MARRYING MR. RIGHT (The Brides of Hilton Head Island Book 3) (28 page)

                            Taylor’s heart grew big beneath her ribs. “Please, call me Mom again?”

                            Evan’s lips kept smiling. “Mom.”

                            Taylor’s heart twirled. “Say it one more time, please?”

                            “Mom. Mom. Mom.” Evan got teary-eyed. “So what’s my real name? Is it Evan?”

                            Taylor caressed the soft, honey brown skin of Evan’s face. “No. It’s Zavier. But you can keep the name Evan, if you like. I’ll leave it up to you. As long as you’re happy, that’s all I care about.”

                            Evan thumped his finger to his cheek. “I think I’ll go with Zavier. Zavier Balfour.”

                            Never wanting to leave her son’s side, Taylor said, “I love the name Zavier Balfour.” Taylor caressed his shoulder. She couldn’t wait to get him home and hold him. Squeeze him. Kiss him. Make up for lost time.             

                            “I like the name, too. I’ll be back later.” Zeke stood.

                            “Where are you going?” Taylor already had a feeling she knew the answer.

                            “To the police station to make sure Muriel was arrested. I’m going to make sure she spends the rest of her miserable life behind bars.” Zeke stalked out of the room.

                            Taylor pulled her cell from her purse and dialed the one person she knew who’d be just as happy as her to learn about Zavier’s safe return—her dear, sweet mother, Veronica.             

                            Dialing her mother, Taylor’s eyes spied the clock on the wall.
Ohmygoodness
. With everything that was going on, she’d almost forgotten she had a lunch date with Katherine today, as well as an important doctor’s appointment with her OBGYN, Dr. Sauer.

                           
I wonder how Katherine is going to feel about having two stepgrandsons
, Taylor thought, waiting for her mother to answer the phone.                           

Chapter Thirty-One

                           
B
efore Zeke went to the police station, he stopped by Don’s room for his usual daily visit. Zeke’s eyes roamed over Don’s body as he lay in the hospital bed, clinging to life. Chapped lips, Don’s beard and mustache had thickened. Other than his facial hair, not much had changed. Well, that wasn’t exactly true. Don’s complexion did look a tad bit lighter.

                            Praying Don would someday wake up, Zeke patted the hospitalized man’s shoulder. “You’re going to get through this. I can feel it, Don.”

                            Suddenly, Don’s eyes slowly peeled open.
Jesus Christ!
In a daze, Don’s eyes blinked. And blinked. Zeke waved his hand in front of Don’s face. “Don. Don. Can you hear me?”

                            Don’s eyes bulged, as if he suddenly recollected who Zeke was. “R, r, agh.” His chapped lips babbled around the tube buried inside his throat.

                            “You’re in the hospital. You were shot. Who did this to you, Don? Who?”

                            Don’s chubby fingers wiggled. “Wr…Wr…”

                            “Huh?”

                            “Wri—”

                            “Wr…wr…oh, write. You want something to write with?” Zeke hurried to the nurse’s station right outside Don’s room, retrieved a pen and note pad, and rushed back. At first he’d been tempted to tell the nurses Don had awakened, but he needed to get some life-altering information from him first.

                            Zeke put the pen in Don’s hand and held the notepad beneath the pen so he could write. “Write down who shot you.”

                            With the tip of the pen on the pad, Don wrote
ant
. His lids drooped, then closed. Just that quickly, he’d fallen asleep.

                            Zeke cursed, then stuck the notepad with the letters
ant
into his back jean pocket. “Glad to see you woke up, man. Hope you feel better.” Zeke alerted the nurses that Don had briefly woke up, then he went to the police station to make sure old-behind Muriel had been arrested for stealing his damn son.

                            The early evening fell upon Zeke quicker than he’d realized. Anxious to confront Muriel for stealing his son, he drove up to the police station and parked. Pushing through the entrance’s double doors, fury burned Zeke’s insides and he couldn’t stop thinking about the initials
ant
that Don had written on the notepad.

                            “Ant,” Zeke mumbled. Had Muriel hired someone by the name of Ant to shoot him? Maybe a thug named Ant? Well, one thing was for certain: Muriel had taken Zavier, and sooner or later she’d spill the beans as to who she hired to shoot Don so he’d keep his mouth shut.

