Ohio
Sam and Cedes were out nearly every afternoon asking questions, getting cold shoulders and being moved on by the smaller dealers on the blocks, They eventually met up on a girl called Jennifer by accident one afternoon in the gas station. Sam was stood pumping gas and Cedes was standing outside the car trying to get the cramp out of her left leg "You alright?" he looked across the top of the car at her pained face
"I'm fine" she smiled her attention caught by some rather rowdy boys coming towards them with two girls in the mix, from afar it looked like they were having fun, she smiled thinking of a different life they could be having, but when they got closer it was clear they were taunting the girls who were trying to get away from them.
Before Sam could say of even do anything Cedes was up off the car and moving towards them "Cedes" he shouted trying to get the hose out to hang it up to run after her, watching her walk fast towards them "Cedes stop, what the fuck are you doing?" he shouted after her abandoning the hose and going after her "Where are you going?" he grabbed her arm asking pulling her to a halt
"Hey" he heard one of the guys shout looking up to see he was talking to him
"What?" he let go of Cedes and asked the guy, his attitude already stinking
"Why are you grabbing that girl?" he walked up to him asking, Cedes wanted to step in between them but she knew what Sam would think about that, so she stood closer to him, looking at the guy talking as the other two came over to see what was going on
"Stopping her from beating your ass, as you can see" he moved in front of her telling them
"Beating my ass?" the guy laughed looking round at the other two, who started laughing too, Cedes face went to another level as they laughed, they eventually saw something in her eyes telling them he wasn't joking, and abruptly stopped laughing
"Your new to these parts?" the shorter guy of the three asked
"Yeah we're passing through" Cedes told them
"You guys don't look more than 15" the tallest guy at the back commented
"21 actually" Cedes snapped at them "And you shouldn't be bullying the sisters like that"
"We're not bullying we're having a laugh, and she's not a sister" their front man pointed to the white girl standing listening
"She's a girl, she's a sister to me" she told them flashing her hair at them "Are you girls alright or do you need a ride somewhere?"
"We could take the ride" the tall, slender, brown skinned girl told them stepping off to stand behind Cedes
"We meant no harm" the front guy told the girls "Just passing time" he smiled making everyone relax
"Wasn't funny" the white girl told them cutting her eye
"My bad" the short guy who seemed to be the leader told her, holding his hands up
They stood talking for a short while before parting company "Nice meeting you guys" Cedes smiled turning to get back to the car, Sam fist bumped the guys, ran back to remove the pump from his car and then over to pay for the fuel
"Seriously how old are you guys?" one of the girls asked
"Nearly 17" Cedes smiled as they got in the car
"And your parents..."
"We're orphans" Cedes said cutting the conversation off, watching Sam as he paid for the fuel and got back to the car
"Where to?" Sam asked as he got back in the car
"Well I Jennifer, want to go home but Michelle is also an orphan"
"Okay" Sam looked at Cedes wondering what she'd told them "So where do you want to go?"
She gave them an address and directed them until they were near her home "I can walk from here" she made to jump out the car
"God your house is massive" Cedes looked through the iron gates at the wide fronted white house "What do your parents do?"
"Oh you really wouldn't want to know" she laughed jumping out the car
"We might just want to know" Cedes looked at Sam smiling
"It's late but come in" Jennifer invited them in, they wanted to see what the inside was like they smiled at the invite "Meet my parents, but tell them I was with you guys all night, we were at the Hounds Café just shooting pool"
"Okay?" Michelle jumped out the car, watching as Sam and Cedes looked at each other "They're cool people" she assured them
"Come on, grab the bag" Cedes told him watching as he grabbed it, jumped out the car, grabbed her hand and took the short walk up to the house
"It's Mr & Mrs Brady" she told them just before the door opened, they stood looking shocked as a real life Butler, just like on Fresh Prince, stood greeting them, Sam and Cedes looked at each other again before squeezing hands and walking in
"Mom Dad this is Sam and Cedes and Michelle you know of course" she smiled as her parents stood up to greet her friends "We've been down at Hounds shooting pool all evening" she told them, you could tell by the look on their faces they didn't believe her, it made Cedes grin, she was a bad liar too
"Nice to meet you" her Dad smiled at them watching as Sam protected Cedes from whatever he thought was a threat in this situation
"You too, you have a beautiful home" Sam commented
"So Sam and Cedes is it, where do your parents come from?"
"California" Sam quickly passed over
"Oh but they're no longer with us, we're orphans now"
"So how do you guys support yourselves?"
"Oh we're doing some business for a company called TDH in California once it's done we'll be heading back home" Sam told him moving for Cedes nudge
"I work with a company similar to TDH actually I know it well, what's your business?" Mr Brady asked, Sam looked around the room nervous "We can go talk business if you want?" Mr Brady smiled at him
"James do you have to?" Mrs Brady asked rolling her eyes "Your minds never off business"
"I'm intrigued" he smiled as he guided them out the room "So" he sat on his desk looking back at Sam and Cedes standing looking like the picture on his laptop and back at them, they looked even smaller in the massive room "The business what is it?" he asked watching them look at each other before Cedes shrugged her shoulders and he opened the bag "What's that you've got there?"
