chapter Twenty-TWo
Distracted
Toby
Four months later…
I shouldn’t be here. This mission is too dangerous. I could get killed here. Yet, there was no way to tell my father and Wyatt that I’m a king. How could I tell them, I have no business leaving my pregnant wife without me? Especially, not right when she’s so close to being due with my twins.
This mission hasn’t settled well within me from that first call with Sam Mairettie. I knew then, I would be leaving my wife, right when she needed me. I had four months to bail out of this mission, but I couldn’t figure out one way to do it and keep my secrets safe.
I think of Kamara and our twins. I’ve been away from them for two weeks. I smile, I can’t believe we’re having a boy and a girl. It’s my thoughts of my family that make this trip worth it, even if I don’t want to be here.
When I saw the young boys and girls among the others, I wanted to open fire right there. Right at that makeshift warehouse, the Russians are keeping them in. The place was filthy and it looked like they weren’t feeding the hostages well. All I could think of was what I’d do if someone tried to harm my family.
I pull a picture from the pocket of my cargo pants. It’s of Kamara, she’s almost seven months in it. She looks so beautiful. She hates this picture, which makes me love it more. She doesn’t see how perfect she is.
I run my thumb over her face, saying a prayer for her to hold on until I return home. I want to be there, when she gives birth to our children. I start to feel sick to my stomach. I swear, I don’t think I’m going to make it back home in time.
“Everyone, look alive, the target is in sight,” I hear in my ear.
I quickly shove the picture in my pocket. Turning back onto my stomach to look through my scope. I feel something tug at my pants leg, I look back to see it’s just a branch.
I give my attention back to my scope, ignoring the branch and my pants. I lock on my target almost instantaneously. The truck is about a hundred and fifty feet from our rendezvous point.
“Toby, Wyatt, we move on your signal,” Nate Briggs speaks again.
“Got it,” Wyatt replies. “Let’s get this over with and get back home. Bro, we go on three.”
Wyatt and I count in unison, me in my head, him in my ear. “One, two, three.”
I take the two shots. One to the front right tire, then one to the back. The delivery looking truck rolls to a rough stop, as Wyatt takes out the left tires in sync with my shots. Everything bursts into action from there.
“God, let me get home to my family,” I mutter and throw myself into the action.
~B~
Kamara
“This cannot be happening,” I murmur, as the pain shoots through my back once again.
I suck it up. I won’t cry. I will not shed a tear, because this is not happening. I am not going into labor.
“Oh, God,” I breathe out and grab the counter.
I inhale through my nose and squint my eyes. My eyes that are burning with the tears I’m holding onto. I stomp my foot, but regret it as the pain vibrates through me.
I bat my lashes, when the pain subsides. I look around for my phone. I have to laugh at myself, when I realize it’s on the countertop, right in front of me. I reach for it with a shaky hand.
I bite my lip, hating to bother my parents at this hour. I have no choice. Toby is away on a mission and Kwäzē has gone back home again. The phone only rings once, before my mother answers.
“Ogeima,” My mother calls excitedly into the phone. “I just woke from a dream. They are on their way!”
“I think so, Mommy. I’m not ready,” I whimper, as pain rocks my body again. “Argh.”
“But they are ready. Your father and I will be right there,” she replies.
“Okay,” I nod, as if she can see me.
My face is covered in sweat. I should have called her two hours ago. I’ve been in such denial. I’m always denying the inevitable.
“Stay on the phone. I will be there,” my mother says.
“Okay, shit,” I breathe, then gasp. “Sorry, Mommy.”
Her laughter roars through the phone. “You will be saying much worse, before this is over. Ut-uh, Elijah, call the mid-wife. Come on, man. Wake up, our daughter is about to give birth.”
If I wasn’t in so much pain, I would be hollering with laughter. My mother’s accent is thick, as she fusses at my father. I can hear him in the background, fussing back in his native tongue.
My mother sucks her teeth. “Here, talk to Ogeima, I will call the mid-wife,” my mother commands.
“Ahem, Ogeima, you there,” my father calls into the phone.
“Yes, Daddy,” I say through breathing.
I lean into the counter and rock my hips. I place the phone back on the counter, placing it on speaker. My hands go flat on the counter.
“You can do this, my daughter,” he says softly.
It is so endearing. My father is never so soft spoken. My heart swells and the tears I was so bravely trying to fight, start to spill over.
“Are you breathing?”
I inhale and nod my head, knowing he can’t see me. “Yes,” I say, as I exhale.
“You and your Brother were early. I was so proud the day I held you in my arms for the first time. Now, my little girl is having children of her own,” his voice becomes thick with emotion.
I can hear him and my mother moving around to make their way to me. I’m still rocking my hips back and forth, when I feel the burst of water gush between my legs. I grab my stomach and look down at the puddle now at my feet.
“Nooo,” I whimper.
“What, what is it?” My father asks anxiously.
“My water broke. Daddy, I’m not ready. Toby is not back yet. I can’t do this without him,” I whine.
“You can do anything. I know you can. He will be there as soon as he can, but you have to do this. We are getting into the cars now,” my father informs me.
“Ogeima,” my mother calls into the phone, after some rustling.
“Yes, Mommy,” I exhale.
“Text Toby. If he is within communication, he will know to hurry. If not, he will get the message, as soon as he is available,” my mother orders.
“Okay, yes, that makes sense,” I nod and follow her instructions.
