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“Yeah.” I rub my face, then let out a sigh. “I told Dad about it the last time I was here. It’s the same recurring dream. I see his face smiling at me, then Lex comes and takes him away.”
I leave out the parts of the body bag and other gruesome things, not wanting to stress Mom since she has her own memories of him.
“I believe he must be trying to tell us something,” she almost whispers. “My dreams are… somewhat similar.”
“But what, Mom? I can’t go on with these sleepless nights,” I admit out of desperation. “Nothing is working, not even the sleeping pills I’m taking.”
“Is there anything that helps?” Lex asks, his expression one of concern. “Anything which stops this from happening?”
I glance over at Jessa, watching her try to feed Bentley, who’s far more interested in the balloon Rocky hands him. Oddly so, the balloon looks like a giant dick.
“A long time ago, there was,” I murmur with my stare fixated on her.
“You know, sometimes it just all works out,” is all Lex says. “But maybe, for now, Elijah is trying to tell you both something.”
Mom’s lips curve upward into a smile. “I think he is. As for life, when you least expect it, it works out.”
Lex’s words continue to play in my thoughts. I wish I knew the reason why these dreams are so vivid, thinking just like him, something is trying to be said.
The birthday party goes on for hours with the kids starting to wear themselves out and Bentley’s overtired tears coming hard and fast. He crawls over to me, pulling himself up to my legs and begging for me to pick him up, calling, “Andy.”
“What’s wrong, buddy? Too much excitement?” I ask while carrying him, only for him to rest his head on my shoulder.
“He needs a nap,” Jessa says, reaching out for him, to which he shakes his head. “No, Mama. A… Andy.”
“You know he only remembers your name because ofToy Story?”
“Great movie.” I grin, then remember something Mom once told me. “Mom said I used to always write my name on my shoes, just like the movie.”
Jessa laughs. “Why am I not surprised?”
“I’ll help take him for his nap,” I insist, wondering if he’ll fall asleep on the walk upstairs.
I follow Jessa through the house, welcoming the silence. My ears are still ringing from the noise outside, only realizing now how loud kids can be. It doesn’t help that Rocky insists on riling them up, chasing them around the yard pretending to be a dinosaur on the hunt for kids to eat.
It’s been years since I walked down these halls, the nostalgia coming back until we’re inside what appears to be a room for Bentley.
“Noah and Kate went all out,” I mention, scanning the room.
“First grandchild, you know how it is.”
“Imagine what my mom will be like.”
“The closet will be bigger than the nursery,” Jessa muses.
Jessa motions for me to place Bentley down so she can change his clothes as I keep him occupied so he doesn’t fuss. When he’s freshly changed, she places him on the ground for him to crawl to a toy beside the rocking chair.
Then, I remember his gift, buried in my back pocket. I pull out the little blue box and hand it to Jessa.
“For the birthday boy.”
“You didn’t have to get him anything, just being here is enough.”
“I wanted to,” I murmur, then draw in a breath. “Open it.”
Jessa pulls the little ribbon off, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. When she lifts the lid, she gasps in complete shock.
“Andy…”She barely breathes. “You remembered?”
