Healer (The Healer Series) (13 page)

“Really?”
Hudson asked, eyes wide with shock.

“
I just can’t.”

Whit and Hudson exchanged
a glance, still standing near the bathroom. Hudson walked into the bathroom and came out holding the little white stick that held my fate in the balance. His eyebrows raised and his mouth twisted.

“What does it say?” Whit asked.

“It says were going to be uncles.” Hudson looked directly at me.

Nooooooooooooooo
. My inner self cried in anguish as she collapsed to the ground. My heart fell to my stomach. No way. I was pregnant and a virgin. How could that be?

Whit
sat beside me, as sobs escaped me. He grabbed my hand and squeezed. “It’s okay. It’s going to be okay.”

“Aldo.
” Hudson sat on the other side of me. “Who’s the father?”

And so
began a very long and awkward conversation about losing my virginity to Thomas in my dreams.

.

eleven

Present

I wake up around six in the evening, after sleeping the entire day
. My mind immediately goes to the previous night’s events. The man that acted like an ass to me in the club was a vampire. No doubt about that. I’m not afraid to be captured by vampires, if it will lead me to Thomas.

I have to know if Thomas is alive and if he isn’t
, I have to know what happened to him. Why did he disappear? My heart pounds, thinking about the world I’m about to enter. What if they bite me? What if they make me watch them drink from other people and then force me to heal them? How could I watch that?

My mind le
ads me down a thousand paths of horrible, but they all end at the same point. No matter what, I have to find Thomas. He has to know we have a child. I get up and take a bath to help me relax. Lucy used to say a warm bath would wash all of the worries away, and I have found it to be true. At least, temporarily. After I run my bath, I light my white linen-scented candle that sits on the back of my toilet and climb in the tub. I try to relax, but I can’t help reflecting on how I got to this point.

Past

My brothers took care of me. They waited on me hand and foot throughout my pregnancy. Though they never said it, I knew deep down they were terrified I would die giving birth. I had no pre-natal appointments, because I didn’t need them. We were healers. My baby would be born healthy. That was guaranteed. If it wasn’t, Hudson would heal him. We were too scared to put ourselves out there. How valuable would a new born healer be to a vampire? We felt like there were giant neon signs above us with arrows pointing to our heads that flashed,
HEALER HERE.

My emotions were so mixed and my moods we
re so drastic I couldn’t believe my brothers didn’t chuck me off of the balcony of our three story apartment. I was sad because Lucy was gone. Angry she was gone. Why didn’t she tell me more, prepare me more for the dangers in our world? Where was Thomas? How could he just leave me after making love to me and never give me any indication why? I was angry because I was nineteen years old about to give birth and I had never really physically had sex. What would I do with a child? I resented the being growing within me. I was a child myself. How was I supposed to raise one?  My body was big and awkward and I hated it. Whit and Hudson took care of everything. I couldn’t even bring myself to go buy anything for the baby. Then another emotion consumed me. Guilt. I hated myself for feeling that way. How could I be angry with this innocent child? It was the true victim in all of this. The first time I felt it kick, was the first time I felt excited, but even that was short lived. I was about six months along, when I could truly identify the little thud I felt inside me was actually a kick and not gas or something. Of course, it didn’t take long until I realized I was about to bring a UFC fighter into the world because all my baby did was kick.

“He’s quite the kicker.” Hudson smiled goofily as he held his hand on my belly.

“Yeah.” I nodded, looking in his big brown eyes.

“Let’s hope he gets his Uncle Hudson’s
good looks,” Hudson joked.

“And my awesome sense of humor,
” Whit added.

I rolled my eyes at them.

“Let’s hope he doesn’t get Aldo’s lack of coordination,” Whit also added with a smirk.

“How do you know it’s a boy?” I asked.

“Just a guess,” Hudson piped.

Whit sat on the other side of me and placed his hand on my belly.
“I can’t wait to meet the little guy.”

