Come Share My Love (60 page)

     “I wish I could, Zackary.  She’d really hate me.  This isn’t like when we were in Jamaica.  I’d give in, in a split
second.  But now, she’s just hurting too bad to just say, okay you can make things alright.  I just can’t do it.”

     Zackary took his hand from his pockets and rubbed them across his face.  “I understand.  For what it’s worth, I do love Shyla and I would give anything if I can make her aware of that.”

     “I believe you, wholeheartedly, but there’s nothing I can do.  She’s not even contacting Essence and that’s blood.”

     “I know.  According to Felton, Essence is devastated.  I just hope that the two of them can patch thing up.”

     “We’ll see.  As you can see we still have a lot to do, but I have your number just in case.”

     “Thanks.  I appreciate it.  Look after her for me.  Please?”

     “You already know I will and will do my best.”

     He pulled Kemah into a soft long brotherly hug then he stepped off the porch into the hot summer sun well aware that he had lost the woman he loved.

     Kemah felt for him and Shyla too.  They had both been through so much but she couldn’t betray her best friend, not after all they had been through.

     That afternoon Zackary drove to Napa Acres.  He knew that his children would be asking non-stop questions regarding Shyla.  He had gotten full the weekends before.  They were throwing questions at him so fast he had to make a special date for them to go see the new Ariel movie.  That proved to be a mistake.

     They began crying about the mother dying, and then asking if that was the reason Shyla hadn’t called them or come to visit them.  He had a time trying to console them.  They didn’t finish the movie nor did they want to go to the beach the following day.  Nothing had been the same when Shyla left.  Zackary wasn’t sure that it ever would be again.

     It had been close to six months now, since Shyla last had any contact with Zackary or Felton and her cousin Essence.  But she kept in contact with Mama V and the twins until three months ago.  Sending them gifts and just calling because she missed them.  She had missed them all very much, especially Zachary and the girls.  She had instantly fallen in love with them.

   Shyla had now reached the middle of her second trimester of pregnancy.  She had tried relentlessly to contact Zackary on more than one occasion to give him the news; that was over two months ago.  Things didn’t go as she had planned.

   Shyla drove to Zachary’s house one day to speak with him and that’s when she saw that he wasn’t alone.  He had a big bay window in the front of his house and you could see all the activity inside.  He and the girls were playing and laughing.  Shyla missed that.  When she went to get out of the car she saw another figure come in view.  It was Connie.  They wrapped themselves around one another and then gathered the children with them.  They looked like the perfect family.

   It wasn’t until after she left that she realized things aren’t always what they seem.  She could have misunderstood the hug and the gathering.  For all she knew other members of his family could have been in
the area.  Or it could have been that Connie was the one to bring the children down for the weekend.  It was a Saturday afternoon.  But when Shyla called the following Thursday she got her answered.

   A sleeping Connie answered the phone, stating that Zackary was showering.  They had an early flight out to his parents and would be unavailable for the next few weeks.  If she wanted to leave a message she could.  She’d see that he got it.  Shyla declined and gave up all hope.

   For the last couple of months Shyla has had to deal with wondering if she was going to get through the next few months without any incident.  She was pregnant with twins and her doctor informed her that she was a high risk pregnancy.  She had lost weight which was normal in early pregnancy but she lost twenty pounds and it was very noticeable.  She continued to be under a tremendous amount of stress but it had gotten better over the last month.  Her best friend had been there with her throughout the whole ordeal.

     She worried about her parenting skills.  She had never been a mother before but she could be a good one, with the help of Kemah.  She knew what not to do as a parent.  She would love her children unconditionally. She also knew that she’d have to be mommy and daddy.  It was only fair.

     “Key, what took you so long?”  Shyla was in a panic.  She didn’t want to see her doctor on her own.

     “Girl, traffic was a grizzly out there this morning.  If it hadn’t been for Mr. Anderson’s cancellation, I would still be at the office.”  She hugged Shyla and noticed her trembling.  “What’s wrong?  Why are you shaking?”  She rubbed her stomach.  “How are the babies doing in there?”

     “These two are doing fine it’s me that’s a nervous wreck.”

     “What are you nervous about?  Last week when you went to the doctor she gave you a clean bill of health, said the babies are developing wonderfully and you even gained your weight back.  You just need to continue taking you pre-natal vitamins and keep the stress level down.”

     “I’ve been trying.  It’s just that I’ve been thinking of Zaria and Zhaniya.  Wondering how they and Essence are doing.  I know that we had that big fall out, but I miss my cousin so much.  I want her back in my life.  I just don’t know if she wants me back in hers.”  Shyla hunched up her shoulders.  “That was the problem.  She didn’t want Felton and Zackary to have any problem if we didn’t have a good relationship.”

     “I’m sure that she misses you too.  While Essence shouldn’t have said what she did-” 

The rest of Kemah’s speech was cut off when the nurse called for Shyla.

     “Miss Wilkes?  Doctor Leone will see you now.”

Kemah helped Shyla up.  They both laughed then followed the nurse in the back where she was weighed, vital signs taken and blood drawn.  Then they waited for the doctor.

     “How have you been this week, Shyla?”

     “I’ve been doing pretty well.”

The doctor looked at Kemah for confirmation.  She nodded her agreement.

     “I’ve tried not to stress myself but I can feel myself leaning towards that way some days because I’m missing some of my family.”  Kemah glided her hand up and down her back in a circular motion.

     “I know it’s hard when you lose someone but you have to be strong and concentrate on bringing not one but two healthy babies into the world.  No more crying, understood.”  It wasn’t a question but an order.

