Love, Family And Forever...

Love, Family And Forever...
THREE YEARS LATER...
I stood outside in front of the prison's huge gate, Zion and Zaya, still having their sibling rivalry, stood beside me. I paid them no mind.
The day they would not argue, I would be genuinely worried. Jared stood beside me as I held a cardboard paper in view, waiting for her.
"Where is she?" I questioned impatiently.
Uncle Pete and Miss Nancy were home, they couldn't come because Miss Nancy had just put to bed a beautiful set of twin boys.
The twin gene was really strong in the Johnson family.
Celine was due at any moment. Funny right? Dylan had proposed a year after my wedding. Celine was expecting her first child but was advised to stay home and to stress as little as possible. That was what happened when your husband was a big shot doctor.
The gates opened and there she was. I beamed.
Zion and Zaya, now eight years of age, ran forward in unison, forgetting their meaningless squabble. "Aunt Denise!"
"Hey!" She opened her arms, stooping to hug them only they weren't as small as they used to be.
They would definitely have their father's height.
They usually came with me whenever I wanted to visit her.
"Welcome home." They chorused in unison.
Approaching me with Zion and Zaya clinging to both hands, she read the words I'd written on the cardboard paper. "Welcome back, big sis."
Her eyes went misty, she ran forward with the twins and hugged me, careful not to discomfort my baby bump. "Thank you for forgiving me and for going the extra mile to reduce my sentence."
"What I wouldn't do for family." I was trying not to cry as well.
After much thought, I decided to let go. Denise wasn't as privileged as I had been growing up, while her deeds couldn't be justified, they were understandable.
Moreover, she had showed how sorry she was by helping bring my enemies to book, including the man she'd known all her life as a father.
People made mistakes, it wouldn't be fair of me to hold hers over her for so long. So I had to make up with her.
I used my connection and my husband's to pull strings. Her twelve-year sentence slashed to three.
"I'm so sorry. If I could turn back the hands of time, I would..." She sobbed.
"Hey, shh. It's okay. We're together, that's what matters. You don't have to go through life alone or lack anything anymore, alright? I'm here for you. We all are." I hugged her tight.
"Watch the baby bump." She jokingly warned amidst tears.
"Denise will be fine. She's as strong as her aunt." I smiled.
She pulled back. "It's a girl?"
I nodded.
"And you named her after me?" Tears filled her eyes, her lips quivered.
"Yes. The conception of Denise would not be possible if her aunt hadn't stepped in to help clear the turbulent storm." I swallowed hard to prevent tears.
"I am honored." She hugged me again before going to meet Jared. "Thank you for the chance and I never got the opportunity to apologize for seducing you. I was stupid and..."
Jared pulled her into a warm hug. "It's all in the past. What matters is you're out, safe and sound."
"Okay, Mr. President." She saluted.
"What?" I quirked an amused brow. "Election is still months away."
"Yes. You know in prison, we have TV privileges so I get to watch the news. The people loved his performance as a senator. And now he has indicated interest in the presidential election, the reviews about him are encouraging so I won't be surprised if he wins hands down."
Jared laughed coyly. "Come on, let's go home."
We all piled into the car. Me in front with Jared, the kids chatting excitedly with Denise and she invested in whatever they were saying about school and friends.
"Hi Denise." Uncle Pete greeted the moment he spotted in step in from the foyer into the living room.
"Hi, Mr. Johnson."
"Call me uncle Pete. Hailey does." He came forward to hug her ignoring the handshake she was going for.
Miss Nancy stepped out from the kitchen just then. "Welcome back, Denise. Thank the Lord for keeping you safe."
"Thank you, Mrs. Johnson."
"Call me Nancy, Hailey does and since you're her sister, it's only right you do." Again, Denise's handshake was ignored as she was enveloped in a warm yet brief hug. "Excuse me, food is cooking."
"I'll have a maid show you your room." I told her. "Tomorrow, we'll go shopping for new clothes for you."
She beamed, feeling overwhelmed as though she hadn't expected to be welcomed with open hearts and open minds.
"I know the room, I'll show you." Zaya offered, already taking her hand and leading her upstairs. Zion following.
Sometime later, we were all seated around the dining room, having a nice time.
"How's your mom, Jared? Last time, you told me she was sick."
"She's dead." Jared answered, no emotion.
It was the same way he'd been when he heard of Martha's death months after uncle Pete got married.
She hadn't been invited to the wedding and she had intentionally overdosed herself on her drugs when Jared and I were preparing for ours.
Out of pity, I wanted to send her an invite knowing she was lonely and only had the maids but Jared had put his foot down against it, and when we got news of her death, he proceeded to arrange for her burial immediately.
