The Familiar Stranger

Chapter 15

Living in this apartment without the love of my life is extremely difficult. Every day it seems like my belly is growing. I still have a part of Jesse with me and that was the only reason I lived on. I was 3 months away from getting my bachelors degree for social work. Jesse would be so proud. I miss him everyday. I feel him everywhere. When I'm laying in bed at night and can't sleep, I feel him with me. I don't cry anymore because I know he doesn't want me to. Crying won't show how much I miss him. He knows how much I miss him.
~~~~~~~~~~~
It's been 2 months since graduation and I'm 7 months pregnant. After Jesse's funeral, I went to the doctor. On that day, I was exactly 3 months pregnant. I cried when I found out and the nurse asked me where the father was. I cried harder. I told her he died saving mine an the baby's life. She joined in with my tears. She handed me a tissue and patted my hand sympathetically, then she left the room.

Sitting on Jesse's recliner, I pondered names. A memory of Jesse and I picking names for fun if I ever got pregnant came rushing back.
{Jesse was laughing. He put a finger to his chin and looked deep in thought.
"I like Maggie. That was my grandmothers name." He smile sadly and I grabbed his hand.
"Margaret an Maggie for short?"
His smiled turned happy. He stuck his hand out for me to grab. "Deal." and we shook on it.}
"Hi, Margaret." I whispered to my belly. I felt a kick.
"Oh. Do you like that name, Maggie?" In response I felt another kick.
"Margaret Jessie Hill it is then sweetie."
I heard the mail come and got up to check it. Looking through, I found an envelope with my name in it with a court house address on it. Inside was an application for name change.
"Jesse?" I whispered in the room with tears filling my eyes. In response, I felt a warmth surround me. I smelled Jesse's favorite cologne. I smiled and breathed it in.
"I miss you Jesse."
A pen fell to the floor and I knew he was telling me to fill the request out. I hurriedly scrawled all the required information on the paper. I put it in a new envelope and put it in the mail box.
~~~~~~~~~~
2 weeks later I arrived home from my doctors appointment an checked the mail. Placing my keys on the table, I looked through and I saw the envelope. A big envelope addressed from the local court house. I hurriedly opened it.
"Dear Miss. Williams, we have reviewed your request for name change and your reasoning. We have granted you the right to change your name to Aleigha Hill. We send our condolences..."
My breath whooshed out of me. I stared at the paper in my hand for a long time. I finally pulled everything from the envelope an found a new social security card, and all necessary information I need to prove my name change.