My Heart is Yours (25 page)

T
ears came abruptly
pouring out of Sam’s eyes as they sat on the couch watching TV that
night.

“Sam, what is it? It’s not the baby is it?” Jason’s
voice could be wrung out like a towel for the amount of worry that
it dripped with.

Sam shook her head through her tears. Her wet hair
stuck to her face as the salty water continued to pour down her
cheeks.

“What is it?” Jason pushed her wet hair back from
her face.

“Juliana is going to graduate in the spring.” Sam
sobbed. “She’s graduating and going off to medical school and I
haven’t even gone to college yet. Will I ever get to go?” Sam
pulled her knees up to her chest and curled into herself.

“Do you regret getting married to me and having our
baby?” Jason couldn’t stop himself from asking.

Sam turned to him. She reached out and put her hand
on his knee. “That’s not what I mean. That’s not it at all. Even if
I had the money right away and went to college I still would’ve
married you when I did.” She smiled. “I’m just wondering if I’ll
ever get the chance to go, you know?”

“I think you will.” Jason said. “Even if we have to
set aside some money each week, open bank accounts, take out loans,
you will Sam.” His tone was determined.

She nodded and leaned her head on his shoulder. He
pulled their white and brown crocheted blanket that Juliana’s mom
made them over Sam. Her book of Emily Dickinson poetry lay open on
the couch next to her.

***

T
he big day came in the
middle of the night. Sam woke up at three in the morning, yelping
in pain. Jason nearly fell out of bed. He pulled on a dirty pair of
jeans and an old tee-shirt. He helped Sam get into a shirt and
loose pants. He grabbed the go-bag and put an arm around Sam’s
waist. As he led her out to the car she clutched tight to his
shoulder and every few minutes would double over in pain. Jason
sped to the hospital cutting five minutes off the usually fifteen
minute drive. Sam was whisked off right away and as always Jason
was with her. He insisted on staying with her. After eighteen hours
of labor, screaming, Jason patting Sam’s head with a cool towel and
letting her squeeze his hand as hard she wanted, Jason cut the
umbilical cord. They had been blessed with a beautiful baby girl.
She had eyes the exact shade of blue as Sam’s were when they turned
blue and Jason’s dark black hair. It was a striking
combination.

In a few days Sam and Jason, and the baby they had
named Michelle Elizabeth Channing, were home from the hospital.
They decided to name her after both of their mothers. Michelle,
Sam’s mom. And Elizabeth, Jason’s mom. Sam and Michelle were both
perfectly healthy. A week later, Craig, John, Matt, Shawn, Chris
and Juliana stood around Sam, Jason and Michelle. They seemed to be
playing a game of “pass the baby”. No one wanted to give her up.
Sam watched Jason hold Michelle. She saw the love in his eyes and
she knew he was right; they were ready for this and Michelle would
be so loved.

“So is labor as bad as they say?” Juliana asked as
she passed Jason Michelle’s pacifier.

“Oh, you’re in for a treat when it’s your turn.” Sam
grinned.

“Great.” Juliana grumbled. “Well, you two got a
Christmas and New Year’s gift all in one.” She said, squeezing
Sam’s shoulder.

Jason sat down on the couch next to Sam and handed
Michelle to her. She kissed her pink button nose and leaned back to
cuddle against Jason.

“What a way to start a new decade.” Jason said.

“It’s not a new decade yet.” Juliana said.

“Close enough.” He shrugged.

Sam kissed Jason. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Sam.” He said softly. They pressed
their foreheads together and Jason’s hair fell into Sam’s eyes. She
crinkled her nose.

“And we love you too.” They said to Michelle. She
cooed in response. Her blue eyes sparkled. The thin layer of black
hair on her head was as soft as the down of a pillow.

“And yes.” Sam agreed. “What a way to start a
decade.” She and Jason smiled at each other; each staring into the
eyes of their partner for life. Their true love.

A
s it is with life,
everyone went their own way. Some things changed. Some things
stayed the same.

Juliana became an orthopedic surgeon and lived in
Washington. D. C. Shortly after she started her residency she met
another resident and they were married two years later. She would
come to visit when she could.

Craig got a promotion and moved to Kansas to run a
warehouse there. Five years after Michelle was born he got married
to a woman named Melissa. Sam and Jason got along well with her and
he just loved seeing the kids. They all saw each other around
Christmas.

John now owned the gas station he used to work part
time at. The car garage was better than ever. He was married to a
woman named Emily that he had met when she came in to get her car
fixed. Her and Sam got along really well and she would babysit for
them sometimes. They would often stop by Sam and Jason’s for
dinner.

Matt got a job and saved up his money so he could go
to college. He owned a bookstore in Missouri. He was another
frequent visitor. He wasn’t married yet but was seeing a woman who
he met in his bookstore.

Shawn still got too wild and partied too much. But
he kept down a steady job at John’s gas station and even had a
steady girlfriend. He would come by about twice a month.

Chris couldn’t seem to get himself together. He
spent more time in jail than at work at John’s gas station. But
John always gave him another shot. He made sure to stop by Sam and
Jason’s once a month; as long as he wasn’t in jail.

As for Jason and Sam, Sam went to school and became
a physical therapist. They were right outside of their old town. In
a safer town. For their daughter Michelle. And the son they had
fifteen years ago, named Jason Matthew Channing Junior. Jason had
been right; Sam did go to school and become a physical therapist.
She should’ve trusted him all along. About everything. There would
have been no Jason Jr. or Michelle if she hadn’t.

***

A
manda Leigh has a BA in
English and Communications and a double minor in Psychology and
Creative Writing. During college, she worked on the literary
magazine and loved every minute of it.

Amanda has a cat named Sawyer—named after one of her
favorite characters on Lost. Amanda enjoys reading, writing avidly
in a journal, writing poetry, fiction and creative non-fiction,
cooking and art—particularly photography.

She also keeps up two blogs. On one she posts all
about books and writing, Girl with a Pen and a Dream,
http://www.girlwithapenandadream.blogspot.com, and on the other she
talks about everything else (medical experiences, music etc.), The
Life of a Chronic Bibliophile,
http://lifeofachronicbibliophile.blogspot.com/.