"What do you mean she doesn't remember Sam passed?" George asks.

"She doesn't remember!  It'll wear off, but when you go in there No One mention Sam" Dorothy stares everyone down.

"What if she asks us where he is?" Anne asks.

"Just tell her he got called in to work."

"She'll never believe that, Sam would have quit his job before he left her at the hospital alone."

"Well I don't know what else to tell her, Jane! We can't tell her he's gone, she'll lose it!

She can't be under that kind of stress right now."

***

A little later Sarah went in to see her with the baby.

"Oh Sarah! Hi! Thanks for coming." Jessica smiles with sleepy eyes.

"We had to come see our aunt Jessie! Didn't we, Rylie?"

"Awe! Hi pretty girl! Oh she's such a cutie!"

"Say thank you!" Sarah says in a cute voice as she bounces her.

"Heh! So how are you feeling?"

"I'm sore, but okay. I'm gonna have a scar! They cut me." Jessica pouts.

"Aw sweetie, it's okay! I'm sure it's just a tiny scar."

"No ones gonna see that part of my body besides Sam and I anyway... and he doesn't care what I look like.  No matter what he still thinks I'm beautiful.
He saw me pregnant with twins and he still thought I was sexy!" She giggles.

"Hah!  Sam was an amazing guy." She says as Dorothy walks in.

"Who are you talking about?!  Sam?!  Yeah, that man tried to stay, but we told him they needed him at work!"

"What?" Sarah looks at her confused.

Sarah had gotten there before  Dorothy had a chance to speak with her about what was going on.

"Just go with it. She can't remember." Dorothy whispers when she hugs her.

"Oh!" Sarah's eyes widen.

"He's such a hard worker!" Jessica smiles.

"Yeah.. He's the best." Sarah's heart broke for her friend.

Jessica looked so happy. Her eyes always lit up talking about Sam, and in the past few weeks every time his name was brought up, a sad look appeared on her face.

The sadness in her eyes was something she never saw in Jessica.

***

Later that day.

"Samuel, where is your father?  I just had surgery!  Is he mad at me?"

"No mom, of course he's not mad at you!  He had to go to work. 

Just get some rest."

"Okay.." Jessica lays back and traces her fingers over her stomach.

"I'm really happy we're having this baby.. it's been so long since your father and I had a newborn, it'll be interesting how we'll handle this little guy." She giggles.

"You and dad were great with us.. I'm sure dad will help you more now, than he ever did before.."

She smiles at him and says, "Sam is a great father." She looks up at the ceiling and takes a deep breath.

"The day your father and I decided we wanted to have another baby.. Heh!  He was so excited!  I can't wait to go through it all over again with him...

I remember he...

Wait.." Jessica's smile fades.

"It was the day before... Before he..

No!  Wait!"

"What's wrong, mom?"

"Your father!  Is he dead?" She looks at Samuel with her eyes filled with tears.

"Mom-"

"Shit, I'm so stupid!  Why am I so confused?"

"It was a reaction from the anesthesia." He says as Jessica starts crying hard.

"Don't cry, mom." Sam sits beside her and holds her hand.

"How did I forget that?  Why was that the only thing I forgot?"

"The doctor said that a lot of people tend to forget the really traumatic things that happen.. I'm so sorry, mom."

Jessica continues crying.

"It's okay, mom.  Don't get yourself upset.  You need to relax."

"I miss him so much, Sam."

"I know, mom.. I miss him too." Samuel gives Jessica a hug as she sobs.

***

One week later.

"You guys, it's been a week since the surgery, I think I can make myself a sandwich."

"Mom, you need to rest!"

"James, I'm fine.  Thank you all so much, but I don't want to spend another day in that bed!"

"Well you don't have to!" Sam smiles.

"Yep!  You have your follow up appointment today." James adds.

"Ugh!" Jessica rolls her eyes.

"Mom, we'll take you to lunch if you don't wine about it."

Jessica laughs and says, "I've been acting like more of a child than you guys lately, haven't I?"

"Yep."

"Sorry!" She smiles.

***

Dorothy met them at the doctors office so that Jessica wouldn't have to go back by herself.

The boys waited in the waiting area and Dorothy and Jessica went to the back.

They examined Jessica and ran some blood work to see how she was doing.

"You are recovering really nicely, Mrs. Shepard, and the baby looks great!  He's a big little guy!"

Jessica smiles and the doctor continues.

"Still lay off any strenuous activity, for a while.  We will keep a close eye on you throughout your pregnancy just to be safe."

"Alright, no problem.  Thank you so much!"

***

23 weeks pregnant.

"Boys, please go out and enjoy the last week of summer.  You have done so much for me, and I appreciate it so so much!  But please get out."

"Fine." James laughs.

The boys split up and go out with friends.

Jessica stayed home and watched tv on the couch in her pajamas.

*Knock Knock*

"Oh dammit!  Who is it?" She whines.

"It's a struggle for me to get off this thing, it better be somebody good!"

She opens the door and smiles.

"Sarah!"

"Jessica! How are you?"

"I'm good! Come in!"

Jessica sits down and sighs.

"Look at you! That boy's getting big!"

"He is." Jessica smiles and runs her hand down her stomach.

"Where are the boys?"

"I sent them out. They've been great, but I need a break from them." She chuckles.

"Aw! Haha, they're such great boys."

"Yes they are!"

"Isn't it exciting that you're getting another one soon!" Sarah smiles and rubs her stomach.

"Yeah." Jessica smiles then looks down and stays quiet.

"What's wrong?"

"Sam was such a big part in these boys being the way they are now.  What if I can't raise him right? It's gonna be so hard being a single mom. The twins are leaving for college in a year, but Michael's still young. I just don't wanna screw them up."

"Sweetie you're not gonna screw them up, and you are not alone. You have so many people here that love you and want the help you.

I know that you'll raise this little boy to be just like his daddy and big brothers.

Sam will be so proud."

Jessica smiles softly.

"I feel bad that the boys have had a pretty crap summer.  I wanna take them on a small strip before school starts."

"That would be good.  Where would you guys go?"

"I don't know, I'll have to talk to them.

We might as well go now before I get too big to travel or unbearable to deal with." She chuckles, then looks at her stomach while tracing her fingers on her bump.

"It'll be nice to get away just the four of us before the baby gets here and everything changes even more."

***

Where should they go?

They live in Minnesota, if that helps, haha.