Melia-Irrevocable Journey (Sequel to Irrevocable Quest)

049:

049:

Tracy walked through the kitchen, trailing a hand on the marble counter top, listening to sounds of rain on the roof two stories above them, but magnified by the vaulted ceiling in the living room just off the kitchen. The beautiful picture windows allowed foggy grayish light into the room. She stood there, remembering.

Jared... this was where she'd known Jared. And his presence was all around this place. She could see him, unbelievably vivid.... In the kitchen, after a run, bald head sweaty from exertion, tank top wet... the way he had that funny little smile always in place. As if life had dealt him something unexpected....

It had.

First a death sentence and then....

Continuance.

Hannah.

Tracy left her shoes by the back door, checked the hamper in the laundry room, found that Melia had done the laundry, and she gathered it into a basket and took it with her down the hall. Melia was not staying in the room she'd shared with Jared, she was on the main floor, and this room had a huge walk in closet, faced away from the ocean, and had plenty of space for a crib, and a bassinet.

"Hi Mia." She said as she entered the room, which was warm, and then she realized Melia had started a fire.

Melia looked up from her laptop, she was sitting cross-legged on her bed, with Hannah sleeping next to her, all sprawled out. "Mommy!" She cried and started to roll toward her, but Tracy set the laundry basket down and climbed up on the bed, giving her daughter a hug.

"This was one of the last places I expected you to go in a crises." She said with a slight chuckle, and ran a hand over Melia's unbound hair gently, looking into her eyes, which had seemed troubled at the awards night two nights ago, but not now.

Melia looked back at the laptop, clicked on something a couple of times, and then closed it up and pushed it aside, wrapping her arms around her knees. She scooted back against the pillows. "Is this a crises? I guess it is."

Tracy cocked her chin in the direction of the baby. "How's the princess?" she asked.

"As adorable as ever, starting to get into things. She can crawl anywhere she wants to now." Melia smiled fondly as she smoothed her own daughter's hair.

"Have you thought of a name for the new baby?" Tracy asked, a rather non-committal question, as she felt that any other questions would be considered prying. It would all come out in due time, that was for sure.

Melia reached behind her, a struggle against the weight of her belly, and found the scriptures Jared had been using before he passed away. She opened them to his bookmark which was a piece of burrito wrapper folded outside in, and on it was written, "I really admire this woman."

And a note.

"For Melia, when you find this, which I know you will eventually, hopefully later rather than sooner, I want you to know this is how far I got in your Book of Mormon, and I believe it is true. I wish I'd had time to read more, I think I would have liked it. But so you know, and Hannah will know, I believe that Jesus Christ is my Savior. Just so you know. You shared that much with me, and I admire those who share what they believe. That's why I sit here pondering this woman, this Abish, a servant woman in Lamoni's castle. She has a lot of courage. She isn't afraid to share. She's like you, Mia.

Love Jared."

"It's his testimony." Tracy breathed, fingering the wrapper carefully. "What a prolific thinker he was! I am astounded at his thoughtfulness. To leave that there for you to find." She closed the book, looking at the outside. "These aren't your normal Sunday carry to church scriptures are they?"