Previous Disclaimers Apply

Chapter 55

Rafe had been off the crutches for a couple of weeks. He was still doing physical therapy for his knee. He debated on returning to the hardware store; he would be on his feet on the concrete floor all day. He also still had a few more weeks on parole before he would be completely released. Luckily, he had already completed his community service before the accident. Rafe also had to take incompletes in a few of his courses due to the accident. He was planning on taking several of the courses during summer session which started in another week to get caught up before the fall semester started.

Rafe had just finished with his physical therapy. He had been wanting to talk to Olivia for a while now about something, but he wanted to talk to her alone. He took a chance and stopped by the Beacon to see if she happened to be there. He found his Mom and Ava in Olivia's office.

"Hey guys." Said Rafe.

"Hey you. How was PT today?" Asked Olivia.

"Not too bad. I'll be glad to get home and ice the knee. Mom, you got a minute? Something I want to talk to you about."

"Sure."

"I'll take these and go straighten this out with Accounting." Said Ava.

As Ava left she closed the door. Olivia got the sense that something heavy was weighing on her son's shoulders. She got up from her desk and moved to join Rafe in the chair beside him.

"What's up? Something wrong?"

"No, not wrong. It's just…well…The doctor will be probably release me next week to return to work. He's warned me that being on my feet all day on that concrete floor that it will hinder my knee from healing completely. He's suggested that I try to find a desk job at least until my knee has completely healed and I am no longer suffering from any pain."

"OK. Do you have any idea on what you would like to do? I'll help in any way I can."

"I know…well…I have been thinking to about what to major in and…well…I…"

"What's got you so tongue tied?"

"I think I know what I should major in. It's seems like a perfect fit and I could probably get a lot of on the job training."

"OK. Rafe you keep talking in riddles. Spit it out so I can figure out how to help you."

"I want to major in hotel management and work here at the Beacon and learn from you and Ava." Rattled off Rafe in one long breath.

"Could you slow down and say that again? I want to make sure I heard you right."

"I want to major in hotel management and work here at the Beacon and learn from you and Ava."

"Rafe? I had no idea you were thinking about this. Why didn't you say anything?"

"Well, at first I wasn't sure how you would feel about it and I also didn't think that you would think that I would be smart enough to handle it."

"Rafe, please tell me that you know me better than that? Your Ma is a perfect example. She never completed high school and had only worked for me as a maid, but I could tell very quickly that your Mother had so much more potential than being a maid or waitress. And you what?"

"What?"

"I see that same type of potential and drive in you too. Also, even if you weren't in school and on the Dean's list if you wanted to work here I would put you to work myself. You don't need an education to be successful. Don't get me wrong. It helps; it does give you advantages. So if you want to continue with school and work here, we will work out a schedule."

"You're serious?"

"If you are, I am!"

"Rafe, the Beacon, it's my children's legacy. I didn't have a lot growing up. My family was poor. My dream has always been to give my kids everything they would possibly need and every opportunity I can give them. Ava has already started fulfilling that dream by moving home and managing the Beacon. Now I am not saying that both you and Emma and the twins will have to work here; but if you want to, it's yours."

"I want to Mom. I want this."

"Alright. Do you know your summer schedule for classes?"

"Yeah."

"Then let's plan the next four years of your life."

Rafe and Olivia spent the next hour going over Rafe's schedule as well as a plan for him to learn the hotel business inside and out. He left; headed home to tell his Ma the big news.

Natalia felt like a beached whale. She either stayed in bed or on the sofa. Her body was retaining so much fluid; she felt like she could float away. She was on the sofa working on another baby blanket when Rafe got home. His Grandma had waited until he got home before she left to go to the market. Olivia was nervous about Natalia being alone so close to her due date. She made everyone in the family promise to make sure Natalia was never left alone.

"Hey Ma."

"Hey Sweetie. How was physical therapy?"

"Good. Let me get the ice pack and I come join you. You need anything from the kitchen?"

"Could refill my water?"

"You got it."

Rafe returned to the living room. He pulled the coffee table closer to the wicker chair and then grabbed a pillow from the sofa. He propped up his knee and wrapped the ice pack to it with an ACE bandage.

"How many blankets does that make? Five?"

"Six. So you said therapy was good?"

"It was. The doctor will probably release me to go back to work next week."

"That's good. Do you think you are ready for that?"

