A Mother's Love
Chapter 36
Christine was doing a little research while Mike was at work. The girls were working on school assignments and Christine decided to look for Jim Patterson, Mike's old partner and mentor. She figured Jim had died but she was wrong and it was shocking how easy it was to find his phone number. She decided to call him more to catch up.
"Is this Jim Patterson?"
"Yes, who is this?"
"You may not remember me. My name is Christine Slattery. My husband, Mike, was one of your trainees from several years ago."
"Oh, Chrissy and Mike! Yes, I remember you two. What's that husband of yours up to? I heard he was on the ship that brought the cure home. Only Mike could have accomplished something like that. How are you and the kids?"
"Mike is good. We're in St. Louis now, or actually southwest of St. Louis. We have a farm. He's still in the Navy but the President has him investigating some stuff right now. We lost Lucas to the Red Flu and Addy to pneumonia almost a year ago. We adopted two girls, Adalyn and Lizzie and still have Hannah. I also am pregnant with triplets. Due in about a month or so."
"Well, I'll be darned. I'm sorry about Addy and Lucas. And Mike back investigating? Would have never thought he would go back to that."
"It's on the amount of the sex trade that happened after the Red Flu. I got caught in a situation and Adalyn and Lizzie were part of the same ring that I was forced into. And you know how Mike is with kids."
"I do. I hate that you've been through that. I'm actually close to you all. I retired some years ago and turned into a bit of a hermit. Bought a place southeast of Springfield. About three and a half hours from you. I'd love for you all to visit."
"I'd love that and I know Mike would too but I'm on bed rest and once the babies get here; road trips will be a headache. You are more than welcome here though."
"I may just take you up on that. See if I can teach Mikey some stuff on these investigations. Can't take the cop out me."
"As it is, I couldn't take the cop out of Mike either. We'd love to have you. What are you doing this Saturday? I'm not much of a hostess right now but our Lizzie is quite the cook and I might convince Mike to let me lay on the couch since you don't have to spend all your time in our bedroom."
"That would be odd."
"Well, I'm pretty huge so getting down the steps will be interesting but I am getting sick of seeing the same four walls."
"Well, that husband of yours had better be treating you good. I'll beat him within an inch of his life if he isn't."
"Mike is amazing. Foot rubs, back rubs, the whole nine yards."
"Good boy. You're his better half."
"Well, I think the same about him."
"Trust me; I saw some of his girlfriends before he got with you. You are definitely an improvement. He needed a good girl then and now. Plus you're the better looking one of the couple."
"Well, thank you. I can text you our address? What time should we expect you Saturday?"
"Bright and early. Nine am. No beauty rest for Mikey."
"He needs some guy time. He works around women, lives with four women and two of the triplets are girls."
"Well, there is one boy in the mix."
"Yeah. Thankfully."
"I'll be there. It's been great talking to you, Chrissy."
"It's been great talking to you too, Jim. I can't wait to see you too."
Christine hung up the phone and smiled. It had really been nice to hear Jim's voice and she knew that it would do Mike some good to talk to another cop. The stress of the investigations was really getting to him and Jim had been very proactive about telling his officers that he trained to get help when they needed it. He had rewritten a lot of the policies concerning PTSD for officers and detectives in the Chicago Police Department and had extensive training in peer support. Mike would never admit it, but he was struggling. He had help from the group but it didn't take away the pictures that he had to look at it on a daily basis or the things he heard or read. It was the one thing that Christine could do for Mike. Lizzie came in with Christine's lunch and Christine had her sit down with her while she ate. She would need help.
"So, I invited a friend of your dad's to visit Saturday. An old training officer of his. Is there any way you can plan something special to eat Saturday. He'll be here at nine am and will most likely stay all day, maybe even overnight."
"Okay. I may need help reading the cookbooks. Does Dad know?"
"No. I'd like it to be a surprise. And I'll help you."
"It's more the abbreviations that are causing me trouble. I'm figuring out the words but then they put the shortened words in and it's hard to figure out."
"You'll get there. Or, bring the cookbooks and recipes up that you want to fix and I'll recopy them so you can understand them better?"
"That might help."
"Okay. Just bring them to me. I really appreciate you doing this. You okay? You seem quiet."
