innocent hungry boy lying at the foot of my bed. “That
sounds good; come on, I’m hungry too.”
“ Emma, you don’t have to.
Stay here, we’ll stay at home tonight.”
I smile at her, and close my computer. “We
have tacos and a movie to watch. Let me burp the baby and I’ll help
with the food.”
The next week Max’s mom and dad return for a
visit. I was going to pick them up at the airport, but they didn’t
want me to drive that far alone with James. I am glad to see them
when they pull into the driveway in a rental
vehicle.
They come into the house carrying bags and
bags of groceries. I laugh because Max was worried about me being
low on groceries and here they are stocking the house up with food.
“Did Max tell you to bring food?” I say, laughing.
“ No, we haven’t heard from
him, why?” his dad asks, shutting the trunk of the
car.
“ Because when I talked to
him last week, he wanted me to stock up on groceries while you were
here.”
"That’s our son,” Cheryl says, carrying the
last few sacks into the kitchen.
I hug them both and thank them. I walk over
and pick James up from his Pack ’n Play; he has recently outgrown
his bassinet. I hand him over to his grandma and he just looks at
her. She smiles at him and she tears up. “He is getting so big and
he looks more and more like Max,” she beams.
Danny stands over her and nods in agreement.
“He sure does.”
“ I think so, too, especially
when he smiles,” I add.
While they are here, we mostly stay in the
house, although we go out to eat dinner a couple of times. I like
to keep James home because it’s easier for me to watch him and I
don’t want to expose him to all those germs, just yet. The doctor
told me it’ll be good to expose him and it’ll help to build up his
immune system. I’m still not ready for that.
Max is scheduled to skype with us today so we
have the computer set up on the dining room table waiting for
him.
Brooke’s family is also in town visiting. I
haven’t seen much of her, but I know as soon as they leave we’ll
fall back into our routine of eating fattening foods and watching
funny chick flicks.
The monitor comes to life and Max’s grainy
image appears. I smile as we all crowd in front of the small
monitor. I hold James as I stand beside Max’s mother. Max’s father
stands behind us. His father doesn’t smile and stands tall and
serious. I wonder what is going on in his mind. Max’s image appears
clearly, and he smiles. I automatically place my fingertips on the
corner of the screen. Max does the same.
I cry and try to look away before he sees
me.
“ Em, don’t cry, we are one
week closer to being together.”
I wipe the tears away and make myself smile.
“I know, I just miss you.” James coos and everyone laughs. “James
misses you, too.”
I hear a noise and the screen goes grainy
again. We stand there patiently waiting for Max to
appear.
“ Was it like this last
week?” Danny asks.
I don’t take my eyes off the screen. “What?”
I ask.
“ The noises and then the
interference. Was it like this last week?” Danny
asks.
“ Yes, but not as bad.” The
screen comes back to life and Max looks thinner than last
week.
“ Sorry about that,” Max
says. “We are out in the middle of nowhere,” he
adds.
I hold James out for him to see. “Hey,
daddy’s little boy. He is getting so big, Em.”
“ And strong, I can barely
hold him still,” I say, trying to keep James from
moving.
“ How are you?” Danny
asks.
“ Ok, I’ll be glad when it’s
over,” Max says.
“ Do you need
anything?”
“ No, we are getting a care
package once a week and so far it has been enough. They are loaded
with hygiene items and some other things; cards, socks and dental
floss are the extras. I am very grateful to have them. They started
collecting and sending out our mail last week. So far we
sounds good; come on, I’m hungry too.”
“ Emma, you don’t have to.
Stay here, we’ll stay at home tonight.”
I smile at her, and close my computer. “We
have tacos and a movie to watch. Let me burp the baby and I’ll help
with the food.”
The next week Max’s mom and dad return for a
visit. I was going to pick them up at the airport, but they didn’t
want me to drive that far alone with James. I am glad to see them
when they pull into the driveway in a rental
vehicle.
They come into the house carrying bags and
bags of groceries. I laugh because Max was worried about me being
low on groceries and here they are stocking the house up with food.
“Did Max tell you to bring food?” I say, laughing.
“ No, we haven’t heard from
him, why?” his dad asks, shutting the trunk of the
car.
“ Because when I talked to
him last week, he wanted me to stock up on groceries while you were
here.”
"That’s our son,” Cheryl says, carrying the
last few sacks into the kitchen.
I hug them both and thank them. I walk over
and pick James up from his Pack ’n Play; he has recently outgrown
his bassinet. I hand him over to his grandma and he just looks at
her. She smiles at him and she tears up. “He is getting so big and
he looks more and more like Max,” she beams.
Danny stands over her and nods in agreement.
“He sure does.”
“ I think so, too, especially
when he smiles,” I add.
While they are here, we mostly stay in the
house, although we go out to eat dinner a couple of times. I like
to keep James home because it’s easier for me to watch him and I
don’t want to expose him to all those germs, just yet. The doctor
told me it’ll be good to expose him and it’ll help to build up his
immune system. I’m still not ready for that.
Max is scheduled to skype with us today so we
have the computer set up on the dining room table waiting for
him.
Brooke’s family is also in town visiting. I
haven’t seen much of her, but I know as soon as they leave we’ll
fall back into our routine of eating fattening foods and watching
funny chick flicks.
The monitor comes to life and Max’s grainy
image appears. I smile as we all crowd in front of the small
monitor. I hold James as I stand beside Max’s mother. Max’s father
stands behind us. His father doesn’t smile and stands tall and
serious. I wonder what is going on in his mind. Max’s image appears
clearly, and he smiles. I automatically place my fingertips on the
corner of the screen. Max does the same.
I cry and try to look away before he sees
me.
“ Em, don’t cry, we are one
week closer to being together.”
I wipe the tears away and make myself smile.
“I know, I just miss you.” James coos and everyone laughs. “James
misses you, too.”
I hear a noise and the screen goes grainy
again. We stand there patiently waiting for Max to
appear.
“ Was it like this last
week?” Danny asks.
I don’t take my eyes off the screen. “What?”
I ask.
“ The noises and then the
interference. Was it like this last week?” Danny
asks.
“ Yes, but not as bad.” The
screen comes back to life and Max looks thinner than last
week.
“ Sorry about that,” Max
says. “We are out in the middle of nowhere,” he
adds.
I hold James out for him to see. “Hey,
daddy’s little boy. He is getting so big, Em.”
“ And strong, I can barely
hold him still,” I say, trying to keep James from
moving.
“ How are you?” Danny
asks.
“ Ok, I’ll be glad when it’s
over,” Max says.
“ Do you need
anything?”
“ No, we are getting a care
package once a week and so far it has been enough. They are loaded
with hygiene items and some other things; cards, socks and dental
floss are the extras. I am very grateful to have them. They started
collecting and sending out our mail last week. So far we
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