Lost Soul
Chapter 13-1 year later
It had been a fresh start for all of them. It began when Elizabeth officially went into remission and then Christine told Mike she was pregnant. The older girls were both doing good and Mike spent as much time as he could with them. Josie was growing like a weed and was a complete joy to them all. Mike never regretted taking her and Christine adored her. The new baby was a boy and Mike moved his family into a larger home that he and Christine had bought. There was room for everyone and Elizabeth had her own little apartment on the ground floor, although she spent most of her time with the family.
Due to Christine's medical issues, they opted to have a c-section. It was uneventful and within just a half-hour, they had a beautiful, healthy baby boy. Christine was stitched up and cleaned up, and she and Mike were left to bond with the new baby. Christine always worried that she had forgotten how to be a mother, but with the new baby, she knew exactly what to do, and the baby began nursing immediately.
"We have to come up with a name for him." Mike remarked as he brushed the hair out of Christine's face.
"I still like Andrew." Christine said. It had been her brother's name and she had always liked it.
"I'm good with Andrew. What about Andrew Thomas?" Mike suggested.
"I think its perfect. He looks like his daddy, by the way." Christine said with a smile. Mike sat down next to her on the bed and smiled down at Andrew.
"Maybe. It's a bit early to tell for sure. I called Mom. She and the girls are thrilled." Mike told her.
"And they're staying home?" Christine asked. She had always been very private after giving birth. She would be happy to share Andrew once they got home, but while she was hospitalized, she felt that it was her and Mike's time with Andrew. She had been the same way with their other babies.
"Yep. Mom knows the drill." Mike said.
"We'll be home soon enough. Kaitlyn is sure thrilled to have another baby in the house. She loves Josie, but she's been so excited for Andrew." Christine commented. Kaitlyn had completely changed and she had developed a very close relationship with both her parents in the past year. She really was a joy. It had taken Hannah a bit of time to adjust to Josie, and Mike was a little worried about her reaction to the new baby, but he and Christine both spent a lot of time with Hannah, and that would make a difference.
Christine was still recovering and there were days she seemed more fragile then others. Days she remembered the attack. Days when she could barely get out of bed, but Mike kept her going and she relearned how to be a mother, wife and daughter-in-law. Like Mike, she had been a lost soul and together as a family they had all found themselves and each other. Andrew was just proof of that.
Thanks for the reviews and reads!