"I'm okay. Hannah keeps asking why I can't go to school with them. I hate having to lie to her."
"Do you want to go to school? Dad tells me every day how good you're doing."
"I don't want to go. I just don't like lying to her but I also don't want her to think I'm stupid. It's bad enough that you and Dad and Adalyn know it but Hannah is just a kid."
"Sweetie, no one thinks you're stupid. What we think is that you are amazing, beautiful, smart, resourceful, generous, loving, and sweet. How about this? I will tell Hannah why you aren't going to school. Hannah has a huge heart and she will only want to help you, she won't judge you for it, I promise. She will figure this out eventually anyways and it would just be easier to just tell her so there are no hurt feelings."
"I guess. I know Adalyn is her favorite but I just don't want her to think less of me."
"Hannah loves you too. Sure, she and Adalyn are close but she loves you the same. And look on the bright side, you will be home all the time with the babies and you'll be their favorite. Dad and I don't expect you to care for them but we also know you and you'll jump in. And I will let you in on a little secret?"
"What?"
"Dad doesn't have favorites but he is especially proud of you. He loves you the same as he loves Hannah and Adalyn but you have a pretty special place in his heart. You are struggling but you are also determined and your dad has a lot of respect for that. I'm also am proud of you and I love you too."
"I love you guys too. I hate that I kept from you all that I couldn't read. You were helping me so much; even back at the apartment and I didn't want you to think any less of me. Then you guys adopted me. You all choose to love me when you didn't have to. I guess I didn't want you to be disappointed in me."
"We aren't at all. Dad and I are both very proud of you."
"Can the babies hear us? I know Dad and Hannah talk to them."
"I think so. Why?"
"I think I have the first page to "Cat in the Hat" figured out. I can actually read it. I haven't memorized it."
"And you want to read it to the triplets? Why don't you go get it?" Lizzie got up off the bed and headed to her bedroom to get the book. She was back in a minute with the book and sit down next to Christine. She put her hand over where Liam was.
"Go ahead, sweetie. You are feeling Liam."
"The…s…sun…did…not…s…sh…shine. It…was…too…w…wet…t…to…p…play. So…we…sit…in…the…h…house. All…that…cold…cold…wet…day."
"Very good. Do you want to try the second page?"
"I guess. Liam is really kicking hard."
"He is."
"I…sat there…with…S…Sally. We sat there…we two. And I said…How I…w…wish we had something to do. Too wet to go out and too wet to play ball. So we sat in the house. We did no…nothing at all."
"You did incredible and these babies love it. Do you want to read the whole book?"
"Not right now. I want Dad to hear it. He's worked really hard teaching me how to read."
"Well you did great. You read the bigger words too without sounding them out."
"But not all of them."
"Well as long as I've been reading; I still sound the words out sometimes."
"Really?"
"Yep. And if you were reading silently, you wouldn't notice it as much. You're self-conscious of it. The babies don't mind and I don't either."
"They are really kicking hard."
"They loved hearing you read to them."
"I guess."
"I know. Tess is really kicking."
"How do you tell which one is which?"
"Well, I just guess given my last ultrasound. Liam was on my right side, Taya was on the left and Tess was kind of on the top."
"Oh."
"A mother just knows."
"I guess. My real mom hated when she was pregnant."
"I have always loved being pregnant. Even now; I'm uncomfortable and ready for these babies but I will also miss it. Once they're born, I have to share them with everyone but for now; I can choose when other people can feel them kick. I get to be a little selfish with them right now. I do love watching when people feel them kicking. They get this happy smile on their face. Your dad especially."
"He really already loves them. And you too."
"We do. But we will love them even more the first time we hold them."
"But you didn't get to do that with me and Adalyn?"
"No, we didn't but it is a different sort of love. We choose you. With Addy, Hannah, Lucas and these babies; we were given them and it is a beautiful gift but with you and Adalyn; we got to choose you. We chose two girls who were perfect for our family. A family is kind of like a puzzle. Dad and I form the outside and you kids are on the inside. When we lost Addy and Lucas, we lost a piece of the puzzle that we can't get back. The babies are new pieces that don't replace Addy and Lucas like you and Adalyn don't replace them. But you and Adalyn do have your own pieces in our puzzle. Kind of in the center and if we didn't have you; we would be missing some key piece of the puzzle and it wouldn't be such a pretty picture."
