07 October 1999
The wind swooned through the turning leaves of the maple tree. Whitney stood in front of the mirror. The sound of Prince's voice roaring loud throughout the house: "Say, say two thousand zero, zero party over, oops, out of time. So tonight I'm gonna party like it's nineteen ninety-nine".
But she couldn't care less. She flattened her shirt until it hugged her slender frame and then turned from side to side. Regardless of her mere three months, she couldn't stop admiring her growing baby bump. It had been a whirlwind of a year, and quiet personal moments such as these were the ones she truly cherished. Whitney smiled at the thought of having another set of feet running around the house, and the sound of youthful laughter. A loud thud startled her from her thoughts, and she breathed a sigh of relief when she realized it was the shutters. She exhaled and walked to close it, spotting Krissi outside playing with her dog. No amount of fame nor fortune could replace the feeling of being at peace with the world; to know you have a man who loves you, and children who need you - ah, now that's a blessing. She closed the shutters properly and put her hand to her stomach, suddenly missing her husband uncontrollably.
There had been a few before him, boys she'd dated and lusted after. There had been passionate kisses on the bus and in the rain. Movie dates, with story line's she could never recall. It was true, she had to kiss a toad or two to get to him, but now that she had him, she would never let him go. To long after a loved one is truly an unforgettable feeling, her cheek longed for her mother's reassuring kiss, her hand for her father's strong hold, but her entire body - every daring inch - longed for her husband. There was a silent knock at the door before Whitney's p.a entered the room. "I'm sorry Whit, but we've gotta leave now."
Whitney sat reading the latest edition of Vanity Fair while her stylist prepared her for her performance. She would be the closing act at the 1999 Gay Pride Pier Dance. She closed the magazine, putting it down in front of her. "Whit, you okay? You look a bit pale." said her stylist, eying her in the mirror. Whitney's stomach turned. "Uh yeah, just give me a minute." she said and made for the bathroom locking the door. Whoever said pregnancy was a beautiful experience obviously forgot to mention the morning sickness - which contrary to its name could pitch up at any given point of the day - and exceptionally weird cravings, events which weren't lost on the pop superstar at all. She rinsed her mouth and then sank back down onto the floor. A few seconds passed by before there was excessive knocking at the bathroom door. "Alright, alright, geez." said an exasperated Whitney, smoothing out her designer D&G shirt. "Want some gum?". "What?-" questioned Whitney and looked up, her eyes falling on her husband. A smile adorning his face, "hey babe". "Kev" she uttered before she leapt into his arms, wrapping around him.
She promised to leave him, and she did. The day after she promised this to Kevin she walked confidently into her lawyers office, and the necessary arrangements were made. Although, her divorce from her then husband would not prove any less trying than their five year turbulent marriage. The day after Bobby was served with the papers, he pitched up at the studio, screaming obscenities, wanting to know why and was ultimately escorted from the property by security guards - these days, really bad days, were the ones when she depended on Kevin the most. An unsigned ironclad prenuptial threatened to rob him of all he owned. There were arguments about money and even who the best parent for their daughter was. In the end, after months of relentless debating it was finalized. The last remnants of their marriage, the custody hearing came and ruled in favor of Whitney, Bobbi Kristina would grow up with her mother and see her father on holidays, birthdays and when necessary. On the 17 October 1998, Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston got married. Now, almost a year later, they're expecting their first child.
After two months of conversing back and forth telephonically, Whitney was finally back in his arms. The couple sitting on the couch, Kevin's arm around her shoulders. "How are you?" he asked. "Good...great, we've just been missing you though." she replied, looking up into his eyes before gushing "oh, I can't believe you're here!" she added before kissing him. "Mommy, that's the third time you've said that!" giggled Krissi perched on Kevin's knee. "You took care of mommy while I was gone?". The six year old nodded attentively. "And I even saw that she ate all her greens". Whitney and Kevin laughed. "What about your vegetables?". Krissi wrinkled her nose."I wasn't the patient, mommy was. She ate the vegetables for the both of us". "Oh, yeah that makes sense" laughed Kevin.
