Chapter13
The next morning, everyone’s breakfast was already made. “Good morning everybody,” Terry announced. Everyone replied with their good mornings and headed to grab a plate from the counter.
“So, we have some good news and some bad news,” Terry admitted. Everyone waited for him to speak. “It turns out no one is coming after you yet,” Terry said with a smile.
No one returned the gesture and Matthew said, “Yet? Is that supposed to be the good news?”
“Sort of. It’s part of it. Okay, the bad news is, Derrick is still alive. It turns out the prison he was sent to is heavily sponsored by him. He pays a lot of money to it. They broke some rules and they’re not going to kill him. The good news is, we’re going to handle it,” Terry replied.
“Derrick isn’t dead!” Nichole exclaimed.
“No, it was all a lie and his sister isn’t really plotting against you. She sent the threats because Derrick told her to,” Terry answered.
“What’s going to happen?” Melissa asked.
“We need you all to go home. They aren’t coming after the Bryants, only the Barbosas. So Nicolette and Miguel are going to stay with the Bryants. It’s risky, I’m not going to lie, but he gets out sometime today so I think he’s going to head to your house,” Terry said as he took a bite of bacon. The group packed their things and they headed back to their house.
“This is the plan,” Terry explained in the car. “What’s going to happen is, you and Nichole are going to get into a fake fight. You’re going to leave her alone in the house. She won’t be alone though, because we’ll be hidden in the house. Then when he comes in, he’ll be ambushed and taken care of.”
“What if he comes after me?” Victor asked.
“We’ll be with you too,” Terry responded.
“What do you mean you’ll handle it when he comes after me?” Nichole asked.
“He was supposed to get the death penalty, right? I’m going to give it to him,” Terry replied.
“I think that’s sort of wrong but you do what you got to do,” Nichole responded.
“It’s the job,” Victor replied.
They finally got to the house. They settled in and acted like everything was normal.
When Terry got word that they had seen Derrick in the area, he told the couple to fake their fight.
“I told you, I don’t know who that woman is!” screamed Victor from the front door.
“Then why did I find her underwear in your suitcase?” Nichole asked.
“I don’t need to answer that! You’re just degrading me!” Victor shouted.
“Just go, Victor. I think it’s for the best,” sighed Nichole.
Victor got into an SUV and left.
“Terry, Derrick is pulling up to the house. He’s watching Victor pull away. He is now in front of the house.” Terry listened in his earpiece.
Nichole walked to her bedroom without locking the door to the house. She laid in her bed.
“Derrick is entering the house,” Terry heard in his earpiece.
Terry hid in the same closet Nichole hid in when Don and Tony broke in.
Derrick made his way up the stairs and laid in bed with her. “I missed you, baby,” he said into her ear.
She turned over and put her arm over him. She acted like she was asleep.
“Wake up, babe,” Derrick whispered. Nichole opened her eyes.
“Hello,” Nichole said as she acted like she was waking up.
“Did you miss me?” Derrick asked.
“Of course, I did,” Nichole, replied.
“I knew it. I knew you were playing with me. You like this?” Derrick asked as he moved his hand between her legs. Nichole bit her lip in anger.
She thought, No, I don’t like that you creep! She said, “Of course, I do.”
He then pulled out a gun and put it against her chin. “You like that?” he asked.
“Mhm,” she replied, trying to hide the fact that she was really scared.
Terry jumped out of the closet with his gun drawn. Derrick jumped up and aimed at Terry. They both shot at each other and both hit the ground. “Terry!” Nichole screamed. Nichole jumped up and turned on the light. Terry was taking off his bullet proof vest and lifted up his shirt to expose the large bruise that came from the bullet that left Derrick’s gun.
Derrick was on the ground with a bullet in his chest. He was on his back and blood was surrounding him. Terry got up and checked in with the other guards. He called the police and explained the story to them when they arrived. Everything, as Terry said would be, was taken care of.
When he got back to headquarters he put out a hit on Tracy. She was taken care of as well. The court didn’t get involved but the prison Derrick was held in got shut down and the other prisoners were separated throughout other prisons. Melissa hugged Nichole when she saw her.
“I’m so happy you’re okay!” she cried.
“I’m happy we’re all okay too!” Nichole exclaimed. Nicolette and Miguel were playing with Bryan and Todd.
Two years passed and Nichole and Victor’s kids were in kindergarten. All they had to worry about now were grades, puberty, and business. Nichole and Victor’s kids went to the same school as Melissa and Matthew’s kids. Bryan and Todd were in Pre-K. Business was booming for Victor. When other people wanted buildings built, they contacted Victor to help them. Nichole opened up another animal hospital in Brazil and was planning on opening another in Canada. Melissa had been promoted to CEO of the first animal hospital and she loved it.
