Mia becomes startled and feels her belly. “Something happened,” she says, placing her hand on her belly.
Pops and I look concerned and Savannah Mae asks, “Did the baby kick?”
“What?”
“Did the baby kick? Feelin’ movement comin’ from the inside of your belly can sometimes be startlin’.”
Pops and I look at each other as fear leaves our face.
Mia smiles and says excitedly, “It did it again.”
“I miss that feelin’. It’s amazin’, isn’t it?”
“I have to call Levi. He won’t believe it,” Mia squeals.
“We need to get back to work. This buildin’ won’t reconstruct itself. Thank you both for lunch,” Pops says, downing the last of his bottled water.
“You’ll be over for dinner?” Savannah Mae asks.
“If that’s an invite, I’ll be over.”
Mia pipes in, “Since I’m off, why don’t everyone come over to my house for dinner? We’ll celebrate the baby kickin’.”
Pops, Momma, Savannah Mae, and I will have dinner at Mia and Levi’s at 6:00 this evening. I thank Mia and kiss Savannah Mae goodbye. The guys and I work until 4:00. “I didn’t expect so many workers to show today.”
Pops look around at the eight workers. “They did come out in full force.”
“It looks like I’ll need to set up a payroll account for this. I initially thought of just paying the one or two who showed up cash.”
“See how many plan to continue this project until the end. If the majority plan to stick around, you’ll definitely need a payroll account for them. You don’t want to get in trouble with the tax people or labor department.”
“Good idea.”
I pay everyone the same amount in cash and I’m pleasantly surprised to see they are all planning on helping out until this project is finished. They are also hesitant about taking the money, although I know they need it. Johnny thanks me and says, “This will help Momma pay the light bill.”
I nod and it makes me a little sad because a 16-year-old boy is working to pay the electric bill. Hopefully, with the money he earns tomorrow he’ll be able to buy something for himself. His school lessons come first, but he can work on the weekends.
When everyone leaves, I get the wheelbarrow from the shed at Savannah Mae’s, and I start hauling the firewood we cut down earlier. She’s over at Mia’s helping with dinner while Sawyer Jackson’s with his dad. I didn’t get all of the wood hauled the short distance to her house, but I did get most of it. This will be a nice stockpile for next year.
Savannah Mae
Mia and I fix dinner together at her house, and Nelly even came over to help us. It’s nice havin’ a girls’ day while the guys are at work. It’s the first time Mia has opened up about the concerns of her baby havin’ Down syndrome.
“My biggest fear is the baby will be born with a severe form of the syndrome. I’m praying every day that if she has it at all, it’ll be very mild, but honestly, she could be born with a very severe case.”
“Have you talked to Levi and your doctor about this?” I ask.
“All the time. The research is frightening to us. If the baby does have Down syndrome, she can have other health issues such as heart problems and seizures, and she can even have muscular problems. What if Levi and I are selfish? What if our decision to continue with the pregnancy is the wrong decision?” she cries.
My eyes well up with tears. I know her concern is real. Abel Lee and I have been doin’ our own research. The severity level is alarming.
“What does your heart tell you, Mia?” Nelly asks.
Mia looks at Nelly and wipes away her tears, “That my baby will be fine. I can see her smilin’ and laughin’; she’s happy and healthy.”
“Then hold on to that thought, Mia. I also can see my future little grandbaby runnin’ around and laughin’. Believe that he or she will be okay. Don’t give up hope on that.”
The front door opens and in walks Levi. Mia wipes away her tears before he can see them. He enters the kitchen with a smile.
“Hi,” he says before he walks over to kiss Mia. “So, my baby was kickin’ today.”
“She was,” Mia says, proudly.
“He missed his daddy,” Levi corrects the gender of the baby.
“He might be a girl,” Mia says.
“And she might be a boy,” Levi laughs. We all laugh and soon forget the unhappy thoughts of the baby’s future. I personally think the baby will be okay. I don’t want to think anything different.
“I need to shower before dinner. If he kicks again, come get me.”
“Yeah, I’ll do that. Get up there and shower before your Pops and brother show up.”
