A Little Girl's Wish

Chapter 3: In Limbo Part 2

He groaned as he saw that the date was June 27th. He and Melinda's 2nd wedding anniversary. He planned on taking her on a surprise trip today to New York City to see Wicked on Broadway. Instead of having a good time with Melinda, the day is a cruel reminder of all he has lost. It's been 3 months since he lost the love of his life in that stupid memorial service. They say time makes it easier, but waking up every morning without his wife asleep beside him hasn't gotten any easier. He's been so depressed since she died and often it's hard to get himself out of bed in the morning. He has buried himself in his work, often working overtime and picking up extra shifts. It was the only thing in his life he still liked and he hates downtime as he just spends it ruminating on how much he misses her. His mom, friends, and even his boss have expressed concerns that he spends too much time and isn't taking care of himself that well. He rarely cooks, which he used to love, but the idea of cooking for one is depressing so he often just eats whatever is easiest such as a quick sandwich.

Today though he doesn't have work as his boss told him he's not allowed to work any more overtime this pay period. So now he has to find a way to pass the time on such a bad day. His mom offered to come out for a visit, but he told her that he would be fine, as he didn't want he fussing over him. He hates being around the pitying.

He spent most of the day napping and ended up drinking a little bit, he was pretty buzzed by the time Bobby called after his shift saying they should go have a few beers. He knows a few beers with Bobby Tooch is never a few beers and is often a way to get in trouble but the idea of a distraction is just what he needs.

"Yeah, I'm a few beers in could you pick me up?" he asked getting dressed and putting shoes on.

"Oh had a good day?" he asked.

"No a horrible day, today was our anniversary," he said.

"Oh shit man, I'm sorry! Well you know alcohol is cheaper than therapy" he said.

"Cheers to that, I guess," he said finishing the last of his beer.

The next morning he woke up to the feeling of the world spinning. He couldn't tell where he was but he certainly wasn't home. He froze at the realization that he wasn't alone in the bed. He looked over and saw a blonde woman he didn't recognize sound asleep next to him.

"Oh no no!" he said under his breath as he got out of bed and quickly got his clothes almost falling in the process feeling so dizzy and nauseous.

"Leaving so soon?" she asked and he nearly jumped out of his skin.

I-I-I'm sorry, I drank way too much, this was a mistake," he said feeling bad for how he was treating the situation and feeling like he cheated on Mel even if she had passed.

"Are you sure, handsome?" she said sitting up and letting her blanket fall down revealing perky boobs likely a D cup. "I can make you feel better again like I did last night," she said rubbing her boobs and Jim looked away.

"Look, I'm sure that you are a very nice woman…"

"Oh I'm very naughty"

"Okay ma'am I was extremely drunk and I just lost my wife," he said getting his clothes on.

"Yeah, you told me about her you wouldn't stop talking about her, even during. I love sad guys it's very sexy" she said crawling across the bed and pulling on his shirt and he gently swatted her hand away.

"I'm sorry but I'm leaving," he said bluntly.

"You're sure, I can help you forget about all the bad stuff, make you forget your guilt over not being able to save Melanie," she said and he sighed. Damn, he had to bear his soul to this random woman he doesn't even know the name of?

"Melinda" he corrected.

"Oh you only called her Mel, I guessed," she said. "I'm Vicky by the way," she said.

"Jim, though I'm sure I've told you that, I'm sorry for doing this but I'm gonna leave. I am not in the mental place for…"

"Oh relax, it was a one-night stand, it's not like I'm expecting marriage," she said.

"Have a good day" he said before walking out and calling Bobby.

"Hey player" he jokingly answered. "She was a hottie, did you score?"

"Man, what the hell!? I didn't want to sleep with some random woman…"

"Oh come on, it was just a one-night stand, she died 3 months ago, you needed meaningless sex," he said.

"I didn't know her"

"Oh don't be a girl about it, Jim!"

"Whatever man, I am on the 100 block, I need you to pick me up"

"No can do, you weren't the only one who went home with a pretty young thing, start walking" he said.

