After his arrest, Grizz insisted that Ginny and Tommy marry. He knew he couldn’t promise Ginny and his unborn child a future and he wanted them both looked after. So, at his urging, Ginny unwillingly married Tommy, but in the beginning, had a difficult time letting go of her love for Grizz. Especially after giving birth to Grizz’s daughter, Mimi.
Christy couldn’t blame her. Mimi was a little younger than Christian, and Christy’s heart ached for the beautiful ten-year-old girl who would never know her biological father. Not because Tommy wasn’t a good father to Mimi, but because Christy knew that despite Grizz’s sordid past, Mimi had been conceived in love. After Grizz’s arrest in 1985, people tried to pass off Ginny’s love for Grizz as nothing more than a result of Stockholm syndrome. But Christy knew better.
The years passed, and Tommy, who had always been deeply in love with Ginny, raised Mimi as his own, and he and Ginny eventually had a son together. Jason was now five years old, and Ginny and Tommy’s marriage was a good and happy one despite the future event that hung over them. Grizz had been sentenced to die and now sat on death row. He continued to avoid the electric chair through appeals and other legal ministrations, but they all knew he wouldn’t be able to stave off the inevitable forever.
Anthony’s return to the table interrupted her thoughts, and she was grateful. She went on to fill him in on Christian’s latest antics and complained how punishing him hadn't helped.
“So, does his interest in motorcycles bother you or do you think it’s the bikes that will lead him into a life of crime?”
“You know I never judged you, Anthony, so I would never judge our children either. But we both know that’s not the life either one of us would want for our boys. Having said that, I know that it’s impossible to control someone else’s destiny or future.” She absentmindedly fiddled with the salt shaker. “If it ever came to that and one of our children did find himself on the opposite side of the law, I’d want it to be Slade.”
He was slightly shocked by her revelation. He leaned back in his chair and motioned for her to continue.
“Slade is so level-headed and even-keeled. He would make smart decisions and keep himself off the radar. It’s already obvious at ten years old that Christian doesn’t have that same ability. He seems angry all the time and has a quick temper. And it’s not because he’s being bullied for being different like when he was younger.” There had been a time when Christian was singled out because he was the darkest child in his class.
Christy placed her elbows on the table and leaned toward Anthony. Exasperated, she said, “He’s always getting into fights at school, being disrespectful to the teachers and it’s not his interest in riding motorcycles that bothers me. It’s his interest in stealing them.” She blinked at Anthony, and quickly glanced around the restaurant before returning her attention to her husband. “He’s only ten!”
Anthony nodded in agreement. “You’re right, Christy. And he’s not stealing because he needs the money.”
“Then what is it?” she asked. She couldn’t mask her frustration. “It’s not like you taught him to steal, like your father taught you. You’ve gone above and beyond to keep both boys away from anything criminal. When you take them to work, it’s to the landscape office. You don’t think they know about all the other stuff, do you?” she asked.
“I don’t think so, but kids talk. I would expect them to come to me if they’d heard something.” He paused and added, “Or maybe it’s time I had a talk with both of them.”
“I’m not sure how I feel about that, Anthony,” she admitted.
“You and I can discuss it later. In the meantime, I agree with you that he does have a temper. He doesn’t show it a lot in front of me, but I see it. I’ll see what I can do. Maybe I need to spend more time with him?”
“Anthony, you already spend time with both boys. You’re a good father. I guess he’s so different from Slade, I keep thinking I did something right with Slade and can’t seem to figure out what I’m doing wrong with Christian.” She blew out a frustrated breath and leaned back in her chair.
“You haven’t done anything wrong, Christy. You are the same loving mother to both boys. Just like you’ll be to our daughter. Some things in life can’t be controlled and I’m guessing the temperament our children are born with is one of them.”
She nodded her understanding and smiled across the table, marveling at how handsome he was. She was so happy he’d kept his hair long. She must’ve had a faraway look on her face because he interrupted her daydreaming.
“What are you thinking about, Christy?” he asked.
“It’s the pregnancy hormones, Anthony. I was worrying about Christian one second and the next second I was thinking about your long hair and I’m pretty sure I’m full-on horny now.”
Instead of heading home after dinner, they opted to check into a hotel for a couple of hours.
Anthony lay flat on his back and enjoyed watching Christy’s face as she moved up and down, slowly at first and gaining speed as she sought her release. He massaged both of her breasts and gently pinched her nipples as she writhed in pleasure. They’d been together for seventeen years and he never once tired of watching the expression on her face when she came. It’s what typically sent him over the edge and if he didn’t come with her, he did shortly afterward. She now lay slumped on his chest, her breathing heavy and ragged.
She finally slid down next to him and laid a hand on his stomach. He grabbed it with his free hand and intertwined his fingers with hers.
“Have you given any thought to a name for the baby, Owani?”
“I have and I hope you’ll like it,” she told him, her breathing starting to return to normal.
“As long as it’s not Bobbi or Vivian, I’m pretty sure I can live with anything you suggest.”
“I was thinking I’d like to call her Daisy.”
“Daisy?” he asked. “Where did you come up with that?”
“It goes back to the story you told me after you met with Valerie all those years ago. Remember the conversation you had with her about a daisy being a poor man’s flower?” she asked. She felt his nod.
“Daisy is a good name, Christy. I like it,” he said.
She untangled her hand from his and tentatively tickled her way down his stomach.
“Again, Owani?” he asked, surprised.
“Yes, again, Anthony. You have a problem with that?”
“Never,” he told her.
Six Months Later