Page 64 of Home Is Where You Are

Instead, I used every ounce of strength I had to put the Jeep in drive and headed toward my destination.

Twenty minutes later, I pulled through the wrought iron gates of the cemetery. Even though I hadn’t been to this spot in years, I knew the way. I’d never forget where she was buried as long as I lived.

My heart rate picked up the closer I got.

The tree came into view first.

It was a gorgeous weeping willow tree that sat off to the right. The spot was picked because of the beauty of it. She’d always have a beautiful resting place if nothing else. The tears started just as I pulled up beside it and shut off the Jeep. I didn’t bother wiping them away. More would come the moment I reached her headstone.

I got out but didn’t bother taking the keys out of the ignition. No one would bother me here. On unsteady legs, I walked toward her. There was only one headstone directly under the tree. Moving its beautiful branches out of the way, I stepped under the tree and it came into view. A bench sat off to the left, something that was placed here long after I was in Virginia.

Sitting in front of the stone, I read the name that was printed in big, bold letters.

Arabella Faith Parkhurst.

A beautiful name for a beautiful little girl.

My hand reached up and traced each letter as more tears escaped. I could barely see the letters to finish tracing them. Once I was done, my mind and body were spent. I laid down in front of the headstone and cried harder than I had since the day we’d lost her.

A day that instantly came to the forefront of my mind.

“Mom, there’s no way I’m going to be able to fit into this dress,” I yelled into the hall so my mom could hear me.

I’d gained no more weight than when I’d tried it on, but I was bigger than I was a month ago. The skin of my stomach now stretched to the max, and I had four more weeks to go. There was no way I was going to make it that long. She’d be here long before that due date, I just knew it.

“You’ll look just as beautiful as the day you tried it on. Now put it on so I can see how it looks,” my mother said as she came into the room to help me get ready.

She shut the door behind her so I could take off my nightgown and get dressed without one of my brothers walking in.

I unbuttoned my nightgown and slipped off the cotton material. I held up my arms, and my mother helped me slip the black cotton material over my head. She pulled the dress down to cover my stomach. The dress hit just above my knees. Surprisingly, it didn’t feel tight like I’d assumed.

“See, you look beautiful,” my mother replied as she turned me to face the mirror on my closet.

I took in my reflection. The dress was a simple black cotton sundress. I should’ve gotten something dressier, but no other material felt good on my stomach other than cotton. No one would see it anyway, with my graduation gown covering it. I got a pair of flat black dressy sandals to match so I would be able to comfortably walk across the stage.

Turning around, my hand hit the bottle of perfume that sat on the edge of my vanity. Without thinking, I bent forward and tried to catch it before it hit the ground.

I felt a sudden twinge in my stomach that felt like a pop before I let out a scream at the pain that it caused. The pain was so severe it brought me to my knees and caused me to curl up in a ball.

“Momma, something is wrong,” I screamed as she rushed to my side.

She screamed for someone to help as she tried to assure me it was okay. That was when I felt wetness between my legs. I reached down to check and see if it was just my water that had broken. Only when I brought my hand up it was covered in a stain of red. My hand shook at the reality of the situation.

Something was wrong.

Very wrong.

I felt it in the pit of my cramping stomach as I continued to stare at my blood-stained hand.

Suddenly, Holden was there. In my room. At my side.

“Sis, it’s going to be okay. I’m going to pick you up, and we’re going to get you to the hospital. I’m gonna need you to remain calm and breathe for me, okay,” he said as I felt his hands go underneath my body and lift me up in his arms.

A scream of pain tore from me at the movement. Tears might’ve been falling down my cheeks. I wasn’t sure. I only knew everything was blurry and that there was pain. So much excruciating pain and blood. This couldn’t be happening.

Holden climbed into the back of my mom’s Jeep. He held me in his arms. Somehow without putting me down.

“You need to hang in there for me, Ainsleigh. Mom is going to get us there before we know it, and you’re going to be just fine. So is little miss Arabella.”