"To return to work yes, to return to the hardware store, no."

"What? You don't want to work at the hardware store anymore?"

"No, I don't. Ma, that was never where I wanted to spend the rest of my life. I want more from life. I've been thinking a lot. Being laid up for a while, some days all I had were the thoughts in my head and I've made a decision."

"OK?"

"I decided on my major."

"You have? What did you choose?"

"Hotel Management."

"You want to…"

"I talked this over with Mom. We've got it all worked out. I am going to start working part-time at the Beacon. I will be learning the hotel business from the ground up from Mom and Ava; then I will have my classes for all the other stuff, computers, administration, accounting, marketing, etc. Mom said that the Beacon was her children's legacy. She said she hoped that one day all of her kids would want to help run the place. She said it was her dream."

"Oh, it is. She's talked about that a lot, especially since I became pregnant. She's been having a lot of one on one conversations with the twins. Rafe, you're sure that this is what you want? Because you know that you can do anything that you want and your Mom and I would do whatever we can to make it happen. You know that right?"

"I do, Ma. Mom pretty much said the same thing. I've thought long and hard about this. I want this. I know I can do this."

"I know you can Sweetie, come here. I need to give you a hug."

As best Rafe could he stepped over to the sofa, trying not to lose the ice pack. After their embrace he moved back to his chair and put his leg back up on the coffee table. His Ma returned to working on her blanket; he laid his head back and drifted off to sleep."

A little while later, he awoke to the sound of the back door. His Grandma was back from the store. His ice had melted; as he was unwrapping his knee he glanced to his Ma who had now fallen asleep. He joined his Grandma in the kitchen and helped put the groceries away. He told her of his plans. She was pleased to hear that he had decided on a direction for his life. Not long after Olivia arrived home with Emma. She had been over at her father's for the past couple of days.

Olivia made dinner that night, giving Rosita a break. Afterwards they watch a movie before turning in. Emma said her good night to Natalia and Rafe. Rafe went back up to his apartment. Rosita stayed downstairs with Natalia while Olivia went with Emma upstairs to tuck her in and then change into her pajamas.

For the last month, Olivia has kept Natalia's bag ready to go as well as one for her and a change of clothes downstairs. If something happened in the middle of the night, she didn't want to have to rush upstairs to change clothes before leaving for the hospital. She had everything planned out so that there would not be any confusion.

Once Olivia came back downstairs, she found Natalia already in bed. Rosita had checked all the doors and lights and met Olivia at the bottom of the stairs as she was coming down.

"Good night, honey." Said Rosita to Olivia as she went past her up the stairs.

"Night, Rosita. See you in the morning."

Olivia joined her wife in bed. Natalia was so big that sleeping on her back or her side were her only options. She also couldn't cuddle next to Olivia (her favorite position); they had taken to Olivia spooning Natalia. It was the closest that they could get their bodies together. After a few good night kisses they settled together and both fell asleep rather quickly. The next thing that Olivia felt was Natalia jerking in her arms.

"Natalia? You alright?"

She could hear Natalia's labored breathing.

"It was a contraction; the second one. I thought it was false labor but this one the second was different."

"Alright…OK. Let's…um…we have too…"

"Olivia! Olivia! Stop! Look at me!"

"Huh…what?"

"Get dressed, go wake up my Mama and wake up Emma. I'll call Rafe and the doctor. By the time you get back down here, I'll be ready to go."

"OK…that's good…that's a plan…why didn't I think of that?"

"Olivia! Stop talking and go."

"Oh, right…Yes, going."

Olivia quickly pulled on a pair of jogging pants and a t-shirt and she took the stairs by two. She woke up Rosita and then Emma. When she got back downstairs, Natalia had put on her robe and slippers and Rafe was there.

"OK, Princess. You and I will go on to the hospital. Rafe, if you'll bring your Grandma and Emma once you guys get dressed then we will meet you there…OK?"

"OK. Mom what about Ava?"

"Rafe, will you call her. I think your Mom is going to have enough to worry about driving us to the hospital." Asked Natalia.

"Will do."

Rosita and Emma went back upstairs to dress. Rafe saw his moms to the car; as he watched them drive off he called his big sister to meet them there.

"This is it Princess…very soon we will be meeting our new baby boy and baby girl." Said Olivia as she kept one hand on the wheel and the other gripping tight to her wife's hand.

TBC…