I chewed on a bit of cracker and sipped the ginger ale as I thought of a reply. “It isn’t too late for the two of you. All those years you had to be his mom and try to lead him to become a wise and responsible adult, and you did it. He is, and you should be so proud. Now you can relax and get to know him as a person—as a grown man and just enjoy him.”
“I don’t know if I can switch to that so easily.”
“I think you both can learn this new relationship if you try.”
Mrs. Foster stood. “I’ll send Mandy up in a minute to get the tray.” She blinked and considered her words. “I’m sorry for the way I acted when David brought you home. It wasn’t my plan for him and, since I’m a bit of a planner, changes throw me, and it takes me a while to readjust.”
“I can understand that. I sort of make my choices based on set plans too.”
“You aren’t what I had in mind for my son, but I think he did a wonderful job choosing on his own.”
I had to dab at my eyes. “I swear I’m not a crier. It’s these stupid hormones.”
“I look forward to getting to know both you and my adult son.”
*
I SPENT THE NEXT TWO weeks getting to know my in-laws. Grammy Taylor came by, and I finally got to meet her. She brought me some lady’s magazines and crossword puzzles. Mandy liked to come to my room and play Barbies with me. At ten, she told me she was the last of her friends who still played with them. That’s why she didn’t keep them in her room anymore but under David’s old bed, so that visiting friends wouldn’t know. I sat in the bed, brushing the doll’s hair, while listening to her chat about which girl in class wasn’t talking to whom at the moment. It made me glad I was going to have a boy.
Once it looked like my condition was manageable, I asked to go home. I was still having moments of debilitating sickness, but mostly it was manageable with the medication, and I didn’t want David to make a surprise trip home and discover I wasn’t at the house. So the Fosters packed me up and helped me move back home. But they bought me a cell phone to keep with me in case I was to get sick while out and about.
David came home at the end of the first month of summer session. He walked in the house, and I ran up to hug him, so glad to hold him. His lips came down on mine, and I breathed in his musky scent. I’d missed him more than I’d realized until he was there with me. I wondered if that was how David 2016 felt when he saw me.
I pulled away to catch my breath. “Wow, you are an amazing kisser. I hope you weren’t practicing while you were away.”
“No practicing, just longing to do that…and more.” His lips curled up in a sly grin as he took hold of my arm and pulled me toward our room.
I dug my heels into the floor and stopped us from moving forward. “Not until you put your clothes away.”
David spun around, his brow furrowed, looking at me like I was crazy. “What?”
“Not until you put all your clothes away.” I pointed at his bags by the door.
“Since when are you OCD?”
“Since I’ve spent a month keeping the house just like I want it. Now put your clothes away, and I promise you, after...” I bit my lip and tried to look seductive, “your obedience will be rewarded.”
He tossed up his hands and let out a growl in frustration and returned to the door to collect all his bags. He trudged to the bedroom where I heard the bags being unzipped. I heard drawers opening and closing, and then I heard nothing and smiled as I waited. A few moments later, David came down the hall holding up a baby blue diaper shirt in his right hand.
“This was in my t-shirt drawer.” Then he lifted his left hand, holding a pair of baby denim shorts. “And these were in my shorts drawer.” He stared at me waiting for an explanation.
“And there are blue baby shoes in the closet next to your shoes in case you had started there and a baby outfit hanging with your clothes just in case you started there.” I made my way to him and put my arms around his neck.
His eyes lit up. “Does this mean?”
I nodded and smiled at him, tears gathering in the corners of my eyes.
He pulled me to him in a quick motion and held me. “Really?”
“Really.”
He pushed away from me and looked down at my tummy. “I didn’t crush it, did I?”
I laughed. “No, he’s fine.”
“He? It’s a boy? You know that already?”
“The doctors can’t say yet, but I can. Dr. David Foster and Layla had the most amazing son who will change the world.”
David got down on his knees and put his face in front of my tummy. “Hey, there, I’m your dad, or daddy, since that’s what little kids say. We are going to have so much fun together. I’ll teach you all about comic books and Star Wars.” Then he glanced up at me and grinned. “I’ll teach you to be a geek because that’s how you get the really pretty girls.”
I couldn’t control my laughter at that part.
David stood and placed both hands in my hair, cradling my jaws with his thumbs. “Do we really have to wait until I put the clothes away?”
“Nope, that was just to tell you the good news.” I pulled him down the hall.
“So I still get my reward?”
“And then some.”
*
THE NEXT MORNING WAS SUNDAY. I jumped up when the alarm went off and hit the button to make it stop.
“Why did you set the alarm for the weekend?” David growled and grabbed my pillow to cover his eyes.
“I’ve been going to church with your family.”
David sat up and stared at me, confusion all over his face. “What?”
“Well, with the baby coming, it was time to mend fences with your folks. I told your mom about the baby when I found out, and I’ve been hanging out over there some too.”
“How can you just forgive them like that? They insulted you. I can’t let it go.” He plopped back on his pillow and crossed his arms over his chest.
“Didn’t you like growing up with a loving grandma? I finally met Grammy Taylor, and she is a dear sweet woman. What about your collections in your old room? Don’t you think DJ would like them in his room someday?”
