New Roots (Fate's Intent Book 8) Read online

  Jaylyn did just that while Julianna left the room and Troy walked closer, sitting in the chair beside the bed. “How did you know she could make the pain go away?”

  I looked up at him and shared a quick look with Jaylyn. “I—ah—well—”

  Jaylyn sighed. “Because he knows I’ve done it before.”

  “When?”

  “When Zayden was torturing you.” Gwen whispered, making herself known in the conversation.

  She was so much like Ruby that it was almost scare but Troy really didn’t seem to take notice to her, just what she said.

  His eyes got wide and his voice got louder. “You did it on me!”

  “Well, not completely like this. Just a little.”

  “Jaylyn!”

  “Please, don’t.” She begged while still trying to keep her concentration on Ruby. “It’s in the past. You’re back to who you were meant to be and everything’s fine. I should be focused on this right now.”

  Troy sat back in the chair with a sigh. “All right. You’re right. You win.”

  Jaylyn just smiled and Julianna came back in with a rolling table with a cloth draped over the top of it. “Okay, I’m going to need some space and some help if we’re going to do this right. Think you’re up for it?”

  Troy and I looked at each other and Gwen gave us a heavy nod like we should be saying yes right away.

  “Just say what you need.” Troy answered.

  “Darius, keep an eye on Ruby. I know you’ll want to be doing that. Troy, I need you to hand me instruments when I ask for them to reduce the clutter. We can’t have any mistakes.” He nodded and Julianna advanced on to the bed around Ruby’s stomach, uncovering her as much as she could. “Towel.” Troy handed her a towel and she draped it over Ruby’s hips. “Now hand me the large scalpel.” Troy handed it to her and she looked up at me. “You ready to meet your son?”

  I nodded nervously. “I’m ready to stop worrying, so yeah. Do it.”

  “All right. Here we go.” She brought the scalpel to Ruby’s skin and cut about an eight inch incision four finger widths under her bellybutton. “Jaylyn, if you can, try to keep blood flow to a minimum down here. We don’t want her to bleed out.”

  “Got it.”

  Julianna held the scalpel in her hand and spread apart the muscles with her fingers. “All right. I’ve reached the uterus. We’re almost there.” She cut along the same line over the exposed part of Ruby’s uterus and a bunch of fluid started to drain out. I hoped that was normal. “Towel.” Troy handed her another one while trying not to watch at all and Julianna started soaking it up then set it aside with the scalpel. She used her hand next and reached in, getting the baby’s head visible. “I’ll need the smallest swab so I can clear his air ways next.”

  I watched as Julianna pulled little Dirk completely from his mother’s womb and immediately covered him with a towel. Troy handed the small swab to her and she stuck it in the baby’s nose and mouth and he began to cry with his first breath.

  The umbilical cord was tied off and she handed him to Troy who was still right next to her. “Clean him up. I’ve just got to get the placenta out so she can be healed.”

  Troy looked down at the little crying baby in his arms and looked over at me with a smile while slowly getting up to his feet, grabbing another towel.

  I kept my eye on him as I watched Troy walk out with my son I have yet to really see.

  “Okay. Now, you can begin to heal her if you can, Jaylyn. The placenta is out.”

  Jaylyn nodded her head and I was ready to have Ruby back to normal again.

  “See, she’ll be fine.” Gwen gave my shoulder a gentle rub and it was a little odd that I was so comfortable around her.

  “Thank you, for being here.”

  “And as great as it was, I better get back before she sees me again. I don’t want to add more trauma to this experience. Besides, you have someone waiting for you.”

  Her eyes moved ahead and mine followed just as she disappeared. Troy walked back in the room and I sat up straighter when I realized what he was still holding.

  “What to see him in person now?”

  It was like I couldn’t speak a first. I could only get out a nod.

  Troy just smiled as he moved the towel down just a little and I saw the bright red color of my son’s hair that resembled Ruby’s. It was just like I’ve seen before in the visions and I stood right up to get a better look.

  “He really does have her hair.”

  “Sure does.” Troy continued to smile while handing him gently off to me. “I think he’s going to look more like you besides that dead giveaway. Congratulations.”

  I looked over at him and smiled back then turned to the bed and lowered myself back down next to Ruby. “Ruby.”

  “I put her to sleep.” Jaylyn said. “It’s hard to concentrate on healing this and making sure she doesn’t feel it.”

  “Then you look.”

  Jaylyn’s eyes were glowing and took a quick glance up. She had to do it again and kept her eyes on the baby. “He does have her hair! That’s so sweet! I was hoping that was real.”

  “Me too. You know what she’ll think?”

  “She’ll love it. You probably remember what it was like when Adele had to take it away. She almost cried.”

  “Hey!” Adele entered the room with Zayden, interrupting the conversation. “It happened already? Where’s Gwen?”

  “She left so Ruby wouldn’t see her again.”

  “Oh, I guess that’s okay then. Let me see him!”

  She rushed over towards the bed and Troy moved out of the way with a laugh. “Okay but prepare to be shocked.”

  “Why?” I just turned so she could see baby Dirk in my arms and Adele gasped loudly, sitting down in front of me. “He really does have her hair! Ruby is just going to flip!”

