“Happy
anniversary, Sebby,” she smiled to my lips. She was so happy. That, right there,
was the best anniversary present she could have given me.
“Happy
anniversary, Babygirl,” I replied, plunging my tongue deep into her mouth.
“Sebastian,”
she panted, in heavy breaths. I could tell that she too, was ready for me to
slide right in. I would help her. “Not yet,” she demanded. I groaned.
We
didn’t go out that night. She led me to our dining room to a well thought out
meal, candles, and soft music playing in the background.
We
talked about our days and then exchanged presents.
She
loved the beautiful necklace with matching earrings, and made me fasten it
around her neck. I kissed the back of her shoulder as I did, whispering that I
loved her.
She
handed me my gift next. I opened it confused. It was a beautiful silver plated
baby rattle with I love you, engraved on the handle.
“Babygirl?”
I said, in a question.
“Yes,
Sebby,” she replied with a smile. No wonder she didn’t touch her wine. She
would have normally been tipsy by then.
“What?
When? How do you know? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Jesus
Sebby, slow down. You’re going to hyperventilate. I’ve known for a week. I
didn’t want to tell you until our anniversary.”
Scratch
what I said about not being able to be any happier. That was the happiest day
of my life. We had been trying for almost a year. Julia was starting to worry
that she was going to be like her mother and wouldn’t be able to conceive. It
couldn’t have come at a better time.
The
months that followed Julia’s news of us becoming a family were a bit hectic, we
bought our first home in Coral Gables; a 4,600 square foot five bedrooms, six
baths, waterfront home with a dock. Julia promised that once things settled
down, we could buy a 40ft Windy Maestro that I’ve had my eye on.
How can a
yacht dealer not own a boat?
Julia
went full tilt on decorating, painting, remodeling, and furniture. Everyday I
came home, something had changed. I had very little input, except for my office
and man cave, those were mine. The rest she decided what she wanted to do with.
She was absolutely glowing.
Her
pregnancy had been good to her with just some morning sickness in the first trimester,
other than that, she had been fine. She had the weirdest cravings for whip cream
and pickles, not together, although we did find some fun stuff to do with the
whip cream.
All the
ultrasounds and doctor appointments showed a healthy growing beautiful boy. I
was ecstatic to have a son. Julia was thrilled as well; she wanted to have just
sons. She said she didn’t want to share her thunder and that she wanted to be
the queen of the house, surrounded by her men. We hadn’t even had him yet and
she was already talking about having another one.
The
house was nearly done and Julia was about ready to pop. She was due in a week
in a half, and she was starting to feel uncomfortable in her own skin.
“SEBBY!”
She yelled, from our bedroom.
“Yes, Babygirl?”
I said, while leaning on our doorframe.
“Ugh…where
did you go? I woke up and I was by myself. You said you were going to stay in
bed with me all day. You promised to pay attention to me all weekend.”
“I know,
I went to the bathroom and then I went to make myself a sandwich. Are you
hungry?” She looked at me like I had two heads.
“I’m
pregnant with your child Sebby, he eats like you do. Of course, I’m hungry.”
“Okay,
do you want me to bring it in here or do you want to come eat out here?” I
asked.
“I don’t
know. I want to be done already. I want to be skinny again and not be bloated.
I want to be able to see my feet again. I can’t even stand for longer than ten minutes
without my back hurting.” She had been extra whinny these last few weeks, the
closer we got to the due date; the more her squeaky voice came out. I walked
over to her and helped her sit up.
“I know,
Babygirl. What can I do to help? Do you want me to rub your back and feet? How about
a warm bath? We can take it together and I’ll massage all of your body parts.”
I said, with a suggested tone and face.
“God
Sebby, can you not think about sex. Why would I want another thing inside me
right now?”
On that
note, “Okay, I’m going to go make you something to eat.” I started to get up
and she grabbed my arm.
“No! Oh God,
I’m sorry Sebby. I know I’m being a bitch, I can’t help it. Your child is
torturing me, he thinks my stomach is a soccer field. He won’t stop kicking me
and I’m not sleeping well. All these crazy hormones are getting to me. I don’t
know if I want to cry, laugh, or smile. I’m all over the place. I’m just ready
to have him here already, and not making a mess of my insides.”
“I know
Babygirl, not that much longer. Soon he will be here and you will be missing
him being in your tummy.” I helped her out of bed.
“Come on,
let’s go eat in the living room, maybe a change of scenery will help. I’ll make
you a ham, turkey, and pickle masterpiece. And then, we can watch whatever
movies you want to watch for the rest of the day. I will rub your feet and your
back. I promise my magical hands will make you feel much better.”
“Alright.”
She said in a mopey voice. I didn’t know how much more I could take of this. I
didn’t like seeing her in pain. I couldn’t imagine what she was going through,
I was trying my best to comfort her.
We
watched movies all night and we both fell asleep on the couch. Julia was lying
on my chest and I awoke to something wet on my legs.
“Julia…Babygirl…Jules…wake
up.”
“Hmm…”
She stirred.
“Baby, you’re
wet.” She opened her eyes.
“What?”
She looked down at herself. “OH MY GOD, I peed myself.” I laughed I couldn’t
help it.
“No Babygirl,
I think your water just broke.”
“Wait…what…I’m
not due for another week or so.”
“The
doctor said it could happen sooner. Have you been having any contractions?”
“I
don’t think so. I mean maybe a little bit, I just thought they were Braxton
Hicks.”
“Okay,
you stay here, I’m going to go change, grab your bag, and some clothes to change
into.” I said kissing her forehead.
“No
wait, don’t go. I’m not ready. I’m not ready Sebby, it’s going to hurt so bad.