"That makes sense."
"Good because I made that up just now but it is true. You are part of our puzzle that makes us whole."
"I'm glad. I wouldn't want to a part of a different puzzle. I'd better get downstairs."
"And you'll read the book to Dad, the babies and I tonight?"
"Yes!"
"Good. Now give me a hug. I'm so proud of you and I love you so much."
"I love you too." Lizzie leaned down and gave Christine a hug and then headed downstairs. Christine thought about letting her surprise Mike but she also knew that Mike's days were pretty dark and dismal and decided to brighten it up for him, so she pulled her phone out to call him.
"Hey, babe. Guess what Lizzie just did?"
"What?"
"She read two pages out of Cat in the Hat. Actually read."
"I wish I had heard it."
"She's planning on reading the whole book to us tonight."
"Good. What did the babies think?"
"Well Tess is kicking up a storm and Liam apparently likes it too. Taya is kicking a little too."
"They will love Lizzie."
"They will. I told her that you're especially proud of her."
"I am. I'm proud of Adalyn and Hannah too but Lizzie is so determined despite all the strikes against her."
"That's what I told her. How's your day?"
"I'm on my third interview. Twenty year old girl who was in the sex trade after the Red Flu. A client got mad because she wouldn't perform oral sex so he threw acid on her."
"Oh wow. There are men like that?"
"Apparently. It makes me sick."
"How old was she when it happened?"
"Seventeen. It's permanently scarred her but she is amazing. Her fiancée is here with her. Nice guy."
"Good. I'm glad she found someone that loves her despite the scars."
"They were high school sweethearts and found each other after everything. It's a nice story."
"Sounds like. How many interviews do you have today?"
"Just one more and I'm going to try and head home early. I need to work on some reports but I think I'll do that tomorrow. I need a break from the interviews."
"You okay?"
"Yeah. Just tired of it. I can't figure out why people are so cruel."
"Because you wonder that means that you aren't one of them. You are showing those women that good people do exist and will give them a hand up."
"I guess. It's just hard to see hear the stories."
"I know, babe. But if it wasn't for you; who would it be? You are getting justice for those women. You've made arrests. And even on the cases that there are no arrests to be made; you've listened. You've believed in those women in some of the most humiliating moments of their lives. Just as you've done for me, for Lizzie and for Adalyn. And you are also doing this so Hannah, Taya and Tess never have to worry about being in this position. You are giving hope."
"I suppose. It's just hard to hear the stories."
"I know. I am proud of you and I love you."
"I love you too. And I'm just a little proud of you and my girls."
"They're proud of you too. So when can I expect you home?"
"Fourish. Do you need anything?"
"Chocolate."
"Yes, ma'am. Anything else?"
"My other craving is off limits."
"Why? If I can get you something to help I will."
"Carol was pretty against it. Plus I am huge and it would be logistically challenging."
"Oh…that. If Carol wasn't so against it; I would figure out a way. It's just not smart with the babies."
"I know. As tired as I am of being this huge; these babies need to stay in for a few more weeks."
"They do."
"I spoke with Carol earlier. She is really pushing for the C-section. I really wanted a natural birth but she is concerned about the strain on Tess. Her heart rate is lower. Not dangerous but she's afraid the birth process could put her in distress."
"I agree with Carol. I know you prefer the natural birth process but I am afraid that the strain of three births will be too much. I know women have been doing this for thousands of years but it's worrying me. I only want what's easiest for you and safest for both you and the babies."
"I know. It's just that when we had Lucas; the birth process was so beautiful and easy. An hour after I was admitted to the hospital; we were holding him."
"It was stressful for this dad and husband though. I was worried I would be delivering him in the backseat."
"You would have handled it. I know a lot of women don't feel this way, but to me the natural birth process is just beautiful. But Tess is more important."
"She isn't the only one I'm worried about. I'm also worried about her mom and her brother and sister. I think this is the safest route for all four of you."
"I know. She's thinking that I can go into August if we do the C-section. They'll still be early but not as bad."
"And they will be okay?"
"She thinks so. Babies have been a lot earlier and survived. She thinks Taya and Liam will be fine. It's Tess she keeps bringing up. She told me today that you need to have a few more lectures with her."