     “Understood?”  She wanted to tell her that no one had passed away they were just away from her, separated.

     “Now before we do this ultrasound, do we want to know the sex of the babies?”

     “Yes!”  Both Kemah and Shyla said in unison and then began to laugh.

     “Okay here we go.”  She placed the cold gel on her belly then took the wand and rubbed it across the lower part of her abdomen.  “What do you and the father want?”  Shyla didn’t answer.  She didn’t see how she could.  She just stared at the monitor.  When the doctor looked to her for an answer she saw her reluctance and said nothing more about the children’s father.

      “I think I would like two little boys.  They would have each other to play with and share a room.  They can do everything together.”

     The doctor continued to move the wand around hoping that the babies would cooperate.  She was able
to see one but it was hard to see the other.  Then that one started moving.  They continued to watch the monitor closely.

     “Is that what I think it is?  Kemah asked, pointing to the monitor.  “Both of them?”

     “Yes.  Shyla, looks like you’ll have your heart’s desire.  You’re going to be the proud parent of two beautiful baby boys.”

She and Kemah both screamed.

     “You got your wish sweetie.”  Kemah kissed her cheek, and then turned back to the monitor.  “Will you look at that?” 

     “Now, Shyla, you will have to take it easy for the next few months.  There’s no danger but there is a lot to be cautious about.  Most women, more than half that have multiple births don’t go the full term.  If
you do I’d be very surprised.

  “
The babies have developed very nicely and they are a little bigger than I would have anticipated, but their organs have to develop as well.  If they come at thirty-six weeks that would be good because you will be just starting your ninth month but I want them to stay until at least thirty-eight weeks.  Right now you’re at twenty two weeks.

     “
I don’t want to have to put you back on bed rest, but you know that I will,” she smiled.  “So, just take it easy.  If you insist on going back to work, four hours a day, 3 days a week is all I’m allowing you.  If it gets too strenuous then you stop all together.  Kemah, you make sure Shyla stick to my orders.”

     “I will definitely make sure she follows orders.”

     “Do either of you have any questions?”

     They both shook their heads, no. 

     “Okay!  Get dressed and I’ll give you a break this time.  I want to see you back her in three weeks instead of one.  If you have any problems before hand you make sure to page me and I’ll expect you over to the emergency room when I tell you.  Don’t wait.”

     “Yes ma’am.”  Shyla saluted.  When the doctor left and Kemah went to go make a phone call she got dressed. She thought back to what the doctor had said.  ‘Looks like you’ll have your heart’s desire.’  Almost she thought.  Her heart would never be complete unless she had her girls and Zackary back in her life.

     When she reached the lobby she stood at the nurses’ station waiting on her next appointment.  When she turned she jumped because she almost walked into someone.

     “Excuse me.”  She never even looked at the person.  She went and sat in a seat waiting for Kemah.

     “Shyla?”

She looked up.  It was her cousin.

     “Essence?”

     “What are you doing here?”  She sat down next to her and reached out to hug her.  She wasn’t sure if that was a good idea, but she didn’t care.  She hadn’t seen her in months and she needed the contact.  Shyla wrapped her arms around her cousin as the tears rolled down her face.

     “I had an appointment with Dr. Leone.”

     “She’s my doctor too.  I’ve missed you.  We all have.  And you’re having a baby.”  She rubbed her stomach.

     Shyla raised two fingers.  “Two actually, both are boys.”

     “Oh my God, Shy.  This is great.”  Essence began to cry too.  We are both having boys.  Felton is going to be…Shyla, Zackary doesn’t know, does he?”

     She put her head down and shook it before answering.  “No.”

     “I’m not trying to get into your business, Shy, but are you going to tell him?”

     “That was my intentions when I first found out.  I tried a few times but Halle Berry was always around,” she softly chuckled.

     Essence looked confused for a minute but then remembered that that’s what Shyla called Connie when she first laid eyes on her.  “What happened?”

     “I went to his house a couple of months ago and saw him and the girls playing, and realized how much I wanted that and them in my life.  When I went to get out the car she came into view.  The hugged and kissed and played with the girls.”  Essence frowned. “Then I decided not to make assumptions.  I’d try again.”  Essence nodded that she agreed with her.  “I called on a Thursday evening and a woman, a sleeping woman, answered, said he was showering and would not be available for several weeks because they were going to his parents.  I didn’t leave a message.  I didn’t see the point.”

     “Sweetie, Zackary isn’t with anyone.  And if Connie insinuated that then she was lying.  You know his kids don’t like her all that much.  She was there because she was helping him around the house.  He was putting his home up for sell.  He had been staying with me and Felton for a couple of weeks.”

     “Selling his home?  Staying with you and Felton?  But why?”

     “You don’t know.  Well, after he found out that you sold your house he realized that you didn’t want to have anything else to do with him, so he decided that he would take his family up on their suggestion of being th
e city’s veterinarian in Napa.

     “
He’s still partners with Felton here, but he took over his practice almost two months ago there.  When we’re there, Felton helps out.”

     “But I saw them together.  She answered the phone in the middle of the night.”

     “Sweetie they are not together.  In fact she got married two weeks after you saw them together.  She married one of the partners at her law firm on Napa Acres.  Zachary gave her away.”  Shyla felt relieved and stupid all at the same time.  “Sweetie he had been trying to find you since a couple of weeks after we got back.”

     “I didn’t know.”

     “It’s okay.  We’ll figure it all out. Will you come to lunch later or sometime this week?  I would really like to spend some time with you.  I won’t invite Zackary.  This will be just between the two of us.”  She nodded.  She had missed her cousin.