before I let you get dressed?” Doctor Belmonte asked.

  “No, and thank you,” Renee said.

/>   “My pleasure,” Doctor Belmonte said before leaving the room.

  “Are you okay?” Antonio asked Renee because she continued to lie on the table with her hand over her eyes.

  She was crying now, because an avalanche of emotions had over taken her. She was scared that she would not be able to carry the babies to term. She was scared that she would not know how to handle the twins. She was scared that she would not be a good mother and when they grew up and learned about her past they would hate her. You can’t fail tiny humans. This was not a situation she could up and pack her bags and just walk away from. Renee laid there thinking to herself. The tears stopped as quickly as they had started.

  She accepted the tissue Antonio had for her, got up and got dressed. Her eyes were puffy from the crying and she couldn’t do anything to fix that.

  Renee walked out of the restroom and accepted the rest of her things from Antonio. She went to the receptionist and made her next appointment, as she did so Antonio brought the car around. Renee didn’t wait on him to come around and open the door. She chose to open the door for herself. She secured her seatbelt, Antonio pulled away from the curve without saying a word. She laid her head against the back of the seat and dozed off to sleep.

  Antonio was worried about her. She was pulling away from him and he was losing her all over again. For once in his life he didn’t know what to do to fix the problem.

  When they got back to the estate. Renee checked in with her nieces first and then with Rosalie. The girls were fine and Rosalie had everything that she needed for dinner. She excused herself and went upstairs to take a nap. Within a matter of minutes she was drifting off to sleep.

  Antonio called Jasmine, who answered on the second ring.

  “Hello?” Jasmine said into the receiver.

  “Hello, Jasmine this is Antonio Favero,” Antonio said into the phone.

  “I know Antonio, what’s wrong?” Jasmine asked in a dry yet concerned voice.

  “I don’t know,” Antonio answered honestly. We had a doctor’s appointment today, and Renee found out she is pregnant with twins. The pregnancy is progressing fine, but after receiving her exam and everything, Renee lied on the examining table and just cried. She acted as if I weren’t even there. She has completely shut me out. The last time she did that she left my life for a year and only called me when she needed me. I don’t want to lose her or the babies. I don’t know what to do. I need your help,” Antonio said into the phone.

  “Oh my God, you care for my sister,” Jasmine observed coming to life.

  “I am in love with your sister, but she doesn’t return my feelings. She only agreed to marry me out of convenience. She is helping me to secure my position with the family business. I planned to court her after the wedding to let her see that this could work and be forever. Just maybe she could learn to love me too,” Antonio said earnestly.

  Jasmine was surprised and happy at what she had heard. She had not been pleased with the thought of her sister being in a loveless marriage. This changes the game.

  “Antonio if you love my sister as much as you say you do, you need to start courting her now. You two have a history together prior to all of this. You need to come up with some clever way of showing her that without saying hey we have history. Pretty soon Nicole and Claire will be coming back. Renee needs to be out and about making friends with people so that she has a strong network of people around her when they are gone.

  I know an engagement party, something small and intimate. We will be flying in first thing in the morning, so that I can help you. Antonio don’t wait for me, get to work, start with Nicole and Claire,” Jasmine said and rang off.

  Antonio looked at the receiver and said, “Thank you,” even though Jasmine had rang off.

  Antonio called a local florist and ordered a bouquet arrangement of tulips and lilies, arranged with some baby’s breath within it delivered to the estate. He wanted it to be sitting on her bedside table when she woke up. He also ordered a blank card so he could personalize it. He had assumed that they were her favorite because she had used those two flowers for the arrangements for the wedding. He went downstairs and found Nicole, Marco, Federico, Elizabeth and Claire sitting around in the sitting area. He stood their looking uncertain for a while then decided to humble himself and said, “Can you all meet me in my study in about ten minutes please? I need your help.”

  Everyone looked at one another and got up and walked to the study. Antonio sat behind the desk as everyone walked in and sat down on the tan wrap around sofa.

  He explained everything to them as he had with Jasmine. Nicole and Claire was surprised that he admitted to loving her and Federico, Marco and Elizabeth were surprised to learn that Renee was pregnant and expecting twins.

  “She doesn’t know that you love her,” Nicole said. “She thinks everything that you have been doing has been for the press,” she added.

  “I know, but I want to use the next few days to show her what we can have together if we try. Now, Jasmine suggested an engagement party with no more than 100 people. I want it for tomorrow evening at The Hilton,” Antonio said.