"You tell me and then tell me if we can do business" Sam put it in his hand, they stood as they watched Mr Brady walk around his desk and get a knife out the draw inserting it in the parcel and putting some of it's content on the tip of his tongue
"It's good" he held it out for them to taste
"Sorry we don't" Cedes told him
"Wow top quality I guess I could take this off your hand, I'll give you double what your original buyer was going to"
"They were giving up $300k" Cedes snapped out before Sam could say anything
"So I guess you just made yourself a cool $600k" Sam and Cedes clasped hands in excitement "Can I get that into your account"
"Oh cash only" Sam laughed as Mr Brady went to his walk in safe and came out with a small case
"You can count it if you want, I stack it in $1m's" he sat tasting the stuff thinking that was the easiest $4m he'd ever made, smiling as he watched their uncertainty, as to whether this was actually happening, obviously scared to head for the door "Go on the deals done" his voice light with a smile in it, they could do nothing but smile at each other before not even bothering to look back to see where Jennifer was, they left the house
Mr Brady of course made the call to Tony telling him, he'd spoken to them "Where are they staying?" Tony asked
"I'm not their parent, they said they were passing through" Mr Brady snapped at him
"Your Money will be there" he told him, cutting the call off
California
Tony put the phone down from his conversation with Mr Brady, he couldn't believe they'd just walked in, handed the package over and took the money all by total accident, but he was happy they'd got through it without a hitch
"Uncle" he said as he closed the call, grabbing his jacket to get over to the house "Uncle" he burst through the Evans' front door shouting "I have news" he shouted as Ann came out of the lounge
"News?" she asked following him to the study
"News" he burst through the door telling them "Mr Brady up in Lima Ohio just brought the whole package from the two of them, he said it was an absolute fluke, they'd been out with his daughter and she brought them back to their house, everything went smooth and he gave them $600k" he smiled "They're safe"
"So where are they?" Daniel asked
"He didn't ask, and to be fair that wasn't part of the agreement but, we know they're in Lima right now"
"Okay lets get up there and we can start combing that area" Daniel told them "Ann pack a bag" he ordered picking the phone up to let Heath know
The phone rang at the Heath residence, they knew who it was and that it was news, what they didn't know was if it was good or bad, they'd been arguing yet again about the punishment they'd decided to hand out to their daughter, the regrets, the what if's. At this point Hazel had talked herself into thinking the worst and no matter how Heath tried to be optimistic she'd knock things back down again, sending herself into a spiral of depression "They have" Heath jumped up out the chair excited, at last he had something positive to tell Hazel "They're alive" he interrupted the phone conversation to tell his waiting wife, watching as she collapsed in the nearby chair and cried for the relief "We're there" he told him dropping the phone to go hold his wife "We need to pack a case, they're in Ohio" he told her, watching happily as she pulled out of his grip and went into action
"Tony" Daniel looked up at him smiling "You done good, tell your Mom as soon as we find out where they are we'll let you guys know and we'll all tell them together" he walked up to him saying "We don't need this getting any bigger than it already has"
Ohio
"Michelle" Cedes said when they got to the car to find her leaning on it "What are you doing?"
"I don't live here, I don't actually live anywhere to be honest I, unlike you guys, am really an orphan"
"So what do you want from us?" Cedes looked at Sam asking her
"Somewhere to stay for a couple of days I guess"
"We live in a motel, we don't have space for you" Sam told her
"We'll give you money for food and so you can rent a room for a week" Cedes told her
"I'll take that" she smiled hugging Cedes
"Err I don't think so" Cedes told her watching her going towards Sam for a hug "All of this is off bounds, I don't care who a bitch is, I will slap your ass into next week, back the fuck off"
"I hear you girl, I was just being friendly"
"I'm all the friend he needs" she told her, her look wiping Sam's smile off his face, before they got back in the car and made their way back across town to their motel, it was late, they'd brought some fast food and sat in the motel eating, talking and watching TV "We booked you a room down the way" she told Michelle when they got tired
A week later they found a house to rent, Michelle, who was 20 years old had turned out to be of good sorts, she'd stood as guarantor for them, she found work at the local café and was paying rent for the third room in the house. Sam and Cedes were busy finding antenatal care, preparing for a baby, furnishing a house while Sam was looking for work to cover the presence of their ever flowing money tree.
"What are you doing home?" Cedes walked into their living room asking of Michelle almost laying on the couch while Sam sat at the dining table talking to her
"Late shift, long break remember" she told her smiling at Sam, she didn't mean anything by it but Cedes hormones were going crazy and she took it as they'd just got out of bed and were hiding some sort of secret affair from her, Sam saw her face knew she was about to blow and jumped in
"I just got in about 5 minutes ago, I was just asking her the same thing, that's why she's laughing, reminding me she pays rent" Cedes looked at him for a while, knowing in her heart he was telling the truth and smiled
"So what's for dinner?" she asked setting the half eaten box of chicken wings on the table and smiling as Sam started eating them "I have three weeks left of eating for two" she smiled at him leaning across to kiss him
"Exciting isn't it" he pulled her onto him laughing, Michelle sat smiling at the couple that were fast becoming her family
"I love the way you guys love each other, I hope to find that one day" she cooed at them "I can't believe I didn't even notice you were pregnant for the first week we lived together" she laughed "You're going to be wicked parents"
"Thanks Shell" Mercy turned to say smiling at her before turning back to pay attention to Sam
'Hey lady, let me tell you why, I can't live my life, without you (aw baby)' she hummed in his ear kissing his neck, for them right now Michelle may as well have not been there
'Every time I see you walking by I cannot breathe, you don't understand but in time you will, I must make you understand' he hummed grabbing her hand "Oh sort something out for yourself, dinners going to be late" he turned to tell Michelle
"I'm off to work I don't need to hear that" she waved her hand jumping up to get back to work
It was difficult to fully be together at this point, with Cedes larger than average baby bump, the trapped nerve in her groin and the baby's constant moving they were scared to crush stuff, but they had a good time doing alternative stuff, the baby seemed to get as excited as them about sex, when she finally settled down they'd do things as quietly and slowly as possible to not wake her up.
"Cedes" Sam walked back into their bedroom some time later with food on a tray "Come on eat something"
"I have a mad headache, just let me sleep" she fanned him off
"I said food" he laughed knowing that wasn't something she turned her nose up at
"Seriously Sam, my head is banging, give me an hour"
"Okay" he turned around with the tray and left her to it
It was well after an hour later when he went back to go check on her "You alright Cedes" he whispered as he got close, on seeing her still asleep he left the room again. An hour later and he was worried, he walked back into the room "Cedes" he shouted from across the room she could go mad at him for all he cared "Cedes" he shook her
"Sam" she jumped, disorientated holding her head
"Are you alright?"
