Be My Baby (33 page)

God - how strange was this that the song
Trey had told me about a few weeks back was now playing in full
Dolby surround sound in his hospital room? It was --.

Holy shit! I felt fingers in my hair. I was
afraid to look; I was afraid it was my mind playing tricks on me in
some fashion. I had acted out several times today; perhaps those
PT's had turned me in to the hospital security officials after I
had ran after them and threatened them like that. I felt it
again.

I rose up turning to face Trey. Oh My God -
his beautiful blue eyes were watching me; his newly healed wrist
was raised so that his fingers could comb through my hair.

"Trey? Do you know me?"

"What the fuck, Tylar, of course I know
you."

CHAPTER 28

It was New Year's Eve night and I was
helping Trey get settled on the sofa in our family room. He had
been released from the hospital this afternoon with a stern warning
from his doctors that he was not to do anything but 'veg' out for
the next week until he saw them again. I handed him the remote so
that he could surf all of the sports channels while I made snacks
and appetizers for our own private New Year's Eve party.

Everyone had been here and gone. Tristan and
Gina had a New Year's Eve extravaganza going on at the club with a
special dinner, dancing and New Year's champagne toast. The band
playing was a fairly popular 80's girl band that had reconvened for
the third time. We were keeping Reese; Jean had stayed over to help
since I was focusing on Trey's needs.

I had been very strict with him all
afternoon to ensure that he did exactly as his discharge papers
ordered. He had started calling me 'Nurse Nazi.'

Once he was settled comfortably on the couch
watching Sports Center I started a fire in the fireplace and
started back to the kitchen to finish our snacks.

"Hey babe, is Preston still up?"

"It's only eight o'clock, Trey. I'm sure
that she is, why?"

"I don't know. She seems kind of distant
with me. I thought maybe you could bring her down here to
play?"

"Sure," I said cheerfully, "I'll go get
her."

The truth was I was not sure at all that
Preston would be satisfied playing in the family room. She had been
extremely reluctant to allow Trey to hold her or be near him. I
wasn't sure if it was just a familiarity thing that needed to be
re-established or what. I hoped she wouldn't act fussy about
it.

Jean had just gotten Preston into her
pajamas when I got upstairs to the nursery. I picked Reese up from
Preston's crib. He was going to sleep there for the night. We had
just bought Preston a twin bed for her room and used one of those
portable rails on the side that wasn't against the wall. She was
all excited about sleeping in her 'big girl' bed. I figured if
Reese was downstairs with us, Preston might not object so much
about being around Trey.

It would break his heart if she acted
out.

"Preston," I said, "Let's get your play
quilt and some toys for you and Reese and go downstairs where Daddy
is and play, okay?"

"Kay Mommie," she said happily, scrambling
over to her toy box to grab an armful of her toys.

I looked at Jean who held up her fingers
crossed. She had picked up on it as well.

We went back down. Reese was sucking happily
on his pacifier. I put him into Preston's baby swing that we had
set up upon his arrival. He was happy to swing and observe
everything that she did. They almost seemed like brother and
sister.

Preston and I spread her play quilt out on
the floor near the couch. She sat down with some of her
puzzles.

"Hey, Baby Girl," Trey said to her, "Can you
show Daddy how you can put that puzzle together?"

She looked at Trey for a moment and then
broke out into a wide, dimpled grin. "Kay Daddy," she said.

My heart fluttered with happiness. I went
back to the kitchen to finish up and listened to them both chatting
to each other. It was if nothing had changed. I was grateful.

I put our snacks out and brought a beer in
for Trey.

"This is your limit for tonight," I said
handing it to him.

"Yes, 'Nurse Nazi," he quipped, smiling at
me.

It was so good to have my Trey home. He
shared some of the weird dreams he had experienced while comatose
with me over the past week. They were quite entertaining. He
claimed that my mother was a 'stubborn wench'. He supposedly had
unlocked many of the secrets of the universe while eavesdropping on
several renowned scientists, physiologists, and philosophers. They
all seemed to be of varying generations.

