Eternal Bloom - Book 5 (The Ruby Ring Saga) Page 3

  “That doesn’t mean I’m giving up hope. It’s just...well, I just want him to know. But I will continue to fight hard, and I won’t give up.”

  “You, Sarah, are a fighter—another thing we have in common.”

  “You’re right. Doing nothing is not an option. We have to try.”

  She gently pushed a stray hair behind my ear. “We’ll continue to look for ways to save your life. You can count on that. I must also tell you that your courage is inspirational.”

  I thanked Dr. Meyers for her compassion and dedication, then left the office. On the way out, I stared up at the sky, which was the prettiest shade of periwinkle blue I’d ever seen. Another tear slipped down my face. I was determined to keep the inevitable dark thoughts from ruining whatever time I had left with Victor, so I wiped the tear away. I glanced down at my belly and rested my hand on it. “I love you, Alexander, and I’ll fight for you—for both of us—until the very end.” And with that, I jumped into the car, hit the freeway, and pressed the gas, with Live until you die, Sarah, flashing through my mind over and over again, like the lyrics to some sad but inspirational song.

  Chapter 4

  Victor came home and smiled at the special surprise I had planned for him. Sweet, romantic music played softly in the background. Candles illuminated the living room here and there with soft, yellow light. My makeup was flawless, and I was dressed in a black, glittery dress with matching heels, my hair pinned back in an elegant up-do.

  I handed him a glass of wine. “How was work?”

  “Wonderful. And then I went to your father’s afterward and spent some time with him at the gun range.”

  “Did my dad give you a hard time? He’s such a perfectionist.”

  “No, he didn’t give me a hard time at all. But that was probably because I hit every target.”

  “You’re military trained, just in a different way,” I said.

  He smiled. “You look beautiful, Sarah.”

  “Beautiful? Pssh. I’m pregnant, Victor. I look like a blinged-out bowling ball.”

  He looked at me, confused, since he hadn’t yet been introduced to bowling, then said, “A pregnant body is a beautiful body.”

  I smiled. “That’s touching. You really know how to make me feel like a queen.”

  “That’s because you are,” Victor said, pulling me close. “What’s the special occasion?”

  “I want to celebrate us,” I said.

  He kissed my lips just as the timer on the oven dinged.

  “Oh! That’s the roast.”

  “Mmm. I knew I smelled something delicious.”

  I walked him to the candlelit table I’d set with a pretty vase of beautiful flowers and a lace tablecloth. “Have a seat,” I said.

  Victor offered to help prepare dinner, but I refused; I wanted it to be a real treat for him. We enjoyed a fantastic dinner and couldn’t stop staring into each other’s eyes. Even after all that time, the chemistry between us still sizzled, and our date was magical. Truthfully, I needed the escape. I tried to pretend I hadn’t heard those awful words from my doctor’s mouth. I just wanted to enjoy the moment, to stare into my husband’s dazzling blue eyes, and to forget about the rocky road ahead. I loved the man sitting across from me more than life itself. He was my best friend, my soulmate, and I didn’t know how to tell him that we didn’t have much time left.

  When my favorite love song came on, I pulled him up to dance with me, and he was happy to hold me close in his strong arms as we swayed with the music. There, nestled against him, I felt safe, as if nothing in the world could harm me or Alexander, as long as we had Victor. But I knew that wasn’t true, and a tear threatened to escape as I thought about it.

  After a few minutes, he looked into my eyes. “I sense you’re upset about something.”

  I wasn’t surprised he asked, because he’d always been able to read me like a book. “I don’t want to talk about it, not now. Let’s just enjoy our evening,” I said, letting out a trembling breath. “I want you to remember this dance forever. I want tonight to be special.”

  “Sarah, what’s going on? Why must you be so vague?”

  “Please, Victor. I said I don’t wanna talk about it. Please don’t ruin this night.”

  He held me close. “Very well, but when you’re ready to talk, you know I’m always here for you.”

