Forgotten Awakenings (Awakenings #2) Read online

  “Admission is the first step to getting help,” he chuckled.

  “Oh, so now, I need a twelve step program, huh?” Elle teased. “If anyone needs a self-help program, it would be Sadie and Derek. Those two are addicted to sex.”

  “And you’re not?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. “If memory serves me right, last night you were the one who instigated everything by sliding under the blankets and sucking my cock.”

  “That was different,” she mumbled.

  “How?” he asked, turning into the parking lot of the Women’s Healthcare Center.

  Elle waited for him to park before she pushed open her door and climbed out. Turning back to him, she said, “I was hungry, and I have to keep my protein up.”

  “Tease!” Callum yelled as she closed her door.

  Sadie and Derek met them at the front of the building. Flora had drifted off to sleep during the ride. Elle only had to wait a few minutes before Michelle, Dr. Kemp’s nurse, was calling her into the back.

  “How are you feeling?” Michelle asked, gesturing for her to stand on the scale.

  “Oh, not too bad,” she said, trying to keep her balance.

  “You’ve gained another three pounds, putting you up by ten so far. Have a seat for me.”

  Elle settled in the same red chair Sadie had sat in months ago. Michelle took her blood pressure, drew some blood, and gave her a plastic cup to pee in before waving her down the hallway to the bathroom.

  Once she’d filled the cup, which was getting harder and harder to do as her belly grew, she washed her hands and joined her lovers and daughter in the examination room, sitting on top of the tables.

  Dr. Kemp knocked on the door moments later, pushing it open and sticking her head. “Is it safe to enter? I don’t need any surprises this time.”

  Elle laughed, the memory of her last visit when Dr. Kemp walked into the room as Derek was stroking Callum’s cock. “All clear.”

  “Phew, I was afraid.” Stepping into the room first, Dr. Kemp closed the door and walked over to Elle, opening her chart. “Everything seems to be normal. How have you been feeling?”

  “Pretty good,” she said, curtly, and when Dr. Kemp raised an eyebrow, she sighed. “Well, my leg’s been hurting more. You know, where I got shot.”

  Dr. Kemp nodded. “I expected as much. With your center of gravity changing, the muscles and tendons that attach your back and legs are strained. We may have to consider alternatives as you get closer to your due date.”

  “Like what exactly?” Elle asked.

  “Maybe the use of a wheelchair,” she suggested.

  Elle sighed.

  “Look, we don’t have to decide anything right now. If the pain gets to be too intense, call me and we’ll see what we can figure out. Maybe meditation or pre-natal yoga.”

  “Yeah, okay,” she murmured.

  Dr. Kemp laid her chart on the cabinet before washing and drying her hands. Pulling out her measuring tape, she said, “Let’s get a few measurements and then we can see your baby. Have you decided if you want to know the baby’s sex?”

  “Yes,” the four of them replied, causing her to laugh.

  “We want to know,” Sadie explained.

  “Okay.”

  Derek helped Elle lay back on the table while Dr. Kemp pushed Elle’s blouse up over her belly. She’d already had to start wearing maternity clothes, which had been harder on her than expected. She’d never considered herself a vain person, but seeing her body so out of control had hit her hard.

  “You’re measure right on schedule for sixteen weeks,” Dr. Kemp stated. “Callum, if you can hit the lights, we’ll take a peek at your little one.”

  Elle’s heart raced as Dr. Kemp turned on the ultrasound machine, a low hum filling room. She squirted the gel onto her stomach while Callum lifted Flora out of her carrier. Through the baby was too little to understand what was happening, they all agreed they wanted her to be a part of the discovery. She’d be a big sister long before she knew what sister meant.

  Dr. Kemp settled on her stool as she placed the transducer on Elle’s stomach and started moving it around. After making a few notes in Elle’s chart, Dr. Kemp reached up and flipped a switch on the machine. A rapid thumping sound filled the room.

  “Is that … Is that our baby’s heartbeat?” Elle whimpered, struggling to keep her tears from falling.

  “Yes. It’s a strong heartbeat, too.” Dr. Kemp turned the screen toward them. “Meet your daughter.”

