by Thornton, EJ
"Stop it!" Pearl got right in her face and commanded. "You're throwing a pity party and nobody's coming!"
Jeannie covered her face and cried, the tears leaking out all around her fingers.
Peter put his arm around her. "Jeannie, nobody, especially Jeremi, expects you to forget what happened. But you know as well as I do that he has a problem and that was the primary reason for what happened and he's handling that. He loves you, I know it." Jeannie shook her head and kept her face covered. "Yes, he does. And he wants so much to be part of this family. You're all he could think of--you, the baby and the girls."
Jeannie looked at Peter with a combination of hurt and anger in her eyes and in her voice. "What am I supposed to do, trust him now? Even if I wanted to take him back, I could never trust him again. What future could there be in that? I refuse to live like that! I refuse to be a mother who shows my girls that that is any way to live!" She broke down and cried again, but this time on Peter's shoulder.
"I know you're hurt and rightfully so. It'll take time. But like they're telling him, 'one day at a time.' Okay. Let's take this whole situation, one day at a time. All we can do is trust that God has this all under control - especially when it feels this out of control."
"William, he needs to go. The doctor's worried about her blood pressure getting out of control," Pearl said softly.
"Peter, let's go," William said to Peter.
"Jeannie, listen, I've got to go. I'll call you and tell you what time the dinner will be as soon as I talk to Melinda and when we know for sure what day Jeremi is coming home." Peter got up off the couch. Jeannie nodded. "So you'll come?" Peter asked hopefully.
"We'll see," Jeannie said, biting her lip in an effort to hold back more tears.
"Take care, my sister, and call us if you need us. Understand?" Jeannie reacted shocked when Peter called her his 'sister.' Then Peter helped her up off the couch and gave her another hug.
"I'll let myself out," he said and then left, closing the door behind him.
Jeannie stood there, stunned by what just happened. Pearl shined angel light on the bookmark that Jeannie had mounted in the hallway. Jeannie made her way over to it, leaned back on the opposite wall and stared at it for a moment. Then she walked down the hall and knocked on the girl's door "Ollie, ollie, in come oxen free!"
The girls bounded out of the room. "Where's Uncle Peter?" Carole asked.
"He left," Jeannie said.
Their enthusiasm turned to disappointment. "I wanted to show him my new dress," Carole whined.
"Another day, sweetie. Another day." Jeannie turned and went into her bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed. The girls followed.
"Why are you so sad, Mommy?" Carole asked and sat down on the bed beside her. "Does a baby in your tummy make you sad?"
"Sweetheart." Jeannie pulled Carole up on the bed beside her. "This baby makes me really happy, some one else is making me sad. Here, put your hand right here." She put Carole's hand on her bulging stomach. The baby responded to the pressure and moved around. Carole's eyes got really big. Jeannie groaned a little. "That was your little brother playing with you. How could I be sad, sweetheart, when I know how much I love you and Lynne and this little baby guy and how much you all love me?" Jeannie patted her stomach. Their conversation lasted a while longer. Jeannie slowly began to remember how she was so very happily mommied.
I was worried about what Pearl had said to make Peter leave. "What's wrong with her blood pressure, Pearl?"
"It's been high these past couple of visits. The doctor cautioned her to stay as calm as possible, we still have a couple weeks to go yet. Nothing serious, but we need to watch out for her," Pearl explained. We all agreed.
A little while later, Jeannie tucked the girls into bed and laid down herself. As was typical, within the hour, in waltzed Carole with Lynne close behind. They snuggled up in bed together, Mommy in the middle and baby on top. It was a sight to behold as they drifted off to sleep.
Chapter 29
I checked on everyone else. Glory was asleep, as was Sarah. Peter told Melinda everything that happened. She hung on every word. I went back and sat with George, who was still at Jeremi's side.
