Love Found a Way (Hell Yeah! Book 0)

by Sable Hunter

  Glory, on the other hand, was the eternal optimist. If she was afraid, she didn’t show it. Her attitude was positive. She was always up. Always happy. Whenever she sensed he was feeling down, she did her best to raise his spirits. T knew Glory was clinging to the words of the New Orleans fortune teller and her faith in God. While T prayed Ma Dyer was the real deal and that there was a benevolent being watching over them, he was placing his hopes in the hands of the capable doctor who’d had success dealing with this disease before.

  “Yea, sure. I haven’t given it any thought. Have you?”

  “Oh, yes. I have. Lexi sent me a baby name book.” She laid her hand on his thigh, tracing the inner seam with her finger.

  “You and Lexi are really getting along, aren’t you?” He was happy about it. The girl was barely a teenager, but seemed to have her own mind. When Glory had called her mother’s home, Vivienne’s response had been cool. Not so with Lexi’s. The miniature Glory lookalike had jumped at the chance to get to know her big sister. T made it possible, buying Lexi a plane ticket to fly from Florida to New Orleans to see Glory at Christmas.

  “We are. She’s amazing.”

  “I’m glad.” He wished he could say he’d had the same good fortune reconciling with his mother. Sadly, he found that Doreen Beaumont didn’t so much want a relationship with her son as much as she wanted money. “What did you come up with?”

  Glory wiggled in her seat, clearly excited at the prospect of naming their child. “I know it’s going to be a girl.”

  “You do? I thought the last ultrasound was inconclusive.”

  “Oh, it was, I just have a feeling.” She shrugged, still all smiles. “But if the baby is a boy, I thought about naming him Ryan Allen, that way he has your initials and part of your name. We could call him Ryan. What do you think?”

  T-Rex nodded. “I like it.” He had no desire to pass his full name on to another Beaumont child. “And the girl?”

  “Alice, after your sister.”

  T felt his chest tighten. “Alice, I would love that, thank you.”

  “Alice Lauren Beaumont.”

  “That’s beautiful, but I’d love to name her after you. Glory Alice. Could we do that?”

  Glory frowned. “Maybe. But we’ll call her Alice, all right?”

  “Alice, it is,” he confirmed as he turned into Revel’s driveway.

  “Look at all the cars! There must be a hundred people here! Harper has so many friends.” Even though no one had mentioned throwing a baby shower for Glory, there was absolutely no envy in her voice. “I am so happy for her and Revel. That baby is going to be so lucky to have Harper for a mother.”

  “Alice or Ryan is going to be lucky too.”

  “Yea,” Glory agreed with a giggle. “I hope so.”

  Once they parked, T gathered the gift they’d picked out for Harper and her baby. A whimsical mobile to hang over the crib, one with crystals and rainbows. Glory had thought it looked magical. “Careful.” T steadied his wife as she stepped over an uneven stone in the pathway.

  “Are you staying?” she asked, curiously. “I thought men were allergic to this type of thing.”

  “Oh, I’m going to hang out with Revel, keep him company. He’s still excited over the Rougaroux sighting. We’re thinking about putting some game cameras up in a few deer stands to see if we can get some more shots.” All of this was true, but not the real reason he was staying. Mainly, he wanted to take pictures of his wife when she realized what was going on.

  As they mounted the steps to the wide verandah, Glory held onto T’s arm. “I’m going to take notes today, to see if we’ve managed to get all the essentials.”

  “Good idea. Our nursery’s really coming together. Ryan or Alice is going to be very happy among all of those little cowboys, cowgirls, and ponies.” He hadn’t encouraged her to buy too many extras, because he’d known about this surprise all along.

  “Glory! T-Rex! Come in.” Harper met them at the door. “I’m so glad you’re here!”

  Glory presented Harper with her gift. “Congratulations, Harper. I hope your baby will like this.”

  “Oh, I’m sure he will. And I hope your baby will like all the gifts you get today.”

  “What?” Glory asked softly. “This isn’t my shower.” Her eyes scanned the room, so gaily decorated with pink and blue balloons. A table was laden with cake and punch while another table was piled high with gifts. In fact, there were gifts everywhere – stacks and piles.

