My Heart is Yours (24 page)

He laughed and pulled her on top of him on the bed.
Her eyes were getting heavy. He turned them to their side. “Tired,
baby?” He stroked her hair slowly.

She yawned and nodded in response, closing her
eyes.

“Go to sleep.” He said with a laugh. He put his arm
around her and she rested her head on his chest. Within minutes
Sam’s breath became slow and even. Jason watched her sleeping for
almost an hour before he joined her in slumber.

***

T
he sun shone bright
through Jason and Sam’s bedroom window. The weather had been sunny
for days. Sam stood in front of the mirror examining her six and a
half month pregnant stomach. Her face was scrunched as she stared
at herself. Jason walked up and put his arms around her from
behind. Well, he tried to. He could just barely fit them around
her.

“What’s wrong?” He asked her as his warm brown eyes
studied her expression.

Sam shook her head. “Nothing.”

“Sam, come on, tell me.” Jason gently brushed his
hand against her cheek. His touch always felt a little rough
because his hands were calloused. But the touch itself was always
gentle, loving.

“I feel silly.” She said with a small pout.

“I’m your husband. You can tell me anything. Even
things you think are silly.” Jason reminded her as he rubbed her
stomach. She was wearing one of the maternity shirts that her and
Juliana had gotten. It was light blue, not pink.

Sam threw her arms in the air and let them flap to
her sides. “I don’t feel pretty.” She said and crossed her arms
across her chest. She refused to look at Jason and only stared at
the off white carpet beneath her bare feet.

“Sam?” Jason’s bangs fell into his dark eyes as he
tilted his head to the right.

“Jason, you can’t even wrap your arms around me
anymore!” Sam’s voice was going up several octaves.

She glared at him as he laughed. He put a hand over
his mouth and gently smiled at her. His beautiful, wonderful wife.
“Sam, you’re pregnant. You have another person growing inside of
you. So I can’t wrap my arms around you right now? That doesn’t
mean you’re not pretty.”

“Am I pretty?” She asked in a small voice. She
peered up at him through her blonde lashes.

Jason pulled her into his arms, stifling a chuckle
that escaped anyway. Sam gave him another piercing glare. He rested
his chin on her head of soft hair. “Of course. You’re the most
beautiful woman I know. I’ve thought so since I was six years
old.”

Sam rolled her eyes. “Really.” He said, putting one
hand gently on each side of her face and pulling her face up to
look her in the eyes. Today her eyes were a gray-green.

“Thank you.” She said. Jason kissed the top of her
head as she snuggled into the crook of his neck. His brown t-shirt
smelled faintly of cigarette smoke and cologne.

“I have to ask you something.” He said, his voice
muffled by her hair.

“Yes?” She asked.

“Will you please stop going to class and work.”

“Jason.”

“I’m serious.” He pulled her away from him and held
her at arm’s length.

“Class is done in a week.” She argued.

“Okay, don’t sign up for another after that yet,
please?” He sighed loudly when Sam readied herself to protest.

Sam stopped her urge to protest and bit her lip.
Nearly a full minute passed before she came to her decision.
“Okay.” She sighed.

“Now, work.” Jason began with a deep breath.

“But we need the money.” Sam argued, not bothering
to stop herself from arguing.

“Sam, I don’t want you going right now.” Sam raised
her eyebrows at him when these words tumbled out of his mouth. She
crossed her arms over her chest and opened her mouth to protest.
“Sam, come on, you know what I mean.” He sighed. “I worry about
you. I already talked to your boss. She said she’ll give you time
off and you can start again later. Please do this for me?” His eyes
were begging her. Those warm as chocolate chip brown eyes.

“How about I stop going when I’m say, seven or eight
months along?” She urged.

Jason nibbled the inside of his lip softly. “I
suppose.”

“Okay.” Sam sighed and leaned into him. She let out
a big yawn.

“Thank you, baby.” He chuckled softly as he rubbed
her back.

S
am sat at her old
dinner table surrounded by her brothers and her husband. They were
eating an old family favorite of spaghetti and meatballs. She felt
at home there, and then she glanced up and noticed Craig, John and
Matt staring at her stomach.

“What? What are you staring at?” She yelled.

They all shook their heads and all turned in
different directions. John stared at his dinner, Matt stared at the
clock on the wall, Craig was staring at the stove.

“Don’t be shy. Tell me, I know. I’m huge. Just tell
me.” Sam said. They all turned slowly back to her, doing their best
to avoid eye contact.

“We-” John started.

“We what?” Sam snapped as she flung her fork
down.

Jason took Sam’s hand. “Honey, come on.” He pulled
her up gently and led her out to the porch.

“What are we doing out here?” She asked.

“Sam, what is it? You’re scaring your brothers.” He
smiled at her.

“They keep staring at me.” She said as she kicked a
twig off the porch steps. “It’s like how everybody touches my
stomach now. I didn’t know it was public property.”

“Well, they’re staring at you because you’re like a
piece of art.” Jason said as he squeezed her hand.

Sam stared blankly at him and then bust out into an
uproar of laughter. Her head tipped back and her hair fell around
her in a cascade.

Jason let her laugh, but he really did think—and
always had—that she was like a work of art.

“Oh honey, that is so lame. I love you.” Her eyes
and smile glowed.

“Who are you calling lame?” He feigned offense at
her comment.

“You.” She poked him in the chest.

“Fine. I’m lame. Are you okay now? You wanna come
back inside with your lame husband?” His warm hand took hers. She
nodded. Jason always felt warm to Sam. Warm and safe.

As they cleaned up dinner talk turned to the baby.
“We’re gonna have a little nephew or niece running around.” John
said. “I can’t wait.”

“You’ll make a great uncle.” Sam said as he passed
her a dish.

“He’ll spoil your kid.” Craig said as he dried the
dish that had just been washed with a red dish towel.

“Or your kid is gonna be way too wild. If they learn
from Uncle John, that is.” Matt said. John threw a fork at him.
Matt ducked just in time. “See!” Matt yelled.

“Anyway.” Craig laughed. “It’s gonna be a lot of
work. Are you guys ready for it?”

Jason and Sam glanced at each other. “Hey, do we
have a choice?” Jason laughed. Laughter filled the room. Jason
squeezed Sam’s shoulder gently.

Sam and Jason stayed up late into the night pacing
back and forth.

“Can we do this?” Finally, Sam asked the question
they were both thinking. Jason took both of her hands in his and
drew in a deep breath. “We can do this Sam. We can.” He said with a
confidence that Sam admired. “And this kid is gonna be so loved. I
know we can do this.” He pressed his lips gently to her forehead.
The light outside faded to a light pink glow as the sun began to
rise.