The nursery still isn’t ready. We have to wait.”
“Babygirl,
it doesn’t work that way. Come on, you’re going to do just fine, you’re going
to be so happy when we finally have him in our arms and we bring him home.
Focus on that.” She nodded, I could still notice the nervous look in her eyes.
I
never thought that I would be the calm one when it came to our child coming
into this world. Julia was nervous and scared. After fourteen hours of labor we
welcomed Christian Aidan Vanwell into this world. He was 7 pounds 6 ounces,
blue eyed, blonde haired little prince.
I didn’t
think it was possible to love anyone in this world more than I loved my son. He
completed me. He was the missing piece in my heart and soul. The first time I
held him I was in complete awe of him. He had such tiny fingers and a fragile
body, I investigated his mouth, nose, eyes, trying to decide who he looked like
more, Julia or me. I breathed him in and wanted to learn all his sounds and
noises. I brought him to my chest and held onto him like I never wanted to let
him go.
I
looked over at Julia and she was crying. I went to her and laid down next to
her, we put Christian in the middle and just sat there in perfect silence, as
we embraced our child.
We
were a family and I was a father.
<>*<>
Y
<>*<>
Three
more years had gone by and my life got better and better. I had no cause for
complaints. I loved being a VIP, if anything I loved it more with every passing
day. My life was far from routine and ordinary, it was my life and the only one
I knew. I was twenty-three years old and had the world and men at my
fingertips. Everything was at my disposal at the drop of a dime.
Never
having to worry about anything was my norm. I know some would think that I was cynical,
I was living the life that people only dreamed of. I never felt an ounce of
regret for the choices that I had made. They made me who I was, and I was
motherfucking fantastic.
Madam
had become my confidant and mentor. I knew that in many ways I truly was her
favorite. I don’t know what it was about me, I could see it in her eyes every
time she looked at me. We had this unspoken bond and connection. The other women
could see it too, there weren’t any problems though; we were all a family.
The
mystery and allure of her was still there, she had broken down some walls with
me and I got to know her as a person. She could be a brutal bitch if she needed
to be. You made sure to make it point not to cross her. I had seen her in
action several times, nobody fucked with Madam. She could ruin you just by
smiling.
She not
only owned Miami, but it was also worldwide. She always knew what I wanted or
needed. She knew that with all of us. It was a sixth sense for her.
Madam
loved to keep me busy. You might think that I would become lonely since part of
my profession kept me at arm’s length from all of my clients. My job was just
to appear that I loved them. It was all a façade and one that I had perfected.
The
older I got, the more I started to think about love though. I had seen the look
in many of my clients’ eyes when they were with me. I wasn’t shy of hearing
them say they wanted to take me away from it all. To give me everything and
anything, it became a joke to me after hearing it so many times.
It also
became sort of a sick game for me, to see if I could get them to fall in love
with me. I enjoyed knowing that I had someone in this world love me. I’m a
sadistic bitch, it gave me pleasure, even though I knew I would never
reciprocate it. These men thought they knew me, nobody really did. They loved
what they thought I was, and I was what they wanted me to be.
I was
the fantasy. I was the dream. I was an illusion.
It was
easy to become fucked up, when it came to love. Could you really be with one
person? Does love truly conquer all?
<>*<>
S
<>*<>
“Sebastian,
Sebby, wake up. You said you would take care of him.”
“What
time is it?” I sleepily asked, hearing Christian’s very healthy lungs coming
from the baby monitor.
“It’s
almost three.”
“In the
morning?” I asked, looking over to my wife in our bed, wearing her sexy as hell
reading glasses, looking over to me with a frown.
“No
Sebby, it’s three in the afternoon, we’re in bed in the middle of the day. Yes,
in the morning, now go get your son.”
“Are you
going to be working on that case all night? You need to sleep, Babygirl.”
“Sebastian.
Get Christian!” she shouted.
Damn.
I warmed
a bottle, changed a wet diaper, and sat in the glider as I fed my little boy.
He looked up to me as he filled his little belly. I hummed a soothing tone
until his bottle was empty, and lifted him to my shoulder for a burp. That took
two pats to the back. I nestled my cheek next to his soft baby skin and rubbed
his back. God, I loved that boy. He was amazing, I couldn’t get enough of him.
“I’m
sorry, Sebby,” Julia said from the door. “I’m just stressed about this case and
Christian. I’m not sleeping. Being a mom and working full-time is working out a
lot harder than I had imagined. I’m still trying to find a healthy balance. I’m
sorry I bit your head off, I didn’t mean to. You are amazing with him, there is
nothing sexier than seeing you hold our son.”
“Oh
yeah, does this baby throw up over my shoulder do it for you, Babygirl?” I
chuckled.
“You
have no idea.” She smiled.
We put
Christian back in his crib and both stared at him intently.
“He
looks just like you Sebby, he has your blonde hair and thin lips.” She
suggested.
“I don’t
see it. I see more of you in him.”
We
kissed him goodnight and went back to bed. Julia took off her glasses and laid down
next to me.
“Why
don’t you sleep naked anymore?” I questioned, looking at her blushing face.
“I don’t
know, I got used to sleeping with tank tops on when I was pregnant. It’s only
been six months and I haven’t lost all the baby weight yet.”
Julia
was intense trying to get back her pre-baby body. She was taking spinning
classes like crazy and eating everything green with grilled chicken.
“Babygirl,
you gained twenty-five pounds with Christian and you barely weighed 110 as it
was before him. You were the hottest pregnant woman I had ever seen. I can’t
even tell you’ve had a baby. What are you talking about?”