Facing Redemption (44 page)

John smiled down at his daughter.  He towered over Chastity by more than a few inches.  He looked into the eyes that were identical to his own, and felt like the luckiest man on earth.  “You look like our mother you know.”

“I do?”  Chastity looked from both John to Jesse.  They both nodded and smiled at her.  She brushed her hair back from her eyes and cocked her head, as if to show off her looks.  Both brothers laughed and rolled their eyes, with the same expression.  The family resemblance was hard to get past, but Chastity knew she had plenty of time to get used to it.

All three of them made their way to the waiting room to gather the rest of the family.  They were about to meet the newest little member of the Mikale family.

Chastity waited her turn to hold her little sister.  She was third in line after John and Jesse.   As soon as Jesse transferred the newborn into her arms, she was full of emotion.  She looked down at the sweet innocent baby in her arms and craved for one of her own.  Timothy watched the woman, he loved cradling the newborn, and felt a tug for a child of their own.

“Hi there sweet girl.”  Chastity whispered.  Tears escaped down the bridge of her nose and dripped off her face.  Chastity laughed softly.  “Sorry about that.”  She apologized and wiped the wetness away from her sister’s neck, where the tears slid and rolled down.

John’s throat caught when he saw the two of them together.  He knew the next best thing would be to watch the mother of his child with their daughter, but seeing both of his girls was monumental.  He was afraid to close his eyes for even a second because when he opened them it may not be real.

“Pinch me,” he whispered to Jesse.  “I can’t believe she’s here with us.”

Jesse nodded.  “I know.  I still feel that way and she’s only my niece.”

Chastity looked up to John.  “Have you guys decided on a name yet?”

“Andie and I were going to name her Lanie, after Andie’s grandmother, but without Andie to give the nurses the official name – I just couldn’t do it yet.  Andie wanted us to see our baby’s face before we made it official.”

“Well, I think she looks like a Sadie or a Maggie.  You could call her your little magpie!”  Chastity giggled and talked sweetly to her little sister.  “I might just call you my little magpie no matter what they name you.”  Chastity leaned down to whisper into her new baby sister’s ear. Her sister opened her tiny eyes and made a noise you might hear from a new puppy in response.  “Oh!”  Chastity exclaimed.  “I think she likes it.”

Laughter erupted from the whole room.  They all agreed that the nickname could stick.
             
After a few minutes of everyone getting to hold baby Mikale, the family returned little magpie to the nurse for her nap. 

“If you guys don’t mind, I’m going to find the doctor and check on Andie.”  John said.  His eyes were tired but all the tension had left his body.  He knew it was from seeing both his daughters and being surrounded by family.  Everything was going to be okay.  “Chastity, Timothy?  Will I see you again?”

Timothy who hadn’t really had time to speak to his father-in-law wasn’t sure how to react to the man Chastity hated for so long.  He recognized that his wife absolved her father, and so he knew he, too, had to let go of the feelings that had lingered for so long.

“Sir?” Timothy started.

“Sir?  Son, I’m not in the military anymore and I’m nobody’s sir.”  He chuckled.  “Call me John please.”

Timothy nodded cautiously.  “I think we’re going to stay a couple nights in a nearby hotel, to make sure we can stay here for Andie … and you.”  He hesitantly added.

John sensed his watchful demeanor.  It made him respect the man Chastity married.  He knew Timothy was watching out for his wife.  He was sending a silent message to tread lightly.  He was already Chastity’s protector.  John felt an immediate liking for Timothy and smiled widely back at him.

“Well I’d appreciate that young man.  You’re gonna do alright by her.  I can already tell, and that says something.”

Timothy, thrown slightly off guard, stammered in return.  “Um okay.  Well I better get us back to the hotel and let you take care of your family.”  He looked to Chastity.  She recognized his anxiety-ridden face and knew it resulted from her father and the fact that they were in a hospital.  She smiled up at him, wondering how he would be when it was her turn to have a baby.

Chastity hugged Jesse and Lauri goodbye with a full heart.  She turned to John and smiled.  “I’ll see you soon.”  She said softly.  John nodded in return.  It was more than he ever expected, and it was enough for today.  He watched the two leave, hand in hand, and reached for his brother’s hand. 

“Thank you Jesse,” John started.  Jesse shook it but frowned. 

“Don’t thank me.  This had nothing to do with me.  It was a God thing.  I could have never orchestrated this.”

“Ain’t that the truth?” Lauri said with a sigh.  “What a day.  Now go get to your wife and we’ll get to our hotel room too.  Make sure you get some rest.”

“I will.”  John said and turned to go find Andie.

Chapter 62

John spent the night next to Andie’s bedside.  Her parents had come and gone, with the promise of returning in the morning.  He promised to call if anything happened.  Visiting hours were over, but there was no way he was leaving Andie until he knew she would be okay.   His body craved sleep, but John had no intention of closing his eyes – not until he saw Andie awake and alert. 

             
Throughout the night her nurses made their routine rounds, checking her vitals, giving her meds, and taking hourly reads.  Each time they’d visit he braced for the news. 
Is she still okay? 
And every time they’d finish up, they’d smile down at him with warm assurance.  He heard more than once that he should get some sleep.  They brought him a blanket and some pillows to make his stay more comfortable, but all he could do was lean over to stroke his wife’s face. 