There was a spitting-mad new arrival next to Jeremi, in Don's old bed. He woke Jeremi up a couple of times. Tony played the same part he did on the day Jeremi arrived, irritated by the noise. Jeremi played Don's role. George and I laughed every time Jeremi said something, then he'd quirk his head, as if to say "Where'd that come from?" He smiled to himself as, I'm sure, a memory of his first night here came to mind.
"What's happening out there?" George asked.
I informed him of Peter and Jeannie's talk and the status of the rest of our people. We talked between the new arrival's episodes. We'd come full circle here.
Early the next morning, the roommate was down for the count. Jeremi was on his way to breakfast, when Bill pulled him aside. He wanted to have a private talk with Jeremi. They went to the same room Bill had taken him the night he challenged him.
"Uh-oh," Jeremi said walking into this room.
"What?" Bill asked, surprised.
"The last time you took me here, you ambushed me. I hope this is different." Jeremi asked, only half joking.
"On the contrary, Jeremi, come in, sit down. I want to talk to you about your progress here." Bill Sr. sat next to Bill on his chair and we sat next to Jeremi. Bill Sr. smiled broadly.
"How do you feel about how you are progressing here, Jeremi?" Bill asked him.
Jeremi sighed and looked thoughtful. "Pretty good, I guess."
"Well, I think you're doing pretty good, too. In fact, if you think you can handle it, I want to release you into the outpatient program day after tomorrow." Bill smiled and waited for Jeremi's reaction.
"Really? Man, that's great. Thanks. I'll prove to you that I can handle it!" Jeremi stood up and shook his hand.
"I know you will," Bill said, smiling. "We need these two days here to make the transition. You'll go to a different group this morning and tomorrow morning. Then after the afternoon group on Friday, you can go home, as long as there's someone here to pick you up."
"I've already got that covered!"
Bill got up and Jeremi bounded into breakfast, got his food, sat down with a group of people and plowed right through all of it.
Jeremi was doing really well. However, Jeannie still weighed heavily on my mind--her blood pressure and the way she'd laid into Peter. I needed to get to Pearl. I needed to figure out what we could do to soften her into giving Jeremi another chance.
Jeannie was at work. She focused completely on her work and was currently free from being distracted by her personal situation.
Pearl smiled when I approached. "How's Jeremi?" she asked.
"He's doing great," I answered. "How are our charges doing here?"
"She's pretty steady this morning. Working on some conversion stuff that she's put off forever and making quite a bit of progress today," Pearl said proudly.
"That's good," I replied. There was a moment of awkward silence while I tried to phrase my next question to Pearl.
"I'm still working on it," she said.
"What?" I asked, surprised.
"How to get her to agree to see Jeremi."
"How did you know I--never mind," I said, amazed as usual, this time because it appeared that Pearl could read my mind, too. "So what do we do?"
"Well, I've been thinking about it and if we try the direct approach with her, that hard head of hers will get in the way." Pearl paused. I waited patiently for more. "She's proud, hurt and very vulnerable. What we have to do is to make going over to Peter's to see Jeremi the only option she's got and so compelling that she has to go or it'll drive her crazy."
"So how do we do that?" I completely lacked a handle on the moment.
"Well, we have to think of her well-being first. If she dwells on this, her blood pressure will go up. So, first off, we have to get her mind off it."
"
How do we do that?"
"Easy, make her think she's going somewhere else, so that relieves her of her stress, then at the last minute, take that away. It'll take some cooperation from some other angels, but it'll work, sure enough."
"I see, they'll cancel and she'll be left with nothing to do but go see Jeremi. Ooo. You're slick."
"Thank you."
"Jeannie?" Judie whispered. "Jeannie," Judie said a little louder. "Jeannie," she finally said it loud enough to break through.
"Yes?" Jeannie said, with out looking up from her terminal.
"Jeannie," Judie said.
"What?" Jeannie looked over at Judie.
Judie pointed to her watch. Jeannie looked at hers.