“I’m goin’, little Momma.”
It makes me smile to hear Levi call her “little Momma.” It is such a sweet gesture.
Bud and Abel Lee show up and we have a sit-down dinner in the eat-in kitchen. We had to use extra chairs from the card table to accommodate everyone at the table. The baby kicks and Levi, Nelly, and Abel Lee are able to feel it. They are all excited and thrilled. This is the first child in their family, and I know how excited they are.
I decide I need to make plans to throw Mia a baby shower. I remember how little I had when Sawyer Jackson was born, and how much I needed. Havin’ a first-born baby, you really don’t know what to expect or what you’ll need. I’ll need to get with Nelly and talk to her about a date and time.
After dinner, I get a text from Ethan asking me to pick up Sawyer Jackson. He said he hasn’t been feelin’ well. Abel Lee watches me from across the room and I try to smile. I’m worried, but I try not to show it. Anytime my son is sick, I worry. It’s all part of bein’ a parent. I stand and say, “I need to get Sawyer Jackson from his dad. I’m sorry, I hate to rush off.”
“Is everything all right?” Nelly asks.
“He’ll be fine. Ethan said that Sawyer Jackson’s not feelin’ well.”
Abel Lee stands and says, “I’ll take you.” He doesn’t wait for an answer as he kisses his momma and Mia and shakes his Pops’ and Levi’s hands.
I also kiss and hug everyone before leavin’.
“Is he all right?” Abel Lee asks as I get into his truck.
“I hope so. He’s been complaining of a headache the last few days. I wish he had called me earlier, I could have taken him to the doctor today.”
“Call and get him in to see his doctor first thing in the morning.”
“My car. I should take my car home. I’ll need it for tomorrow.”
Abel Lee says, “You can use my truck,” before he shuts my door.
We rush over to Ethan’s apartment and I’m surprised when Abel Lee goes to the door with me, but he stands back while I knock.
“How is he?” I ask when Heather Sue answers the door. I hear someone throwing up and I walk past her into the apartment. Sawyer Jackson is on the couch and Ethan is holdin’ a bucket up for him to throw up in.
“Please come in,” she says after I’m already in.
I ignore her and focus my attention on my sick boy. I have a lot I want to say to her, but this isn’t the time or the place.
“He just started throwin’ up,” Ethan says. I kneel down to be closer to my son and feel his forehead. “He said his head and his belly’s been hurtin’.”
“He has a fever,” I say.
“We’ll take him to the hospital,” Abel Lee says. “Do you have a blanket we can wrap him up in? The truck’s already warm.”
“That’s my good blanket,” Heather Sue says, looking at the blanket fallin’ half off the couch onto the floor.
Abel Lee walks up and wraps Sawyer Jackson in the blanket and says, “We’ll see you get it back.” He lifts Sawyer Jackson up and cradles him like a newborn baby.
Heather Sue says, “Ethan, you can stay here. I doubt that it’s anything serious.”
“You might need this,” Ethan says as he hands me the vomit bucket. “Call me when you find
out what’s wrong,” Ethan yells out the door to us.
I sit in the backseat with Sawyer Jackson as Abel Lee drives us to Bethesda Hospital in Zanesville. Rose Farm, Roseville, and Crooksville are too small to have a hospital. Sawyer Jackson throws up on Heather Sue’s good blanket; if I didn’t feel so sorry for my son, I might have gotten a little enjoyment from that.
“We’re almost there. Hang on, Buddy,” Abel Lee says. It’s the first time I ever heard Abel Lee call my son by his nickname. It almost sounds unnatural comin’ from his mouth.
When Sawyer Jackson vomits again, I get worried. I repeat Abel Lee’s words: “Hang on, Buddy.”
I ask Abel Lee, “Can you hurry?” It’s all I can say. My son has never thrown up this much or this often before.
“Almost there,” he says as he picks up speed.
He pulls up at the emergency entrance and parks. He rushes out of the truck and I scoop Sawyer Jackson up in my arms. Abel Lee opens my door and takes Sawyer Jackson from me. Usually, he waits and closes the door after me, but today, he rushes inside the hospital, leavin’ me to close the door. I love that he is lookin’ out for my son. I wonder why Ethan didn’t think it was urgent when Sawyer Jackson was sick and vomitin’ with a fever?