  “Well, it’s our shower. Mine and yours.” Harper exclaimed. “Look around at all the people who came!”

  “Hey, Glory!”

  “Congratulations, Glory!”

  Glory covered her cheeks, stunned and surprised. “Oh, T!” She turned in his arms and he cradled her close. “I’m so happy, I could cry.”

  “Awwww.” He stroked her back. “Don’t cry. You’ve got a lot of people to greet and a lot of presents to open.”

  In the next hour or two, Glory was elated to see Mrs. Watson, Lauren Middleton, Lily Bastien, and even Sweet Gene. She was introduced to many of T and Revel’s friends that she hadn’t met before – Tammany, Savannah, Fresca, Harley, and even some of their friends from Texas, Avery, Libby, and Skye. Last names escaped her, but she promised to learn each and every one.

  And the presents! Every person brought two gifts, no matter if they were there on her behalf or Harper’s. By the time the shower was over, her baby had received everything imaginable and T had taken plenty of photos to go in the Baby Book she’d received from Harper.

  “I just can’t believe this,” Glory whispered as she stared at the generous bounty surrounding her. “A diaper bag, a stroller, a car seat, a swing, a mobile, and dozens of outfits.”

  “And thousands of diapers,” T said as he stared at the mountain of gifts. “And if Ryan/Alice poops and pees like Linda Bee, we’re going to need them.”

  Revel sidled up to his friend. “I’ll help you carry all of this to your truck, buddy.”

  “Thanks, I’m going to need help,” T ate the last bite of shower cake on his plate.

  “Times have changed, haven’t they?” Revel picked up a tiny blue sailor outfit. “You’re about to be a father.”

  “Yes, I hope I can have it all,” T spoke the words softly as his eyes followed Glory around the room as she offered a final thank-you to everyone in attendance. “She loves me so much, she wanted me to have it all.” He just hoped his heart could survive the price love chose to pay.

  *

  “I feel like a small buffalo. Do I look like a small buffalo?” Glory worried as she waited for T-Rex to open Dr. Degas’ office door.

  “No, you look like an elegant gazelle.”

  T’s sweet, totally unreasonable lie made Glory giggle. “We’ve been here so many times, I’m beginning to feel at home.”

  A bright-eyed receptionist stood to welcome them. “Well, it will all be over soon, Mrs. Beaumont. The doctor will be discussing hospital admission with you today. Soon you’ll be taking your bundle of joy home with you.

  Glory shivered. “I’m very excited.” She was also very scared.

  “You okay?” T could see the uneasy look on her face. “Hurting anywhere?”

  “Nope, I’m good.” She gave him a reassuring smile. “Just wondering what he’ll say today.”

  In no time, Glory was taken back for her last round of tests and an ultrasound. T-Rex lingered in the waiting room and joined her once she was escorted to the doctor’s office for the results.

  “Hey, baby,” he greeted her with a kiss to her lips and a gentle rub to her back. “How’s my Glory?”

  “Nervous.”

  “No need, I’m sure.” He tried to comfort her. “I found a new recipe for meatloaf in some woman’s magazine.”

  Glory laughed. “Did you copy it down for me?”

  “Took a picture of the page on my phone.” He held his cell up.

  “Let me see.”

  He held the phone out b
ut the photo wasn’t of a magazine page, it was one of her in a sexy pose. “That’s not meatloaf.”

  “Oh! No, it’s cheesecake.” He pretended to be embarrassed, moving through the pictures, finding more and more photos of her.

  “When did you take those?” In a few seconds, he had her laughing so hard, she was holding her belly.

  “Ahem!” Dr. Degas cleared his throat.

  Glory was still giggling, but her laughter faded when she saw the physician’s face. “What’s wrong?”

  “Glory, we’re going to admit you to the hospital now. I just don’t think we can afford to wait another day. Are you displaying additional symptoms? More shortness of breath? More fatigue?”

