Two Tears in a Bucket (41 page)

Kevin signed a contract with Don, selling ten of his lyrical compositions that he and Ed had laid to tracks for twenty-five thousand. Kevin knew he was being robbed, but he needed the money. So, in addition to selling ten of his tracks, he negotiated another five songs and got Don to advance him another twenty thousand. Although the contract required Kevin to sign over all of his rights to any future royalties, he was excited about the deal nonetheless. Once one song made it to the Top Ten, artists would be pursuing him, and his negotiating powers would be higher. For now, the initial goal had been accomplished. He’d secured a handsome lump sum. Two weeks later, the check had cleared, and with Don’s help, the arrangements for the proposal and the wedding had been secured.

Jordan continued in her broken voice, shedding tears as the spotlight beamed on her parents. “I’m sorry,” she said over the microphone, “but those are my parents.” The arena filled with screams and chants.

“
I love you, Simone.” Kevin stood and pulled her up with him. The lights shone brightly throughout the arena just in time to catch him saluting his wife-to-be. “Now, I’m ready to go.”

The super-stretch limousine ushered them from the arena to Thomas’s resting place. Kevin wanted Thomas to be a part of his proposal. Kneeling in front of the marble headstone, Kevin said, “I love your daughter with everything in me. I promise to take care of her forever.”

Simone looked over at the hazel-eyed thug she’d fallen in love with so long ago. Never in a million years could she have fathomed that her appetite for love would be as satisfied as it was. And by Kevin of all people.

Kevin strolled off, allowing Simone some time alone with her father. “Oh my God,” he uttered as he fell to his knees.

“
What’s wrong?” Simone asked as she strolled to the gravesite a few resting places from her father’s. Her eyes scanned the headstone. “Curtis Johnson. Curtis Johnson?” The name seemed familiar.

“
This is Curtis Johnson,” Kevin said. “My Curtis Johnson.”

“
Oh, wow,” Simone said as she knelt next to Kevin to pay her respects. “I met a Curtis Johnson out here a few years ago. Did he have a son?” she asked, rubbing Kevin’s back for support.

“
Naw,” he muttered, “he didn’t have any kids.”

“
Wow.” She frowned. Her eyes darted from her father’s site to Mr. Johnson’s. “But he was picking weeds from this very site.”

● ● ●

Simone was sexy, yet angelic as she stood on the immaculately landscaped grounds of the resort, mesmerized by the emerald waters of the Rodney Bay.

“
I can do this,” she said to herself, waiting for her cue as she prepared to walk down the aisle alone. “You ready, Daddy?” She sighed, wiping a lone tear as her emotions toyed with both joy and sadness.

The steel drum St. Lucia band began to play softly. Simone followed her cue and proceeded to the runner stretched out just for her. The handful of guests stood, directing their attention to the bride. Oohs and aahs rang out across the resort.

“
My God,” Kevin whispered as his eyes fell upon his wife-to-be. Simone was more beautiful than anything he’d ever imagined.

A tropical breeze swayed the palm trees from side to side. Kevin inhaled the scent of the land and allowed it to relax him. As the winds began to settle, he found himself draped in a loving embrace.

Mesmerized by the perfect harmony, Kevin closed his eyes and inhaled the love floating through the air. He didn’t realize that someone or something was leading him down the aisle to his bride. Simone took two steps and stopped in her tracks to watch her groom come to escort her ever so gracefully. She loved Kevin and knew that he’d been heaven-sent. A special delivery in a tattered package. A package most would’ve merely pushed to the side. Yet, Simone blew the dust from the package and looked beyond the torn wrapping. And there, she found the man of her dreams. A man who knew how to love her mentally and physically. The loneliness that once haunted her had been filled beyond her imagination.

“
You okay, baby?” he asked. He ran his long fingers down the smoothness of Simone’s face, stopping at her chin. Gently, he eased forward and kissed her tenderly on the lips. They hadn’t been pronounced husband and wife, but as far as he was concerned, her lips belonged to him, and he didn’t need permission from anybody to salute her.

