The Problem with Dreams

Chapter 86 - Helping Mom and Some News

The children watched when Susan went to bed early after coming to check on them, as she had done nearly every other night since coming home from the hospital. But on this particular evening, Greg went to bed too, saying good night to the children and reminding them not to stay up too late so they'd be able to go to church with their mother in the morning.

"Is Mom going?" Matthew asked.

"Yes. She needs to Matthew," Greg told the young man. "I would be very grateful if you could support her in that."
"Yeah, of course," Matthew said. "It's one of the reasons I moved back here, Greg. So I could help Mom."

"Should I help her too?" Zackary wondered.

"You can help her best by going to bed on your own when you should," Greg said.

"Okay," Zackary said as he looked at his brother in confusion.

Matt nodded and Zack let it go, but Greg suspected the brothers would be discussing it in depth sometime later.

c

Greg woke up the same time Susan did the next morning. In a reversal of roles, he went to make breakfast for the family while she showered and dressed. Susan emerged wearing a dress she hadn't worn since before her pregnancy the previous year.

"You look nice," Greg told her.

"Thanks," Susan said. "Are the kids up?"

"Matthew is in the shower. Jessie and Zackary are getting dressed. Your parents are up, but they are still in their room. They should be upstairs soon," Greg said.

"They're here," Mr. Abernathy amended as he and his wife walked in on the tail end of what Greg was saying. "Are you staying home this morning?" he asked Greg.

"I am. I'm calling my friend David to talk about the naming ceremony while you're out, so I should be here when you get home," Greg said.

"Are you going to the hospital with Susan this afternoon?" Mrs. Abernathy asked.

"I planned to, why?"

Mrs. Abernathy exchanged a look with her husband.

"We were trying to figure out when we could reasonably expect to take a trip home. There are things we need to check on at the house. We didn't want to leave while Susan needed the help so desperately, but we were hoping we could, just for a day or two relatively soon," Mr. Abernathy said.

"Oh," Susan said. "Oh, of course .... You have been here for quite a while. I suppose we could manage on our own ... other families do..."

"Susan is not fully recovered," Greg said in concern. "She still needs considerable help."

"But we could hire someone," Susan suggested. "Maybe a housekeeper would be a good idea. And we could ask Matt to help out to watch Jessie and Zackary after school, while I'm at the hospital until Melody comes home."

"Susie, no. You're misunderstanding what your father is saying. We know you're not ready to do things on your own, and that you'll need even more help once Melody does come home ... although the housekeeper thought is probably a good idea," Mrs. Abernathy said. "We're only going home to check on things, not to stay. We thought we might go after church today, spend the night at home and be back tomorrow in the morning. Matthew isn't working this afternoon, so he could stay with Jessie and Zackary while you and Greg are away, provided you don't stay too long. And we'll be back before you have to go tomorrow at noon, okay?"

Susan hesitated as she absorbed what they were saying. "I suppose we could ask him ..."

"Ask who?" Matthew said as he joined them at the breakfast table with Jessie and Zackary in tow.