Matthew ended up as a manager of the hotel he worked in. Everybody was happy with their outcome of life and it wasn’t over yet. On Nichole and Victor’s sixth wedding anniversary, Nichole and Victor, and Melissa and Matthew, went out to eat.
“We’ve come so far,” Melissa cheered.
“I love you all so much,” Nichole announced.
They all ate their food and talked about how business was. Then they talked about their children’s milestones.
“Todd has begun to draw giraffes on every picture assignment in school. Even if they ask for a hand turkey, he’ll still draw a giraffe in the hand,” laughed Melissa.
“Bryan has been running all around the yard now. He doesn’t have a destination, he just loves to run,” Matthew added.
“Sounds like we have an artist and a track star on our hands,” Nichole giggled.
“Nicolette has been making little towers in art class and Miguel likes to play with lizards and he spends most of his time with Tashka,” Victor replied.
“Tashka isn’t as young as she used to be, she’s about to be seven. That’s forty-nine in dog years.” Nichole sighed.
“Zap is six and a half,” Victor, added. “He’s starting to sleep more.”
“Well, we just got a puppy and he is a handful.” Melissa smiled.
“What kind of dog did you get?” Nichole asked.
“He’s a Rottweiler. The kids absolutely adore him!” Matthew added.
“I thought you didn’t like dogs?” Nichole asked.
“I didn’t always but this one grew on me,” Matthew replied.
“I didn’t talk to him about it. I just brought Rocky home,” Melissa giggled.
“Oh, I see.” Nichole laughed.
They all sat and enjoyed their dinner.
“Who do you have watching the twins?” Melissa asked.
“My mom. She’s in town for a wine tasting convention for tomorrow and said she’d watch them,” Nichole replied.
“Who do you have watching the boys?” Victor asked.
“My cousin,” replied Matthew.
“It’s a lot easier to have someone you know watch them because you know whether or not you can trust them,” Victor replied.
“I know, it’s just so much safer,” agreed Melissa.
“You should bring the boys over and they can all play in the game room. We always end up buying them the newest toys and gadgets,” Victor replied.
“We would love to! We can drop them off after school,” Melissa answered.
“We all need a play date sometimes. I know we’ve been busy but we should hang out more often.” Nichole sighed.
“I know. I miss being your assistant. That way we could always do whatever and I love having my best friend around,” Melissa replied.
“Why do you think I made you my assistant?” Nichole laughed.
“So I could help you with everything!” Melissa laughed in return.
“Most of the time you sat at my house and chugged all of my wine,” joked Nichole.
“It’s not my fault you had the best wine on earth,” laughed Nichole. “See, I miss these talks. We’re busy parents now, all in the same area of work and we never see each other.”
“We’ll change that,” Melissa replied.
Larry and Janet walked up to the table.
“Am I late?” Larry asked.
“Yeah but only by about two hours.” Nichole laughed.
The couple sat down and ordered their drinks. Nichole got everyone acquainted with each other and continued to eat her food. “So, Janet, how is work?” Nichole asked between bites.
“Work is work as always. People come in, claim they didn’t do it when there’s so much proof that they did, later on I give them a sentence and go about my days. How about you?” Janet replied.
“Everything is well! I’m about to open another hospital in Canada,” Nichole answered. Everyone got caught up on how things were with Larry and Janet. “Now that everyone is here, I have an announcement,” Nichole admitted.
Everyone looked up to Nichole as she stood and they listened.
Victor looked confused and looked at her along with everyone else.
“We have all been through a lot these last few years, okay? I got pregnant. An insane man fell in love with me and tried to kill me at the time. I found out I was having twins. Then he had two other men attempt to kill my husband. They shot him. Then Matthew got into that car wreck. Larry got married. Melissa got a surrogate then got pregnant. We ended up in a safe house.
“The insane guy got killed and then our kids started school. We are warriors, you guys! It was a crazy and beautiful journey. This journey never ends though. A new chapter always begins a new journey but it’s all a part of the same story. With that being said, I have a surprise. I’m pregnant!”
Everyone looked at her in shock, then they began to applaud for her. Janet and Melissa were congratulating her and the guys were congratulating Victor. “I still got it,” Victor laughed as he raised one of his eyebrows with a smile.
“That’s going to be such torture having an older brother and sister that are going to team up against him or her,” laughed Janet.
“We’re going to teach this one to be extra tough just because that might be a factor,” replied Nichole.
