Chapter 26

Cesca walked around the memorial garden. She finally stopped when she reached the area of the garden that had been dedicated to children who had 'passed away' in the hospital grounds. She couldn't help but sob as she read over the plaques and the parents who were missing their children. Just looking over the memorial plaques bought back really tough memories.

Cesca said a quick prayer before turning and walking away from the garden. She needed to find Jonah. She walked back into the hospital and up to the ward. The room that had once been Maya's lay empty, Cesca sighed. She wouldn't miss this place.

"Hey beautiful." She turned around as she heard the familiar voice behind her. Jonah was walking towards her with Maya in his arms. "The doctor says that she is well enough to come home, and we've decided that means a…"

"MCDONALDS." Maya finished her Dad's sentence and grinned at her Mum. Cesca couldn't help but smile.

It was only two weeks ago that they thought they would never be taking Maya home. There is nothing to describe how it feels when a doctor sits you down and tells you to make sure you have said your final goodbyes to your child, and did they want her baptised. Cesca in her usual way had blanked him, and curtly informed the doctor that Maya had already been baptised. Her and Jonah sat all night watching the monitor and praying for a miracle…now two weeks later their little miracle was ready to come home.

…

Jonah walked over to their table with the full McDonald's tray. He put the tray down before taking Maya's meal off and takng the pieces out to put in front of her. Maya looked down at her chicken nuggets and fries before looking back up at her Dad. "No toy?" She looked at Jonah and her lip started to quiver.

Jonah looked at his daughter. He had to admit that she had her mothers talent of automatically making him feel guilty. "You know the rules Maya. No toy until you've finished your dinner." He sat down and unloaded the meals for him and Cesca. Being pregnant had meant that Cesca had relaxed a bit about what she was eating. She had decided that an occasional McDonald's or take-away wasn't a problem.

Maya sat there with her chicken nuggets chattering away. Cesca and Jonah loved every minute of it. Nearly losing her had made them even more conscious of making sure that they made the most of every minute they had with her. Jonah couldn't help but laugh at the pickle Maya had managed to get herself into. She had ketchup on her nose and on her fingers. So she sat trying to stretch her tongue high enough to get the ketchup. Jonah whipped out his camera and took a photo.

Maya stopped what she was doing and looked at him pouting. "No photo Daddy…" She sat and crossed her arms.

Jonah could see Cesca creasing with laughter out of the corner of his eye. She could laugh but they both knew which one of them had given Maya her stubbornness.

Maya carried on pouting. "Daddy delete it." She sat there looking at him. However Jonah was determined to keep the photo and slipped the camera back into his bad.

"No Maya. I'm keeping the photo. It makes me smile." Jonah reached across the table and wiped the ketchup from Maya's nose with a napkin. She pulled a face before carrying on with her food.

Jonah turned to his wife. "I don't understand why you're laughing. You seem to have ketchup on your cheek." He quickly reached up and smeared a small line of ketchup on Cesca's cheek.

Cesca looked up from her meal, Jonah felt the suddenly instinct to run away. She just kept looking at him before whispering.

"You just wait Mr Kirby…I'll get you back with a lot more than ketchup."

Jonah laughed. "Ok…well lets hope you can catch me." He winked at her before rubbing a hand across her bump.

"Daddyyy….finisheddddd!" Maya turned her chicken nugget box upside down to prove her point, scattering the remaining crumbs over the floor.

Jonah smiled. "Well…I guess you'll be wanting this then?" Jonah pulled the small doll from inside the empty happy meal box. He took off the plastic and passed it over to Maya who sat with a beaming smile.

She looked at the doll before grinning. "It's Jessie Daddy…I'm gonna be a cow-girl just like her. 'Giddy up Bullseye." Maya jumped from her chair and started galloping around the restaurant. Jonah grabbed her before she could take anyone out. Laughing he took her back to their seats.

"Calm down cowgirl." Maya giggled before settling into his lap. Jonah looked from Maya to Cesca and sneaked a cheeky kiss onto Cesca's lips. "Love you Ces." Cesca smiled and kissed him back before kissing Maya's head.

"Love you too. Lets get our cowgirl home before she rides off into the sunset."