BROKEN MEETS GRIEF

Bonus

April smiles lovingly at her husband, "You can put me down now darling."

Ashton gently put her back down on the floor and bend and kisses her swollen stomach. She was expecting their third child, and everyone was hoping for a girl. April was sick of being the only girl along with Pamela in the house since she gave birth to two boys as well.

"How are you feeling darling." Ask Ashton.

"A little tired if I'm being honest but I'm no spring chicken."

"You're only thirty-nine years old April it's not like you're in your late seventies or something."

You're right Ashton unfortunately for me the tiredness part of pregnancy has well and truly kicked in."

Already but you're only three months pregnant."

"I know."

"You're working too hard April."

"i'll slow down I promise Dr Adams."

Ashton gently places her on their sofa in the living room, "You need to cut back on your hours at work April. Adams Labs is doing great you can relax. I'm going to say something I said to you six years ago delegate some of your work to other people."

He sits beside her, "I'm very much aware I'm a geriatric mother and you're right I need to take things easy. I can't run around like I did when I had Christopher six years ago."

He put his arm around her and she leans into him. Then takes a deep breath and fill her nostrils with the scent of his cologne.

They stay like that for a moment. "Mum and dad are having a nap upstairs."

Ashton couldn't believe how close he and his father had become since they had their talk in Menden seven years ago. Arthur was determined to make things right between them and he and his mother visited them as often as they could. Which was at least four times a month since he gave Micah the company to run.

"That's great," says April who enjoyed having him visit them since he reminded her of her father.

The oldest son Christopher runs into the room, "Mama, I draw you a picture."

April takes the drawing from her five-year old son and look at the stick figures of every member of their family. Her heart sinks for a moment because there were people missing from the painting that her sons have never met.

Ten years later

"Ashes to ashes and dust to dust"

April catches her sister Kimberly glancing at her at the priest's words.

When the ceremony was over April walks over to her sister, "Hello Kimberly."

"April, seventeen years is a long time. How did you manage to find Ethan? I spent years searching for him and never manage to find him?"

"I was lucky I guess," answers April.

"That's an understatement," mumbles Kimberly.

You haven't change then though April to herself as she felt her husband squeeze her hand.

"It's nice to see you again Dr Jones", says Ashton letting both April and Kimberly know the conversation was over.

"And you Dr Adams. I read the profile GQ magazine did on you. Who would have guessed you studied medicine at eighteen. You hadn't met April at that age yet still manage to diminish my achievement of becoming a doctor."

"It must be nice to finish medical school with no debt," says a voice April hadn't heard in seventeen years.

She turns to see her brother Ethan who smiles at her. His blonde hair had streaks of grey running through it. His face was fuller than she remembered but he was very thin the last time she saw him. Why didn't she see it then. He looks so much healthier. Why did she suddenly think that of her brother? She wonders.