  I touched his cheek and tried not to burst into tears. I didn’t want to talk about it, but that didn’t keep the whole sordid story from pouring out of me like water through a cracked dam.

  As always, he listened and asked questions, but more than anything, he gave me encouragement.

  “I feel so...overwhelmed. Not knowing is the hardest part.”

  “I will not let anything happen to you or our child, my love,” he swore, holding my hands. “I’ll find every book and scroll the Immortals have. I’ll search the land, high and low. Sarah, I will never give up on you, on our baby, on us.” His eyes welled up with tears. “Damn it! Sarah, I refuse to give up!”

  I wanted to believe him, and I so desperately wanted to live for the sake of our unborn child. I knew Alexander would need his mother, and it wouldn’t be fair for him to miss out on all the love I had to give, love I already felt for him without ever having met him. Victor would make an awesome father and protect him at all costs, but my baby would need me too. I’m his mom, for goodness sake! I can’t just desert him! A tear rolled down my cheek.

  Victor kissed my lips softly. “We will muddle through this, my love. We will get through it together, just as we always have.”

  We stayed up all night, laughing and joking and trying to forget about our troubles. To take our mind off the terrible news Dr. Meyers had given me, we focused on something far more exciting and positive: we planned for our future and for my dream wedding and for our little Alexander. Victor held me and supported me and swore, time and time again, that we’d get through it. Then, we made slow, passionate love. Even though neither one of us spoke the dreaded words, we knew it could be the end of the line for me, so we made every touch, every kiss, and every second count. As I stared into his eyes, I realized I had never felt so loved, and I would cherish that moment for the rest of my life, no matter how short that life might be.

  * * *

  My eyes fluttered opened, and I glanced at the digital clock. It was five a.m. I felt for Victor, but he wasn’t lying next to me. I jumped up and turned on the lamp on the bedside table. “Where did he go?” I asked the silent room. I wrapped my robe around me the best I could; it didn’t quite fit with my bulging stomach and was something like trying to wrap a paper towel around a watermelon. “Victor?” I called through the house as I checked the bathroom, kitchen, and living room, but there was no sign of him.

  I knew how upset he was. He’d tried to stay cool, calm, and collected, but deep down, he was terrified, no matter how he tried to hide it. I knew he feared for my life, but I really wasn’t sure what he could do to protect me. My guess was that he’d gone to talk to Dr. Meyers herself, to see if there was anything he could do.

  I opened the fridge and took a long sip of bottled water. When I heard the door open, I raced through the living room and into Victor’s waiting arms. “Where did you go?”

  “I went to speak with Dr. Meyers.”

  “This early? You know where she lives?”

  “I can track anyone with the powers I possess.”

  “Victor, there’s nothing the doctor can do. Stalking her in the middle of the night isn’t going to help our cause.”

  “We have no cure, Sarah. If you go into premature labor, you’ll die. Every single second counts. How can I sleep with that hanging in my mind?”

  I touched his cheek. “Babe, I understand how difficult this is, but we have to be rational.”

  “The doctor gets up at dawn, and she is more than willing to help.”

  “I know. She’s the kindest woman, but we shouldn’t disturb her too much, particularly at home. It seems so...rude and s
elfish. She has to rest because she has other patients to tend to.”

  Ignoring me, he said, “We’re working on a plan.”

  “What? What kind of plan?”

  He pulled me close. “I’ll tell you everything, but give me a day or so to pull it all together.”

  “Victor, please! I don’t wanna be kept in suspense, not when it comes to this. If there’s any hope that we can—”

  He cupped my cheek. “I know how much you hate being left in the dark, but I need more information.”

  I decided it was best not to pry any further. Victor and Dr. Meyers were working in unison to save my life, and I knew they both cared about me and had mine and Alexander’s best interests in mind. I just wish I knew what’s going on. Why does he have to be so secretive all the time? I was naturally curious, which had served me well in my career as a researcher, but that made it all the more difficult to wait for the details.

  He touched my stomach. “I’ll stop at nothing to protect the family I love.”

