When Love Comes Around (Love Conquers All) Read online

  “Go check on your wife. I’ll see to Audrey, Momma and Ms. Lucy.” Richard Jr. said gently nudging Kevin into the small powder room.

  Taking a washcloth from the towel holder, Kevin saturated it with lukewarm water, then rung it out. Kneeling down beside his wife, he gently rubbed her back with one hand as he offered her the washcloth with the other. “You okay, baby?”

  Putting the cloth to her face, Starr patted away the sweat. Lifting her head, she stared at the man she loved. Her bottom lip quivered as she saw the tender love and concern in his eyes. How could he still love her after putting his mother and others in danger?

  “I’m sorry,” she cried as she let her head fall. She couldn’t stand to have him look at her. How could she face Momma, his brother and sister-in-law or Ms. Lucy again? All of their lives were put in danger by someone from her past. If Marcus had hurt any one of them, she would have never forgiven herself.

  Kevin lifted her chin to meet his gaze. He knew she blamed herself for Marcus holding them at gunpoint. “Hey baby it’s not your fault that jackass did what he did. No one’s going to hold you responsible.”

  Standing, he pulled her to her feet. Starr winced from the pain shooting up her leg from her right ankle.

  “What’s wrong?” Kevin anxiously inquired, concerning lacing his deep voice.

  “I think I hurt my ankle when I fell.”

  “You mean when he pushed you.” Beverly corrected as she came in the powder room to check on Starr.

  Kevin’s body went stiff as his eyes did a sweep over her from head to toe. “He put his hands on you?” he asked through clenched teeth, his caramel complexion turning crimson.

  Before Starr could get a word out to calm him, Beverly blurted, “That nasty, low-life dog yanked my sweetie through the door and threw her to the ground! Then he snatched her up by the collar and put that gun in her face.” The elderly woman’s petite frame trembled with fury as she spoke. She wished that police officer hadn’t stopped her and Lucy from whipping that nasty thing’s tail!

  Although Beverly had just replayed the most terrifying time in her life, Starr smiled. Momma still loved her and hadn’t blamed her for the night’s events. This good feeling was short-lived as Kevin stormed out of the tiny bathroom.

  “Kevin! Kevin!”

  By the time Starr hobbled outside on her ankle that was now swollen double its size, three officers were blocking the back passenger side of the squad car. Why hadn’t they driven off yet? Kevin was desperately trying to get around the human barricade to get to Marcus.

  As she approached, she could hear the one officer say, “Mr. Dawson, we understand how you feel, but we need you to take a step back. We really don’t want to have to arrest you.”

  Arrest him? Panic overtook Starr. Gingerly touching Kevin’s back she pleaded, “Come on back in the house, baby. He’s not worth it.”

  Feeling his wife’s touch and hearing her voice, Kevin swung around. Gazing down at her, his expression softened. Panic and fear gazed back him. He wondered if she had worn that same expression when Marcus shoved the gun in her face. My God, what would I have done if anything had happened to you?

  Kevin wrapped his arms around his wife and hugged her with every ounce of love he had in his soul for her. It was that love that checked his anger, because right at that moment he didn’t care about going to jail. He wanted to beat Marcus to a bloody pulp for putting his hands on his wife and terrorizing his family, and worry about the consequences later. Feeling Starr’s trembling frame further quenched his anger.

  Easing back a bit, he lifted her chin to meet his gaze. Gently kissing her lips, he whispered, “What are you doing out here?”

  “Trying to keep you from going to jail,” she answered softly, a quiver in her voice.

  Although she had been terrified as Marcus held them against their will, it had not frightened her nearly as much as Kevin had. His entire countenance had transformed from love and concern to pure murderous hatred as Beverly told him how Marcus played a role in her injury.

  Taking his thumb, he wiped away the tear that slid from the corner of her eye. “I’m not going to jail.”

  Kevin gave one last lethal glare in Marcus’ direction. Bastard, you better be glad I love my wife. The coward had scooted over to the other side of the squad car and turned away from Kevin’s stare. Everything male in him wanted to rip Marcus’ heart out. However, as he looked again into his wife’s pleading eyes, he was grateful that she’d only suffered a minor injury.

