2 Unhitched (34 page)

“Hook, did Jane ever punch you?” I overhear Gothel ask.

Hood snickers. “It was one of her favorite things to do at Faraway.”

“Well, babe it’s payback time. Bring it on.”

Hook’s tightly curled fist comes at me—POW!—and everything fades to black. The last thing I see is my father’s star.

Chapter 23

T
HE FORBIDDEN FOREST. FLAMES ENGULF me. My eyes burn. I cannot breathe. A face appears in the flames. It’s Gallant! His piercing blue eyes beg me for help. I call out his name, but it is a silent cry. My throat is too parched. I have no voice. He reaches his arms out to me. I rush to him. He needs me. But the monstrous trees won’t let me save him, blocking me with their fiery limbs. Gallant evaporates in an explosion of flames. All that remains is a cloud of smoke. Scorching tears fall down my face as I sob silently. Gallant’s life is over, and soon mine will be too. It wasn’t so supposed to end this way. Not my story. It was supposed to be happily ever after. That’s how I wrote it!

A wail pierces my ears. It’s a baby! I must find it, rescue it! This time, I’m not going to let the burning trees stop me. Dodging them, I run toward the sound of the baby. I quickly spot it. It’s naked on a blanket of ashes, flailing its tiny arms and legs. I quicken my pace. I’m almost there. Without warning, a monstrous black dragon swoops down and scoops up the child. The dragon roars. “You took what was mine. And now I will take what is yours.” A breath of fire shoots out from its fanged mouth, and I meet my fiery demise.

“You belong with us now,” says a familiar voice. The silhouette of a man appears in the smoldering flames. He moves closer to me and reaches out his hand. It’s my father! A beautiful woman with long flowing hair and iridescent purple eyes magically appears next to him and holds his other hand. She looks strangely familiar to me, but I can’t pinpoint how I know her. Faraway? “Come, Jane,” she says, her voice melodic and haunting. “It’s time to meet your son.” My son? I have no son; my son is dead. A young boy steps out from behind them. He is the most angelic child I have ever seen. His hair is the color of ebony; his lips as red as roses, and his skin as white as snow.

“Mama, why didn’t you give me a name?”

“I’m sorry, my baby,” I cry out. “Take me with you.” I reach out my hand. He stares at me as motionless as a statue.

My father and the woman join hands with the boy. They turn their backs on me.

“Please,” I beg. “Don’t leave me here.”

They disappear into the flames. Fear and sweat soak my body. If only My Prince were still alive to rescue me.

A sharp, sudden pain jabs my abdomen. It’s as if someone has stabbed me with a dagger. I slap my hand over the terrible pain, expecting warm blood to drench my hand. Instead, a thick layer of gauze covers the tender area. My hands wander down my torso. My hipbones. My jutting hipbones! I haven’t felt those in months! I must be disintegrating. Turning to dust. I’m dying! “I don’t want to die,” I scream, squeezing my eyes shut.

“Darling, you are not going to die.” I know that voice! It’s Gallant’s. It can’t be! He’s dead! Charred to death by that evil dragon!

I pry open my eyes. I’m not in the blazing forest! I’m in the luxurious bed I share with My Prince. He’s sitting next to me, clasping my hands in his. I bolt up from my pillows and wrap my arms around him. It hurts like hell. But I don’t care. I’m alive! He’s alive! And we’re together!

Everything comes back to me with the force of a rockslide. The museum gala… Gallant’s story...The two Auroras… The fire… My father… My battle with Malevolence… The labor pains… Gothel’s knife. And then no more. My eyes water.

“Darling, but your hands were burnt, and you were blinded.” I gaze at him in disbelief. Miraculously, he looks perfect, heart-stoppingly handsome as ever, except for a small scar above his right brow. I run my fingers over the surface of his face to make sure I’m not dreaming. I’m not. His lips curl into that dazzling smile that renders me breathless.

“Fairweather blessed me with the gift of healing when I was born, thinking that one day I would be a warrior leader.”

“Fairweather?”

“Yes, the Good Fairies have worked for our family forever.”

