Ten years raced by and each one brought different heartbreaks, but also healing and happiness. It was the inevitable circle of life. The constant ups and downs of an earthly existence that no human could escape until their heart took its last beat. Tonight was to be a celebration of two very special “ups.” Not only was it their wedding anniversary, but they’d heard some exciting news from Christy’s doctor as well. They’d just finished toasting when Christy brought up another subject.

“He’s definitely a handful,” Anthony told Christy over dinner after he lightly tapped his glass against hers and set it down. The special news they were celebrating was that Christy’s doctor had confirmed the gender of their baby. It was a girl, and she would be arriving in approximately five months. They’d tried for years after Christian was born to have another child, and it wasn’t until Christy decided to finally give away all the baby furniture she’d saved from when the boys were little that she discovered the great news. It was almost as if her ovaries removed a roadblock that had been set up to keep Anthony’s sperm at bay.

“A handful?” Christy asked as she sipped her water and then set it down. She was not quite four months pregnant and still battling nausea. Water was the only liquid she could drink that didn’t upset her stomach. “He’s more than a handful, Anthony. He’s a chaos machine.”

“He’s mischievous,” Anthony corrected. “You compare him to Slade, and that’s not fair, Owani.”

Her eyes flashed. “I don’t compare him to Slade.” She paused and then added, “But if I do, it’s because I worry about Christian and it’s hard not to see how completely different they are. Slade is serious and studious. You know he’s only thirteen and is already thinking about going into law.”

“He wants to be a defense attorney like my sister,” Anthony boasted.

“Not anymore,” Christy told him. “He changed his mind. I guess he didn’t tell you that now he wants to go after the bad guys. He wants to be a prosecutor.”

Anthony threw back his head and laughed. Christy glanced around the fancy restaurant and shushed him. “It’s not funny, Anthony. Your son wants to put people like you in jail.”

“Good. Let him. It doesn’t change a thing, and he’ll make me proud no matter what he decides to do.”

“I can’t help but think about how horrible things were for Kit when Grizz was arrested ten years ago.”

“She hasn’t gone by the name Kit in a long time,” Anthony corrected. “I want to wash my hands before dinner comes, Owani. I’ll be back in a few minutes, and we’ll talk more about Christian or Slade. Or Kit. Or our daughter. Whatever you want.” He stood and kissed the top of her head as he passed her on his way to the restroom.

It gave Christy time to think about all that had transpired for their friends in the ten years since Grizz’s arrest. Anthony was right. Kit no longer went by the gang name Grizz had given her. She was now known as Ginny and seemed to be flourishing and happy in her marriage to Tommy Dillon.

After his arrest, Grizz insisted that Ginny and Tommy marry. He knew he couldn’t promise Ginny and his unborn child a future and he wanted them both looked after. So, at his urging, Ginny unwillingly married Tommy, but in the beginning, had a difficult time letting go of her love for Grizz. Especially after giving birth to Grizz’s daughter, Mimi.

Christy couldn’t blame her. Mimi was a little younger than Christian, and Christy’s heart ached for the beautiful ten-year-old girl who would never know her biological father. Not because Tommy wasn’t a good father to Mimi, but because Christy knew that despite Grizz’s sordid past, Mimi had been conceived in love. After Grizz’s arrest in 1985, people tried to pass off Ginny’s love for Grizz as nothing more than a result of Stockholm syndrome. But Christy knew better.

The years passed, and Tommy, who had always been deeply in love with Ginny, raised Mimi as his own, and he and Ginny eventually had a son together. Jason was now five years old, and Ginny and Tommy’s marriage was a good and happy one despite the future event that hung over them. Grizz had been sentenced to die and now sat on death row. He continued to avoid the electric chair through appeals and other legal ministrations, but they all knew he wouldn’t be able to stave off the inevitable forever.

Anthony’s return to the table interrupted her thoughts, and she was grateful. She went on to fill him in on Christian’s latest antics and complained how punishing him hadn't helped.