  T felt his own breathing grow shallow as fear crept up his spine. Glory had tried to hide it from him, but he knew she had some issues. There were times when she just collapsed against him, her breath coming in tiny gasps. Of course, he would ask if he could do anything, if she needed anything, she always told him no. T had tried to tell himself this was normal for a pregnant woman, but he’d known…he’d known…

  “A little,” was Glory’s soft answer.

  “The pregnancy is certainly complicating your situation, but I have to tell you that I think we should go ahead and put you on the transplant list. You’re PAH is now classified as Stage IV.”

  T felt his world tilt on its axis.

  “Transplant? A heart?” She hadn’t even considered the hope of a transplant. She’d lived with PAH for years, while having no insurance and little money. With only the free clinic to depend on, there had been no discussion of even the possibility of a transplant.

  “Heart and lung.” Degas added with little fanfare.

  “Of course, that all depends on…” Glory began to state the obvious.

  “Yes, we have to get through the delivery first. And of course, wait for donor organs to become available, but your condition will move you near the top of the list.”

  Near the top? T-Rex began to shake. What at first sounded like good news, settled into his mind as the very worst. If she needed to be at the top of the list, that meant her condition was extremely critical.

  The doctor began to speak, outlining how they would proceed. “We’ll get you admitted and hooked up to a monitor. A Caesarian-section will be performed and we’ll keep you in ICU for at least three days monitoring your heart for fluid retention.”

  “How about the baby? Taking it this much earlier isn’t endangering it, is it?”

  Degas adjusted his glasses on his nose. “There’s always a risk, but we’ll have a team ready to take care of the infant the moment it arrives.”

  T felt what little control he had slipping through his fingers. He always wanted to step in and fix things, but this was more than taking over the vacuuming or carrying her up the stairs. He’d taken as much off her as he could, but this was one thing he couldn’t take. T felt totally helpless and it was the worst feeling in the world.

  “You two go and collect your things and meet me at Ochsner Medical Center. We’ll do the delivery in four hours.”

  After the doctor’s announcement, things began to move so fast that Glory lost touch. She was swept up in a maelstrom of momentum, she felt like she was watching a blurry movie. “Wait, wait,” she murmured, “this is too fast.”

  “Sorry, baby. Do you want me to carry you? Do you want a wheelchair?”

  Poor T, he was as flummoxed as she was. “No, I meant everything is happening too fast.” She clutched the material of his shirt in her hand as he steered her down the hall, his arm around her back. He was already half-carrying her, her feet moving automatically. “I knew time was short, I just thought…”

  They weren’t ready.

  Glory felt like she was in two places at one time. The prospect of bringing her child into the world was exhilarating. Their baby would soon be where they could touch him, see him – love him. Or her. Glory smiled at the thought. “Our baby will be here soon, T.”

  “I know, I can’t wait.” Appropriate words to say. He had them memorized.

  But both were aware of the specter of what could happen to Glory hanging over their heads.

  “Everything’s going to be okay.” Glory announced, standing a little straighter. “I just know it, we have to have faith.”

  T nodded, holding the double glass doors open with one hand. “You sit here on this bench,” he told her. “I’ll go get the truck.”

  Glory eased down, her eyes following him as he hurried to the parking garage. He was so good, so handsome. Glory felt tears begin to slide down her cheeks. If the worst happened…how would she be able to say goodbye.

  About that time – the baby kicked and a smile chased away her tears. Placing a hand under her heart, she laughed. “Patience, little one. We’ll see you soon.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  “We didn’t pack. We’re not ready,” Glory muttered as T eased her into the passenger seat.

  “I’ll get everything we need. Stop worrying.”

  The suitcase she’d carefully packed still set in their closet back home. “You’ll need to call Harper…” she began. “No, we can’t. Harper could have her baby at any minute.” Even though their friend was seven weeks farther along in her pregnancy, her due date was just now approaching. “Did we put out enough food for Buford and Thomas?”

  “I’m sure I can get Revel to stop by and if not, I’ll just run home as soon as you and the baby are comfortable.” He leaned over to fasten her seat belt, giving her round tummy a quick kiss as he straightened up.

  “It’s too soon, isn’t it?” she called out as he walked around the front of the truck.