  Looking over his shoulder at the police officers, he nodded his head. “Thanks for everything.”

  The officers returned the nod. “No problem.”

  Lifting Starr up into his arms, he noted the size of her ankle. “You know I’m taking you to the emergency room to get that checked out.” It was more of a statement than a question. Frowning he said, “It doesn’t look too good.”

  Starr winced as she felt another shooting pain radiate up her leg. “I know. And it doesn’t feel too good, either.”

  Chapter 39

  Three hours later in the emergency room

  Starr sat on the hospital gurney waiting for the doctor to come back with the x-ray results of her ankle. Shaking her head in disbelief, she asked, “Why did Marcus think he could get away with such a crazy scheme?”

  True, at one time she had been a fool for him. She had even allowed him to nearly financially ruin her. But did he really think if he had been successful with his ridiculous plot to break her and Kevin up she’d go running back into his arms? He had to know that after everything he done to her he didn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of getting back with her.

  Pacing back and forth, Kevin was getting antsy wondering what was taking the doctor so long. Starr had gotten sick every time they gave her something to eat. She didn’t, however, have a problem with keeping small amounts of liquids down, which he was really glad about. The doctor had informed them if she couldn’t keep the liquids down, she would have to stay overnight for observation, which meant he would be staying, too. After everything she’d been through tonight, he wasn’t letting her out of his sight.

  Shrugging his broad shoulders, he figured he better answer her before she noticed how worried he was. “The man was desperate for money to pay off illegal gambling debts.”

  Just as he was about to tell her he didn’t want to talk about Marcus right now because he was sure they’d be retelling the story again for the rest of their family and friends soon enough, the doctor walked in.

  From the moment they had arrived at the emergency room, both their cell phones were blowing up. He had to talk Starr’s mother, sister, Ava and Summer out of storming into the ER. “I promise I will call you as soon as I get her home. Y’all can check on her then.”

  “So do you want the good news or the bad news?”

  Going to Starr’s side, Kevin took her trembling hand in his. “Just tell us wants wrong.” Kevin’s voice came out agitated. He didn’t feel like the good news, bad news game.

  “Well, your ankle isn’t broken, just severally sprained. You’ll have to stay off of it for the next two weeks or so. No heavy weight bearing or lifting.”

  Flipping through the chart, the doctor scanned the results of her lab work. “And you don’t have a virus.”

  Kevin frowned as he looked at the doctor. What did he mean she didn’t have a virus? She’d been feeling sick for weeks now. If it wasn’t a virus, the bug that everyone had at work, what was it?

  Starr voiced Kevin’s concerns. “I’ve been feeling tired and run down for over two weeks now.”

  The doctor smiled as he eyed the anxious couple. “That’s because you’re expecting a little visitor in about” the young man shifted his eyes to the ceiling as he did a quick calculation in his head, “seven months from now.”

  “What?” Starr asked not believing she heard the doctor correctly the first time.

  Smiling, he reconfirmed, “Your lab work came back positive for the HCG h
ormone. You’re definitely having a baby.”

  Kevin let out a loud shout, “Yeah!” as he pumped his fist in the air. “My baby’s having a baby!”

  Excitement overtook him as he picked Starr up spinning her around.

  Laughing, she cried, “Stop, Kevin before you make me get sick again.”

  Settling her back down on the gurney, he apologized. “Sweetheart, I’m sorry. I’m not thinking straight.”

  Tenderly, a large hand possessively cradler her belly. Leaning in he rested his forehead against hers, kissing her lips. “We’re having a baby. You’re having my baby.”

  Starr gently touched Kevin’s jaw letting her fingers softly stroke the day old stubble. “Yep, I’m having your baby. A little girl that’s gonna put ribbons and barrettes all over your head.”

  Leaning back, she tilted her head to the side. An impish grin danced at her lips. “Oops, my bad. You don’t have any hair.”

  Kevin threw back his head and laughed as he remembered how she had teased him months ago. God, I love this woman.

