SPECIAL MOMENTS
CHAPTER SIX
"A heart of love is a force that obstacles can never conquer; never estimate the power of love."
In the early hours of the day, Tyre Jefferson sits in his lobby with a bottle of scotch whisky, sipping his wine from his glass cup. He lights a cigar in his mouth and puffs the smoke of his cigars into the air.
He drinks only on special occasions, but today he's drinking because he feels he needs to…
He cannot say why….
But today he is celebrating...
He raises his glass cup towards his shadows and says, "cheers to you, Tyre Jefferson.
KISS BY MOONLIGHT.
This night, love rules the air. Although it is Emily's birthday, Lance has special plans for his wife. All guests left for their homes after the party.
Lance decides to take his wife on a surprise date, booking a late reservation for two at the MILLS GRAND hotels and suites.
Emily returned with her grandparents and aunts to her grandparent's mansion. The many gifts and the cracking sounds of the fireworks elated her.
She knows she will be the talk of the class in school, but it does not matter. She got what she wanted at last.
Because of the success of Emily's birthday party, Lance wants to celebrate with his wife, but he never informs her he has other motives or plans at heart.
Before they left for their date, they took a stroll through the garden.
They held each other's hands like two teenagers as they talked about the guest at the party. They both agree it was the right thing for Emily's birthday.
They smiled at each other with lots of admiration and passion as they both walk toward the lake.
Cold mist from the lake rises into the air and cools the atmosphere.
They stay side by side as their hearts beat in the same rhythmic sound at the bank of the lake and watch the reflection of the moonlight on the water.
The translucent view of the moon in the lake ignites a feeling of nostalgia in them both, and they stay transfixed in their desire.
They gaze at each other. Time seems boundless as their lips approach each other. Their hearts and lips lock each other in passion as they melt into each other's arms.
A NIGHT OF PASSION.
He leads her into the room with her eyes tied to a brown piece of cloth. Lance had it planned out before they came to this hotel.
Romantic candles, dinner table for two, scented red roses, perfumes, music.
The suite has perfumed flowers all around that lead to the master bedroom. Decorative lights shimmer on the wall. Romance dances in the night.
Lance holds her hands in his hands, leading her to the door of their suite.
Lance, vibrating with excitement, says, "Honey, we are almost there."
Sheila kept wondering what he could be up to. He stops in front of the door and says,
"Now we are here," Lance says.
He inserts the card into the key slot, and the door opens. Lance tipped the bellman some cash so he can be the one to open the door for his wife.
Lance leads her into the suite and unfolds her blinds and says,
"Honey, you may open your eyes now."
Sheila opens her eyes and shrieks with excitement.
"Lance!" she exclaims. She turns towards him and kisses him with much passion.
"Thank you, darling." She says.
Lance, holding her in his arms, says,
"Am glad you love it. Wait till I show you the bedroom."
"Wow, I can't wait to see it." She squeals with excitement.
Lance leads her into the bedroom as they step on perfumed red roses.
Sheila keeps exclaiming in delight as they both walk together.
The decorative lights made the whole place look cupid and charming. Sheila cherishes this moment in her heart. "This will be a night to remember." She thinks.
Finally, they get to the bedroom, and Sheila's eyes drop with disbelief.
"Oh, my God!" she screams, "Honey! how did you do this?" She asked.
The entire room is full of red roses and lots of lighted candles.
It cast a shadow of romance and bliss. On the bed lays a small box wrapped in red wrappers.
Lance takes the small box and gives it to Sheila. He says, "Thank you for being a wonderful wife and mother, honey."
"Let's open up your gift, darling." He says tenderly.
Sheila opens the box with trembling hands.
She removes the lids on the box, and her mouth gasps wide in amazement. In the box is a pearl necklace with dazzling stones encrusted to the pendant and shimmering small earrings.
"Honey, this is beautiful." She exclaims.
"How did you get this?" she asks.
"I was thinking of buying this piece on our next trip or vacation. It's so beautiful. Thank you," she says.
