In Death I Live by Lindsay Becs
ZORA
Today is my birthday.I’m not sure if any of the boys remember from when we talked about it last month. A lot has happened in the weeks since that conversation.
I stretch my tired muscles, a smile pulling on my lips when I remember why I’m sore in all the best ways. I fell asleep in Cruz’s bed between him and River last night.
They’re both gone now though. They must have exhausted me good for me not to wake up when they left the bed this morning.
After I go to the restroom, I pile my hair into a nest on top of my head and get dressed in whatever clothes I find on the floor before padding my way down to the kitchen for coffee. I stop short when I see all four of my boys—even Greyson—in there with a full breakfast spread and a big banner that reads ‘Happy Birthday, Angel!’
I can’t stop the tears that fill my eyes as I take it all in. I’ve never had anyone do anything for my birthday before. Never really celebrated it much. I would splurge and buy myself a single cupcake that I’d eat alone at the end of the day. Never anything like this.
“Happy birthday, baby girl!” Cruz yells, his arms in the air and a huge smile on his face. I laugh through happy tears as I throw my arms around him, crying into his shirt. He chuckles, dropping his arms to hold me while I cry ridiculous tears.
One by one, I feel another set of arms wrap around me, lips kissing me and variations of “happy birthday” said to me. I’m so overwhelmed, feeling extremely cared for with their outpouring of love to celebrate me.
“You hungry, birthday girl?” River asks, rubbing circles on my back. “Cruz made just about every breakfast food ever invented and then some.”
“And I’m hungry. I want to eat,” Greyson says. “Fuckers wouldn’t let us eat anything until you came down, even after Dom woke me up,” he grumbles with his arms crossed over his bare chest. “I was having a good dream too.”
“Yeah, I could tell by the way you were pitching a tent,” Dom deadpans.
“Hey, Zo-Zo was the star. You can’t fault me too much,” Grey replies with a wicked grin directed toward me.
“Alright, come on, let’s eat up. We’re on a time crunch,” Dom says, but ignores me when I look at him in question.
River brings me coffee while Cruz makes me a plate piled high with more food than I’d eat in a month. Everyone around the table together like this, these are my favorite times. When the conversation is light, filled with jokes and jabs and laughter.
But it’s also when I miss Remi most, knowing that he’ll love the boys and they’ll love him.
Once we finish eating, Dom drops a sweet kiss to my lips and tells me I need to go shower and get dressed. Excitedly, I don’t ask questions because I want to know what kind of surprise Domonic Chadwick has for me for my birthday.
Dancing in the shower, I sway my hips from side to side while I wash my hair. “Keep it up and I’m going to dirty you up some more before you get clean,” Grey says from the opening of the glass shower.
“What are you doing in here if you can’t keep your hands to yourself?” I ask, moving closer to him to kiss his sweet lips.
He shrugs his shoulders. “I just kind of like you, and if I have to be awake this early, then I want to look at something pretty.”
“It’s eleven,” I laugh.
“I know. It’s before noon,” he groans, hopping up on the counter.
It’s not until I finish my shower and get out that I notice he’s dressed and looking hot. “Are you part of my surprise?” I ask him when I drop my towel and start to lotion my legs.
Tipping his head back, he talks to the ceiling. “Oh fuck, coming in here was a bad idea. Dom will kill me if I touch you right now.”
“Why?”
Looking at me then, he gives me a sweet grin. “Just… get ready and come downstairs.” Jumping from the counter, he kisses me on the cheek and then leaves me even more confused about what the hell is happening today.
I decide to braid my hair to save on time, anxious to know what’s going on. I swipe on a quick layer of mascara and lip gloss after I dress in a pair of leggings and a long-sleeve cotton tee with crisscross straps across my chest.
I run downstairs, jumping to a stop in front of Dom. “Okay, I’m ready!” I tell him with my hands on my hips and a big smile on my face. I’m zinging with excitement that I can’t contain no matter what it is that’s about to happen.
Hauling me into his lap, he buries his face in my neck. “You’re so fucking cute.”
“How much longer do I have to wait?” I ask, feeling disappointed.
The corner of his mouth tips up a bit. “Just a little longer.”
I sag against his chest in defeat, but then his phone pings with a notification. He shields it from me and then nods to the boys. “It’s time.”
“It’s time?!” I yell, standing up.
He smacks my butt. “Come on.” Taking my hand, he guides me to the front door and outside onto the porch with all the boys behind us. I’m confused why we’re out here, and then I see a car coming up the long drive.
Looking up at Dom, my heart starts to pound in my chest. “Who is that?”
“Just wait,” he tells me, and I want to slap him.
But then the car stops in front of us, and the back door flies open. “Mommy!” Remi yells, shooting out of the car and running straight to me where I’ve fallen to my knees. “I missed you,” he adds in a whisper. I hug him so tight; I worry for a second I’m hurting him.
“I missed you so much, Remi,” I tell him, kissing his face. “I can’t believe you’re here.” I beam at him. My eyes scan is his face, making sure he looks good, not hurt or like he’d been starved.
“Did we complete the mission?” he whispers in my ear.
“Yeah, Rem. We did.” I kiss his head again. “I want you to meet my friends. Do you remember the names I told you before?”
Nodding, he says, “Yes. You told me they were the only people I could trust on our side.”
“That’s right.” Taking his hand, we both stand and turn to face the boys. “This is River, Cruz, Greyson.” I pause a moment before turning to Dom, who has such a look of awe on his face. “And this is Domonic.”
Cruz is the first to speak. Crouching to be on his level, he holds out his fist to pound. “It’s really nice to meet you, Remi. If you need help finding the good snacks, you find me, okay?”
“Do you have Fruit Roll-Ups?” Remi asks.
Cruz smiles wider. “Yep. And Gushers.”
“Awesome!”
River and Grey both say hi, adding promises of their own to show him all sorts of things in the house too, each of them melting my heart more and more. They’re all trying to one-up each other like the children they are sometimes.
Remi looks up at Dom after a while of him not saying anything. “Are you okay, Domonic?”
Like he is finally seeing through the haze he’s in, Dom drops down to sit on the step. “You know, my friends call me Dom, if you want.”
“Mommy calls me Rem sometimes.”
He smiles at him. Dom smiles at my son, a real smile with teeth and all. “I hope you’re excited to be here. We’re excited to have you stay with us. Do you want to see your new room?” My eyes snap to his, but he pays me no attention, all his focus on Remi.
“I have my own room?” Remi asks, surprised and awed since it’s something he’s never had before.
“Yep. Come on, I’ll show you.” Dom holds his hand out for Remi, who takes it and then reaches one out for me too.
“Coming Mommy?”
“I’m right behind you.”
I had no idea Remi was coming to the compound today. I had no idea the boys had made a room for him here. I had no idea I could love them all more than I already do.
River steps behind me, wrapping his arms around me. “Come on, Mommy,” he whispers in my ear.
“I can’t believe you all did this.”
“We told you we would bring him home when it was safe,” River says. “And it’s safe. You’re safe, and so is he.”
“It’s the start to a whole new life, baby girl,” Cruz adds.
“The life you didn’t think you’d get, it’s yours, Zo-Zo,” Greyson tells me, lacing his fingers with mine. “You have a whole long life to live still.”
I have a whole long life to live still.
I run those words through my mind again as we walk inside. I have a life now because they saved me and I chose to side with them.
Now, I can dream and want for the future and know that I can have it. I can have it all with Remi and all my boys by my side. Together. Always together.
THE END