Thank you God for answering my prayer.  I’m forever grateful and know you gave me more than one miracle.
  John scooted his chair up to the edge of Andie’s bed and leaned his forehead against her mattress to continue in prayer. With all the best intentions of being a stronghold in prayer, John kept talking to his God and thanking him for the previous day’s events.  However, his body slowly took over as John slowly slipped into a quiet slumber.  The next thing he knew - someone was opening the blinds and morning sun was pouring in the room.  The whooshing sound of the privacy curtain being pulled back alerted his brain that it needed to start kicking out of REM and start waking back up.  He lifted his head and squinted in Andie’s direction.
             

             
“Morning sleepy head,” she mumbled softly.  She weakly smiled down at the man who fell asleep hunched over on the side of her bed.
             

“Oh I hear someone’s finally awake!”  The morning nurse almost sang out to her patient.  “That’s really good news!  That means you’re getting stronger.”  She smiled down at her patient.  “I’m nurse Brooke and I’ll be here until noon.  I see your man never left your side.” She smiled down at John, who almost creaked as he straightened up.

He rubbed his neck and moaned for only a second though, as it hit him that Andie was awake.  John quickly reached for her hand and slipped his free hand up her arm.  John gently moved on to the bed next to her. 

             
“Is it okay if I sit?”  He asked unsure.

             
“Sure, she won’t break.”  Nurse Brooke replied with a beaming smile.

             
“How do you feel?”  John asked.  Andie saw the worry flash across his face.

             
She nodded and took a deep breathe in.  “Like I’ve been drugged, but okay.”

“That’s normal.”  The nurse started.  She listened to Andie’s heartbeat and smiled.  “They told me you were awake!”  Andie’s surgeon walked in carrying her chart.

“Good, how do you feel?”

             
Andie smiled.  “I just told John I feel a little loopy … sluggish.”

             
“It’ll get better after a few days.  We’re just going to keep you a few days longer for observation but you should be okay to go home when your baby is.”

             
“Can I see her?”  Andie’s face lit up.

             
“Of course.  I asked them to bring her up.”  As if on cue, a maternity nurse walked through the door with their new baby girl and laid her on Andie’s chest. 

“She’s been cranky.”  The nurse said.  “But I know as soon as she hears her momma’s heartbeat, she’ll settle.”

The doctor nodded to the nurses and they all walked out. They wanted the Mikale’s to have their first few seconds of in privacy. 

John watched the transformation in his crying child.  He saw her little angelic face turn from the angry red, from crying, to a soft pink as she settled instantly.  Her cries turned to gentle coos.

             
“I know sweet girl.  I missed her too.”  He reached to hold her little hand in his fingers.   He looked up to Andie’s face and smiled sadly.  “You gave us quite a scare.”

             
“I’m sorry sweetheart.”  Andie laid her free hand on John’s. 

             
“No don’t.  Never apologize for something that is not your fault.”  He stressed.  “I’m just glad God answered my prayers and brought you back to us.”  John looked to Andie with hopeful eyes.  “You know what else He did?” 

             
“Nope, but I’m sure you’ll tell me.”  She smiled and blinked her eyes.  She looked so tired. 

             
He decided to give her the short version in the interest of time.  John knew she needed her rest.  “Chastity was here, with her husband.”

             
Andie drug her attention away from her newborn for a few more seconds.  “Did you just say what I thought you did?”

             
John nodded happily.  She watched his face light up with joy as the tears slid down his cheeks.

             
“And Jesse came too.  Andie, I have my whole family together for the first time.  I feel like a brand new man.  I feel like I could take on the world.”

             
Andie reached up to wipe away his tears.  “I’m so happy for you…for us.”  She looked down to her baby and kissed her little head.

             
And that’s how Chastity and Timothy found them, huddled together on Andie’s bed.  Chastity cautiously opened the door, wondering if it was okay to intrude.  Timothy was behind her with flowers in hand.

             
Andie’s face lit up when she saw her and waved her in.  “Please.”  She said with as much energy as she could muster.

             
John stood, not sure how he should greet Chastity.  He reached to shake Timothy’s hand and then awkwardly stood in front of his daughter.  She opened her arms to hug him and then quickly closed them. 

             
Man this is hard.
  But John was thankful for her presence.  He was okay if she didn’t want to hug.  He offered his hand to Chastity to shake it as he had Tim’s.  He looked to her with hope and a smile.  He hoped they could bridge the gap with a shake, and maybe allow it to turn into something greater.

             
Chastity took his hand and clasped it.  She laid her second hand over his and squeezed it.

             
John smiled to his wife.  “Andie, I’d like you to meet Chastity and Timothy.”

             
Andie offered their baby to John, and then struggled to sit up. 

Chastity rushed to her side.  “Here.  Let me help.” 

Andie was grateful for the help.  “So nice to meet you,” she said smiling.  “I’ve been waiting a very long time to know you, and I feel like I already know you.  May I give you a hug?”

Chastity smiled in gratitude.  She instantly liked this woman, and was glad John had someone, like her, in his life.  Andie opened her arms as Chastity nodded and fell into them softly.

Chastity wasn’t prepared for the strength Andie held in her embrace.  Timothy noticed that once Andie let go, Chastity looked a little awkward. 

To lighten the moment, he quickly blurted out.  “Now you can’t go around giving those away without sharing.”
             

They all laughed as Andie opened her arms to Timothy.  Chastity looked across the bed to her father.  He locked her into a lengthy stare, which clearly showed her the love he held for her in his eyes. 

             
“You want to hold your sister again?”  He asked rounding the end of the bed.  Chastity nodded and held her sister securely in her arms.

             
This is how Jesse and Lauri found them when they walked in.  It struck him what a normal scene it looked like.

             
It looks like family.
  He grabbed his wife’s hand and walked in to join
them
.