"It will take me an hour, come on be honest you want a reason to kick her out, so use me as an out"

"Ok fine," he said. "Stay there, I'll be there shortly"

Aubrey was sitting looking through a photo album with what should be memories; birthdays, Christmases, beach vacations, graduations, and more; but it was like a different person's life. The Aubrey in the pictures seemed happy but she can't remember any of it. She heard footsteps up the stairs and then a slight knock on her door, "Come in"

She watched as Jack walked in, "Hey, there is pizza downstairs"

"Okay," she said.
"You okay?" he asked.

"Sure, I don't have any memories, I'm living with people I don't even know, so yeah what could possibly be wrong," she said sarcastically and he sat down next to her.

"I can't imagine what that's like but we are here for you. The doctors say being around familiar things will help your memory, doesn't anything feel familiar to you?"

"No, but I looked through my financials, I can afford to get my own apartment," she said.

"Why would you do that?"

"Look you guys have been very nice and I'm not saying we can't keep in touch but… living with people I don't know… I want my own place. So I have space to find who I am"

"The doctors say being around familiarity is good for your memory"

"And I can do that while also having space, look with all due respect, I don't need you or my so-called parent's permission to move. I'm going to start looking for an apartment tomorrow can you help me?"

"Okay fine if you insist though I don't think it's a great idea"

"You don't have to but I'd appreciate your help anyways," she said and he nodded.

"You got it"

Jim was in the firehouse on his laptop when Bobby came up behind him, "Oh wow, you going back to school?" he asked seeing that he was looking into medical school programs.

"Thinking of it"

"Have you looked at Rockwood U?"

"Yeah, I um… kinda want to leave" he admitted. "Nothing to do with you guys but I don't got much tying me here now."

"Your house?"

"I can sell it or rent it out, it's haunted to me now anyways," he said finding the statement ironic. For years their house was practically haunted by all of Melinda's ghosts and now that she's gone so are her ghosts and it feels more haunted than before.

"What about Melinda's store?"

"I have an interview tomorrow for someone who can take the lead to keep it running. She's passionate about antiques and has business experience unless she bombs the interview I think I'll hire her. Legally, the store is now in my name and will stay in my name but I can oversee that anywhere. Make sure it's in good hands in her memory" he said and Bobby nodded.

"Well Grandview would be losing an amazing guy and paramedic but do whatever is best for you," he said.

"Thanks, man," Jim asked.

He was about to leave for the day when he got a call from a random number he didn't recognize, "Hello, Jim Clancy speaking"

"Hi, my name is Victoria Flanderson, we met about a month ago in my bed," she said. 'Damnit" he thought, he was hoping he'd never hear from her again. 'Why is she calling me?'

"Yeah, I remember"

"I'm pregnant and you're the father," she said. "Can we meet to talk?"

"Yeah, yeah… I can meet you at the coffee shop in town in like an hour" he said reeling at the thought of her being pregnant.

"Okay, I will talk to you then," she said and Jim hung up the phone rubbing his face unsure how to feel. He wanted kids more than anything but he wanted them with Melinda or at least someone he knows more about than not even knowing her last name until a minute ago. Not to mention he remembers getting a bad vibe off of her.

'Maybe this is a blessing in disguise' he thought. While he doesn't want to have kids with this woman, he really wants kids. If he can't have kids with Melinda maybe he can still devote himself to being a father even if not with who he wants. It would give him someone to love again.

When Jim got to the coffee shop he was determined to view this in a positive light. He was about to be a father and it's not the ideal situation but that's okay because he will get to have a baby.

"Hey," he said awkwardly.

"Hey," she said they sat in awkward silence for a second until the waitress came over to get their order. He just ordered a coffee and she ordered a decaf coffee.

"I'm gonna be honest, I was debating terminating and still am on the fence," she said shocking him.

"Oh"

"Look, I'm not really a mother type, so if you don't want this, say so because I am not going to get stuck with a baby by myself, I will make an appointment to terminate," she said.

"No, I don't want that!" Jim said. "Look obviously we don't know each other and so that's odd but I really want to be a dad"

"I don't really want to be a mom" she admitted and he nodded.

"Okay…" he said thinking for a bit.

"I can take the baby after they're born and you can move on with your life if you want, we can consider it a surrogacy," he said feeling better at the idea of being a single dad than to parent with her who doesn't want to be a parent.

"I don't know, I have to think about this," she said and he nodded.

"Okay, well I have your number saved now, just give me a call if you want to talk again," he said and she nodded before grabbing her coffee and leaving.

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