Give Me The Child...A Sequel to Show Me My Dreams
Chapter One
Sarah sat in the very uncomfortable chair and toyed with the carrot sticks on her plate. She was not only horribly bored, but also extremely uncomfortable. Of course, at eight months pregnant, was it possible to be comfortable at all? Certainly not in this chair. It was a dull party anyway. Johnson Inc., the company that published Sarah's books, put it on. The company also employed her husband, Jonathan. And he seemed to be enjoying himself much better than Sarah at that particular point. He was tight in a cluster of three-piece suits, gesturing dramatically. Sarah could tell that he was describing the illustrations in their new book, which was due out in the winter, by the way he was gesturing.
She sighed and shifted in the chair, trying to catch Jonathan's eye to let him know she would really like to get out of there soon. And she had to pee again.
This baby had happened a lot sooner than either her or Jonathan had planned, but they were both happily surprised when Sarah found out she was pregnant. Her stepmother had been scandalized that Sarah had become pregnant so soon after getting married, which gave Sarah a certain mischievous glee. And Toby was very proud that he was going to be an uncle. Sarah's mother, on the other hand, had been stunned with the fact that she would soon be a grandmother. Linda still loved the high life and made her home at several locations, including London, Paris, Rome, and New York City. She and Jeremy continued to live together, but Linda refused to marry him, preferring to keep her single playgirl image. It made for better public relations. Her roles in plays all over the world were praised highly, but in her heart Sarah knew her mother knew she was on her way out. Linda was desperately trying to remain young in a world that would not let her, so she was trying to create one of her own, surrounded by young people, where she was thin and unwrinkled, where she did not have a daughter, and mostly importantly, where there were no grandchildren. She and Sarah still kept in touch, but communication was strained by Linda's jet-setting lifestyle. Sarah was never quite sure where to find her.
Sarah jumped as the baby kicked, hard. She smiled tiredly and ran a hand over her stomach. She would not be sorry to finish being pregnant. The baby was due on Halloween, of all dates, and Sarah and Jonathan had already determined names. Jonathan liked Nathaniel if it was a boy, and Sarah was adamant that the baby be named Beatrix if it was a girl, after Beatrix Potter. Jonathan couldn't understand why she liked the name so much, but it just had a nice ring that she liked. And she liked the nickname Trixie. They didn't have much in the way of a nursery, just some furniture, but hopefully the royalties from the new book would loosen the money noose, for a time at least. Sarah knew Jonathan worried about money a great deal. She often found doodles of dollar bills or figures added together in the corners of his sketches. She had wanted to get a second job part time, since she only worked at home, but Jonathan hadn't wanted her taxing herself while she was pregnant. And she probably wouldn't have time once she had the baby.
Sarah shifted in the chair again, and this time lost her grip on the plate of veggies she was holding. They spun to the floor, and scattered everywhere. Sarah made a face and tried to lean over to pick them up, which was almost impossible. Then someone knelt down next to her and began helping. From her angle all she could see was a head of thick brown hair and a pair of broad shoulders.
"Thank you so much...." The man looked up and Sarah's mouth fell open in surprise.
"Jamie? Is that you?" He smiled at her, flashing that same killer smile that had knocked her dead at college almost six years ago.
"Yeah, Princess, it's me." They hugged. Sarah couldn't believe it. He looked the same, and yet so different. The Jamie of six years ago had been attractive, but the well filled out man before her was beyond handsome. Jamie had brown eyes and hair, which was cut short and straight, and he was wearing a blue three-piece suit. He had really filled out. He was taller, and he carried himself with assurance. And he remembered her name! He had started calling her "Princess" when he had found out that that was what her name meant. She noticed he was looking her over as well, and his eyes had stopped on her stomach. She self-consciously ran a hand over her bulging belly.
"So, how have you been? What's your function here?" he finally asked.
"My husband and I write books. Actually, he illustrates them, I do the writing." Jamie nodded his head in understanding.
"Yes, now I remember. You wrote your first one under Williams, right?"
