Thanks so much for the reviews! Now that the wedding is out of the way (sad face), it's time to get back to other stuff going on in this story…
After a great evening at a country club for their wedding reception, the newlyweds found themselves on their honeymoon in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. There were many other places Mike and Emily could go but they found Jamaica most interesting. They told their parents and friends goodbye for now and got on the plane. When they landed, a taxi driver picked them up at the airport and brought them to a hotel they would be staying for a week.
Mike took off his shirt and stared out the open window. The smell of the blue fresh sea salt water hit his face. He was so distracted; he didn't hear Emily sneaking up behind him. Emily used her towel to cover his eyes. "Guess who." Emily whispered in Mike's ear.
"Is it my wife, Mrs. Rivera?" Mike took the towel off his eyes and pulled in Emily for a deep kiss. He captured Emily's beauty in her bikini before kissing her again. "Has anyone ever told you how sexy you look in a bikini?" Emily giggled softly and buried her face into his neck. "Just you and I, on this beautiful island, away from anyone and anything that can hurt us…" Emily pushed away and gave him a frown. "What's the matter?"
"Do you think Lauren and Mia will be okay until I'm back? Lauren and I are the only ones practicing the symbol. You saw Mia at the wedding. She couldn't stand on her own two feet for five minutes."
"Mia has about three months left." Mike brushed the hair in her face to the back and gave her a grin. "She's surrounded by doctors anyways. She lives down the street from a hospital, Catherine is a nurse, Ji is technically a nurse too with many friends and back up, and Terry has been in medical school for three years now. Trust me, Mia's got everyone on her side."
Emily hesitated at first but nodded. Mia does have a lot of medical people to watch out for her. She put the thought of Mia possibly giving birth prematurely to the back of her head and grabbed her towel. "Last one to the beach is a rotten egg!"
"Hey, that's not fair!" Mike got his towel too and chased after his wife.
In the wind and water samurai's living room, Mia held her phone in her hands, moving the apps on the home screen. She couldn't get herself to call the daycare and tell them she can't work with them anymore. Ji told her about the samurai from decades ago that almost died on her seventh month of pregnancy. The story terrified her. She just started her sixth month. Is it really that impossible to find the black flower? The black flower can be used as a medicine to heal her and can also be preserved until Emily needs it. Mike is an expert at the forest around the Shiba house. She would have confidence in him to retrieve it for her. If he found it then Lauren and Emily's wouldn't have to risk their own lives. Mia sighed and tossed her phone onto the other side of the couch. She doesn't know what to do.
"I made your favorite." Kevin said as he walked into the room. He placed a tray of food on the table in front of the couch. Then, he turned on the television. "I also got your favorite movie channel for the weekend." Kevin got extra cushions and lifted Mia's legs on them. "Are you cold?" Mia didn't have a chance to answer before Kevin spread a pink blanket on her torso. The blue samurai was about to adjust the pillows behind Mia's head but she grabbed his wrist.
"I know you're my husband and you agreed to that in sickness and in health stuff but… why are being so kind right now?" Mia asked him.
"I can't be kind at a random time to my wife." Kevin held up his hand defensively. Mia raised her eyebrow. Kevin sighed and took her hand. "I know you don't want to think about… the worst-case scenario and… that's fine with me. That's great. Happiness is the best medicine… I think Lauren and Emily know what they're doing too. They're awesome samurais. It's not that I don't trust them or think they aren't good enough…"
"What are you talking about Kevin?"
"I…we need to start preparing for the worst."
"Kevin, I'm okay. You need to stop fussing over me."
"I'm tired of you saying that Mia. You and I both know this isn't going to be easy." He let his warm palm settle on Mia's stomach. "She's coming fast. She's coming faster than three months. Your body can't handle the water symbol powers. I'm sorry honey but you have to accept this."
A tear dripped down Mia's face. She's been ignoring the fact that her baby can kill her the whole time. Every time someone brought it up, she would pretend as if it wasn't affecting her the way they thought it was affecting her especially for Kevin. He doesn't know she wakes up in the middle of the night and grabs onto all the furniture to get to the bathroom safely. Once she got to the bathroom, she would of course do her business. After that she cries. In the morning before Kevin goes to work, he makes her breakfast in bed and jokes with her until it's time for him to go. During those times, Mia puts on her best smile to trick him into thinking she's alright. In reality, she's starting to feel pain. She fears she might go into labor soon. She hopes not, just because her body is giving up, doesn't mean her baby is strong enough to live after birth.