We are led to a room right away.
Abel Lee says, “I have to park the truck, I’ll be right back.”
“Hurry,” I say as I watch the nurse attending to my sick son.
“I will. It’ll be all right, Savannah Mae.”
Within minutes, the doctor is in the room orderin’ the nurse to give my son a shot of Phenergan for his vomitin’, some Tylenol for his fever, and an IV of fluids for dehydration. I’ve never seen my son get an IV before. I hold Sawyer Jackson’s hand as he dozes off to sleep. I’m thankful that Phenergan causes drowsiness. The doctor orders blood work and we wait. Sawyer Jackson’s fever comes down, but he moans in his sleep from pain.
Abe Lee walks into the room and sits beside me. “How is he?”
I tell him what the nurse and doctors are goin’ to do for him. “He’s dehydrated.”
“It’s because he’s thrown up so much. I called Momma when I parked the car, I didn’t want them to wonder where we are.”
I nod and Abel Lee holds me close; I let him. I continue to hold Sawyer Jackson’s hand as he sleeps. I pray and Abel Lee looks fearful. It dawns on me that Abel Lee doesn’t have children and although I’m scared, I still kind of know what to expect during a hospital visit.
“Are you okay?” I ask, looking at Abel Lee.
He tries to smile, but the smile doesn’t reach his eyes. “He looks so tiny lying there.”
“He does. He always seems so much smaller when he’s sick.”
“I feel so helpless. I don’t think I ever felt this way before.”
I look away and watch my sick son lie helpless on the hospital bed. “It sucks. Feeling useless is the worst part of parenthood.” We sit quietly and stare at the IV dripping fluids into Sawyer Jackson’s tiny hand. I wonder if I should call his daddy or my parents. I decide to wait until I know something.
The doctor comes in and tells us someone is in the waitin’ room.
“I’ll go talk to them.” Abel Lee stands and walks out the door to give the doctor and me some privacy.
“Your son’s white blood count is elevated. We’re going to admit him overnight.”
“What does that mean?” I ask as I watch Sawyer Jackson sleep.
“It means he has an infection. We’re just not sure what kind. We’ll run some more tests and hopefully, we’ll get an answer soon.”
I look from Sawyer Jackson to the doctor. “It isn’t anything serious, is it? He’s gonna be all right, isn’t he?”
“Mrs. Dickerson…”
“It’s Miss, I’m divorced.”
The doctor nods. “Miss Dickerson, it’s probably nothing serious. We’ll know more tomorrow.”
Abel Lee
I walk out into the waiting room, expecting to see Sawyer Jackson’s dad, Ethan. I know if my son were in the hospital, I would want to be there. I’m surprised that he didn’t come. To my surprise, I see Momma, Pops, Levi, and Mia. Momma stands and she looks concerned. “How is he?”
“I’m not sure, the doctor’s in there now.” I look around the room and everyone looks sad. “He’s dehydrated. They gave him something for his fever and his nausea.”
“Can we see him?” Mia asks. “We’ve been so worried about him that we needed to see him for ourselves to make sure he’s all right.”
“I don’t know, he’s so sick.” I look at Mia and say, “He’s so small and helpless lying there.”
Pops says, “You feel like you want to do something for him and you can’t.”
“Yes.”
Pops says seriously to Levi, “Welcome to fatherhood.”
“Is that what fatherhood feels like?” Levi asks.
“Sometimes, yes,” Momma agrees.
The doctor comes out and Mia asks him if she can go back and see Sawyer Jackson. He informs us they are admitting him and will be moving him upstairs. I go back with Savannah Mae while Pops, Momma, Mia, and Levi go up to the pediatric floor to wait for us.
We all visit while Sawyer Jackson sleeps. Thankfully, the medication causes drowsiness. I decide to leave when everyone else does.
“Do you need anything for tomorrow?” I ask before leaving Savannah Mae there to attend to her sick son.
