Live Free and Love (10 page)

“I sat him on the picnic table right next to the line that I was standing in. I could see him the whole time. He kept telling me to hurry up.” Her father smiled.

“When I got to the counter a big group of kids ran by and I lost sight of him for a second, just a second. When the crowd cleared, he was gone. I called his name but he didn’t answer.”

Her father seemed to be back to that day. She wanted to tell him to stop, that she didn’t need to hear anymore.

“I looked everywhere, but I couldn’t find him. He wasn’t there anymore. I only lost sight of him for a second, but he was gone.”

“The authorities searched for him for a long time, but he was never found,” her mother said. She looked at her husband. “Your father blames himself, even though it’s not his fault. It’s affected him so much Kristina.

“You asked why I stay with your father, even though he drinks the way he does. Why do I act as if everything is fine?

“I stay because I love your father, and leaving would be the wrong thing to do. I wish this had never happened, but it did, and it affected our family in a way that none of us understood.

“We went on the only way we knew how.”

Kristina rose from her seat and crossed to her father. “I’m so sorry, Daddy. I’m so, so sorry.”

It was all she could think of to say to him. All these years, she had judged her father. Thinking he was a bad parent because he drank so much. She had never once stopped to think that something might have happened to him to make him drink the way he did.

Kristina sat with her parents all afternoon, talking about Timothy and about her. Her father still drank his beer, but at least she was talking to him.

All the anger and resentment she had held in her heart all these years seemed so unimportant now that she knew the underlying reason for her father’s drinking.

When she had a moment, she stepped out and called Danny. He immediately asked her if she’d thought about talking to her parents.

“I’m actually at their house right now. I flew in this morning.”

She told him what she had learned about her brother, how she felt stupid now for hating her father for drinking so much.

“You had no way of knowing, Tina. I’m glad you talked to him.”

“Me too. I mean, it won’t be overnight, but I can see only good things from here. I want a relationship with them, a new start. I think that can happen,” she said, looking back at her parents’ house.

“That’s good to hear, Tina; I’m happy you have same type of closure there. Did you tell them about the baby yet?”

“No, not yet, we’ve kinda been talking about Timothy and my Dad. It’s the first time I’ve heard him talk about him. I didn’t want to interrupt.”

“Okay, I understand. Let me know what they say.”

“I will,” Kristina said.

“I got to go, love, but call me later.”

Kristina hung up the phone and went back inside. Her mom was making a small lunch in the kitchen.

Kristina walked up and stood beside her.

“Mom, there’s something else I wanted to tell you.”

“Do you want me to go get your father?”

“No, I want to tell you this first.”

She took a seat at the island in the middle of the kitchen.

“Do you remember Danny, from when I was growing up?”

“The young man from across the street?”

“Yes. We recently reconnected. He went into the Marines and had come home. Well I… we love each other, Mom, so much. I’ve never loved someone as much as I love him.”

“That’s good, baby. I’m happy for you.”

“Thanks,” she said as she accepted a turkey sandwich.

“There’s something else. I went to the doctor about a week ago. We’re expecting. I’m eleven weeks along.”

Her mother’s face lit up. Kristina hadn’t seen real excitement on her face in years.

“I’m going to be a grandmother?” she said, beaming.

“Yes, you are.”

A look passed across her mother’s face. “Why don’t you want to tell your father?”

“No, I do, I just want to tell you first. I don’t know how he’s going to react, so I wanted someone on my side when I tell him.”

“Well, there’s no time like the present. He’s having a good day.”

Kristina nodded and followed her mother back into the living room.

When Kristina told her father she was pregnant, she expected him to be angry. Instead he smiled. “I’m happy you’re happy, Kristina. I’ve always wanted you to be happy, even if I had a funny way of showing it. Where is this young man?” her father asked.

“He’s on active duty right now and can’t leave base, but he’ll be home soon.”

Her father nodded. Kristina was surprised when he actually accepted a sandwich from her mother. Things weren’t perfect, but they had come a long way in just one afternoon.

Chapter 10

“Love is all you need.”

Kristina looked down into the eyes of her baby boy. He was so precious. He had changed so many lives since she had found out she was pregnant.

Kristina laid her son on her chest and sat back, thinking over the last nine months.

Danny had finished his training at USAMPS and had come to her. She had been so happy to see him she’d nearly cried.

When she met him at the airport, he had immediately gone to his knees before her and kissed her belly.

With her small frame, her belly was already noticeably round, with a small bump.

Danny had whispered to her stomach, a conversation between father and child that brought tears to her eyes.

When he rose, he’d looked her in her eyes and said: “My love, how I’ve missed you.”

He had kissed her deeply, ignoring the looks of passersby.

“I love you so much, Tina.”

“I love you too, Danny, forever.”

They had gone to her condo and made love for hours, not answering phone calls and ignoring Janine when she had knocked on the door.

Kristina could still hear her friend ranting through the door.

“Krissy? Danny? Danny, are you in there with her? One of you get up and open the door!”

When neither of them moved, they could hear her cursing both their names.

