Against the Odds (Fighting to Survive #2)(23)

“I think we should put the swing together now, don’t you, Robert?” Sue asks. I stare blankly through the lanai door overlooking the swimming pool and hot tub. “Robert?”

“I’m sorry, what?”

“I was just suggesting that we put the baby swing together. Is everything all right?”

“It’s good,” I smile. “I think that’s a very good idea.” I stand up and open the large box containing the contents of the baby swing. Thankfully, the swing has only a few large pieces that need to be assembled. Mom goes into Jamie’s room and returns with one of her baby dolls. She carefully places it into the swing and we watch as the baby swings back and forth. I remember when Jamie was in her swing for the first time. She loved it. “I’m going to check on Leah,” I say as I stand from the floor.

Leah is walking into the room smiling. I smile and walk towards her. She isn’t dressed for the day, but I didn’t expect her to be either. “Well, there’s Sleeping Beauty,” Sue laughs.

“I didn’t know you guys were coming over together,” Leah says as I help her to the couch. She props her feet up and covers her body with a gray plush throw.

“We couldn’t leave you with all this stuff to do,” Mom says as she sits in the chair facing Leah.

“Is that a roast I smell?” Leah inhales and I can.

“It is. We were going to make dessert, but we still have cupcakes left over from the party. We also put the baby’s clothes in the washer and Robert put the swing together.”

“I watch as Leah's eyes move to the swing. It is still swinging with Jamie’s baby doll in it. “It looks great, and the baby likes it.”

Leah looks at me and asks, “No extra swing parts left, Ace?”

“No, not a one.”

“Mmm, good job.”

“Thank you.”

Our mothers stay a large part of the morning. Once all of the baby’s laundry is washed, folded, and put away, they leave. They give me strict instructions on how to finish up the pot roast once it’s done. Leah seems to be doing okay. She lies on the couch and reads a paperback book. Generally, I would be watching the sports channel or boxing, but not today, not when I know it’s upsetting to Leah. I don’t want to upset her or the baby.

I sit in the recliner with a book that Leah had me pick up from the shop the other day. I skim through the contents and I find it’s difficult to concentrate. I peek over the book at Leah and she is watching me. We both laugh. “Ace, are you worried about me?” she asks bluntly.

I lower the book and say, “Always.”

“Because of the dream I had last night?”

I think about what she said and I’ll always worry about her. I wonder if I should tell her I don’t think it was a dream. “I’ll always worry about you,” I say honestly.

“I appreciate that, but I’m all right. I’m stuck on the couch, but I’m all right.” She smiles and I know she does that for my benefit.

“You know,” I say, slowly. “I’ve had the same dream about Jamie.” She folds up her book and sets it down beside her. I mimic her actions and set my book down too. “I think mine was more of a memory.”

“Really?” she asks.


“Really. But in my dream, memory, or vision, whatever it is, Jamie asked me to watch over Jack for her.”

Leah looks like she remembers something. She says with a tear in her eye, “Jamie told me that you had Jack. I told her to wait, that I was coming with her and she told me that I had to stay here with you. She said that we needed each other.” I stand up and walk over and sit at the foot of the couch where Leah is. She lifts her feet until I sit down and then she lays her feet on my lap. I massage her feet and she says, “Jamie was passing from this life to the next and she was making sure everyone here was taken care of first.”

I never thought of it like that. “God, I love that little girl.” I remember my own memory and Jamie said her grandma was waiting for her. “Jamie told me that Grandma was waiting for her,” I finally say.

“She didn’t know her grandmothers who have passed. They had died before she was born,” Leah admits.

“That does remain a mystery.”

Leah

I think about Jamie saying that she needed to go and be with Grandma. I’m not sure what she meant or who she was talking about. Robert worries about me and I know he worries about my depression. I feel good and I need for him to know that. I think I feel better knowing that Jamie isn’t alone. I also find comfort in knowing that Jamie said she’ll be watching over us. I have never had a dream or a vision like this before. The baby kicks and I’m glad it’s more of a playful calm kick. My water broke so there isn’t a lot to cushion the baby’s movements. Whenever I’m upset, the kicks are more aggressive, almost angry. These almost feel featherlike, compared to the other ones.

“Is she kicking?” Robert asks.

“She is,” I say not even realizing my hand is resting on my belly.

He stands up and sits on the edge of the couch. “Is she upset?”

“No, I don’t think so. These feel different,” I admit.

Robert gently rests his hand on my abdomen and spreads his fingers out. When the baby kicks he smiles. “These are soft, calmer.”