The Devil Within
Lorelai
Approximately six months later, Spring had sprung and I was thirty nine weeks pregnant, and a wobbling duck as Christopher liked to refer to me. I accepted the playful insult, and went around the house quacking randomly. My husband thought it was quite funny, and I was always amused and surprised at how we grew as a married couple. He finally adapted to what I like to call a sense of humor.
I was waiting for him to come home from work; and I stood up to check on dinner and a warm liquid dripped down the inside of my legs just as the door opened. “Uh oh…Chris…”
“What’s wrong, baby?”
“I think we’re going to have to turn the oven off and forget dinner.”
“Why?”
“I think my water just broke.”
Chris quickly grabbed our hospital bag and led me to the bedroom to change my pants, helping me clean up before we rushed out of the house and went to the hospital.
***
12 hours later
I laid in my hospital bed, completely exhausted in a love drunk state of mind, looking down at Nathaniel Kingston Montgomery. He was healthy and perfect in every way possible.
Chris was standing and admiring our handsome little prince as someone came knocking at the door, and Marie peeked her head around the corner.
I smiled wide and gasped. “Aunty Marie… You’re here…”
She smiled as she walked in with balloons, flowers and little gift bag. “Yes she is. How’d everything go?”
I smiled down at the tiny human in my arms. “It was very slow going. I went natural and it sucked, but he was worth it.” I paused. “Do you wanna hold him?”
“Absolutely!” She walked over, and I sat up and carefully handed him off, watching as Marie sat down and admired him in silence for a moment. “Oh my god, he’s stinking adorable, Lorelai.”
I smiled. “He really is. He’s perfect. I already counted all of his fingers and toes, and kissed him a whole bunch.”
She giggled. “I’m so happy for you guys.” She sat and rocked him back and forth. “Have you seen or talked to Luci?”
I shook my head. “No. Not since the wedding.”
Chris grabbed my hand and wrapped his fingers around mine. “We’ve talked about this. She made her choice.”
Marie nodded. “I know. I haven’t seen or spoken to her either, and I can proudly say I’m running the club just fine without her help.”
I nodded. “Well, I know I’m not much of a help with that these days; but if she’s gone, you should do something about eliminating her half of the ownership.”
“I tried. My dad said we couldn’t without further discussion.”
I sighed and looked at her. “I’m sorry she did that to you.”
She shook her head. “Don’t be. You have a family of your own to worry about now. It’s okay, Lorelai.”
I smiled. “Two handsome men and a little lady.”
She laughed. “Exactly.” She kissed Nathan’s forehead. “You’re too cute for your own good, little man Montgomery.” She stood, and placed him back in my arms. “I should get back, but call me when you come home okay?”
“I will. I love you, Marie.”
She leaned down and hugged me. “I love you too, sister.” She pulled away and walked toward the door. Chris and I sat there watching as she left.
Chris sat on the edge of the bed and smiled down at me and our little miracle rainbow baby. I smiled back at him and placed my free hand on his leg. Life was officially complete with the arrival of Nathan. I decided to quit my job at the winery, and his parents were completely understanding. Chris would be home with me for the first six weeks before he went back to work. Life was good. No scratch that, life was fantastic. I had an amazing husband and a little boy that I already adored and loved so much, and I couldn’t wait to see where the road of life would take us.
***
Luciana
Four Years Later
Christmas Eve was upon us. People everywhere were gathering together to celebrate this joyous holiday with friends and family, my family included. I walked through the penthouse with a glass of whiskey over the rocks. Walking through the crowd of people, I eyed Anthony standing by the snack table popping an olive in his mouth, and narrowed my eyes at him before I slipped down the double black glass staircase to the wall of portraits.
I looked at him as he came up next to me. “Ready for the next chapter of your life to begin?”
He smirked. “I was born ready.”
With a stone cold face, I unlocked the sliding wall behind my father’s portrait and we made our way through the dark secured hallways. Walking into the vault, I grabbed a plate sitting on the buffet table. “Help yourself. We’re going to be here a while.”
I made myself a plate of food and sat down at the control station; hitting the power switch, the screens lit up. The front and center screen popping on first.
“Who are those people?” he asked.
“Oh…Um…that’s my sister and her little shithead of a husband. She chose him over our family…”
Anthony raised an eyebrow. “So why are you watching them? What did they do?”
“She cut me off.” I snapped and moved the camera in on a little boy that appeared to be around four years old. “That’s my nephew…Nathan.” I moved the camera again and zoomed in a bit on the identical twin baby girls digging into what appeared to be mini birthday cakes with a number one on them. “And these are my nieces, Hannah and Hayley. Identical twins.”
“Hmmm…so is this just a basic surveillance?”
“Pretty much. She thinks I left Sausalito, but I’m making my return sooner than she thinks.” I said in a simple monotone. Sitting back to eat our Christmas dinner, while the other cameras around the boathouse popped up around the main screen.
Turning the volume up, we listened in to the family eating and celebrating the girls' birthdays as the doorbell rang.
Chris stood up to answer the door with a Santa hat over his head. A never before seen identical image of myself stood in the doorway, soaking wet from the rain outside.
I watched on as Anthony leaned forward squinting his eyes. “Who is that at the door?”
I zoomed in a bit when a concerned Chris stepped back to look at Lorelai.
Anthony’s mouth fell open as he looked from the screen over to me and back at the screen, his eyes widened in a baffled state of mind.
A dark laugh escaped my lips. My puppet master strings were in place and the games were just beginning.
The End