I can’t wait any more. I fear the truth. But I need to know. “How is the baby?”

“There isn’t
a
baby.” Gallant’s voice is solemn.

My heart falls off a cliff. My baby died! That dragon witch killed by baby!
Our
baby! I burst into tears.

Gallant brushes away my tears. “Darling, there are two babies! A boy and a girl!”

What! I had twins? I don’t know whether to laugh or continue to cry. I cry. Tears of joy. Gothel did it!

“Mommy!” There’s a word I thought I’d never hear again. It’s Calla. She is beaming with happiness. With Secret trailing close behind her, she runs over to hug me. OW! I say nothing. Sometimes, love is pain.

“I love my new brother and sister!” she exclaims. “Why did you keep it a secret?”

I falter for an excuse. “I wanted to surprise you.” Gallant rolls his eyes while Calla giggles.

“Guess what! Cinderella let me feed them and bathe them.”

Cinderella? Gallant explains that while I was recovering she stayed at our palace and helped care for the twins. He couldn’t have done it without her.

“Where is she?” I ask, wrought with emotion. “I must thank her.”

“She went back to her palace a little while ago to take care of Princess Swan.”

“Darling, where are the babies? I want to see them!”

Just at that moment, Winnie and Elz, my two best friends, enter the room, each carrying a small bundle in their arms. One is wrapped in a pale blue blanket; the other in pink. Two babies.
My babies!

“Jane, the babies are hungry. Are you ready to nurse them?” asks a smiling Winnie.

Gently, she and Elz place the tiny life forms in my arms. A jumble of emotions swarms me. Excitement. Joy. Nervousness. Fear. Disbelief. I take one look at them and fall in love with them instantly. How perfect they are! The little girl is a spitting image of me, with a tuft of thick black hair, and the little boy looks just like Gallant, with a glistening cap of golden hair and eyes the shade of the bluest blue.

“Hi,” I say softly. Their bright eyes look up at me, and I swear they recognize me!

I play with their tiny fingers and then kiss them each on the forehead. How delicious their newborn skin feels against my lips. For a moment, they are all I can focus on. I am oblivious to the world.

Elz takes me out of my trance. “Jane, they’re great little eaters. Dr. Grimm says he’s never seen two healthier babies.”

Slowly, I lower my dressing gown and place the boy on the right breast, the girl on the left. They take to my breasts like pros. They suck until they have fallen asleep. Burping will have to wait.

My gaze meets Gallant’s. The look on his face is intense, loving, and all-encompassing. Oh, how I love My Prince. My husband, my lover, and the father of my children. He squeezes my hand. “We need to give them names.”

Calla thoughtfully covers the babies with their blankets; she’s going to be such a great big sister and help to me.

“Grandpa says my baby sister is
bellisima.
Just like me. It means beautiful.”

Bellisima.
What a lovely word to say. And she
is
so beautiful. I think I’ve got a name. We’ll call her Bellie for short. I look down at my sweet little girl and kiss her soft, silky head.

And our son, he already looks so strong and brave. Like my father. Of course, I’ll name him Beau. The spirit of my father will live both among the stars and here on earth.

I share my name choices with Gallant. He smiles and then kisses me. He lips are so warm and delicious. And they’re mine.

Bellie, Beau, and Calla. We now have three beautiful children. An unexpected wave of sadness washes over me. The memory of my beautiful stillborn son fills my head, making me wish he could have been part of our family. And I wish my father could be with us too. How much he would have loved helping me raise these three children. His grandchildren. I miss him so much!

Gallant’s voice brings me back to the moment. “My darling, the Good Fairies will be here any minute.”

Fairweather, Flossie, and Fanta are coming? Outside my room, I hear a loud collective thud and what sounds like broken furniture. Yes, the three Badass Fairies are here.

“They’ve come to give our babies blessings,” beams Gallant.

My Prince explains that he didn’t think I wanted a big to-do. He was right. Right here in this room surrounded by the people I love the most is perfect.

The big butt fairies toddle into the room, one after another.

