The Naughty Sins Of A Saint (42 page)

“Thank you for my son, Baby,” he whispered as he drifted off to sleep. He pulled her as near as possible to his heart and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Two months later…

“Happy birthday, Saint!” everyone shouted as Saint walked through his front door, dropping his gym bag in shock. He laughed and smiled as he recognized all the smiling faces gathering around him. Xenia laughed and waved as she walked up to him and took him by the hand, leading him to the dining room where his favorite cake was awaiting. Saint kissed the side of her neck and rubbed her arms.

“Thank you,” he said with a huge grin. “You got me. I had no idea.” He heart swelled with pride and happiness as he saw some of his closest associates, Raphael, Latrice, their children, his mother-in-law and sister-in-law, T-Rex, his family, and countless others.

Xenia clapped her hands to draw everyone’s attention. “Today is Saint’s thirty-eighth birthday, but he keeps telling me he’s still twenty-one.” Everyone laughed. “Saint, we’re all here to celebrate this special occasion with you. We love you, and I’m excited to spend many more birthdays with you.” Everyone clapped as she kissed him on the lips and smiled.

Saint looked around at everyone. “I want to thank all of you for coming out. I really appreciate it. It’s great to see my father here. That means a lot.” Saint’s father smiled and waved to him from the front of the crowd. “It’s been a crazy year.” he continued, “A lot has happened, but most of it was good, and for that, I’m blessed. I got married to this beautiful woman right here.” He kissed Xenia’s forehead. “I’m still booked for engagements, almost three years out. I have a new book that’ll be coming out dealing specifically with married men and how to keep the romance alive. I’d like to think I know a thing or two about it, but I guess Xenia would be the person to ask.” Everyone laughed again. “The only person missing is Mama.” Saint looked back at his father with a smile. “I know she’s here in spirit and would be so happy to see all of you gathered together like this. Well, let’s not draw this out. I can smell the food. Let’s get the music on and have this party!” Saint said as everyone started moving about and clapping.

Xenia pulled him aside and kissed him again. “You’re going to love the food. I made sure all of your favorites are here including that Moroccan bread you like,” she said, pleased with herself. Saint reached down and rubbed her stomach.

“So, when are we going to tell everyone about the baby?” he asked excitedly. “Now is as good a time as any. Everyone’s here,” Saint urged.

“This is your day, Saint! I’m not doing that right now. Now come on, I want you to have a good time.”

“But the baby is a part of me. OK, fine. But think about it at least.” Saint started to mingle. He looked to his right and saw George and James enter the room. Smiling, he made his way over to them, giving them both the official White Knight handshake.

“Ahhh, my brothers. To what do I owe the pleasure?” He could sense that they weren’t just there for the party.

“Saint Aknaten, happy birthday, Brother. Your lovely ‘queen’ invited us,” George said.

“Yes, I see that. OK, what’s goin’ on?”

“There’s some important business in Florida that needs to be addressed. We need to arrange a conference there. Two men, one Cambodian, the other from Ireland, were assaulted and their Black wives kidnapped and killed after a military function. The racial tension is thick. We hate to talk to you about this on your birthday, but it’d be wonderful if you could come down there and speak sometime soon. There have been numerous death threats due to a small but powerful supremacy faction.”

Saint nodded. “Of course I will. I’ll follow up with you later today, OK?”

“Thank you, Saint,” James said.

“Now please, make yourselves at home,” Saint offered. He walked up the winding staircase and entered his bedroom. He opened his nightstand drawer, removing a photo of his mother. He sat on the bed and held it tightly, tears slowly forming in his eyes.