"How'd it get so late so quick? Let me do one more thing." Jeannie typed again quickly and finished the thought. Then she rocked a couple times to get enough momentum behind her to stand up, as Judie finished putting on her walking shoes. Jeannie stretched and arched her back. She was in full profile. If the baby got much bigger, it'd pop out the front. They went outside for a walk.
"You've been into your work this morning," Judie said. "Are you getting a lot done?"
"Surprisingly, yes."
"Why are you surprised?"
"Oh, Peter came by last night and told me about Jeremi. I've been trying to keep my mind off of it."
"What happened?"
"Oh, he said Jeremi was doing great and that he was going to get out tomorrow probably and that he wanted us to come over for a big celebration dinner."
"Why has that got you so upset?"
Jeannie stopped in her tracks and gave Judie the biggest look of disbelief I think she could've mustered. "Oh, yeah, like I'm just going to go over there and fall all over him like nothing happened."
"I see. So there's zero hope for you and Jeremi ever again?"
After an awkward silence, she said quietly, "Doubtful... maybe... who knows?"
"What would have to happen for you to give him another chance?"
"What, are you on his side now?"
"No, I'm just asking. I know you've thought about it."
Jeannie stared at Judie and there was another awkward silence, then Jeannie looked down at her feet but her belly got in the way. She patted her stomach and said quietly, "Yeah. I have."
"So what would have to happen?"
Jeannie sighed. "He'd have to apologize. He'd have to apologize so big that, that . . ." Judie waited, Jeannie softened. "He'd have to stay sober for one." She paused again. "I'd have to wait and see if I could ever learn to trust him again."
"That's a good start. So could that all happen tomorrow night over at Peter's? Then you'd be able to see for yourself, instead of just worrying and fretting."
"I need more time. It's too soon." Jeannie tried to rationalize her fears about going to see Jeremi.
"You're certain, you're going to decline the invitation to go to Peter's tomorrow night, right?"
"Yes," Jeannie said, less than convincingly. Judie looked her in the eyes. "Yes," she said with a little more conviction.
"Fine, then how about I take you and the girls out to see that new cartoon movie that came out this week? I've been dying to go see it, but I wanted to take a kid.. Your girls can come too." Judie looked quickly at Jeannie, who smiled slyly.
"Okay," Jeannie conceded. "That'll be fun. I'll tell the girls tonight."
"Great!"
Judie's angel winked at Pearl and me.
"Mission accomplished: Jeannie's been diverted," I said glibly.
"Her mind is settled and her blood pressure should be all right," Pearl acknowledged.
"I need to get back to base," I said, continuing the secret-agent impression. Pearl laughed and waved at me, so I headed back to Jeremi.
He was in the outpatient group session, Don right beside him. Jeremi contributed quite a bit to the discussion.
George smiled like a proud father. "Good, I'm glad you're back, Martin. I've been called away for a while and I'll need you to stay with Jeremi until I get back."
"What's going on?" It was unusual for George to get called away like this.
"My new assignment has been decided and I need to go do some things."
My eyes got big. "Already? I thought you'd be with me until at least the baby came. Then I was hoping for a little while longer."
"I know, but once the baby comes, I'll have to go to my new charge. That's just the way it works. I'll be back soon, Martin." Then he was gone.
"But--" It was too late, he'd already left. I felt a range of emotions that I could scarcely fathom. There was apprehension that I'd be being an angel all alone. There was sadness about how much I'd miss having George teach me what he knew. There was fear that Jeremi would fall back into his old ways without an angel close enough to help him if he needed it. There was excitement that my grandson was about to arrive. There was joy about Jeremi's spiritual growth of the past few days. My emotions were all over the place. I sighed heavily. I thought: If I was this unsettled when I was alive, I'd pray. Being an angel, what better thing to do?
"God," I began.
"Yes," he replied and I was engulfed by beautiful golden light. "What's on your heart, Martin?"
