On The Front Lines

12

I picked my head up as someone knocked on the door.

            "Come in,' I called out.
            Kayla came in with a stack of papers in her hand.
            "What's up," I asked.
            "I have those contracts you asked for," she replied.
            "Thank you, Kay. Oh, did the-"
            "Right here," she cut me off and held out the envelope. "The numbers from last quarter, hot off the printer. With a monthly break down along with this and next artery projections," she explained as I skimmed the spread sheets.
            "Great, thank you."
            "No problem," she replied before she left the office.
            While I looked over the contracts, my phone vibrated.
            "Yes Courtney," I answered.
            "You still at the office?"
            "Yeah, why?"
            "Just asking, we might come up there a lil' later."
            "That's fine, I'm not going anywhere till probably four or five. How's my baby?"
            "He's taking a nap. I just fed him about fifteen minutes ago so he's good."
            "Thanks again for keeping him I come home. I hate being away from him," I told her. I was upset because I had to come in to the office to handle some things.
            "Girl, this is my nephew, you don't have to thank me."
            "Well I-" I started when someone knocked on the door. "Let me call you back.
            Kayla came back in but this time she had a box on a hand truck.
            "What's this," I asked.
            She shrugged, "Beats me, some guy just dropped it off and said to make sure it got to you. Don't worry, I had security scan it before I brought it up," she explained before I could ask.
            After she left, I got up and stood over the box. It was wrapped in gold paper with blue crib prints and a blue ribbon bow on top. I tore the paper off and was met with the crib I'd talk about for months. When I went to get it, it was sold out...everywhere. On top of the box was a piece of paper that read 'For the office so you won't have to be away from Tre'. No name or return address. Yet again, another mystery gift.

            Once I finished putting it up, I noticed the crib was custom made. The frame was made of the same red wood as my office furniture. On top of the front rail the scripture 1 Samuel 1:27 carved into it in cursive letters. There was a gold plate on the back rail that read 'Jason Jerome Hampton III with an angel engraved on each side. It was beautiful. I just wished I knew who to thank.

            Co!? Kat!? Anybody home? I called out as I walked in their house. Before I closed the door, Pebbles ran out to the yard. I came back over because I'd left my laptop this morning. Going to the den, I thought I'd heard something fall in the kitchen but shrugged it off as Pebbles coming back inside. I grabbed my laptop off the pool table and turned to leave.
            "Bailey, what you doing here," Kat asked when we almost bumped into each other.
            I held my chest, "Shit! You almost gave me a heart attack. Where did you come from?"
            "Upstairs," she answered. "What are you doing here?"
            "I left my laptop. Why you look so antsy? Like you nervous or someth-" I stopped and held my hand up. "Never mind, I don't want to know. I'm out," I told her and walked out that back door.
            I laughed as I walk through the gate to my backyard. Before I got to the door, I stopped and looked to my left. There in the corner was a Pug puppy asleep in a dog bed that wasn't there when I left.
            "What the hell," I said to myself as I walk up to it. "Hey little guy. Where'd you come from," I said as I picked him up to read his collar. "Beast? You don't look like a Beast but hey, that's on your owner."
            When I went to put him back, I saw a note in the bed. Curious, I opened it, "Say you want a pug; only if we can call him Beast". I almost dropped the dog when I read the words I from a poem I'd wrote when Jay and I first started dating. The crazy thing about it was I'd only let one person read it and he's dead. Come to think of it, the bracelet, the crib- I'd only told Jay about those things.

            "Cousin, I'm telling you either someone is playing a really cruel joke with nice gifts or he's alive."
            "Bailey, this is craz-"
            "I'm not crazy Christian. Someone is sending me things only he and I talked about. I was in the store with him when I saw the bracelet. We were on the phone when I was looking at cribs online. The dog- I wrote that in a poem I gave him when we first started talking. Who names a pug, of all dogs, Beast?" I dropped my head in my hands and exhaled deeply.
            "Cousin, look at me," he told me. I looked up at the screen, "I'm not saying you're crazy but the situation is. I don't know where the stuff is coming from or who's sending it, but it's not Jason. He's gone, cousin. You don't like to talk about it, I know, but at least be rational about this. You honestly think he would go through all of this instead of just coming home? Fake his death, knowing it would kill you, just to send gifts? After everything you went through? Come on now."
            I scuffed, "It wouldn't be the first time. But, I guess you're right. It would be extreme to go through all that trouble. See, this is why I always call you; you keep me level headed when my mind is running wild. Thank you," I smiled.
            "That's what I'm here for. But let me get back to this table before this girl kills me," he told me and looked over his shoulder.
            "Awe damn, I'm sorry. Go ahead and tell my cousin I miss her."
            "I will. Love you cousin."
            "Love you too. Bye," I said and ended the FaceTime

            "Rough night," Kayla asked as I stepped off of the elevator. "Good morning."
            "Good morning, Kay. And yes, I couldn't get your best friend to go and stay asleep last night, "I nodded to Tre.
            "Awe, hey handsome," she cooed to him. "You kept mommy up all night?"
            He laughed.
            "I'm glad you think it's funny," I told him as I lifted him from the car seat.
            "Why don't you leave him with me until you finish your meeting," she suggested.
            I raised my right brow, "They're here already? The meeting isn't for another thirty minutes." I passed her the bag then Tre. "Okay, I'll come get him as soon as I'm done. He already ate so he's in chill mode."
            She waved me off, "Go, I got him."
            I shot her a quick thank you before I went in my office.
            "Sorry to keep your waiting. I dint know you would be here so-" I stopped when I looked up and saw a military suit looking at the pictures on the table against the wall. "You know, I thought I was done with you people once I buried my husband. What could you possibly want from me now? And take your hat off in my office," I told the person with an attitude.
            He laughed, "Yes ma'am," he said, took off his hat and turned to face me.
            It was as if time had stopped. Like my eyes were playing tricks on me. "Jason?" I was at a lot as I stared at him. Is he really standing here in front of me? I had to be dreaming. Right?
            "Hey stank," he said and I burst into tears.
            "Wh- How are you here," I asked in disbelief.
            He smiled, walk in front of me and kissed me. "I missed you too, baby," he told me as he held onto me as tight as I was holding onto him.
            Once I'd overcome the shock, I let him go. "How can you be here? You're de-you're gone," I questioned as I looked him over, trying to find that would make this not real.
            "No, I'm back, just like I said I would be. I'm here and I'm never going to leave you again." He looked in my eyes, "I promise."
            "I-I just can't believe you're really standing here in front of me. I missed you so much," I hugged him again.
            "I see you got the crib," he said, breaking the silence.
            My eyes widened, "It was you. I knew it! I knew I wasn't crazy."
            He laughed and shook his head, "What am I going to do with you?"
            "Well, I could name of a few things that come to mind, but first," I smiled at him, "do you want to meet your son?"
            All he did was smile and I went to go get Tre from Kayla. When I went back in the office and Jay saw him, tears came to his eyes as he grabbed him from me and hugged him close. I grabbed my phone and took a picture for the Snap with the caption 'Daddy's Home'.

The End.