laptop in hand.
I watch her as she checks the date on the calendar with the date on the laptop. She checks it again and smiles. “If this is right, we are due on November 30 th . That makes us about eight weeks pregnant.” I watch my beautiful wife smiles, and I can’t remember the last time she was smiling so big. She says, “It’s still too soon to announce it. I think it’s best we keep quiet for another month.”
My wife is the brilliant one in the family. If she thinks we should wait, there is a reason for this.
“May I take my beautiful and pregnant wife out for dinner to celebrate?” I ask as I kiss her sweetly.
“I think that sounds like an excellent idea.”
During the dinner, we discuss the pregnancy and what a blessing this child will be. “What room should we use as the nursery?” she asks, and I know what she is asking. Is it wrong to use Jamie’s room? We still haven’t been in Jamie’s room since her death. It is just as she left it that dreadful morning. I think about this, and I have to make sure I word it perfectly.
I smile because I don’t want to sadden the mood. “We could use the room across the hall from Jamie’s for the nursery.” I don’t say anything else; I give her time to think about what I said.
“You don’t want to use Jamie’s room?” She looks saddened.
I take her hand from across the table and stroke my thumb across her knuckles.
“I was thinking and remember, it’s only a thought,” I say. “What if we had another daughter? Wouldn’t it be nice to leave Jamie’s room as it is, and maybe our next child would be able to play with Jamie’s things? A son could also play there.” Now that I think about this maybe it’s not such a good idea. “We don’t have to decide anything today; we have plenty of time to figure it out later,” I say. I look at Leah, and I can’t tell what she is thinking.
She asks, “Do you mean have Jamie’s room as a playroom?”
“Yes,” I say.
“Jamie loved her room.”
“Yes, Leah, Jamie loved it very much.” I don’t have the heart to pack away Jamie’s things. I can’t put her things in storage. Not yet.
“Robert, I like that idea.” She doesn’t smile, but she isn’t crying either. “I like the idea of Jamie’s sibling using her things. Jamie is gone, but she is still alive in our hearts.”
“Yes, Leah, she is.”
The next morning, I drive Leah to work and help her open up the shop. Before we found out she was pregnant, she would drive by herself and set out the bistro tables and get everything ready herself. Now, I don’t want her moving the tables and chairs by herself. Jo is already here and the shop smells like a bakery. I inhale and smile when I see Jo. She walks out of the back room wearing a floral dress and a white apron that says, “Never trust a skinny chef.” I smile to try to hide my laugh. “Good morning, Sunshine,” I say as I walk over to help her with the tray of cinnamon buns.
“Good morning, Bobby and Leah. How lovely to see you here this morning.”
I bend over to kiss Jo and say, “Let me help you with those.”
“Good morning, Jo. While you do that, I’m going to get the cash drawer ready,” Leah says.
“All right, Sweets.”
I put the cinnamon buns in the glass display case and follow Jo into the back room to get more. Once the glass display case is filled with Jo’s delicious sweets, I start to put the bistro tables and chairs out on the sidewalk. Jo and I make the coffee and get the decanters filled with different varieties of coffee that Leah offers her patrons. As soon as everything is done, Jo and I sit down and have coffee. Jo has a cinnamon bun, but not me — I am on the wagon.
Leah exits her office, carrying the cash drawer, and pretends like she is looking at a nonexistent watch on her wrist, and asks, “Break time already, Ace?”
I smile and ask, “Would you like one?” The bell over the door rings and when I look up I see Jo’s husband, Carl,
I watch her as she checks the date on the calendar with the date on the laptop. She checks it again and smiles. “If this is right, we are due on November 30 th . That makes us about eight weeks pregnant.” I watch my beautiful wife smiles, and I can’t remember the last time she was smiling so big. She says, “It’s still too soon to announce it. I think it’s best we keep quiet for another month.”
My wife is the brilliant one in the family. If she thinks we should wait, there is a reason for this.
“May I take my beautiful and pregnant wife out for dinner to celebrate?” I ask as I kiss her sweetly.
“I think that sounds like an excellent idea.”
During the dinner, we discuss the pregnancy and what a blessing this child will be. “What room should we use as the nursery?” she asks, and I know what she is asking. Is it wrong to use Jamie’s room? We still haven’t been in Jamie’s room since her death. It is just as she left it that dreadful morning. I think about this, and I have to make sure I word it perfectly.
I smile because I don’t want to sadden the mood. “We could use the room across the hall from Jamie’s for the nursery.” I don’t say anything else; I give her time to think about what I said.
“You don’t want to use Jamie’s room?” She looks saddened.
I take her hand from across the table and stroke my thumb across her knuckles.
“I was thinking and remember, it’s only a thought,” I say. “What if we had another daughter? Wouldn’t it be nice to leave Jamie’s room as it is, and maybe our next child would be able to play with Jamie’s things? A son could also play there.” Now that I think about this maybe it’s not such a good idea. “We don’t have to decide anything today; we have plenty of time to figure it out later,” I say. I look at Leah, and I can’t tell what she is thinking.
She asks, “Do you mean have Jamie’s room as a playroom?”
“Yes,” I say.
“Jamie loved her room.”
“Yes, Leah, Jamie loved it very much.” I don’t have the heart to pack away Jamie’s things. I can’t put her things in storage. Not yet.
“Robert, I like that idea.” She doesn’t smile, but she isn’t crying either. “I like the idea of Jamie’s sibling using her things. Jamie is gone, but she is still alive in our hearts.”
“Yes, Leah, she is.”
The next morning, I drive Leah to work and help her open up the shop. Before we found out she was pregnant, she would drive by herself and set out the bistro tables and get everything ready herself. Now, I don’t want her moving the tables and chairs by herself. Jo is already here and the shop smells like a bakery. I inhale and smile when I see Jo. She walks out of the back room wearing a floral dress and a white apron that says, “Never trust a skinny chef.” I smile to try to hide my laugh. “Good morning, Sunshine,” I say as I walk over to help her with the tray of cinnamon buns.
“Good morning, Bobby and Leah. How lovely to see you here this morning.”
I bend over to kiss Jo and say, “Let me help you with those.”
“Good morning, Jo. While you do that, I’m going to get the cash drawer ready,” Leah says.
“All right, Sweets.”
I put the cinnamon buns in the glass display case and follow Jo into the back room to get more. Once the glass display case is filled with Jo’s delicious sweets, I start to put the bistro tables and chairs out on the sidewalk. Jo and I make the coffee and get the decanters filled with different varieties of coffee that Leah offers her patrons. As soon as everything is done, Jo and I sit down and have coffee. Jo has a cinnamon bun, but not me — I am on the wagon.
Leah exits her office, carrying the cash drawer, and pretends like she is looking at a nonexistent watch on her wrist, and asks, “Break time already, Ace?”
I smile and ask, “Would you like one?” The bell over the door rings and when I look up I see Jo’s husband, Carl,
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