CHAPTER SEVENTY-SIX

You’re not alone anymore

 

Friday morning — 5:21 A.M.
The Castle

 

“She’s still really sick,” Jill whispered to Jacob. She reached down to feel her sleeping baby’s face. “Except for the bee stings, she’s never been sick like this. Blane gave her an acupuncture treatment yesterday but she still hasn’t kicked it. She should be in her own room, in her own bed but Mike’s not done. She has had to sleep with us.”

Jacob nodded to all the information he already knew. Dressed for work, his hand brushed Jill’s pajama clad back to try to comfort her.

“I can’t help thinking there’s something else going on,” Jill said. “She’s on her meds… had some acupuncture… She’s been home from school for three days! She’s never been home from school for even a day.”

“She’s sick. What else could be going on?”

“What about that crazy guy that’s mad at Delphie? Maybe he’s coming after the girl Marlowes now!”

“Johansen? He’s scary. That’s true.” Jacob smiled at Jill. He brushed a piece of her hair behind her ear. “But this isn’t about him. Katy has a little strep throat. She’s going to kick this. You’ll see.”

Jill nodded her head but her worried eyes clutched at his heart.

“What’s got you so worried?” Jacob asked.

“I can’t stay with her today. She needs me and I can’t be here. I quit working at Pete’s so I could be here when she needs me. And I’m not! I can’t! I have to go to class today. I’ve already missed so much to be with Sandy. After class, I have to go to the trial. I can’t leave Honey there by herself. And I need to be there to show her sister that I’m going to tell the truth. The DA hopes maybe by seeing us at the jury selection, she’ll decide to skip the trial. Fat chance of that. And Sandy. Oh my God, Jacob. Sandy needs me and…”

Jacob held her close to him.

“You’re exhausted, Jill,” he whispered. “You need to take care of yourself or you’ll get sick too.”

“I don’t have time! When do I have time?”

“You’re not alone anymore. Every little thing doesn’t rest on your shoulders. I’m here. I can take Katy to work with me if I need to. Delphie said she’d stay with Katy. Julie said she could easily take Katy since Paddie’s sick too. Your mother’s coming over this afternoon to look after Katy and Aden’s kids. You’ve done a lot for everyone. Why not let people repay your kindness?”

“What have I ever done for Delphie?” Jill asked.

“You helped her with her Celia problem,” Jacob said.

“Yeah, like I said, what have I done for Delphie?”

“Oh, Jill.” His lips touched hers. “There has to be some place where you get a break, even if it’s just inside your own head. Why don’t you go back to bed? You don’t have to be up for a few more hours.“

“But I need to get your…”

“I’m fine,” Jacob said. “Dad, Blane, Val and I are meeting to make decisions before breakfast this morning. Aden’s with Sandy and his kids this morning. I can get lunch with Blane.”

“How did Blane get better so fast when Katy’s still sick?”

“He’s had strep before,” Jacob said. “He seems to be turning the corner on the Ribavirin too. Listen, will you do me a favor?”

“Anything,” Jill said.

He took her hand and led her to the bed. While he held the covers, she slid into bed next to Katy. Jacob dropped to his knees next to the bed. His face was right next to hers.

“Please rest,” he whispered. “This has been an awful week. You have a couple weeks of nastiness with the trial. Promise me you will rest at least another hour. Nothing, not one thing, is more important than your health.”

“What about all this other stuff? School? Trial? Sandy? Katy? Aren’t they important?”

“To me. Nothing is more important to me than you.”

Jill was so surprised by his words that she stopped talking. Her eyes welled up with tears. In that second, she saw, maybe for the first time, that he truly loved her. She pulled him to her.

“You love me,” Jill said in his ear.

“I love you more than I have breath to express. I’ll be in touch about the trial,” he said. “If I can get away, I’ll go with you.”

Jill nodded.

“Will you sleep?”