  “It’s not just you and me anymore, Victor. We’re a family now.”

  “I know. It is something I’ve dreamt of, but I never thought it would come to pass. When Della left, I...” He trailed off, realizing how inappropriate that line of conversation would be. He kissed my lips. “I love you so much, Sarah.”

  “I love you too.”

  Chapter 5

  Days passed.

  I went out and ran some errands. We really needed some groceries for dinner tonight and I couldn’t leave everything up to Victor, especially when he worked hard all day. After going to the bank, post office, and grocery store, I pulled into the driveway, parked the car, and grabbed my groceries. I was so happy to be home because my feet had really swelled up. As I walked up to the house, I spotted my mom’s car pulling into the driveway. I usually loved visiting with my mother, but it wasn’t a good time. I was on an emotional rollercoaster, and I didn’t want to upset her or worry her more than she already was.

  She slammed the car door shut. “Sarah!”

  I waved her over. “Hi, Mom.”

  “I’ve been trying to call you for days. Is everything okay, honey?”

  “Everything is fine, Mom. I’ve just had a hundred things going through my mind, that’s all.”

  “Ah, hormones,” she said with a knowing smile on her face. “I remember those days well, though I think I was more moody with Liz than with you.”

  “Well, Mom, she is ever the drama queen, so I guess that makes sense,” I joked.

  She smiled again. “Can you come over for dinner tomorrow night? I’m making your favorite, chicken pizza.”

  I turned the key and unlocked the door. “That sounds delicious. Come on in. I want you to see what we’ve done in the nursery.”

  My mother helped me with the groceries. “Ooh! I’d love too.”

  I called Victor’s name and walked around the house, but he wasn’t there, so I assumed he’d gone out on an errand. We brought everything in and put it away, then I led my mother upstairs and into the room that would soon belong to our precious Alexander.

  “This room is adorable. I love the ocean theme. You and Victor have worked hard. This is absolutely beautiful, Sarah.”

  “I want him to have the perfect room.”

  She glanced around. “I see you’ve already got your bag packed for the hospital. That’s always wise.”

  “I know. I read it in one of those books and thought it would be a good idea. Mom, I’m so excited to hold him and see his sweet face.”

  “Me too. Honey, the first week of being home with a new baby can be quite...stressful. I’d love to stay here for a few days and help out.”

  Tears welled up in my eyes. “Mom, that’s awesome. Victor would love that.”

  “Then it’s all settled.”

  I looked at my mom, but no words would come out.

  “It’s okay. I don’t mind at all.”

  “It’s not that. It’s just...”

  “Honey, what’s wrong?”

  Emotion overwhelmed me, and I lost all control. Tears began to stream down my face. “I’m so hormonal. You know I not usually a crybaby like this. It all started when I got pregnant.”

  “It’s okay to cry, honey.”

  “But I want to be strong, Mom. I always have been, and I know that’s the quality Victor cherishes the most in me. He’s told me more than once that he loves my independence, my stubbornness.”

  Her eyes widened. “Something is terribly wrong, Sarah. A mother can sense these things. What’s this all about?”

  I met her gaze. “Mom, I-I’ve been keeping a horrible secret. I know you have every right to know, but...well, I just couldn’t bear to tell you. That’s why I haven’t been answering your calls, and now I feel lousy about it.”

  She cupped my face. “Baby, you can tell me anything. You know that.”

  I wanted to tell her, and I knew she needed to know. If Alexander was not going to have his mother, he would need his grandmother a whole lot more, so keeping it from her wouldn’t do any of us any favors. I sighed deeply, then opened my mouth to deliver Dr. Meyers’s grim prognosis, but no words came out. I shook my head vehemently. “It’s not okay, Mom. Nothing is okay at all.” I looked away; I just didn’t have the heart to look into her eyes. “Mom, I-I’m dying.”

  “What!? I don’t get it, baby. You’re Immortal now. By the very nature of the word, that means you can’t die—unless it’s by poison from a Guardian or a beheading, according to what you told me. Oh my gosh! Have you been...poisoned? Did someone do something to you up on that evil mountain?”

