"I don't want to go down there. How dare he speak to me that way! I understand the man has a brain injury, but yelling at his pregnant girlfriend is something he should never do!"
"Okay. Jessie, calm down. It's okay."
"How is it okay, mom?"
"Because things are going to get better!"
"Yeah, I thought so too." Jessica scoffs. "Not anymore!"
"Honey, I'm sorry. Let me take the babies and you take some time to calm down, okay?"
Jessica then begins to cry.
"I don't want Evangeline's first Thanksgiving to be like this!"
"Her first Thanksgiving is going to be great! Just rest, okay?"
"This is the first holiday Sam and I have spent together as a couple since Autumn was a baby! This is supposed to be the most amazing moments of my life!
.. But it isn't. It's all over."
**
Sam's POV.
"Uncle George, Grandpa.. can I please talk to my dad alone?"
"Sure, honey. Let's go out back, George."
Autumn waits until the door is shut before she starts.
"Dad."
"Yes? I already know what you're going to say."
"No you don't! You don't even know this story."
Sam looks at Autumn ready to hear her story.
"When momma died, mommy was there. She was just as heartbroken as we were. They were like sisters! An hour and a half after she passed, you were holding Everly, and mommy was still there.. she was there when she.. when she got sick. She did her best to calm you down while the nurses and doctors were working on the baby.. and when she went to Heaven, she held you and you both cried and cried! Mommy loved both Megan and Everly. So please.. please don't ever say she didn't care, because you don't know!
And don't make her feel bad for telling you about Simba.. because there was a time that you cared about him."
"I do care, Autumn."
"Really? Well it didn't seem like that at the cemetery."
Sam sighs and looks down.
"I don't know if you'll ever love my mom the way you did.. but know that she isn't lying. You loved her more than anything in this world!" Autumn says with tears in her eyes. "She's not making this all up.
The love you have is a love I hope and pray to God that I have one day.
.. Last Thanksgiving Danny left us. Mommy cried and cried.. but she still tried to give us the best Thanksgiving she possibly could. She was pregnant, and alone.. Please don't make her feel the same way this year.
.. Please don't hurt her."
Sam looks into Autumn's eyes. He knew she was sincere, and he felt terrible.
"Thank you for talking to me, Autumn."
Autumn takes a deep breath.
"Will you please ask George and Al if they can help me up the stairs?"
"Can you do that?" Autumn asks since Sam is usually only downstairs.
"I'm doing it for her."
"Okay." Autumn then walked out to the backyard and asked if they could help her father.
George and Albert helped him of course.
"You good?" George asks.
Sam takes a deep breath and nods.
"Yeah. Thank you guys."
"No problem. The door is locked, I'll knock."
A few seconds later the door opens.
"Hi." Sam says.
Jessica looks at Sam. Her makeup running down her cheeks. "Hi.."
"Can I come in?"
"Sure.."
George hands Sam his cane and Sam walks into the room.
"We'll leave you two alone. Hey.. do you think we could eat?" George asks.
"Shut up!" Albert hits him on the arm.
"Go ahead and eat, you guys." Jessica says.
"Thanks!"
"Will you stop? We'll wait for you, Jessie."
"It's okay, dad. Go ahead."
Albert and George walk downstairs, leaving Sam and Jessica alone.
"Hi.." Sam says.
"You said that already."
"Oh right..
Jessica, I'm sorry."
"Okay."
"I.. I was.."
"An ass?"
"Yes! I was! I am! You don't deserve that, Jess.
Autumn was talking to me.. I didn't know you and Megan were so close. I didn't know you were there when she and Everly passed."
"I was. I loved them both very very much.
I would have never purposely hid your own child from you, Sam! It's just, when I saw how fragile of a state you were in, I didn't want to give you news that would break your heart.
.. I know you don't care, but I know what it feels like to lose a child.. I couldn't let you go through that at that time. Then it literally just slipped my mind! I'm sorry."
"It's okay. I'm sorry.. and I do care."
"Whatever." Jessica shrugs.
"Let me take you downstairs so you can eat."
"You need to eat too."
"I'm not hungry."
"You have to eat. Come on.. it's Thanksgiving! Let's go down and make it a good one for the kids.
.. I promise not to fuck it up even more."
Jessica rolls her eyes.
".. Okay.. Fine, I'll go."
"Good! It's gonna be fun!" Sam smiles softly.
"I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing it for my kids."
Sam nods softly.