“Mom, I want to thank you for giving me life, and for being here. I know you’re here with me. I can feel you. Today’s my birthday, and it’s the best birthday I’ve ever had. I’m married to my soulmate, the one you helped me protect. We’ve got a baby on the way, Mama. I’m sure you know. I’m helping people every single day. That’s all I ever wanted to do. I finally accepted who I am. I know my life will never be the same now that I understand the power I’ve been entrusted with. I want to make you proud. I want to make Xenia and my son proud and do right by them. I’m far from perfect, so I want your help me along the way. I pray to God often, thanking him for giving me all that he has. I no longer see what’s happened as a curse. Raphael showed me that I wasn’t looking at this the right way, and I thank God for giving me such a good best friend. I don’t feel alone anymore, Mama. I feel love all around me. Thank you for teaching me how to give and receive. You’re my inspiration, and if I’m half as good of a person as you were, then that’s pretty good. I love you, Mom.” Saint kissed the picture, placed it back in the nightstand, and rejoined his party.

* * *

“Who ever heard of such a thing? No!” Xenia said as she made her way through the supersized Babies ’R Us store. Saint followed behind her with the scanner.

“I want to do it. They can throw you their own shower,” Saint said defiantly. Xenia stopped and spun around, forcing her hard, round stomach into him. He looked down at her tummy and laughed. “Look, just because your belly is bigger than mine doesn’t mean you can push me around,” he joked. “Most women would be happy that their husband would want to throw them a baby shower,” he said as he scanned a toy truck.

“You don’t even have time anyway. You’re working more than ever!” Xenia said as she looked at a pair of pink socks.

“I’m working more so I can have everything wrapped up before the baby is born and spend more time with you two after the birth. And I already told you, it’s a boy. You may as well keep walking and make your way on over to the blue section.”

Xenia rolled her eyes and laughed. “No one is one hundred percent right except God. I could still be having my little baby girl,” she said as she stopped to look at a purple top and pants.

“Go ahead and find out from the doctor then,” Saint said with a smile. “You said you wanted to wait until he was born to find out for sure, but I think you need to have what I’m saying confirmed. After you find out I’m right, you’ll owe me a favor,” Saint said with a devious smile.

“Mmm hmmm. What kind of favor? Something perverted no doubt,” she said sucking her teeth.

“You know it,” Saint said with a wide grin. “And I’m throwing you that shower,” he laughed.

* * *

“OK. Well when was anyone gonna tell me about this?” Saint asked, his eyebrows bunching up as he wrinkled his forehead in annoyance. “How long has this blog been up, and why hasn’t anyone issue a response yet?” Saint asked the White Knights of the Round Table.

“Saint, your ‘queen’ is almost due with your child, and we didn’t want to worry you with it. We’re handling it. This isn’t a bad thing. It’s great exposure, and she’s asking some great questions. The owner of the blog calls herself ‘Princess Inferno.’ She’s an advocate for I.R. and…”

“George, I need you to say what I.R. means for our guests here from Japan who aren’t familiar,” Saint said, bowing to the two Japanese men sitting across from him.

“My apologies. ‘I.R.” is an abbreviation for ‘interracial relationships.’ She discusses ‘rainbeaus,’ which is a term used to describe non-Black men who date Black women. She’s taken some great photographs of interracial couples as well. It’s obviously created quite a buzz, Saint, and she thinks very highly of you.”

“That’s fine, but the problem is…” Saint’s cell phone rang. “It’s Xenia. Excuse me, Men..” Saint got up from the head of the table and headed out the large conference room.

“Hi, Baby. What’s up?” he asked, cradling his cell phone under his chin while he searched his pocket for loose change to put in the beverage vending machine.

“Hi, Sweetie. What are you doing?” she asked.

Saint rolled his eyes, “Baby, I told you today’s that big meeting. You know what I’m doing. Why do you do stuff like this? You must be bored,” Saint smiled.

“Oh, no. I’m far from bored,” Xenia said.

“Well then why do you keep playing on my phone?” Saint asked. “You forward me silly-ass jokes, call me asking what I’m doing when you already know, and tease me by telling me in text messages that you’re going to give me some – and then when I get home, all hot and ready, your ass is asleep. You’ve done that the last two weeks, and I’m not falling for it anymore,” Saint laughed. “Blame it on the pregnancy. You sleep constantly,” he chuckled.