“DJ?”
“David Jr. My grandma took me to church every Sunday. She said Jesus changed her, and based on the stories she told me about how she raised my mom, I believe her. I know you grew up in church. Don’t you want that for our son?”
David didn’t answer, but I could see he was listening.
“This whole parenting thing, it’s going to require us to grow up…to get over ourselves and do what is best for this child.”
David nodded in agreement.
“We are going to have a newborn baby. Have you ever had one before? Because I haven’t. But your mom has, and she did a really great job. And you’ve got a sister almost old enough to babysit. We might want to go on dates. We might need some help in this.”
David sat up and threw his legs over the edge of the bed. “I guess this is the end of sleeping in on Sundays.”
“Don’t worry. It will just be practice for January when we say goodbye to sleeping in permanently.”
Suddenly I felt a little nauseous. I made my way to the bathroom and closed the door. I turned on the blower and the shower, so he wouldn’t hear me throwing up. He might think a little morning sickness was normal, but I couldn’t risk it. Besides, he would worry about me, and there wasn’t any reason for us both to suffer. I got in the already running shower after and cleaned up before heading to the kitchen for some dry toast and a dose of Phenergan.
Chapter 17
Layla
DAVID WENT TO SCHOOL THE next week with the confidence that his family was available to me if needed. We’d had a do-over cookout in their backyard the night before he left and started the healing process. I’d looked at all those people who loved David and would be there for him and DJ when I was no longer there. I cradled my tummy which had become a constant habit for me and watched Mrs. Foster b
rushing David’s hair from his eyes and fussing over him. It made me think about the bond I already had with my own son. If there was anyone on the planet who might possibly love David more than I did, it was her. Because as much as I loved David, I’d sacrifice both him and me for our son, and I already knew that’s exactly what we’d have to do for him.
I saw David off to school on Tuesday morning. He was taking as many summer and fall classes he could pack in so taking off the spring semester for the baby’s arrival wouldn’t put him too far behind. I headed back for my first full day of work. I walked in to see Trina already frazzled, and the day hadn’t started yet.
“What’s going on?”
“It’s him.” She pointed to Drake’s office, and I saw him passed out on his desk with an empty bottle beside him. “He left yesterday for an appointment and came back with that giant bottle, sat down at his desk, and started pouring himself drinks. I’ve had to answer all the calls and take all the payments. I locked up yesterday with him passed out already with half a bottle left. Looks like he drank the rest during the night.” Trina spun to face me. “I didn’t choose nursing as a profession for a reason. I come to work to be business professional and do my job. I don’t have any interest in taking care of others. If this is how it’s going to be from now on, I’m going to look for another office.”
The office was too busy these days to run it alone. “Don’t quit just yet, please. I’m here today, and I’ll go see what’s going on with Drake.”
I poured a cup of black coffee and crept into Drake’s office, closing the door as quietly as I could before I sat down the cup and tried to shake him awake. He groaned and grunted as I shook him again. “Drake, wake up.”
He leaned back, and I saw the overgrowth of stubble on his gaunt face. He’d lost a lot of weight lately.
“Mr. Duke, why are you drinking again?”
His bloodshot eyes strained to focus on me. “Layla, you’re back.”
“Yes, and now Trina is about to quit. Why?” I sat down in one of the chairs facing his desk.
“Yesterday was my first drink since my slip up over a year ago.”
I blinked as I thought about that. “Then why are you so gaunt and why did you drink all night?”
“I’ve been sick for some time, but I just ignored it. Yesterday I went to the doctor and found out it’s my liver.”
I sat up as my eyes widened. “What?”
“My liver’s destroyed. I only have a few months left. I figured there was no point in quitting now if I’m going to die anyway.”
I reached across the desk and took his frail hand. It was cold and clammy. “There’s got to be something…a transplant maybe?”
“Not for people who do this to themselves. They don’t waste a good liver on someone likely to abuse it.” He sat up, staring at me with bloodshot eyes. “There’s no saving me this time, young lady.”
I bit back the tears as I watched my boss accept defeat. “I’m sorry.” Such pitiful words that offered nothing, really.
“Thank you. You saved me once. I guess people only get one of those in a lifetime. But you should know, I changed my will. I’m leaving you everything.”
“What… the office…to me?” I felt my eyes widen as I glanced around and then back at him. “I couldn’t. I’m just an employee, not family.”
“I don’t have any kids. I was an only child so no brothers or sisters or nieces and nephews. Besides, you are the one really running the show here, and I know it.” He stood up and then slumped back in his chair. “This wasn’t as fun as I remembered.”
“Then don’t do this again. Don’t bring it any faster.”
“I won’t. I promise. You need to hire someone else to help Ms. Compassion out there and have her trained. I will probably keep getting sick, and you could have to go on bed rest again. Even if you don’t, you will be taking some time off in a few months.”
I stood. “I’ll place an ad today.” I turned to go and took a few steps before looking back. “If you need anything, let me know.”
