Chapter Twenty
Osi
“Happy Birthday Isaiah.” I stood in front of my son’s tombstone. He would have been twenty-two today. During my drive up to my condo last night, I’d wondered what he would have been like. But as always, I came up with nothing. I do know that Daja and I would have had issues with how to rear him and perhaps I wouldn’t even have been a part of his life. Back then, I might have given up and walked away.
I shook my head to clear that thought. I’d never leave my son. I always returned to where his body rested. Time passed and I went into a bit of a meditative state. Being here, with the dead didn’t bother me. I now mourned the loss. Growing up, I’d known plenty of people that died but it wasn’t until Isaiah was taken that I finally understood how precious our days on earth are.
I sensed movement, someone was headed toward me. I didn’t move my head but my eyes shifted so that I had a clear view of her approach.
Ramsay knew how to make an entrance. She was making her way between the rows of headstones, careful not to step on the resting areas. She was dresses in a bright blue dress and surprisingly flat shoes. Her hair was still dark blonde and it was loose and a little longer. She was carrying an armful of flowers.
She was about twenty yards away and I read her expression. It was the “take your best shot because I deserve it look.” She wasn’t wearing any sunglasses so I could read her eyes. “Ramsay.” I greeted her evenly.
“Hi,” her voice was soft. She joined me standing in front of the tombstone.
“Those for Isaiah?” I looked pointedly at the flowers in her arms.
“I went a little overboard.” She looked down at her arms and then at me helplessly.” She knelt down and placed them in front of the stone.
“So where’ve you been?” I usually waited for her to open this discussion but not today. I was done waiting around for Ms. Kent.
“In the wrong place.” She continued looking straight ahead.
What? I sighed in exasperation. “Look, I’m not into playing this game with you. Just say your piece.”
Her eyes got big for a moment and then she squared her shoulders. Her face was more full than I’d ever seen it. In fact she was more…lush. Her dress wasn’t form fitting which wasn’t her usual style. Wherever she had gone, she must have liked the food. “That’s fair.” She wet her lips. “Did you really get called away for a job or were you trying to get away from me?” Her voice had turned shaky. And her eyes, God, I saw so much pain there.
I took off my shades and tucked them into the front of my shirt. “I don’t lie to you. Limited has a contract that we honor whenever they call. I can’t tell you much more. It’s classified.” I saw the flare of understanding when I used that word. “Forde got a call and I had to go.”
She blinked and nodded. “And about what I told you about all that happened?” her voice was raspy.
“Ramses,” I sighed, “Babe, you went through hell. You got married to please your folks who treated you horribly. Then the man beat you.”
“But I,” she tried to interrupt.
“No.” I said harshly. “It doesn’t matter if you fought back or if you argued. Jesus, you always argue.” I paused because we were doing it now. “A man doesn’t put his hands on a woman. If things get too hot, you get in your car and you take a drive to cool off. You take yourself out of the situation. That’s how a MAN deals with a situation.”
Her green eyes had shown me frustration but now they read comprehension.
“You confided in your sister. You were venting, Bean and Ollie, they are your people. That’s what you do when you’ve had enough, you mouth off.” I paused to let that sink in. “You were scared, frustrated and angry. That’s all. You didn’t wish that miscarriage on yourself. It was a terrible result of an awful situation.” I reached for her hand. I couldn’t help myself.
“Osi, I want to believe you.” Her cheeks were wet with tears.
“Then try.”
“I had a long talk, well several long talks with Ollie and Bean about that time. Then I talked to a therapist about it.” She explained. “A part of me understands that it wasn’t my fault but…” she wiped her cheeks and smiled helplessly. “I’ve believed that for a long time.”
“Change doesn’t always come easily.” I was happy that she’d talked about this, gotten help.
“I, I need you to understand that…” A sudden breeze whipped through our little area and Ramsay’s dress blew backwards and showed the outline of her…her belly.
“What the fuck?” I was in shock. She was pregnant.
She gave me a little smile, “Well I think it was the fucking part that got me this way.”
“Wait.” I pulled her closer. “I want you to explain.”
She dropped her eyes. “I will but can I sit down first?”
“Of course.” I led her to the bench.
“It’s twins, Osi.” She rested her hand on her belly.
“Twins.” I felt like the word was totally foreign. My brain was scrambled.
