Domino Effect (Effect 2)

Adam blew out a breath. “She’s good, but I’m a fucking wreck, waiting for our baby boy to get here. She said Nikola had threatened to take away her laptop if she didn’t stop working.”

Ainsley was due with their first child any day now; Adam was beside himself with happiness. Nikola and Ainsley had become business partners about two years ago, after Ainsley had put in a year as an employee, seeing if this was the career she wanted. They were constantly turning away clients due to workload, but, for now, they wanted to keep it just the two of them so they wouldn’t have to manage employees. Maybe someday they’d expand, but the girls liked being in total control for now as well as being able to keep lighter schedules.

“You’ll be fine. Adam, you’re going to be a great dad. Did you get my package that arrived yesterday?”

“You’re an asshole.” I laughed a good hearty laugh. I’d found a T-shirt place that did custom orders. I’d sent Adam a T-shirt that said, I pretend to be Prince Lir. He was never going to live down singing the songs from The Last Unicorn.

I shut off my computer as I heard some stirring in the front of the house. “I know deep down you love it. You don’t have to hide your excitement around me.”

“I’m calling your wife next week to get dirt on you. Just wait.”

Ainsley’s voice came through the other line.

“I’m on my way, baby. I’ll get it.” Adam started talking to me again. “I’ve got to go help Ainsley. I’d sleep with one eye open if I was you.”

“See ya in a bit. I’ll be waiting for my payback.”

Adam cursed as he hung up the phone. Pulling out my new T-shirt I’d ordered, I smiled. It was a surprise for Nikola. I walked toward the living room, where I could hear Nikola talking. Our home was full of pictures and warmth. Nikola and I had built a home that would have laughter and love reverberating through the walls—always.

I came to the doorway and watched Nikola speaking to our little girl, Anne. She was just over a year old and looked so much like my love. When we’d found out we were having a little girl, we said the name at the same time. This morning, Anne had been with Nikola’s parents. They’d moved back from Asia as planned. Since then, they’d been an active part of our lives. We had my family and Nikola’s over often. Nikola loved that our little girl was surrounded by so much love.

Everything was as it should be.

Nikola talked to our daughter. “What book do we want to read after naptime today? Do you want to do The Very Hungry Caterpillar? You slept so hard. Did you have fun with Grandma and Grandpa today?”

Almost every day after naptime, Nikola and I would have story time with Anne. Her little pudgy arms waved in excitement as she squealed in delight, hearing her mom talk to her.

Nikola saw me, and her eyes shined as she spoke to Anne. “Hey there, you’re daddy’s done working.”

Anne looked my way and started flailing her arms as she made spit bubbles in excitement. Her pink bib was already wet from all the drool she had produced since waking. I never understood how something so small could create so much mess. I loved her. Anne lit up my life in a way I never dreamed.

“Hey there, baby girl. Daddy missed you. Did you have good dreams?” I cooed.

I took Anne in my arms and kissed her cheek. I loved her baby smell. Anne slobbered on my chin as she tried to kiss me back.

Nikola laughed. “Oh my gosh, is that a shirt from the online store you found? The one you ordered Adam’s from?” I grinned as she read what my shirt said out loud. “The Magic 8 Ball Loves Me.” Nikola sat on the brown leather couch and said, “You have definitely come to the dark side.”

Wiggling my eyebrows, I sat while she picked up the remote and whispered in her ear, “I think we should wager on a striptease again.”

She kissed me. “Deal. After bedtime, prepare to face that blue triangle of truth.”

Please, Magic 8 Ball, be my friend again. You’ve been there for me, buddy. I’ve got your back.

Anne made an impatient noise as she looked at the television. She knew what was coming. Nikola pressed a button on the remote control. Grandmama came on the screen. Grandmama had recorded several stories for every age on the videos she’d done prior to her passing. Seeing the familiar kitchen brought back so many memories. After we’d returned from the Caribbean, Nikola had decided to donate the house for Quentin to use for his work as a sponsor and as a halfway house. Grandmama would have been pleased that her home was being used to help people get their lives on track. I still met with Quentin, but I knew I’d never use again, no matter what life threw my way. There was too much at stake to ever even think about going back to drugs.

Grandmama’s familiar voice came on the television. She wore a white sweater, and her blonde hair was perfectly done. “Hey, little one, is it story time? What should we read today?” There was a pile of books on the counter that Grandmama sifted through before picking up the white cardboard book with the green caterpillar on it. Our daughter moved her limbs about excitedly when she saw the book on the screen while in my lap. Grandmama continued, “This is one of my favorites by Eric Carle. Let’s see how hungry the caterpillar is. Are you ready?”

I glanced at Nikola, and she gave me a brilliant smile. I positioned our little girl half on my leg and half on Nikola’s. Nikola leaned her head on me and let out a contented sigh. “This is everything I’ve ever wanted in life.”

I kissed the top of her head. “This is everything I dared to hope for. I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

Everything in this room was my life.

My world.

My everything.

CANCER IS A terrible disease that has affected so many lives. The never-ending effects of this disease are cruel and unyielding. My heart, thoughts, and prayers go out to anyone that has ever had to deal with cancer in any form

I lost my Grandmama and Grandaddy to lung cancer. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about them.

One day, I hope there is a cure. That is my dream.