“You can’t keep him to yourself forever, Kristina. I’ll be back!”

They had heard her mumbling down the hallways of her complex. They had spent every moment together, with her showing him around Philly.

At night they would make love passionate love to one another, making up for lost time.

On the night before he was to return back to base, he had sent her to the store for ice. She had thought it weird, but went anyway. When she returned, he had all the lights out, with a single candle burning.

“You must have a thing for candles,” she had told him, laughing.

He smiled slightly. “Well, I knew when you were coming back this time.”

He rose from the chair he was sitting in and walked to her.

“Danny, what’s going on?”

She got her answer when he went down on one knee.

“Kristina, I don’t know what I did right in this life to deserve you, but I thank my lucky stars every day that I have you.

"I love you with my entire being, and I would be honored if you would become my wife.”

Kristina had wiped the tears from her eyes. She looked down at the man she was madly in love with.

“Of course,” she said. “Of course I’ll marry you.”

He had let out a loud whoop, stood, and kissed her. Tears kept falling from her face, she was so deliriously happy.

They married the next morning. It was quick ceremony, with Janine as the witness. Kristina didn’t care that she wouldn’t be having a honeymoon. She was married to the love of her life.

The door of her hospital room opened, and Kristina looked up to see Danny come in. He had been in and out of the room making phone calls and sending pictures to his family, who were unable to make the flight out.

He was such a proud father. He already doted on his little boy.

“How are you doing?” he asked her quietly.

“I’m good, love, a little tired,” she said.

He nodded his head in understanding. “How’s my little boy?”

“Sleeping. Something I wish I was doing right now.”

Danny reached for his son and cradled him in his arms. “He’s so strong,” he said, rubbing the baby’s head softly.

“Just like his father,” she said.

“When are your parents getting in?”

“ Their flight should be landing in about an hour.”

Kristina had spoken to her parents before their flight. They both had sounded excited to be coming. Kristina hadn’t seen them since that long ago afternoon at their house.

She had been talking with them almost every day since then. She understood her father on a different level now.

She no longer looked down on him because of his faults, but tried to encourage him.

He was doing a lot better now than he had in years. He still drank, but only beer. He had given up hard liquor altogether.

He talked more and more about her brother, and her mother had even said that they were going to counseling to learn how to better deal with the loss of their child.

Some days, Kristina wished that Timothy could have still been here. She thought about how different her life would have been if he would have never been taken.

Those thoughts never lasted long, and she concentrated on making her relationship better with her parents now.

“I think Janine is picking them up from the airport.”

“Try and get some rest before everybody gets here. I’ll look after our son so you can sleep,” Danny told her.

Kristina closed her eyes and sleep took her almost immediately.

***

Danny was sitting by the bed feeding his son when the door to the room opened once more. Janine popped her head in.

“She’s finally getting some rest, huh?”

“Yeah, she’s been asleep about an hour and a half now.”

Danny lightly shook Kristina awake.

“Tina, wake up honey, your parents and Janine are here.”

Kristina caught sight of her friend. She was holding another gift bag.

“At this rate, he’ll have more clothes than he can wear,” Kristina said, smiling.

“Hey, it’s the Godmother’s job to spoil the baby, and that’s what I’m doing,” Janine said, placing the bag with the others she had brought in.

Her mother walked to her and gave her a hug. “How are you holding up? Are you getting any rest? Is he helping you? Are you breastfeeding?” her mom asked her all at once.

Danny handed her the baby, and stepped back so the women could fuss over him. He saw her father and nodded his hello.

The women talked excitedly, passing the baby around the small circle.

Kristina looked past her mother to where her father stood, back against the wall. He hadn’t said much since entering the room.

“Dad, would you like to hold your grandson?”

Her father hesitated, not trusting himself to hold the baby. It had been so long since he had held one, and his grandson was so tiny.

“Are you sure, Kristina?” he asked her in a gruff voice.

“Yes, Dad, I’m sure. Come and meet your grandson.”

Her father walked slowly to the bed, where Kristina held her son. He kissed her on the top of her head before opening his arms to accept the baby.

Kristina gently placed her son in her father’s waiting arms.

“Isn’t he beautiful, John?”

Her father glanced at her mother. With a smile he said, “This is my grandson. He’s a handsome fella, he is not beautiful woman.” Laughs sounded around the room.

Everyone watched as her father spoke softly to his grandson. Kristina’s heart melted as she looked on.

Her father looked up at her. “What’s his name?” he asked, looking back at his grandson.

Kristina looked at her husband, who nodded his head. They had discussed names, and had agreed on one in particular.

“It’s not official, but we were thinking Timothy John.”

She heard her mother gasp and saw her put her hand to lips.

Her father looked up quickly and stared at Kristina for a long minute. He went to speak, but tears flowed instead.

Bringing her son up to his lips, he placed a single kiss on his forehead.

“Timothy John,” he whispered. He nodded his head once.

He walked back to Kristina and placed her son back in her arms. As he wiped the tears from his eyes, he leaned in and whispered in her ear:

“Thank you.”

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Live Free and Love
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