Redemption(112)

“It’ll be fine. Stop worrying so much.”

I sighed, leaning myself on the counter. “I can’t help it. I worry so much about how well Jeremy is taking things.” His laughter suddenly sounded in the next room where Jimmy was playing with him. “I just think he may be taking it all too well. He was abducted, for goodness sake. He’s not even four-years-old and he’s laughing his head off in the next room.”

Tara’s eyebrow raised as she took a butter knife out of the drawer. “Would you rather he cry and scream the place down?”

I let out a frustrated sigh. “No, of course not, but at least I would know he’s feeling something. I’m just frightened that he is, but not saying anything.”

Tara put the knife down on a plate and came over to me. She placed her hands on my arms and rubbed them a little. “Maybe Jeremy is just a tough cookie, like his mum and dad. Have you ever thought of that? He is not one to normally keep things bottled in, Jessica. If he has something to say, he’ll say it.” She raised her eyebrow. “Don’t you remember when he saw a pregnant woman just a few days ago, pointed at her, and said, ‘I know what you did’? Or how about that other time when we went to the restaurant and, at the end of the meal, he grabbed one of the five dollar bills from the tip we left, placed it into the waitress’ cleavage, and said ‘Here you go, Wendy. Go buy yourself something nice’ and walked off?” She shook her head with a smile. “Yeah, that boy ain’t afraid to say what’s on his mind.”

We both started laughing and I felt my trembling subside a bit. “Yeah, I suppose you’re right.”

She nodded and went back to buttering the toast. “When he’s ready, he’ll talk, and you’ll deal with it how you always manage to deal with it. He’s your son. It just comes naturally.” Tara smiled and looked away to carry on making the breakfast.

It was funny how much you grew when you become a parent. For years, all I ever had to think about was myself. Now I had someone else to think about. In fact, I always came second to Jeremy. His needs took over the minute he was born.







The moment we had finished breakfast, Jeremy and I left to go to the hospital. Humphrey had texted me first thing in the morning that he was there. I was really glad he was around because between Jimmy, Humphrey, and I, Dean would have somebody with him around the clock. He might be out of the woods, but he was still recovering from major surgery.

Once we got to the ward, Jeremy let go of my hand and went running into Dean’s room. He stopped dead when he saw Humphrey and frowned. “Mommy, there’s a man with very funny hair on his face sitting next to D.D.”

Humphrey laughed and looked at me. “I take it this is Jeremy?” I nodded. “Nice to meet you, Jeremy. I’m Dean’s Uncle Humphrey.”

Jeremy walked over to him and shook his hand, then his eyes fell on Dean. He stood still for a moment, studying Dean with a frown. He then walked up to the bed and put his hands out to me to lift him up. I did, but warned him to be careful.

I watched as Jeremy tenderly touched Dean’s face. “Did the bad man do this?”

My eyes widened a little because this was the first time Jeremy had made any reference to what happened.

“Yes.” I couldn’t lie to him. What could I say? He fell down the stairs?

“Is the bad man gone now?”

I nodded again, smiling. “Yes. He won’t hurt anyone anymore.”

Jeremy nodded. “Good.” He looked at Dean some more and nudged him a little. “D.D, wake up so you can play with me.”

I started laughing. “Jeremy, he’s resting. He can’t hear you because he needs to sleep. It’s very important so that he heals.”

Jeremy tilted his head a little as he carried on staring. “He said he was going to try and come home. He said he was happy that I found him.”

I felt the tears well a little. “He’s more than happy about that, Jeremy.”

Jeremy looked at Humphrey. “D.D. calls me grown-up.”

Humphrey smiled. “I like it. You are a big boy for… How old are you? Twenty-six?”

Jeremy giggled. “No, silly. I’m nearly four.”

Humphrey gasped. “Four? Wow… You are a big boy.” He looked up at me, then back at Jeremy. “So, we all know what your nickname is. Care to tell us what D.D. stands for?”

I swung my head to Jeremy, waiting, wondering if he would reveal it. For a moment, he was silent and just stared at Dean. Then he sighed and whispered, “Daddy Dean.”





Chapter 22



Dean



Seeking to forget makes exile all the longer;