All Signs Point to You Part Two, Navaura Campbell [best novels for students .txt] 📗

Three days later:

Jordan stared out over the lake, pushing his fingers through his hair. Last night, his mother had stopped talking. She'd been in the middle of a slurred sentence, when her voice faded out. He swallowed, his heart aching. He had to find something to get past this. He needed something. Anything would do. He was set to graduate in a month.

He didn't believe his mother would last past this fall. At the rate that she was deteriorating. It was impossible. He sat on the dock, watching ducks land in the water. Inhaling sharply, he put his hands in his head. What to do? He'd had his hands in his face thinking, for about ten minutes, when he heard soft footsteps further up the doc. Looking back, he discovered Denise making her way toward him. Quickly a soft smile came over him. She came to where he was and slid in next to him. He leaned over and placed a kiss on her temple.

"Hey, De-De."

She sighed, "Hey, Jordan."

Jordan watched as her feet began to copy the same motions his were doing, swinging back and forth along the dock.

They sat silent for a minute, him thinking of his mom, her thinking of the baby. She wondered how he would take it. She hoped he wouldn't just bail out. That would be too much for her to swallow. He said he'd loved her, right? So, surely he would love their child. Closing her eyes, she listened to the sounds of the bay.

After ten minutes of silence, she closed her eyes tightly, exhaled sharply and whispered his name.

He turned his head to face her. "Yeah?"

She glanced over at him. "I love you so much."

He smiled, "I know. I love you, too."

Denise slid a little bit closer to him, "I love you, alot, and..."

Jordan watched as tears welled up in her eyes. He reached up and wiped them with his thumb. He watched her swallow and take another deep breath. "And...I...I..." Jordan stood up and pulled her up with him. Wrapping her in a hug, he placed a kiss in her hair.

"I...don't want to loose you," She whispered.

He closed his eyes, inhaling the lilac perfume he'd come to love so much over the years. He held onto her tightly. "I'm not going anywhere, Denise."

She held onto him tightly, the tears coming harder, racking her body. Jordan furrowed his brows, sensing something else was wrong. "Denise, what's wrong, baby?"

She gasped in between tears. "I...I..."

Jordan ran both hands through her hair, pulling her face up. Temporarily he forgot about his mother. "Baby, what's wrong? Did something happen to you?" He whispered, his eyes darting over her face in frantic motions.

Denise inhaled a deep breath, and exhaled. "Remember that day I was absent from school about two weeks ago?"

He licked his lips, "Yeah."

"Well..." She swallowed again and then closed her eyes, opening them, she whispered in a trembling voice, "I'm pregnant."

Jordan felt every bone in his body stiffen up. Did she just say what he thought she did? As if confirming, she whispered this again, disbelief in her tone. "I'm pregnant."

For a good five minutes, both were silent. He adjusting to the news, her seeming to accept it.

"You're pregnant?" He inquired, his eyes focusing on her again.

Denise let out a small tight laugh, "Yeah."

"I'm going to be a dad?"

 

That night, Jordan got home in a daze. He and Denise had talked till sundown at the pier, going over the details she'd been given on the day after she'd awoken from slumber. They also talked about how far along she was. She'd had her first appointment the previous week, finding out that she was six weeks. Six weeks and two days, to be exact. They also talked about what it meant for both of them to have a child. She wasn't too thrilled, neither was he, he had set his sights on going to Hampton University come fall, but now it looked as if he'd have to find something else to do.

As soon as he walked into the house, Patricia, her day nurse, greeted him with a smile, "Hi, Jordan."

He smiled back. "Hi, Trish. How's mom doing?"

Patricia turned off the television, stood up and began to gather her things. "She's doing well."

He nodded his head grimly. "Yeah." His tone was soft. "That's good."

Patricia had been sent over from a hospice center in Richmond. She had been recommended by Dr. - last week, when Jordan had finally admitted that he could no longer keep eye on her all the time. She was a girl with honey blonde hair, beautiful brown eyes and a soul to match. Just like his mother, all she talked about was Jesus. Putting a hand on his shoulder, she said, "Jordan, God's got this in his hands, ok? When your mother does pass away, she'll be with the Lord. That's something you should find comfort in. Jesus can always go the distances we can't."

Jordan nodded, not wanting to offend her by telling his ideas, but be cordial. She glanced at him, a look of sadness on her face. "Pray, Jordan. Ask Jesus to help you through this, because you're not going to get through this without his help. Ask him." With that, she exhaled softly and then exited the house. The quiet momentarily loud with the closing of the front door.

He closed his eyes, his mind drawn back to the day's developments. He was really going to be a father.

As he thought things over, he knew he wanted to tell his mother. Of course she wouldn't say anything back, but he knew she deserved to know about her grandchild. He didn't believe just because her body had began to shut down, her brain was shut down too. As long as she had breath in her body, her brain was still functioning. Plus, she still had the use of her eyes, although he didn't know whether she could see or not. He hoped her hearing was in tact.

