Unbreak Her Heart: A Billionaire BWWM Love Story (9 page)

Brad opened up about his late wife. He shared their history. It was hard at first to talk about her, but when Aliyah listened with concern and without jealousy, he felt comfortable telling her all. He explained how they had met when they were young and fell into a romantic relationship. Their families were friends and so the path to love was clear and easy. She had been a nice girl who was selfless and good even though she had been given everything in life. Her wealthy family admitted to spoiling her, but she remained untainted. As they grew older, it was assumed that they would marry. The wedding itself was a huge event that seemed more like a state affair than a wedding.

They had given into her parents’ desire to have an enormous wedding with numerous guests and no expense spared. Brad felt that he barely survived the ordeal, but soon they settled into married life and found peace. Their love didn’t burn as hot as his love for Aliyah. The love with his late wife was a friendly, sweet love that stemmed from youth and familiarity. Losing her the way he did was devastating, but he had not lost his ability to love.

He wrapped Aliyah tightly in his arms and snuggled into her neck. Then he pulled back enough to see her face. “Love, the heart you carry did bring us together. I do feel that we became connected through the heart I can feel even now, beating against me. I want you to know that this heart and the circumstances that brought us together are only the beginning. Our life together will grow into something new and beautiful of its own. Death brought you new life and the death of my old relationship brought us a love that is fresh and new.”

As Aliyah held him close, she knew that his words were true. She was not just an offshoot of the heart she carried. She was an individual—the same individual now that she was before the transplant. She also realized that she wasn’t a mere transplant in his life, but a new love that had found a way into his heart.

*

Epilogue

Easter morning dawned with pinks and blues and puffy white clouds which were perfect for a little girl’s first Easter egg hunt. Jenna was dressed in a frilly frock given to her by her godmother and her godmother’s fiancé. She flounced around the yard, gathering the brightly colored eggs and putting them in a basket. Mary stood nearby smiling. She wondered how a woman who came to a home as a maid could end up as family. Mary’s eyes followed the little girl who called her “Aunt Mary” and gave her sweet kisses and soft hugs around the neck.

Brad’s yard and garden made the perfect place for an Easter egg hunt. The staff had a great time preparing for it. Their jobs had become boring and there hadn’t been enough to do in the big house. The cook was happy to have people around to enjoy her good food. She happily boiled the eggs for Easter. They had made a little party of coloring eggs with the little girl and her mother. The cook had made pretty sandwiches that tasted heavenly and Jenna made a terrible mess all over the newspaper laid out for dying the eggs.

The grounds of Brad’s estate were large and, due to the age of the participant, the egg hunt was limited to a small space near the house. Aliyah and Brad hovered near the edge, watching with pleasure as the girl ran about. They would all dine at a nearby brunch that was known for its lovely Easter meals. Since Mary and many other members of his staff attended Easter services, Brad didn’t want to overwhelm them with the work of a big holiday meal. Brad made the reservations for himself, Aliyah, Amber, Jenna, Julia, Trinity, and several other displaced friends. Even Gavin would join them now that his spirits were renewed.

On the fateful day when Brad had run off to help Gavin, leaving Aliyah behind and alone in the house to find the photographs in his study, the attorney was able to straighten out the problems and set up ways to protect Gavin and his club from more trouble. Gavin’s fortune was immense and losing the night club wouldn’t have broken him, but he didn’t want to lose so much money and he really enjoyed the place. He was in a great mood and loved the brunch they were attending. He was a real connoisseur of fine food and wine, and the ladies were in for a treat as he pointed them to the tastiest items and the most impressive champagne.

Once Jenna had finished piling her eggs into the basket, they all walked for a bit through the garden. Brad’s gardener had put in extra effort to make the day perfect for the friends. Seeing the gardens in use did his soul good. It had been depressing to see only one, lone, silent figure lurk in the grounds and that usually at night. Brad appreciated the grounds, but since the death of the lady of the manse, the lawn seemed like an after-thought. The neglect of the gardens made the old man who tended them miss the original lady of the house who had planned them so carefully.