“Oh my gosh. That’s amazing!” Melissa screamed.
“How far along are you?” Victor asked.
“Two months,” Nichole admitted.
“You hid this from me for two whole months?” Victor asked.
“I wanted to wait and tell you on a special day!” Nichole exclaimed.
“You sure did succeed at that,” Victor said as he hugged Nichole.
“Another addition to the family!”
“I’m so happy!” Victor shouted.
Everyone in the restaurant heard the yelling and began cheering for them. Some of the other couples came to their table and congratulated them. A couple bought them dessert to help them celebrate. It was such a great night.
When it was time to go home the group hugged and said their goodbyes. Nichole and Victor got into the car and talked about the upcoming events.
“I’m so ready for this third baby,” Nichole admitted.
“This is such a surprise.” Victor chuckled. “It’s the best anniversary gift ever.”
“This isn’t your gift.” Nichole laughed. “It was just a happy surprise.”
“So, what’s my gift?” Victor asked.
“You’ll see when we get home,” Nichole replied.
“How do you think the kids are going to feel about the new addition?” Victor asked.
“They will either be really happy or they will act like Tashka and Zap when they came home from the hospital,” Nichole joked.
“As you always say, baby, everything will be okay,” Nichole replied.
They got to the house and walked inside. The kids were asleep on one of the couches and their grandmother was asleep on the other. Tashka and Zap slept on the rug. They were supposed to be watching a movie but were watching the insides of their eyelids instead. Nichole walked over to the fridge and grabbed whip cream and chocolate syrup. She motioned for Victor to follow her upstairs and she had a seductive grin on her face.
Victor followed her like a lost puppy and he was smiling also. When they got to the bedroom, Nichole removed her dress and showed Victor she was bare under her dress the entire time.
She put whipped cream on her breasts and chocolate syrup on her stomach. It slowly made its way to her belly button. She put whipped cream on her thighs and set the spray can down.
Victor attempted to walk up but Nichole stopped him. “No. Convince me why you should get to touch me,” Nichole said with an evil smile on her face.
“Please allow me to please the queen. I need her sweet juices to survive,” Victor pleaded.
“I’m not convinced,” she replied.
“I want to feel your insides and make you weep,” he replied.
Nichole smiled and said, “Access granted. You have to lick me clean.”
Victor laid her down on the bed and began to lick the whipped cream off of her breasts. He held her arms above her head and she moaned softly. He flicked her nipples with his tongue. Then he moved his tongue down to her stomach, making sure to get every bit of chocolate syrup. She sat there patiently, enjoying every taste bud that caressed her skin. He got to her thighs and sucked on them up to her vagina.
She moaned and Victor stopped. “No, don’t stop,” Nichole begged.
“What do we say?” Victor asked.
“Beat it up,” Nichole commanded.
“Good girl,” Victor replied. He got between her legs and did their best to not wake up Nichole’s mom and the kids downstairs.
They woke up to Nicolette and Miguel on their bed the next day. “Mommy! Daddy!” Nicolette screamed.
“Wake up!” screamed Miguel.
The couple jumped out of their sleep and looked around.
“What? What is it?” Victor exclaimed.
“You guys have been asleep all day!” Nicolette complained.
“Where’s Grandma?” Nichole asked.
“She went to the wine thing,” Miguel answered.
“What time is it?” Victor asked.
“It’s almost three o’clock,” Miguel answered with a frown.
“We’re hungry,” Nicolette whined.
“Did you ask Rita to make you something to eat?” Nichole asked.
“We don’t know what we want to eat,” Miguel added.
“Do you want pizza?” Victor asked as he rolled his eyes.
“Yeah!” Miguel exclaimed.
“Why didn’t you ask Rita to make you one then?” Victor asked.
“She’s out sick today,” Miguel answered.
Nichole picked up her phone and ordered two pizzas for everyone.
“Since you’re both here, there’s something Mommy and Daddy want to tell you,” Nichole admitted.
Victor’s eyes grew wide and he looked like he was holding his breath.
“What is it?” Miguel asked.
“Is it another dog?” Nicolette asked.
“No, sweetie, it’s not another dog.” Nichole sighed.
“Is it a new video game?” Miguel asked.
“No, it’s not a new video game.” Nichole sighed again.
“Then what is it?” Miguel asked.
“How would you feel about a baby brother or a baby sister?” Nichole inquired.
Nicolette raised her eyebrows.
Miguel was still confused.
“I wouldn’t really mind having another little sibling but it’s not as cool as a new video game,” Miguel responded.
Nicolette was speechless.
“Son, Mommy is going to have a baby,” Victor replied.