“I’m at sixteen weeks.”
I did the math in my head. “St. Barts.”
“Aren’t you going to ask if their yours?” her voice had gone lower.
“Of course their mine, ours.” I told her honestly. “Ramsay, look at me.”
She gave me her eyes.
“We might not have put a label on what was going on between us but I know that you were with me.”
“You didn’t believe that when you saw me with Trigger,” she reminded me.
“Babe, you were on a date.” I felt one side of my mouth hitch up. “I was furious. You wouldn’t commit and you were going to such lengths not to that you went on a fuckin’ date.”
“I didn’t think…” she looked at me beseechingly.
“I loved you then and I love you know.” It was time to clear this shit up.
“Oh God, I love you too.” She fell into my arms. “I love you so much, Osi. I have for a really long time.”
I kissed her. I didn’t want to ever stop kissing her.
Finally she pulled back a little. “I’m not just saying that because of the babies.”
“I know.” I told her and kissed her again.
“I’m sorry. I keep making mistakes.”
I wondered for a second how hard to push. This was Ramsay, she got me so I went in hard. “So here’s the deal. We are getting married. Soon, no waiting around shit. We are going to live together. And most importantly, no more running off when you think things are going to get tough.”
She smiled, “Okay.”
“I’m dead serious Ramsay, you take off again and you won’t need to bother coming back.”
She nodded.
“Babe, I’m serious. I’m not going to go through this shit again. I’m not waiting around for you to decide that you can handle things.”
“I said I understand. I get it, Osi. I know. Okay?” She was sounding a little pissed.
“Good.” I gave her an approving nod. “I’m going to be having a talk with Ollie and Bean, no more giving you a safe haven. We have problems, you stay and we work them out.”
“Osi, whatever it takes. I’m not leaving you.” She promised.
“Good,” I smiled at her. It was a huge smile.
She returned my smile. “We going to have twins.” She said full of wonder. “I couldn’t believe that I was pregnant.”
“Tell me all about it.” I urged.
“I’ve been on the pill forever and I’ve never been regular so to miss a period, it was no big deal and then in April, well things were kind of crazy and I lost track of time. So it wasn’t until I was on a friend of Ollie’s boat and puking my guts out for the third day straight that Bean asked.” She took my hand and placed on her belly. “Ollie went into town and brought back a pregnancy test.”
I chuckled, “Poor Ollie.”
“I know, he has all of the fun jobs.”
“Are they excited?”
“They are over the moon. I expect them to invade any day.” She rolled her eyes but I could tell that she was happy.
“So I peed on the stick and then another and well…I was pregnant. We flew back to Palm Springs and I went to the doctor immediately.”
“Is everything all right?”
“She said yes, but I was worried because I’d had wine and after before…I was scared.”
“Shhh,” I kissed her forehead. “This will be different.”
“Are you…Are you happy about them?” She watched me intently.
“Babe, today, is now the best day of my life.” I kissed her again.
“Uhm. I should probably tell Tye and Billie that things are okay.” She glanced toward the SUV that I saw parked in the distance.
“They were in on this?” I wasn’t pleased that they would plot behind my back.
“No,” she answered quickly. I called them two nights ago. They drove up yesterday and I told them. I told them everything.”
“Okay, I’ll go get them.”
“Osi,” she still held onto my arm. “Billie is still…she’s still really mad at me.”
“Give her time, babe. With everything she’s going through, just give her time.” I reassured her.
“I hope so.”
“Wait here. If I know Tye, he probably has been watching everything through a set of binoculars.”
I knew by her small smile that she agreed.
I started to walk toward their Burke’s SUV and I saw Tye get out and wave. He waited for Billie and they started toward me. We met halfway and Billie held open her arms.
Her voice was rough as she hugged me, “You okay?”
“I think I’m in shock but I’m good.” I released her and gave her man a grin. “Very good.”
“Happy for you.” Tye told me.
We stood there smiling for an awkward moment. Billie asked, “Can we meet your son?”
“Yeah, yeah, that would be good. Come meet Isiah.” I turned and Billie took my hand.
“Tye’s going to get the flowers. We didn’t come empty handed.” She told me.
“Thanks B.” I had to swallow because I felt a little choked up.
“I’m happy for you Osi,” she said quietly, “for all of you.”
I squeezed her hand. “It will all work out.”
“Hope so.”