He had rambled on something to the effect
that Socrates was a misunderstood war vet turned hippy that
willingly allowed himself to be martyred for the good of Athens,
Greece; then there was his inside scoop that Galileo had gotten a
bum rap from some Catholic pope; that in fact he had not been
guilty of heresy. I had listened intently to Trey, nodding my head
up and down in agreement all the while wondering what type of meds
the hospital had been giving him.

My thoughts were interrupted when I heard
Reese grunting from his swing. Preston's head snapped up from the
puzzle she and Trey were putting together.

"Doodee, Mommie, she said pointing to
Reese.

"I know, sweetie," I said, "Will you run up
and get a clean diaper and wipes from Jean?"

"Kay Mommie," she said getting up and
running for the stairs.

Trey chuckled from the sofa.

"She is getting to be such a big girl," he
said shaking his head. "I wish you could have seen Marley , baby.
She is so beautiful."

That was one of the more disturbing stories
Trey had revealed after coming out of his coma. He claimed that my
mother was taking care of Marley and wouldn't part with her. He
said he had hung around in hopes of being able to bring Marley back
with him. Head traumas were weird, that was for sure.

"How would you feel about another baby,
Trey?"

"Baby, you know how I feel. I'm ready just
as soon as my doctor clears me for take-off."

I laughed as I picked Reese up and held him
close to me, I kissed his tiny little fingers.

"You don't have to do a thing Trey," I said
smiling, "You already took care of it on our cruise
apparently."

I saw his face light up with the realization
that I was already pregnant.

"But," he said, "I thought the depo-whatever
. . ."

"Yeah - about that," I said, "It seems like
you need to go back periodically and get another shot."

"When?" he asked, excitedly.

"Sometime around your birthday in August it
would seem."

Preston returned to the room with a clean,
disposable diaper and the dispenser of baby wipes. I laid Reese
down on her quilt. She wanted to help.

I was nearly finished cleaning him up. I
asked Preston to hand me his clean diaper. She gave it to me and
giggled, pointing at his plumbing.

"Dinky," she said,
laughing.
(Holy shit - not this
again.)

"Yes, Preston," I said very
matter-of-factly, "Boys have dinkies. That's just the difference
between you and Reese."

I looked over at Trey giving him a nod. I
didn't want to belabor it. I knew how weird he was about that
previously. Perhaps he had forgotten.

"Preston has who-ha," she said just as
matter-of-factly.

"What?"

"Preston has who-ha," she repeated, pointing
to her crotch.

Before I could say anything Trey burst out
laughing. I looked over at him, stunned. I expected him to ask me
where the hell she learned that 'trash talk.' He didn't. He found
it extremely comical.

(Gina strikes again. . .)

"Come here to Daddy," Trey said to her. She
immediately flew into his arms as he hugged and kissed all over
her. She was giggling with happiness.

Once I got both of the babies down for the
night, I cuddled with Trey on the sofa. We had so much to talk
about.

I filled him in on everything concerning
Matthew and Karen. The 'loose ends' that my father had tied up
after Trey's accident involved a suicide letter that Karen Deeny
had mailed to him from Atlanta the day she tried to mow me down.
She had relayed how by the time he received the letter I would be
dead. She admitted to having a key to our home; of stalking us and
cutting up my clothes. She admitted nothing further. We would never
know for certain who had changed Trey's computer passwords and
cancelled his credit cards though we were fairly certain still it
was Amber.

Tonya, Trey's P.A. had visited Trey in the
hospital once he was out of his coma. She informed him that Amber
had been let go due to behavior not fitting of a partner. She had
apparently moved on to Mr. Pierce and had attempted to blackmail
him with purported evidence she threatened to show his wife. He had
called her bluff. She finally agreed to resign so that a
termination would not be on her record and was given a
severance.

"Trey," I said, leaning against him, "I
think we finally have all of the whack jobs out of our lives."

"I sure hope so, baby," he replied, kissing
my neck.

"Hey," I said glancing up at the clock.
"It's one minute until midnight. I think I'm going to call Dad and
get his ass out of bed to wish him a Happy New Year!"