"I feel sick" she slurred "I'm going to be sick" she pushed the cover off her putting her legs out of bed and holding his shoulder for how dizzy she felt "Something's wrong" she told him holding her head with pain and her shoulders started heaving and she was vomiting profusely
"Cedes" he gasped as he watched her vomit land on the floor covering her very swollen feet "Your legs" she couldn't concentrate on anything she was trying to stop the vomiting that seemed to go on forever "Hospital" he demanded attempting to pick her up, horrified when he realised the swelling was all over "Can you walk?"
"I can't see properly" her voice seemed to be in slow motion, Sam was scared, so much so he found a strength he never knew he had lifting her off the bed and carrying her to the car, putting her in and driving the twenty minutes to the local hospital
Once there the nurses and doctors reacted quickly, telling him about something called Preeclampsia "What's happening to her?" he asked as they moved around
Hypertensive patient here" The Nurse shouted and everyone came rushing through
Within seconds there was a doctor standing over her "What do we have here?" he asked turning to look at Sam "What's her name?"
"Cedes, I mean Mercedes" he told him as the nurses prodded and poked at her
"Are her parents around, we might need consent" he looked back at Sam asking "Lets get some IV's in and a monitor on them" he told the nurses as Sam answered his question
"I'm her partner we live together"
"I get that son but this is serious, we need her parents if they're around"
"What she could die?" he asked, his eyes filling up as the words came out his mouth
"Her condition is serious" the doctor told him, he sat in the waiting room wondering what to do next
Atlanta
"The restaurant" the driver announced as the car came to a halt, that day they went looking for Mercedes and Sam, the children jumped out before Zina could speak, Danger jumped out after them following them quickly into the restaurant
"Come on" Martin held his hand out for Zina to get out the car
"Still the gentlemen" she'd smiled grabbing his hand and stepping out the car, she didn't let go of it when she stepped out, watching his smiling face as they walked to the restaurant door in silence
Dinner took place with looks being passed between Martin and Zina at the table while the children went about their usual rowdy eating habits, the adults had conversation, mainly around Mercedes and Sam before they finally made their way home, dropping Danger off on route.
The children went straight to bed all that driving had taken it out of them, plus it was late "Do you want a drink?" Zina surprised him asking as they stood clumsily across the room from each other, her choosing music and him watching her, changing his expression as she turned to ask the question
"I guess" he shrugged his shoulders saying "Forgive me this has only ever happened once in my life" he laughed
"Black, one sugar right?"
"You remember" he smiled impressed, as he sat on the couch watching her walk about the kitchenette preparing their drinks, "So" she finally walked towards him
"Yeah" he moved uneasily in the couch "I guess while we're actually talking for the first time in what, nearly 30 years, I get to ask that question I've always wanted to ask"
"No don't, lets just go with this flow" she covered his lips telling him, sitting down beside him
"We missed something didn't we?" he asked looking at her as she handed him his drink
"I didn't know it back then but yeah we missed something" she smiled "I missed you"
"You did?" he asked shocked that she'd even admitted that "I'm sorry" he shuffled on the couch turning to face her as he spoke "I know you asked me not to but I... we made love that day, I know you felt it too, why?" he asked his eyes begging for a reply "Why did you leave me"
"I was frightened, it was too much for me all that emotion, I didn't know what it was, all I knew was that is scared me and I couldn't handle feeling that vulnerable"
"And now?"
"I haven't felt that way since, I've been moving from one worthless relationship to another running away from you" she finally looked him in the eyes "I know now it was love, that was what I experienced but we were children" she grabbed his top puling him to her "I'm sorry" the room silent except for the instrumental music ringing through the room
Martin rolled his eyes taking the loud message as a sign and bit the bullet "I still love you" he grabbed her shoulders "Sometimes I hate that I feel that way but I can't help it, will you at least give me something?"
"Promise you won't hurt me, my heart wouldn't survive it"
"I promise" he watched her lips stop moving before he covered them with his, and suddenly those past 30 years disappeared. they were 15 again, without the clumsiness, no inhibitions, and the love was still there and still very real, as Josh Stone told them this was for the rest of their lives
The next morning he woke up to Zina singing, that was what had drawn his attention to her in the first place, he smiled as he lay pretending to sleep listening to her version of Joss Stone's 'I've Fallen In Love With You' 'I've fallen in love with you, and you've just got to feel the same way too' she sang he lifted his head to see her looking at him "Did I hear that right?" he asked crawling towards her
"What did you hear?" the smile on her face mixed with embarrassment
"That you'd fallen in love me"
"Don't you go, please stay, never try to send me away" she blushed as she sang dramatically
"God" he got out off bed grabbing hold of her "I've loved you for... ever" was the word he settled for, smiling as she buried her head on his chest "Technicality I knew, but you walked away, remember"
"I still need to apologise for that?" she smiled, and the relationship was rekindled, three months in and they were getting on really well, even Damien was talking again, even having meaningful conversations with Martin
Ohio
Sam sat in the waiting room wondering what the hell was going on, the word die ringing in his ear like a nearby church bell, there were several stages of bricking it, starting with frightened, leading to scared, passing up to petrified and then that other feeling and he was one above that right now. It suddenly dawned on him that they were alone, she could die, their baby could die, the two people in the word he had responsibility for could leave him any minute now, he held his head unable to cope with the thought and took his phone out
"Mom" he burst out crying when she finally answered the phone, even he was shocked at this release of pressure "Cedes is in hospital the doctor said she might die" he blarted out, he could hear his Mom gasping
"What hospital?" she asked grabbing a pen and some paper to jot down all Sam's mumbling "We'll be there ..."
