Secret Deception (Jonathan Black's Love Story)

Chapter 29: Heaven and Hell

Kay sat on my couch surrounded by wedding magazines.
"I'm so overwhelmed. How did you and Jonathan do this?"
"Jonathan largely let me do what I wanted. Do you have the checklist?" I asked.
"Alexia?" She asked quietly.
"Yeah?" I looked over at her.
She handed me a box.
"What's this?" I asked absently.

"Wait. Are you sure?" I asked holding the box.
"Yeah. I've never been very good at making friends or holding onto relationships. The only other serious relationship I had was with Issac and that relationship was full of secrets. With you and Cameron and Jonathan I've never felt like you're hiding anything from me." She said smiling at me.
"Especially since Cameron was abducted, before that I was wary just because of who I am."
"Understandably so." She smiled at me again.
"So, is that a 'yes'?"
"Yes. Kay I would be honored to be your matron of honor."
"Matron?"
"It's Matron because I'm married." I laughed.
"Open it."
I opened the box to find all kinds of bath salts, bubble bath, ect.

"Wow. This is perfect. Thank you."
"No, Lex. Thank you."
"So, when are you guys looking to have the wedding?"
"We were talking about a summer wedding. Maybe June but we don't want it to be right after the twins come so we're thinking next year."
"Good. We definitely don't want to rush wedding planning. Jonny and I were engaged for like four years." I mentioned.
"I definitely don't want to rush it. I do have some ideas though. I was thinking about a country wedding at like a country estate and I don't want a huge wedding, Lex."
"Because of who I am I was required to invite certain political leaders and such. I'd make sure to talk to Cameron. I'm pretty sure Jonny said he invited the barista to the wedding this morning."
"Anyway, what about you? It's almost time for the gender reveal."
"Yeah, it is we decided on the boxes filled with balloons this time around. We decided to invite a small camera crew. With two four year olds and our jobs with the FBI we don't have a lot of time for interviews or anything like that right now."
"Did Jonny go to the appointment today?"
"Of course. He met me there then went back to work. Keeping the secret is killing him." I laughed a little.
"I bet. So, you two are the only ones that know?"
"Yeah, we decided to do things ourselves this time around." I nodded.
"I can't believe you're having twins again."
"You're telling me." I laughed.
"I'd like to blame Jonny but I can't. The first set I could try to put on him but two sets. Twins must run in my family too."
"You haven't done the research?"
I shook my head.
"It scares me." I admitted.
"From what I understand that you've been through, which is basically just what you've told everyone. Cam and I don't talk about it."
"Cam and Jonny don't know what all I've been through just like I don't know what happened to them before we met."
I sighed.
"I didn't have any interaction with anyone other than the women my father brought home. He was a violent man. He took his anger out on me more often than not. I don't remember a day I wasn't starving. Some days he chained me to the bed or to a desk depending on his mood. Jonny knows the broad spectrum of what I've been through but I don't often go into specifics."
"I'm sorry you had to go through that." She gently touched my hand.
"It made me stronger. It brought me to Jonny. I was eight years old when he saved my life. He climbed into the vent and sat with me until I was ready to come out.
"It'll sound weird but I slept in his bed every night of my childhood."
"You saved us too, you know?" Jonny said from the doorway petting Cooper who was excited daddy was home.
"Hey, baby." I smiled at him.
"I'm serious. Cam used to be convinced that you were like the little girl from the Nutcracker; that our lives would change when you came into our lives."
"You've mentioned that once or twice." I reached out for him and he came over to sit next to me.
"How long have you been together?" Kay asked looking at us.
"Well, we've known each other 23 years. We started dating when I was 19 so we've been together for 12 years. We got engaged when I was 22, then we got married when I was 26. I turned 31 last September."
"It's incredible how deeply in love you both still are."
"He's my heart; my soulmate." I said looking into his eyes.
"She's definitely my everything. She's my queen." He smiled at me.
"My king."
"You two are incredible. You two are what true love really is."
"Thank you, Kay. That's sweet." I smiled at her.
"Where are the boys?" She asked.
"They begged to have a sleep over with Jasmine and Brad. I think they're going to a movie. They'll be back for the reveal tomorrow."
"It'll be good to have some time to ourselves." Jonny added.
"I'll let you guys get some rest. We'll be here. Noon tomorrow." She smiled at us as she stood up.
After she left I talked to Jonathan about being her matron of honor. Cameron obviously asked Jonny to be his best man.
I was walking down a dirt path through a dark forest. The thin trees twisted casting shadows across my path. After what seemed like hours I came across a clearing. On his knees in the middle of the clearing was my husband. He was shirtless wearing only a pair of jeans and a best. A piece of black cloth covered his eyes while another was clenched in his teeth. His hands tied behind his back with white rope that also bound his biceps together with a strange knot in the center of his back. I tried to call his name but no sound came out. I tried to move towards him but tree roots wrapped around my ankles holding me in place. I watched as Jonathan yelped in pain like he was being whipped by an unseen force. I tried to call his name again but still couldn't speak.
"Lexa?"
I gasped as my husband shook me awake.
"You were having another nightmare." He whispered running his fingers through my hair.
"You were calling my name."
"In my dream I tried to call for you but no sound came out. I tried to get to you but the roots held my legs. I couldn't get to you. I couldn't help you."
I felt a tear roll down my face.
"Hey. It was just a dream. Nothing's going to happen to me." He nudged me.
We got up and got dressed for the reveal.
"I wish I knew why I'm having so many nightmares this pregnancy."
Jonny came up behind me and wrapped his arms around me.
"Every pregnancy is different. The boys made you so tired all the time. This pregnancy is giving you nightmares. I'll always be here to hold you when you have bad dreams." He kissed my cheek.
Jonathan refused to let me help him set up the boxes in the den for the reveal.
Shortly before noon Cameron, Kay, Dina, Jordan, Gunther, Jasmine, Brad, Josh and Logan gathered around the boxes. The live video was being taken by Jason Wyatt from our local news station. Jonathan and I stood behind the boxes.
"Yesterday Jonathan and I went to our doctor and discovered the genders of our little bundles of joy. Today we share that news with you."
Jonathan and I lifted the lids off of the boxes in sync revealing...

A little prince and a little princess.