Chapter 53 THE END AND THE BEGINNING

E V E

Two years later

"Mummy, wake up, I'm hungry."

I'm wrenched from my peaceful slumber as someone keeps nudging me.

I reluctantly open my eyes and stare into somber brown eyes from a face that's a miniature version of his father.

I swing my eyes away from him and stare at the clock on the bedside table.

Five o'Clock and he's already hungry?

I'm so tired, I can hardly move, talk more of getting up from the bed.

Strong hands suddenly enfold me from behind, running themselves across my already rounded belly, and a voice whispers into my ear sending shivers down my spine.

"Stay in bed, princess, I'll get him something to eat."

I feel the movement of the bed as Aurey gets up.

"Come on Kay, mummy needs to get some more rest. I'll go get you something to eat." I open my eyes just in time to see him scooping Kay up in his arms and bouncing him.

As they leave the room, Kay's giggles filter over to me, and I can't help the smile playing on my lips.

I close my eyes trying to catch some more sleep, but I know that's an exercise in futility, so I wait for the inevitable.

"Mummy!"

Her voice reaches out to me and once again I open my eyes to see Tay standing close to the bed still half asleep. So I open my arms to her and she tries to crawl up, but it's too high, so I drag her up and she immediately cuddles into me.

I wait for one more intrusion.

"Oh my God, mum. I'm so sorry; I was still sleeping when they left the room."

Stacy's breathless voice chirps out and I smile yet again and pat the bed. She wastes no time in hopping up on it and joining in the cuddling.

This is how I start my mornings.

Like clockwork, Kay wakes me at 5'oclock because he's hungry, but Aurey always comes to my rescue. Then Tay follows, but she just wants to cuddle with me and get some more sleep. Lastly, Stacy joins us, and we all congregate on the bed. Luckily, it's big enough to take all of us because Aurey and Kay join in after stuffing themselves with a big bowl of cereal.

I keep telling Aurey he's getting a paunch in his stomach, but then he shows me in more ways than one, how washboard flat it is, and then I get to drool all over it every time.

Tay cuddles into me, holding onto my stomach and almost wanting to enter back into it.

This is how I sleep off - with a smile threatening to split open my lips.

"Baby!" I'm nudged awake with a gentle back rub. "It's midday already. I've run a bath for you, ready for it?"

I open my eyes to see Aurey leaning over me, brows furrowed slightly. I know he's trying not to show his worry that I'm sleeping a lot, but sometimes he lets it slip, like now.

"What about the kids?"

"I've given them a bath and Stacy is presently entertaining them in the playroom." He helps me sit up and I lift my bum and put up my hands so he can remove the shift dress from around my waist and slip it off.

"Thanks, babe." I smile tiredly.

"Princess . . . I think we should go see a doctor."

"We already did last week, remember?" I sigh tiredly.

"I know, I know, but I'm scared shitless, baby. You've been sleeping more and more and I don't know if that's normal. I know he said you need lots of rest and I should be prepared to help you any way I can, but . . . "A woe-begotten expression settles on his face as his words peter off.

"Yes, but he also said it's normal for pregnant women to sleep a lot, especially a high-risk pregnancy like mine." I remind him as I get up. "Will you look at this tummy of mine, junior seems to be kicking up a storm inside."

I excitedly drag his hand over my belly. Sure enough, as if in greeting, junior kicks out, right over the part Aurey's hand is placed. He looks up at me, awe shining in his eyes, and another emotion closely resembling adoration accompanying it.

"You've given me such precious gifts, princess. Another one is on the way, and with you risking your life like this . . . "He shakes his head as he tries to articulate his words. "Thank you for giving my life so much meaning. Thank you for bringing colour back into my life. Thank you for not giving upon us, and last but not the least, thank you for being my wife, I'll never let you go. Not now, not ever. "

My heart melts as he leans over and gifts me with a kiss on the lips, and then he plants another one on my forehead.

"Let's get you into the bath before it gets cold."

Next thing I know, he hefts me up from the bed and carries me in his arms. Even though I've added some weight, it's still no big deal for him.

On the way to the bathroom, he tells me about the kids and what they've been up to while I was asleep.

My heart does a little somersault as I take in his features. New stress lines have appeared at the corners of his eyes, and I know I'm the cause.

He's worried about me.

After our wedding, I took in immediately, even after promising myself I wouldn't. Trust me when I tell you Aurey couldn't keep his hands off me, neither did I want him to anyway, but the doctor said because of the pressure on my womb, my pregnancy was a high risk one, so I needed lots of bed rest so I don't lose both my life and the baby's.

Aurey wanted me to have the pregnancy removed, but I kicked against it. I had already fallen in love with our little bundle of joy. We found out it was a boy just last week and decided to call him Aureliano junior.

I've been getting lots and lots of rest, and even if I didn't want to, I wouldn't hear the last of it, because Aurey wouldn't let me lift a finger to do anything, and I mean that literally.

Right now, he's gently scrubbing my back as he continues to regale me with stories of the kid's antics. His hands begin to rove over my rounded belly until they climb up and circle my breasts which have become much fuller. He lets out a groan as he tweaks my nipple.

