And Baby Makes...?

Chapter 67

Tyler POV

Samantha had decided to go to England. The thought terrified me.

We worked it out with Mark and Carol that she'd leave after the Fourth and her flight home would be August first. Knowing she had a return date made me feel better.

We wanted Samantha home for her birthday and the Fourth. Her flight was on the sixth.

She was excited, but reserved. She was nervous about travelling alone, but looking forward to some of the plans Mark and Carol had made. They planned on going camping, perhaps spending a weekend in Paris, and going by train, spending a few days by the seaside.

But she would be alone on the flight there and back and she was nervous about it. Since she was only going to have just turned 15, we set her up as an unaccompanied minor, so there would be someone on the plane that would make sure she got through customs and to Mark and Carol okay.

We went over everything we could think of with Sam, and made sure she had every conceivable piece of information and medical device for her diabetes, along with prescriptions and test kits and insulin pens.

For her birthday, we had her friends over and had a barbecue. It wasn't a huge party but we got to really meet her friends and talk with them, more than we'd been able to for their graduation party, and I was really happy with the kids Sam was friends with.

It was a nice hot day so we had the pool open as well. The kids all enjoyed themselves and it was so great to see Sam interact with them. They were all smart kids and their conversations were so mature. I was really impressed.

But part of me was sad. Because what if Sam decided to stay in England? What if she liked it better there, with Mark and Carol - people who were blood relations?

Sam's friends fawned over Rosie and played with her in her floatie in the pool. She was the happiest baby in the world when Sam's friends, and Sam of course, paid so much attention to her and included them in their play.

Rosie would be devastated if Sam didn't come back from England. So would all these kids.

On the Fourth, we invited her friends, and some of ours for a barbecue and a fireworks display. Again we were in and out of the pool all day. Samantha was laughing and playing and talking and just being the 15-year-old she is.

We ended the night with fireworks. Samantha had Rosie in her lap on a pool lounger, the two of them wrapped in a blanket and watching the coloured fireworks bursting above our backyard.

I smiled as Samantha held Rosie and pointed up at the colors. Rosie looked like she felt safe with Samantha. Fireworks can be scary for babies, but Rosie was with her big sister. And she knew her big sister would take care of her.

What would happen to Rosie if Samantha chose to stay in England?

I knew I had to stop this line of thinking, but I simply couldn't.

On the morning of July sixth, we helped Sam with her last minute packing, made sure she had her passport and ticket, adapters and electronics, properly stored insulin and extra copies of her prescriptions, doctor's info and everything we could think she could conceivably need. I was dreading the drive to the airport.

"Okay, Tyler," Jenna said. "It's time to get Sam to the airport."

"So early?" I asked.

"She needs to check in and go through security," Jenna reasoned. Sam looked back and forth between us. She looked uneasy. Maybe she'd change her mind and ask to stay home.

We got Samantha's luggage loaded into the car and put Rosie in her car seat while Sam double-checked her carryon.

"SaSa go?" Rosie asked.

"Yeah, Roro," I said. "Samantha's going on a trip."

We drove to the airport, Jenna talking excitedly with Samantha, who looked less and less sure of herself the closer we got. It was the first time in over a year that I saw a glimpse of the Samantha we met that cold, rainy October night when she appeared in our backyard.

We parked the car and helped Samantha with her luggage. She was quiet the entire walk from the parking garage to the check-in counter.

At the counter they gave her an "Unaccompanied Minor" tag and someone from the airline came to escort her to her gate.

She threw herself into my arms and hugged me probably the hardest since last Christmas.

"I'm gonna miss you, Dad," she said. I could hear tears in her voice. I looked at Samantha at arm's length.

"You are an amazing, brave and strong person, Samantha Joseph. You're going to have an amazing time. You know you can call us any time. And you have your computer and phone. You can FaceTime us. In fact, I insist that you do, because we want to see this beautiful face from time to time. Okay?"

Samantha nodded and then hugged me tight again, before turning to Jenna and hugging her tightly, too.

"I'm gonna miss you, Mom. Maybe I shouldn't go?" She looked up at Jenna. Jenna smiled at her.

"Samantha, you'll have a wonderful visit with your uncle and aunt and cousins. And we'll be here waiting to hear all about it in August. When you're home."

"I don't want to go anymore," Samantha said. "It was a dumb idea."

I pulled her to me again.

"Yes you do. You're going to have an amazing time. Take tons of pictures, okay? Put them in Google Photos and share them with us. You can call us every night if you want. But you absolutely must call us when you get to Mark and Carol's so we know you landed safe and got there okay, okay?"

Samantha nodded and wiped her eyes.

She went over to Rosie and took her from Jenna.

"Don't grow up too much, okay, Rosie?" She said, snuggling her sister.

"SaSa go?" Rosie asked again.

"Only for a little. But I'll bring you back a present, okay?"

"No SaSa!" Rosie said. "WoWo go."

"I wish, Rosie. Be good to Mom and Dad, okay?"

We said our final goodbyes and the attendant took Samantha through the security gates where we couldn't follow.

I couldn't help but think this was the last time I was going to see my daughter.