Chapter 65

ZAVIER [Zero]

I woke up the next morning feeling goddamn worried. It's never been like that for me, the way it was last night, but in the light of the day, I was worried about Lani and our baby.

She was still sleeping on the bed when I took a shower and came out dressed. I felt a little bit of relief whenever she changed her sleeping position restlessly. At least she's soundly alive.

When I cleaned her up, the guilt I felt multiplied when I saw the faint red grab-marks on her body and when I used the towel on her, she'd winced before sighing into sleep again. She's sore too.

I called myself all the damn bad name for not being more careful with her last night. I feel like a fvcking assh0le.

I made breakfast and woke her up to eat. She stayed partially awake while I spoonfed her and got her to drink a lot of water.

Afterwards, she laid back asleep almost immediately. Occasionally, she woke up and staggered her way to the bathroom to urinate, and then, she's back asleep again.

By afternoon, I was drawn taut with worry and tension, especially about our baby. Fvck if I wasn't filled with guilt too.

Is the little human alright in there? Did I hurt him? Did I hurt Lani?

Since I've got a few days off because of the wedding, I stayed at home all morning and afternoon.

When I heard the sound of rumbling again, and incoherent sounds, I went to the bedroom and saw her waking up. She smiled at me, "Good morning, honey."

I walked closer and kissed her forehead, "It's afternoon and how are you feeling?"

"I feel good.... Well, rested." Her eyes searched my face, "Are you alright? You look....angry. I'm sorry if I overslept and--"

"Jesus, honey, I'm not angry at you. I'm more angry at myself. I must be the first fvcking motherfvcker who tried to kill his own wife and child on their goddamn wedding night." I grunted in self-disgust.

"Oh!" The worry lines disappeared from her face, replaced by some heat. She ducked her head and suddenly took interest in my drawing on my chest. "I'm fine, I'm okay."

"And our baby?" I couldn't keep the concern from my voice.

She looked unsure and that only mounted my anxiety. "Alright, that's it. We're going to the hospital now. Get dressed, honey."

"But, we don't have an appointment today!" She cried.

"How's that our business? It's an emergency and they'll fvcking treat it as that. Besides, the damn doctor is a smart man. Trust me, he wouldn't want to antagonize me." I stated matter-of-factly.

She got up from the bed and took steps to the bathroom and stopped, "I feel better than I did the first time I woke up to use the bathroom."

My lips twitched and my chest puffed in pride, "I cleaned you up and gave you the acetaminophens the doctor recommended for you when you moaned out that you've got headache earlier. Gave you one for headache and body pains."

Wrapped in the bedcover, she looked down at herself again examingly. She gave me a radiant smile of gratitude, "Thanks."

I walked close and hugged her from behind, enveloped by her warmth and that sweet flowery fragrance that's uniquely hers. "I'm sorry I hurt you."

She signed and melted into me. "You didn't hurt me. You gave me the best wedding night I'll never forget even when I'm hundred. Thank you, Zavier..."

I couldn't help myself, I palmed her cheek and swiveled her head towards me, capturing her lips with mine, I drank from hers for a few minutes. My hand caresses her swollen belly.

When I pulled back, I was smiling. "You called me Zero repeatedly last night..." I whispered.

Her eyes flashed and she flushed to the root of her hair, pulling away from me. "You're teasing me!" she started for the bathroom in a rush.

I heard the deep sound in the air and it took me a few seconds to realize that it's the sound of me laughing.

👘👘👘👘👘👘👘👘👘👘👘👘👘👘👘

"Here's your baby, Mr and Mrs Ryker. You see, the little one is doing quite well." The sonographer has a smile on her face as she moved the transducer threw Lani's gel-covered belly.

I stood beside a Lani who was lying down, holding her hand. We stared at the screen together and for the first time, I saw the baby. Truly, saw him.

This is the first ultrasound I've ever done with her and as I stared at the screen, my chest tightened and my breath hitched.

"Wait, wait....!" The sonographer suddenly said, and I almost stopped breathing. Lani and I shared a worried glance, and I patted her arm in comfort, hugging her head to my thigh.

She moved the transducer and pointed at the screen. "My oh my...it's twins." She gave us a smile, "Seems like you'll be having two beautiful kids in your hands in five months time."

