Memories Deep Within

Chapter 7

Pepper was going to meet her kids and she had so many things going through her head. Would she remember them when she saw them? Would they expect her to? Would she disappoint them? Would she feel a connection to them?

"Just give me a minute to talk to them first," Tony said as he got out of the car and went inside.

She wandered the outside of their property and to her surprise there was an alpaca in an enclosure and a porch that ran around half of the house. The lake was sparkling and pretty. She wandered onto the porch and waited for Tony.

Once inside the chaos began and the kids all ran to him and the dogs started going insane. He hugged the kids and pet the dogs and he motioned for the kids to sit on the couch.

"Where's mommy?" Morgan asked.

"That's what I want to talk to you guys about. When mommy and I were on vacation she had an accident and got hit in the head. She was asleep for a really long time. She's ok but she has some problems with her memory and she is going to get confused a lot. So don't get upset if mommy doesn't understand or remember some stuff. Instead try and help her ok?" Tony explained to them.

They all nodded.

"Can we see mommy now?" Tony jr asked.

"Yes I'm going to get her now," he said as he opened the door and Pepper was standing there waiting.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

"Not really. But I have to do this," she said coming through the door where she was nearly knocked over by their German Shepard Rocky and their Japanese chin named Buster. She bent down to pet them and before she could stand up Anthony Jr came running to her.

"I missed you so much mommy," he said as he went to hug her.

"Anthony give Mommy some space," Tony said.

"It's ok," Pepper said as she looked at Tony.

She hugged her son tightly and was hoping it would invoke some kind of emotional connection. She didn't feel anything. She looked down at her beautiful boy who was the spitting image of Tony and her eyes almost welled up in tears. She forced them back as she gave him a kiss on the head and made room for her other two kids. Morgan was next.

"It's ok that you can't remember me. I still love you," she said.

She was different. She was smart like Tony and she would advance through school quickly.

"I love you too. All of you," she said wanting to remember what that love felt like desperately.

Maria was clinging to Tony's leg and hiding behind him. She was nervous.

"You don't have to be scared of Mommy," Tony explained as he brushed the hair out of her eyes.

"What if she doesn't want to be my mommy anymore?" Maria said as her eyes began to fill with tears.

"Mommy loves to be your mom. Go ahead and give her a hug and you'll see," he encouraged her.

Maria walked over to Pepper timidly.

"Hi Mommy," she said quietly.

"Hi sweetheart. Come here and give me a hug," Pepper said.

Maria hugged her gently and Morgan spoke up.

"Mommy is the one that needs lots of love right now," she said.

Pepper tried to hold back the tears again as she stood up. She didn't want her kids to see her breakdown.