Whit and Hudson marvele
d at the magic of my pregnancy. I resented it. I hated myself for it, but I attributed the feelings to the loss of Thomas. I hated my body and my belly. I hated myself for bringing another healer into the world that would live on the run as we did. My brothers had no apprehensions. They loved putting their hands on my growing belly and feeling their soon to be niece or nephew kick at them. Hudson would push energy into my belly and send the baby into a free brawl of somersaults and kicks. It made me happy to see them excited. The love we shared with each other was unexplainable. We were all we had in the world. It was something we had always known, but recent events had reiterated it.

Through all the anger, sadness, guilt
, I also felt grateful for my brothers. They were my backbone, what held me together when life seemed to be slowly trying to rip the seams of my existence apart.

In a most trusting move
, I told Whit and Hudson they could name the baby. I picked the middle names, but they could pick the first names.

“You’re serious?” Whit asked.

“Yeah, I think it would be kind of cool.” I shrugged.

Hudson looked at Whit. “Billy Bob it is.”

“Okay, I will kill you if you name my child Billy Bob.”

“I like Bubba. Has a nice ring to it.” Whit grazed his chin with his long fingers.

“Okay, I take it back. Forget it.” I shook my head.

“No, we’ll pick something good
, Al,” Hudson promised.

They both laughed and I couldn’
t help but smile as I listened to them spout name after name, mostly hideous ones, like Ernest or Esther to rile me up. I wouldn’t get to know the name they picked until the baby was born. They were very secretive and wouldn’t even give me a hint. I picked Lucille, as a middle name for a girl, after Lucy, and Jenson for a boy, Thomas’s middle name. I became aware at some point, they might name my child after a car or something stupid, but a deal was a deal. I’d have to lie in the bed I made.

As my estimated due date approached, we really could only narrow it down to a two week time frame, we began searching for
a mid-wife. We found a Cuban woman named Maela in Little Havana who was here illegally, but had been a mid-wife in Cuba for many years. My brother Hudson had taken Spanish throughout the years and though limited in his abilities to actually speak, he was able to communicate somewhat with Maela.

I know my brother
’s second biggest fear, other than me dying during child birth, was having to deliver the baby. Not exactly the most endearing thought to me either. Regardless, they would be nearby to help me if I needed it. Everything was set and now we were just waiting, each of us anxious, me more so than anyone, obviously. I wished Lucy were there to guide me, although she never gave birth herself so she might not have been much help. I tried reading some books, but could never finish. It was all so surreal. I couldn’t wrap my mind around the idea I was actually having a baby. When I had envisioned myself having children, which was maybe once, I was holding the hand of my husband, while he dabbed sweat off of my forehead with a cool wash cloth, repeating how strong and beautiful I was as I pushed. This would be way different with my brothers and sweet old Maela, but I was grateful for the support I had.

It was finally the second week of my estimated due date and I was huge and very uncomfortable. My little squirt was doing a kick boxing routine inside of me and I had been miserable all day. My emotions were running
rapid again. I love the baby, I resent the baby, angry at Lucy, angry at Thomas, sad, happy, and anxious. As I lay in my bed, mulling over my anxiety, Hudson knocked on the door.

“Come on
, Aldo. We’re going out.”

“We are?”

“Yeah, it’s a nice night, and we should go out for dinner.” He shrugged. “You need some help up?” He mocked me.

“I know you’re just trying to be funny, but
I actually do.”

He
pulled me up. “You look beautiful Aldo.” Hudson smiled.

“Shut up.” I smiled back
, in a thanks kind of way.

The three of us went to a little Mexican restaurant and then we
nt for a walk on the beach. While we walked barefoot through the sand, we contemplated our next move, once the baby was born. We had been very frugal with the money Lucy had given us, but eventually we would have to heal. We also needed to move.

“New Mexico is next on the point list.” Hudson kicked at the sand.

“What’s after that?” Whit asked.