  Elle gasped. “I’m having a girl?”

  “Yes,” Dr. Kemp laughed.

  “Did you hear that, Flora?” Callum asked, his voice thick with emotions. “You’re getting a baby sister.”

  “Two daughters,” Derek whimpered. “Two beautiful, amazing daughters.”

  “God help any boy who looks at them,” Sadie cried as she leaned over and kissed Elle. “I love you.”

  “I love you, too.” As Elle turned her attention back to the screen, she smiled. She was having a daughter.

  —FA—

  Not even the constant throb in Elle’s thigh could wipe the smile off her face as she, Sadie, and Derek strolled into their office after lunch. Nate was perched up behind his desk, his attention focused on the computer in front of him.

  Elle had been leery about her decision to hire him to replace Callum, but so far, he had proven to be resourceful. He and Derek got along, and even Sadie thought he was nice. He just wasn’t Callum.

  “How’s it going?” Elle asked, leaning against Nate’s desk.

  “I can’t get the specs right,” he grumbled. “What am I doing wrong?”

  “Let me look,” she said, hobbling around so that she stood behind him. “You have it set for commercial and not residential.”

  “Mother … Ugh! I changed that like eight times,” he muttered, under his breath as he made the change. Once he did, all of his specs transformed on the house he was working on, making everything look perfect. “This program hates me.”

  “No, it doesn’t,” she refuted. “You just have to know how to use it.”

  Nate shifted his attention back to her. “You’re in a good mood.”

  “Am I usually in a bad mood?” she asked, turning and walking to her desk. She leaned her cane against the edge before she sat down, automatically leaning back in her chair and placing her hand on her stomach. Her daughter kicked, almost announcing that she was there.

  “No, of course not,” Nate muttered.

  “Liar,” Sadie snickered. “Don’t let her intimidate you just because she’s the boss. You think she’s a bitch, don’t you?”

  “No!” Nate exclaimed, his eyes widening.

  “I think you’re lying,” Derek accused. “Be honest. It won’t count against you.”

  “I don’t think she’s a …” Nate shifted his eyes to Elle.

  “A what?” she asked.

  “You know,” he mumbled.

  “No, I don’t. Why don’t you tell me?”

  Nate huffed. “I do not think you’re a bitch.”

  Sadie and Derek burst out laughing.

  “You two are bullies,” Nate muttered under his breath.

  “You make it too easy, dude,” Derek scoffed.

  Elle snickered as she turned her attention to her laptop. “Nate, stop taking the bait, and they’ll stop picking on you.”

  “Whatever,” he muttered under his breath.

  Just before two that afternoon, Elle and Sadie found themselves seated in the conference room, their plans for their parents’ new house spread out in front of them. To say Elle was nervous would be an understatement. Felt like she had to prove herself once more.

  “I —”

  But before she could get anything more out, the door to the conference room opened and Lucia lead Helina, James, Claudia, and Bruce into the room. Elle stood up as Helina rushed around the table, throwing her arms around her.

  “Oh, hey.”

  “Sorry,” Helina laughed as she stepped
away. “I’m just excited.”

  “Me, too,” Elle said, and meant it. Her parents’ sudden move to San Francisco had thrown her for a loop, but being able to see them more often had been a blessing. “Well, shall we get started?”

  “Not yet.”

  Elle shifted her eyes to the doorway of the conference room, where Samuel stood with a confused Derek behind him. “What are you doing here?”

  “We have some business to take care of before your meeting,” he said, pushing Derek into the room before following and closing the door behind him.

  “We do?” Elle asked, trying to remember if they had a meeting set that she had forgotten.

  Samuel nodded, but didn’t say anything as he walked over to the table and pulled the phone in front of him. He cradled the phone between his shoulder and ear as he punched out a series of numbers.

  “Hey, they’re here … Okay, one second.” Pressing a couple of other buttons, he replaced the phone and said, “Can everyone hear me?”

  “Yes,” Lydia chirped.

  “Carlos and I are here,” Felicia replied.

