understand that you’re with me,” she smiled.
“I’m sure it’ll be fine,” Jack said, as she opened the door. Sam walked over to Dylan, who was sitting in his favorite chair,
She and Jack sat down and pulled up a chair. “Dyl?” she whispered. Dylan turned his head to her. “Sam here?”
“Yes, honey, I’m here. How are you?”
“Dyl good,” he smiled. “Mom … Dad, angels?”
“Yes, they’re angels now. Do you see them?”
He placed his hand on his heart. “Here.”
“You’re right,” she kissed his cheek. “Dyl, I want you to meet
my friend. This is Jack.”
Dylan looked in Jack’s direction. “Love,” he said, as he patted
Jack’s hand.
“Hi, Dylan. Yes, I love your sister.”
“Sam good.”
“Yes, she definitely is.”
Sam stood up as the doctor came into the room. “Ms. Lange?” “Oh, Dr. Woods,” she said.
“Can we speak outside, please?”
“Of course. Jack, I’ll be right back,” she followed the doctor into
the hall.
Jack looked at Dylan. “That’s a great bear you have there.” “Sam bear,” he said.
“She gave you that bear, it must be very special.”
“Sam love?”
“Yes, I love her and she loves me. She loves you, too, very
much.”
“Hurt Sam?”
“No, I won’t hurt Sam.”
Dylan shook his head. “I … hurt Sam.” “It was an accident. That’s all.”
“My fault…” he cried as tears streamed down his face. Jack wiped his tears. “It wasn’t your fault.”
“Sorry,” he said.
Sam looked into Dr. Woods’ eyes. “What is it? Is something wrong?”
“Um, he’s starting to remember the accident.”
“Oh, I didn’t think he’d be able to. You all told me severe brain damage.”
“We’ve started him on a new protocol. It’s a new drug regimen.”
“It’s healing his memory?”
“Well, it’s healing something in his brain. He is talking better than he was before. He’s making eye contact and he won’t let go of that bear you gave him,” he smiled.
“Is my brother coming back to me?”
“Not all the way, but he may be improving. He has already improved. He hasn’t had an outburst in ten months. My guess in another six months, you may be able to have a real conversation with him.”
“That’s why he remembers my parents and Kyle being gone, right?”
“Yes, if he gets better, you may want to think about having him moved to a less confining institution. Maybe even a residential home.”
“Doc, will he walk again?”
“Hehasbeen walking. He’s even using a cane.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful.”
“Now, go visit with your brother,” he said.
“Thank you,” she said, as she headed back into the room. “So, how is he?”
“Good, Sam,” Dylan smiled.
She kneeled down and held his hand. “I heard you were getting better.”
“Feel it, Sam.”
“I know you feel it.”
Jack looked at her. “He said he hurt you.”
“Oh, Dyl, you didn’t hurt me. You never could. I love you and it wasn’t your fault.”
“Promise?”
“I swear. Youdidn’thurt me.”
He lifted his hand and touched her cheek. “No … kids. No … baby.”
“It’s all right. I’m not the mothering type,” she smiled. “Sor … ry.”
She kissed his cheek. “Don’t be sorry. Just get well. Please.” “Will do, Sam,” he said, as Jack and Sam stood up.
Jack led Sam out of the room. He put his arm around her. “Sam?”
“It’s all right. I’m fine. He’s getting better. It’s some new drug that’s making him better,” she said, as they walked out to the parking lot.
“What was this aboutkids?”
She turned and looked into his eyes. “I can’t have children. The accident… made me not be able to have kids. That’s all.”
“Sam, you never told me.”
“You want me to have kids?”
“No, I don’t want to have children, but you never mentioned it before. Why?”
“Because I can’t change it. When you and I were together before, I didn’t think it was forever and I was right, youleft.”
“I am so sorry.”
“Don’t be. I should’ve told you, but when we were together, we were all about each other. But…”
“What is it?”
“Iwaspregnant.”
“You were? You never told me.”
“I lost the baby in the accident. I was six months pregnant. He was a boy. I’m sorry. I didn’t tell you because … well, then he died and that was it.”
“A son? We have … had ason?”
“Yes, I had him buried inOur Lady of Angels cemetery. My parents are buried next to him, as well as Kyle. I named him Jack Edward Lange. I should’ve told you.”