"Got to go Mom the doctors coming" he told her putting the phone down "Any news?" he asked jumping from one foot to the other he was so nervous
"We need her parents here" he told him "She has preeclampsia" he told him
"What's that, will it hurt the baby?"
"We've tried her on a few medications, we think there might be some medical history that's complicating things, but until her parents get here we won't know for certain"
"Can I see her?"
"You can but she's not allowed to move"
"What did you say this pre thing was again?" Sam asked as they walked towards the room Cedes was in, listening as he told him about the condition
"She has a Pitcoin drip in to induce labour, make it start that is" the Doctor said pushing the door open, Sam gasped at the sight of her before quickly stepping towards her
"Cedes" he gasped grabbing her hand, he could tell she wanted to say something because her eyes moved but she was too weak
"She's tired, that's the symptoms from the Preeclampsia, and the drip isn't working too well we're still trying to find out what the problem is" he stood at the door telling him "She'll probably want to sleep for all the medication she's had" he told him before stepping back out the door and letting it shut
Sam sat, with too much time to think about what this could mean for them, tears rolling down his face as he prayed silently with her swollen hand in his humming 'Words can never say what I feel, it's too intense (ohh), I've tried and tried and tried and tried to tell, you how I feel, but I get mixed up (so mixed up)' as he tried to stroke life back into her, that was all he could think to do, he finally fell asleep too
He was woken by screaming Cedes was screaming her head off, it took him a couple of seconds to work out what was happening "What are you doing?" he asked the doctor sitting at the bottom of the bed with his hand nearly elbow deep inside his girl
"We need to see what's going on in there, she should be in labour already, we might need to do a C-section" he announced
"C-section" Sam gasped this was turning into a fucking nightmare, he hadn't seen any of this coming, Cedes started kicking at the doctors actions still screaming "Cedes" he grabbed her hand "They're checking the baby, you've been really good so far, please" he stroked her face trying to calm her down
"Mercedes you're unusually weak, we may need to help you bring the baby, we'll give it another hour, if the baby isn't stressed" the doctor told them taking his hand out of her and removing his glove "I'll ask consent of course but if there's no choice..." he didn't finish the sentence before he left the room
Sam looked at Cedes she was scared, he way past that but right now that wasn't what she needed to see, he kissed her cheek and held his face against hers for a while telling himself to get a grip and be strong for her, he heard her sleeping again and moved his face to look at her, the only emotion he had right now was crying, he was doing enough of it for both of them
Nearly an hour later and the door burst open Sam wiped his face, he was ready for the bad news he looked at Cedes still sleeping almost guilty for putting her in this position, and then back at the door "No change?" the nurse asked him like he was the professional in this situation
"No" he told her before grabbing Cedes lifeless hand, looking at her for a while before the tears seemed to come from nowhere again, he finally got up, plugged his earphones in and wondered down the corridor and out the front doors, his head was going to explode with all this fucking shit going on, all they were doing was having a fucking baby, he grabbed the air with his lungs, it felt like forever since he'd smelt fresh air, oblivious to anything going on around him the music was so loud in his ear keeping him level, he found a bench and sat wondering what he was going to say to his parents when they arrived, but glad he'd called them, this was too much to face alone, a smile coming to his face as one of the songs from their first marathon time together, on the occasion they were sure their baby was conceived, came blasting through his headset, bringing their good times back 'Reveal the secrets of your body, you feel perfect when you on me now, I don't want to leave you now, morning, we saw the night turn into morning, guess I gotta go right now, ten more minutes turn into an hour, yeah, wish I could stop the hands of time...' 'Was that a sign' he thought about 'BRB' by Bazzi coming to him just then, quickly followed by a sharp pain of guilt for wishing the baby wasn't here when he first heard about her 'Was this all my fault, did I wish this?' "No I'd never wish this" he sat up hearing his name
The Parents
Less than two hours after Tony's news the four of them were on their private plane on their way to Lima Ohio, hoping to find their babies before trouble found them. After three weeks of searching they'd got a call from Sam crying telling them Mercedes was in hospital, Hazel collapsed falling to the floor before Heath could get to her, he was just as weak at hearing the news but his wife laying there in need gave him a strength he never knew he had "We need to get to the hospital" Ann told them grabbing her bag
"Is she..." Hazel looked at Ann asking
"He didn't say that, but I think she's pretty ill" she replied, they left the hotel grabbing a cab to get across town to the hospital
"Tony, we found them Mercedes is in hospital we don't really know what's going on but we need to tell them the truth as soon as possible so get on a flight and get here as soon as you guys can, and don't forget he's going to be shitting bricks when he sees you, so we need to talk fast, I'll call with details once you get here" he told him relaying information about the hotel they were staying at before closing the call
"Mercedes is in hospital, I don't think they'll be in a place to hear our shit right now, do you?" Hazel snapped at Daniel
"Hazel" Ann looked at her with daggers
"Sorry Daniel, I'm stressing, I don't know what's wrong with my daugh..."
