She was like a tornado on two legs and by two thirty she had everything done, including dinner prep when she heard Jackson awake in his room. She opened his door and saw him standing up in his crib smiling at her. “Look who’s awake! Mommy needs your help tonight ok? All I need you to do is one little thing for me and that’s help get the ring to your mama ok?” She said to the little boy as she picked him up. He looked at her as if he understood what she had said and hugged her neck tight. “I’m serious Jackson, this is very important to you and me. If something happens to me, mama will be there for you, Jace and the new baby.” She hugged him tight.
Not too long after, she pulled the car into the parking space at the Jewelers. “Just wait until you see the ring Jackson, you’ll think it’s a new toy right?” She reached in and unbuckled him from his seat and headed inside.
“I see you brought back up this time.” The young man who had helped her earlier said as they walked in. “Who is this handsome guy?”
Sam smiled. “This little stud is Jackson, our oldest.”
The young man’s eyebrows went up. “Your oldest? You two must be some baby making machines!” He laughed good-naturedly.
“I guess that’s one of the perks of having two women in a relationship huh?” Sam laughed.
“You’re serious aren’t you? How old is your other child if you don’t mind me asking?” The young man’s face grew more serious.
“Well, it’s a long story, but we have a little boy Jace who is five weeks old and hopefully will get to come home from the hospital in the next few weeks. And my girlfriend is eight weeks pregnant.” Sam couldn’t help but laugh at the expression on his face. “Okay, in all fairness, Jace is not biologically ours. He was kind of an unexpected miracle. As my girlfriend would say, he’s our reminder that life always has a human side and he’s our human side.”
The young man looked at her thoughtfully. “I’m not sure I understand?”
“It’s simple really. All of us have things about ourselves that we are afraid to share with others. Sometimes it’s because of things that have hurt us in the past. In Jace’s case, he’s our reminder of how precious life is and how fragile it can be. We can either chose to love and embrace our human side, however painful that can be at times or we choose the easy way. Everyone is worthy of being loved. Jace did nothing to end up an orphan; he deserves parents that love him. Because of things that have happened in my past, I could have allowed my fear that I would lose him to either medical complications or to the system win out and simply chose to be indifferent to his plight. I chose love, however difficult it might be.” Sam smiled again, shifting the baby in her arms.
The young man just nodded, pulling out the ring box and opening it. “I hope this choice won’t be difficult at all.” He smiled and held it out to her.
“I don’t expect it to be. It’s more beautiful than when I was in here earlier. Thank you!” She signed the paper showing that she had picked it up, hitched Jackson higher on her hip and walked to car holding on tightly to the bag with it inside.
****
Jenna opened the garage door and stepped inside the house. She smelled dinner cooking and smiled. I love that Sam works from home. There is nothing like coming home to the house smelling like Chef Gordon Ramsey’s kitchen and a beautiful blonde woman waiting for me.
She was running later than normal because she had stopped to visit Jace before heading home. It was time to feed him again, so she stayed long enough to feed him his bottle. Bottle, well it was really a skinny looking tube with a nipple on the end. It didn’t really look like a bottle. She hoped her delay hadn’t ruined dinner. She stopped as she stepped into the open kitchen, seeing flowers on the table. Oh shit, now I really hope I didn’t ruin dinner or she’s going to be pissed.
Sam stepped around the corner from the stove and was startled to see Jenna standing there. “Hey baby, I didn’t hear you come in.” She walked over and took Jenna by the hand, leading her to a bar stool at the island. She had to keep her in here with her, and away from the bedroom. “Why don’t you sit here, have a glass of sparkling grape juice and talk with me while I finish dinner for us.”
Jackson toddled in the kitchen just as Jenna was about to start the Spanish Inquisition on why all the pomp and circumstance with dinner. Perfect timing son, just like you knew. Sam smiled at him. “Look who is home!” She said to the small boy, who looked up at Jenna sitting on the stool and squealed at her.
She laughed and picked up the excited baby. To Sam she said “I’m sorry I’m late honey, I stopped to see Jace and it was time for him to eat so I went ahead and fed him. He did great both times I tried today and the nurses said he’s doing well with the bottle. His breathing has been fine all afternoon too.”
Sam stopped as she walked past, kissing Jenna on the temple. “I know. I have my ways.” Jackson squealed with delight as he usually did when they kissed, thinking it was a game. Jenna just squinted her eyes and stared at her.
“What are you up to? Did you wreck the car or something?” Jenna questioned with suspicion.
“What am I