“So, does his interest in motorcycles bother you or do you think it’s the bikes that will lead him into a life of crime?”

“You know I never judged you, Anthony, so I would never judge our children either. But we both know that’s not the life either one of us would want for our boys. Having said that, I know that it’s impossible to control someone else’s destiny or future.” She absentmindedly fiddled with the salt shaker. “If it ever came to that and one of our children did find himself on the opposite side of the law, I’d want it to be Slade.”

He was slightly shocked by her revelation. He leaned back in his chair and motioned for her to continue.

“Slade is so level-headed and even-keeled. He would make smart decisions and keep himself off the radar. It’s already obvious at ten years old that Christian doesn’t have that same ability. He seems angry all the time and has a quick temper. And it’s not because he’s being bullied for being different like when he was younger.” There had been a time when Christian was singled out because he was the darkest child in his class.

Christy placed her elbows on the table and leaned toward Anthony. Exasperated, she said, “He’s always getting into fights at school, being disrespectful to the teachers and it’s not his interest in riding motorcycles that bothers me. It’s his interest in stealing them.” She blinked at Anthony, and quickly glanced around the restaurant before returning her attention to her husband. “He’s only ten!”

Anthony nodded in agreement. “You’re right, Christy. And he’s not stealing because he needs the money.”

“Then what is it?” she asked. She couldn’t mask her frustration. “It’s not like you taught him to steal, like your father taught you. You’ve gone above and beyond to keep both boys away from anything criminal. When you take them to work, it’s to the landscape office. You don’t think they know about all the other stuff, do you?” she asked.

“I don’t think so, but kids talk. I would expect them to come to me if they’d heard something.” He paused and added, “Or maybe it’s time I had a talk with both of them.”

“I’m not sure how I feel about that, Anthony,” she admitted.

“You and I can discuss it later. In the meantime, I agree with you that he does have a temper. He doesn’t show it a lot in front of me, but I see it. I’ll see what I can do. Maybe I need to spend more time with him?”

“Anthony, you already spend time with both boys. You’re a good father. I guess he’s so different from Slade, I keep thinking I did something right with Slade and can’t seem to figure out what I’m doing wrong with Christian.” She blew out a frustrated breath and leaned back in her chair.

“You haven’t done anything wrong, Christy. You are the same loving mother to both boys. Just like you’ll be to our daughter. Some things in life can’t be controlled and I’m guessing the temperament our children are born with is one of them.”

She nodded her understanding and smiled across the table, marveling at how handsome he was. She was so happy he’d kept his hair long. She must’ve had a faraway look on her face because he interrupted her daydreaming.

“What are you thinking about, Christy?” he asked.

“It’s the pregnancy hormones, Anthony. I was worrying about Christian one second and the next second I was thinking about your long hair and I’m pretty sure I’m full-on horny now.”

Instead of heading home after dinner, they opted to check into a hotel for a couple of hours.

Anthony lay flat on his back and enjoyed watching Christy’s face as she moved up and down, slowly at first and gaining speed as she sought her release. He massaged both of her breasts and gently pinched her nipples as she writhed in pleasure. They’d been together for seventeen years and he never once tired of watching the expression on her face when she came. It’s what typically sent him over the edge and if he didn’t come with her, he did shortly afterward. She now lay slumped on his chest, her breathing heavy and ragged.

She finally slid down next to him and laid a hand on his stomach. He grabbed it with his free hand and intertwined his fingers with hers.

“Have you given any thought to a name for the baby, Owani?”

“I have and I hope you’ll like it,” she told him, her breathing starting to return to normal.

“As long as it’s not Bobbi or Vivian, I’m pretty sure I can live with anything you suggest.”

“I was thinking I’d like to call her Daisy.”

“Daisy?” he asked. “Where did you come up with that?”

“It goes back to the story you told me after you met with Valerie all those years ago. Remember the conversation you had with her about a daisy being a poor man’s flower?” she asked. She felt his nod.

“Daisy is a good name, Christy. I like it,” he said.

She untangled her hand from his and tentatively tickled her way down his stomach.

