"Amy you have a few visitors. It's your family." Ricky said as he heard footsteps and then saw Amy as she came up behind him. She put a huge smile as she saw everyone there.
"Mom. Dad. Ashley! Oh and Robbie of course." She said enthusiastically and then she hugged each and every one them with a huge hug.
"Hey Ames. So how are you settling into your home?" George said as he gave her a big smile. He was so happy to see her doing better from the fall and only hoped she would soon regain the last few years she had lost.
"Um...it is going ok. Still do not remember living here. But I am starting to remember bits and pieces here and there. It's been hard to make sense of everything, but Rickys been helping me to fill in the blanks." Amy said as she looked over at Ricky and gave him one of her little smiles that she did so often. It made Ricky smile.
Anna began to put her arms out toward Amy and squirm in Ricky's arms. Then she said,"Mommy!" Amy then turned to Ricky and carefully picked up Anna into her arms. Anna happy to be back with her mother snuggled close to her. Amy patted Anna's back. Amy felt unsure if she was holding Anna the right way or if she even should be. But Ricky gave her a huge smile and Amy smiled back. She felt more confident if he felt she was doing what she should be. It felt good to hold her little girl next to her. She wanted to remember every part of her beautiful baby girl starting now.
"She is so beautiful. I cannot get over it. To think we created two beautiful children and another one on the way. It just blows my mind." Amy said as she looked over at John who was now standing next to Ricky. Amy then saw Ricky staring at her with a deep longing in his eyes. Amy felt her cheeks get red from embarassment. She could only imagine what Ricky must be thinking.
"Oh Amy we brought these hoping that it might help you remember." Anne said as she handed Amy a bag. Amy looked down inside of the bag and saw several photo albums and a couple of yearbooks.
"Thanks mom. I hope they do." Amy put the bag down and then went over to her mom and gave her another hug. She had to carefully lean in to her mother because of Anna and her belly.
"Your welcome Amy. I love you so much." Anne said as she pulled back and wiped away tears from her eyes.
"Mom don't cry. It's all gonna be good in time. I love you too please try not to worry." Amy told her mother as she saw the tears from her eyes.
"That is not it. I was just thinking how close we all could have lost you and your baby Amy. I could not even imagine..." Anne said but stopped herself as she noticed Ricky's face filled with deep pain at the thought and the realization. It took Anne a moment to understand at first she thought maybe he was thinking the same as her. But in fact Ricky had lost a part of Amy cause she did not remember him or their life together yet. So Anne tried to switch the subject.
"So are you still decided on not finding out the sex of the baby?" Anne said to Amy.
"Um...I did not realize we had decided that." Amy said as she looked over at Ricky again. He gave her the best smile he could after the last moment.
"Yea. We have not talked about that yet. We still have to decide on names for a boy or a girl. Amy why don't you go sit down. You have to be tired holding Anna." Ricky said as he noticed Amy's drop in energy and that Anna had fallen fast asleep at finally being reunited with her mother in her arms. The place where she felt safe and warm.
Ricky helped Amy sit down on the couch and then he took a seat next to her. While George, Anne, and Ashley took a seat on the other couch. Robbie and John had gone into John's bedroom and were playing with his toys.
"Well did you talk about names before this?" Anne asked toward Ricky.
"Yeah but nothing was decided on. Amy liked the names: Emma, Olivia, Hannah, and Ella for a girl. And for a boy: Noah, Luke, Ryan, and Caleb." Ricky said as he remembered their conversation about names a few weeks before Amy's accident.
Amy looked down at her belly and shock crossed her face. She put her hand on her belly and she had tears streaming down her face. Ricky fearing what was happening moved closer to her. "Amy what's wrong?" Ricky asked with a very worried voice.
"The baby moved. I wasn't sure before but that was definatly the baby kicking a moment ago." Amy said as she patted the spot lovingly.
Ricky sighed with relief. "May I?" Ricky asked Amy.
Amy turned and saw Ricky's face filled with wonder, relief, and caution. Then she did something that surprised everyone she reached over and grabbed Ricky's hand and then gently placed his hand where their baby had just kicked. They waited for a moment and then Ricky felt a movement under his hand. His face filled with awe and wonder at the miracle of life that Amy held within her. A life they both wanted so much.
"That is so wonderful." Ricky said as he continued to wait for the baby to move again, and then it did almost as if the baby was responding to his voice. That made him smile.
"Have you not felt it before with our first two children?" Amy asked in confusion.
"Um with John we weren't together and Anna I was deployed most of your pregnancy. But yes with Anna toward the end I did feel her kick. I only did once with John. You were upset. And I hugged you. I felt John move against my stomach when I held you. It was a strange but unique feeling." Ricky said to Amy.
Then Amy remembered being in the hallway and Ricky was talking with her as she was getting something from her locker. He said something and Amy started to cry. Then Ricky embraced her in a tight hug. Amy had to be remembering that moment. Or maybe she was playing off what Ricky had just said. Ricky pulled back from Amy's stomach and then he turned to Anne and George who had become silent as they watched everything going on.
"Yea. I would love to know the sex of the baby but we decided originally to wait. I am not so sure anymore. What do you think Amy? What is your heart telling you?"
Amy stopped to think for a moment. She gently stroked the top of her belly. The child within had become that more real to her. She knew that this child was meant to be and Ricky and she both wanted this baby so bad. And when Amy thought about how easily she could have lost the baby. She had to think positively not about what could have happened anymore but of the future.
"Yea. I would love to know what were having. So that we can give this little one a name and not have to keep calling the baby he or she." Amy smiled at Ricky again.
"Well you have an appointment in two days with your doctor. We will ask him if he wouldn't mind doing an ultrasound as well." Ricky said.
A few hours later Amy was asleep in her bed. Her dreams were very real and terrifying. She was remembering a moment that she would rather not remember. She was in a black dress and holding a baby dressed in pink. And Ricky was there too and so was John. She saw all the sad faces. Then she noticed the picture of Ben nearby. Oh God Amy realizing she was at Ben's funeral. She left Ricky's side and walked away. She had to get out of this place. Then she noticed everyone circled around her and she couldn't get out. She didn't recognize anyone. She looked over the circle of people and saw Ricky with John frantically trying to get to her and the baby.
"Amy! Come back Amy! Don't leave us we need you. I need you." Ricky yelled at her with such devastation in his voice.
Then everyone around her started to say things to her and she felt more horrible with each thing they said, "How could you forget them? Don't you love them anymore? Why would anyone forget the ones they love? Why try to run from them? Why didn't you stay with them?" Amy felt herself collapse as she tried to protect the small child in her arms. Then Amy woke up in sweats as Ricky frantically was shaking her.
"Amy your ok. It's all going to be fine. I am here honey. I won't let anyone get you." Ricky said as he stroked her hair.
"Ricky will stay with me tonight?" Amy said.
"Are you sure?" Ricky asked.
Amy thought about it for a moment. "Yes I want you to be near me. You make me feel safe."
Ricky then got into bed where he would normally sleep and he curled up next to Amy as she leaned in closer to him. He then wrapped his arms around her protectively. Amy felt safe again and no more nightmares invaded her sleep. She only slept contently. For the first time in a while she slept deeply with no dreams or nightmares. And Ricky felt wonderful to have his wife the woman he loved so much close to him again.