Let me just say this - pregnant women are horny.

I'm no exception.

With the way he's giving my boobs attention, I know he's getting stoked, just like I am.

He bends his head and takes one erect peak into his mouth. The delicious zing that rocks through me goes straight to my lady parts, eliciting a moan from me.

He lifts his head to look at me and I can see the want in his eyes.

Two months without feeling his touch has made me cranky. So instead of saying anything, I nod for him to know its okay for us to make love. Instead of joining me in the bath, he remains still, hesitance like a stamp on his face.

"Princess, I don't want to hurt you." His voice has grown husky.

I shake my head, agitation clear in my words. "You won't. I promise."

"I know, I just -----"

"Dammit! I want you now, please." Frustrated, I hit the water with my palms, and some of it splashes on his face.

That seems to do the trick, as the hesitance immediately clears and he stands with a cocky smile. In one fluid move, he removes his boxers and joins me.

As he gently lays me on my back, I feel his rigid length against my lap. He's hard and ready for me. He wastes no time in sliding inside me with a deep guttural groan.

At first, he's slow, but later picks up intensity, and I moan loudly as the spasms begin to flow through me.

Suddenly, he stops moving and looks at me, worry etched all over his face.

"Am I hurting you, mi amor?"

When he starts to speak in Spanish, like now, he practically lights a fire inside me.

I shake my head and bite my lips.

Needing no further nudge, he picks up speed once more and a few seconds later, tilts me over the edge, and I come crashing down with a shuddering climax that takes my breath away. After that, he concentrates on bathing me, but then we get carried away again, and he proceeds to make love to me again and again until we're both spent.

After our marathon love-making sessions, he holds me close and the last thought on my mind before I drift off is that I'm so glad I made the decision not to listen to Taye and decided to come back to Aurey.

TWO WEEKS LATER

S E G U N

Dipo's party planners did a grand job. I barely recognise my compound as I walk around.

Big huge colourful balloons and different decorative pieces line the expansive compound down to the pool. Fancy canopies adorned with blue and pink wisps of material dot the grounds as well as chairs in which people are already seated.

At certain junctures, huge colourful banners are placed with fancy lettering, reading - GENDER REVEAL PARTY.

As I walk further on, everywhere rings with noise and laughter as people liaise with each other. They seem to be enjoying themselves. The children aren't left out either - they're avidly engaged in different board games overseen by an adult. It keeps them busy and out of harm's way.

"DADDY!"

I watch as she breaks away from the other kids and rushes straight at me. She bulldozes into my legs almost falling, but I stabilise her.

There's a confused look on my face as I bend low to her height. "And who are you, little girl?"

She rolls her eyes tiredly. Anyone who knows her can tell she's going to be a mini-version of her mother, what with her sun-kissed skin, heart-shaped face, and almond-shaped eyes.

"It's me, dad - Tay - and I'm not a little girl anymore." She strikes a pose with hands on her hips as defiance makes it's way to her face.

"Is that so, little girl. Prove it!"

"I've got a head and a body with ten fingers and ten legs, just like you ---"

". .. and mummy, that's right." I flick her on the nose and make to carry her, but she escapes my grasp and giggles.

She runs away as fast her small legs can go, throwing over her shoulder in the process. "Bye, daddy."

My heart is in my mouth as she almost stumbles, but she rights herself and joins the other kids before she turns around and waves.

I blow her a kiss and she catches it and holds it to her chest.

I swear she has my heart in her palm.

I smile and keep walking, stopping only to chat with my two mothers who are seating under one of the canopies chatting amiably. Sometimes I wonder what I did to deserve the gift of two amazing women as my mothers, both of them different as night is to day, yet unified in their quest to see me happy.

Eve told me mama apologized to her for treating her shabbily, especially after hearing all the things Roxy did. I chat for a bit with them, but after a few minutes, I kiss them on their cheeks and move on towards my guys sitting at the far end near the pool. They're already cracking open bottles of alcohol. Femi catches my eyes and waves me over, but I shake my head as my eyes continue to search.

I don't see her anywhere, but as my chest tightens and the beginnings of panic finds its way to my throat, she walks into my line of vision, resplendent in a silver free-flowing off-shoulder dress. Her hair which has grown rapidly in the past two years is in a bob style framing her face. Even with her prominent baby bump, she still has that regal walk. Nothing will change that.

I smile to myself and check once more that the transponder is in place before retreating to join my guys.

She doesn't see me walking away, thankfully. I wouldn't want to see the frown marring her beautiful face.

She thinks I'm too overprotective of her.

Can anyone blame me though?

I can't afford to lose her or my son either. Thankfully, the doctor gave her the clear just last week after a barrage of tests. Her vitals are great, and she's feeling better than ever and not sleeping as much as before. Still, I make sure to monitor her blood pressure every morning and evening and ensure she gets lots of rest.

As I make my way towards the pool section, I notice Kay excitedly clapping his hands and bouncing on his toes, so I decide to walk over to where he and the other kids are playing. I've got to keep an eye on him. Just last week when I had visitors over, they brought their kids as well. Kay took it upon himself to bully their two-year-old daughter who'd burst into tears. Later on, I found him showing her his new toy car, and she was avidly listening to him like he hadn't initially made her cry.

