Talania - a Trip Down Memory Lane... (26 page)

“Well hello, you gorgeous couple.” My OBGYN love to tease us.

“Hi,” we both say in unison, still slightly out of breath.

“Excited? You both look a little frazzled.”

“We fell asleep after another trip down memory lane.”

She nods since we have told her our love story. “Rest is good for you. You will need even more the further along you get in your pregnancy. Let’s go ahead and get you up here on the table so we can see this little miracle, huh?”

Tristan guides me onto the table and helps me lie back. He is too quiet. He is always nervous, no matter what kind of doctor’s appointment it is.

The doctor covers my legs with a thin blue sheet. She helps me pull my dress up before squirting the cold gel onto my abdomen. I can’t help but gasp as chills go down my spine. Tristan rubs my arms, trying to warm me back up. He glances up at the doctor with an amused look. My OB has gone to great lengths to get to know not only me, but Tristan too. She has always been good about not making me wear a gown because we all agree that I have worn enough of them to last a lifetime.

“You okay?” Tristan looks at me in shock— well, I think it’s shock.

“Why wouldn’t I be okay? We’re about to find out the sex of our baby.”

The steady womp-womp of our baby’s heartbeat comes to life and I embrace that sound. The one sound I could hear forever is coming from that monitor. It has become my new favorite sound.

“Look at that, the baby is wide awake.”

We both look at the monitor and gasp.

“Is the baby sucking its thumb?” I whisper, amazed by the sight in front of me.

“Yes, it’s really a little early for that, but you definitely have a thumb sucker.”

I am awestruck. Our little miracle is beautiful. Tears prick my eyes, and I know I made the right decision to keep this baby. I know without doubt that I did the right thing.

The doctor interrupts my internal musings. “You want to know the sex of your baby now?”

We look at one another, grinning and nodding.

“It’s a beautiful, healthy, little boy.”

Tristan and I both have tears streaming down our faces.

“Baby number one of three Ev, baby number one is a boy,” he chokes up. His hands cup my face and he thumbs my tears away before placing a tender kiss on my lips. “We’re gonna have a boy! Thank you for giving me a son.”

I am about to burst with happiness. I laugh through my tears as the doctor hands me photos of our little miracle, our son.

While I am cleaning the sticky gel off my belly, Tristan starts making the phone calls to our family and friends. He is so happy and excited that he can’t stand in one place. Everything is going right. My blood counts are good. I am extremely weak and tired, but my body is fighting for two of us right now. Every one of my doctors has assured me that my symptoms are to be expected. I pray every chance I get.

Tristan hangs up knowing that our news will spread like wildfire.

“You watching us tonight baby, or are you too tired?”

Am I tired? I don’t know, because right now, I am more excited than anything else. The band is playing at his club tonight for exposure and practice. His new agent and record label had to agree to those terms before the boys would sign. It would be nice to hear them play in the place where they got their start.

“I’ll go tonight.” I say with a shrug and a grin.

He picks me up, wrapping my legs around him as we get to the Jeep.

“Good. Maybe I can get you on stage this time?”

He is so crazy. What makes him think I would climb my butt up on a stage?

“Nope.” I pop the ‘p’ with a huge grin and smack him on the head.

“Please baby? It’s a special occasion. We will be able to tell our son all about it one day.” He turns those green eyes on me and gives me his best pouty look.

Oh. No. He. Did. Not!

“You did not just play that card!” I giggle at him, slapping his arm as he places me in the Jeep.

“I did,” he chuckles, flashing me a flirty smile.

“Maybe.” I point. “Maybe!”

Smiling, he shuts my door and heads for his side.

“Good enough for me. It’s better than a no.”

His hair is growing back. He gels it into tiny little spikes that almost prick me when I run my fingers through it. He is so handsome and so very good to me. I lean my head back on the headrest, smiling at him as he drives us to the club.

“What are you smiling about my beautiful crazy-ass girl?”

“I just really, really, really love you.”

My heart speeds up every time I tell him this. It is amazing what this man can make me feel. He can make me feel like the most beautiful woman to ever live even though I have cancer and I am bald. It is amazing how much he loves me even though I can’t remember our first three years together. He just simply amazes me.

“I love you too baby, to infinity.”

“To infinity,” I repeat.

We pull into the club parking lot and it is still early. I am shocked to see all the cars that are in the parking lot. “Wow. Must be some lunch rush or is there a game on?”

He chuckles. “Baby, you watch sports. Is there a game on today?”

Well no, now that I think about it, there isn’t. I wonder what is going on in there. I shrug in confusion and climb slowly out of the Jeep.

I don’t get two steps taken before I am hoisted up on Tristan’s side. He loves carrying me around as if I am a toddler.

“Come on Tiny. I’m getting you on my stage tonight.”

Cocky butt-head!
“Is Drake coming home tonight or is he staying out again?”

“I have no clue Ev. He is rarely home anymore, huh?”

I want to say that he is never home anymore and that I really miss him. I don’t get to see him enough. I open my mouth to say this…

“Surprise!”