"If it works; I will lecture her until she gets here."
"I know. I'm scared."
"Me too but we can't think like that. As much as Tess needs to buck up; we also need to buck up. We will get through this and have a strong and healthy baby girl. Actually, two baby girls and a baby boy. Tess will be okay."
"I know. I guess with Addy and Lucas; I keep going to the worst case scenario."
"I do too. Take a page out of your dad's book and pray. God won't strike the same family three times, would He?"
"My dad would say that if it's God's will then yes."
"I don't like that answer."
"I know but it's correct. Speaking of Addy; the anniversary of her death is next week."
"I'm going to take that day off and I've already spoke to the President about it. He understands. When he realized that his aide made that meeting on Lucas' birthday; he wasn't happy. I just told him I would not be in any shape to work on the anniversary of Addy's death. He told me he lost a child several years ago and still can't work on the anniversary or his birthday."
"We still have to function; especially for Hannah. That's going to be the hard part."
"I know. Babe, I love talking to you but I need to get to this interview."
"Okay. Sorry I had more to say then I thought. I originally just called you to tell you about Lizzie. She does want me to tell Hannah why she isn't going to school. She's terrified that Hannah will think less of her. I did tell her that while you didn't play favorites; you were especially proud of her. Had a special place in your heart for her."
"I wonder why my opinion matters so much to her?"
"She's never had a father to speak of and it's kind of a novelty to her. She wants to impress you. Adalyn has had a good dad before and she knows what it's all about and Hannah has always had you and your love. I know and you know that Lizzie doesn't have to do anything for your love but she thinks she does. Your opinion is really important to her."
"I suppose. Just wait to talk to Hannah and I will help."
"Deal. I don't really know how to explain this."
"Hannah has a big heart; she'll understand and want to help."
"That's what I told Lizzie. You'd better get going. I love you."
"I love you more."
"That's debatable. Be careful.
"I will be. Eat some chocolate for Tess."
"Taya likes it too."
"Well for both my baby girls."
"Bye, babe."
"Bye."
Christine hung up and realized that she had talked to Mike for an hour. She remembered her mom telling her that if she could talk to anyone for more than thirty minutes and still have things to say; it meant that the person could be a soulmate. Mike was definitely Christine's soulmate. Even after eighteen years of marriage; he still made her heart skip a beat. She was luckier than a lot of women because most husbands would not be able to get past what had happened to her.
As promised Mike got home about four. He came upstairs to change clothes and promised to bring Hannah upstairs while Lizzie and Adalyn fixed supper. Christine just hoped that Hannah would understand Lizzie's reason for not wanting to go to school. Mike and Hannah finally came in and settled next to Christine on the bed.
"Am I in trouble?"
"No, sweetie but Daddy and I need to talk to you."
"What's wrong?"
"The reason Lizzie isn't going to school with you and Adalyn in the fall is because she is still having some trouble and your mom and I need to give her a bit of one on one teaching. She wouldn't get that at school. As you already know, Lizzie had a pretty rough childhood and she never learned how to read. Mom and I are working with her now on it but it would be really hard for her to go to school without knowing. Kids would pick on her and would be mean. Lizzie asked not to go and your mom and I agree. She didn't want you to know because she's embarrassed by it."
"Why didn't anyone teach her?"
"I don't know, sweetie."
"No one loved her like we love her."
"That's very true. So what do you think?"
"I think it's good that you and Mom are helping her and I want to help. I think it's important that we just love Lizzie."
"It's also really important that we believe in her. Lizzie has never had a family like this and we have to help her out. It might mean you listen to her read the same page out of a book ten times and not correct her. More than learning to read, Lizzie just needs love and encouragement."
"I can do that."
"She is really worried that you will think less of her. She adores you. You and Adalyn are closer but Lizzie has known you longer."
"I love Lizzie too."
"Alright. Do you have any questions?"
"No but can I have a piece of the chocolate Daddy brought you?"
"One piece so you eat your dinner."
"Yes, ma'am."
Christine handed Hannah a piece of the chocolate and gave her a kiss on the cheek before Hannah left the bedroom. The conversation had gone exactly as Mike and Christine both figured it would.