"It's alright Haze, I understand" Daniel grabbed her hand telling her, the rest of the journey taking place in silence
The Hospital
"There he is" Hazel shouted as they all looked where she was pointing to see him looking up to the heavens, his face tearful, he looked so sad and so young
"Sam" Ann gasped jumping out the cab, the others following while Heath threw some money at the driver before he followed them "Sam" they all stood listening to Ann when they realised he'd got his earphones in, he flinched, and their hearts leaping at the sight of him
"Sam" he heard his Mom's voice shouting, his eyes sprang open, to see her standing in front of him
"Mom" he gasped jumping up to get a well needed hug, taking his ear plugs out to give the information he had "They said she might die" he sobbed "She's got some complication and now they're talking preeclam something and C-sections"
"She's pregnant?" his Mom asked looking back at his Dad, watching as Heath and Hazel rushed towards the hospital doors
"I'll tell the doctor her parents are here" he lifted up off his Mom shoulder anxious to get back in, walking back in to the hospital to see them already talking to someone "She's through here" he walked past them telling them
"Just get us the doctor in charge" Heath told the nurse as they moved off to follow Sam
"What's happening to her?" Hazel asked crying harder when she saw her only child strung up to what looked like every machine in the hospital
"The doctor wi..." Sam started to tell them stopping as the door opened
"Mr & Mrs Jones?" the doctor walked in asking, smiling as he saw them "Your daughter is 38 weeks pregnant she has preeclampsia and another complication we're trying to work out, which means we're having problems stabilising her, we think it might be cardio but the notes are taking a while to get here, the systems down apparently"
"She has Eisenmenger's syndrome, she shouldn't have children" her Mom told him, Sam's head jumped up, if there was anything that could make him feel anymore responsible that was it, he looked at Cedes as her open eyes closed, she was upset
"Makes sense" the doctor looked at them before leaving the room to rectify the medication and treatment, returning seconds later "We're going to have to do a C-section while she's still got a bit of strength in her, I don't need to tell you this could be tricky" he looked at her parents
"If there's a choice to make we want our daughter back" Heath told him
"I understand" he told him leaving the room
"How can you make that decision about our baby?" Sam waited until the doctor left to ask, he was already mad that he wasn't being consulted about anything, she was his responsibility, she'd been his responsibility for the past nearly 9 months and now they felt they could just fucking exclude him like this "It's our baby and we'll make the decision about her" he told them as his parents looked on shocked at this version of Sam standing in front of them
"Well she's our daughter and I choose my daughter" Heath replied
"How do you know, we don't want this baby more?"
"Do you?" Hazel asked him, all of them seeing something of his father coming out of him right there, recognising the man he'd become in just over 3 months
"Of course I don't, but I know that's not what Cedes would want" he hissed at them
"Sam" he heard in the middle of his mad, rushing to the bed to hold her hand
"It's alright Cedes, I promise, but I had to call our parents, this is scary stuff"
"I choose the baby, you know that right?"
"I know that" he smiled "But your going to hate me forever because I choose you"
"I know that" she smiled "So if I fight for her and you fight for me, we're cool yeah?"
"Hey lady, let me tell you why, I can't live my life, without you (aw baby), every time I see you walking by I cannot breathe, you don't understand but in time you will' he sang making her laugh "See you when you get out with our daughter" he kissed her forehead "Please speak to your parents, for me?" he asked looking up at them
"Mom" she turned to look at her "I'm scared, I'm really scared" she told her a tear coming down her cheek
"I can't do this for you baby, I would if I could, but everything will be alright, we love you and we'll be here when you come back"
"You think I'll come back?" she asked
"Of course you'll come back, you're Mercedes Jones" her Dad smiled "We love you baby girl" he rubbed her hand telling her
"I love you both too, and I'm sorry"
"I'm sorry" her Mom told her "We're sorry" she looked up at her husband telling their daughter
"Wait" she panicked as she felt the bed move "Sam" her hand came up grabbing for him "Sam" he grabbed hold of her hand frightened for the panic in her eyes "Dream about me" she told him, he smiled down at her
"Every night and every day" he told her kissing her forehead, watching as she closed her eyes and let his hand go,
"BRB" she smiled at him as the nurses rolled her out, she glanced at her parents and found a smile for them as she went, Sam stood knowing everything was going to be alright, this was God's plan for them, he'd given them both that song to remind them of the beginning of this journey, he was going to give them a good ending
"So" Daniel looked at his son saying as the door shut after the bed left
"It really isn't the time Daniel" Ann fanned him to shut up
"Dad do you want to come?" a Nurse opened the door asking
"Yes" Sam and Heath said at the same time, Sam stepping off to follow the bed
"I think they mean the baby's Dad Heath" Hazel laughed slapping his tummy "Poor kids" she sighed as the door closed on Sam leaving
"Only a Mother couldn't see the wrong in this fucking mess" Daniel spat, Heath nodded his head in agreement "What?" he asked at Ann's tut
"Only an insensitive ass couldn't acknowledge right now that one of our babies might die and the other might be feeling like it was all his damn fault" she cut her eye at him a silence falling on the room "Oh and we also have some explaining to do ourselves, remember?"
"Yeah" he replied
Less than an hour later, baby Imogen was born with beautiful green eyes and light dusty brown and blond streaked curly hair, they immediately started pumping Cedes with stronger medication to help her heart, she quickly became drowsy "Here's your Mommy Imogen" Sam held her close to a near sleeping Cedes, she found the strength to kiss her before she smiled at Sam and closed her eyes for much needed sleep. Sam sat watching her sleep with their baby in his arms, the only way he was going to put her down was to hold her Mother, he'd fallen in love, as deeply as he'd fell for the woman he was proud to call his girlfriend, the mother of his child and surely now when they were old enough his wife "I love your Mommy" he told his daughter, deciding he was going to tell her that every day of her life
Forty minutes later when Cedes woke up she was much improved, she was talking faster, wanting to see her baby, crying for the joy of it all and along with Sam fretting for what their parents were going to say "We need to speak to them but I don't think you're ready, so they'll wait until I think you are"
"My man's turned all he man on me" she chuckled holding her tummy for the pain
"Your man's become a Daddy and near enough a husband" he corrected her "And if your parents think they have any say now I'm going to stamp that shit out" he told her
"Okay" she grinned at him happy with the sudden change "Is it alright if they meet Imogen?"
"Of course" he laughed "Whenever your ready" he grabbed her hand smiling down at the baby snuggled in her armpit "I might wife you, I might make that move, when we laying here..." he sang making her laugh
"That's the excitement talking, I'm ready" she said watching as he got up to fetch them
"You guys have a granddaughter Imogen her name is, and their both fine" he smiled, surprised when both sets of parents smiled back walking towards him for a hug
"Congratulations" Hazel told him hugging him for longer than she needed to "Can we go see them?"