"Yes, but on the new one I'll be using my married name, Daniels."
"So that explains the galleys I saw." Sarah was surprised.
"Galleys? How did you see the galleys?" Jamie smiled.
"My uncle just hired me on as an assistant editor. One of my first jobs was proofing your book."
"I can't believe it. You work for Johnson, Inc. What a small world."
"I guess this means we'll be seeing each other again." He reached over and took her hand. Sarah nervously slipped it out of his fingers.
"In a strictly business sense, of course."
"Of course." But Jamie's smile made her heart beat a little faster. Then she felt a strong hand around her thick waist.
"Hey, Hon, ready to leave? I'm done in."
"Oh yes, I am tired. Jonathan," Sarah turned him towards Jamie, "This is an old college friend of mine, Jamie Johnson. Jamie, Jonathan, Jonathan, Jamie." Jonathan grabbed his hand in a strong handshake.
"Nice to meet you, Jamie."
"Jonathan Daniels. I've seen your work and it's very impressive. The goblins were spectacular. Extremely realistic."
"Thanks, I really appreciate that."
"And your Goblin King! He couldn't be more real if he was here with us in the room." Sarah jumped at that. Jonathan gave her a comforting squeeze, and replied,
"Again, thank you. You could say I was...inspired."
"Indeed, it was...inspirational." Sarah was beginning to sweat. She was beginning to remember Jamie's interest in her stories...she tugged at Jonathan's sleeve.
"Sweetheart, can't we please go now? I'm not feeling well at all." Jonathan looked at her with concern, for indeed, Sarah was white.
"Sure, hon. Just let me go grab our coats." He placed Sarah in her chair gently, and headed with a steady stride for the coat checkroom. Sarah watched and wished she could be that unconcerned. Jamie stood next to her, then came and knelt in front of her.
"Well then, Sarah. I guess we'll be seeing each other. I have to leave anyway. As a matter of fact, I need to finish looking over your book. You tell the story with such detail...one might think you had actually visited this Labyrinth yourself." He gave her a knowing look, and was gone. Sarah wilted. He remembered.
Sarah sat in the very uncomfortable chair and toyed with the carrot sticks on her plate. She was not only horribly bored, but also extremely uncomfortable. Of course, at eight months pregnant, was it possible to be comfortable at all? Certainly not in this chair. It was a dull party anyway. Johnson Inc., the company that published Sarah's books, put it on. The company also employed her husband, Jonathan. And he seemed to be enjoying himself much better than Sarah at that particular point. He was tight in a cluster of three-piece suits, gesturing dramatically. Sarah could tell that he was describing the illustrations in their new book, which was due out in the winter, by the way he was gesturing.
She sighed and shifted in the chair, trying to catch Jonathan's eye to let him know she would really like to get out of there soon. And she had to pee again.
This baby had happened a lot sooner than either her or Jonathan had planned, but they were both happily surprised when Sarah found out she was pregnant. Her stepmother had been scandalized that Sarah had become pregnant so soon after getting married, which gave Sarah a certain mischievous glee. And Toby was very proud that he was going to be an uncle. Sarah's mother, on the other hand, had been stunned with the fact that she would soon be a grandmother. Linda still loved the high life and made her home at several locations, including London, Paris, Rome, and New York City. She and Jeremy continued to live together, but Linda refused to marry him, preferring to keep her single playgirl image. It made for better public relations. Her roles in plays all over the world were praised highly, but in her heart Sarah knew her mother knew she was on her way out. Linda was desperately trying to remain young in a world that would not let her, so she was trying to create one of her own, surrounded by young people, where she was thin and unwrinkled, where she did not have a daughter, and mostly importantly, where there were no grandchildren. She and Sarah still kept in touch, but communication was strained by Linda's jet-setting lifestyle. Sarah was never quite sure where to find her.