Miguel looked at Nicolette and then looked at Nichole and Victor.
“When?” Miguel asked.
“In seven months,” Nichole replied.
Nicolette was still speechless.
“Nicolette, honey, what do you think?” Nichole asked.
“Depends. Is it a boy or a girl?” Nicolette asked.
“We don’t know yet. We find out in a couple of months,” Victor replied.
“Where do babies come from?” Miguel asked.
“The stork,” Victor replied quickly.
“No, they’re too smart for that stork nonsense,” Nichole replied. “You tell Miguel how it goes in another room and I’ll tell Nicolette in here.”
Victor agreed and took Miguel into his room.
“Now, Miguel, having a baby is a big responsibility. When taking part in the action it takes to make a baby, you have to know the risks,” Victor explained. “When a man loves a woman, they have sex. Sex is when a man inserts his member into a woman and they make love. Then he plants his seed inside of her and the baby grows inside of her.”
“We’re like plants?” Miguel asked.
Victor sighed. “No, we’re not like plants. We just plant seeds inside of the woman we love.”
Miguel nodded his head and said, “Oh, okay. I get it now.”
Victor guessed he didn’t but allowed his confirmation to end the conversation.
Nicolette’s reaction was different. “I already know where babies come from,” Nicolette explained.
“You do?” Nichole replied.
“Yeah. A guy kisses a girl and she gets pregnant,” Nicolette continued. “Then the mom poops out the baby.”
Nichole felt like her daughter’s understanding was missing a few steps and elaborated. “Something like that. A daddy puts his male parts into the mommy’s female parts and they make love, resulting in a baby,” Nichole explained.
“Oh, okay,” Nicolette, responded.
Miguel and Victor walked back in and got back onto the bed. “Everything good?” Nichole asked.
“Everything is good and understood,” Victor replied.
The twins laughed and complained about their hunger.
Moments later, the doorbell rang and a security guard brought up their pizzas.
Nicolette and Miguel walked over to the door and took the pizzas.
“Thanks, Marcus,” Nicolette replied.
“She’s so mature for her age,” Nichole whispered.
“I know, and Miguel will mature as he grows up.” Victor chuckled.
“They’re so beautiful,” Nichole replied.
“I agree. Nicolette looks just like you and Miguel looks just like me. We are beautiful people and we make a beautiful family.” Victor smiled.
“They’re so smart,” Nichole replied.
The kids got back to the bed and Nichole and Victor helped them up. “I love pizza!” Miguel exclaimed.
“You’ve always loved pizza,” Victor replied.
“I mean look at it! I think everyone loves pizza!” Miguel screamed.
Tashka and Zap walked into the room and laid on the bed Nichole bought them.
“I can’t wait for school tomorrow,” Nicolette admitted.
“Oh yeah, why is that?” Nichole asked.
“We get to play with play dough tomorrow and I’m going to make a house,” she responded.
“You can do that here, too, can’t you?” Victor asked.
“Yeah, but I want everybody to see it,” Nicolette added. “I want them to see me in action.”
“That’s my girl.” Victor smiled.
They each grabbed a slice of pizza. Miguel grabbed the largest slice. “You’re small but you eat so much!” Nichole exclaimed.
“I have a big stomach.” Miguel laughed.
“What do you guys want to do today?” Victor asked.
“I don’t know,” Nicolette replied.
“I want to go to the zoo!” Miguel screamed.
“Then let’s go to the zoo!” Nichole screamed.
After they ate, they got ready, and headed to the zoo.
Miguel ran from habitat to habitat and admired the animals he witnessed.
Nicolette held her dad’s hand and followed their lead. Nichole followed closely behind Miguel to make sure he didn’t get too far away.
He called out all of the animals he knew and told his mom to describe the ones he didn’t. Nichole happily explained every animal he asked about.
Nicolette looked around and asked, “Daddy, how long did it take them to build the zoo?”
“I don’t know. Maybe a year or two,” Victor said.
Nicolette smiled and replied, “I want to beat that record.” Victor smiled at his daughter and knew what path she was planning to take.
Miguel continued to run around and look at all of the animals. “What is this?” he screamed.
“That’s a sloth. They move very slowly, and their long claws help them hang from tree branches,” Nichole answered.
When he saw the red pandas, he went ballistic. “Dad they look a lot like Zap! They’re lazy like him too!” shouted Miguel. “I want to be an animal trainer,” Miguel said to Nichole and Nichole looked at him and smiled.
When their zoo trip was over, Nichole and Victor were sure they knew what their kids wished to be when they grew up and their choices made them happy. They grabbed a bite to eat and they headed home.