“Oklahoma,
” I added.

“Ugh,
” Whit moaned.

“We can’t go until the baby is born.” Hudson shrugged.

We stopped and sat down on the beach. I could hear the concern in my brother’s voices as we discussed our situation and guilt overwhelmed me. I had put us in this situation. The baby was slowing us down and would ultimately put us in more danger. On top of that, my precious baby would be in danger. We would have to protect it and hide it. Was this the life a child deserved? It deserved a father. If I could find Thomas, the five of us could be a family, but how could I find him? Or could I find him? He could be dead. I rubbed my belly as we sat on the beach, thinking about all of the
what ifs
.

“Come on
, guys, let’s go. It’s getting late.”

Whit jumped up. Hudson followed and they both looked down at me
, each extending a hand to do a team lift. I laughed because it was necessary. As they pulled me up, I felt something sharp shoot to my groin. My breath hitched and I lurched a little surprised, but the pain was gone so quickly.  Warmth spread down my leg, and realized I was peeing on myself.
Shit.

“What’s wrong?” Hudson asked
.

“I think I’m peeing on myself,
” I laughed, embarrassed. As I moved, more fluid trickled down my leg.

“Aldo
, I think your water just broke,” Whit stammered, wide eyed.

“Does that mean it’s time?
”

Present

After my bath, I dry myself, blow out my candle, and in complete darkness dress in a t-shirt and panties at my closet. Suddenly, I feel a presence. I whip around to find someone standing right in front of me. It’s too dark for me to make out the person’s face, but I smell cologne… it must be a man. I stand still and listen, but I can’t make out the sound of energy. My pulse races, and as it does, my intruder’s breathing becomes heavy. I take a deep breath and step back.

“Who are you?” I ask
calmly, hiding my immense fear.

“Aldo.”
His voice rings through like church bells on Sunday. The most beautiful sound I have heard in many years.

I jump
onto him, and he stumbles backwards. I’m overwhelmed, feeling his arms around me, and I kiss him as tears begin streaming down my face. I grip him tighter.

He
steps back and pushes against me, as if he’s a parent trying to detach a clinging child who doesn’t want to be left at pre-school. He continues his effort until he trips on my air mattress and falls backward onto it.

I continue to kiss him as I straddle
him, when suddenly he flips over on top of me and holds my hands back. His erection presses against me through his pants, and his breathing is heavy. “Damn it, Aldo. Stop it!”

I let my head fall back
against the mattress, not sure of what is happening. He smells so good. Not quite like I remember, but still exquisite. My lips and face tingle from where his facial hair has rubbed. My Thomas. I found him. Or he found me. Either way, he’s here and alive. “What?” I finally muster.

“What the hell are you doing here?” H
is tone is harsh.

“T
his is my apartment.” Why would he ask such a question?

“N
o, I mean here in Virginia.”

“Looking for you.
I’ve been looking for you for almost five years now. I’m so happy you’re alive,” I sob softly. “I thought you were dead.”

“You wasted your time
.” He lets his head fall onto my chest and releases his grip from my arms.

“What? Why?” I ask wounded.
My heart sinks deep within my chest.

He pushes himself off of me and walks
over to the kitchen, where he flips on the light. “Get dressed. We have to go.”

“Go where?” I si
t up.

“We have to get you out of here.”
He puts his hands on his hips, taking a deep breath as if trying to calm himself down.

“Why?”

“Damn it, Aldo, just get dressed. I’ll explain on the drive.” He throws his hands up and turns away from me.

“Where are we going?”
I pull my knees to my chest.

“I’m getting you out of here.”

“Are we going together?”

“Dress!”
He shouts at me over his shoulder.

“I ha
ve to work tonight,” I stammer, unsure of why I’m even mentioning it at this point.

“You’re not goi
ng to work.” He laughs much like a father would at his child for saying something ridiculous. I stare at him a moment. What was happening here?