Now the yard thrived again and was filled with laughter and the scurrying feet of a child. There was a rose garden near the house. The adjacent room was normally left without air conditioning and the windows remained opened so that anyone wishing to could smell the lovely rose fragrance coming through the windows. Ceiling fans and proper ventilation kept the room cool enough and made for a lovely, fragrant retreat. French doors opened into the rose garden, which was lovingly tended.

There were many different spaces on the property. The pool area had bright perennials and annuals adorning it. The dressing rooms were surrounded by trellises and winding flowers. A more discreet part of the yard contained a vegetable garden for cook. An herb garden set off the back kitchen door. The cook loved to be able to walk outside and simply pluck the herbs she needed for the day’s meals.

There were paths, flower beds, and groves of trees creating a colorful maze behind the house and the young people were so happy to be outside in the spring air to enjoy it all.

They walked around the garden path to the lovely, wooden pavilion painted white. It had been a neutral tone, but the wedding planner insisted on white. Aliyah didn’t feel that she needed a wedding planner since she and Brad were going to have a simple wedding with only a few guests who were close to them and the house staff who were like family. The wedding planner became a necessity when Brad urged her to follow her dream to go to college.

After their precious Christmas together, the couple brought in the New Year at Gavin’s club, dancing far into the night. The next day they lolled about the mansion, reveling in their love and the year to come. It suddenly occurred to Brad that a new semester would be starting at the very university where Aliyah helped the actors with their plays.

“Love, let’s sign you up for classes.” He looked at her with love, knowing that she had always wanted to rise to a level in her field where she could make important and lasting changes that would affect the quality of life for the people suffering from brain injury and their families.

“Oh, it must be too late for that. I’m sure I couldn’t get in just like that. I would need to apply and be accepted.

A humble smile crossed Brad’s face as he looked at her. “Do you remember the name of the hall where we had our first date?” He asked.

“Why, of course, Brad. It was Case Hall.” Her eyes opened wide as it hit her. “Brad Case… Case Hall. Coincidence?”

Brad laughed lightly, shaking his head. He explained that it was no coincidence and that his grandparents had donated the money to have the hall built. His connections with the university were sure to remove anything that would keep Aliyah from entering school for the winter/spring semester. They poured over the course catalogue online and discussed the many class possibilities. They were as excited as kids in a candy store. When it was time to sign up for classes, Brad guided her through the process without being condescending. She was grateful that he wanted to provide not only for her physical needs, but for her emotional and mental needs as well.

She took a break out of her first semester to spend a long Valentine’s weekend with Brad in Jamaica. It was their first romantic vacation since the one that sealed their love early in their relationship. The sands of the tropical beaches were warm beneath their feet and the weekend passed too quickly, sending them back to the February snow. Before they left for home, Brad got down on one knee and presented her with a gorgeous ruby engagement ring surrounded by diamonds. It was the perfect mate to the ruby necklace she had been sporting since Christmas day.

Aliyah thrived in her classes. She couldn’t manage her job, classes, and time with Brad and reluctantly gave up her position at New Hope. She still visited every week and read with some of the patients or helped with letters and notes. She also found the wedding planning to be difficult. They would only have about thirty people and the ceremony would be in their own gardens, but every contingency had to be covered for the comfort of the guests and every weather scenario had to be planned for. Hence, Brad felt compelled to hire a wedding planner.

Aliyah loved Ralph immediately. He was large and in charge even though he was an inch shorter than Aliyah. He swept into any room and could assess where chairs should be, how to keep people from tracking mud in from outside, how many people could comfortably mill about the room, and what had to be changed to make it appealing for a party. He took over the planning and Aliyah, who had the final say on any decision, could relax and choose her dress and honeymoon.

The spring wore on and summer came swiftly. The house was busy with caterers, decorating staff, gardeners hired for last minute touch-ups, bartenders, and more being managed by Ralph. Amber, Julia, and Aliyah were safe in her private suite upstairs, with their own team of hair dressers, manicurists, makeup artists, and a masseuse. Their little corner of the big house was devoted to a calm time for friends so that they could start her on her way to an exciting, new life with Brad with finesse.

