can be a lot of work but if you keep trying you'll eventually get inside and what is inside my sister is more beautiful than you can imagine."
"I know," he whispered.
The shrill ring of his cell phone brought all further conversation to a halt. Fishing it from his pocket, he flipped it open.
Nathalie knew immediately that he was talking to Eric. Her heart started to race and she could feel her palms go clammy. As he closed the phone she looked at him expectantly.
"They're on their way up."
Though she was dying to see her son, she could not quell her nervousness. "Do I...do I look okay?" she asked almost breathlessly. "Maybe I should sit in the chair, rather than the bed? What do you think?"
Andrew took her hand and squeezed it. "I think you take a deep breath. And then another. You are fine in the bed." Leaning in, he kissed her forehead. "It's going to be fine Nat, I promise."
Hearing a knock at the door, she exhaled slowly. "C-come in" she called.
As the door swung open revealing Jack standing in between Sarah and Eric, holding their hands, Nathalie caught her breath. Her eyes pricked with tears as she was reminded of just how much time had slipped by and of how her heart recognized him instantly.
"Jack" she whispered.
The young boy looked from his father and then to his aunt. Sarah smiled at him and gave him an encouraging nod.
"Hi," he answered shyly.
Breathing raggedly, she stared wondrously at him. "I have...I have m-missed you," she told him. "Very much."
Dropping the hands he was holding he ran across the room and climbed carefully on to the bed before throwing his arms around her neck. Nathalie closed her arms around him and held him tightly to her.
"My baby boy" she whispered, "you've gotten so big"
Pulling back slightly without letting go of her, he looked at her with great seriousness. "I am almost eight."
Chuckling softly, she nodded. "I know you are." She sighed. "I love you Jack. I have loved you from the moment I knew I was carrying you."
"Are you better now? Aunt Sarah and Eri-Daddy said you were sick."
Her heart skipped a beat at hearing him refer to Eric as 'Daddy'. "I am getting better," she told him.
"Did Drew fix you? He can fix anything!"
Catching Andrew's eye, she winked. "Yes he did and yes, he can fix anything."
"It's my birthday on Friday," he announced to her as he slid from her lap and sat beside her, cross legged on the bed.
"I know" she told him softly. "I celebrated your birthday every year even when I wasn't with you."
Jack's green eyes widened in surprise. "You did?"
Cupping the side of his face, she nodded. "I did," she replied softly.
"Did you have a cake?"
Sarah finally found her voice and spoke. "Jack is a big fan of cake - chocolate with strawberries. Just like you," she added.
Nathalie dragged her thumb underneath her eye. "I didn't have a cake but I used to go to a place called Table Mountain where I would climb along one of the paths until I would find a quiet spot. I would always pack a small picnic and when I found the perfect spot, I would sit down on my blanket and write you a letter I would put all my love out into the universe to find you and make wishes for you."
"Did they come true?"
She inhaled sharply as she thought of the times she sat there, nearly overcome with loneliness, where she would pray for forgiveness for all that she had done and where she would ask the universe to take care of his son and ensure he was well loved. Looking over near the door where her sister, Eric and Andrew were all pressed against the wall, she smiled.
"Yes, they did. I wished for you to be loved and it's clear to me that you are."
"Did you really miss me?" He played with the corner of the blanket, not quite meeting her eyes.
"Oh my Jack," she rasped. "Every single day." Fingering her locket she reached around and unhooked it. Popping it open, she held it in the palm of her hand. "I carried you with me every single day."
Kneeling up the young boy peered at the tiny baby photo and smiled. "That's me!"
"Yes it is," she confirmed.
Tracing his finger over the four leaf clover, he scrunched up his face. "What's this?"
Raising her eyes, she looked briefly at Eric and smiled before turning her attention back to him.
"It's