*
DRAKE MADE IT TWO MORE months. I was shocked when I found out he hadn’t just left me the office. He left me everything. I sold his house and invested the money without telling David. There were other uses for that money coming up, and David didn’t need to know about it yet.
On January 3rd, 1997, twenty-five days before I turned twenty-seven, I gave birth to the most handsome little boy in the world. They cleaned him up and handed him to David first. I sat up, eager to hold him. David presented him to me. “He looks like me. He even has my eyes.”
I accepted the warm softness of my newborn son and stared into his little familiar face with complete awe. “Yes, he does, for now, but they will turn dark like mine.” DJ’s dark eyes were wide circles as he watched my face with complete mesmerizing interest. I brushed his cheek which triggered his instinct to move his mouth in that direction.
“I think he’s hungry.” David knelt beside the bed watching us.
I glanced between my two guys, and all I could think was there isn’t enough time. And tears burst forth. I made it my goal that moment to make each day precious and to always be present for them because there wasn’t enough time—I had to treasure the days I had with them.
Chapter 18
January 3rd, 2003
Layla
“BLOW THEM OUT AND MAKE a wish,” I said and stepped back from lighting the candles. DJ had his dad’s dark hair and my brown eyes. He leaned forward and blew the six candles out until the last flame was extinguished. The dancing bear at the pizza arcade led us all in their official birthday dance.
I grabbed DJ up in my arms and gave him a huge kiss on the cheek.
“Mom! Not in front of my friends.”
I put him down. “I’m sorry. I just had to kiss you.”
He ran off and gathered with the other kids while I watched and swallowed back the lingering sadness.
David brought me a stack of paper plates and a knife. I took them from him and gave him a quick kiss too. “What was that for?”
“Being the best husband in the world. Every day, you two are the best part of my life. I want you to always know that.” I choked back the emotion.
“We need to cut the cake now. Maybe later you can show me how great you think I am.”
“Deal.” I took the knife and started slicing cake as David handed them out to the kids and his family. Mandy had brought her boyfriend. It was hard to believe she was old enough to date. This was the first birthday Grammy Taylor had missed. She’d gotten too frail to leave the home now. I handed out the last of the cake and looked around at the table. David and DJ wore matching Spider-man t-shirts, and I had to smile at my geeky men.
I thought of the years that had passed so quickly, and all the changes that had occurred. David now held a PhD and had gotten a grant to do more research at a college in the lower part of the state. My name hung over the insurance office, and I had three agents under me. We’d purchased the house that we’d rented for so long. David had wanted to buy a newer house, but I couldn’t leave that one just yet. It’s where all the magic of my life had happened, and I wanted to stay there and pretend there was more magic to come for me.
I saw a figure in my peripheral vision and turned to find a man watching us from across the room. He had graying hair, but I knew him instantly. I made my way to my David and whispered in his ear. “I think I left some of the party favors in the car. I’ll be right back.”
He nodded, and I headed for the door, knowing the other David would soon follow. I stepped out the door and over to the side to wait for him. He followed me, and I continued around the back of the place before I spoke. I couldn’t risk anyone seeing us.
I still didn’t turn to look at him. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to see you.” He sounded older than I’d ever heard him.
I did look up then. His hair was quite silver, but he was still handsome. Maturity suited him, but that o
nly made me bitter—this David would never be mine. “You need to move on. Re-marry. Have a life again. You made it work, you’ve seen me again. Move on and stop living in the past. What year are you from anyway?”
“2026. I can’t move on.”
I folded my arms in front of me and leveled my glare. “Why not?”
“Because we were supposed to grow old together.”
“No, we aren’t. Stop trying to make me wish for more.” I shook with emotion. This was why I swallowed it down and kept it all deep inside. When I felt the depth of it, it was too much.
“I came so you could have someone to talk to today. I didn’t know then… but I know now. This day had to be hard for you… it’s your last birthday with him.”
I turned away, walked to the brick wall, and leaned my forehead against it. The bricks were cold and rough as I hid my face with my arms. “What do you want me to say?”
“I know this is hard. I didn’t want you to face it alone.”
I pushed away from the wall and spun to look at him. “This is the last birthday party I will ever have with our son. I know it will happen soon.”
“Do you know how?”
“No, and I don’t want to. I don’t even know the exact date. I just know I don’t make it to see 2004.”
David moved closer to me. I tried to move back, but he was too fast. He pulled me into his arms and surrounded me with them. “Let it out. You don’t have to hold it all inside.”
“Yes, I do.” I let myself weep, and my fingers dug into his shoulders. I breathed in the smell of aftershave, Cheerwine, and David. With his arms around me, I felt safe for just a moment, like he could save me from it all.
“Not right now anyway. I’m here. I wish you had let me in more, to help you. I wish you didn’t always think it was all on you.”
“It is all on me.” I held him closer, and I let myself have a nice ugly cry. Something I never did. All the pain that I always swallowed had permanently settled in my gut, always churning, always aching—but I never told anyone. And it all came out in a rush. Tears streamed down my cheeks until there were no more to cry. I clung to him, and for once, let him be my strength.
Forever Layla: A Time Travel Romance Page 17