Brad and several of his friends spent much of the day in Brad’s study with sports on the TV, trying to take their minds off of the day’s events. Brad wanted nothing more than to get married, but he was very glad that Aliyah didn’t insist on a big wedding. He was a little disturbed that this small affair seemed to be turning the house upside down. He was glad that the guest list was small and only the people they wanted were there.

The wedding went off without a hitch. Aliyah was lovely in her white, sleeveless gown. The simple veil didn’t take away from her shining face and the glow in her eyes. The best part of the day was Jenna’s walk down the aisle, dropping flower petals all the way. Several times she stopped to pick one back up while saying, “So pretty!” with a smile spreading across her little face. The wedding guests were immediately taken with the little princess. She was distracted until she was close to the end of this pavilion aisle and she saw Brad and Gavin. “Uncle Brad! Uncle Gavin!” She ran the last few steps and threw up her arms, giving Brad no other choice than to sweep the little girl off of her feet and give her a hug that wasn’t in the wedding plan.

At first Ralph looked horribly dismayed. Then he realized it was a pleasant and lucky “mishap” that would be a central topic discussed for years to come, making this wedding stand out with its whimsy and fun. However, nobody could argue that the most memorable moment occurred when Aliyah stepped into the aisle. The sun shone from her dark skin which contrasted beautifully with the stark white of her dress. Her hair was flawless and shining. Her face held the joy of brides that can’t be replicated.

Not once during the ceremony did Brad feel sad or think of his first wife. This was a fresh start and he no longer saw Aliyah as the recipient of the other woman’s heart, but recognized her for who she was; a lovely individual and the love of his life.

The reception was held in the house. Aliyah didn’t know until after Christmas that the house was set up for entertaining on a grand scale. The guests were perfectly comfortable as they were served sumptuous appetizers, champagne, and savory food prepared by a top chef in the city. Brad and Aliyah were able to spend significant time with every guest because of the short guest list. They enjoyed chatting with people and the afternoon wore on into the night.

The guests found themselves drawn to the ballroom where a band had been deposited quietly and with little fuss. The music drew the well-wishers into the large room with vaulted ceilings. They danced the night away. At approximately one in the morning, Brad and Aliyah were sent away in the limousine to take a private train car to Chicago where the couple would catch a few shows before flying to Europe for a honeymoon.

Aliyah and Brad loved the privacy and luxury of this type of travel. Having their own train car was like traveling in a living room with a bedroom attached. Brad poured a glass of champagne for each of them and made a toast. “To many happy years.” The glasses clinked. Brad noticed that Aliyah didn’t drink but only wetted her lips. “Aliyah, are you feeling alright?” He had noticed that her appetite seemed off lately and that she seemed to be losing weight.

She smiled at him and looked down at her lap. “Brad, I wasn’t going to tell you until I went to a doctor…” Brad’s face went ashen. He had feared that her body would begin to reject the new heart and that there would be nothing he could do about it. He knew that all of the money in the world couldn’t force her body to accept an internal organ as her own if it chose to treat it as a foreign object.

She noticed his fear and quickly put her hand to his face. “Oh no, Brad. I’m fine. Please don’t look so worried. I just feel like I should tell you that I think… I’m quite sure that I’m pregnant.” His face went from worried to thrilled. He leaned over and kissed her gently. She was carrying his child. He couldn’t imagine what could be better.

Aliyah felt as if she had lived a lifetime during her travels in Europe. She had seen photographs of most of the places they visited in books or on television. To see them in person was a new and enlivening experience. She was so glad that her child would be able to travel from an early age. She laughed to herself, thinking that the child, indeed, was already traveling!

Their return home brought a new series of life events. They insisted on having the baby in their room when they first brought him home from the hospital. The older members of the staff were surprised that a nurse was not to be hired immediately to whisk the little boy off to a nursery high up in the house where cries wouldn’t disturb the parents. Both Aliyah and Brad wanted to be active parents who took proper care of their children. At night, when the lights went out throughout the huge house, they lay together in their bed and listened to the soft breathing of the precious baby lying in a bassinet by their side.