Ana glances at the name displayed on the screen of her phone before she answers. The name she sees makes her smile. She hasn't spoken to Ken in a very long time. Now she's hoping that maybe enough time has passed for his hurt to have heal. Maybe now they can get some of their friendship back.
With this in mind, Ana answers the phone in a very cheery voice. "Hey, stranger! How are you, Ken?"
But Ken's voice is anything but cheery in response. "Not so good, Ana. I..." She can hear a catch in his voice as he continues. "Ahem...I have some bad news... There's been an accident..."
"Are you okay?" Ana asks, thinking the pain in his voice is due to physical injury.
"No, I mean I'm...fine... I wasn't in the accident." His voice is even thicker as he chokes out, "It's Dad. They rushed him to the hospital."
"Is he okay? What happened?" Now that sound of pain is there in her voice too.
"They haven't told me how he's doing yet. Apparently someone lost control of their car, and hit him while he was walking from his car to the office. I'm on my way to the hospital now, and I thought...you probably didn't know anything had happened yet."
"I'll meet you there." She is already rushing out the door, trying to keep her mind from racing to the worst possible conclusion.
With this in mind, Ana answers the phone in a very cheery voice. "Hey, stranger! How are you, Ken?"
But Ken's voice is anything but cheery in response. "Not so good, Ana. I..." She can hear a catch in his voice as he continues. "Ahem...I have some bad news... There's been an accident..."
"Are you okay?" Ana asks, thinking the pain in his voice is due to physical injury.
"No, I mean I'm...fine... I wasn't in the accident." His voice is even thicker as he chokes out, "It's Dad. They rushed him to the hospital."
"Is he okay? What happened?" Now that sound of pain is there in her voice too.
"They haven't told me how he's doing yet. Apparently someone lost control of their car, and hit him while he was walking from his car to the office. I'm on my way to the hospital now, and I thought...you probably didn't know anything had happened yet."
"I'll meet you there." She is already rushing out the door, trying to keep her mind from racing to the worst possible conclusion.
As soon as Ana sees Ken in the waiting room, she knows that the worst has indeed happened. She collapses into the nearest chair as her heart breaks. The doctor confirms what she already knows, but hearing the words said aloud makes it worse. The man she loves is gone from this life. All Ana can do is sob.
If she thought things couldn't get any worse, she was wrong. Whether from the shock of the news of Arthur's death or some unrelated cause, Ana goes into labor... a month early.
Luckily both Ana and the baby are fine in the end. The baby boy will have to spend a little extra time in the hospital nursery, but other than being a little early he is perfectly healthy.
Now resting from the untimely childbirth, Ana begins to think of her other kids. How am I going to tell them about Arthur?
She has one of the nurses contact their schools to let the kids know they will need to come to the hospital instead of going home today. She asks that they just let them know about the baby being born, not to mention anything about the accident. She feels like she should be the one to tell them. Since Aaron is a teenager now, he can help the younger kids get here safe.
Eventually the nurse comes back into Ana's room to tell her that her kids have arrived. Tired as she is, she meets them out in the waiting room. She doesn't want them to come in the room and notice Arthur's absence. She is pretty sure that they know something is wrong when she walks in.
"Mom, the nurses wouldn't let us come back to see you. Is the baby okay?" Aaron asks.
"Yes, your new brother is fine. I just have to talk to you all about something..." Sharing the news of Arthur's death is probably the most difficult thing Ana has ever done in her life, but she tries to hold herself together to stay strong for the little ones.
Luckily both Ana and the baby are fine in the end. The baby boy will have to spend a little extra time in the hospital nursery, but other than being a little early he is perfectly healthy.
Now resting from the untimely childbirth, Ana begins to think of her other kids. How am I going to tell them about Arthur?
She has one of the nurses contact their schools to let the kids know they will need to come to the hospital instead of going home today. She asks that they just let them know about the baby being born, not to mention anything about the accident. She feels like she should be the one to tell them. Since Aaron is a teenager now, he can help the younger kids get here safe.
Eventually the nurse comes back into Ana's room to tell her that her kids have arrived. Tired as she is, she meets them out in the waiting room. She doesn't want them to come in the room and notice Arthur's absence. She is pretty sure that they know something is wrong when she walks in.
"Mom, the nurses wouldn't let us come back to see you. Is the baby okay?" Aaron asks.
"Yes, your new brother is fine. I just have to talk to you all about something..." Sharing the news of Arthur's death is probably the most difficult thing Ana has ever done in her life, but she tries to hold herself together to stay strong for the little ones.
Really it is a cruel thing to happen. Innocent children arrive at the hospital excited to meet the newest member of their family. Only to find out that they have lost a beloved family member as well.
They are allowed to miss school for the next couple of days. For Ana those days pass in a blur. She comes home from the hospital, but the baby can't leave the hospital just yet.
Then the day of the funeral arrives.
They are allowed to miss school for the next couple of days. For Ana those days pass in a blur. She comes home from the hospital, but the baby can't leave the hospital just yet.
Then the day of the funeral arrives.
Ana, her kids, and Ken are the only ones at the small graveside ceremony.
After the short service, Ken apologizes for not checking on her and the baby in the hospital. "I just had to get out of there. How are you and baby...."
"Brandon. It's the name Arthur suggested for a boy. His middle name is Arthur."She barely chokes out the name, then Ana breaks down into sobs again. "I just... can't believe...he's gone!"
"Brandon. It's the name Arthur suggested for a boy. His middle name is Arthur."She barely chokes out the name, then Ana breaks down into sobs again. "I just... can't believe...he's gone!"
Ana lingers by the tombstone. Ken, graciously offers to take the kids home to give her a little more time to say goodbye.
Two weeks after being born Brandon is ready to come home. Ana is happy to finally have her baby home with her, but there is definitely a heavy cloud hanging over her this time around.
Two weeks after being born Brandon is ready to come home. Ana is happy to finally have her baby home with her, but there is definitely a heavy cloud hanging over her this time around.
Sometimes when she holds Brandon in her arms, she just can't keep her mind from wandering to the man she misses with every fiber of her being.
She holds tight to last gift Arthur gave her. Because when she holds Brandon close she feels close to Arthur once again. She knows he left a piece of himself in each of their kids. Aaron too, because Arthur was a better father to her oldest than Mitchell ever was.
Gradually life returns to relative normalcy.
Gradually life returns to relative normalcy.
Aaron and Bridget throw themselves into their school work.
Blake and Ben take the loss particularly hard, but at least the twins have each other to lean on.
Ana is on a mission to keep herself busy. She has too keep herself active for both her own sake and that of the kids.
As long as she keeps her hands occupied with some household chore, the can hold herself together.
The house is cleaner than it has ever been.
Spending time with Brandon and the older kids also keeps Ana in one piece.
She starts spending a little time on her appearance again, rather than going about all her chores in her pajamas. She is sure the kids had noticed her regular attire of late, and she doesn't want them to think she is feeling depressed (even if it's the truth). She practices putting a smile on her face, hoping that one day it won't have to be a fake smile.
And she starts taking her daily jog again mostly just to get back into a routine. Getting up and moving is better than sitting around doing nothing, even if she does miss the presence of Arthur jogging along beside her.
So she takes it one day at a time. Things do start getting better. Ana knows she will always love Arthur. Sometimes she feels a little bitter about it, thinking that she should have known better that to get so close to someone. But mostly she is just sad that their time was cut short.
For now she will put her love for her kids first, and hope that the saying is true. Hope that time really does heal all wounds.
For now she will put her love for her kids first, and hope that the saying is true. Hope that time really does heal all wounds.