Chapter 79

AJ changed, fed, and tucked Angela in her bassinet. Then he helped Sarah put on a nightgown and he tucked her in too. "Aren't you coming to bed, sweetheart?" she asked.

"I'm going to clean up a bit, and then I'll sleep on the couch. It's comfortable, and I don't want to roll over and hit you in the middle of the night," he responded. "You know how I sleep, and I don't want
to hurt you. I can still hear Angela, so don't worry about her; you just get your rest. I love you, Sarah."

"But, AJ, I would much rather sleep in your arms!" she pleaded as he started to leave the room.

"Soon, my love, as soon as the doctor says you are well enough. Now sleep well, and I will see you in the morning, Darling."

The rest of that week passed by with Sarah and the baby keeping pretty much to the same schedule. All either of them did for the first few days was eat and sleep. Mac was still startled at times when AJ would kiss or hug her at odd moments of the day. There were times that it still felt so unreal. Like it was all just a wonderful dream that she would wake from at any moment. He did sweet things for her all the time, almost like he was courting her. She wondered if that was because he was trying to remind her of their dating days. She wished she could remember!

AJ could tell that Sarah was feeling better as her appetite came back. The SECNAV had graciously allowed him to remain out of the office until Monday, to take care of Sarah while she was still having trouble getting around.

Monday, April 26, 2004

0630 EST

Chegwidden home

McLean, Virginia

Monday morning finally rolled around. As AJ slid his uniform jacket on, he asked for the umpteenth time, "Sarah, are you SURE that you're okay to be here alone all day?"

"Yes, darling! I am positive. I will sleep when Angela does and promise to lift nothing heaver that the television remote, okay?" she asked with a smile, as she straightened his tie.

"I guess it has to be," he sighed, bending down to kiss her good bye. He headed to work.

By mid-morning Mac was bored…she had even started dusting to pass the time…she was keeping her promise to AJ the dust rag was lighter that the remote. Even though they had a housekeeper that came in twice a week, or so AJ had told her, Mac figured it would be a way to go around looking for clues to her missing year. AJ was sticking to the doctor's orders not to remind her of things, so she had started using her training to look for information. She was in their bedroom, and had finished dusting the dresser and moved over to the nightstand.

Picking up the picture frame with the eight by ten picture of her and AJ in front of the horse-drawn carriage, she suddenly was startled by the feeling that she was there! Later she would be glad that she had not been holding the baby when this happened. They had just come out of a movie theatre, she knew it! AJ had called her a princess. She remembered him asking the driver to take their picture, and then she was back in the bedroom. Her legs were shaking and she sank onto the bed.

She had remembered something! It must have been from their honeymoon, because the only other time she knew that they were in Florida was when she had Angela, and since she wasn't pregnant in the picture, it must have been from another time they were there! Mac wanted to tell AJ right away that she had had a flash of memory. She dialed the number with trembling fingers and was disappointed to find out that he was in a meeting at the Pentagon. "Jen, is Harriett there?"

"Yes, Colonel…um sorry, Mrs. Chegwidden…"

"Its okay, Jen…old habits die hard, every once in a while I still call AJ, Sir!" They both laughed at that, and Jen transferred the call to Harriett's desk.

"Lieutenant Sims."

"Harriett, its Mac. I called to talk to AJ, but he wasn't there. I just had to tell someone the news! I remembered something!"

"Oh, Ma'am! That's wonderful! What did you remember?

"Something from our honeymoon!" Mac sighed at the romantic memory.

To be continued….