             
             
An officer showed Zeke into Chief Shelton Wallace’s office. Peppery hair, broad shoulders, and tan-complexioned, Shelton’s eyes diverted from the computer screen to look at Zeke. “Zeke, come on in.” Shelton jumped up from his seat, hurried over to Zeke, and the two men shook hands. “We got her, man. I had Muriel arrested right after I got off the phone with you earlier.” He shut the door to his office. “Have a seat.”

                            Exhausted, Zeke flopped down in the chair Shelton gestured to. “Did Muriel admit to kidnapping my son?”

                            Shelton stated, “Not initially. But after I ran a background check on her and interrogated her ass, she started singing like a damn bird. Come to find out, Muriel and Mildred are twins. According to Muriel, her twin sister Mildred and nephew Kelvin dropped Evan off on her front doorstep the same night Taylor gave birth to him. Muriel claims Kelvin had threatened to kill her if she ever told anyone what he and Mildred had done. And after she saw how badly her sister’s face had been burned, she’d gotten scared for her own life.”

                            “Yeah, right. I’m sure Kelvin gave Muriel a lot of coins to keep her big mouth shut. They’re all crooks. Did she tell you where Kelvin and Mildred are?”

                            Shelton leaned back in his chair. “Muriel claims she doesn’t know. Claims she hasn’t spoken with them since the night they dropped off your son. Don’t worry, though. We’re going to keep interrogating her. If that doesn’t work, we’ll offer her clemency. One way or another, I’m sure she’ll eventually spill the beans. I got to tell you, Zeke…this is about to hit the news. So get prepared.”

                            Zeke extended his hand towards Shelton. “Thanks for your help, Shelton. Find Kelvin and Mildred. I want them to rot in hell for kidnapping my son. Keep me posted on what you find out.”

                            “I’m glad this story has a happy ending. Good luck with everything.”

                            “Thanks. I appreciate it.”

                            The afternoon sun smacked Zeke in the face as soon as he pushed open the door at the police station. Heading for the parking lot, tremendous joy tugged at his heart.
Evan is my son. Zavier Balfour has finally come home to Taylor and me.

                           
Aiming his key fob at his SUV, he popped the locks. Sliding between the steering wheel and the seat, Zeke prayed the kidney transplant with Zavier would be successful. After that, he could get his son home for good.

                            Driving down the long road heading towards his father’s home, Zeke hit the buttons on the door. Both the driver and passenger side windows rolled down. Wind blew inside the car, whipping at the hair on his nape.
Thank You, God. Thank You. Thank You. Thank You for putting it in Dr. Howard’s mind to run a paternity test on Evan. I mean, Zavier.

                           
For the first time since he’d lost Taylor and Zavier, Zeke felt whole. Like his life was complete. Had a full purpose. Had a full meaning. Now that he had Taylor and Zavier and Jaheem in his life, he was never letting them go. Not ever. And if things went as he planned, he was going to get Taylor pregnant and adopt more children.

                            A vivid image of the ugly scar Muriel had put on Zavier’s side made Zeke’s lips twist. While Muriel was in prison, she better hope no one beat her like she used to beat his damn son, Zavier. She better pray no one marks up her skin from whips and belts.  Zavier had been through so much while living with Muriel, so he definitely had to make sure he got his son counseling. They all would get family counseling.

                            Zeke turned the Porsche into the driveway of his father’s estate. Parking the vehicle, he couldn’t wait to see the look on his father and Katherine’s face when he told them Zavier had been found. Not only that, he’d been tutoring him at the shelter for many months now. How ironic?

                            Now that he didn’t live with his father anymore, Zeke rang the doorbell out of respect. While he was sure his father wouldn’t mind him using his key, Katherine, on the other hand, may have a problem if he used it. The door cracked open.

                            Holding the door open, Delbert smiled. “You’re just in time for dinner. I cooked one of your favorites. Stewed tomatoes, with shrimp and sausage over jasmine rice.”

                            “Delbert, my man! Wait ‘til you hear my great news!” Zeke crossed over the threshold and entered the living room. A spicy aroma hit him in the nose. With Delbert following him, Zeke made his way to the family room. His father and Katherine were sitting on the couch, watching television together. “Father, Katherine, good; you’re both here.” Zeke’s tone pitched with happiness. 

                            Watching Katherine’s favorite television show, “Divorce Court”, both Colton and Katherine turned around to face him.

                            Colton’s mouth turned upward. “Hey, son, come on in and join us. We miss having you around here.”