"Of course" he turned to the door to lead them to her room, there were tears before the laughter came, and an unwelcome silence, everyone knowing there was something to say but nobody wanting to be the first to say it. "Before this gets any more awkward, Cedes has had a time of it, so could we leave the comment, telling off or whatever it is you guys came to say until she gets stronger please?" he asked
"That's what we were thinking" Daniel replied as the others looked at him wide eyed
"I believe you've found your missing rib" Heath smiled at him
"I know" he smiled back at him, that might have been the first time they'd actually ever smiled at each other
"I need to let Aunt Zina know she's a Great Aunt, this will give me so much pleasure, I mean great pleasure" he smiled watching the Grandma's fussing over their new Grandbaby "Martin" he called laughing as the call got answered "Is Zina anywhere around you?"
"Yeah she's here" Martin told him looking at Zina "Do you think someone told him?" he mouthed as he passed her the phone
"No" she fanned him smiling as she grabbed the phone off him "H" she said her voice serious
"I just wanted you to hear first hand, we found Sam and Mercedes" he smiled
"Are they alright?" she asked jumping up off Martin's lap
"Yeah they're fine" he laughed "Are you sitting down?"
"No"
"Well sit down" he told her as she sat back on Martin holding the phone so he could hear what was being said "I just wanted to congratulate you" his laugh bursting out to the point he found it hard to talk "Hold up" he told her holding his tummy to get air
"Congratulate me?" she sat looking at Martin wondering how he knew about them
"Yeah, your a Great-Aunt how about that, Mercedes just had a baby girl"
"Fuck you Heath that isn't even fucking funny" she hissed at him
"It's not supposed to be funny, I can just see your face that's all, we as in Daniel and I just became Grandpa's our babies had a baby and she's beautiful" he looked down at his granddaughter telling her
Sam was on his phone filling in Michelle on what had been happening over the past 24 hours "I'll see you guys after work" she told him excitedly
"That was Michelle our lodger" he told their parents
"A fucking Grand Aunt" Zina kept repeating he could hear the smile in her voice "Where are they I need to see my Grand niece?" she jumped up repeating the address to Martin as they walked around the house grabbing stuff "Give us 2 hours max" she told him closing the call and calling the children to get sorted so they could get on their way, 3 hours later they were outside the hospital in Lima looking up at the building Zina nervous for meeting her Niece and Martin for Heath finding out about Zina and him. They held hands all the way to the room before looking at each other and both deciding to let go and ease Heath into it instead, smiling for their like minds
"Let me see that baby Girl" she burst into the room saying paying no attention to anyone else in the room until she'd met Imogen "Mercedes, he's grown into quite a hunk" she flashed her eyes across at Sam as she spoke making Mercedes laugh even through the pain "I'm not happy about you guys running away but this tops that shit" she looked back at Imogen telling them "She's beautiful" she cooed at her "Well I'm not even surprised it's in the genes" she laughed
"Congratulations" Martin kissed Mercedes saying
"Thank you Uncle Martin" she smiled, moving uncomfortably in the bed
"She's tired now I guess everyone needs to leave" Sam announce half an hour later, both of them smiling as everyone gave their goodbye hugs and kisses and left quietly. A week later Sam and Cedes left the hospital with their bouncing 3.3kg baby daughter already changing into a replica of her Mom's physique with her Dad's face
Two Weeks Later
They were both tired, it was like Imogen thought the hospital was her home and the house was an alien environment, she never stopped crying, Michelle was walking around with cotton wool in her ears, smiling patiently, Cedes was crying because her baby hated her and Sam was still telling Imogen every day he loved her Mom and her, before he'd hit the streets to find a job, they needed to pay Tony back.
"Sam" Cedes shouted as she heard the door slam "Take her" she handed Imogen over quickly walking away "I'm stressed I'm getting mad with her"
"Cedes" he called her back, putting Imogen in her crib "We shouldn't pick her up every time she makes a noise, leave her" he pulled Cedes to him to hug her "She'll get tired and shut up"
"I can't listen to her cry" she looked up at him
"We're going to have to for a while, go for a walk of something, I'll sit with her"
"Thank you" she reached up and kissed his lips
"Don't thank me it's our daughter" he turned her round and slapped her butt as she moved off, making her giggle "Don't be too long the family's coming round in about an hour"
"And?"
"I'm going to tell them we're ready to talk"
"Why?"
"Because I'm fed up of seeing them every damn day, I need them to go home and let us get on with our lives"
"BRB" she smiled
"Hurry up and get these eight weeks over and we can deal with that"
Cedes went out for her walk, returning home to a full house, all the parents were there plus her Aunt Zina and Uncle Martin, surprised that Imogen was still in her crib "Hi" she walked around saying to every one following it up with a kiss, before she landed on Sam's lap, she'd built some bridges with her parents over the past few weeks.
"I told everyone to leave Imogen alone before she's totally spoilt, and that we're ready to listen, talk whatever" he kissed her nose telling her
"Okay" she looked around the room
"This is a nice set up you guys have here, comfortable and stuff but we wondered if you'd consider coming back to Cali, the family's there to support you guys and well... we can see Imogen more often?" Ann looked at them enthused
"You could go back to school and be sure she's being looked after properly by one of us" Heath told them
"You guys could live at ours no problem" Daniel added
"Or ours" Hazel butted in looking at Daniel as she spoke
"We won't be coming back to Cali to live with you guys, we've got used to living on our own, doing our own thing, going back home isn't an option" Sam told them
"Your 16 years old" Heath reminded them "There aren't very many options"
"But we're living here now, and I have a job, I need to get some money together I owe a man" Sam reminded them "California's dangerous for us I don't want Cedes and the baby at risk"
"About that" Daniel looked around the room "That was another conversation we needed to have with you guys"
"Don't get mad" Heath added
The two men sat telling their children about how they took over the drug world in their spot back in the day, had a very lucrative business and made a fortune, how T died trying, and in the end how they married their mothers, had them and stepped out of the business they called TDH for their families.