"Yeah, it's beautiful," he says.
"I got this when I was shopping for Emily's gift in Paris. I knew you loved it when you could not stop staring at it the last time we visited Paris, and since then, I decided to get it for you."
"Do you want to try it on?" Lance asks.
Lance removes the necklace from the box and unhooks the necklace.
Sheila turns her neck around. Lance encircles his hands rounds her neck and helps her to fix it.
His hands caress her neck as he hooks the necklace, and excitement soars up in Sheila.
Her heart pounds with intense vigour, her body trembling and surrendering as he places his hands on her neck.
Lance can feel her body trembling.
Her energy attracts him closer.
He turns her to face him.
His eyes were shimmering with affection.
The bedroom is full of flowers; Lance made sure the hotel staff sprinkled red roses on the bed, spelling her name "SHEILA."
A huge teddy bear lay on the bed, with a card in its hands. Boldly written on the card: I LOVE YOU.
Sheila loves flowers, especially red roses. Sheila shakes with euphoria; the fresh scent of roses bewitches her. Sheila loses herself in the desires that engulf her.
Lance draws her in his arms. His arms encircling her waist into tightness towards his body, his lips crash into her soft lips, and they merge in the heat of passion.
He pulls her closer to his chest. Her bosom closes in on his chest. Lance's mind erupted in that softness towards his chest, and he moans….
Heat rushing in between them, they got swept away by the euphoria of the moment as they both land on the soft bed. Taking off each other clothes as they place kisses on their bodies with tenderness and admiration.
They ravage each other bodies all night long, sharing and confessing the love that they both feel towards each other.
A DARK BEND.
Draped in between sheets, bodies entangled in each other's arms. Clock ticking silently on the wall. Clothes scattered on the floor in the early hours of the morning.
Lance and his wife slept peacefully after a passionate night of lovemaking.
The phone vibrates... Lance's eyelids are half-open. The vibration of his ringing phone kept buzzing in his head.
He wonders "who it could be?"
Lance finally opens his eyes to find his phone. Sheila sleeps deeply with her head on his chest. Her black hair is scattered all over his chest.
He lifts her from his chest with utmost care and places her on the bed. He tries not to wake her up. Lance hurries from the bed to find his phone from the scattered heap on the floor. He finds it and picks it up. His mom keeps calling.
10 missed calls, he wondered, "what could have happened?"
"I hope everything is alright," he says to himself.
The phone rings once more, and he answers it
His mom speaks, "Son, please, we need you at the hospital."
"Your dad is not doing so well." "He had a heart attack, and he is in the intensive care."
"Please come quick. We're in the waiting room at the hospital."
Lance's adrenaline spikes up. "Ok mom, we are coming." He says, his heart reverberating at a high speed.
He hangs up the phone and rushes to wake up his wife with swift speed.
"Hey beautiful, wake up," he says….
Sheila opens her eyes with reluctance and goes back to sleep.
Lance kept nudging her, but she turns to the other side and sleeps further.
Lance, getting so impatient, leaves her to sleep. He puts on his clothes and leaves a note for his wife explaining his dad's condition and leaves the hotel running like a wild gazelle chasing its prey.
He hopes everything will be alright. He cannot deal with another loss right now.
SAINT LOUIS HOSPITAL.
At the hospital, the entire family paced back and forth. They expected the doctor to show up anytime to report Brian's condition. Emily sat down on the bench with her aunts and uncle in the waiting room close to the emergency ward.
Grandpa's illness saddens Emily. They had been playing together in his room when he suddenly held his chest with a loud cry before falling to the floor. She's terrified, and she had to scream for help. She does not understand how someone could fall sick by laughing and playing.
Lance hurries into the hospital like a madman. He ran into the hospital reception to ask about his dad, and the receptionist told him he was in the emergency unit.
"He's undergoing surgery at the moment. You can sit in the waiting room and wait for the doctors." She says.
"Your entire family is waiting there as well."
