Coincidences
Jim would have to leave the next week. Each night before going to bed, we would spend at least an hour in near silence together on the sofa as we stared into the flames in the fireplace. I would sip some tea as he kept his arm around my shoulder. Occasionally, he would lay a hand on my abdomen whispering, as if to himself, he'd be home in time from the baby. He would be home.
Jim hugged me tightly and kissed as if it were the last time we would be together (and it very well could have been). He picked up Lizzy and cradled her in his arms assuring her that she had nothing to worry about. He'd be back. It was also reassurance to me. He slung his duffel bag over his shoulder, gave me that mixed expression of worry and adoration, and turned to leave, looking back once. Jim then boarded a small solar skiff to get to the shuttle that took him to Crescentia. From there, he would board the battleship and head for the outer Terran Territories.
Every night Lizzy and I would pray together to the loving God. I taught her the Lord's Prayer and that bad things didn't happen because God made them happen. It was just that kind of universe. The Lord loved everyone, but only some people loved the Lord.
"Just keep praying, baby," I spoke softly to her. "God will watch over Daddy."
"When will he come home?"
"As soon as he can. I promise."
"Why did he have to go away?" Her crystal clear eyes became glossy.
"He's fighting the good fight, honey. For us, the queen, and everyone in the Terran Empire."
"And all our friends and family?"
"Yes. He'll be back."
Captain Amelia was not called to fight. It was a good thing too. I needed her support along with everyone else's. She told me of her experiences with the Procyons and how tough they were to beat. However, she said that a "smart boy like James has enough strategy and strength to conquer anything he sets his mind to." That gave me some comfort. I blinded myself to the horrors of war. I supported our armed forces and knew they were good enough. I was scared for Jim though. Very scared.
Sarah felt the same way, but she busied herself with her inn. Momma comforted me as much as she could but still suffered from migraine headaches. B.E.N. missed Jim agonizingly. He kept busy talking to others (which was not anything new of course). Jim told Morph to stay behind and look after Lizzy and me. I didn't want to lose Morph (as he was such a cheerful little creature), but I insisted that he go with Jim to keep him the necessary company from home I knew he would need for the months he would be gone. Jim won however. He had kept us in mind more than himself. Lizzy would need someone like Morph to talk to (as well a B.E.N., to a lesser extent), and needless to say, I would need his company.
I spent sleepless nights without Jim. I cried like I did when Daddy died. Lizzy suffered frequent nightmares, and I had to go in and say soothing words to her to calm her down (as well as myself). Lizzy's eyebrows, whether genetically or because of expressions of sadness, grew heavier. She had no shadow covering her eyes like her father did when he was a boy, but I could tell she was crushed without him. I knew she still loved me, but she needed him too.
My front grew in size for the next several months, and I began to feel the baby's harmless kicks. I had already told Lizzy about a new baby brother or sister, and she took on to it immediately. The idea of a baby delighted her. That's what really kept us going.
I hadn't heard any news about Jim or the battles. I couldn't decide whether that was bad or good. Obviously, I tried to think of it as being good. I hadn't heard he was dead, right?
It was happening all over again. This time, the gestation period was cut short by about three weeks. After terribly painful contractions, I sent Morph to get my mother who then sent for Sarah and the midwives. This time, Momma stood by my side (instead of Jim) and held my hand while I endured the horrible pain. Bless her heart. Only two screams, and it was over. It was a premature baby. A son. My son. Our son. I prayed that Jim was alright while looking into the newborn's eyes. He had to be here to feel another occasion of unimaginable happiness. I was overjoyed. Momma and Sarah were as well. They were here to see our son.
Coincidences. Are there such things? I used to think so. Now I believe that God truly has a plan. That things happen for a reason. He came home. A week after our son's birthday, Jim came back to us! I woke up early one rainy morning after another fitful sleep full of worry, nightmares, and the new baby's cries. I wanted to put on a pot of tea but couldn't drag myself up off the chair in the living room to do it because of pure exhaustion. Then... there he was. The door had flung open. There stood my husband in the pouring rain. He was filthy. He was wet. I didn't care. He was home.
After an eternal embrace and tears of pure joy, he went up for a bath. I must say that he needed it. After he came down, he told me the events that occurred. Once in the outer Territories, the Terran battleship allowed those who had been fighting for weeks to come aboard for medical care and supplies (not to mention for help in the fighting). The Procyons fought brutally for the next few weeks. Jim was in control of the whole operation. He used the ever-turning wheels in his head to come up with strategies for the fight. New battleships came to replace and supply old ones. Jim was always in command. Finally, the ship on each side was destroyed. No one seemed to remain except for Jim and a few others on the Terran side. They escaped in a longboat and got to a nearby planet. Jim knew it wasn't over with the Procyons but tried to get home as soon as possible. Sometimes, he was called from wherever he was to go back for more battles. He reluctantly agreed to do so for the sake of the Empire. Most of the other confrontations were skirmishes in which the Terrans won. The final battle under Jim's command was worse than the first. He barely got out alive, and when he escaped in a longboat with two others, the ship was destroyed, and everyone else was dead. The Procyons had won that battle by far. Jim eventually got back to Crescentia late the night before. He had just gotten back to Montressor that morning.
All I cared about at this point was that he was home.
