And Baby Makes...?

Chapter 39

I walked Rosie and I back home and put her down for a nap. While she napped, I did some cleaning up, threw on some laundry, and checked our appointment schedule again. The neurologist appointments always made me nervous. Sam had had three seizures since her accident and the last one had been the longest.

Even though it had only been two minutes and change, it felt like an eternity. Sam had been through so much, I didn't want her to suffer even more. But she took so much in stride these days. Not in the sense that she just accepted things were they way they were right now, but she accepted that she was still healing and she was working hard.

After Rosie had napped, I gave us both some lunch and then got her dressed for Sam's game and went out to pickup a few things. I'd noticed Sam was low on some of her snacks and she'd mentioned she was out of syrup, so I picked that up as well.

Nothing I bought was perishable, but it was winter anyway, so it could stay in the car for the game.

I carried Rosie into the school gym and we took our seats near the team's bench while we watched the team practice before the game.

I watched Samantha as she lined up a shot and easily made a basket. They practiced a few lay up drills and then the ref blew the whistle and the teams came over to their benches.

"Hi Rosie posey," Sam said, kissing Rosie on the head.

"SaSa!" Rosie put her arms out.

"After the game, okay?" Sam said to Rosie.

"SaSa." Rosie said as if agreeing.

We watched Samantha's team play what turned out to be a really good and close game. Sam's team did win in the end, but it was close.

After she'd changed and came out of the change room, we piled into the car and headed home.

"Great game," I said to Sam.

"Thanks. I can't believe we won! They must have been practicing a lot. We beat them so easily last time!"

"It was close. But you did great. As did your team."

"I had fun. I love basketball," she smiled.

"So does your dad, in case you hadn't noticed," I smiled.

Sam laughed. I loved hearing her laugh. She did it so easily now.

"SaSa!" Rosie sang from her car seat in the back. Samantha turned around and started talking to her.

"I think we only won because you were there, Rosie posey," Sam said.

Rosie laughed and repeated Samantha's name over and over in a singsong voice. It was too cute.

When we got home, Sam went upstairs to shower and change and came back to start on her homework and set the table for dinner.

We had dinner, cleaned up and Sam finished her homework while I put Rosie to bed.

It was still pretty early, so Sam and I watched some TV together. It was nice, just the two of us.

"I'm tired," Sam yawned. "I'm gonna go to bed. 'Night, Mom."

"Good night sweetheart," I said.

A little later I checked the front door, set the alarm, checked the back door and headed upstairs. I checked on Rosie, who was asleep with her little bum in the air.

I checked in on Sam next and saw she was still awake.

"Hey," I said, going to sit on her bed. "Are you okay? What are you still doing awake?"

"I'm okay. I mean. I think I'm okay. I don't know."

"What's on your mind, sweetheart?"

"Tomorrow," she said. "What if the doctor says I'm getting worse?"

"Well, you haven't had a seizure in a few weeks, and you're being careful right?"

"Yeah," she said.

"And if he says you need medication, then, what?" I asked.

Samantha sighed.

"Samantha, I know what you're thinking, and no. If it turns out you are getting worse, or need medication, then it is what it is, and we'll deal. But honey, again, you're not going anywhere. I promise."

"I know," Sam said, rolling over onto her side. "But. Remember when we talked about my inside voice?"

I laughed.

"I do. That seems so long ago. And yes. I remember you telling us that your inside voice was Stanley."

"Sometimes," she said. "I think he still is my inside voice. And it tells me that if I have one more thing wrong with me, you'll get rid of me again."

"Oh sweetie," I said.

"I know. You won't. But my mind still goes there."

"I understand honey. I do. And I will keep reminding you how much we love you and will never, ever send you away. That you'll never, ever be 'too much trouble'. You are our daughter. We made that choice. We chose to make you part of our family. Despite everything you've been through, despite what Stanley put you and us through, and despite some of the issues that have occurred because of the accident in September. We're in for the long haul. We are your parents. We love you. We will always love you. You are never, ever a burden and you are never, ever too much trouble."

Sam sat up and wrapped her arms around me.

"I love you, Mom," she said, her voice cracking with tears.

"I love you, too, Samantha Joseph."

I pulled away and held her at arm's length. I wiped away a stray tear and smiled at her.

"I love you more than you know. You are one special young lady. And I am so glad our paths crossed and we were able to help you. You're going to do amazing things."

Sam smiled at me, wrapped me in another hug and squeezed.

"And whatever happens tomorrow, is a tomorrow problem. Let's get some sleep, so we can face the day ready to take on anything that comes our way, okay?"

Sam lay down and I pulled the blankets up and tucked them around her.

"Okay," she said, smiling again. I kissed her in the forehead and wished her a good night again. She curled up and closed her eyes.

I went to my room, got ready for bed and turned in. We all slept soundly that night. Well. The girls did.