“Ja, will be arriving with the mid-wife shortly. Can you let them in?” my mother says soothingly.
“Yes, yes,” I say swiping at the sweat on my forehead.
“Good, now tell me what are we naming the prince and princess,” my mother says proudly.
I smile at the phone. Toby and I have named the children. It was the last thing we did together, before he left on his assignment.
I close my eyes and say a prayer. Please, God, let my husband get here, before our children are born. I inhale and then I share with my parents the names of their grandchildren.
~B~
Toby
I knew it. I knew this was going to happen. The moment the plane took off from New York I was hesitant to turn on my phone because I knew. My wife is in labor. I was so relieved last night that our mission went so smoothly and we would be returning home.
I should’ve known it was all too good to be true. I stare at my phone and I know all the blood has drained from my face, as I read Kamara’s texts. She has been sending them back to back.
My hands begin to shake. I think the reality of my life is just hitting me in this moment. I’m a father. Fuck, I’m someone’s husband.
I spoke to Kwäzē before I left. King Elijah is scheduled to go into hiding, when I return. He and Catherine are going into deeper hiding. There is to be a major car accident staged in Africa.
All the night before, Kamara’s supposed engagement party. Kwäzē went back to Africa and throw a wrinkle in Afafa’s party plans. Kwäzē made a big deal about having the party at the Abioye palace and wanting to throw the occasion for his sister and brother-in-law.
I heard Afafa was pissed as fuck, but there was nothing he could do without looking suspicious. Kwäzē bought us more time. Everything is ready to be set in motion.
The fake death of the king will buy us even more time. Kwäzē will have more time to win the people over and build more of their trust. Afafa won’t have much of a hand to play for a while. No one will expect the princess to be on display, when mourning her parents. Although, Kamara’s look alike cousin will be close to Kwäzē’s side, at all times, to put up a front.
I hope like fuck all of this works out. I want to focus on our newborns and not a potential civil war. I kind of feel bad that Kwäzē has to deal with most of this, but I would have no idea what to do if we did try to follow him now. I think this is the best thing.
King Elijah still plans to give Kwäzē counsel, just from a location unknown to anyone else. Not even Kamara and I will have access to that information. As I read her text again, I’m grateful her parents are there with her. There’s no telling when they will get to see their grandchildren again, after they’re born.
Kamara: I am in labor. My water has broken.
Kamara: I hope you are your way, they are.
Kamara: Toby I’m so scared to do this without you.
Kamara: I love you.
I swallow hard and look up when I hear my brothers growling and hissing. I can’t even comprehend what’s going on, as they hover over a cellphone, watching something. My head is filled with the fact that my children are on their way.
I swear, this plane ride has to be one of the slowest in the history of flights. The tension on the plane has grown by the second. I know, I for one, need off this plane now.
As soon as we start to descend, I arrange for a car. I want to call Kamara right away, but I have too many eyes and ears around. As soon as we touch down, to my surprise, Noah and Wyatt are up out of their seats before me.
They rush the door, before the stewardess can give the all clear for us to disembark. I’m right behind them. Noah side eyes me, as I make my way to a waiting town car, instead of the SUV, everyone else is headed for.
“Where are you going?” John calls to me.
I don’t want to lie and I have no idea what to say with my thoughts all over the place. So I just keep moving, jumping into the back of the town car. I think my heart crumbles, as I watch my brothers head for their lives, without knowing something major is happening in mine.
I want to tell them all so bad that they are going to be uncles. I would love to pass out cigars and throw back a few celebratory drinks, with my brothers, but that’s just not going to happen. I throw my head back against the head rest.
I’m pretty sure, my son and daughter have arrived, without me being there. I open the facetime app and call Kamara anyway. When her face pops up on the screen my heart leaps in my chest.
“Toby, where are you?” she pants.
“I’m in a car on my way,” I reply.
This car will only take me to the garage, where another car awaits me. I will drive that car to our home. I have even more reason not to get messy now.
Kamara looks relieved. “Thank, God,” she sags a bit, bringing my attention to the fact that she’s sitting in a pool of water.
I sit up, realization breaking into my mind. She’s still in labor. I think my heart races faster than it ever has before.
“They haven’t come yet?” I ask with so much excitement, I feel like it’s Christmas and I’m ten all over again.
“No, they were in a rush before, now they are being stubborn,” she says tiredly.
“Is everything okay? Will we need to go to the hospital instead,” I’m starting to become concerned.
“At-ahn,” I hear Kamara’s mother reply in the background. “We just need to give them time. We will be fine here. I think they are waiting on their father.”
Kamara smiles tiredly into the screen. “I think so too,” she says weakly.
“Tell them, Daddy is on the way. I love you so much, Baby. I’ll be there as soon as I can. I promise,” I reply.
“You hear that,” she groans to her belly. “Your father is on his way.”
I chuckle nervously. I feel the car stop and see we are at my destination. I jump out of the car and sprint around the building to the entrance of the garage.
“Toby,” Kamara calls for my attention, as I jog for my car.
I look down at my phone. “Yeah, Baby?”
“I love you too. Oh, and, I think I need to push,” Kamara says, with wide eyes.
“Fuck, I’m coming. I’ll be there in five minutes,” I promise.
It’s the middle of the night. I’ll be breaking every traffic law there is, but I’m getting to my wife and kids. This I know for a fact.