  “How is she?” Zayden asked.

  “She’s going to be fine.” Jaylyn said. “I just finished. With some more sleep, she’ll gain her color back and be as normal as ever.”

  “Well, I for one can’t wait until she sees this.” Adele smiled with her eyes down on the baby.

  “I want to hold him now!” Jaylyn said as she walked around the bed.

  “Okay but be careful.” I said.

  Jaylyn smiled as I slowly handed him off to her. “I know. I’ve had more experience with babies than you. I raised one you know.”

  I took a quick glance back at Adele on the bed. “I didn’t want to mention that.”

  “It’s okay. I’m doing better with it. She’s probably just excited as I am to see this little one because he’s so cute!”

  “Thank you. That was mostly my doing.”

  Jaylyn laughed. “So full of yourself.”

  “Obviously.”

  Julianna walked back in before she had the chance to reply. “So, how is everyone now that she’ll be fine?”

  “Better.” I smiled with a gentle sigh of relief.

  “And how’s he?” Julianna asked, walking over to Jaylyn and looking down at the baby in her arms.

  “As healthy as we all thought he’d be.”

  “And how long will his mother be resting? He’ll need to eat soon.”

  “It shouldn’t be that much longer.” Jaylyn said. “But I can always get her up.”

  “Then I suggest you do. It may make her feel better to actually get to see the reason she had to go through what she did. I’m going to get a breakfast started.”

  She walked back out and Jaylyn slowly handed Dirk back to me. “Okay, take him and you might want to back away from her.”

  “Why?” I was confused but got up off the bed with Adele.

  “I’m not really sure what she’s going to do so keep him away just to be safe.”

  I nodded and Jaylyn stepped closer to Ruby and hovered her hand over her head for just a moment. Ruby took a deep breath and started to wake up and her color came back to her. She began to sit herself up and put her hand on her head. “Oh, shit
. Why do I feel like I’ve been sleeping for days?”

  Jaylyn laughed. “It wasn’t days but you have been sleeping a lot. How are you feeling?”

  “Strangely, good.” Her hand dropped from her head to her stomach and it gave her a jolt when she didn’t feel the baby. She gasped and almost jumped herself back as she looked down and saw her flat stomach for herself.

  “It’s all right.” Jaylyn laughed again. “It’s why you’re better. He’s right here and he’s fine.” She moved aside and I took a step to the bed with the bundle in my arms. Ruby sat up anxious to see him as I sat with her, lowering my arms. Her eyes started to water when she saw him and lightly touched his red hair.

  “I think she needs a moment to take this in.” Adele whispered softly to Zayden, taking his arm.

  He nodded and nudged Troy as he was being pulled away. He nodded back and put his arm around Jaylyn so she would follow.

  Chapter 38

  Ruby

  I felt like this has all been a dream but here he was; this little precious creation in front of me.

  “What do you think?” Darius asked.

  “He’s beautiful.”

  “He is.” Darius slowly started to move Dirk into my arms. “And you’re both going to be fine. I said you would be.”

  I couldn’t take my eyes off the tiny baby in my arms but smiled back. “He would have been worth dying for.”

  “But I’m glad it didn’t come to that. You were well taken care of here. Julianna made sure of that.”

  My head lifted and I looked around. “We’re at her house? I don’t remember much of what happened.”

  “It was the only safe place to take you. A place where you’d live through this.”

  “How’s Troy handling that?”

  “Fine so far. Nothing has happened yet. He agreed so it would help you.”

  I smiled and looked down at Dirk in my arms again. “I guess it was all worth it then. Would you just look at him? I don’t think I expected it to be like this at all.”

  Darius kissed my head. “I’ve been looking forward to it.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah. I wasn’t sure what I’d come home to if I would have been too late or not so I’ve prepared myself and now that everything’s fine and you’re okay, I feel better. All of this feels right like the way it was supposed to be.”

  I leaned into him and kissed his lips. “I love you and you’re right. It does feel right.” Dirk started to fuss and I leaned right down to him, rocking him gently in my arms. “Shh. It’s okay, Dirk. Mama’s right here.”

  “Julianna said he may need to eat soon.”

  “I suppose that’s true. How long was I out?”

  “Just a few minutes while Jaylyn healed you.”

  “Okay.” I started to situate myself and opened part of my shirt.

  “You think he’ll know how?”

  I looked over and smiled. “He’s your son, isn’t he? You do it quite well.”

  Darius laughed and shook his head. “You know what I mean. I know it’s not like that.”

  “Well, babies have a natural ability to suck. He’ll get it once I present it to him. Now, look away. This is the first time. It’s probably going to be a little weird for me.”

  “Okay. Tell me when.”

  “I will.”

  He turned and stared at the opposite wall to let me do this my way. It was weird at first like I thought it would be but it felt even weirder and I laughed.

  “Are you all right?”

  “Yeah. You can turn around.”

  Darius looked back and his infant son was successfully feeding from my right breast and he just stared at him.

  “What? Weird for you?”

  “No. I think I’m a little jealous.”