Later that night after dinner the family sat down to watch a movie, Whitney lay on the couch, her head resting on Kevin's legs while Krissi lay on a blanket in front of them, perched up on her arms, constantly turning back to hush her mother who enjoyed reprimanding devious characters. Whitney shifted and looked up at Kevin, a page blocking her from seeing his face. She blew at it, making the white page quiver. "You've been realy quiet tonight, what's up?". He moved the pages, raising his glasses atop his head. "Just work" he smiled, and looked over at Krissi asleep on the blanket "I better get her to bed" he said and put down the sheet of paper. "Oh, no it's fine I'll-" began Whitney, sitting up. "No, no you stay just there. I've got her. It's fine." he smiled and then swooped the six year old into his arms and carried her to bed. Whitney stood and stretched before picking up the blanket and neatly folding it. It was nice to have man back by her side, he exuded a certain amount of safety and strength that comforted her. Strong arms wrapped themselves about her waist from behind, pulling her closer to him. "I missed you." He said. Whitney smiled, "how much?". "So much that I left set three days early." he replied, tenderly kissing her neck. The feel of his lips enough to make her lose her composure, Whitney giggled. "Kev, Krissi's upstair's sleeping". He turned her around and continued kissing her."Then I guess we'll just have to be really quiet won't we." a smile lining his lips as he swept her up into his arms and carried her to their bedroom.
Glints of moonlight pass through the shutters of their bedroom. Whitney lay safe in Kevin's arms, twirling the black onyx titanium wedding band on his finger. Humming a soft tune. "Blues?" queries Kevin. Whitney laughs."It used to be the only thing that put Krissi to sleep. And I bet it'll be the same with this one". "So, she's going to be a singer like her mom, huh?". At this Whitney laughed. "No, I was thinking more of an actor like his dad". Kevin smiled, and then shifted."Here, listen to this. Close your eyes. Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate: Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And Summer's lease hath too short a date : Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shine's, And often is his gold complexion dimm'd; And every fair from fair sometimes declines,"
Whitney lay silent, enjoying the sound of Kevin's voice. Oh how she loved this man.
"By chance, or nature's changing course, untrimm'd; But thy eternal summer shall not fade nor lose possesion of that fair thou ow'st; Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade, When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st; So long as man can breathe or eyes can see, So long lives this, and gives life to thee." he pinched the bridge of his nose, squinting his eyes and setting the page down beside the bed."What do you think?". Whitney sits up just an inch. "I don't know, it's the typical Shakespearean love poem." she goes silent for a minute and then looks up at him. "he's praising this woman for her beauty, comparing her to summer." she gets up and straddles him "but as the poem goes on, she becomes summer, the standard by which beauty is and should be judged." her arms resting on his shoulders. He smiles subtly and then says"'When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st'" he moves a flowing curl from her face. "It's a grafting technique used to join parts from two plants with cords so that they grow as one." he smiles adoringly, raising their intertwined hands to show the unity. "So, his beloved becomes immortal, grafted to time with the poet's cords (his "eternal line")". "Immortalized, huh?". "Forever"."So, does this have a point or are you just trying to get fresh with me, boy?" asked Whitney in jest, floating a brow. Kevin laughed. 'it's for the movie. They have me serenading Kelly. Whit, it just doesn't make sense. Billy Chapel is a baseball player. He's not even into poetry"."Sportsmen can have depth"."I don't know Whitney, can I...can I make this work?"."Listen to me baby, you've got this. You're Kevin Costner. You can make anything work.". At this he laughed."Yeah, 'cause the critics have really adored me these past few years.". She held his face in her hands and lifted it to hers, exactly the way he had done to her when she questioned whether she was, making the correct decision in accepting the offer of Rachel Marron. "You, can do this. I know you can.". He smiled weakly."What would I do without you?". Whitney laughed and slid from his lap back into his embrace.
This is love, thought Whitney as her eyes became heavy, an inch from sleep. Her head on his chest, their heartbeat in perfect sync. And as she inched closer into a world fabricated by her mind she rested her hand on her stomach, a type of bliss settling over her like a mist over a calm sea.