“
Now I am,” she whispered.

“
I love you so much, baby,” Kevin said as he took Simone’s hand into his own. “I’ve waited forever to do this. You ready to be my wife?”

“
Of course, I am,” Simone said as they headed down the aisle, ready for the priest to officially declare them one before God’s tropical glory.

Halfway down the aisle, Kevin felt the loving warmth again. He glanced at his bride and noticed the puzzled expression on her face. Her eyes filled with tears as they darted from side to side as if she were looking for someone.

“
It’s okay, baby,” Kevin whispered to her. “It’s your father.”

“
Oh my God, Kevin. You feel him, too?” she whispered.

He smiled. “Yeah, so let’s hurry. We can’t hold him up. I’m sure God has other things for him to do.”

Epilogue

_B
eads of sweat formed along Simone’s forehead. Grasping for air, she fell back on the bed, thankful that the ordeal was over. Off to the side, Kevin stood in complete awe as the doctor wrapped a warm receiving blanket around their son.

“
Who wants the little prince?”

Kevin chuckled nervously. “My wife can hold him first. I mean, she did all the work.”

“
No, Kevin,” Simone responded, “you hold him first.”

Kevin stood there, lost and confused, his eyes darting between Simone and his son. He’d never held a newborn before.

“
I don’t know how to hold a baby. Plus, he’s so tiny. I don’t….”

“
Here, Mr. Kennard.” The doctor forced the cushioned glider from the corner with her foot. “Just sit here.”

Kevin lowered himself into the chair with uncertainty scribbled all over his face. Ignoring his uneasiness, the doctor placed the baby in his stiff arms.

“
Now, just relax and cuddle him in your arms like a football. A football you cherish with all your heart. Let him feel your love and your strength. You’re his daddy.”

Squirming in Kevin’s arms, the baby’s eyes slowly blinked open.

“
Ah,” the doctor said barely above a whisper. “Look at his little gray eyes.”

“
Gray? Uh, oh,” Simone said through chattering teeth. “I meant to tell you about my fling with the cable guy.”

Kevin’s lips curled into a slight smile as he began to relax. Gently, he glided back and forth in the chair. “My eyes were gray when I was first born, too.”

“
Mrs. Kennard, other than the apparent chills, how are you feeling?” the doctor asked. A faint cloud of powdery dust flew about the air as the doctor snatched off the latex gloves.

“
I’m glad it’s over.” Simone shivered. “Now I just need something for these cramps and another blanket. Man, I’m freezing.”

“
Not to worry,” she told her while patting Simone’s leg. “The chills are a common side effect. I’ll have one of the nurses bring you something for pain, and I’ll have them grab a nice warm blanket from the warmer,” she said as she headed to the door. “Other than that, you guys did great. Congratulations.”

Cradling the baby in his arms, Kevin eased from the rocking chair and planted himself along the edge of the bed, facing his wife.

“
Thank you so much, baby.”

“
Umm, Kevin, I think you helped a little.” Simone smiled.

“
Hey, little man. Can you see your beautiful mommy?” Kevin cooed to his son. He held the baby up and pulled the receiving blanket back just a little. “Me and you are the two luckiest men in the world, do you know that?”

Simone shivered. “Man, I wish they’d hurry up. I’m freezing.”

“
Baby, you want to hold him while I go check on the blanket? Or I can throw our coats over you.”

“
Knock, knock,” a female’s voice interrupted as she strolled inside the room, pushing a bassinet across the floor. “Hi.” The nurse smiled. “I’m from the nursery. I’m here to take the baby.”

Confused, Kevin held the baby closer to his chest and looked down at Simone for confirmation.

“
It’s okay, daddy,” Simone said through a yawn. “They have to clean him up, weigh him, count his toes, and all that other stuff.”

“
But you didn’t get to look at him, hold him, or nothing.”

“
We can go and get him once I’m in the room, right?” Simone asked, directing her question to the nurse.