I'm worried he might turn into another version of me when he grows older. With dimples he inherited from his mom, I'm afraid he might go rogue, thinking he can pop a smile and have girls swooning all over him. I didn't have a father figure in my life but he does, so I'm damn well going to make sure he stays on the right path.

As I get closer, I see Ebere from the other end also making her way over to them. She gives the children a blend of strict and cool aunt, so I decide to go join my guys instead and leave the monitoring in her capable hands.

"About time!" Dipo pats the empty seat beside him and I slump into it, not realizing how tired I feel.

"You look tired, bro." Femi starts from beside me.

"I'm fine, just got to keep my family together, you know," I explain.

"Well, that's what we've got maids for. Leave them to do their job and stop worrying too much." He picks up a glass of whatever is in front of him, throws his head back, and downs it in three large gulps.

"So . . . marriage . . . is it this exhausting?" Some guy, asks.

I've never set eyes on him before, but I assume he came with some of Femi's friends who are sitting at another table beside ours.

When I glance at him closely, I notice a jagged cut extending down the length of the other side of his face and trailing into his jaw. I'm not able to see where it leads, because it disappears into the collar of his shirt. It's on the tip of my tongue to ask what caused the gruesome scar, but for propriety's sake, I don't.

Instead, I clamp my lips and shrug. "I'm not complaining."

My attention from him wavers when Dipo begins talking. "So you did it - you bought your dad's house."

"Yeah, it's weird, I know, but why not. My family is expanding and I didn't want to have to start building from afresh, that would take a longer time, plus his property was being auctioned off and it was affordable, so I decided to buy it."

When I got the call, it was Eve who told me to go for it. I was scared it would act as a trigger, but she assured me it wouldn't, so we decided to change all the furniture and make it more homey. We're still working on adding a few extras.

"I'm glad you did it, but damn, it's an edifice. How many rooms does it boast of?" Femi enquires. He forgets his house is almost as big as this one.

"Twenty rooms. Excluding the maid's quarters."

He whistles through his teeth, sounding like a train wreck. "That's two rooms more than I've got."

"Yeah, but who's counting? Don't tell me you're jealous?" I intone.

"Naah! On the contrary, I'm just glad you've finally joined the bandwagon of big boys. Been waiting for you for so many years." He pats me on the back and I shake my head, clearly amused.

The music changes to a more upbeat tune as people get up and begin dancing.

I tap the hidden earpiece in my ear and flinch, as a sudden burst of noise fills it.

The women are getting excited as they present their gifts to Eve.

"So . . . another set of twins?" Femi pipes up.

"Naah! A solo boy this time."

"Another boy, cool!" He picks up his glass, intent on sipping the rest of the contents, but I intercept it and throw it down my throat instead.

Suddenly, screams ring out from the hidden speakers in my ears. I'm already darting out of my seat and running towards the source of the noise. I don't need to be told, I know the exact direction the shout came from.

But I'm shocked into stillness at what I see when I get there.

"Is she . . . ?"

"Yep! She's twerking." Ebere materialises beside me. She folds her hands as we both stand and stare at Eve getting her groove on.

With the way she's bending and arching her waist, I hope junior doesn't pop out.

I swipe a hand down my face, exhaustion stealing into me.

Remind me once again why I decided to take up the role of husband and security guard.

I steal a look at her once again. Kinda looks like she's enjoying herself too much.

And to think I never knew she had such dancing skills. . .

"Can you please talk to her, tell her to slow down." I implore Ebere.

"Naah! Let her be. She needs to let off steam from your cloying attention." She laughs when she sees the incredulous look on my face. "Come away, give her some space, she'll be fine," and then she proceeds to drag me by the hand and away from Eve who has now stopped dancing and is instead being surrounded by other equally excited women that have begun twerking.

I reluctantly follow Ebere, but make sure to glance behind me as we walk off.

Suddenly, Dipo and Femi come running up to us, wheezing and holding their chests.

"What's wrong? Is Eve okay? The kids?" Dipo comes to a standstill in front of us and bends at the waist. He puts two hands on his knees and breathes heavily, trying to catch his breath. Femi isn't left out of the wheezing party either. He bends backward, arching his back with a pained expression on his face.

I shake my head and turn to Ebere. "See these two . . . " I shake my head. "Waste of space."

"Aurey!" I turn around to see Eve jogging to meet us and almost have a heart attack. I'm about telling her to slow down when Ebere gasps loudly from beside me.

"Zubi?"

As Eve reaches me, she clutches my hand in a vice-like grip, but just as I turn to ask if she's okay, she says a name I've never heard her speak before.

"Azubuike?"

Who is Azubuike and why is her face suddenly pale?

I turn to look at the direction both she and Ebere are pointing, and surprise of all surprises, the guy with the jagged scar stands with an expression that spells trouble on his face.

In a voice filled with total shock, Ebere speaks out. "No! It can't be. You're dead!" She takes a step back and another one, but doesn't get very far before she slumps to the ground.

THE END!