  I laughed and took a glance towards the door. “Probably not the right place but it’s not like I just had twins.”

  “No, that’s okay. I don’t want to do stuff like that around him. Well, you know, in the same room at least.”

  “I get it. That’s sweet, Darius. You’ve been away for weeks and won’t mind going several more.”

  His eyes got wide and he didn’t blink. “Wait. What?”

  I laughed. “He is going to stay with us until I think he’s old enough to stay alone in his own room and that could be a few months.”

  “Well, then I guess that doesn’t mean I won’t take you in a closet. I was just saying, not in front of him.”

  I laughed again. “Darius, really? He wouldn’t be aware of what we’re doing. Not at least for a while.”

  “Well, still. I think it’s a good habit to start. I know how we can get. I don’t want him to grow up and think that behavior is okay. I mean, it is for us but not for him.”

  “What is with you? I haven’t seen you like this—ever.”

  “I told you I’ve been preparing myself for this. He’s not going to be a baby forever. I fell asleep thinking about the kind of father I want to be when I was away.”

  “That’s funny. I thought about you.”

  He laughed. “Well, I thought about you too but doing that too long led to bad things because you weren’t actually there to take care of it in the way I would have liked.”

  “Well, I guess we’ll take care of that later. Meet me in the closet after everyone goes to bed?”

  He laughed and turned his head up to the door when someone walked in. Troy stood there with a plate in his hand and his eyes were on me without a blink. “Wow. Not what I expected to walk in to.”

  “Sorry. Is that for me?”

  “Ah, yeah.”

  “Awe, I could kiss you.”

  Troy laughed. “I think you’re a little busy so I’m going to have to pass.”

  Darius laughed too and took the plate from him. “That’s okay. She was definitely joking.”

  “I know. So, how do you feel?”

  “Fine. Why?”

  “They’re out there talking about when we should go back and face father for what we did.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “We may or may not have snuck you out without him knowing.” Darius explained. “He would rather listen to the nurses who said you were going to die rather than letting us do something. We had no choice.”

  “Well, I don’t think he’s going to be mad if he knows everything turned out okay and when he sees Dirk, he just might forget about it for a while till the others are born and then he’ll forget forever.”

  “Hopefully.” Troy sighed. “Though the other two are still like six months away.”

  I laughed. “Yeah. Sorry I didn’t wait.”

  “Too bad. All they’re going to do is complain for the next six months because you have a cute little baby to take care of.”

  I looked to Darius and laughed again. “Sounds like it won’t be our problem!”

  “Yeah, all right.” Troy sighed as he turned. “You’re definitely better. I’ll tell them so they know.”

  I kept the smile from my laugh as he left the room. “Is it weird that I don’t even feel like I gave birth?”

  “No.” Darius said. “But you had Jaylyn for that and you didn’t really give birth.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, naturally anyway. Julianna had to cut him out of you.”

  “Oh. I guess that’s not really something I would want to remember.”

  “I know it’s something I’ll never forget.”

  I laid my head on his shoulder. “Awe, you didn’t have to be so worried.”

  “How can you say that? First, father told me there was nothing that could be done and then you even talked like you thought you were going to die. I think I worried the right amount for something like that. I’m just glad that you’re here and you’re better.”

  “Yeah. It’s weird but it’s like I don’t even remember much of what it was like to lay sick all the time.”

  “I’m glad you don’t remember. I don’t plan to put you through that again.”


  “We didn’t plan this.”

  Darius smiled and looked down at our son, gently touching his head. “I know but it feels different like it was right. He came at just the right time when we’re finally happy.”

  “I think this means we’re going to be happy for a long time.”

  “I’ll agree to that.”

  “Go get yourself some breakfast and see what they’re talking about out there. I don’t want to get left out.”

  “I don’t want to leave.”

  Darius’s eyes were down on Dirk and I smiled to how he was behaving. I’ve never seen him like this before but I liked it. “Just go. We’re not going anywhere. Not without you.”

  “All right.” He sighed, slowly getting off the bed. “I’ll be right back.”

  I watched him walk out the door and looked down at Dirk again. He was still feeding and he was just so sweet. I couldn’t get enough of him. Everything I’ve been through to get here was absolutely worth it.

  Chapter 39

  Adele

  “Hey, what’s wrong?” Zayden asked.

  I looked up at what he was seeing and it was unusual. Darius was walking out of the room.

  “Why would anything be wrong?”

  “You left her side.”

  “Oh! She just wanted to know what was going on out here.”

  “I guess we’re waiting on you. How is she taking seeing Gwen?”

  Darius paused for a long while like he was thinking about it. “She actually hasn’t mentioned a thing. I don’t think she knows. She didn’t even know we were at Julianna’s. I had to tell her.”

  “Then I guess it’s for the best. Gwen did leave so she wouldn’t see her.”

  “Yeah, so, when do you think is a good time to go back?”

  “Well, since Ruby is fine, I guess whenever everyone is finished eating, if that’s okay?

  “I don’t think that will be a problem. I’ll just get something quick to eat and see if she’s done feeding him.”

  “Dirk, you mean?” Jaylyn smiled.

  “Yes.” Darius smiled back. “Dirk.”