Uncle Pete had been indifferent about the whole ordeal. Only Miss Nancy and me had shown some emotions. Zion and Zaya didn't really know her so they were mostly quiet.
"Oh. That's sad."
"No, that's Karma." He corrected.
"Jared." I called with a sigh.
"What?" He shrugged and continued eating his food. "What do you plan on doing now that you're out and free?"
"I don't know. Go back to school but I'll have to find a job so I can afford fees and the rest. Then enroll in any Arts school."
"Arts?" I asked, surprised.
"I know you don't know but I sculpt and paint." She divulged.
"That's beautiful. Dad was a pretty decent painter as well but he didn't take it seriously. He didn't believe it could take care of bills."
"Yeah, my mom said I took that particular talent from him." She said.
"Whatever you want to do, I'm here to support you all the way."
"And you don't have to work, aunt Denise, mom and dad and uncle Pete are rich, they can help you." Zaya put in, then she added after a short thinking recess. "I have some savings too."
"Thank you so much baby. I'm grateful but I have to do this all by myself."
Zaya shrugged and replied in a wise manner. "But they will still help you."
"Will you paint me, aunt Denise?" Zion wanted to know.
"Of course. In fact, you'll be my first project." She promised him.
"Me too, aunt Denise. Paint me."
"You have no problem, darling." She beamed at the twins.
"How come you want whatever I want?" Zion faced his sister.
"Excuse me?" Zaya's sassy face was on. "Daddy, Zion is at it again." She reported to Jared.
While the rest tried to stop the new squabble between the twins, my phone rang. "Hello, Celine. How are you?"
"Hello, Hailey."
"Dylan? Hi. What's up?"
"Celine has just put to bed." That was when I heard the unbridled excitement in his voice.
"Oh my goodness! Everyone, Celine just delivered."
That got everyone's attention and stopped the squabbling.
"We're on our way there, Dylan." I ended the call, left the table, already heading for the door.
Everyone else followed, even uncle Pete and his wife, they had to strap the twins to themselves.
A while later, we were entering the VIP ward for new mothers.
"Oh Celine. I'm so happy for you. Congratulations!" I hugged her.
She looked exhausted but over-the-moon happy. "Everyone, meet Haley." She announced but was looking at me.
"That's mommy's name." Zion pointed out.
"Almost. Mommy's name has letter 'i' but baby Haley is without the letter 'i'." She explained.
My eyes filled. "I'm so honored."
"Dylan and I agree if it was a girl, we'd name her Hailey. God knows I hoped it would be but then our bundle of joy came and it's a boy, so I googled the male alternative and got Haley. Without your help, I would not be here today, Hailey. I want to say thank you. Plus, I want my child to be as strong as the woman who stood by me and fought for me even without knowing me."
I hugged her then we both gasped.
"I can see Denise is ready to come out. She doesn't want to be left behind." Celine joked. I told her of the name and she approved.
The others, including Denise admired baby Haley sleeping peacefully in his crib. The twins made a perfectly innocent yet hilarious comment on how red and little he was, just like uncle Pete's twin boys.
Another kick came on again and within minutes, my water broke. Then came labor pain.
Somewhere between three to five hours later, baby Denise came out. In my own VIP ward, I was so exhausted but really happy.
Denise took her from an excited Jared. "Welcome to the world, baby Denise. You're so lucky to have Hailey as your mother."
As though the newest member of the family understood, she made cooing noises with her eyes still closed, then smiled at Denise who got overwhelmed and burst into happy tears. "See, she smiled at me."
"There's so many babies in the family now." Zaya commented, folding her arms.
"Everyone at school will be so jealous when I tell them." Zion boasted.
"Not if I tell them first." Zaya cut in.
Then came the next squabble.
"I wonder how it'll be when these four learn to talk and walk." Jared shook his head amusingly watching our kids squabble over who was going to be the first to tell their friends about the new babies.
"All hands on deck." Dylan commented.
Chuckles filled the air. My gaze swept the ward I was in and in gratitude, I smiled.
The people around me, forgiveness and love, were the key for us. I still had my booming companies, my husband still managed his company while serving the public politically. I had a second chance with my stepsister and my daughter that I'd thought dead.
Philip, Derek and former president Bronx got life for all of their crimes. Mia was going in for many years, by the time she would be out, she'd be in her forties. Christian was also going to be in for life.
The money siphoned from Philip's company, Jared and me decided to give it out to charity. It was the best, Denise was aware of it and she'd agreed wholeheartedly.
Nina still reached out to me from time to time. She and her family were now starting life afresh in a different country, but they weren't poor.
Everyone got what they deserved.
My story, with its decent beginning, complicated challenges as it developed, finally had the best ending.
I couldn't be more grateful.