CHAPTER 13
Jaime
Day turned into night. I stayed with Gloria, never leaving her side. Oh my sweet angel. So pale. So lifeless. Yet so beautiful. I was relieved our precious babies were in excellent health—each miraculously weighing a little over four pounds—and in one of the best neonatal intensive care units in the world—being monitored by wonderful nurses and doctors. I longed to be with them, but I couldn’t leave Gloria. Not even for a minute. So, I settled for the next best thing. Babytime. An innovative marriage of healthcare and technology that Cedars had pioneered. With an iPad, I could see our babies—talk to them and interact with the nurses on duty, even ask them questions. And that’s just what I did before I called it a night.
God, they were beautiful. I’d watch Payton and Paulette develop via ultrasound, but nothing prepared me for the reality of these two little real-life dolls. The nurse on duty whose name was Kashunna assured me they were doing great. They were hearty eaters and as strong as oxes. Before I signed off, I sang them a song. Our song. “Toi et Moi.” The Charles Aznavour classic that had played just before Gloria and I had fucked our brains out in Paris on the Grand Roue. The song that symbolized us. Two hearts entwined that melt into infinity. I sang it part in English, part in French. Kashunna had tears in her eyes and complimented my voice. I was humbled and thanked her as I never thought much of my singing talent. I had in essence sung a lullaby that put my beautiful babies to sleep. But I wished it had awoken my sleeping beauty, Gloria. She didn’t stir. Babytime was over.
I was spending the night, and the hospital had kindly provided a cot. While I silently watched over her, a parade of nurses and doctors marched in and out of the room to check on her. So far, all her vitals were stable to my great relief; I let Kevin know. He, too, was relieved. The after-party had started and he was low-keying Gloria’s condition. I told him I appreciated that.
A kindly nurse brought me dinner, but except for drinking the 7-Up to quell my thirst, I didn’t touch a thing. I simply had no appetite. The room shrouded in darkness, I dozed off in my chair to the lull of Gloria’s soft breathing.
A dream filled my head. A beautiful one. Gloria and I, holding hands, were watching our children, now three, frolicking on the beach. On the very spot where we had exchanged our vows. Little Paulette was the spitting image of Gloria…her platinum hair already cascading down her back. A sweet but stubborn princess. And Payton, well for better or for worse, he was a mini-me. Cocky to the bone. But oh so creative too.
“Daddy, guess what I am?” my barefooted son shouted, running around in circles with his little arms outstretched.
“An airplane!” I shouted back. Our children had been on airplanes more than most people had been in their lives. Gloria and I took them everywhere, whether we traveled for business or for pleasure.
“No! I’m a seagull.”
“And I’m a baby seagull,” chirped my adorable Paulette, copying her brother, her mane of white silk flying in the wind.
Gloria broke loose of my grip and dashed after the children with her long, toned arms flapping. “And guess what I am?”
Both children broke out in a fit of laughter. “You’re silly, Mommy!” Paulette giggled.
“No. I’m a mommy bird who’s come to gather her babies and feed them dinner.” I watched as she lovingly scooped our twins into her arms.
And then I got into the game. I loved games. Especially the ones I played with my beautiful children.
I ran up to them, making loud grunts. They screamed. “And guess what I am?”
Before anyone could answer, I said in a deep, deep voice. “I’m a big fat whale who’s going to gobble up two sweet little children for my dinner.”
“No!” squealed the children in glee.
“Run, my darlings!” shouted Gloria, setting them back down.
I let them run a distance and then chased after them at lightning speed. In one swift move, I clutched the two of them and lifted them in my arms, smothering them with yummy kisses.
I exchanged a loving glance with Gloria. Motherhood had made her even more beautiful if that was possible.
“Are you going to eat Mommy too?” asked my inquisitive Payton.
Of course, I was going to eat Mommy. I was going to devour every part of her, and the part I most looked forward to getting my hungry mouth on was her delicious pussy. How I looked forward to sucking, licking, gnawing her tender folds, and then finishing her off with my cock.
But before I could answer his question, a loud beeping sound hurled me out of my dream. My eyes snapped open and my heart galloped. Oh my God. Gloria was convulsing again. The beeping sound on the monitor continued. Before I could push the emergency button, a team of doctors and nurses flew into the still dark room. One of them, an older man with silver hair, put a stethoscope to Gloria’s heart while a nurse took her pulse. The expression on his face quickly went from solemn to alarmed. I heard him curse under his breath.
“Your wife has gone into cardiac arrest!”
I glanced at the monitor. Christ. Gloria’s heartbeat had begun to flatline. And truthfully, I think mine had too. While the fast-acting doctor attempted to pump life back into her with both hands, all the air left my lungs. My mother had left my father in a cruel way; the opportunist had abandoned him for that sleazebag billionaire, Victor Holden. Now Gloria was leaving me in an even crueler way. She was letting death claim her. My father took his life. Gloria was taking mine. She was the only woman I’d ever trusted with my heart. And now she was destroying it.
“No, Gloria, no!”