                            Wearing a fancy dress, as usual, Katherine’s lips turned upward. “We sure do. When are we going to get the invite to visit your new home?”

                            “Oh, Dad’s already been by to see the house. I told him to bring you by when we first moved in,” Zeke filled her in.

                            Katherine frowned at Colton. “Colton, I’ve been asking and asking you to take me to see Zeke and Taylor’s new home, and you never mentioned that you’d already went. I guess I have to take myself.”

                            Colton’s face remained expressionless. “I guess so. If you can’t go to marriage counseling with me, then don’t go anywhere with me. Final answer,” he said, as if he were a contestant on
Who Wants to be a Millionaire.

                           
Crossing her legs at the knee, Katherine sucked her teeth. “Act that way, then.”

                            Delbert stood at the dining table, holding a black kettle. Pouring hot tea in a tiny mug, Delbert cleared his throat and looked at Katherine. “Excuse me, Mrs. Balfour, but would you like some lemon in your tea?”

                            Katherine’s hand caressed her throat. “Sure, Delbert. Thanks.”

                            “How’s Taylor doing, son? Is her health still good?” Colton asked.

                           
Warmth spread inside Zeke’s chest. Rolled around in his gut. Ticked hard inside his heart. “Taylor is doing great! In fact, we’re both doing great! We’ve never been better!”

                            “By the look on your face, she must be pregnant,” Colton stated.

                            Jaws hurting from smiling, Zeke’s pulse raced. “No. It’s not that. You’re not going to believe your ears. Hold on to your seats, because what I’m about to tell you is going to blow your minds.”

                            Colton put his elbow up on the curb of the couch and fisted his chin. “Well, don’t
keep us in suspense as to why you’re smiling like that. Just spit it out already.”

                            “We found our son!” Zeke rejoiced. He threw his hands up in the air, giving God praise. “Zavier Balfour is alive!”

                            Colton’s jaws parted. “My God!”

                            Katherine gasped. Clenching her chest, her eyes darted back and forth. “No. What did you say—”

                            The hot cup of tea in Delbert’s hand slipped from his grip and splattered on the floor. “Dear God.” Delbert stuck his finger in his ear and wiggled it. “Did I hear you right?”

                            “Yes. Yes. The little boy Taylor gave birth to is alive. He lives right here in Hilton Head Island. And get this…I’ve been tutoring him for the last few months. This is a miracle.”

                            A glassy look appeared in Colton’s eyes. Severely ill, he managed to push himself up from the couch. “I’ve prayed for this day. Over and over and over, I’ve prayed for this day. I always knew you’d find him, and that’s why I put him in my will. Like you, I want my grandson to someday run Balfour Enterprises. Thank God for this day!”

                           
Remaining sitting on the couch, Katherine burst into tears. Her shoulders rocked violently. Delbert stood over Katherine, patting her back. “I’m so glad they found my grandbaby. I couldn’t be happier. Thank You. Thank You, God,” Katherine said.

                            Delbert nodded at Zeke. “I’m happy for you and Taylor, Zeke.”

                           
Zeke hefted the remote from the end table and switched the channel to CNN. “The story has made worldwide news.”

                            Katherine lifted her weeping face from her hands to gaze at the news. Taylor’s face was on the screen.

                            The newscaster stated, “Apparently, Mildred left little Evan on her twin sister’s doorstep in Hilton Head Island ten years ago and vanished. At this present time, Muriel Elliott is in police custody. There are still no known whereabouts of Mildred and Kelvin at this moment. I tell you, Fred, I’m just extremely happy for Zeke and Taylor
Balfour. To be reunited with their son after finally finding one another is definitely an act from a higher power,” news anchor Alicia Bivens said.

                            Fred smiled back at Alicia and stated, “Yes, Alicia. What a fairy tale ending.”

                            Zeke clicked off the television, slapped a hand to his chest, and took a deep breath. “I can’t wait for you to see Zavier, Dad. You, too, Katherine and Delbert. He’s a great kid. Real funny, too. He looks just like Taylor. Has a little bit of me in him, too.”

                            “How did this all come about?” Katherine asked, seemingly shaken.

                           
“Well, I’m not sure if Dad told you or not, but Taylor and I have been spending a lot of time with the kids at the group care facility. While doing so, we decided to adopt two of them…Zavier is one of the kids we wanted to adopt. Long story short, while visiting us a few days ago…”

                            Colton interjected, “Evan got sick on the beach, had a seizure, and ended up in the hospital.”