“Clean clothes and a toothbrush would be nice.” She thinks for a moment and says, “You’ll be at work tomorrow on the old schoolhouse, so I’ll have my sister bring my things up when she comes. It’s better that way. I don’t mind if she looks in my underwear drawer.”
“Do you have your cell phone to call her?”
“Yep,” she smiles.
“Is it charged?”
I watch as she reaches into her purse for her cell phone. “Abel Lee, you treat me like a child,” she says as she looks at her phone. Her smile fades and I don’t need to ask.
“Here, take mine and I’ll charge yours,” I say, handing her my cell phone for the night. I take hers and kiss her goodnight.
“Thank you, you know me so well.”
“It’s my job.” I kiss her again and I lean down and kiss Sawyer Jackson on his forehead. He’s asleep and doesn’t move. I wait at the door for everyone to say their goodbyes. “Call me if you need me, and I’ll be up right after work.”
Savannah Mae walks up to me and hugs me again before I leave. “Thank you, Abel Lee.”
“You’re welcome, Savannah Mae. Call me if you need me or if there’s any changes.”
When I get home, I do the chores and shower before bed. Momma and Pops go to bed early, leaving me to my thoughts. It’s still cold, so I add another log on the fire before turning in. I lie awake and think about Sawyer Jackson. I can’t get the feeling of helplessness out of my head. I wanted so much to help him, and I couldn’t do anything. I never wanted children and this is the reason why. It’s hard to want to help a child and there’s nothing you can do for them.
I also think about the anonymous letters I’ve been getting. I have no clue who sent them, although I know several people who could have a vendetta against me. Being a professional boxer isn’t easy. You go into the ring knowing there is the possibility that you may not come out alive. It’s something you know and you accept. You just pray that fate will be on your side and you’ll live to see another day.
I’ve been very lucky in my boxing career, but others I fought haven’t been so fortunate. I once killed a man in the ring. It was almost enough to make me hang up my gloves forever. However, my trainer and coach pushed me to continue. While I was seeking counseling for killing a man, they were promoting me and scheduling my next fight. The next fight didn’t happen right away. Boxers were frightened to go into the ring with me. I was thankful because I needed that year to heal. I took a man’s life. Although it was unintentional, it weighs heavy on my heart, and on my mind.
; I set up a financial account to help the family with funeral and living costs, I sent flowers to the funeral home, and I also sent a letter of condolence. I took a man’s life, and no money will ever replace that. I just wanted them to know I was sorry.
If someone had killed my brother, Levi, would I be mad enough to go after them? I wouldn’t hesitate. I’d beat them down and not even think twice about it. The letters must be from that man’s family.
The next morning after church, Pops and I go to work and Momma goes to the hospital to see Savannah Mae and Sawyer Jackson.
“Tell Savannah Mae I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
“I will, Abel, but I’m hopin’ that they’ll both be home by then.”
“He was pretty sick, so I doubt he’ll be home anytime soon.”
“You’d be surprised what antibiotics can do.”
Pops and I fill the cooler with drinks and the thermos with coffee before we head down to the old schoolhouse. Johnny is already there waiting for us, just like yesterday. All the guys who were here yesterday show up for work today. Danny from the church brings hot breakfast sandwiches for everyone.
“I heard about Savannah Mae and her son. I figured you didn’t get much sleep last night,” Danny says, handing me a cup of coffee.
“Thank you, I didn’t.” I wonder how word spread so quickly about Sawyer Jackson.
“How is he?”
“He was pretty sick last night. I haven’t heard anything yet today.”
“Pastor Jenson said he was going’ to start a prayer chain for him. Send out a group e-mail to everyone in the church. Hopefully, he’ll start feelin’ better soon.”
I take a drink of my strong black coffee and watch as the other workers help themselves to the breakfast sandwiches Danny brought. “I hope so. He was pretty sick last night.”
“Never underestimate the power of prayer, Abel.”
We get to work and Johnny and I finish cutting down the trees and then we haul them over to Savannah Mae’s house. I’m pleased to see the stockpile she’s starting to get. Although it’s the beginning of March, it’s still cold in Ohio.
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