Chapter 13-

8 Months Later
            
I heard footsteps in the hall outside the room I had been occupying for the past several months. I looked up from the book I was reading to pass the time. Suddenly the footsteps ceased right outside the door, seconds later the door began to creek Open. A very familiar face appeared in the opening, “Tom!!” I smiled, forcing myself to sit up.

“Hello Es!” he smiled back and walked to sit at the end of the bed. “Don’t strain yourself,” he added.

“I’m not,” I laughed. It was true, that was a lie. Any small movement was hard... “Is Abby here as well?” I asked as I finally got into a comfortable sitting position.

“Yes, she’s helping Lilly with dinner,” he continued to smile. “I’ve missed you,”

“I’ve missed you too Tom! How is everything in Ohio?” I asked anxiously.

“Hmm . . . ” he seemed to need to think about an answer. I sat there staring at him. “Well, after you left your parents started ask questions, wondering where you were and trying to figure out what had happened. Abby and I had to pretend like we didn’t know anything. That was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do . . . ” he added. “Eventually, about three months after you left, everyone gave you up for dead,” he looked down, as if he was ashamed of something. “It was a hard time for everyone . . . ” he glanced back up at me. “You don’t realize how many people care about you,” he whispered so quietly I wasn’t sure exactly what he had said.

I nodded. I wasn’t sure what to say. I didn’t know what would happen within the next year either. I knew for sure that I wasn’t going to be able to go home without a very good excuse though. I knew in my heart though, that I would never be going back.

I glanced at Tom who was now staring at me with a curious expression on his face, but there was also something in his face that told me he didn’t want to continue this conversation. I knew I didn’t like that idea much either.

“How are you coping with this?” he asked trying to change the subject.

I smiled gratefully. “Well, it’s strange to think about and hard to comprehend. But, I think I’ll survive.” I laughed.

“I sure hope so, the world would be much harder to live in without you here,” he was also laughing.

We sat there just laughing for a few minutes when Abby and Lilly appeared in the doorway.

“It looks like you two are having a good time catching up,” Lilly noted smiling.

“I guess we are,” Tom said still laughing. “We’ve been laughing more than anything though,” he added smiling at me. It was the old Tom again, the one from back when we were little and the entire world was open and everything was simple. It was the Tom I missed.....

“Well, dinner’s ready,” Abby laughed looking at Tom’s mischievous smile. “Do you feel like eating downstairs?” she asked me.

Before I could answer Lilly replied for me. “We’ll bring the food upstairs, so that we are all able to eat together and Esie doesn’t have to strain herself.”

“I agree with Lilly,” Tom nodded. “You shouldn’t work too hard,”

I nodded. I didn’t want to argue with them even if I felt perfectly fine. I guessed that they were just trying to be prepared for the worst that could possibly happen. I had to live with the fact that they were going to be trying to take care of me until the baby came. And probably after as well.

I looked up. Everyone was staring at me. “Are you alright Esme?” Tom asked looking concerned.

“Yes. I’m just very tired.” I told him smiling. He still looked worried.

“Well, if you say so.” he sighed as he went downstairs with Lilly and Abby to help bring the food up.

I sat there for a few very prolonged moments. I could hear them all busy downstairs, I knew that I wasn’t but, in that short amount of time I felt very much alone. Tears started streaming down my face no matter how hard I tried not to cry. I realized that I wasn’t going to be able to stay with Lilly forever, after that I didn’t know what I was going to do. These three wonderful people seemed to be the only ones who had ever cared much for me.

I finally managed to stop crying. I looked out the window longingly. I noticed there was a light snow falling, it was strange to see so little this late in the year. I decided it must have been the fact that I wasn’t yet used to Wisconsin. I closed my eyes wearily, seconds later I heard a small chirping sound. I curiously reopened my eyes, I saw a small bird sitting on the window sill. I smiled and stood up slowly, and walked over to the window. I sat in the window seat and pushed the window open. I then watched the bird slowly hop into the warm room. I looked down at this amazing creature and laughed softly, noticing that the bird was inches away from me, staring intently with obvious curiosity.

“You lucky little bird,” I whispered. “So free, you can go where ever you like with no one telling you what to do, and absolutely nothing to hold you back. You can fly as high or low as you wish to with all the contentment in the world.”I looked out the window again. “Oh how I wish I could fly. I could go wherever I pleased and be free just like you,” I sighed and looked back at the little bird. It was now gone.... I turned to the door and saw it pushing slowly open. Lilly walked in and frowned.

“What are you doing over there with the window open Esme?” she asked. “You’re going to make yourself ill,” she set down the loaf of bread she was carrying and walked over to me and closed the window. Then she helped me up and guided me back to the bed slowly. I sighed and watched Tom and Abby walk in with dishes. Some were empty and others were laden with delicious smelling food. I smiled, suddenly very hungry.

Lilly and Abby started to dish out food while Tom went to bring chairs. I smiled, my mood had changed from depressed and trapped to feeling happier, but I was still trapped. We sat in silence until Tom returned. He set down three chairs and we all started eating. I finished after the others and frowned. Something seemed very wrong. I looked at the others with a panicked expression. “I think the baby’s coming,” I gasped as I felt sharp pains in all my body from my neck to my upper legs.