Forever and Always

Chapter 5 - I Will Always Love You

Kayla's POV

I was helping Grandma make spaghetti for dinner when I heard the front door open. I jumped off my stool and ran to the door to greet mommy.

"Mommy! You're back!" I gave her a great big hug.

"Now that wasn't so bad right?" She replied.

"Grandma is teaching me how to make garlic knots in the kitchen. Come on! I can teach you too. Grandma says I am a great little helper."

"Kay, how about you go play with Owen for a while. I need to talk to Grandma and Grandpa in private."

"Okay."

Why doesn't mommy want to see what I have been doing all day? She usually loves looking at my projects.

I took Owen's hand and we ran off to the basement to play with trains.

Andrea's POV

Taylor came into the kitchen with a pained expression on her face. I stopped making the spaghetti sauce and embraced her in a hug; she started crying. I stroked her hair like I did when she was a little girl until she was ready to talk.

"I'll get you a glass of water and I will call your Dad down so we can talk."

I walked Taylor into the family room and sat down. A few moments later Scott walked in.

"Taylor, whatever happened at the doctors appointment, we can get through it." Said Scott.

"Dad, it's not what you think." She replied.

"Honey, we want to help you and Owen."

"Mom, this isn't something you can just fix with medicine or treatment. Owen is hard of hearing and deaf. My son is deaf!"

I was taken aback, but not suprised. Scott, on the other hand, looked shocked. We sat for a while waiting until the right moment to speak.

"My son is deaf." Taylor repeated again in a whisper.

This was one thing I coudn't give my daughter advice on. I felt so helpless. I finally worked up the courage to say something.

"Taylor, do you remeber when you were a little girl and you would danced around the supermarket singing, not caring about anyone else?"

"Yeah." She sniffled.

"Well Owen is still a little boy who doesn't know anything different than what he has already experienced. I would bet that you want him to grow up remembering a great childhood with a great family who loves and cares for him."

"Of course."

"Him being deaf will never change that. We love him today as much as we did yesterday. He is our grandson, and we will do whatever it takes to be able to communicate with him."

"It's just so scary to think that he will never get to hear me sing or laugh or simply talk to him."

"But that's ok right? We can't change who we are. Yeah, maybe he can't hear you sing, but communication is not lost. We can all learn sign language if that is what you want us to do. We fully support any of your decisions. I know I'm no expert, but what's important is to give him every opprotunity available. All of us will learn together and take it one day at a time."

"So, what's my next step?"

"How about we get some dinner and talk later."

Taylor's POV

I am so thankful for my parents. I don't know what I would do without them.

Kayla and Owen sure enjoyed my mom's home cooking. After dinner we played several board games until the kids' bedtime. I had the radio on as we were driving home and wondered what it would be like to never hear a single sound. I lost my thoughts when Kayla started talking.

"Momma."

"Yes darling."

"Why were you crying?"

How did she know I had been crying? I thought I put on my best face for dinner. I had to tell Kayla at some point.

"Well, I was scared. But Grandma and Grandpa made me not scared anymore."

"Why were you scared?"

"I didn't know what I was going to do next and it scared me not knowing."

"What didn't you know?"

Man, kids an all their questions. "Your brother can't hear and I didn't know how I was supposed to help him."

"You mean he can't hear us talking now?"

"Nope, but that doesn't mean we can't communicate with him still right? We are going to learn a new language. Does that sound fun?"

"I guess so."

"Kayla, I want you to know that I love you and your brother more than you could ever imagine. I pray to God that I'm making the best choices for you guys."

"I love you too mommy."