Long Time Running - By Hannah Foster Page 0,57

had happened she was finding it impossible to concentrate. Pulling the glasses off, she tiredly rubbed her hand over her face.

"Aunt Sarah?"

Opening her eyes she was surprised to find Jack, dressed in his Spider-Man pajamas, standing in front of her trailing his blanket behind him. A quick glance at the clock showed that it was near midnight.

"Jack, what are you doing up? Are you feeling sick?"

Shaking his head, he climbed on the couch and curled up against her. "I couldn't sleep."

Closing the file, she tossed it onto the coffee table before sliding and arm around him and kissing the top of his head. "You're thinking about your Mom, aren't you?"

He nodded.

She gave a small smile. Jack was very much like his mother. Even as a child Nathalie would always take things in, mull it over and then react to it. Sarah had been the one with the hair trigger reactions and it had taken her years to learn how to restrain herself. Stroking his hair, she looked down at him. "What are you thinking about?"

"Do you....do you think she knows it's my birthday next Friday?" he asked.

"I know she does" she reassured him.

"She never sent me any cards or stuff," he said sadly. "How do you know she remembers?"

Her heart cracked just a little as she tugged him closer to her. She had been so sure of her decision when she brought him home from Africa. By bringing Eric into his life, she had ensured he would have contact with a least one parent, even if Jack didn't know it was his father. But now she was beginning to wonder if she hadn't done more harm than good. She wouldn't trade a single moment that she had spent with Jack for anything but maybe, just maybe, Nathalie had been right.

"I know because I was there with her in the hospital when you were born and she was so happy to meet you Jack. She held you and cuddled you and covered you in kisses. She would never forget that day."

He pulled at his bottom lip as he contemplated her answer. "Why did she stay far away helping people instead of being with me?" he asked, looking down at his lap.

This was the question Sarah had always dreaded. It was true that she had seen how much Nathalie had struggled in the first few weeks after the fire but then she had returned home. When her sister had called and told her that she needed to give up Jack, she had immediately returned to Tanzania with a plan to talk her out of it. When she got there it was evident Nathalie was not the same person she had been - she was listless and withdrawn. Despite Sarah's multiple attempts to draw her out, Nathalie would not expand on what happened to her. There had never really been secrets between the two of them but there, in so much pain, her sister was closed off. So while she understood Nathalie had experienced a terrible tragedy, she truly didn't know all her reasons for giving him up and now she was expected to explain it to Jack.

"Jack, your Mom got sick when you were really little and she couldn't take care of you. So she asked me to come and get you and to take care of you until she was better." It wasn't the whole truth but she didn't feel that Jack needed to know Nathalie's original intentions and it certainly was not her place to tell him.

"But you said she was working."

"She was," she nodded, "but she still wasn't well enough to take care of you."

"Is Drew making her better?" he asked nervously.

Sarah smiled. "Yes he is and in a few days your Mom will be strong enough to see you and I'll take you, if you want."

"I'd like that" he told her. "Aunt Sarah?"

"Yes?"

"Even after I meet my Mom will you....will you still be my best pal?"

Sucking in a breath, she willed herself not to cry. Wrapping her arms around him she hugged him tightly and kissed the top of his head. "You better believe it Jack. For ever and ever."

#

Eric slid a coffee across the desk to Andrew. They hadn't really had a chance to connect since Nathalie's surgery and while Eric had so far resisted the urge to pepper him with questions or ask to see her chart he did want to hear any details Andrew had yet to share.

"Bribery?" Andrew asked, gratefully accepting the coffee.

Eric shrugged.