  “There’s another way for us to die, though it’s very rare. I have been dealing with an energy imbalance for some time, Mom. Dr. Meyers gave me pills to help me, but the pills are not as effective anymore. Since Alexander is so far along, he’s taking the brunt of the energy, which is keeping me alive, but...” My voice wavered as emotion swelled. “Mom, when he’s born, all that energy will seep into me. When I give birth, I’ll be dead within five minutes.”

  My mother tried to stay strong, but she crumbled, and tears began to drip down her face in gray-black mascara rivers. She was silent for a moment, trying to take in what I was telling her, and then she simply said, “No, Sarah. This can’t be happening.”

  “Mom, I’m so sorry. Victor and Dr. Meyers are doing everything they can to try to find a cure or a solution, and—”

  “No! I will not allow you to die,” my mother said, wiping my tears with her thumbs.

  “I will fight to the end, Mom. I’m trying to stay positive, but my heart is just aching. The thought of not rocking my son to sleep every night torments me. I can only take comfort in the fact that when I’m gone, Alexander has you and dad and Liz and Victor and Charles and...well, a fantastic support system of people who will eternally love him.”

  “Speaking of Liz, where is she?” my mother asked. “She obviously doesn’t know what’s going on, or she’d be by your side. Haven’t you told your sister, Sarah?”

  “She knows about the energy imbalance, but not the rest of it.”

  I went on to tell my mother every single detail that I’d been holding back, and every thought I was having. She embraced me tightly, and we collapsed to our knees. I struggled to get my emotions under control, but it was no use. Time seemed to stand still as we wept in each other’s arms for what felt like hours. It was so comforting, so reassuring to be held in my mother’s arms as she spoke words of hope and love, giving me the encouragement I needed. She stroked my back and pushed the hair from my tear-stained cheeks. My mother was my best friend, and it nauseated me to know she would have to grieve my loss for the second time. I was already heart sick about being separated from Alexander moments after he was born, but the thought that I was putting everyone through such grief made it all the harder to bear.

  “Mom?”

  She still held me tight. “Yeah, baby.”

  “You’ve always been there for me, and I’ll a
lways love you. You’ve stood by me through thick and thin and have never given up on me. It’s an honor for me to have you as a mother, and I know Alexander will feel the same about his grandma.”

  With a squeeze, she whispered in my ear. “I couldn’t ask for a better daughter. I love you so much, Sarah...and I refuse to lose you again. We’ll get you through this. I swear, somehow we will.”

  Sitting in the middle of the nursery, we talked for at least an hour more. My mother truly believed I could survive, and her spark of hope ignited a fire in me to do just that.

  “So those headaches you had were from the unstable energy?” she asked.

  I nodded. “Yes.”

  “I knew something was going on,” she said softly. “You’ve never been one to get headaches, except for that time you bumped your noggin on the swing set,” she said with a grin, recalling my little-girl days. “You were so cute, rubbing your little head, standing there in your pink and white sundress with your bottom lip sticking out, complaining that the mean, old swing messed up your hair.”

  “Mom, I didn’t find out about the unstable energy until you’d already left Tastia. I hope you know I wasn’t just hiding it from you.”

  “I know, but I can’t believe you didn’t tell me the second you got back. You said yourself that I’m always here for you, through the good and the bad. How could you keep something like that on your shoulders? It’s too much to bear, especially while you’re pregnant.”

  “I-I didn’t know how to say goodbye,” I said, my voice wavering.

  My mom pushed back a strand of hair from my cheek.

  I sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I’m trying to come to terms with it, Mom, but I don’t wanna say goodbye to anyone. It’s too painful for me and for the beautiful people in my life that I have to leave.”

  “You aren’t going anywhere, Sarah. You’re going to bring that little boy into the world, watch him grow up in this beautiful nursery, and live a long and healthy and happy life with your Victor. We’ll find a way to stop this, one way or another,” my mother swore. “I’ll never stop trying.”