Chapter 7

Raven

It was two agonizing days before I could go home. We'd have to stay with my parents until I was capable of getting around for myself. With my fractured left wrist and multiple fractures in my left leg, it's at least three months before I can use crutches. By then we should be okay to go home.

My mom had set up the guest room on the first floor for me so I wouldn't have to climb the stairs. The only problem is there's another storm tonight and it's not soundproof for Anita. Having to sleep two nights without me and I knew she'd deal with the sound of thunder than sleep another night away from me.

She was currently helping me get comfortable in my parents living room, elevating my leg. Though we didn't have eye contact at the moment I could still see the battle of emotions in her eyes. I take her hand from fluffing the pillow under my leg and her eyes flick up to meet mine. Pooled tears threaten to roll down her cheeks as I watch her lower lip tremble, fighting against her crippling emotions.

I gently pull on her arm and she doesn't hesitate to take the spot on my right side. I wrap my arm around her as she sniffles, trying to fight the tears that fell against her will. I let my hand up the back of her shirt and her breaths shutter at the contact.

I kiss the top of her head as Lexi walks in with my mother. My mother smiles lightly and comes over to cover us with a light blanket. She tucks hair from Anita's face before kissing her forehead. "We'll let her sleep," my mother says quietly, adjusting the pillow under my leg.

"Mom, Anita already thoroughly fluffed the pillow, thank you," I say in a soothing whisper as I notice8 tears in her eyes.

"You weren't here Ray, listening to her cries, her begging for you to be able to come home," she says in a wavering whisper. "Watching her cuddle with Amelia at night with this lost, distant look in her eyes, unable to sleep."

A rumble of thunder sounding like a booming cannon made me jump a little, catching me off guard, but Anita didn't so much as flinch. She just snuggles closer to me with her head over the beat of my chest before letting out a content sigh. Moments later Amelia comes running in and cuddles at Anita's back with her head on Anita's waist. She reaches her small hand up Anita's shirt, letting it rest on her stomach.

She shutters a calming breath as she instantly falls asleep. I felt my throat constrict as I fought the urge to break down. Tears literally stung as I tried hard not to expel them with thoughts of what they could be going through if I had died a few days ago. Judging by how my mother described how Anita was while not being able to sleep and begging for me to come home.

I woke up with Anita lightly trailing her finger over my facial features. Her eyes were following the motion of her finger, tracing the scar above my eyebrow. Her eyes meet mine and I could see passion burning in them. Anita rarely ever needed words to express her feelings, at least not with me. I could always read it in her eyes.

I raise my right hand to caress her face and she immediately leans into the contact. Her eyes close, as if admitting my touch to memory or to just embrace this moment, a blessing on its own. When her eyes open a moment later a different emotion had bled over the passion that once filled them, but it was still here, deep in those cobalt eyes.

Relief could be seen as clear as words on a page. I knew better than to ask what was bothering her to wake me the way she did or why her sudden switch in emotions. It wasn't hard to guess her reasons because I already knew the answers.

These last few days have been extremely emotional for her and I couldn't blame her for feeling the way she did. I almost died in less than a day we learned that she was pregnant and after I asked for her hand in marriage.

She leans down, gingerly pressing her lips against mine as if she was afraid I'd shatter. I felt her tears a moment later as she continued with fragile like kisses. I let my thumb sweep her cheek and she pulls away enough to meet my eyes. Her lower lip trembles and I could tell she was about to get emotional.

"I need you Ray," she says in a wavering whisper and I keep quiet knowing well enough she's not done expressing herself. "I need you more than the air I breathe. These last few days I felt like I was suffocating. Struggling to breathe past the bullet in my chest was nothing compared to trying to breathe without your presence.

"I woke up a half hour ago and thought I was stuck in a dream, a dream I didn't want to wake up from. I can't handle life without you Ray, not when we're about to start our family. Please, don't let me go through this alone, because I can't," she says between broken sobs.

I wiped her tears and it was enough for her to know I wasn't going anywhere. She breaks into uncontrolled sobs and I gently pull her to lay on my chest. Her sobs brought in the others as tears rolled down my cheeks, holding this broken woman who stole my heart in my arms. "I'm sorry," I say in barely a whisper as my throat made it difficult to speak past my own emotions.

Anita shutters a calming breath as if hearing that was all she needed to help calm down. She looks down at me, smiling through her tears and gives me a kiss. "I'm going to make your favorite," she says in a wavering whisper, giving me another kiss.

I watch her walk through the others and into the kitchen. With concern in her eyes, my mother immediately follows after her. "Is everything okay Ray," my father asks softly as he sits on the arm of the couch by my feet.

"She told me the last few days she struggled to breathe, that breathing past the pain of the bullet in her chest was nothing compared to that. Then there's the unspoken words that ring the loudest inside my head and I don't know what to do to fix it. How do I help ease her pain," I ask in a choked whisper.

"You already are Ray," he says with a light smile and I look at him confused about what he meant. "You're alive and for Anita, that's all she needs from you."

