And Baby Makes...?

Chapter 19

Samantha worked hard at physio. I was hoping she'd still have enough energy to meet with her tutor.

On the drive home, Sam was chatty. More so than she'd been since the accident. 

"Can we stop for coffee? Or a drink?" She asked.

"Sure. What are you in the mood for?  And should we pick dinner up, too?"

"Umm, can we get Starbucks?" She asked, tentatively, a little afraid, maybe, that I'd say no.

"Sure. Got something in mind?"

"That cinnamon dolce thing Aunt Sarah got me once."

"Back after... Stanley?" I asked. She nodded.

"Yeah. Okay. Sure. What about dinner? Should we pick something up? Are you in the mood for anything specific?"

"Chinese food?" She asked, even more tentatively.

"I could go for that," I said, pulling into the Starbucks drive thru. I was just happy Sam was asking for things. That she felt comfortable to ask for things she wants.

I ordered our drinks and got something for Jenna as well. We placed the dinner order on the drive for delivery. I needed to get Sam home to her tutor.

Back at home, Samantha bounded into the house and handed Jenna her drink.

"Where's Rosie?" She asked.

"Napping in her room. Your tutor will be here soon. Go get your school stuff."

"It's here," I said, picking up her backpack from the doorway.

Sam grabbed her bag from me and then sat on the couch beside Jenna.

"How was physio?" She asked. Sam shrugged.

"It was okay," she said.

"She worked really hard," I said.

"Good. You're not too tired?" Jenna asked Sam.

"I'm a little tired. But I'm okay. Oh, Dad and I ordered Chinese food for dinner. I hope that's okay," she said to Jenna.

"I don't have to cook?  And you two will clean up the dishes?  I'm not complaining," Jenna smiled and hugged Sam. Rosie started crying upstairs.

"We'll, someone is ready for their dinner," Jenna said.

"Can I get her?" Sam asked.

"She's going to need a diaper change. Let me get her and do that and then bring her down and you can snuggle with her for a few, okay?"

Samantha looked a little dejected, but nodded. We were worried about her carrying the baby down the stairs, when she was still unsteady on her own on the stairs. Twice already she'd almost fallen down the stairs.

I went over to her while Jenna went upstairs to get the baby.

"Hey, don't look so sad," I said.

"Mom won't let me bring Rosie down myself," she said.

"Well , honey," I said. "You're still healing. And you're still a little unsteady on your feet. We want to make sure both you and Rosie are safe. You're doing amazing and getting so much better, and when your walking is better, you'll be able to carry Rosie more."

"What if it never is?" She asked.

"What if what never is?"

"My walking? What if I always walk kinda funny and off balance?"

"Well, your body will adjust eventually, and we'll see then if it's safe for you to carry Rosie down the stairs. But right now, she's very little and you're still adjusting and healing. I know it seems unfair, but we really want to make sure you're both safe, okay?"

She nodded.

The doorbell rang.

"That must be your tutor. Go get set up in the kitchen. Okay?"

Sam nodded and went into the kitchen while I went to answer the door.

"Ms Heron!" I said as I opened the door.

"I knew this address was familiar," she smiled as she came in the house. "Although the name was just a bit different.  Joseph, not Deitz."

"Her name change came through just after she went missing, and we hadn't told the school yet because, well, we were a bit preoccupied."

Ms Heron laughed.

I walked her into the kitchen.

"Sam, look who's here!"

"Hi, Ms Heron," Sam smiled.

"Oh! My gosh. I just realized, I've never heard you speak!"

Samantha laughed.

Jenna came in carrying Rosie and handed her over to Sam.

"Just for a minute, then work, then you can snuggle while we wait for dinner to come, okay?"

Samantha nodded.

"Who's this?" Ms Heron asked.

"This is my baby sister. Rosie," Sam said cradling Rosie.

"She's adorable," Ms Heron said.

"Yeah. She's a keeper," Sam said.

"Okay, Sam, work," Jenna said, taking Rosie back.  Rosie started crying. Sam looked at Jenna with a 'told ya so' look that had me laughing. Jenna gave me a glare.

Samantha and Ms Heron worked on getting Samantha caught up for about an hour. When dinner came, Ms Heron left and we sat down to dinner. Rosie was in her little swing near the table while we ate.

Sam and I cleaned up from dinner and our away the leftovers while Jenna fed and changed Rosie. She then handed her to Sam who walked over to the couch and sat down and snuggled with Rosie and talked to her.

I sat nearby and watched, loving seeing my two daughters interacting.

I kept watching and saw by Sam's eyes that she was tiring.

"Sam, I think you should head up to bed. You're fading and you have school tomorrow," I said.

"M'okay," she yawned.

"Mmhm," I said, taking the baby from her. She got up and walked towards the stairs. I could see her gait was off.

"Sam? You okay?"

"Mhmm," she said, dismissively. She tottered and walked slowly, less confidently than she had been before.

"Are you sure?" I asked, worried.

"S'okay," she said. "Jus' tired."

I followed her upstairs, more because I was worried she'd fall going upstairs.

Jenna had just come out of a shower and was in the hallway.

"Oh, there you are. I was about to come tell you you should  one up to bed, Sam."

"Mhmm," Sam mumbled. Jenna looked at me. I mimed 'walking' with my fingers, and then 'watch' and pointed at Sam. Jenna watched Sam bounce off the doorframe of her bedroom.

She closed the door to get herself changed and I motioned to Jenna to be quiet and pointed to our room. We walked down the hall and closed our door.