Sarah jumped as the baby kicked, hard. She smiled tiredly and ran a hand over her stomach. She would not be sorry to finish being pregnant. The baby was due on Halloween, of all dates, and Sarah and Jonathan had already determined names. Jonathan liked Nathaniel if it was a boy, and Sarah was adamant that the baby be named Beatrix if it was a girl, after Beatrix Potter. Jonathan couldn't understand why she liked the name so much, but it just had a nice ring that she liked. And she liked the nickname Trixie. They didn't have much in the way of a nursery, just some furniture, but hopefully the royalties from the new book would loosen the money noose, for a time at least. Sarah knew Jonathan worried about money a great deal. She often found doodles of dollar bills or figures added together in the corners of his sketches. She had wanted to get a second job part time, since she only worked at home, but Jonathan hadn't wanted her taxing herself while she was pregnant. And she probably wouldn't have time once she had the baby.
Sarah shifted in the chair again, and this time lost her grip on the plate of veggies she was holding. They spun to the floor, and scattered everywhere. Sarah made a face and tried to lean over to pick them up, which was almost impossible. Then someone knelt down next to her and began helping. From her angle all she could see was a head of thick brown hair and a pair of broad shoulders.
"Thank you so much...." The man looked up and Sarah's mouth fell open in surprise.
"Jamie? Is that you?" He smiled at her, flashing that same killer smile that had knocked her dead at college almost six years ago.
"Yeah, Princess, it's me." They hugged. Sarah couldn't believe it. He looked the same, and yet so different. The Jamie of six years ago had been attractive, but the well filled out man before her was beyond handsome. Jamie had brown eyes and hair, which was cut short and straight, and he was wearing a blue three-piece suit. He had really filled out. He was taller, and he carried himself with assurance. And he remembered her name! He had started calling her "Princess" when he had found out that that was what her name meant. She noticed he was looking her over as well, and his eyes had stopped on her stomach. She self-consciously ran a hand over her bulging belly.
"So, how have you been? What's your function here?" he finally asked.
"My husband and I write books. Actually, he illustrates them, I do the writing." Jamie nodded his head in understanding.
"Yes, now I remember. You wrote your first one under Williams, right?"
"Yes, but on the new one I'll be using my married name, Daniels."
"So that explains the galleys I saw." Sarah was surprised.
"Galleys? How did you see the galleys?" Jamie smiled.
"My uncle just hired me on as an assistant editor. One of my first jobs was proofing your book."
"I can't believe it. You work for Johnson, Inc. What a small world."
"I guess this means we'll be seeing each other again." He reached over and took her hand. Sarah nervously slipped it out of his fingers.
"In a strictly business sense, of course."
"Of course." But Jamie's smile made her heart beat a little faster. Then she felt a strong hand around her thick waist.
"Hey, Hon, ready to leave? I'm done in."
"Oh yes, I am tired. Jonathan," Sarah turned him towards Jamie, "This is an old college friend of mine, Jamie Johnson. Jamie, Jonathan, Jonathan, Jamie." Jonathan grabbed his hand in a strong handshake.
"Nice to meet you, Jamie."
"Jonathan Daniels. I've seen your work and it's very impressive. The goblins were spectacular. Extremely realistic."
"Thanks, I really appreciate that."
"And your Goblin King! He couldn't be more real if he was here with us in the room." Sarah jumped at that. Jonathan gave her a comforting squeeze, and replied,
"Again, thank you. You could say I was...inspired."
"Indeed, it was...inspirational." Sarah was beginning to sweat. She was beginning to remember Jamie's interest in her stories...she tugged at Jonathan's sleeve.
"Sweetheart, can't we please go now? I'm not feeling well at all." Jonathan looked at her with concern, for indeed, Sarah was white.
"Sure, hon. Just let me go grab our coats." He placed Sarah in her chair gently, and headed with a steady stride for the coat checkroom. Sarah watched and wished she could be that unconcerned. Jamie stood next to her, then came and knelt in front of her.
"Well then, Sarah. I guess we'll be seeing each other. I have to leave anyway. As a matter of fact, I need to finish looking over your book. You tell the story with such detail...one might think you had actually visited this Labyrinth yourself." He gave her a knowing look, and was gone. Sarah wilted. He remembered.