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Chapter Fifteen: Silas

"How are you doing with all this?" Jamie asks me in a whisper.

"Oh, you mean my wife being in a coma for a month to wake up and not remember that she is in love with me? That?" He nods. "It's going well. We are building our friendship again." I whisper back as we eat. Annika is on the opposite side of the table, talking to my dad and Gayle. Sofia is going over college stuff with Jonas. "It's weird and awkward, like starting a new relationship. I wish she would pop up and say 'just kidding, April fools.'"

"So, you guys haven't...?" I look at him, confused, and he pounds his fist together, saying, "ya know."

"Jesus, Jamie," I shout whisper to him. "No. We haven't had sex since the day of her accident."

"How blue are those balls?"

"Ugh." I moan. "She is such a tease, and she doesn't even know it." I stay at a whisper, so only he hears me. "It's like we are roommates and not a married couple."

"Dude, you'll get to take her virginity twice. How many other men can say that?"

"That's if she ever wants me again, I would never force her to move faster then her natural pace. And this is your sister we are talking about." I catch her eye from across the table and give her a crooked smile, which she returns.

"Right. Gross."

"You okay?" I mouth to her. She smiles wider and nods.

We finish the meal then go outside for s'mores. It's nice having to family all together. She looks in her element being with everyone here.

I bend over to tend to the fire. I look over to her. She is staring at my ass, biting her lip, pretending to listen to Jonas tell the story about his lesbian receptionist drunkenly kissing him in front of Gayle at the Christmas party. My dad and Gayle laugh as he tells the story.

I pretend I didn't see it. I don't want her to feel embarrassed.

Jamie gives me a thumbs up from across the fire. Of course, he caught that. "That's a good sign." He says as I take my place next to him on the log.

"I guess. I want her to love me. Not lust after me."

"One could lead to another."

"Just eat your s'more." I get up and move next to Sofia. She will be a better company. "How is school going?"

"Pretty good, almost done and graduated. I can't wait till this summer when I go to Scotland for that internship in Glasgow."

"Is that what prompted the change of hair? Wanted to fit in in the highlands?"

"Nope, I was just bored with my natural color. I will keep it like this for a while. I really like it."

"It's very pretty. It makes your eyes stand out."

"Thanks." After a moment of silence, she asks, "how are you holding up?"

"I'm fine."

"She will remember your life together. I don't know how she couldn't. You guys are like gross in love." I laugh at that. "Have you told her... about... you know."

"Not yet. I will get to it. I just don't want to overload her." She nods, staring into the fire.

~~~~~
A Few Months Ago

"Hey, babe!" She yells as I walk through the back door. "I'm in the office!" Once I reach her, I give her a kiss on the cheek. I reach my hands down and rub her stomach. The first trimester ended today. We are going to tell our family tonight. I'm nervous, excited. 

Nervous about getting our hopes up. Excited to grow our family. She deserves to be a mom. She will be so good at it. She already has the heart for it. She just needs the baby.

"How's the book coming?" I ask. Her fingers are covered in paint.

"I am just about finish with the first book for next year. I have the others drafted, so I need to get writing on those, but it kids books. The writing is the easy part," she raises her green and brown fingers to my face, "its the art that takes the longest." She gets up and washes her hands in the powder room. "How was work for you?"

"Oh, you know, long meetings, emails, phone calls. Another boring day at the office."

"Silas, if you aren't happy with work, you can always quit. I make more than enough for you to take a break and figure out what you want."

"You're sweet, Nik, but I'm fine. Work is work."

"Okay... How should we tell everyone tonight?"

"I saw these and got them." I hand her the two identical cards. "Not that that's how we need to do it, but its an option."

"' Only the best dads...'" she opens it, "'...get promoted to grandpa.' That's cute; I like it. I'm so excited to let everyone. Sof, and I need to paint that nursery toot-sweet." I move her back to the powder room facing to mirror and left her shirt up, looking at her little stomach. It won't stay little for too much longer. "I love you, Silas."

~~~~~

"Thanks for coming," I say to her parents at the door while she hugs Sofia goodbye.

"She seems to be in good spirits," Gayle says.

Her dad adds, "she will come back to you, Silas."

I just nod. I am not a particularly religious man. However, every night I have been praying to whoever out, there will listen for such a miracle.

Once the house is clean and clear, I go to the powder room to wash cold water over my face. I am not looking forward to another sleepless lonely night without her next to me.