  “Dad, what is this about?” Callum asked, his irritation evident.

  “Great!” Samuel smiled, ignored his son, and looked over at Elle. “Now, that everyone is present. We’d like to know if we’re getting another granddaughter or a grandson.”

  “What?” Elle asked, looking around the room. “What makes you think we know the sex of the baby?”

  “Because that son of mine told me you found out,” Samuel told her, a smirk tugging on the corner of his lips. “Now, boy or girl?”

  “Damn you, Cal, for not keeping a secret,” Elle cursed under her breath. Sighing, she placed her hands on the table and tilted her head up, looking her boss/father-in-law directly in the eye. “You really want to know?”

  “Yes,” he said.

  “How bad?”

  “What?” he chuckled.

  “How bad do you want to know?” she repeated herself.

  Samuel smirked and leaned forward, mirroring her position on the other side of the table. “Name your terms, little girl.”

  “We’ll tell you the sex, but you have to give me your word that you won’t press us for his, or her, name. As with Flora, our child’s name will be released after he or she is born, and not until then.”

  “But that’s not fair!” he whined.

  “That’s the deal,” she said. “If you, at any time, renege on your word, I have the right to take my revenge. And I don’t play nice,” Elle taunted.

  “You do not want to get on her bad side,” Sadie snickered. “Trust me. She’s an evil mastermind when it comes to revenge.”

  “No shit.” Derek shivered. “The things she makes us do when we cross her.”

  Elle laughed, thinking about the way she had him on his knees three days ago. The sight of him with her silicon cock in his mouth had her aching with need.

  Samuel groaned. “Fine.”

  “I want to hear it,” she said.

  Pressing his lips together first, he sighed and mumbled, “I promise not to pester you about the unfair and torturous withholding of my grandchild’s name.”

  Elle smiled. “Well, now that we’ve worked all that out, I guess it’s time to tell you that we’re expecting another girl.”

  “Oh, Flora’s getting a sister!” Helina squealed, once more enveloping Elle in her arms. She could hear Felicia, Carlos, and Lydia offering their well-wishes. Tears flooded Elle’s eyes; the support from her family hitting her like a hammer.

  “Congratulations, honey,” James said, waiting for his turn to hug his daughter.

  “Thanks, Dad,” she cried, softly.

  “I didn’t mean to make you cry,” he fretted.

  “You didn’t.” She sniffed back the tears that fell with ease. “I’m just a little overwhelmed right now.”

  “Suppose we can understand that,” James laughed. “Well, I guess we should get started?”

  Elle nodded, but turned her attention to Samuel, who was smiling. “Need something else?”

  “Nope. Congratulations, sweetheart,” he said before turning and ending the call to Lydia, Carlos, and Felicia, and leaving her, Sadie, and Derek alone with their parents.

  “Do you need me to stay?” Derek asked, gesturing toward the plans spread out on the table.

  “No, we’re good.” Elle smiled. “Thanks, though.”

  “You’re welcome.” Derek winked at her before leaving them alone.

  Elle took a deep breath as she turned and looked at her and Sadie’s parents. “Well, here’s the house I’ve designed for you.”

  She grabbed the first set of plans and turned them toward the four of them. “I wanted to give you plenty of space, so I was thinking about something like this. The four/four/four option. Four bedrooms, bathrooms, and garage. The first two bedrooms would be on the west side of the property, along with two of the bathrooms. The other two bedrooms and bath on the east side. Connecting the two wings would be a large living room, formal dining, and state-of-the-art kitchen.”

  Elle’s mouth felt dry as she paused and chanced a look at their parents. “I can make any adjustments you want. We can shift the layout, or, um, I don’t know, go with a two-story?”

  “No, no, I like it,” Claudia said, smiling as she leaned forward and placed her hands on the table. “How many square feet will it be?”

  “A little over three-thousand, which is more than enough for the property you’ve been looking at in Sausalito,” Elle replied. “There will be a laundry room off the kitchen, just inside of the garage. We’d add a large deck on the back, give you a great view of the marina. Plenty of space if you want a pool or hot tub, or whatever.”