  “Glory.” As he settled behind the wheel, T-Rex gave her a little warning look. “Stop worrying. Dr. Degas has this under control. I’m sure our baby will need to stay in the hospital for a little while, but preemie babies survive and thrive all the time.” Maybe he was terrible, a bad father, but right now all he was concerned about was his wife.

  Staring out the window, Glory sought to find peace. This was what she wanted. This was the only acceptable way things could have…ended. “No!”

  “What? What’s wrong?” T asked urgently as he sat at the exit of the lot, about to pull out into the street.

  “Just lecturing myself,” she laughed weakly. “Trying to remain positive.” He grasped her hand and she squeezed his. “Promise me that you’ll be happy.”

  “I am happy.” T assured her. “I’m about to have everything I ever dreamed of.” Traffic passed almost unnoticed. They were in their own little world. “I’ll be right by you every step of the way, Glory.”

  “Call everyone, let them know,” she instructed. “And if you go home, I want you to bring back that white gown and matching blanket to take the baby home from the hospital in, the one I have laying out in the crib.”

  “Sure. Fine,” T agreed. Right now, he would agree with anything that would ease her mind and make her happy.

  “And if I don’t make it…”

  T’s jaw tightened, his lips pressing together. “Don’t say that.”

  “No, I need to say it,” Glory’s voice grew agitated. “If something happens, I want you to know that everything will be okay. You and the baby will be perfect. I know it will be hard, but you’ll be so happy together.”

  “Please,” T-Rex begged, “I don’t even want to imagine.”

  “Okay, I’ll hush, but if you’ll look in my drawer…”

  “Which one?” T tried to make a joke. “I give you one drawer in my dresser and you’ve taken over three.”

  “The original drawer.” Glory laughed. “I’ve written you and our baby some letters.”

  “Oh, Glory,” T whispered, “you’re killing me. Did you know that? Let’s hold onto hope here, remember what Ma Dyer said. You’re indomitable, Glory. You’re going to come through this just fine.”

  The drive wasn’t long enough. They needed more time. After he pulled up to the ER, T-Rex relinquished he
r to some attendants who placed Glory in a wheelchair. “I’ll be right up, just as soon as I park.”

  “Okay. I’ll be waiting.”

  She held up her hand to wave at him and he was immediately transported back to the times she’d stood on the dock to wave at him after he’d pushed her away – time and time again. What a fool he’d been.

  In the hospital, Glory just gave herself over to the nurses who passed her several things to sign and talked over her more than to her. She was used to this, she’d been here before. Only this time…she cradled her baby as it lay within her, her arms hugging her own middle…this time something good would come from it. Something miraculous.

  When they started pushing her chair down a wide green-tiled hall, she looked over her shoulder. “Can’t we wait for my husband?”

  “We’ll direct him to you, we can’t wait. Time is of the essence,” one nurse told her as they swept her down the hall and toward whatever destiny awaited her.

  …Bursting through the automatic doors, T hurried to find Glory. He went right to the information desk and told them who he was and his wife’s name.

  “They’ve taken her to her room, but the nurses from surgery prep will be after her as soon as they can. Dr. Degas said we’re in a critical situation.”

  T shut his eyes and took a deep breath. “Yes, I know,” he said a little more harshly than intended. The nurse didn’t look surprised, she’d dealt with many anxious fathers-to-be before, he was sure. “Could you tell me which direction to go?”

  The middle-aged woman took pity on him. “Come with me.”

  He was glad. T was lost.

  As he strode down the hallway, his footsteps echoed on the hard floor. With every step, he wondered how this would all end. With every step, he offered up a prayer.

  “Here she is.” The nurse gestured to a door and he murmured a quick, “thanks,” before pushing in. Glory was in a bed surrounded by three nurses who were checking this and adjusting that – he really couldn’t tell what they were doing, his eyes went right to his wife’s face. She looked so serene, so peaceful, so beautiful. Her golden hair looked like a halo of curls around her head and her amethyst eyes were as bright as stars. He stuffed his hands in his front pockets and clenched his fists. Why couldn’t he be as strong as she was?