“Okay, I assume you mean we all move to New Haven?”
“Debbie! Of course, all of us.”
“Umm…” Debbie said. She’d love to live in New Haven again. Boston was interesting, but she loved the family feel of the smaller town.
“Have you talked to Gini about this?”
“No. I wanted to run it past you first. I remember you told me how hard it was on her when you moved her here from the unit. I don’t want to put her through that again if you think it might happen.”
“That could be a concern, but Robert, she is so different now than she was then. I think she would do fine if we talked about it a lot and she was part of the process. Where and when?”
“I found a nice lot on the golf course. The rest of the neighborhood is built out. There are lots of kids and families there.”
“So, build a house?”
“Yes. It wouldn’t be ready before the baby comes but soon after if we get started now.”
“How did you find this lot?”
“I have an hour here and an hour there. That’s just it, Deb. If we lived so close to the hospital, I could go home and be with my family in my downtime. I’ve contacted a real estate agent. She has told me of properties available. I have even looked at resales, but none of them meet our needs. I want you to have a comfortable space you can call your own, and we need a place dedicated for medical supplies so we are equipped for minor emergencies.”
Debbie was impressed Robert had put so much thought into the move. And only a doctor would think of a medical area. She sat back and thought how great it would be to be so close to Lisa and Timmy. He and Jessica could grow up playing with each other.
“I think that’s a great idea. But you must talk to Gini. And you have to listen to her. It’s important.”
“I will, I promise. If she really doesn’t want to leave her home, I’ll make it work for me somehow.”
The next day, Robert took the afternoon off so he could be with Gini and talk to her about the move.
“Sweetheart, I want to discuss something with you.”
“Oh… yes.” She opened her eyes and smiled her bright smile.
He couldn’t help himself, he leaned forward and kissed her, then put their foreheads together. “You know how much I love you.”
“Oh… yes.”
“Remember, I told you we could not have any secrets between us.”
Gini took a deep breath and let it out. “I, re… mem… ber.”
He sat back quickly, cupping her face in his hands. “I’m so proud of you.” He kissed her again. Lately, she had been saying words correctly and using pronouns and proper sentences. She was determined to learn more every day.
He went on to tell her how the drive to the hospital was really getting to him, and even though he was working on not spending so much time at the med center, it would be much easier if they lived closer to his work.
“Be… uff, how, fah?”
“It’s not the distance; it’s the traffic and the time I spend on the road, keeping me away from you. But Guiney, if you don’t want to leave the home you own and have lived in for years, I’ll understand.”
Gini sat quietly. What home did she own? She tried to say the words, but as usual they came out quirky.
“Be… uff, ome, on?” She raised her voice at the end.
“I know you’ve lived here a long time. You can think about it and give me your answer when you are ready. I found an empty lot near the hospital and in the same neighborhood as John.”
“Ock…tore, on, my, be… uff…” She stopped and swallowed. “Grand… fadder.”
“Yes, yes he is. They are having a grandson, Jason. He will be born a couple of months before our baby.”
“Jess… eeca.”
“Yes,” he sighed. “Jessica.”
The name Jason immediately put a thought into Gini’s mind. Her son’s name was Jason. She had a son? It wasn’t clear why she thought she had a son. She rubbed on her tummy. No, it was a girl, her daughter.
She looked at Robert, puzzled. It was the first time he had ever seen an expression in her eyes when they were open. But as always, they slowly slid closed.
“You think about the new house and tell me when you want to talk about it again.” He kissed her on the forehead.
She felt her thought—Jason—drifting away and didn’t want to get it back. It confused her—a son, a daughter.
“Guiney, go, wit, Rob… ber. Be… uff, move.”
“Really, sweetheart? I want you to be sure.”
“Oh, yes, no, be… uff, seek… it. Be…” She stopped and opened her eyes again. “I… love… you.”
Robert became immediately overwhelmed with emotion. She had never said those words so clearly to him. He grabbed her up into his arms.
I love. Love. There was so much there, more than she could hold. She let go and buried her face in his neck.
There were a couple of other discussions over the next few days about the move, with both Robert and Debbie involved just to make sure Gini knew exactly what it meant. Each time, she said she wanted to move, she wanted to be with Robert.
The lot was bought, an architect was hired, and the project began.
Finally, the cold month of February was over, and the sun shone for several days in a row.
Debbie was standing in front of the big windows looking out over the harbor. She was drying her hands on a kitchen towel. Her phone vibrated.
Hey, bunny, it’s me, Micky.