  “I’d like to keep the colors neutral,” Sadie added, gesturing to her boards that were covered in beige paint chips, swatches of rich, leather fabrics, and warm patches of carpeting. “Most of the house will have hardwood, but for the bedrooms, I suggest a thick, shaggy carpet. Elle’s plans have lots of windows, along with a skylight, so we can utilize the natural sunlight.”

  Sadie and Elle fell silent as they looked around at their parents, waiting for them to agree or tell them to fuck off.

  “Well, what do you think?” Elle asked, her voice wavering.

  “I think I speak for all of us when I say it’s …” James paused and shook his head, a smile tugging on his lips. “Perfect. Absolutely perfect.”

  “Really?” Elle whimpered, lifting one hand to her lips. “You think so?”

  “Oh, yeah, sweetheart,” Helina cooed, wrapping her arm around her daughter. “Exactly what we were wanting. Plenty of space. How much will this cost us?”

  “Oh, um, we can probably get all the materials at cost, which will come to half a million dollars, give or take fifty thousand. The contractors are reviewing the plans and will let me know what we’re looking at exactly, but once you’ve secured the property, I can summit the plans to the zoning committee and get approval. Should be able to move in by the end of the summer.”

  “That soon?” Bruce asked. “We figured we’d be looking at a year at least.”

  “Well, we’re not promising anything, but the Asciari Brothers are the best.”

  “Wow,” Helina murmured, leaning her head against Elle’s shoulder. “This summer we’ll be getting a new granddaughter and a new house. Everything’s coming together perfectly.”

  Elle tried to smile, but found herself wondering what dangers were hiding in the shadows. After all, things in her life had been a little too good.

  Twenty-seven

  “Elle,” Derek whispered, gliding his hand across her hip, cradling her belly. “Beautiful, time to wake up.”

  Elle moaned and pressed her body against his. “What time is it?”

  Derek laughed softly as he kissed just outside of her ear. “Almost five in the afternoon. You’ve been asleep for three hours, but we need to leave for the party soon.”

  “Don’t wanna,” she mumbled, grabb
ing his hand and pulling his arm around her so that his hand was pressed against her breast. “Can’t we stay here?”

  “Well, we could, but then we’d have to explain to Lucia, Nick, and Aaron, not to mention Jonas and Abe, why we missed their release party.”

  Elle groaned and turned her head toward him. “They’d probably be mad, huh?”

  “Lucia would be,” he admitted. “The others, I don’t know. Maybe. You know how those guys are.”

  Elle pressed her lips together and nodded. After weeks in the studio, Taj were scheduled to release their first album at midnight. Their single, Fusing Love, had already hit the charts and had been on every radio station in the area. Sin Records was throwing them a huge bash to celebrate their release, and Elle had told the band and Ivy the four of them would be there. But now, at twenty-five weeks into her pregnancy, Elle was regretting her promise.

  She was exhausted, and her leg ached. Dr. Kemp had hinted that she may need to use a wheelchair for the remainder of her pregnancy, but Elle was willfully ignoring her.

  “Did you fall back asleep?” Derek asked, laughing.

  “No,” she scoffed. “Have you showered?”

  “Nope. I was waiting for you,” he said, kissing outside of her ear again. “Can I shower with you, beautiful?”

  “Mmhmm,” Elle hummed, biting her lip as she rolled in his arms. “On one condition.”

  “And what’s that?”

  “Kiss me,” she whispered.

  Derek smiled before closing the gap between their lips. Though brief, it left her breathless and wanting more.

  Derek climbed over her to the edge of the bed and stood up, holding his hand out to her. “Come on, beautiful.”

  Elle’s breath caught in her chest as she placed her hand in his. A sudden burst of vulnerability rocked her to her core and tears filled her eyes.

  “Hey, what’s wrong?” Derek asked.

  Moisture sprinkled her cheeks as she shook her head, her words came out in thick, emotional spurts.

  “Nothing. I’m just … just tired,” she whimpered.

  “Do we need to stay home?” he asked. “I’ll call Lucia and tell her that we can’t come, if you’re not feeling okay.”