Heart Of Stone (23 page)

She took the book. It was filled with photographs of her growing up. Some she remembered, other’s seemed to have been taken from afar without her knowledge. All her father’s doing she was sure. There were even photos of her as an adult. From after Alexander had been born. Also newspaper clippings from her years of growing in the corporate world.

“You’ve followed my career?” She asked confused.

“Grandpa said work kept you away. I wanted to understand. I understand it’s a big job running such a large company. There just wasn’t time for a little kid and
that
in your head. Grandpa said it made you sick.”

She sat down and he followed her. She sighed. “It did make me sick. For a long time. But I’m much better now.”

“What does that mean for me?” He asked hope in his tiny voice. “Does that mean you want me again?”

“I never didn’t
want
you. I just couldn’t keep you. I was too young. Too stupid to understand how important you were to me. I didn’t know grandpa had you.”

He nodded. “I know… He told me last time I saw him. Just before he went to see you. He said that he was sorry for not telling you but that he was going to.”

“I’d have come sooner, but grandpa… He died before telling me. I only found you through papers. I got lucky.”

“I guess we both did.”

“What do you want to do? Do you want to stay here? I know you’ve been here a long time. You have a lot of friends? Miss Abigail told me. You play cricket and golf. You do well with your studies.” She picked at her nails as he fidgeted in his seat.

He moved closer to her. “I’d like to see New York, for real. Maybe spend some time there with you and your husband.”

“I think I’d like that. She scooted closer to him. “Can I hug you?”

He instantly slammed into her arms, wrapping his tiny fingers into her hair. He breathed her in, smelling the lilies on her skin. She choked, a sob bubbling up from her. “Don’t cry mommy.” He whispered. “I love you. I’ve always loved you.”

***

SEVEN MONTHS LATER

“Fuck!” Donnella cried out. “Is it too late to ask for that epidural thingy?” She panted as she sat upright, her legs in the stirrups. She’d been in labor for almost seven hours and the baby was just beginning to crown. “Matthew when we’re done with this you are never coming in me again! You hear me!
Never
!”

Doctor Tonka laughed. “Well that’s one way to put it. C’mon, Ella, you can do this, on three, gimmie a big push. One. Two. Three.”

“Baby it’s okay, just remember to
breathe
.” He chuckled snapping a picture of her.

Donnella screamed as she pushed again. “Okay… Okay… I’m done… So fuckin’ done… And you with that fuckin’ camera!”

“That’s it, Ella, now I promise you. Just one more I’ve got the head, but we gotta get the rest of your baby out. So just one more.”

“That’s what you said, last time.” She whined. Her hair matted against her head. Her chest heaving as she breathed in short and aggravated little spurts. “I call bullshit! This better be it.” She leaned forward again, pushing as hard as she could, feeling her insides as they expanded and her muscles contracted pushing the weight of the baby out of her. She called out, collapsing as Doctor Tonka exclaimed.

“Congratulations! It’s a girl!”

Matthew looked over Donnella’s legs, seeing the wriggling little creature as they offered her to him to cut the cord. He hesitated but they assured him it was safe. He did so and they took her away to be cleaned up as she let out a strong cry. A few moments later and they were handing her to a much calmer Donnella. She sat up with Matthew’s help holding the little girl in her arms. Matthew couldn’t hold back the tears that had surfaced in his eyes as he leaned down and kissed Donnella on the forehead.

“Hey,
Mister Mayfield
?” She asked sternly, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt. “That’s all I get after what I just went through?” She kissed him on the mouth parting his lips with her tongue, the heat of it, making the nurses watching blush.

“Now remember you two need to wait at least six weeks before you do anything below these knees.” Doctor Tonka deadpanned, closing Donnella’s legs.

“We
know
.” Matthew answered, pulling away clearing his throat. “Can I?” He asked putting his arms out to the baby.

“Of course daddy.” Donnella beamed.

“What are you going to call her?” Doctor Tonka asked.

“I was thinking Lilly…” Matthew smiled looking at her, he ran his fingers across her nose.

“Yeah. I like that.”

“She has your freckles.” He smiled, snapping a picture.

“I’m glad you brought the camera.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because this is one tiger who’s going to know the value of her stripes.”

~The End~

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Shannon (S. I.) Hayes has been telling tales for so long as she has been able to talk, and began writing them down shortly thereafter. She is the singular author of the
In Dreams... Series
, and a Paranormal Historical Romance called
Centuries Of Blood: Becoming
. Shannon is the Co-Author to
Awakenings: The Wrath Saga
, a Paranormal Drama likened to Big Brother meets The Real World of the Preternatural, as well as several blogs and host to her own website.
S.I.Hayes.com
. 

In her own words... I have a mind that is easily distracted and prone to wandering. Tangents are my forte, and if you think my characters are going to fit a cookie cutter shape of any kind, think again. They live, they love, they eat, sleep and fuck. I believe that people are inherently sexual creatures and my characters be they human or something altogether else are no exception.

I don't adhere to a single genera, I toe the line on several and wouldn't presume to be a master of any. So I suppose you could call me jack-of-all-trade-paperbacks.

I am a truth seeker, in my life, in my work. I’d apologize for it, but I kinda cannot help m’self. It is my best and worst personality trait, well mostly, being Bi-Polar I guess you could say that is the worse. But I believe that the disorder has made me, well... Me.

I have taken this life and twisted, carved, shaped and molded it in to the worlds of my characters. Albeit with a chainsaw, and it has made all the difference.

Links:

A Writer’s Mind, More or Less
 
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