  “Tomorrow?” Claire said. “Last minute is your thing, huh.”

  Antonio apologized, and continued by saying, “Federico, help make up a list of guest that’s a good mixture of business and pleasure. Make sure that there are some couples within the group so Renee can start making friends and get reacquainted with some people.”

  Federico nodded his head and went to work.

  “Marco, tomorrow I will take her shopping before Jasmine and the others arrive. Have Beth to get the guesthouses in order, please. Lastly, you promised her lunch at some restaurant, I need you to make that happen tomorrow,” Antonio directed.

  “My pleasure, Marco said.

  Elizabeth can you please call that spa that you guys like to go to and make appointments for the afternoon. Nails, hair, body massages the works. Also can you call the car service that we use and have four stretch limos on deck for us please?”

  “You got it, and good luck brother,” Elizabeth said.

  “Thank you,” Antonio said.

  Nicole and Claire worked with the hotel to book arrangements such as music, finger foods and a couple of rooms for guest. Antonio called the men who were part of the wedding party and pleaded his case and got them on board with flying in tomorrow and staying through until the wedding.

  Antonio’s grandparents, Alexandria and Victor Favero, arrived at the estate an hour early. Stefano and Maria entertained them as everyone got dressed for dinner.

  Renee woke up when Rosalie came in and advised her that she had an hour before dinner. There was a lovely arrangement of fresh flowers with a card on her night stand table to her surprise. She opened the card and it said:

  Flowers for the woman of my heart. My very own Desert Rose.

  With Love Antonio

  Renee was pleased with the arrangement and the lovely fragrance that had filled the room. She must have really scared him at the doctor’s office, she thought. Renee was up and dressed in a black flutter-sleeve, cowlneck one piece jumpsuit. She wore gold jewelry for accessories. She walked down the winding staircase and joined everyone in the sitting room.

  “Hello everyone,” she said as she entered the room. Alexandria got up from her seat and hugged Renee.

  “Look at you, you are as beautiful as I remember,” Alexandria said. I am so glad you captured my grandson’s heart honey. Don’t worry about your past, we all got one, you just don’t live there anymore. Hell, I used to be a stripper,” she said and crossed her hands across her chest. “I tell you another thing, be worried about the ones that don’t claim their past, they got some real skeletons in their closets,” Alexandria finished.

  Renee smiled at Alexandria she had always been outspoken. “Thank you, Mrs. Alexandria, I appreciate that. Have you met Amber and Alyson, Jasmine’s girls,” she said trying to change the subject.

  Antonio smiled in Renee’s direction
. She escorted his grandmother back over to where the men were sitting and received a hug from Victor and Stefano before making her way to Antonio. He held open his arms for her and she walked into them willingly.

  He looked down into her beautiful face as she said, “Thank you for the flowers.”

  “My pleasure,” Antonio said bringing her into a close embrace, where he held her a little longer than necessary. He took in the fragrance of her hair which was a combination of coconut butter and Shea butter. She also wore her signature fragrance which had a hint of raspberry crème and some kind of sultry musk, with just a touch of aloe Vera and chamomile. As he released her from his embrace Rosalie came around the corner and announced that dinner was to be served.

  The table was once again set with the most beautiful fine china and glassware. The tables also were dressed with beautiful linens, silverware in the correct placement, and lovely floral arrangements. Antonio held out her chair for her like always.

  Dinner in this house was always like a well-organized dance. Antonio stood and said the blessing over the food. As he sat down the doors to the kitchen swung open and Rosalie and her daughter Katelyn began to serve the first course. Soup and salad were served first of course. Rosalie placed bowls of chicken tortilla soup that was garnished with fresh avocado, Monterey Jack cheese, green onions, and crushed tortilla chips; along with a lovely salad of mixed greens, juicy red ripe tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet onions, diced boiled eggs and mixed shredded cheeses. Everything looked and smelled delicious. The conversation around the table was continuous between mouthfuls of food. The conversations were passionate at times, sometimes light, and other times just plain comical. After about twenty minutes Rosalie and Katelyn came out with several baskets of fresh baked bread with honey butter and began to remove the soup bowls and salad plates. When that task was completed, the main course of sirloin steak, scalloped potatoes, and broccoli was served. Everything was cooked to perfection and complemented each other well. When the plates had been cleared from the main course. Rosalie and Katelyn served homemade pound cake with homemade caramel icing, which had been one of Renee’s favorite desserts growing up. She smiled as she received her plate of cake. She looked over at her fiancé and said, “Thank you.”