Page 18 of Finding Hope

Cash left a short while later and Jonathon said a little prayer of thanks that his sister had found someone as special as Cash, someone who obviously loved her deeply.

After finally finishing the crib assembly, he stood up and flipped it so it was the right side up. He lifted it and moved it so it was against the wall. Jonathon looked at his phone and saw that Josie would be home from school soon. That was one nice thing about the neighborhood he’d moved into, because the bus picked her up and dropped her off every day two houses down.

Josie had picked out the bedding for the crib, so Jonathon had washed and dried them earlier. He quickly made up the crib, smiling at the little teddy bears wearing blue bowties that covered the soft material. It was probably way too soon to be making up the crib, but he didn’t care. He liked looking at it and imagining his son sleeping in it.

He was just pulling burgers out of the freezer when the front door opened and Josie came skipping in. “Hi, Daddy.”

Jonathon moved around the breakfast bar. “Hi, my sweet girl. How was school today?”

She put her backpack on the back of the chair at the breakfast bar and climbed up, grabbing the granola bar he had waiting for her. “It was good. I’ve got homework to do,” she said with a little pout.

“Get used to it, kiddo. You’re going to have homework until you finish college. Bring your granola bar. I want to show you something.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and led her down the hall to the nursery. Jonathon pushed open the door and watched as Josie ran inside and squealed.

“Daddy, you made his bed! It’s so cute. Do you think Shannon will like it? Is she going to come live with us?”

He didn’t know what to say. Sure, he wished she would live with them, but he had to think realistically for now.

“I think she’ll love it, baby. I just don’t know if she’ll live with us.” Josie seemed bummed by that news and honestly he was too. “Don’t worry, baby. You just let your dear old dad figure it out, okay?”

The rest of the night was homework, dinner, shower, and then bedtime for Josie. In her room, he found her lying in bed with a book in her hand. She got her love for reading from Tessa. Those two could sit and read together for hours. He plopped down on the side of her bed and she smiled up at him. “Daddy, I think we should name my brother Henry.”

“Oh, yeah. Why’s that?”

“Henry Huggins. Aunt Tessa used to read that with me all of the time. It was one of her favorites when she was little.”

“That’s right, it was. Our momma used to read that to us when we were kids. I like the sound of that. Henry. I’ll share it with Shannon.”

When he closed his eyes, he could picture a little boy with strawberry blond hair and big green eyes like his momma.

“Can I call Shannon and tell her? I miss her.”

What could it hurt? He knew Shannon loved Josie no matter what and would never hurt her. He pulled out his phone, dialed for her, and then handed it to her. Her giggles made him smile.

“Does it hurt when the baby moves?” Silence. “It tickles? You’re funny, Shannon.” A pause. “I wanted to tell you that I thought of a name for the baby. Henry!” Jonathon held his breath as he waited for any reaction. “Really?” Josie shouted. “Yay! I’m so glad you like it.” There was a long pause. “Okay, goodnight. I love you, too.”

She smiled and then shouted, “Daddy! She loves the name Henry.” The joy on his daughter’s face melted his heart. How could Shannon not see what they could have together?

He tucked Josie in and then stepped out into the hall. Making his way to the laundry room, he grabbed the clothes out of the dryer and carried them into his bedroom, watching The League on Netflix as he folded his and Josie’s clothes. After he finished, he put his clothes away and stuffed Josie’s clothes back in the basket and set them on the floor so she could put them away the next morning.

Jonathon was sitting in bed when his phone beeped. He picked it up and smiled when he saw that it was Shannon.

Shannon: Henry, huh? I like it. Where did she get the idea from?

It warmed something inside of him that she liked it.

Jonathon: From a book that Tessa and Josie used to read together. It was a book that our mom read to us.

Shannon: What do you think? Do you like it?

Jonathon: I love it. When is your next doctor’s apt?

He felt terrible that he’d never gone to any appointments with her. With Alex, he never missed an appointment…ever. It was just one more thing that he would have to make up to her.

Shannon: It’s next Monday, why?

Jonathon: I’d like to come with, if that’s okay?

She didn’t answer right away and he started getting nervous, but what could he expect? He tried to think positively.

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