He paused outside her door, nervous, gathering strength. Once he had, he opened the door, went inside and walked up to her bed. Pulling a chair up to it, he watched as she lay, her lashes fanning her cheeks in thick was the only hair she had left on her face. Even her eyebrows had gone. He stroked one of her pale cheeks. They had long since lost their glow. He sighed, "Hi mom."

There was no response. He stroked her head, and whispered, "I have something to tell you." He continued to stroke her forehead, chin, cheeks, nose, "I don't want you to be mad," He whispered. "Because I know you've never believed in sex before marriage and all that stuff, but I figure since you're leaving, I may as well tell you." He attempted a laugh, "That way I can't be murdered."

Silence filled the room for a moment, leaving him to deliver his message, "Denise is pregnant." His mother's eyes flew open, and she stared at him. Her eyes held both surprise and pleasure at the news.

He laughed, "You're not mad?"

There was a blink. He laughed, "One blink for yes, two for no."

She blinked once. He laughed again, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do it, but you said so in your letter that you'd seen us have kids."

She blinked once. He licked his lips. "I love you mom."

If there was any point where she would've smiled, he imagined it would've been in that moment.

"I'm going to be a dad." He whispered, wiping a tear from his own cheek. She blinked once.

"I love her mom. I'll try to do good by her."

She blinked again.

Suddenly a thought formed in his head, "Would you mind if I had her come stay with us?"

There was two blinks.

"Is that a yes or no?" He whispered.

There was one blink.

”“So, you don't mind?"

There was two blinks. He leaned over and kissed her cheek, "I love you mom."

There was one blink.

He whispered, "You are going to be a grandmother."

There was one blink.

By the time Graduation day rolled around, Jordan still hadn't asked Denise to move in yet. He wanted to, but didn't exactly know how to do that.

As he got ready that morning, he gazed around the hallways he'd frequented, knowing that this would be the last time he'd walk through again. He smiled, perfectly content to do just that. Although he'd been given a Maroon and White cap and gown, he had yet to put it on. He continued on walking, ducking into every class-room on the way to home room. He cleared his throat, a smile forming on his face. He'd had some great times in this place. The pep rally's for one, were off the hook. Better than brown's. He laughed, and stopped just outside the door. After this, then what? Inhaling sharply, he was reminded of Denise and the baby, his baby she was carrying. He was going to have a child in seven and a half months.

"Hey, Jordan."

He turned around and greeted Denise as she approached him. Wrapping her in a hug, he kissed her forehead. "Hey, De-De." Looking down at her, he said, "Let's go somewhere and talk."

Denise looked around the vacant halls. "There's no one here, Jordan." She whispered.

"I know, but we still have twenty more minutes before homeroom start."

Denise shrugged, "Ok." He sighed and grasped her hand in his. Together, they walked into the library. The Librarian looked up at them, greeted Denise. "Hi, Denise, how are you today?"

Denise smiled back, "I'm good Mrs. Ericks. How about you?" Mrs. Ericks was a petite woman, with ash blonde hair that was in beautiful curls around her head. She was a beautiful woman. She often told Denise that they were alot alike, because they had kindred spirits. Denise had smiled the first time she'd told her and asked her to explain. Mrs. Ericks had told her that anytime two spirits could stand side by side and not fight with one another, they had kindred spirits. It was that familiarity. That's what she told her. That familiarity among spirits always brought contentment. Denise had laughed and agreed with Mrs. Ericks.

"I'm good as well. Are you excited about graduating?" The librarian stated, her tone pleasant.

Denise smiled, "Yes ma'am, feels like I been waiting forever."

"Yes, when you do, make sure you come back to visit, alright?"

Denise nodded, "Yes ma'am, I will."

The Librarian glanced back down at whatever project she was doing. Jordan led Denise to a table in the back, away from the librarian. They didn't have to hide from prying eyes, because there weren't any. Sighing, Jordan took a seat at one of the tables. Denise followed suit.

"I can't believe I'll never sit in here again." She whispered, running her hands along the table.

"I'm grateful for that one." Jordan laughed, a twinkle in his eye.

Denise smiled, "Hmmn."

Jordan sighed, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine. Doing good." Instinctively, her hand went to her stomach.

"That's good. And the baby?" Denise nodded, "He's good too."

"He?"

"Yes, it's a boy."

Jordan narrowed his eyes, "How do you know?"

"Because I dreamed it."

Jordan lifted a conspicuous brow. Now she sounded like his mother. "You dreamed it?"

"Yes, I had a dream the baby was wrapped up in a blue blanket and you were cooing at it."

Jordan laughed, "A boy?" He didn't know what to make of it.

"Anyway, we only have ten minutes to get to class. What's up, Jordan?" She inquired, anxiety evident on her face.

"Well..." Jordan began, took a deep breath, and whispered, "You don't have to do this if you don't