"I can't believe you guys sold drugs" Sam looked at a horrified Cedes telling their parents
"I've looked down my nose nearly all my life at Marcus and Tony because you told me to keep away from that life, and all the time you'd been a part of it?" Cedes looked at her Dad asking him
"It was the only way to make money in those days" Hazel told her
"I can't believe it of Dad but you too, everything I do is wrong, everything, and you sat back and watched as he sold poison to kids?" Cedes said in disgust
"We set up the rehabilitation centre, that's what we did" Ann told her "Up to this day we work there every week"
"That's something I guess" Cedes told her, her mind mulling over the conversation "Hold up TDH" she looked at Sam "Wasn't that the organisation name you gave us so we could sell that package safely?"
"Yes" Heath looked around the room, unsure if the conversation was going too fast for them to take it all in, he got his phone out and called Tony
"So are you guys still operating?" Sam finally filled the silence asking
Tony
Tony was bouncing around the room, he was happy on the one hand, they'd found Sam and Mercedes but on the other hand they were going to hear a lot of information that was going to change Mercedes perception of him and he wondered if that was going to be a good or a bad thing. He hadn't been told anything other than to make his way to Ohio because they'd been found and they needed to know the truth.
Mary and he sat in a near by café, after nearly three weeks of waiting around, Daniel had called to tell them this was the day, the car dropped them off at a café and they were told he'd call when he was ready for them.
He was stressing for actually telling Mercedes the truth, he'd still got a part of his mind telling him that was possible, he didn't know how he was going to cope with the fact that Sam got there first, but he was willing to give it a go, if she'd have him, he looked up to see a girl looking back at him, she actually looked innocent, he'd kind of forgotten what one of those types of girls looked like, he smiled "Hi" he mouthed 'Nothing on you when you naked, got a pretty little heart, he smiled for one of Sam's smooth songs 'Cartier' by Bazzi being the only thing he could think at the sight of her
"Hi" she waved at him smiling shyly, maybe for him catching her looking
"Back in a bit Mom" he told his Mom sitting across the table from him as he got up, unsure what he was going to say to this girl "Thanks for the smile" he sat at her table telling her
"Thanks for the hi" she smiled back at him
"I need to see more of that in my life do you mind if I just sit here and watch you smile?"
"As long as I can watch you watching me" she giggled telling him 'You get so impatient, I know you got your cravings' she sang in her head her body excited because this was happening
He sat looking at this beautiful brown skinned, woman about 20 if he had to guess, short curly hair, every hair out of place but perfect, her lips kissable, her eyes piercingly brown and her body slender, but not too skinny, just right "Do you need a drink, food, anything?" he asked
"I'm fine" she looked down at her almost full cup "I'm just giving my friends some space, and getting a well deserved ear rest"
"Ear rest?" he asked intrigued
"Yeah, their new baby, beautiful but killing my ears" she laughed
"So you live round here?"
"Yeah not far"
"You come from around here?"
"Not really, I'm an orphan, ward of the state until I'm 21, they really care about me" she rolled her eyes telling him
"Sorry" his eyes sad 'Sun peeking through the curtains, know I'm with you when you're hurting, baby girl, the world's ours, fuck you 24 hours'
"That's fine, I got what I needed out of it, then I found my friends and well.. they're family now" she smiled
"I'm happy for you, I'm not from around these parts but I could be... for someone like you" he looked into her laughing eyes "I'm serious" he giggled 'Yeah, that's my girl, I can't share, maybe I'm selfish, I get a little jealous'
"Well for what it's worth I think your cute too" a shyness coming over her for revealing that "And I have no real ties here" 'And that's the thing, that thing right there'
"That's my Mom over there, do you want to come meet her?"
"So soon?" she giggled
"You'll get used to me I have a feeling and when I get those I act real quick" he got up holding his hand out for her to take, they walked over to his Mom "Mom this is ..." he looked at her realising he hadn't even asked
"Michelle" she smiled holding her hand out to shake his Mom's hand
"And you can call her Mom, someday" he smiled at her, they both laughed while Mary stood wondering what the hell was going on, smiling when she saw her Tony's look in their son's eye and knew he'd found his rib, watching as he kissed Michelle's hand "She's the most beautiful woman I've ever met, I hope one day she thinks I'm worthy" he told his Mom
"Welcome to the family Michelle" Mary told her hugging her
"Thank you" she looked between them wondering if this was all a joke "So.. what's your name?" she looked at Tony asking
"Tony, sorry it's Tony" he looked into her eyes smiling, all thoughts of Mercedes gone "Sorry" he walked away from her to answer his phone "We need to go, but could I get your number, I'll call as soon as my meetings over and we can get familiar" watching her tap her number in before she looked up smiling again handing him his phone back, he looked at her lips shaking his head "I want to kiss you, but once I do I know I won't leave so ..." he pecked her hand again "In a bit" he walked off watching his Mom say goodbye as he opened the door for them to leave. He looked at her smiling 'You know we couldn't even make it upstairs, had to hit it right there' he sung in his head
Michelle stood watching them walking away, she actually liked him, he had a chat up line that was so corny it had to be genuine, she went back to her table wondering, while her hot drink went cold and those familiar word sung in her mind making her hum along laughing for being so familiar with Sam's favourite playlist 'You know we couldn't even make it upstairs, had to hit it right there' while she ordered another hot drink, Sam and Cedes had asked for 4 hours
Sam & Cedes' Home
"I'll get it" Heath jumped up
"It'll be Michelle we asked her to give us a few hours" Sam said watching him walking towards the door, jumping up when he saw Tony walk through it "What the... has he threatened you guys?" he looked at his Dad asking
"No" Tony smiled "It's good to see your still alive and well" he walked towards him fist ready to say hello
"What's going on?" Sam asked slowly accepting Tony's hello
"Tony's the T in TDH now" his Dad told him
"You running away got me in a lot of shit, if I'd have been able to tell you that shit was yours too I would have, but apparently you guys were never to know"
Cedes stood shocked at the whole turn of events "So we're all still drug dealers?" she asked
"Technically I guess the answer is yes" her Mom looked at her sadly "If we could stop we would but the streets are infected, the most we can hope to do now is make sure people are safe, get the help if they want it and ensure the shit's not infected"
"And that nobody else comes in with poison" Ann added
"We're the drug dealers" Cedes said, still in shock, she was taking everything in "So why do we live the way we do?"
