Family is Forever (Sequel to Running on Insulin)

Chapter 25

"What are you planning for Christmas?" Erin asked.

"Not much," I replied. "Probably going to be a relatively quiet day at home."

"Why don't you come over to our place for Christmas? I'm sure the girls would love to get together."

"Samantha, right now, won't leave the house. We really can't make a plan to go out until she's ready.  Why don't you and Jill and your husband come here Christmas afternoon?" Jenna said.

"Jill does have a little brother," Erin said. "If you don't mind him tagging along, we'd love to.  We'll bring some snacks, again."

"How old is your son?"

"Kyle is ten. Smart as a whip, I can't keep up with that brain of his," Erin laughed.

"Well, I suppose we can manage an extra ten year old," I laughed.

The girls continued working on their homework with Jill running a monologue and laughing. I'd look over from time to time and I saw Samantha smiling, and her eyes twinkling, which was the closest she got to laughing these days.

Finally, Erin told Jill to wrap  it up, that they had to go home and make dinner.

"So, I was told to try to bring you your homework on Friday, too. But Friday is the last day before the winter break, so I don't think there'll be any homework.  Unless your tutor gives you some. I don't know how far you have to catch  up from... before. So I don't know if I'll see you before the end of break."

"You will," Erin said. "The Josephs invited us for Christmas."

Jill squealed and hugged Samantha, who looked stunned, and didn't return the hug.

"I'll see you on Christmas then!"

Samantha nodded and Erin and Jill  left.

"Alright, Miss Samantha," Jenna said. "Put your homework away, clear off, and let's get dinner started, hey?"

Samantha looked at Jenna and put her face in her hands and shook her head.

"What?" Jenna said, scrutinizing her. Samantha sighed and shook her head again.

"Honey, I'm not sure what you're trying to tell me," Jenna said.

Samantha pointed to her stomach and shook her head.

"Oh! You're not hungry?" Jenna guessed.

Samantha nodded.

"Well, I guess we don't have to have dinner early.  Maybe we'll have a later dinner? Or a snack before bed?"

Samantha shrugged.

"Alright, well, why don't you go upstairs and finish up your homework? You still have to finish that English paper, right?"

Samantha looked upstairs. Then shook her head.

"No to upstairs or no to your English paper?" Jenna asked holding up one and then two fingers.

Samantha put up two fingers.

"You finished it already? Can I read it?" Jenna asked.

Samantha nodded and went upstairs and came straight back down with a printed essay.  Jenna read it and then handed it to me.  I read it and was shocked.

"Sam, this is really good." I said. "Like, really, really good."

She smiled at me.

"I'm really proud of you. You should be proud of yourself too."

She nodded and took her paper back. She went upstairs and didn't come down.

"Think she's okay?" Brendon asked, having watched Sam go upstairs from the couch.

"I think so. She wasn't upset. I thought she was just putting her paper away and coming back. I'll leave her for a bit. Just in case."

Samantha wound up not coming down at all. At eight o'clock I went upstairs and knocked on her door.

"Sam? I'm coming in," I said and opened the door.

She was sitting at her desk and covered whatever she was working on with her body. She frowned at me. Not a 'I'm mad at you' type of frown but a 'I'm working on something I don't want you to see' type.

"You okay sweet girl?" I asked.

She nodded and kept her body covering whatever she was working on.

"I take it that's something private?" I asked.

She nodded and made a waving gesture telling me to get out of her room.

"Okay, okay.  I just came up to ask you if you're hungry. You should eat something before you go to bed," I explained.

She looked at her watch and put up five fingers.

"Five minutes?" I asked.

She nodded.

"Okay. What do you want to eat?  A peanut butter and jam sandwich or ... something else?" I put up two fingers like Jenna had done.

Sam thought for a minute and put up one finger.

"Okay, I'm gonna make that and a glass of chocolate milk for you. Don't take too long, ok?"

She nodded and gave me a thumbs up.

I sighed as I went back downstairs and was shaking my head. 

"What's the matter?" Jenna asked as I came into the kitchen.

"Nothing. Sam's writing something and she didn't want me to see it," I shrugged. "I'm going to make her a peanut butter and jam sandwich and chocolate milk for 'dinner'. She said she'll be down in about five minutes."

"Okay," Jenna said. "I'm gonna have some of the leftover Chinese food.

She started making herself a plate and was warning it when Samantha came into the kitchen. She saw the takeout containers and smacked herself in the forehead.

"Forgot your could have had that, huh?" I said.

She smiled and nodded, but tested and dosed for the sandwich and chocolate milk. I'd left the jam out for her so she'd know which one I used. She seemed to like the grape jelly, so I'd used that.

Jenna sat with her and ate and when they were done, the six of us all sat in the living room and watched a movie. Samantha had sat in the corner of the couch and Brendon had sat beside her.

We were feeling Christmasy, so we put on 'Love, Actually'. At some point in the movie, Samantha must have gotten tired because I looked over and she was leaning on Brendon and he had his arm around her and she was fast asleep. I smiled. She was starting to get more comfortable and at ease again.

When the movie ended, Brendon very carefully picked Sam up and carried her upstairs.  I followed him to her bedroom and got her long acting insulin shot measured out. Brendon put her on her bed and I carefully gave her her shot. She stirred just a little but didn't wake up. I covered her with her comforter and a blanket and left her lamp on, in case she woke up and realized she was alone, she'd see she was in her room. 

"She sleeps hard," Brendon whispered as I closed her door part way.

"She does. Except when she has a nightmare. As you know."

He nodded and went into his and Sarah's room.

I went into our room where Jenna was getting ready for bed.

"Think she'll be okay if I sleep here tonight?" She asked. "I miss my bed. I miss you."

"I left her lamp on. If she wakes up and realizes she's alone, hopefully she'll realize she's home and safe. I also left her door partway open. Just in case."

We finished getting ready for bed. I set my alarm for 2, as usual, to check Samantha's blood sugar, and climbed into bed beside my wife.