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Chapter 27

It’s been a whole month since Chres was in his accident. Since I heard his voice. Since I’ve seen his smile. Like I promised myself I haven’t left his side except when my friends make me go home to take a shower and change. Bre brought my medicine to the hospital and the only other time I leave the room is to go downstairs for my doctors appointments. My mom came down a week ago to stay with me. She wasn’t totally happy when she found out I was pregnant but she accepted it and now is as excited as Ms. August.

  I’m starting to show a little and I can feel the baby move sometimes. Dr. Foster says I’m on track but I need to stop stressing so much or I could hurt the baby. I also haven’t learned the sex of the baby yet. I’m waiting to be with Chres to do it. I hid this from him for over two months and I’m not going to let him miss anymore. I sat and looked at Chres with my legs crossed in the chair. The doctor said he was doing better. His eye, lip, and cheek have healed nicely and the stitches from his surgery can come out soon. Other than physical healing nothing else has changed. He hasn’t woken up or moved anything. I let out a sigh and heard a knock on the door.

“Come in.” The door opened and my mom walked in. She gave me a smile and I returned it. Before she sat down she gave me a kiss on the head.

“How is he?” She went over to Chres and fixed his blanket and pillow.

“His wounds are healing but still isn’t showing any signs of waking up soon.” She nodded her head and seemed to realize why she came. She walked back over to me and handed me a bag I hadn’t noticed.

“I have a present for you.” She smiled again and I took the bag from her. I slowly removed the tissue paper and pulled out a book. It was a light olive green and white with a green bow on the side, holding it closed. I loosened the ribbon and flipped through the pages, seeing a bunch of headings saying things like “Babies first steps” or “1st Birthday”. I smiled and started crying a little. I pulled my mom in for a hug and she rubbed my back.

“Thank you.” She kissed my cheek and pulled away from me.

“It’s no problem baby. I know you needed one. Your first baby is a special thing. Look on the first page.” She took the book and flipped back to the beginning. The page was covered with my ultrasound pictures and had little comments written on them. I smiled and laughed at the pictures. We looked through them and I started getting uncomfortable. My mom seemed to notice and I waved her off.

“It’s fine. The baby is just moving.” I rubbed my stomach and my mom sighed in relief. She stayed a little longer and finally left me in the room alone. I put the book in my purse and shifted my chair so it was closer to Chres’s bed. I grabbed his hand and did something I haven’t done in a while. I prayed.

“Dear Lord. I know I don’t call on you often but I’m calling on you now because I need your help. I love this man and I need you to keep him here with me. I don’t know what I would do without him. He is the most important thing to me and I need him. My father left a while ago and it broke me more than anything and I know if Chres leaves me I wouldn’t survive. He doesn’t deserve to leave this way. He is the smartest, sweetest person I’ve ever met even if he doesn’t see it himself. Please give me a chance to fix this. Give me a chance to right my wrongs. A chance to be with the person I love more than anything. Amen.” I opened my eyes and wiped the tears that had formed. I kissed his hand and sat back in my chair. I laid my head back and slowly drifted to sleep.

~ I’m so sorry for your loss. We all loved him. He shouldn’t have left this way.”  An older woman bent and kissed me on the cheek and walked away, sitting in a pew bench. My loss? Loved who? I looked around the room and saw numerous people crying. All wearing black, trying to console each other. I looked down and saw a small child in my arms, fast asleep and breathing lightly. A loud sob filled the room and my eyes shot up, seeing Ms. August draped across a casket crying. It finally clicked where I was. I was at a funeral.