Sparks

30

It was a quiet evening and all the kids were in bed. Sam and Brooklyn were reading in front of the fire. Brooklyn got up and went into the kitchen. Her recent craving had been for milk, all the time. She had been drinking even more milk than the kids.

"Hey, Sam. We don't have anymore milk." She said from the kitchen.

"Go figure." He called back from the living room.

"Well I'm going to keep thinking about it until I have some so I might as well go and get some more." She started pulling on her coat.

"Wait, Brook. I'll go get it. It's late." He got up and closed his book.

"I knew you would say that. Can you get some cookies, too? I was too lazy to make any today." She hung up her coat.

"Alright. I should be back in half an hour." He kissed her lightly on the cheek.

Sam's POV

Brooklyn was so funny when she was pregnant. Her cravings were the strangest things but I never minded going late at night to go get stuff for her. One night when she was pregnant with the triplets I went to go buy more of those cheesy gas station novels for her because she had read all of the books in the house and the babies were moving around so much and she couldn't fall asleep. I walked into the small grocery store and spotted Gavin.

"Hey Gav!" He turned around in surprise.

"Hey Sam. I was just getting some stuff before I go away on Wednesday."

"So soon?" I found a package of Oreos for Brooklyn.

"Yep. Well, it was nice seeing you." He started to turn away awkwardly.

"Gavin. Why are you really going away? Is it because of Cade?" I stared at him, hoping he would give me a straight answer.

"That's not the reason." He looked away.

"Then what is? Is it Avery?"

"No! It's not Avery."

"I know what you wanted your children to be like, Gavin."

"Yes, Sam. It is Cade. He's as old as your son and he doesn't even know the alphabet." He spat out the last words.

"That has nothing to do with it. He's your son, act like his father. You don't have to join the marines to make a point. It's already been made."

"I'm sorry, Sam. You can't talk me out of this one. My life isn't as perfect as yours so just stay out of mine and stop trying to play the perfect role model because you're doing a terrible job."

"I never said my life was perfect. It's far from it. You of all people should know that."

"Sam, we're done having this conversation. I'm leaving on Wednesday whether you like it or not." Gavin turned and walked out of the grocery store. I payed for my items and didn't even bother going after him. I came home in a bad mood, and ignored Brooklyn when she asked what was wrong. I set down her bag of milk and cookies beside her.

"I'm going to bed. Goodnight." I left her down stairs and tossed and turned, trying to fall asleep. I couldn't stop thinking about how one of my best friends was going to escape to the marines because he couldn't handle having a son with a disability.
- - - - - - -
"Sam. Get up." Brooklyn shook Sam for the third time. "It's Gavin's deployment date today." He sat up and faced her. "You're worse than the kids!"

"I don't really feel like going."

"Are you ok? You haven't been sleeping well the last few nights. I know when you get up in the middle of the night and don't come back to bed." Brooklyn threw open the curtains and turned around, hands on her hips.

"Oh. It's nothing. Just one of those weeks."

"I know that look, Samuel. This is about Gavin isn't it?"

"No. Yes. I mean... I just..."

"Spit it out. You were fine at the barbeque last week." A look passed Brooklyn's face. "That night when you went to get milk! You saw him didn't you!?"

"Yeah I did. He yelled at me. I don't want to talk about this right now, Brooklyn."

"What did he yell at you about?"

"Is our life perfect? How could our friends slip off the rader? I just don't understand."

"Oh, Sam. Our life is far from perfect. People change. We're aloud to. It's not your fault that Gavin's in trouble but it is your job to make sure that we can help his family."

"Then how come I feel like our life is perfect? We have four amazing kids, I have a good job, an amazing wife, two families that love us..."

"That's not perfection. Those are blessings. We each have our different times of struggle. Life is just going really good right now and we should be thankful." Brooklyn sat behind him on the bed and looped her arms around him, tucking her chin on his shoulder.

"I can't go Brooklyn. He'll think I'm defying him or trying to make him look bad."

"Sam, he won't think that."

"No. I've already decided. He made his choice, so I've made mine."

"If you don't show up today he'll never come home."

"Brooklyn, I don't want to talk about this." Sam slammed the bathroom door and turned on the shower.

"Sam!" She pounded on the door but he didn't answer. "We're talking about this! Don't ignore me!" She listened for a reply for a minute but didn't hear one.

"Sam, get out of the shower so that we can talk!" The door cracked open a bit.

"I don't want to talk about it. Gavin's going and there's nothing I can do about it."

"That doesn't mean you get to skip. We all have to do things we don't want to. You don't really want to remember him when you were fighting right?"

"I have to have a shower anyway. Just stop pressing this Brooklyn. If I want to talk about it later I will." He shut the door.

"I doubt it." Brooklyn whispered. Pain shot through her abdomen. She gasped and clutched a hand to her stomach.

"Sam! Get out here now!" Brooklyn yelled in a panicky voice.

"What!?" He opened the bathroom door and his hair was partially damp.

"Sam, something's wrong." She looked at him. He looked at her eyes and saw fear.

"It's ok. Come on." He scooped her up effortlessly but gently. Cam was standing outside their room.

"Cam. Look after your brother and sisters until one of your uncles gets here. Don't go anywhere." Sam said sternly and Cameron sensed the urgency in his voice.

"What's wrong with Mommy?" He sat down on the steps.

"She just needs a checkup. I'll be back soon." Sam put on a brave face for his son.

"Sam hurry up. It hurts!" She gripped his shirt. Sam called Brayden on the way to the hospital. He waited in the emergency room while his wife was escorted to a closed room.
- - - - - -
Brooklyn woke up with Sam clutching her hand, sleeping with his head on the bed. Tears immediatly sprung to her eyes. He stirred and searched her face.

"Are you ok? They wouldn't tell me anything."

"Sam. I lost the baby." She choked out into his shoulder. She clung onto his neck.

"W..what?" He lifted his tear-stained face from her shoulder.

"It came early. It would've been a boy."