“
Oh, yeah,” the nurse replied as she reached for the baby, ignoring Kevin’s subtle resistance. “In a few hours, he’ll be all yours,” she said as she pried the baby from Kevin’s arms and laid him in the bassinet. “Can I see your bracelets, please? It’s for security purposes.” Kevin and Simone extended their arms. “Great,” she said, then snapped on the baby’s ankle bracelet. “Three Kennards. That’s what I need.”

“
Can you do me a favor and see if someone’s bringing me something for these cramps? I feel like I’m still having contractions, and I’m freezing.”

Kevin frowned. “Is that really normal? You sure you okay?”

“
Yeah, but I’ll be doing better when I’m completely outta labor.”

“
I work in the nursery, but I’ll see what I can do. It’s been crazy busy today. Your son is the ninth baby born tonight.”

Kevin chuckled as he stood to reposition himself next to Simone. “I guess everybody was doing the booty nine months ago.”

The nurse chuckled. “Yeah, I guess so.”

Kevin’s lengthy body hung off the side of Simone’s bed as he snuggled up next to her, trying to keep her warm.

Glancing up at her husband, Simone asked, “So was your stomach in knots after watching all that?”

“
Naw, not like I thought it would be. I was more amazed than anything. I mean, that was us, baby. We created a little life. Then, to watch him come into the world like that…Man, it was amazing.”

“
You know you can go down and watch them examine him if you want.”

“
I can?”

“
Yeah. It might not be such a bad idea considering they’re so busy. We don’t wanna take a lil’ Korean baby home.”

“
Yeah, but then who’s going to stay here with you? You still haven’t gotten your pain medicine and you’re shivering.”

“
I’m a big girl, baby.”

“
Not no more. You just lost ‘bout twelve pounds,” he joked as he peeled from the bed. “You sure you’re okay, though? I feel strange leaving you.”

The door crept open. Another nurse strolled inside the room toting two small Dixie cups in hand. “I guess you’ve been waiting for these.” She smiled. “I just got here, and one of the nurses asked me to bring these to you.”

“
Thank the Lord. You got my drugs. Go ‘head, Kevin,” Simone said. “I’m really good now. I’ll probably be out cold by the time you get back. Plus, you need to call everybody.”

“
Damn, baby. You right. Should I call them, though? It’s almost four in the morning.”

“
Yeah, still call, but check on the baby first.”

“
You’re looking for the nursery?” the nurse asked.

“
Yeah,” Kevin replied.

“
Just go down the corridor and make a right. You can’t miss it,” she said as she set the two cups of pills on Simone’s bedside tray. “You’ll walk right into it.”

“
Okay. That’s precious cargo right there. Take care of my queen.”

“
Awww…” The nurse smiled as she poured Simone a cup of water from the pitcher on the tray. Resting the cup on the tray, she picked up the first cup of pills and said, “Here’s some codeine for the pain.” Picking up the next cup, she said, “And these two are for bleeding and gas.”

“
Oh my gosh. My youngest daughter is twelve, but I remember the gas pains after having her like it was yesterday.”

“
Your nurse was working on discharging a patient, so I’ll get you a warm blanket. Someone will be coming to take you to your room shortly. If your nurse doesn’t come back soon, then I’ll come back and check on you.”

“
I didn’t know the hospital did discharges in the wee hours of the morning.”

“
Not a lot, but it does happen.”

“
Hmm,” Simone said with a simple nod.

“
Can I get you anything else?”

“
Uh, uh,” Simone mumbled as she swallowed the last pill. “Just the blanket and I’m good.”

“
Okay. I’ll run and get that now.”

While the nurse ran off to grab the long-awaited blanket, Simone closed her eyes and eased further under the sheets.

“
Excuse me?”

Simone’s eyes popped open. “Yes?” she replied, startled by the nurse’s presence.

“
Are you Mrs. Kennard?” the nurse asked.

“
Yes.”

When the nurse pulled a needle from the pocket of her lab jacket, Simone caught a glimpse of her plain clothes. All the other nurses wore scrubs.