I Won't Give Up (28 page)

The rest of the ev
ening went off without incident.

Christmas morning came and she opened her presents I had gotten her a necklace from Tiffany & Co. it was a heart shaped locket with a keyhole and key attached, some new maternity clothes, and perfume. She bought me some bigger t-shirts, a new pair of badass bike boots and a black leather cuff that said
I won’t give up.
We had everyone over for dinner that night. I decided to test out my culinary skills making some of my mom’s recipes. I made a spiral ham and sweet potato casserole covered with marshmallows. Everyone seemed to approve. 

We spent New Years Eve at Gabby and Luke’s and rang in the new year with a magical kiss
. This year was looking to be the best year yet, we’d get to welcome our baby into the world and were planning on getting married this summer.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Full Circle

Fiona

The day had finally arrived and we were going to find out whether we were having a boy or a girl. We were almost at the appointment and I was practically bouncing in my seat. I couldn’t wait to paint the nursery and pick out bedding. As Cooper pulled into the parking lot his phone rang.

“Baby I need to get this I’ll just be a minute.” He climbed out of the car and I was wondering what was going on with all the secretive phone calls lately. I trusted him implicitly so I wasn’t worried just curious. A few minutes later he came to my side and opened the door offering me his hand to help me out of his new SUV that was more like a tank. Once we were called to the back I could hardly contain my excitement
but I really had to pee, they made me drink like a gallon of water and I was worried as soon as they pressed the wand to my stomach I was going to pee my pants but Cooper aka Mr. Research said they needed my bladder to be full so they could get a clear picture
.
When they called us into the room
the tech
pushed my shirt up and squirted some cold gel on my belly button before rolling
the wand over my stomach
. I saw the side profile of the face, arms and legs.
I saw an extra appendage.
She held the wand there.

“Looks like you’re having a baby boy. Congratulations.” The tech announced. I looked at Cooper his eyes were glassed over with tears. He squeezed my hand slightly to let me know he heard. He bent and whispered he loved me in my ear making my heart speed up. She printed us some ultrasound photos and said she’d see us again before we delivered. We stopped and had a late lunch on the way home. Cooper was so excited we were having a son. I was going to have a mommy’s little boy.
He called his dad. I called my mom, dad and Luke.

“I think I’m leaning towards Mason. What do you think?”

“I love it baby
.
I think it’s perfect.
What do you think about Lucas for a middle name.
”

I was surprised he wanted to name him after Luke I thought maybe he’d want Cooper or Kurt or maybe after one his grandfathers.

“I like it but you don’t have to do that for me.”

“Baby I owe Luke a lot. Besides he’s honest and loyal and I want our son to have to have those traits.” I felt tears prick my eyes and I thanked him. 

We went home and made love before falling into a sated and blissful nights sleep.

A week had passed and Cooper finally got this important phone call he was waiting for. He came into the den after he hung up.

“Well that was the private investigator that your dad and I hired. I didn’t want you to feel frightened or unsafe before but now that everything is fine I want to tell you what happened. Remember when your dad came and took your R8?”

I nodded.

“It wasn’t to get work done, the windshield was smashed. It was Garrett. Some how Gigi ended up bailing him out of jail.
I want to stress that y
ou were
never
in any danger. Anyways the rock that was used was tied to Garrett in turn breaking the conditions of his release he’s back in jail and will not be being released for a very long time. Turns out that precious Gigi isn’t as clean as we all thought either she’s being charged with attempted murder, embezzlement, fraud, and perjury. Everything’s going to be fine.”

I took in a deep breath.
Feeling a burden I didn’t even know I was carrying being lifted from me.

Winter turned to spring
.

The trials
were expedited due to the nature of the crime
s committed
and the damming evidence collected by both the Fed’s and the private investigator that we’d hired.
We’d gotten a call earlier from the DA saying that
Giovanni was given a sentence of life without parole
, turns out they were able to link him to some cold cases as well
. Eli was charged as an accomplice and given a sentence of ten years. Garrett was given a sentence of twenty-five to life
for the attempted rape of me, the attempted murder of Cooper, kidnapping, assault and battery along with a string of other offences he racked up while working for Giovanni. Knowing he was going to be away for a long time
was a huge relief since he was the one I was most worried about
.
Cooper had explained everything that happened while he
fought
for Giovanni but I knew he wasn’t
like them
. A
ll he ever did was show up the night of the fight, he’d fight, usually win and wait for the next call. He didn’t really have too many dealings with Giovanni other than the initial meeting and when he wanted out. He’d speak briefly with him at the fights but he never got brought into the actual business end. I wouldn’t have cared even if he had it’s not like he killed anyone and frankly anything that happened prior to us getting together was ancient history at this point.

Luke met a nice girl named Alexis
.
She wasn’t the type that he usually went for
. S
he had redd
ish-brown hair and an oval face. S
he had big brown eyes
and a
petite
frame, which was made even more petite every time she stood next to him. She was smart and funny and wasn’t at all like the bitchy girls he usually hung around but he admitted that they were usually just for sex and that he saw “long term potential” with Alexis.
S
he was from Boston and down here for school.
Her home situation was a lot like ours in the fact that she came from old money. Her dad was a neurosurgeon and her mom was an attorney.
They met at the school library where he enrolled to finish up his degree in finance. They were perfect for one another and it made me ecstatic to see him so happy.
We all adored her and we were hoping maybe we’d have even more wedding bells in our future.