“Hello, dear. Have you decided on the three blessings you’d like to have?” asks Fairweather.

Huh! I get to pick out my own blessings?
Okay, Jane, think
. What three things would you like Bellie and Beau to have most in this world?

“You can’t go wrong with Beauty,” chimes Flossie.

I look down at the little darlings sleeping peacefully on my chest. They’re breathtaking. Beauty is one blessing I can definitely eliminate.

“I’m big on Grace,” pouts Fairweather, who could certainly use some of her own.

Interesting choice but I can always send the twins to charm school or give them dancing lessons.

“Given the dangerous times we live in, I’m pushing Longevity,” says Fanta.

I think about the cut-off life of my father, and sadness again sweeps over me. Longevity is a good one. But it’s not how long you live your life; it’s how you live it.

Think, Jane, think
. A flurry of virtues spins around my head, each a moving target—patience, intelligence, humor, and so many more. This is hard. And then my brain lands on three, one right after another.

Creativity
—let the world be their canvas.

Courage
—let them never be afraid.

Compassion
—let them feel and they will love and be loved.

Creativity. Courage. Compassion. Yes, those are qualities I want our children to have. They are the ones I most admire in the people I love the most. Gallant, Calla, Winnie, Elz —and Gothel, my new “sister.” And of course, my father, The Huntsman.

Fairweather, Flossie, and Fanta bicker over who’s handling each blessing. Gallant and I exchange a glance and suppress our laughter. Some things just never change. Finally, they work it out. Gallant takes my hand in his. As each fairy waves her magic wand over our beloved babies with her blessing—Fairweather, courage; Flossie, creativity; and Fanta, compassion—tears well up my eyes.

A gust of wind sweeps over me. Emperor Armando flies into our chamber, making a total fashion statement in an outlandish fairy godmother outfit I’ve never seen before. A pink tutu with matching wings! I suppose this was a perfect occasion for the Emperor to get some new clothes.

“Phew! I got here just in time to give the little dahlings my blessing,” he says breathlessly.

Yes! A fourth blessing. “Do I get to pick it out?” I ask eagerly, already thinking of the endless possibilities.

“Sorry, dahling. There’s only one blessing I give all my fairy godchildren.” Holding his magic wand over Bellie and Beau, he chants:

“Remember, clothes do not make the man;

I give you both the gift that can.

It’ll help you go the extra mile;

I give you both a sense of style.”

Style!
I love it! Bellie and Beau will be individuals and bring their own special style to whatever they do in life. I love my fairy godmother! I really do!

It doesn’t get better than this. I am surrounded by love—a wonderful husband, an adoring daughter, my best friends, and a gaggle of crazy fairy godmothers. The babies stir. And I am awed by these two tiny miracles. For the first time, I realize that life itself is a fairy tale.

Epilogue

Six Months Later

D
R. GRIMM WILL SOON HAVE another fairy tale to bring into this world. Elz is pregnant again. She and Rump are still naming the child Bob—whether it’s a boy or a girl.

King Midas and The Queen of Hearts decided to move from their castle and build a one-story compound because it was getting too difficult for them to navigate all the stairs. And besides, The Queen wanted more land for her new rescue animal sanctuary. Their former castle is now the new Midas Museum of Art. Gallant has been working on a new collection of paintings for a major retrospective in the future.

Gallant was able to restore the painting of Aurora—ironically, the only that survived Malevolence’s rampage. It now hangs in the new Aurora’s Secret store in Wonderland. We went to the opening night party. You wouldn’t believe how many men were there! Aurora’s hunch paid off. Best of all, Gallant’s cut funds his career as a painter. And Aurora and I have become great friends.

Hook bought Gothel a new ring. No, not a nose ring. Rather, one for her fourth finger. They’re engaged. Winnie is helping her plan her wedding. And Armando is designing her wedding gown—he’s thinking white leather, studs, and a touch of lace. Oh yeah. I almost forgot. Gothel left My Fair Hair and opened up a Dragon Slaying Academy for Girls. Calla and Gretel go there regularly. Trust me, those girls can kick butt.