“You were planning on raising him alone?”
She stared at the ground and took his hands. “Yes. I thought you left me for another woman. I didn’t want to interrupt your life. After I lost him, I found out that I can’t have anymore children.”’
“That’s the scar on your stomach, right?”
“Yes. I lost my entire uterus and part of my stomach. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I’m sorry that I lost our child.”
He hugged her tightly. “I’m glad you finally told me. Would you have told me if Dylan didn’t mention it?”
“Probably, I just didn’t think about it. I haven’t thought about it for a while.”
He opened the car door for her. “Well, now that we are together, and it is about forever, we need to share more. All right?”
“Ifthat’s what you want,” she smiled.
“It is, Allure, it is,” he said, as he started the car.
She looked over at him. “I’d like to take you to his site.”
“We’ll go now,” he patted her leg.
She took his hand and led him over to the small gravestone, Jack Edward Lange. She and Jack kneeled. “Do you think we should change it?”
“To?”
“Well, I named him without you.”
“Samantha, I like his name. I’m honored you named him after
me. I would like my last name on his stone … he was ourson.” “I’d like that, too. I should’ve told you I was pregnant. If I told
you back then, what would’ve happened?”
“Oh, are you asking if I would’ve left you?” Jack slowly stood
up.
She took his hands and gazed into his eyes. “Would you have
left?”
“No. I would’ve been there for our son. I would’ve stayed.
Samantha, I thought I was protecting you when I left. It turns out it just
made both of us miserable. Yes, we both found others, but I can assume
that we weren’t happy with them … at least as happy as we were with
each other.”
“You assumed right. Ed was a good man. I loved him, but he
wasn’tyou. When he died, I had given up on loving anyone … ever
again. I only had Luke,” she sighed.
“AndParker…” he cleared his throat.
“I don’t want to dredge up the mess with Parker. I made a big
mistake. The truth is, after I found out the first time that he lied to me, I
never trusted him again. When I told you that I killed him, the truth is, I
had him tied up in a safe house. I eventually let him go and … well…
things happened. I always knew he was hiding something from me. I lied
to him about you hurting me. I made him believe that I still wanted him,
when the truth is … Ididn’t. I continued to have sex with him, in hopes
that I’d be able toforgetyou. Itdidn’twork.”
“It’s all right. We’re together now and that’s the way it’s going to
always be,” he kissed her softly. “Let’s go home,” he led her to the car. Jack put his arm around Sam as they headed into the house. She
sat next to him on their new sofa and laid her head on his shoulder. “I’m
sorry I didn’t tell you about our child. You know, we kept our entire
relationship a secret. I think there’s probably a lot we don’t know about
each other.”
“Did anyone know you were pregnant?”
“Just Dylan. He was the only one I told about you. I didn’t tell
Luke, Kyle, or my parents. I couldn’t. Dylan … well, he was my big
brother and I could tell anything to.”
He looked into her eyes. “Sam, I’ve loved you for a long time. I
know what kind of woman you are and you know what kind of man I
am. Webelongtogether.”
“You’re right. A lot has happened between us, both way back
then and the past few weeks. I just don’t want you to get tired of me.” He smiled. “Never. I never wanted anything more than I wanted
you. You are always exciting and unpredictable … to say the least.” “We’re changing our lives and starting out fresh. I know it’s
strange, but I don’t think we have to changeeverything,” she turned and
faced him.
“I already said I’d give up the other stuff for you,” he said, as he
lightly touched her cheek.
“I don’t want you to. I want us to continue as we are, who we
are.”
“So … does that mean … if someone pisses us off…” “Maybe … depends on the person and how bad they piss us
off,” she reached up and kissed him tenderly. “Just …don’ttell Luke.” “Of course not. Our business isourbusiness,” Jack smiled. “And
I can’t wait until our business is officially open.”
“Me, either,” she kissed him softly. “Oh, do you know any
single, gay men?”
“Why? Luke needs someone?”
“Yeah, the past few times he’s had sex, it was with me. He needs
someone to love, too.”
“I could hook him up with Steve,” he said.
“I thought Steve quit,” she said.
“He did as the bartender, but I hired him as the cook, now that
we have a kitchen.”
“I think he’d be perfect for Luke,” she smiled.