Against the Odds (Fighting to Survive #2)(19)
On the drive home, Robert and I talk about the visit from Chelsea. I ask him can we visit Jamie so we can place the angel on her grave and he tells me the doctor instructed us to go straight home. He does assure me that he’ll take the angel over to the gravesite in the next few days.
Once we are home, Robert gives me a choice of where I want to lie. I decide on the couch. There is no way that I’ll be able to stay in one room for eight weeks. I sit while he gets the pillows and blankets for the couch. He returns, wearing a pair of sleep pants and a tee shirt. I am already wearing a nightgown and robe. I smile as he makes the sofa into a bed and tosses pillows on each end. One for me and one for him. I should have known that Robert wouldn’t stay dressed or that he wouldn’t leave the house today. I also know that there is no way Robert would be able to handle being in this house for eight weeks straight. He’ll try, but he’ll fail miserably.
Robert
I lie on one end of the couch and watch Leah sleep on the other end. I also read over the instructions that were sent home with her from the hospital. Pelvic rest? What the hell is that? I browse over the pamphlet and now I understand. Pelvic rest makes sense to prevent pre-term delivery. Especially since she had that procedure done. I remember when Jamie was born and sex was off limits for six weeks afterward. No sex in exchange for a healthy baby is a small sacrifice. I would stand on my head if it meant my baby would be born to term without complications.
“Reading something interesting?” she asks.
“I am,” I joke. “I’m reading about pelvic rest and bed rest. Very interesting stuff, right here.” I wave the instruction sheet in the air for her to see.
“You just can’t get a break, can you?”
“Why? What do you mean?”
She says, “You need better reading material. Jamie’s bedtime books and hospital pregnancy instructions. You need something better to read. Something age and gender appropriate.”
I look at her and smile. “I like reading Jamie’s books to you.”
“I know you do, and I love hearing you read them. I did order some pregnancy books for men for the shop. I can see if Mom will stop by and get a few of them for you.”
“Sounds good. I’m glad you got some books in for men to read about pregnancies.”
“Me, too.”
I fix dinner and Leah and I eat on the couch. This is unusual for us; we always eat at the dinner table. I did light a few candles to make it more romantic. Leah laughs because we are both in our pajamas sitting under a pile of blankets eating pasta by candlelight. “Ace, are you trying to create a ‘mood?’” she giggles.
I look at her and her big pregnant belly. Bed rest and pelvic rest. “No, no mood.” I stand and blow out the candles. Leah and I have a very active sex life and this will be hard enough to do without us thinking about it.
“Because for a minute it looked like you were trying to add some romance to out pajama party.”
I smile at her as I sit back down on the makeshift bed on the couch. She knows me too well. “Just trying to save on the electric bills,” I lie and she laughs.
Over the next few days, Leah alternates from the couch to the bed. I keep some of her books, her laptop, her cell phone, and her e-reader within her reach. Her Mom and Dad came over with groceries and snacks and gave me some time to run some errands. Leah reminds me to take the angel to Jamie’s gravesite and she also asks me if I’ll get some wildflowers from her for Jamie. She didn’t need to ask, I would have done that anyway.
“Will you also stop by the shop and check on it? Oh, and I’ll call Bethany and have her get some books ready for you to bring back home.”
I walk to the desk and get a pen and a notebook. I sit down on the coffee table with the pen and tablet in hand ready to dictate everything she says. “What are you doing?” she asks.
“Taking orders. Is there anything else you need or want while I’m away?”
“I’m sorry, am I bossy?”
“No, you’re not, Sweets. I just want to make sure I don’t forget anything.”
“Would you mind getting your baby some mint chocolate chip ice cream?” She bats her long dark eyelashes and places her hand strategically on her pregnant belly.
I laugh on the inside, although I try to maintain a straight face on the outside. Leah is cute as hell, but she doesn’t need to know that I think that about her. “I don’t think my baby likes mint,” I joke.
She laughs and says, “She does. In fact, it’s her favorite flavor at the moment.”
I laugh, too, and say, “At the moment. Meaning her favorite could be something else next week.”
“Or tomorrow,” she giggles.
“Mint chocolate chip it is, then.”
I kiss her goodbye and instruct Sue to call me if anything happens. Sue and I talk about a few things she and Mom have planned for Leah and for this I need a pen and paper. I nod and write everything down that she needs. I’ll be gone a lot longer than I intended to be. Sue assures me she has enough to keep Leah’s mind occupied while I’m away.
I go to the florist first before going to the cemetery. I stay longer than usual. It’s been awhile since I have been here and I have a lot to tell Jamie. I lay her pink roses and her wildflowers down and I explain out loud to Jamie about the angel the Chelsea got for her. I’m not sure anyone is close by enough to hear me, but I don’t care. I always speak aloud when I’m here talking to Jamie. I remove the weeds and the leaves from around her tombstone. Leah usually does that and I can tell it’s been awhile since Leah has been here. I take a picture of the gravesite to show Leah.