“Rob… ber, I… Wan. I, wan…”
She wanted to scream. The words were right there but stuck between her brain and her mouth.
“What is it you want, sweetheart?” He didn’t want her to give up—important she keep trying.
“Rob… ber, I, wan, goo, see… cha.”
Seecha—that wasn’t right, she told herself. There’s no such word as seecha.
Robert repeated, “You want to go see…” He stopped and tried to think what she could be saying.
“Sir… cha.”
So she didn’t want to go see something, she wanted to go somewhere.
He put his hands on both sides of her face. “Keep trying,” he said.
She thrust her tongue for a long time. To him, when she thrust, she went somewhere deep in her mind, closing out all that was around her.
“Jess… eek, be… uff, Jezz… oz.”
Jezzoz? he thought. He repeated it again and again in his mind. Then it came to him. “Jesus! You want to go to church?”
“Oh… yes.” Gini felt so relieved that he understood. “Jess… eek, be… uff, hap… pee.”
“She is.”
“Be… uff, goo, teenk.”
“She is very intelligent. Such big words she uses.”
Gini giggled. “Jess… eek, uff, goo, bain. Nee… know… God.”
He pulled her to his chest and hugged her. “Gini…” He was at a loss for words, not because she wanted to go to church, but because they were having a real conversation about their daughter.
“Sweetheart, which church do you want to go to?”
She shook her head.
“Your birth certificate said your parents were Catholic. Do you want to go to a Catholic church?”
She sat back. “No, know, wah, sir… cha.”
“Do you remember Reverend Gilbert, the preacher who married us?”
Gini got a vision of Robert and her facing each other, giving their vows. She shook her head yes.
“He has a church here in New Haven. Do you want to try there?”
“Oh… yes. Jess…eek, nee, be, pray… uff, God. Nee, be, play, more, keed.”
Gini couldn’t remember anything before New Haven Medical Center C4, not her parents or anything about being a child, only her life with Robert and Debbie. It now seemed having a baby was some kind of dream, with vague images of her holding Jessica and breastfeeding her, then other things she couldn’t explain, like where they lived. She hadn’t remembered ever living there. And in this vague dream she found herself pleading for help when she struggled to recharge and live again. Then the words “pray to God” became clear in her head, and a spiritual feeling came over her. An image of kneeling in front of flickering candles appeared in her head—she was young, a girl—and then she saw a cross hanging on the wall. Music, yes, there was music, and she and Robert were holding each other’s hands and smiling. She tried so many times to put all the pieces together, but the fleeting thoughts made it difficult to concentrate and figure it all out. Working hard to have it clearer in her head, she soon realized that it was their wedding and it was in God’s house. She wanted to be there to pray and thank Him for helping her. She felt that same spiritual bond with Jessica. Jessica needed to learn about heaven, God, and Jesus. And Jessica needed to go to His house and rid herself of her fears and find His guidance.
Robert’s emotions were creeping up his throat like a volcano ready to erupt, but he would suppress them. Those intense feelings weren’t going to take over this wonderful, remarkable moment with his bright, amazing partner for life.
He grabbed her back to him and started rocking. “Gini, you realize you are talking. We are sitting here talking to each other.”
She pushed back again. “Mouff… uff, wore… keen.” She flashed a bright smile.
He put his hand behind her head and kissed her. She pushed forward, and they kissed again and again.
Debbie was nearly pacing as she prepared the meal. The anticipation was killing her. Aly had gone back with Jessica to get her ready for dinner. They walked into the kitchen.
“Debbie, I want to help,” Jessica said in her cute, squeaky voice.
“Okay, pumpkin, you can put the napkins on the table.” Debbie handed them to her. The little girl giggled when they lay on her hands, held flat like a tray in front of her.
“Are they still in there?” Alyssa asked.
“They are,” Debbie said. “They are…” Her voice dropped.
Chapter 12—Church
There was a click, and the bedroom door opened. Debbie took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. Gini and Robert had their arms around each other, and Gini was looking up at him, smiling, her dimples going deep in her cheeks. Debbie couldn’t help but get a warm feeling inside. It was so good to see her back to her old self—actually, much better. Gini seemed more alert and talked more, drank from her handled cup with ease, and she tried very hard to use a spoon to eat.
“Daddy, Mama,” Jessica called out and ran to her parents, pushing her way between them. She held each of their hands, and they all walked to the kitchen.
“Ah… isn’t that just the cutest family?” Alyssa put her fisted hands under her chin.
“Everyone ready to eat?” Debbie asked, wanting to pry to find out what the conversation between them had been, but she knew if they wanted to talk about it, they would.
“Smells good,” Robert said.
Gini went to Debbie and hugged her. “Dee… bee, go… uff, sir… cha.” She opened her eyes and looked at Debbie.
“Sweet girl.” Debbie brushed the side of her face. “What’s that? Where are you going?”
“Sir… cha, be… uff, God.”
Debbie looked at Robert, who had picked Jessica up
