The Canary (Completed)

Chapter 11

Chapter 11
***

KenLeigh had spent the day talking with her attorney, realtor, and insurance company. Before she could take a breath, the afternoon had come and gone, leaving her with less than a couple of hours to prep the house for her in-laws' arrival. She sighed out of frustration at the amount of work she had to do and finally willed herself to start dusting in the living room. Her activities ensued for just minutes before Dakarai arrived home from school.

"How'd it go today?" she asked.

"Same ol'. Same ol', Dakarai answered, dropping his book bag on the floor and flopping down onto the sofa.

KenLeigh sighed, her frustration building with her son's disregard for the work she had ahead of her.

"Rai, baby, please take your book bag to your room. I'm trying to get this place cleaned up. Your grandparents'll be here soon."

Dakarai creased his brow in confusion and quickly surveyed the room, finding nothing out of place.

"What are you cleaning?" he finally asked.

"This house. It's a mess," she answered, starting to dust the crystal figures on the built-in shelves along the walls.

"Mom, stop. This place looks great."

KenLeigh ignored Dakarai's assessment and continued dusting. Adamu had always told her that even when things seemed perfect, there was still work to be done. He had instilled that belief in her from a very young age and nearly twenty years later it still remained.

Dakarai shook his head and walked over to her. He took the duster from her, knowing that her obsessive-compulsive behavior was a direct result of years of his father's iron-fist hold over her.

"Mom-"

"Rai, what are you doing?" she interrupted.

He spun her around to view the immaculate living room.

"This place is good. Chill out. You look tired. Go get some rest or something."

"I just want everything to be perfect," KenLeigh said.

"Mom, it is perfect. Now go to your room and rest," Dakarai ordered.

"Yes, sir," KenLeigh teasingly replied.

Once she'd made it to her room, KenLeigh lay in bed for several minutes, unable to shake the image of Joe Anoa'i. She soon bounced over to her vanity, retrieving the diary that she had been keeping during her stay with him. Several moments passed before she began to write of a fantasy that had been dancing around in her head for the last week.

***

I rush through the door of the three-bedroom bungalow that Joe and I had recently purchased, excited and unable to hold in the news I had just gotten. I can hear him clanging the weights around as I quickly make my way to the extra bedroom. His face and shirt are drenched with sweat, but he's still as handsome as ever. As soon as he catches a glimpse of me, he sets the dumbbells on the floor and smiles. That smile always melts my heart! He places a salty peck on my lips, nearly making me forget the news that I have to tell him. I'm jittery with nervousness, but elated with excitement, and he immediately sees it.

"Are you OK?" he asks.

"Yeah," I answer, nodding my head. "Better than OK."

"Oh yeah? How so?" he asks, wiping his face with a towel as he takes his seat back on the weight bench.

"I'm pregnant."

"Pregnant?" he repeats, his head snapping back up in surprise.

"Yeah."