  ♥♥♥

  Eight weeks later

  Starr held Kevin’s hand as the technician glided the ultrasound probe over her round belly. She didn’t understand why she was getting huge so fast. Instead of four months pregnant, she appeared to be more like six months. Everyone assumed she was having twins, even Dr. Neil, that’s why she was having an ultrasound done today.

  “What’s wrong?” Starr nervously inquired as the technician’s eyes bulged.

  “Um, nothing. Let me call your doctor.”

  The young woman quickly exited the room to contact Starr’s obstetrician.

  “Kevin, I’m scared.” Was something wrong with their baby? Had she waited too late in life to have a baby? No, that was nonsense. Women older than her were having healthy babies all the time. Her mother-in-law had been in her early forties when she had Kevin. And he came into this world healthy as an ox.

  “Come on baby, don’t do this. Everything’s going to be all right.” Kevin lovingly assured his wife attempting to calm her fears as well as his own. He couldn’t let her see that he was just as afraid that something was wrong.

  “But what if─”

  Cutting her off, he placed a finger to her lips. “Hey, our baby is going to be fine.”

  Twenty minutes later, Dr. Neil came bouncing in the room his usual animated self. “How’s it going?”

  “All right,” Kevin answered speaking for the both of them. Starr was a bundle of nerves. The twenty-minute wait for the doctor to come had felt like twenty hours.

  Sitting on the stool, Dr. Neil squeezed another glob of gel on her belly. Taking the probe, he firmly glided it over her belly. “Well, what do we have here?” His eyes twinkled as he concentrated on the monitor.

  The couple was drawn to the tiny screen the doctor seemed so fascinated by.

  Grinning at Starr, he asked, “You here that?”

  Nodding her head, “That’s the baby’s heartbeat.”

  “That’s right.” Dr. Neil said smiling. “How about this?” He asked slowly sliding the probe to another area. “You hear that?” This time he glanced at Kevin, a huge grin on his face.

  “Uh-huh. Sounds like another heartbeat.

  “That’s right. And what about this?”

  Wide-eyed, Starr stared at Kevin. “Another heartbeat?” They said in unison.

  Chuckling, the doctor confirmed. “That’s right. Now look at the screen right here.” Kevin and Starr followed Dr. Neil’s finger as he pointed out each precious beating heart on the screen.

  Little fish everywhere. Momma Joan’s dream came rushing back to her. Kevin and Dr. Neil hunched their shoulders as Starr laughed and cried uncontrollably with joy. “My little fish. They were my little fish.”

  Smiling through her tears, Starr pulled Kevin’s hand to her lips and kissed it. “I thank God for you. I love you so much.” I’m going to be a mommy.

  Kevin leaned over and gently placed a kiss on her forehead. “I thank God for you, too. And I thank you for trusting me with your heart. Baby, I love you so much.”

  Epilogue

  “Oh Lawd, look at our grandbabies.” Beverly said to Donna, laughter in her words.

  Donna linked her arm through Beverly’s. “They are just too adorable, if I say so myself.”

  Beverly chuckled. “You won’t get any argument out of me.”

  The grandmothers stood off to the side as they watched the photographer try to get the one year olds to cooperate. However, the Dawson triplets weren’t in the cooperating mood this afternoon. Uh-huh, they weren’t having it.

  As soon as the photographer had the little ones settled in the perfect pose with Kalvin in the center, Sydney to his left and Shayla to his right, Miss Sydney decided it was time to get up and go. Standing up balancing herself on chubby legs, the oldest of the crew, teetered off taking Frankenstein like steps toward the toy chest in the corner of the den. The bright orange, stuffed lion lounging on top caught her attention. Kalvin decided to give Shayla, the baby of the bunch, a big wet, drolly kiss in the eye. When her little mouth turned into a frown and she began to do that little pant babies do right before they cry, her big brother tried consoling her by kissing her again. Leaning in, he put his tiny hands on her chest landing another soaking kiss on her pudgy cheek. Trying to right himself up, he lost his balance sending them toppling over on the plush, carpeted floor.

