Remembrance

Chapter Eight

Being two weeks from my supposed due date has become annoying and not because I am not ready to deliver this bundle of joy, but the relatives are restless. Mom finally convinced Dad to stop calling me ever few hours to check on me now James is hovering. I know I should be happy that he is concerned but frankly I just want to be able to write in peace. Though it is kind of cute.

The night of my first prom which was in my junior year James picked me up wearing a double breasted black suit that fit him perfectly. He may have been only eighteen but he was model gorgeous. My thoughts were not exactly of dancing when I saw him that night, of course being a proper young lady I only smiled at him as he checked out my royal blue silk dress. Mom had adjusted it so it fit nicely on my tall and slim frame. I still don't know what she did to make the top fit snugly enough that I almost looked like I filled out, I thanked her profusely later.

Once we were outside we saw Dad and his brothers talking on the side walk; I think he wanted to see me leave without it being obvious. Unlike Mom who had taken about ten pictures of us in the house with tears running down her face while Mags had sulked in the chair because it was Friday night but she was grounded and not able to attend her friends slumber party. I know it was childish but I had stuck my tongue out at her on our way out, just because.

"You look very nice," Uncle Joshua said as Uncle Sam nodded.

Dad just smiled at me but we were almost to the car when I turned around to go take my father's hand to drag him down the walk a ways.

"Daddy, do you think I look nice?" I asked really interested in his opinion since he was being so quiet.

"Especially nice, Sweet Cakes," he said with a smile before he kissed my cheek.

"Thanks Daddy," I said as I went to get in the car with James.

I was just in time since Uncle Joshua and Uncle Sam had decided to talk to him. James' normally tan knuckles were white as he gripped the steering wheel when I got in.

"What did they say?" I asked curious to know what they were up to this time.

James looked at me a bit hesitantly.

"Just to take care of you," he said but I knew he was lying.

"What else?"

"That I better not be planning to take you to a hotel afterward."

"Uh, the prom is at a hotel; they know that. James you have to learn some comebacks that are respectful but effective. We will work on that okay."

He nodded as he smiled at me. My things to do list just had two additions; kill Joshua and Sam Winchester. But I could only laugh to myself.

What I learned: Leaving James alone with my relatives is a bad idea at any time.

Now Uncle Sam has always been like a second father to me; not that I needed one but when my Dad indulged me and Mom couldn't get through to him about it Uncle Sam stepped in as the voice of reason, sometimes.

For example: when I was eight and wanted to get a pony after seeing the classic Black Beauty, Dad thought it was a good idea. I happened to over hear Dad discussing it with Uncle Sam.

"Dean, she already has a kitten and a rabbit that you constantly complain about taking care of, because she doesn't but you do."

"I know but having a horse would be a learning experience," Dad insisted.

Uncle Sam was silent or at least I couldn't hear his response, so I am not sure how the conversation ended, however, I did get a pony. We kept him at the stables a few miles from our house and Dad was right it was a learning experience. Of course I experienced a lot of pain learning to ride it; to the point that I wanted to give up after the first week. The thing that made me keep at the training was having heard Uncle Sam say that I wasn't taking care of my pets. I didn't want to let Dad down so I began to take care of my rabbit plus my kitten and my horse too. Dad was so proud of me and Uncle Sam even apologized for insinuating that I was a brat.

"Jessica, I am proud of you and the way you are growing up," he said as we watched the fire works from our back yard.

Sarah came over to join us as well as Aunt Missy.

"What are you two talking about?" Sarah asked.

"Just how things are changing so fast," Uncle Sam said as a way of keeping our conversation to ourselves. I appreciated that about my family there wasn't a lot of "ragging" on one another and very little gossip. I knew he was proud of my efforts and that was important to me almost as much as when my Dad had told me the same thing earlier in the day.

What I learned: Doing what is expected of you doesn't have to be hard.

James finally left to go to the store for me; I sent him for ice cream and pickles because I seriously needed some time alone. I know he will read this but I hope he understands it isn't personal it is just pressure that I do not need though I have explained how I am feeling. Okay deep breath. We decided to have our natural delivery at the hospital so Mom and I both get our way, it's always good when that can be accomplished especially with the Winchester women. Okay more from the past.

My cousin, Sarah, is a sweetheart but because she is four years younger than me we rarely interact. The one thing we have in common besides being blood and all is our gifts. Her healing gift is very strong as is my sixth sense and there was a point when we had a chance to use them both.

All of us were at the community pool which was unusual since Uncle Sam had a pool at his home, but it was being re-tiled so we ended up at the pool downtown. We had been swimming a while when I had a feeling something wasn't right. I looked around for all the kids, I know it isn't accurate but that is how I always refer to my siblings and my cousins, to see if everyone was accounted for. They were all okay but I still felt something was off; then I saw him a little guy in the pool he was sinking fast so I dove in and grabbed him before he hit bottom. By the time I had him out of the water and on a towel everyone was gathered around. I was seventeen and having swam for years I knew CPR, so after administering that I looked up to see Sarah standing in front of me. I don't know how she knew I needed her but she did. The baby wasn't breathing and the mother was hysterical. He couldn't have been more than a toddler and I still wonder why he was alone so close to the water.

Sarah knelt down and put her hands on his little chest as she looked at me; I think she wanted to know if this was a good idea. I nodded hoping anyone watching would assume it was my CPR that helped the child. We lucked out because the ambulance show up just as the child started spitting out the water. Sarah wondered into the crowd and I told what happened to the EMT guys. It was an incident that will always stick in my mind how she and I worked together reminded me of how Dad and Uncle Sam who seem so different could have been a team all those years ago.

What I learned: Gifts are meant to be appreciated and shared in times of need.

TBC