I'm Having a Royal Baby {ORIGINAL VERSION; BOOK 2}

Chapter 32: Questions and Abruptions

Chapter 32: Questions and Abruptions

Shadé

Three long, sorrowful weeks have passed since my water broke. All I could do is pray each and every day that I don't feel any contractions anytime soon. I've only had one dose of steroids and antibiotics each. I slept more and more every day and at times, I would spend an entire day sleeping.

Vincent, Ezra, Aimee, and Frank have been with me the entire time. Lately, I've been receiving anonymous cards, toys, and flowers. My room looked decorated with hundreds of gifts from unknown people. There were only two that I knew were from Vincent's aunt and uncle; a camera and an empty photo album book.

Every day I thought of the day Vincent spoke up against his parents and admitted his feelings for me to the media. It surprised me that he would do something so daring. He even went as far as announcing that he didn't want to be a part of the Royal Family! I knew he was crazy, but not that crazy!

Ezra was my company at the moment. He was seated in a settee against a wall opposite my bed. Every time Ezra was around me, I always thought about reasons why he abandoned me and why he hadn't written back. So, because I wasn't feeling too weak, today would be just right to ask him about it.

"Ez-Ezra," I managed to choke out.

"What's up, Shay," he asked, looking up from his magazine.

"Umm...why didn't you write back to me for so long," I asked.

A long sigh escaped his lips as he dropped the magazine on his lap. "The truth," he asked warily.

I nodded, slowly. What else was he expecting me to want? A lie?

"Shadé, I've been going through a lot...with Victoria, Mama, and myself," he paused for a moment. "Tori has been getting sick often and so has Mama. I just got out of jail a month ago and all I could think about was the health of my little girl. I care about Mama, don't get me wrong, but Tori is my world," he finished, avoiding eye contact with me.

I felt selfish for thinking that my brother didn't want anything to do with me. I knew he had a little girl, Victoria Hakim. I hadn't seen my little niece in person, only in pictures and that was when she was a tiny infant.

"Eventually, she had gotten better. So, I went back to sell-err-work. But she kept getting colds and flus to the point where I couldn't help but flinch every time she coughed," he explained.

"I'm so sorry, Ezra," I said sadly. "All this time I thought you didn't want anything to do with me," I admitted.

"Shay, I love you. You're my sister, you're fam," he said.

"Yes, I know. But that doesn't make up for why you abandoned me," I said quietly. Sorrow was beginning to creep back into my heart.

"I ain't abandon you. I saved up money for myself to go back to America. And once I got there, I tried saving up to buy you a ticket, like I said in one of our letters. But because I had to take care of Tori and Mama, I ain't have enough," he said, wearing a saddened expression.

"How sick is Mama," I asked carefully.

He held his head in his hands before answering me. "I'm just going to say that Mama is very, very sick. I've been trying to pay for her medication. We needed you, but I never had the time to contact you. I'm sorry, Shay," he said, getting up.

Suddenly, a firm knock came at the door. Both Ezra and I gave our attention to the person entering the room.

"Hey, Shadé, Ezra. I'm sorry I'm late," Vincent's deep, accented voice said as he closed the door after himself.