Nine Months

Chapter 14

Artemis walked through the wind and the rain that was starting to fall. She had no idea what she had said.

"What was I thinking?" Artemis asked herself pulling her jacket closer to her body. "How could I ever think that I could be a great mom, or aunt for that matter?"

"Hey," Artemis heard a voice behind her. She turned to see an older man with a worn out baseball cap on his head with boots on his feet. "What's a pretty girl like you doing out here?"

"Talking to myself," Artemis answered. The older man smiled warmly. Out of his mouth came a hearty laugh. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing. Nothing. It's just, I've been exactly where you are. I mean, not exactly, because your a woman and I'm a man, but almost exactly where you are. Follow me," the older man said and turned around walking back to his house. His watch fell out of his pocket but he kept going.

"What's your name?" Artemis asked before following him. She picked up his watch and stuffed it in her pocket.

"Sam," he answered with a grin. "What? You don't trust me? What if I told you my Misses is at home and probably worried about me. You need to at least walk me home. My Misses doesn't like me walking by myself."

Artemis sighed to herself and followed the Sam, holding onto his arm as they walked. Soon they got to a cute cottage style house with flowers and a white picket fence out front.

"Come on then. My Misses is inside," Sam said holding the gate open. Artemis walked cautiously to the door. Before Artemis could knock the door opened wide and a woman, obviously older, almost like Mrs. Claus came out with rosy cheeks and smiled.

"Hello, deary. Thank you for walking my dear husband home," she said and gave Artemis a warm hug. Artemis smiled. Just then a small dog jumped up onto Artemis's pants.

"Get down girl, down Flurry. Down," Sam said. The dog got down and laid on the pouch. Sam greeted his wife with a big kiss. "This is Sarah, my beautiful wife."

"You must be cold. It's getting chillier this time of year and it looks like it's going to rain," Sarah said and pulled her shawl closer to herself.

"No, I really have to get going. My husband will be worried," Artemis said.

"I'll walk you out deary," Sarah said. Artemis nodded and her and Sarah walked out to the gate. "Don't give up hope. I've been where you are. Here..."

Sarah handed Artemis a card to an adoption agency. "Use it. Like I said, I've been where you are. Tell them Sarah Cutler sent you."

"Thank you. How could I ever repay you?" Artemis asked.

"No payment necessary. If you need us, just call."

Artemis nodded. She turned to leave, then remembered something. Turning around to give Sam's watch back she was astonished. The house was gone. The white picket fence, and all the flowers... Gone. Artemis pulled out the watch and looked at the back. It had their phone number and names.

"That's strange," Artemis thought. "Oh well, I'll have to figure it out another time."

And with that Artemis left to go tell Wally about the adoption agency.