Chapter 49 - Jim

“Look at you!” Mom coos, going right for Alyson’s belly. Alyson grins and bears it, and I mouth sorry to her, knowing she doesn’t like to have her stomach touched. “That’s a definite baby bump. She’s so precious, Jim.” Mom steps away, throwing her arms around me. She wasn’t always overly affectionate, but seeing your eldest son repeatedly knock on death’s door does something to you.

“She is,” I agree. “I think I’ll keep her.”

“How are you feeling?” Mom asks Alyson, following us into the house. We’re having dinner first, and Mrs. Langford went all out with the food. This wasn’t supposed to be a big ordeal. Alyson and I wanted our family and that’s it, but it’s grown to more of a party-party than a small dinner party. We woke up this Saturday morning to Mrs. Langford bustling about the kitchen, starting the cooking and cleaning early.

I didn’t expect my parents to come all this way down from Michigan, but Mom insisted she and Dad needed the break. Whic