I gasp as we come through the door, my heart thudding hard in my chest.
They did not!

“Congratulations!”

Oh my god! They did! Wow!

Tristan sets me down on my feet and instantly I am surrounded by people on all sides.

“Thank you,” I repeat this a million times while happy tears stream down my face.
Wow
! Blue and green streamers announcing ‘It’s a Boy’
are hanging all around the club.

I cut my eyes over to Tristan. “Babe, did you have something to do with this?”

He chuckles, shaking his head no.
Yeah right! As if, I believe him.
“Did you shut down the club for this?”

He had better not have. It’s Friday, and we make more money on the weekends. It’s not as if we are hurting for money. I just don’t like small numbers when I am going over paperwork and finalizing figures for Tristan and his bar manager.

“No baby, we are still open but they gotta celebrate with us.”

Okay, that’s great. I nod. I just can’t get this huge smile off my face.

“You guys going to help me talk her into singing tonight?”

Oh, no he did not. Damn him!

“She’ll sing tonight,” Adella chirps, walking over to me. Her hair is purple today. Only Adella could pull that crazy look off.

I laugh. Who the hell does she think she is? “Whatever Adella. I am not climbing my pregnant ass up there! I have not sung in years. I don’t even remember ever singing.”

This won’t deter them. They know I love music. I groan because I don’t think I am getting out of it tonight. I can’t play off the tired act either, because that will just make them worry. God knows they have all worried about me enough!

They let me eat a slice of cake in peace before pestering me again.

“Come on babe,” Tristan says and gestures towards the stage.

“No!” I look around trying to find my dad. He will save me. Where did he go?

“He’s not saving you this time baby. Come on.” Tristan sees right through me.

Nope, no, no!
I bite my lip, laying my fork on my plate. I firmly shake my head no.

“Baby, please?”

Ooh, the panty melting voice. I hate when he uses that voice; it oozes sex. That voice sends shivers down my spine. He knows I can’t say no to that voice.

With a deep sigh, I crack to the voice. “What do you want me to sing Tristan?”

“One of the new ones you’ve been writing.”

I gape at him. He has not been reading my journal! Well, it’s not really a journal. It’s my lyric book. But still, that is my private shit he is reading.

“You asshole,” I hiss.

“I’m sorry.” He says with a smirk.

Oh the hell if he is! “No, you’re not, and you know it.”

He just grins. “Sing Down Memory Lane.”

Of course. He has read them all. I make a mental note to strangle his handsome neck later. “Fine.” I stand from the table and take a deep breath. “They will leave me alone if I do just one song, right?” Oh, I hope so.

Tristan leads me to the darkened stage and I look out to the crowd and gasp. With the house lights on, I can see that it is really crowded right now.

Suddenly I feel a little dizzy. “I don’t think I can do this Tristan.” My knees grow weak and I struggle to stand straight.

Tristan takes me by the hand and says, “Baby, breathe. This is easy. Trust me. You’re a natural, so just watch me and feel the music.”

He starts setting all the equipment up.

“We wrote and laid tracks for almost all your songs. Down Memory Lane is one of them. Is that the one you want to sing baby?”

Oh god! “I…I guess so,” I whisper. I do not sing. I have seen myself on videos, but that is it. “Tristan, are you sure I know what I’m doing?”

He stops and turns towards me.

“Baby, you’re better than I am, and that’s not a lie. We just gotta get you back into performing, that’s all.”

He has never lied to me that I know of. I trust him, so I take a deep breath.

“Okay,” I whisper.

“Okay.” He kisses my lips, and hands me a microphone while the rest of the band comes up on stage.

“Wait, you’re playing? You’re not just playing it over the speakers with a recorded track?” Panic is starting to hit me.

He looks like I just hit him in the gut.

“Are you nuts? Letting my baby sing to recorded music? I think not.”

They settle in with their instruments. Oh crap, I haven’t even heard the melody they wrote to go with my lyrics. I close my eyes. Sometimes I just wanna smack him upside the head.

They start playing. I turn around to Tristan as the spotlight shines on me. Oh shit, what did they get me into? He mouths the word ‘go’.

I turn around and the words flow softly from my lips. My hands are shaking, my knees are wobbly, and it isn’t until I look out into the crowd and see them smiling that I start feeling it.

I may have forgotten you

But you never forgot me

My mind losing you

My heart keeping you

But baby we strolled down memory lane oh— did we stroll down memory lane

Reminiscing with touch

Kisses

Photos

Videos

Oh baby did we stroll down memory lane oh—did we stroll down memory lane

So baby I don’t need memories because I have you

Oh baby do I have you— to stroll me down memory lane—

I’ll never forget those memories because I have you— to stroll me down memory

lane—

As the last note falls from my mouth, I’m speechless at myself. The crowd erupts into cheers and I am frozen in place.
I just did that! I just freaking did that!

Strong arms wrap around me and I sigh into them.

“I told you baby,” he whispers.