Xenia laughed, then stopped short. “Well, this time I’m calling for a reason. I just wanted to let you know that – my contractions are three minutes apart. Go ahead and finish your meeting, I’ll see you later. Ouuuch! Oh, my Gaaawd!”

Saint’s face turned white. “Don’t hang up, Baby! Breathe through it.” Saint counted and breathed with her until it was over. “Why didn’t you say that at the beginning of the conversation? Why do you – oh never mind. I’m leaving right now. I’ll be home as soon as possible, Baby. I know it’s hard to remember when they come, but just breathe through it. I’m on my way. Hold on.” Saint disconnected the call and walked into the conference room.

“Gentlemen, please continue without me. I have to go right this second. My ‘prince’ is about to be born.”

* * *

Saint looked into Xenia’s glossy eyes as he held her hand tightly. He looked down at her hospital gown and back up at her face, kissing her forehead and cheek.

“You’re doing great, Baby,” he said as the doctor instructed her to push again. Xenia looked over at Saint, unable to breathe. The pain was all over her face, and he so desperately wished he could take it away. Saint wiped the tear away from his eye and looked back down as she was told to push again.

“The head’s right there, Xenia. You’re doing great,” the doctor said. Saint released Xenia’s hand and held her foot as he closely watched his child being born. Xenia watched as he tried to keep back the emotions. His chest heaved up and down as he attempted repeatedly not to lose his cool. Saint finally succumbed, and the tears of immense joy fell as he saw the baby’s head emerge.

“Oh, my God, Xenia. You should see all this black hair,” Saint said as he laughed and cried simultaneously. The nurses laughed. Xenia smiled briefly, before screaming at the top of her lungs as the doctor tried to get the shoulders through.

“Easy. OK. Stop pushing. Stop pushing,” the doctor said as he turned and twisted the baby. Xenia gasped and fell back further onto the bed.

“Please get it out!” she hollered. She had refused pain medication several times for her brutal contractions and was now regretting it.

“You’re almost there,” the doctor assured. “Now give me another push,” he said. Xenia bore down, pushing with all of her might.

“Xenia, the baby is almost all the way out,” Saint said as tears continued to roll down his face. He went back to his original position and held her hand, peering down as far as he could see.

“OK, Xenia, just one more push and I think we may have a home run here,” the doctor said. “Now push.”

Xenia bore down, feeling as if she was going to pass out. “Breathe. You have to breathe,” the nurse said as she rubbed her hair, patting her face with a cold cloth.

“Congratulations!” the doctor said as he pulled the baby the rest of the way out. “It’s a boy!” The baby immediately began to cry. Xenia started to cry, relieved and happy. She looked over at Saint.

“Lucky guess,” she said, exultant tears falling from her eyes as she laughed.

“Thank you, Baby. This is the best gift you could’ve ever given me.”

“Mr. Aknaten, do you want to cut the cord?” the doctor asked as he clamped the umbilical cord.

“Yes,” Saint said through blurry, reddened eyes as they handed him the cold, metal scissors. Saint clipped where instructed, wiped his face, and handed the scissors back.

“Do you want to hold your baby now?” the nurse asked.

“Yes!” Xenia answered through sobs, as Saint helped her sit up some.

“What’s his name?” the nurse asked as she handed Xenia the baby, placing him on her chest.

“Well, I had a girl’s name picked out, so I think I’ll let Saint do the honors,” she smiled.

“He’s got your nose and hairline, Saint. Matter of fact, I don’t see me at all here, except the lips maybe,” Xenia said as she rubbed his cheek with the side of her finger.

“Yeah, he does look like me,” Saint agreed and grinned, falling in love more and more every second. “What do you think of ‘Hassani?’” Saint asked.