"So what's Marcus in prison for?" Sam asked
"Marcus is just Marcus he does what he does to keep the heat off the family" Daniel told him
"So this" he looked around the room "Is the family, the drug family?"
"This is the family" Heath told him, his voice serious "Never disrespect it"
"As in steel a load of drugs off yourself and give it away to another... what would you call it a cartel?" he laughed at the ridiculousness
"Tony" Cedes got up looking at him "I've always looked down at you for what you do, and I'm sorry about that, I mean really sorry" she went towards him hugging him
"Thanks" Sam smiled at him "For helping me out regardless of what it cost you" he hugged him
"Your my family I had to help I thought you had one of those cheerleaders pregnant or something" he laughed
"I had someone pregnant, I didn't know that at the time" Sam smiled "Imogen's upstairs, she's three weeks old"
"You guys had a baby?" he asked shocked looking around at his Uncles who hadn't told him anything and let him walk into this
"Sorry Tony" Heath offered "We know how you feel about Mercedes and well.. we didn't know..."
"It's fine, congratulations" he turned back to the new parents saying
"So what's happening here?" Mary finally butted in asking
"I want in" Sam announced
"You can't" his Mom told him
"I can, I've lost enough money as it is"
"I mean you can't operate from here, this belongs to the Brady's, you'll have to come back to Cali"
"It's a big patch you can live anywhere in Cali" Hazel told him
"Sam" Cedes looked at him her eyes wide, telling him she needed to talk
"I've made a decision Cedes" he looked in her eyes telling her "It's not fair for Tony to take all this on alone"
"Listen" Zina jumped in, everyone's attention focused on her
Zina & Martin
"I got to hear this" Heath rolled his eyes
"Martin could front it, let the kids live their lives and still reap the benefits" Zina suggested
"No" Tony said outright "Sorry Uncle Martin, I'm not ready to take a back seat"
"If you want to stay on the front that's great, but Martin could look after Sam and Mercedes interests" Zina told him
"It is a family business I guess" Daniel confirmed
"I know that, I wouldn't be suggesting it otherwise" she smiled, he knew she had something up her sleeve
"Please do not fucking tell me..." Heath rolled his eyes again
"Heath" Hazel hissed
"What?" he looked at her "We're up in here talking about taking over the damn drug business and your sassing about me swearing?" he asked in disbelief
"The children" she looked at Sam and Mercedes telling him
"Hell with children, children got children Mrs Jones in case you didn't fucking notice" Zina told her sassing "And Zina Jones is Zina Samuels now" she smiled at her brother waiting for him to say shit
"Zee I thought that would have happened back in the day when you guys were bed hopping, shit don't get past me, I always thought Martin was cool for you"
"Bull shit" she hissed at him
"It's true" Daniel laughed looking at Martin "You tried to get Ann and I didn't like it, so I never told you"
"Congratulations" Mary grabbed hold of one of her best friend tighter "Does that mean your coming back to Cali?"
"Depends on the answer" she looked back at Heath
He smiled at Martin walking over to him "You finally got the guts" he shook his hand
"Finally" Martin smiled at him
"I know I'm never gonna have to come deal with him harsh, congratulations" he kissed Zina's cheek telling her, watching as she held her chest, for witnessing one of the rare occasions her brother showed her actual affection
Tony
Tony was standing watching this fond exchange, his mind on Michelle, he'd left her a while ago telling her he'd be back, he took his phone out to check if she'd been calling him and found nothing "I need to go somewhere" he finally announced not willing to let this girl slip out of his hands "It's important" he looked at Daniel, because he was always the one who gave him a hard time
"I've booked us a table, we've got maybe half an hour, do it after" Daniel told him "This hasn't finished yet"
"Okay" he told him all the breath leaving his body with his huff
"Oh" Sam jumped up hearing the door knock "I'll get it, conversation will have to wait a while, she pays rent" he told everyone
"She's good people" Cedes told everyone
"This is..."
"Tony" Michelle gasped as she stepped in the living room "What are you doing here?"
"This is my family" he told her, half smiling wondering how much she actually knew about him "You?"
"This is my family, well it's where I live" she looked at Cedes "Screaming baby and all" she laughed
"You know Michelle?" Cedes asked him smiling at the tension between them, looking at Sam wide eyed
"We just met in the café" Michelle told her smiling
"You met?" Cedes smiled at her "Come on let's leave the parents to it, half and hour you say?" she turned to ask a nodding Daniel before they went towards the garden "So you guys met in the café?" Cedes asked looking between them
"Yeah brief but intense" Tony turned to say smiling as he followed Sam
"Tony" Sam grabbed him by the shoulder as they got to the door "I feel we need to build a relationship, we're family and I don't know what having an older brother feels like" he pulled him away, Cedes and Michelle stood watching them walk through the double doors and out into the garden
"Well I know we both like music, singing and writing" Tony laughed "And I also ..." they walked off talking