I lost my train of thought.
"Tell me what's troubling you, Martin."
"I have so many worries."
"I know. I'll alleviate them all, if you just talk to me."
"There's Jeremi and Jeannie, the time for the baby is close and they're apart," I said.
"What else?"
"George is going to a new charge. He's been by my side for as long as I can remember and even before that. What if I need him? Could we have some more time together to prepare me for all of this?"
The light brightened. "Martin, you were asked to take this position because of your wisdom. You are more than ready to become your grandson's Guardian Angel. It's George you're afraid of losing, his companionship, his guidance."
"Yes, I am."
"Since you've become an angel, have you been able to see whoever you wanted, whenever you wanted, whenever they wanted you? Whether they be alive or angel?"
"Yes."
"Then George will never be long away," He assured me. "As for Jeannie and Jeremi, their child's angel will bring them back together. The strength of their bond, well, that has yet to be determined. They both still have many, many lessons to learn along the way, how well and how quickly they learn them will create the strength of their love."
I was quiet and sat there, absorbed the beauty of the light. When I finally closed my eyes, I was back at the hospital with Jeremi. Barely any time had elapsed. I felt so peaceful.
The group session ended and Jeremi went back up to his room. The new guy sat on his bed. When Jeremi walked in the new roomie said, "Hello. My name is Ken. I need to apologize for some of the things I said to you the other night."
Jeremi went over and shook his hand. "Forget about it, man. We've all been there, believe me."
"I'm still very sorry."
"Do you want to talk?"
"Yeah, I'd really like that."
So Jeremi sat on his bed, Ken on his. They told each other their life stories. The rest of the afternoon passed and it was dinnertime. After dinner, it was visiting time again. Peter came and Jeremi told him about his release the next day.
"Dinner's on!" Peter said and hugged his brother.
"Will Jeannie be there?"
Peter motioned for Jeremi to sit down, then Peter explained to him about the conversation that he and Jeannie had had the night before. Jeremi's excitement drained and he looked as if he'd been punched in the stomach.
"Listen, Jeremi, it'll be all right. Whether she comes tomorrow night or decides to stay away, so what? Big deal. You go see her the next day and you make it up to her. You find a way. You prove to her that you love her. You find a way. But I'll still try everything in my power to get her there, I promise."
Their visit lasted a little while longer. Then Peter left. Jerem
i went back to his room. He stood and looked out the window. It was the first time since he'd been told that he would be released that he was quiet. "I'm going to prove to you, Jeannie, I'm going to show you how I've changed. I want you and my child and the girls in my life. We're going to make a great family! You just wait and see." A tear streamed down his face. He stared out the window a while longer, then he laid down on the top of his bed and stared at the ceiling. He worked it all out in his head. Eventually he drifted off to sleep.
George returned after Jeremi had fallen asleep and I brought him up to speed on events, then on mine.
"I'm glad you told me what happened when you talked to Jesus today. I have to admit, I feel that way, too. After all, I've known you a lot longer than you've known me," George said to me.
He had a point. We stayed there together that night. We watched over Jeremi, hoped and prayed that all our plans would come out well the next day and that Jeremi's homecoming would be joyous for him and for Jeannie.
Chapter 30
As the first ray of sunlight broke through the window and across his face, Jeremi woke up. He got up, made his bed, showered, dressed, collected and organized all his personal items and prepared to go home.
The nurse came in and she and Jeremi talked alone quietly. She left and came back a bit later with a big white bag for Jeremi to put all his belongings in, which he quickly did. Then she woke his roommates.
Jeremi was fine. So I went to check on Jeannie to see how her day would start out. She was in bed still, a girl on either side, smashing the snooze alarm one more time. Pearl, Marie and Edwina chuckled at the sight. I stood there and shook my head and then they laughed at me.
"Wait 'til there's three!" Pearl said and laughed even harder. It was so funny to contemplate, I had to laugh, too.