"Knock, knock!" Terry opened the door with his spare keys. He came in wearing his book bag, wearing scrubs. He just got back from school. The sad faces in the room indicated to him something bad is going on. "What? You're not happy to see me?"
"I'm always happy to see you Terry." Mia wiped her tears. "What's up?"
Terry pulled out a baby names book from his bag. "Well, I figured since you told me you're not naming my niece Terryonna, I'd get you this."
"Lucy?" Kevin asked Mia as he flipped through the book. "Cassandra?"
"Thanks Terry, I really needed one." Mia forced herself to let out a small smile. She and Kevin haven't spoken to each other about a name for their daughter yet. Even though Kevin just told her a minute ago that something could go terribly wrong in the future, naming the child now couldn't do any harm.
Lauren cleaned the table on the patio with a cloth. Now that spring has arrived, they would be using it much more than they did in the colder months. Antonio loved grilling his fish. It wouldn't be a bad idea to clean it up for him. She finished scrubbing the table and sat down for a break. She picked up her water bottle and drank it as she took a look around the yard proudly. The trees were growing back nicely after being destroyed in the Netherworld's sanzu water. Then she directed her attention to the parking lot. Not surprising, both of the fire siblings bought red cars and… a convertible? That isn't Antonio. Lauren rolled her eyes. It's Cody. They never got to work out their issues since they were so distracted by the events going on at the wedding reception.
"A rose for my beautiful lady." Cody gave her a red rose.
"Don't do that." Lauren pushed away the rose. "You're still mad at me, aren't you?"
"No…" Cody waved off. He sat next to Lauren. "Okay, so I'm still a little mad. I'll admit that I overreacted a little though. I felt betrayed. My last girlfriend used my trust against me and lied all the time and… it doesn't matter. It was a nasty break-up. Antonio told me you never wanted to lie to me. I understand why you kept your secret now. I'm sorry I left you without allowing you to explain yourself."
Lauren stared at Cody in shock. Did Cody just apologize to her? She shook her head. "I forgive you. I'm sorry too."
Cody opened his mouth to say something but Lauren's cell phone cut him off. Lauren spoke on the phone for a while. Her concerned facial expressions made him know something is wrong. She got up and ran her fingers through her hair.
"Is everything okay?" Cody asked her.
"That was Jayden."
Cody gave her a confused look and pointed to one of the red cars in the driveway. "Couldn't he just walk out here to you?"
"He's been sick all morning. You don't mind me checking on him, do you?"
"Not if you don't mind me following you." Cody wrapped his arm around Lauren's and walked with her to Jayden's room. Once they got there, Lauren broke away from his reach and opened window.
"It smells like Antonio after fishing for hours at the lake in here." Lauren said. Jayden grumbled and shielded his eyes with his blankets from the sun's rays. Lauren crouched down to Jayden's level next to his bed and shook her head at his pitiful face. "You called for Dr. Lauren? I hope you understand the risks because I'm studying law, not medicine."
"I don't think I have cold anymore." Jayden said in a hoarse voice.
"No dip, Jay." Lauren placed her hand on his forehead. "You're burning up." Jayden smirked weakly. "And not just because you're a fire samurai." She pulled out a thermometer from her brother's desk and told him to open his mouth so she could put it in. She took out the thermometer after a short while passed and read it. "Well, that's not a pretty number."
Cody, deciding he wasn't going to sit on the sidelines awkwardly all day; he walked over to Lauren and read the thermometer. He hissed. "That's not good bro." He told Jayden.
"I think I need to bring him to the hospital." Lauren said.
"But doctors always want to tell someone they're dying." Jayden protested.
"Quit being a baby. You're going to live." Lauren helped her younger brother sit up in his bed.
"I'll drive." Cody held up his keys.
Like it? Dislike it? Rushed it? Needs improvement? Please Review! :D
Oh, and have you guys ever heard The Secret by Steven Skyler (Antonio)? 'Cuz ya should :P