“Again, Owani?” he asked, surprised.

“Yes, again, Anthony. You have a problem with that?”

“Never,” he told her.

Anthony was escorted by an armed guard through the federal penitentiary where his friend Grizz sat on death row awaiting execution. He hadn’t been to visit Grizz since he made a special delivery to the prison several years ago. Not because he didn’t want to visit his old friend, but because Grizz wouldn’t allow it. After making that delivery, Anthony told Grizz he’d be back, to which Grizz replied, “Dead men don’t keep company with the living.”

And so, here Anthony was, years later walking the bleak halls of what had been Grizz’s existence, wondering why he’d been asked to come. He was shown into a small office and wasn’t in the least bit surprised to see Grizz sitting behind a desk, his feet propped up on its edge. He was on the phone and hung up as soon as he caught sight of Anthony. A wide grin broke out on his face as he approached his old friend and gave him a tight hug and a hard pat on the back. Anthony’s gaze fell on a small knee-high table against one wall. It was flanked by two cushioned chairs with wooden armrests. An expensive chess set carved from ivory sat on it. The same chess set Anthony had delivered to Grizz years earlier. He then perused the rest of the office.

Before he could ask, Grizz answered, “The perks of having some clout and loads of cash.”

They made small talk, and Grizz couldn’t hide his amusement when Anthony shared that his oldest, Slade, wanted to go into law to lock up the bad guys.

“I know he’s only thirteen and there’s still a lot of time for him to change his mind,” Anthony told him. "But if he sticks with it, I might consider moving away from Naples.” Grizz nodded his understanding, and after a few minutes of small talk in which both men avoided the subject of Kit, now called Ginny, Grizz blurted out, “I guess you’re wondering why I asked you to come.”

Anthony nodded and said, “It has crossed my mind.”

Grizz hefted one hip on the edge of his desk and said, “I hear congratulations are in order. I heard it’s a girl. I’m sure she’s beautiful.”

“Thank you,” Anthony said, with a grin. “She’s as beautiful as her mother.” He didn’t need to question how Grizz had heard. He’d said more than once that Grizz was the most connected person he knew and life behind bars wouldn’t have changed that. But he also knew Grizz hadn’t summoned him to offer congratulations.

“I have a present for you. Something to help celebrate your daughter’s birth.”

Anthony looked around the office, the confusion on his face hard to miss.

“It’s a real gem of a gift.” Grizz stood and said, “Follow me.”

Anthony walked down dreary hallways and noticed the respect that was given to Grizz, even by the guards. There were no catcalls or lewd comments from the other prisoners when they passed through the general population cell block.

“Where are we headed?” Anthony asked.

“Solitary confinement,” Grizz told him.

After they were let into the solitary confinement block, Grizz stopped and turned around. Facing Anthony, he said, “There’s a prison hierarchy, and as you’ve probably already guessed, I’m at the top of the food chain.”

Anthony gave a quick nod.

“New inmates are always trying to get on my good side. Working directly under me has its benefits, so they’re always trying to impress me with their past exploits. I don’t just look for muscle, but I seek out brains as well. The man you’re going to meet is an old friend of yours, but I’m sure you haven’t met him because if you had, he wouldn’t be alive. He told me about a stunt he pulled years ago, trying to impress me with the fact that he did it right under the nose of Anthony Bear. It’s obvious he believed what he heard back then. That we were rivals and enemies.”

Anthony’s eyes narrowed.

Grizz motioned to the guard who unlocked the cell door.

The guard gave Grizz a curt nod and said, “He has ten minutes.”

Before swinging the door open, Grizz told Anthony, “I had him sent here so you’d have some alone time.”

The meaning wasn’t lost on Anthony, and when Grizz pulled the door open, Anthony didn’t recognize the man who was leaning back on his cot. But the man recognized Anthony and scrambled to his feet.

“Anthony Bear,” Grizz said as he waved his hand toward the open cell. “I’d like to introduce you to the man who used to call himself Ben Diamond.