Diamond in the Rough (Precious Gems) (21 page)

Epilogue

Cheyenne was miserable.  At almost nine months pregnant, Brain had begged her to stay home but she would not hear of it.  With her husban
d by her side, she would watch the women who had taken so much from her, be handed her punishment.  Seeing Maria sentenced to prison would not bring her father or mother back but it was a small victory for Cheyenne.   

She could now do anything she put her mind to.  Never in her life had she been happier.  In a matter of days she wou
ld get to meet her baby for the first time and life was as good as it could possibly get.  Cheyenne Wingate Russell had a loving husband who would move heaven and earth for her.  She had never felt love like his before.  Reveling in her new life, she almost missed the bailiff calling the court to order.  As the judge took the bench he began reading Maria’s charges.  Cheyenne felt a sharp pain in her stomach.

Breath deep
, she chanted to herself as it passed.  Finally the judge called for her to approach the podium and deliver her victims impact statement.  She rose to walk to the front when another pain came.  She could not hide this one.  It was so intense she doubled over as it hit.  The entire courtroom gasped.  Brian was at her side in a flash. 

“Mrs. Russell, are you able
to deliver your statement?” the judge asked concerned.

“Your honor, I would like to continue,” she said bravely.  Another few steps found her in agony as her water broke.
 

“I have to do this Brian. 
I don’t want our baby born without this chapter of my life being over,” she pleaded with tears in her pleading eyes.  Brian helped her to the waiting podium and stood steadfast by her side.  Maria sat, stone face, oblivious to the agony Cheyenne was in. 

“Maria, before I even knew you
existed; you began to dismantle my life.  You had my mother killed and you single handedly murdered my father.  You are an evil person and death is too good for you.  I hope that you wake up every day, behind bars and feel like the animal that you are.  From this day forward, I will not think about you.  You will not have that kind of power over me.  I came to Houston thinking that you had been an asset to my father and would be one to me.  I was wrong and so was he.  The level of scheming you have done throughout your life is astonishing and the only think I can be grateful for standing here before you is that you never had children.  No one deserves to have you on their mind day to day.”

The judge
looked upon Cheyenne from the large bench.  His glasses sat perched on the tip of his narrow nose.  “Young lady, you have shown significant restraint today.  I commend you for your composure and wish you the best in your future endeavors.  Now, as for you,” he said as he glared at Maria.  “Maria Garza, I sentence you to life in prison without the possibility of parole.  You have committed two heinous crimes and it is my hope that you will never be released back into society.  Bailiff, can you please remove this defendant from my site?”  The gavel thundered as he struck the bench.

Maria stood, showing no emotion and placed her arms behind her back.  Cheyenne could not feel empathy for her but she also found it hard to feel hate.  This woman was obvio
usly deranged and it was the whole family’s bad luck that Charles had been acquainted with her.  As they led her away in handcuffs, Cheyenne was sure that this would be the last day of her life tainted with an image of Maria Garza.  From this day forward, she would never see this woman again and hopefully she would become a distant memory that would completely fade with time.

Cheyenne felt another contraction coming and gripped the podium for stability. 
Brian picked her up and carried her to a gurney where paramedics were waiting to take her to the hospital.  “Detective Russell, follow behind us.  She is in good hands.” They said as Cheyenne was wheeled down the corridor.  The ride to the hospital was unbearable.  Cheyenne hated needles and the paramedic who had placed her IV was not the most skilled she had ever encountered.  The pains came quicker and more intense.  She wanted Brian by her side but knew that it was just a matter of time before he would be.  As they arrived at the emergency room bay, the doors to the ambulance were flung open and Brian stood nervously peering in to see Cheyenne.  She stifled a giggle at seeing her strong, masculine husband reduced to a nervous expectant father.  The man who was immune to most human emotions was brought to his knees by a baby.  She sympathized because she felt the same way, but he made a point to be tougher than most and she was excited to know that he had a kryptonite other than herself.  As she was wheeled into the bay doors, she hoped it would not be long before she got to see her baby.   

Ten long hours later, Detective and Mrs. Brian Russell
waited in the delivery room for the time to come.  Brian paced between contractions, worry evident upon his face. But, only an hour later, they welcomed Charles Wingate Russell into the world.  With all ten fingers and toes they could not have asked for a healthier baby.  “I have all I could ever want,” Brian said as he held his son.  His pride was evident in his eyes.  She knew that both had not had a family to speak of and now they were a family.  They would all have somewhere to be on holidays and there would always be someone to wish them happy birthday.  Cheyenne smiled up at both of them as she looked into her future.  Her life now felt complete and whole.  Brian bent and kissed her forehead as he held their baby securely in his arms. 

“I love you. 
And I love you too little man.” 

Cheyenne knew as she gazed at her family that her life was now complete.  She had simply existed before she found her husband and now their beautiful baby boy would bind them together forever.  The love she knew at that moment was more than she could have ever hoped and she knew that it was all she would ever need.

The End