"Go for it," Trey said smiling.

I grabbed my Blackberry off of the coffee
table and hit his name on my 'contacts' list.

"He's probably been in bed since 9:30," I
joked to Trey.

His phone rang several times and then
someone picked up. It was a woman's voice.

"Hello?"

(Holy shit! Did I call the wrong number this
late?)

"Ahh, hello? I was calling Judge Tylar?"

"Well hi there, Tylar. This is Brenda. How
are you doing?"

(Oh. My. God.)

"Brenda? Oh, I'm doing just fine, and
you?"

I looked over at Trey and saw the look of
pure amusement on his face. He made a 'humping' gesture with his
hips.

"Here’s your daddy, honey," she said, "Happy
New Year to you, Trey and that beautiful Preston."

"Yeah, you too," I replied still in
shock.

"Tylar?"

"Uh, yeah. Hi, Dad. Trey and I wanted to
wish you a Happy New Year."

"Well, Happy New Year, daughter," he replied
cheerily.

(My dad is buzzed! My dad - the Judge is
BUZZED!)

"Dad - is there something you need to tell
me?"

"I don't think so, Tylar. Listen - please
tell Trey I wished him a Happy New Year and kiss Preston for
me?"

"Yeah, sure. I'll do it, Dad. I love
you."

"I love you too, darling."

I ended the call and looked over at Trey in
disbelief.

"What?" he asked, smiling.

"Aren't you the least bit surprised that
your cousin, Brenda and my dad are - well, you know?"

"Boinking each other?" he asked,
laughing.

"Trey, stop. That's my dad. He wears a
judicial robe for crying out loud!"

"Sweetie," he said, pulling me close to him
and kissing me softly, "That doesn't mean he checks his gnads at
the door."

"I know," I said with a shrug. "It's just
difficult for me to think about him like that with someone other
than my mom."

"I think Marla would approve," he replied,
snuggling his face into my hair.

"You do, huh? You act as if you know
her?"

"We spent some time together," he replied.
"I know how she rolls."

"Oh Trey," I said with a sigh, turning to
face him. "I love you so much. I am so thankful to you for having
the strength to pull through for me and Preston."

"I love you, too, baby; and I love Preston.
But don't thank me," he said.

I looked up at him quizzically.

"Thank the 'one with the answers'."

Epilogue

DeKalb County, GA

Several Years Later

It's a warm, sunny day in mid-October. There
is a light breeze making sitting outside extremely enjoyable. I am
on the porch, gently rocking back and forth as I wait for Trey to
come down the path from the main road. He is vigilant about being
home at four o'clock at least a couple of days a week so that he
can be at the bus stop when Preston is dropped off after
school.

The baby nuzzles against me, rooting for my
breast now that he has awakened. I guide my nipple to his lips and
he clamps down, sucking hungrily at my breast. I run my fingers
through his brown locks. He is so sweet, this baby boy of mine. He
is six weeks old tomorrow. Trey Michael Sinclair II. Trey had
protested about having the baby named after him; he said he wasn't
a big fan of all of that, but I had put my foot down (for once) and
had gotten my way (for once).

I hear the school bus's horn honk as is the
ritual whenever it makes a stop to pick up or drop off. I know that
Preston will be eager to jump off the bottom step of the bus and
show Trey all of her first grade work she completed today. She
loves school. Her teacher says she is very intelligent and
precocious. Trey always makes a big fuss with every paper she shows
him.

I see them coming down the driveway now.
Preston is skipping alongside Trey; Avery is perched up on his
shoulders as always, chattering away in two-year old baby
language.

Avery was born on Trey's birthday two years
ago, August. She is the picture of me as Trey puts it. She totally
has his personality though which amuses me. Trey named her which I
had no issue with because I like the name he selected: Avery Nicole
Sinclair. I did, however, have some reservations as to how he
selected it. The 'Nicole' portion of it was fine; that was my
mother's middle name. However, when I asked Trey about where he got
'Avery,' he rambled on about some famous geneticist named Oswald
Avery who he had met on the 'other side.'