Life was really looking up for everyone. I t
hink my mom had a crush on Kurt. It seemed like she was always flirting with him,
which was awkward but if she was happy I think we’d all be fine with it, well except my dad maybe.

I was looking forward to school ending
. G
raduation was only a little over a month away. I was becoming
increasingly
uncomfortable and as much as I loved being pregnant I
couldn’t wait to meet
our son. The nursery was all set up
. Cooper
painted the room a pale blue with a red accent wall
where the crib was set up. Cooper and Luke had redone the floors in a mocha color to match the furniture. We had gotten an oversized plush area rug to put in the middle of the floor everything was in the nautical theme. We got mocha colored furniture and hung a mobile with sailboats and anchors above the crib. We adorned the walls with pictures and large wooden letters for his name. Mason. Sometimes
I would sit in the glider chair in his room, it was peaceful and serene.
I couldn’t wait until he was in my arms. I wondered who he’d look like. Hopefully he’d be a good mix of both of us.

Cooper
decided to open up a
motorcycle shop. I was happy he was able to turn his hobby into a business. Luke was his partner at the shop and from what I’ve heard a very quick learner
though he would
eventually
end up running more of the business aspect in the long run
.

I’ve been spending
most of my free
time with my mom
.
I’ve enjoyed getting our relationship back to where it used to be. I know my parents will never reconcile but at least they
were
amicable.

We’ve started on wedding plans aiming for an August wedding
at my childhood home. I couldn’t wait to marry Cooper
.
I felt like the luckiest girl in the world knowing that some people search their whole lives looking for what I already have.
We were preparing dinner for the entire family tonight. I finished assembling the lasagna while she made meatballs and pasta, the smell of sausage and peppers waifing though the air was making my mouth water. Cooper arrived first and headed up to shower. Luke and Alexis showed up an hour later bringing a bottle of wine and dessert. My dad and Kurt arrived five minutes apart from one another. We all sat down at our oversized dining room table. Cooper proposed a toast.

“Thank you for joining us tonight. Thank you for my beautiful fiancé and my future mother in law for preparing it
. I
t smells amazing!
To health and happiness.
Let’s eat.” Everyone dug in and filled their plates
, they boys going in for seconds and thirds
. After dinner we moved to the living room where our little guy was playing soccer in my tummy. Alexis was in awe and kept asking me if it hurt, it didn’t.
She said she wanted two kids making Luke’s eyes bug out of his head. Cooper laughed and said he wanted as many as I’d give him. He
wouldn’t take his hand off
my stomach
the entire night. Once everyone said good-bye we turned in for the night Cooper helped me get in the bath which was getting more difficult each time, we were also having to get creative with our
positions
but we were having fun trying
.

The next month flew by and before we knew it we were taking our finals.

It was hard to believe that almost exactly a year ago I thought everything good in my life was over.
I realized sometimes things have to fall apart so that something better can come along.

During my last exam
I was having a hard time keeping my eyes open but I managed. I passed all of my exams with flying colors. My mom was taking us out to a celebratory dinner that night and she was also calling a family meeting.

I went home and changed into a floor length
black
maxi dress
that Cooper bought me last week
since that was the only thing that I felt comfortable in
that would
fly at the D
élicieux Bistro. Cooper changed into a pair of black trousers and a gray button up. He had been smirking about something since this morning but every time I asked him what was going on he would tell me he had no idea what I was talking about. Once it was time to go he helped me into his SUV and we headed to the neighboring town for dinner. We were last to arrive and I could tell by the way everyone was acting that something was going on. My dad kissed me on the cheek while Cooper pulled my chair out. My mom was grinning about something, I was happy to see her colo
r return, her
vibrancy
was back.

As
everyone enjoyed their fancy French delicacies I stuffed my face with a shrimp po’boy making Cooper laugh at me. They were asking how we felt about graduating and if we were all ready for the baby to arrive.
T
owards the end my mom and Kurt stood at the end of the table to make an announcement. Cooper held my one hand while my dad held my other, what the hell was going on?

“We’d like to thank everyone for coming and celebrating Fiona and Cooper’s last day of high school and we are all looking forward to the graduation this weekend. We are so proud of both of you. For being so young you are both already accomplishing so much and soon you will be brin
g
ing new life into the world. I personally cannot wait to meet my grandson though I hardly look like a grandma.” She winked at me.

“Cooper.” Kurt was choking up. “I know that mom is looking down on you and she would be so proud
.
I know she wanted all of these things for you. I don’t know that she meant this soon but regardless she would be ecstatic for you. All both of us ever wanted was for you to be happy and you’ve found that in one another. I never thought I’d find anyone after Holly died.
She was my everything but I think I’m starting to find that piece by piece with someone new.” He put his hand adoringly on my mom’s shoulder. I looked at my dad who just smiled and shrugged.  “Gabby and I started seeing one another about a month ago, after I got Levi’s blessing of course. I know this might be um…
weird
but I promise to treat her like the princess she is.” This time I looked at Cooper who was smiling fondly at his dad.
Then I thought back to the dinner at our house a month ago when my dad and Kurt walked in together.
I guess I suspected as much and as long as they were happy I’d be happy for them not that I didn’t find it a little weird but Cooper and I were together first.