Anita

One hand held the counter while the other was clasped over my mouth, muffling the sobs I could no longer hold in. Familiar arms wrap around me and I happily accept her maternal comfort. Sobbing into her shoulder, I let my hand clutch the sides of her shirt. One hand strokes my hair as the other rubs soothing circles on my back.

It wasn't long before I shuttered a calming breath, but didn't let her go. Silence fills the kitchen as I'm thankful she doesn't ask questions. She's like Raven, let me express my feelings at my own pace. She holds me at arms length, giving me an understanding smile before wiping my remaining tears.

Together, without words we get together and start making Raven's favorite dinner. Chicken Parmesan, something I've been craving like it would be the last thing I ever ate. Raven loves the way I make it and I've shown her mother how mine taught me.

A wave of dizziness hit me and grabbed hold of the counter with a hand to my forehead. I sway a little before I'm guided to sit at the table. I lay my head down as I try to calm my breathing from the nausea caused by dizziness. 

Moments later I feel someone rubbing at my back and open my eyes slightly to see Lexi. "Did you get Marie to do what I asked," I ask in a breathy whisper.

"Everything is all set, she said all there is left is to sign this," she says softly, pulling out a few documents from the folder in front of her.

Marie is my personal assistant and the only person I trust in my company after everything. I've known her my entire life and was the only friend who stood by me after my family was killed. Once things calm down I'm thinking of promoting her, she does so much for me and deserves it.

I look over the documents and tears fill my eyes. When Raven told me she'd have to find another restaurant to cook in my heart broke. Joe owned the restaurant with the help of my father. I simply made it so Raven now owns the restaurant. As soon as she signs this document. I called everyone in the day after her accident and they all loved Raven and would be happy to work under her.

"Can you wheel her in here, please," I ask as tears fill my eyes and Lexi nods lightly

"Sweetheart, you shouldn't worry about work right now," Charlotte says in a soothing whisper, rubbing my back. "You said you left Marie in charge."

"One business deal won't hurt," I say with a smile as the nausea finally passes, but my head was still slightly spinning. "I want to handle this one personally."

I push the document in front of her and she gives me a confused look before picking it up and reading it. Moments later her eyes widen and looks at me. I nod as Lexi wheels Raven next to me. I turn my head to look at Raven as she rubs my back with my head still on the table.

"Did you want to come back to lay down," she asks in a soothing whisper.

"I'm a little dizzy, it'll pass," I say in a wavering whisper and push the document in front of her. "I accepted your proposal, now will you accept mine?"

She gives me a confused look before picking up the document. A moment later she looks at me with tears in her eyes. "How," she asks in a choked whisper.

"My father was co-owner of the restaurant. Joe just ran it. When I took over the company, I took over ownership. I just simply adjusted some paperwork and once you sign this, the restaurant is yours," I say with a smile.

"You'd give me the restaurant," she asks with disbelief and I nod, keeping the smile. "I wouldn't know how to run it, I'd rather run the kitchen. Cooking is my passion."

I take out the other piece of paper and let her read it. She looks at me then to her mother, giving her the paper she just read. Charlotte takes it with a confused look on her face, but reads it. Moments later she puts it down and is taking me in her arms.

"I looked into some things after the interrogation with Joe," I choke quietly, still paranoid about him getting out and filling out his threat. "I saw your degree in business but never got to use it after having Raven. Now you can run it with her. You both just need to sign and the deal it complete."

"I honestly don't know what to say," Raven chokes with a smile.

"Just say yes and that you love me," I say with a smile and it gets her to laugh.

She leans in for a kiss and the sudden urge to get sick made me bolt out of the kitchen. Barely making the toilet, the nausea hits me full force. I haven't been able to eat and when I do, it doesn't stay down. Not sure if it was because I didn't have Ray, but I haven't been sleeping. I feel drained with little to no energy.

Leaning against the tub behind me I look to the doorway with hooded eyes to see Lexi. She scoops me up and brings me to lay down in the living room, where Raven was already waiting. I curl into fetal position with my head in her lap.

She gently massages my head and I groan with relief. "Are you okay mommy," Amelia asks in her cute little voice.

"I'm okay," I say in a wavering whisper and she helps herself to lay in right in front of me.

She looks at me with tears in her eyes and says in a scared whisper, "But you never get sick."

"I have a baby growing in my tummy and it's making me sick," I say in a soothing whisper as I take her in my arms. "I'll be better in a couple weeks."

"Two of my friends mommies had babies and then they had a brother and sister. Will this baby be my brother or my sister," she asks curious.

Caught off guard by her question and I was struck with the truth to her question. This baby would be her niece or nephew because she's my baby sister, not my daughter. She doesn't know that because she's only ever known me to be her mother. I was waiting for her to be much older before explaining the truth and hoping for her not to hate me.

Swallowing the truth and fighting against the tears, I say with a smile, "I won't know for a few months, but yes. It'll be your brother or sister."

Guilt sat heavy on my chest and it made me feel like shit. Needing a moment alone, I sit up and kiss Raven. "I'm going to take a bath," I say quietly and I knew she knew I needed to be alone.