"Oh, Zavier...twins!" Lani's face lit up as she stared at the screen. That eyes found mine, "We're having twins..." She breathed.

A trill of excitement shot through me, and she squeezed her hand with mine. "We are, Darling." I groaned, unable to take my eyes from the screen.

As the sonographer moved the transducer on her belly and I got more views on the screen, I've never seen a more beautiful sight.

All over again, it became really clear to me again that Lani is going to have my baby. My babies. That's my babies inside of her.

"Oh, baby...." I kissed her forehead, my eyes almost fvcking watered. "I love you."

"I love you too." Shy but excited eyes held mine with a huge smile on her face, "I love you so much."

I lowered myself to the chair behind me, and caressed her cheek. So many emotions running through me. "Thank you so much, Leilani, for giving me this. For giving me a family."

Her cheeks flushed with excitement, her eyes going to the screen and back at me. Tears brimmed her eyes. "Oh, Zavier..."

"This must be what it feels like to feel blessed." I groaned wholeheartedly, staring at the screen again, "I feel blessed."

"I feel blessed too, Zavier. Having you in my life....and now, our babies..." She whispered reverently.

The sonographer fixed us a smile. "Very soon we'll be able to identify the gender of the little ones."

"We don't wanna know, doctor. I t-think we'll stay without knowing." Lani supplied quickly.

"We don't?" My brows knitted together.

"Let it be a surprise, Zave, pleeease." Her eyes implored mine, "I think I'll have a panic attack if I know this, so let's just find out when I give birth, pleeease?"

My lips twitched. "Anything you want, honey."

She grinned radiantly. "Thank you so much."

********

Five days passed, I went to work for the first time since I got married. Everyone there were all cheezy with me, and teasing me and congratulating me.

"Yooohoooo! It's the new groom in town!" Cole popped a canned flower and the popping sound cracked the air, followed by flowers and confetti jumping out it.

I couldn't help the smile that touched my face at the gesture, going into my office which was directly opposite his.

Now that I think about it, I seem to be doing this a whole fvcking lot for sometime now. Smiling. Laughing. Being happy.

As I sat down, they filled the door asking questions about Lani and how marriage life is treating me and how am enjoying having a beautiful woman as my wife and how am enjoying eating anytime and anything I want to eat.

It's my first time having colleagues and workers, and so, I was overwhelmed. I just sat there while they talked and talked and talked.

Thankfully, officers on parole stomped into the station and the chaos indicated that they came back with a criminal.

Everyone broke out of the room, some even parted me at the back before they left. Finally, it was just Sheriff Lander.

"How's the case with the Phedophile going?" I asked the older man while he was at the door.

"His papers are almost complete and the bastard will soon be transfered. It's his accomplice that's still on the loose. A is yet to be found, and another little girl has been raped." His voice held barely controlled anger.

"Another child?" My eyes flashed.

Pity took over his features. "Yeah. Little Rose. Rose is barely eight years old. Now, the girl has her whole life to battle fvcking trauma."

I shook my head at that, feeling for the parents of that child. Hell, I don't even know where the feeling comes from, I've never given a damn about those kind of shits before.

Maybe because I'm on my way to be a father too. Just the thought of someone coming that close to my own child is fvcking unthinkable and has my muscles all tensed up.

I'll kill and maim the bast@rd over and over and over again.

"Let me check out what the ruckus is all about, man." Lander said before he walked out of the door.

Needing to calm down and take my mind off this, I called my only source of joy.

"Honey, are you at work already?" Lani's soft voice came through, calming my worked up nerves.

"That I am, doll. How's your day going? Any problem?" I asked, getting from the chair and heading out too like the others.

"No, no, no, nothing. Just finished arranging the roses outside the store. My delivery just arrived, my new goods!" She exclaimed happily on the phone and I heard the sound of movements indicating that she's moving around.

"Alright, I'll leave you to unpack and arrange, honey. We've got criminals to keep in check too. I'll check on you later."

"Okay, baby. I love you."

"I love you too. Take care of yourself and our babies. Keep safe and call me if there's any problem, okay?"

"Okay, Sherrif Zavier." She giggled and I rolled my eyes before hanging up the phone.

I walked to join the others with a goddamn smile on my face.

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