Chapter 50
"How is she?" Maxine asked as Jake carried Sam into the house.
"Sedated," Jake told her, heading down to Bryan's room.
"I'm calling Dr. Edwards," Maxine said as she followed Jake. "Has she come around at all?"
"Off and on," Jake told her as he laid her down on Bryan's bed.
"My goodness, she looks so small," Maxine murmured. "Is the baby all right?"
"I felt it move on the way home," Jake assured her.
"Oh thank goodness," Maxine sighed.
Jake nodded.
"What happened?" Maxine asked.
"She started screaming Bryan's name," Jake looked down on his mother, seeing her pale. He saw the tears in her eyes before she looked away.
"Oh gosh," Maxine barely whispered.
"She's been under a lot of stress lately," Jake rubbed the back of his neck.
"How so?" Maxine asked.
Jake didn't elaborate. Somehow Maxine knew. She put her hand on her youngest son's arm.
"She needs you Jake," Maxine told him. "I'm not sure what happened and frankly I don't care. As much as it pains me, Bryan is gone." Maxine's voice caught and she took a minute before she went on.
"You are not," Maxine continued. "You love her and she knows that deep down and it probably scares her."
"I don't…," Jake began.
"Oh Jake, quit fooling yourself and treating me like I'm stupid," Maxine scoffed, shocking Jake enough that his jaw dropped. Finally he nodded.
"She more than likely feels she's being disloyal to Bryan if she cares about you," Maxine went on. "Somehow we have to convince her that she's not."
Maxine's voice caught again and Jake had to turn away as she tried to get herself collected again.
"She wants to name the baby Bryan," Jake told her.
Maxine's lips trembled.
"Could you handle that?" Jake asked.
"Yes," Maxine managed.
Jake nodded. "I'll let her know when she's more alert."
"I miss him," Maxine confessed and Jake nodded. He put his arm around his tiny mother and she leaned into him. She couldn't remember Jake ever offering comfort like this. She credited it to Samantha and how he cared for her.
"I miss him too," Jake sighed.
"Do you still have the nightmares?" Maxine asked.
"Not so much," Jake shook his head.
"Now we have to make it so she doesn't either," Maxine said.
"She might never get over it," Jake pointed out.
"I understand that," Maxine sniffed. "I'll never get over it."
Jake nodded.
"Stay with her Jake," Maxine hugged her youngest son. "Let her know how much you do care about her."
"She knows," Jake said.
"Stay with her anyway," Maxine told him.
"I will," Jake responded.
Maxine gave his cheek a kiss and left him with his wife.
"Oh Brat," Jake sighed as he looked down on her as she slept.
She stirred and Jake sat down on the bed, tenderly brushing back her hair from her face.
"Jake?" Sam opened one eye and looked up at him.
He was grateful that she knew it was him.
"Yeah," Jake nodded.
She rolled over slightly so she could see him with both eyes.
"I can't hear his voice anymore," Sam whimpered.
Jake moved towards the head of the bed, leaning up against the wall. Sam scooted closer to him and he put his arm around her.
"He'll always be part of you somehow, Brat," Jake told her.
"I can't smell him anymore," Sam's voice was almost a wail.
"I'm sorry," Jake murmured.
"I dreamt he sang to me," Sam went on.
"Bryan sang?" Jake was surprised.
"In my dream," Sam said. "The song was sad."
Jake only nodded.
"Though he told me he'd never be far from me," Sam murmured.
"He won't be," Jake told her.
"I'm afraid, Jake," Sam whispered.
"About what?"
"I'll forget him," Sam started to sniffle and he knew she was crying.
"You'll never forget him," Jake was sure. "None of us will."
"I'm not so sure," Sam sobbed.
"Samantha Anne, you'll be having his baby in the spring," Jake reminded her. "How could you ever forget him?"
He let Sam cry herself out as he held her, wanting to comfort her. Hoping he could comfort her. Finally he felt her relax against him as she fell asleep again.
Then and only then did Jake tighten his arms around her and vow on his life to always protect her from harm, whether she ever returned his love or not.
© 2008 - LB
Characters © - Terri Farley