  The photographer didn’t become frustrated with the babies who obviously had minds of their own. Instead, he used this as an opportunity to snap some really cool, candid shots. He loved taking pictures of the Dawson triplets. From the time they’d come home from the hospital, Starr had a standing date every three months to capture them in various stages. With each visit, he marveled at how their personalities blossomed. And today on their first birthday, he could see just how different they were.

  Sydney, the oldest, was the leader of the pack. The other two didn’t make a move until she did. Kalvin was the affectionate one, he always wanted to kiss and hug everyone whether a friend or stranger. Shayla had a tendency to be cautious, the no nonsense one. Whereas her sister and brother happily went to any friendly smiling face, Shayla scrutinized strangers and would scream bloody murder if they dare tried picking her up.

  Her arm around Kevin’s waist, Starr rested her head on his shoulder. She softly giggled. “Look at your children.”

  It was still so very hard to believe that they were here. And that she and Kevin had conceived three babies without the aid of fertility drugs. Every time she held them in her arms or sat in the nursery watching them sleep, she realized just how much of a true miracle they were.

  Being sleep deprived from taking care of three, sometimes-cranky babies had been trying. Many a day she became overwhelmed, doubting her ability to be a good mother, wondering if she had gotten in way over her head. Kevin had been there loving her every step of the way. Each time that she panicked, worried she wasn’t doing something right, he was right there assuring her she was doing a wonderful job of raising their children.

  Although there had been some rough days and nights in the beginning, she loved her gifts, her blessings, and wouldn’t change one minute of those trying days or nights. Now that they were in her life, she couldn’t imagine ever being without them.

  Smiling, looking up into his handsome face, she teased, “They’re acting like you again.”

  Kevin chuckled as he watched his children. It seemed like every day they were becoming more and more independent. He desperately wished time would become suspended so his family would remain as is, for eternity. There was something about the love of a good woman and the innocence of babies that made his world a better place. Nothing could compare to what his heart felt when he came through his front door every evening to a woman who loved him and three happy, smiling cherubs trying to get to him at once. Yeah, this is the life. Now I know what Nick was talking about.

  “So, they only act like me when they�
�re out of control.”

  Standing on her tiptoes, she brushed her lips across his mouth. “Yep. When they’re good, they take after me.”

  “Whatever, Starr, everybody knows you’re the hell raiser between the two of us. And right now, our babies are showing your DNA.”

  Sucking her teeth, she playfully nudged him in the ribs. Being silly, Kevin doubled over as if he she had hurt him.

  The two women switched their attention from the grandbabies to their children. Each woman had her own reason to be filled with joy on this day. Beverly Dawson had waited so long to be a grandmother. At eighty-four years old, she wasn’t as young as most grandmothers of one year old triplets. Her age, however, didn’t bother her one bit. She enjoyed spending time and helping to raise her grandbabies.

  Looking over at Starr, Beverly’s heart swelled with love. I knew she would be the one to make an old lady happy. Starr was the kind of young woman every mother wanted for her son. From the first day she had met Starr, the younger woman had done nothing but showed her love and respect. Even after the babies came, she continued to spend time with her. At least twice a week Beverly got a call announcing, “Be at the door waiting, we’re on our way over.” Within twenty minutes, she was pulling up in her new minivan with her little crew in tow.

  Beverly loved and appreciated Starr for being so generous and allowing her to help raise her grandchildren. She understood Beverly wanted to cherish every moment as long as possible while she still had good health.

  Donna never imagined she’d be back in a city that held so many painful memories, but here she was. She had regretfully missed out on seeing Karen’s children growing from infants to small children. She refused to do the same with Starr babies. This had been the fifth time she and Patrick had been back to visit since their births. And each time they came, they stayed for weeks. She wanted to give as much support as possible to Starr and Kevin.

  It had taken the young couple some time to get adjusted to having three infants at once. One morning, a few months after Starr had given birth; she called to check on her. Sensing the weariness in her child’s voice from the screaming babies in the background, Donna didn’t hesitate to jump into action. “I’m on my way, baby. You hang in there until Mommy gets there.” Sure enough, later that night Donna and Patrick were on Starr and Kevin’s doorstep.