REprisal - Kathy Coopmans Page 0,63
a great place to watch all those Disney movies you will be watching instead of baseball.”
He scoffs.
“Nah. My little princess here will be watching those baseball games with me, won’t you, sunshine?” he asks, smiling down at Journey. “And I did this, not my mother or Krista,” he informs me.
“You did this? But how?”
“When I told you in the hospital we would talk about things later, this was part of it. Things happened and we didn’t get around to it. I had a lot of time on my hands. I wasn’t able to leave my mother’s house, and I was going out of my mind with worry for you. Zack and several guys from his department packed up all of our old stuff and sold it, with the exception of all of our personal items and special mementos and stuff. I started searching on line for a new place, and I found this. After I saw it, I fell in love with the floor plan. Since everyone thought I was dead, I couldn’t put it in my name, so my mom put it in hers. I picked out this room and our bedroom on line, and your dad went and purchased it all for me and brought it here. I… I hoped you would be back one day so I could see the look of joy and love on your face just like I do now.”
My heart goes out to him. I am truly thankful he didn’t give up on me.
“You’re amazing, you know that?”
He shrugs.
“I’m not amazing, Clove. I’m in love with my wife, who I would do anything for as long as she’s happy and loves me back.”
I blink several times, fighting back the tears that want to fall. Tears of joy. I lean up and place a soft kiss on his lips. I grab his free hand and tug him down the hallway while walking backwards.
“Oh my!” I squeal as I look into the first bedroom.
“More like, oh, holy pink!” Turner exclaims as we step into Journey’s room.
“Jesus, did they buy out the whole damn store?”
We both snicker as we look around the room. The walls are still white but covered in photos of pink and brown teddy bears. A white crib with a pink and white polka dot comforter sits up against one wall and in the corner sits a large, deep cushioned chair and matching ottoman in a brown and white polka dot print.
“This is amazing!”
I spin to look at Turner who is standing over the crib where he has now placed Journey, his eyes firmly fixed on the wall in front of him. I gasp, my hand going over my heart. I was so busy taking in the entirety of the room that I totally missed seeing it before.
A brown tree is pasted on the wall with our three names on it and a saying above it that fits this small family like no other words possibly could.
‘One day a princess was born. Her name is Journey. She was made out of love.’
“She really was made out of love, you know?”
I give him a coy smile.
His arms wrap tightly around my waist, peeking his head over as we watch the baby try and reach a mobile hung with yet more pink bears.
“Yes, she was.” I say, admiring her.
“When I walked into your hospital room for the first time, you were dreaming. I heard you talking in your sleep.”
“I was dreaming about that night.”
“I know you were,” he says, giving me a squeeze. “I’ve thought about that night a lot when you were missing, and many other nights we shared, too. You know none of those nights even come close to the way I feel right now. With you, with her. I just want you to know that boy or girl, she’s ours, and I will be damned if anyone will take my family from me.”
Letting me go, he sticks his hand inside of the crib and pulls out a baby monitor.
“Now, let's go see our room.”
My vivid imagination runs a little wild leaving her in her room by herself. Turner picks up quickly on my fear, escorting me out with a small shove.
“She’s fine. We will be right down the hall. The house is locked up and we have this,” he reassures me, twirling the monitor around on his finger.
“Do you even know how to use one of those?”
“Yes, I do, smart ass. I told you, I got this shit down pat. Nolan and