Jim would have to leave the next week. Each night before going to bed, we would spend at least an hour in near silence together on the sofa as we stared into the flames in the fireplace. I would sip some tea as he kept his arm around my shoulder. Occasionally, he would lay a hand on my abdomen whispering, as if to himself, he'd be home in time from the baby. He would be home.
Jim hugged me tightly and kissed as if it were the last time we would be together (and it very well could have been). He picked up Lizzy and cradled her in his arms assuring her that she had nothing to worry about. He'd be back. It was also reassurance to me. He slung his duffel bag over his shoulder, gave me that mixed expression of worry and adoration, and turned to leave, looking back once. Jim then boarded a small solar skiff to get to the shuttle that took him to Crescentia. From there, he would board the battleship and head for the outer Terran Territories.
Every night Lizzy and I would pray together to the loving God. I taught her the Lord's Prayer and that bad things didn't happen because God made them happen. It was just that kind of universe. The Lord loved everyone, but only some people loved the Lord.
"Just keep praying, baby," I spoke softly to her. "God will watch over Daddy."
"When will he come home?"
"As soon as he can. I promise."
"Why did he have to go away?" Her crystal clear eyes became glossy.
"He's fighting the good fight, honey. For us, the queen, and everyone in the Terran Empire."
"And all our friends and family?"
"Yes. He'll be back."
Captain Amelia was not called to fight. It was a good thing too. I needed her support along with everyone else's. She told me of her experiences with the Procyons and how tough they were to beat. However, she said that a "smart boy like James has enough strategy and strength to conquer anything he sets his mind to." That gave me some comfort. I blinded myself to the horrors of war. I supported our armed forces and knew they were good enough. I was scared for Jim though. Very scared.
Sarah felt the same way, but she busied herself with her inn. Momma comforted me as much as she could but still suffered from migraine headaches. B.E.N. missed Jim agonizingly. He kept busy talking to others (which was not anything new of course). Jim told Morph to stay behind and look after Lizzy and me. I didn't want to lose Morph (as he was such a cheerful little creature), but I insisted that he go with Jim to keep him the necessary company from home I knew he would need for the months he would be gone. Jim won however. He had kept us in mind more than himself. Lizzy would need someone like Morph to talk to (as well a B.E.N., to a lesser extent), and needless to say, I would need his company.
I spent sleepless nights without Jim. I cried like I did when Daddy died. Lizzy suffered frequent nightmares, and I had to go in and say soothing words to her to calm her down (as well as myself). Lizzy's eyebrows, whether genetically or because of expressions of sadness, grew heavier. She had no shadow covering her eyes like her father did when he was a boy, but I could tell she was crushed without him. I knew she still loved me, but she needed him too.
My front grew in size for the next several months, and I began to feel the baby's harmless kicks. I had already told Lizzy about a new baby brother or sister, and she took on to it immediately. The idea of a baby delighted her. That's what really kept us going.
I hadn't heard any news about Jim or the battles. I couldn't decide whether that was bad or good. Obviously, I tried to think of it as being good. I hadn't heard he was dead, right?
It was happening all over again. This time, the gestation period was cut short by about three weeks. After terribly painful contractions, I sent Morph to get my mother who then sent for Sarah and the midwives. This time, Momma stood by my side (instead of Jim) and held my hand while I endured the horrible pain. Bless her heart. Only two screams, and it was over. It was a premature baby. A son. My son. Our son. I prayed that Jim was alright while looking into the newborn's eyes. He had to be here to feel another occasion of unimaginable happiness. I was overjoyed. Momma and Sarah were as well. They were here to see our son.
Coincidences. Are there such things? I used to think so. Now I believe that God truly has a plan. That things happen for a reason. He came home. A week after our son's birthday, Jim came back to us! I woke up early one rainy morning after another fitful sleep full of worry, nightmares, and the new baby's cries. I wanted to put on a pot of tea but couldn't drag myself up off the chair in the living room to do it because of pure exhaustion. Then... there he was. The door had flung open. There stood my husband in the pouring rain. He was filthy. He was wet. I didn't care. He was home.
After an eternal embrace and tears of pure joy, he went up for a bath. I must say that he needed it. After he came down, he told me the events that occurred. Once in the outer Territories, the Terran battleship allowed those who had been fighting for weeks to come aboard for medical care and supplies (not to mention for help in the fighting). The Procyons fought brutally for the next few weeks. Jim was in control of the whole operation. He used the ever-turning wheels in his head to come up with strategies for the fight. New battleships came to replace and supply old ones. Jim was always in command. Finally, the ship on each side was destroyed. No one seemed to remain except for Jim and a few others on the Terran side. They escaped in a longboat and got to a nearby planet. Jim knew it wasn't over with the Procyons but tried to get home as soon as possible. Sometimes, he was called from wherever he was to go back for more battles. He reluctantly agreed to do so for the sake of the Empire. Most of the other confrontations were skirmishes in which the Terrans won. The final battle under Jim's command was worse than the first. He barely got out alive, and when he escaped in a longboat with two others, the ship was destroyed, and everyone else was dead. The Procyons had won that battle by far. Jim eventually got back to Crescentia late the night before. He had just gotten back to Montressor that morning.
All I cared about at this point was that he was home.