She nodded. He pulled the comforter around her and kissed her good-bye. On his way out of the loft, he stuck his head in the room and she was sound asleep. He left with a smile on his face.

~~~~~~~

Friday morning — 7:00 A.M.

 

Honey had been up for a few hours. Steve had arrived early today to help her out of bed and through her morning routine. They worked through her morning stretches and body weight exercises. Afterwards, he helped her shower.

She could now manage getting dressed by herself. Dressing herself was a miracle brought about by Steve’s patient help and Blane’s wonder needles. Even though she was slow, she loved the normalcy of being able to dress herself. At least she didn’t have to be at work at five this morning. Then again, it took so long to get dressed in these fancy clothes, she had to be up extra early.

Wheeling out to the dining room, she saw MJ’s back. Partially in shadow, he was standing in the full length mirror. She felt a flush of irritation. She needed to get ready and he was in the way! As she got closer, she saw that he was tying the tie to his dress uniform.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“I’m tying my tie,” MJ said.

“You’re hair is wet,” she said.

“I showered in the office bathroom Jacob insisted on making for me,” MJ said. Turning back to the mirror, he added, ”Smart man that Jacob. I never get a shot in the big bathroom.”

Honey chuckled.

“I made your tea,” MJ said. He pointed to the travel cup on the table. “Delphie stopped by to say she had a light breakfast ready for you, if you have time.”

MJ lifted the hanger holding his jacket from the high back of a dining room chair. He slipped the jacket off the hanger and began buttoning the jacket.

“Where are you going?” Honey said.

“I’m going with you,” MJ said. “I called the LC last night and asked. Turns out she has some emergency cartography pop up out of the blue. The team is going to help or do some training or whatever until the trial is done.”

“And the map work?”

“Surprising how it coincides with your sister’s trial,” MJ smiled at her.

“Sorry, I don’t really get it.”

“There’s always a ton of map work for the LC to do. The intelligence center makes a bundle on them, so they want her to work on them. It’s an easy excuse to tell brass. Plus brass has put priority on a couple of areas of the world. Can’t really go to war if you don’t know how to get there.”

“What if people need you? You can’t stay here just because of me!”

“If the team needs to go, they have to go,” MJ said. “Family is the most important factor to the well-being of any military team. That’s what the LC says but I think it’s something her Dad used to say.”

“Oh.”

“I’ll be by your side the entire trial,” MJ said. “We’ll also have a team member to help us get food and stuff like that. Margaret will be there when she’s not doing translations.”

“Oh.”

“You don’t sound happy.”

“I’m… I…” Her eyes welled up with tears. “Thanks. I don’t know how to thank Alex. What should I do?”

“Get through this stupid thing,” MJ said. “That’s what she said. Ready for a light breakfast? A car’s coming for us around at 0740.”

“A car? You’ve taken care of everything.”

“That’s what husbands are for,” MJ said. “Speaking of which, are you going to wear your diamond?”

“Oh, I forgot,” Honey said. “I usually just wear my band to work.”

“I know.” MJ slipped the ring on her finger. Their eyes caught and he smiled. “I think Jill and Katy are eating with us. Shall we?”

Honey smiled. She wheeled behind him as he opened the door. Sam was waiting for them in the hall. Sam followed Honey through the house. The family was assembled in the dining room. Valerie and Jacob were deep in conversation at the far end of the table. Sandy, Aden and his kids took one side of the table. With Katy wrapped in a pink cotton blanket on her lap, Jill sat across from Sandy and Aden and next to Jacob.

“What? Why is everyone here?” Honey asked.

“We couldn’t send you off by yourself!” Delphie said. “Val? Sandy? Can you help me carry?”

MJ helped Honey to the table then sat next to her. Leaning over, he kissed her cheek.

“You’re not alone anymore,” MJ whispered. “You have all of these people who love you.”

Honey sniffled back her tears. Valerie came in with a plate of eggs and sausage. Sandy brought a plate of her special blueberry muffins. Sam carried a pot of coffee and a pitcher of water. Delphie delivered a bowl of yogurt, fresh fruit and a smaller plate of banana muffins.

“Sandy made these for you, Honey,” Delphie said. “They shouldn’t make you sick.”

Without ceremony, everyone began filling their plates. Valerie laughed as a groggy Mike wandered in from upstairs. Jill leaned over to promise Honey she would be at the trial as soon as school was out. As Honey looked from face to face, she saw the laughter and love in their eyes. They couldn’t do this hard thing for her. But they would be there every step of the way.

And that was all that mattered.