Lance walks with a swift speed into the waiting room. His mom, devasted and tired from the stress of waiting for the doctor, moves toward her son.
She hugs him so tight that made him choke for breath.
Lance struggles to speak, but his lungs are so tight. His mom sensed his choking, loosening her grip on her son.
Lance, "I'm so sorry, but I just needed a hug…."
Lance replies, "Mom, do not beat yourself up. Am fine mom." he says…...
The emergency door opens, and the doctor emerges from the ward. He walks toward the family.
The whole family stands up, anxiety all over their face.
The doctor speaks, "He's stable now."
"The surgery was a success, and we have been able to keep his heart stable, but he's in a delicate condition."
"We had to sedate him so he can rest for the moment."
"For now, I will recommend no visitors till we see an improvement in his conditions."
"We do not want anyone triggering his emotions that might lead to another attack on his heart."
"I will suggest you all go home and rest."
"Please keep the press out of this." He says.
Natasha asks, "Doc, how long will he be in this condition?"
The doctor replies, "The sedate will wear off in 12 hours, I will have to check on him then to see how he's doing."
"But till then, I can't give you any more details."
"Stay hopeful and pray."
"Please excuse me," he says, leaving the Stones family. He moves back into the emergency unit.
Emily rises from her seat, hugs her aunt (Natasha), and asks, "will grandpa be alright?"
"Yes sweetie, grandpa will be fine, dear," she says as she bends over towards her niece.
Lance and his siblings hug their mother, full of hope and reassurance that he will be alright. The worst is past. They have to wait and pray he recovers fast.
ITS SUNSHINE.
A week later, Lance had to cancel the executive meeting with the board members and have his assistant oversee the ongoing construction for their special clients.
His dad's recovery and illness hit the headline news in contrast to what the doctors said. They tried their best to keep the press out, but they did not understand how the press got to know about their father's illness. He had to avoid the press everywhere he went. They kept invading him for an interview.
Several reporters have been at the hospital, and they had to keep the press out of the hospital arena for his father's sake. They are not entertaining any questions from the press.
His dad's recovery is slow. But they are happy they can now visit him.
Lance is now the joint chairman of his father's company with his brother Josh, and they both make a great team as the chairman.
Lance beeps his secretary. "Cancel all my appointments for today and tomorrow. I have to be with my dad at the hospital. "
"Ok!" she says.
Lance's fears diminished; he is certain everything is going to be fine. He needs to deal with the reporters.
He sends a message to his reporter friend Sharon.
Several hours later, Lance get to the hospital with his daughter and wife. They had to pass through the desperate reporters who thronged them at the entrance.
Thank goodness they had security who rescued them from the ravaging reporters.
The whole family decides they take their father home since he is out of danger. They arrange for medical personnel to take care of him at his mansion.
Natasha wants Emily to be with her when she returns to India.
Lance could not express his insecurity and fears about Natasha's decision to take Emily to India because of his father's illness, but he's not thrilled to live apart from his daughter.
Emily wishes to go to India with her aunt for a vacation.
He wants Emily close to him at most times. He's terrified anything might happen to her.
Finally, he got the doctor to discuss his father's release, and he goes to meet his father in his room to help him leave. His mum had to be at home. She spent the night at the hospital.
As he shares the news with his dad and siblings, the doctor stands by the door and clears his throat.
Hmmmhmmmnn…. "Excuse me, can you please all step out for a minute while I do my last examination on the patient?" He says.
Everyone leaves the room and waits outside. Several minutes later, the doctor comes out of the ward and says, "You can take him home, but make sure he has adequate rest. He will be in a wheelchair for the moment till when he's recovered fully."
"My nurse and assistant will be available at your house from time to time to check on him to see how he is doing."
Emily runs and hugs the doctor, holding his legs.
Emily's display of affection surprised the doctor.
"Thanks, Doc, for everything," Josh says, shaking his hands.
Emily leaves the doctor, jumping with joy...