Pyro

“Are you guys crazy?” Jonathon demanded. “If you go for those kids now, you’ll ruin any chance that they have for happiness.”

“Chill out, Jonny,” Kendra said. “They never actually answered each other. They didn’t say yes. Not yet.”

“I do, but I’ve been afraid to say anything,” I said, carefully.

“What do you mean?” Jackson asked.

“In my future…they weren’t there.”

“So? You’ve said that your visions or feelings don’t always come true. You have kids in your future with Kendra.”

“Yes, but not our—yours and mine—hers and mine. She’s pregnant now, but that wasn’t in my vision either. We don’t have kids right away.”

“So? It might not be what you saw, but things do change. The future isn’t set in stone.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Just trust me.”

“I always do, don’t I? Even when I know you’re lying.”

“True story.”

“How do we go about finding them?”

* * *

“Are you sure about this?” Jonathon asked. “Are you sure that you want the responsibility?”

“Of course,” I said, rolling my eyes. He’d been asking the same question for over a week now. “I mean it. Stop asking.”

“Its going to be a lot to deal with. Especially with the baby on the way.”

“Then it’s a good thing there’s four of us, isn’t it. We out number them.”

“I can’t believe you’re going for this Kendra,” Jonathon said.

“I love her,” Kendra said. “Besides I’ve always wanted a big family. I can’t wait for this little one to come into the world. I can’t wait for hers to join us.”

“What about Jackson?”

“What about him? He’s their father; he deserves to be in their lives.”

“I’m not sure if I can do this.”

I looked at Jonathon. “If you can’t stomach it, you don’t have to stay,” I said. “No one is forcing you to stay.”

“I know that.”

“You’re not ready for the commitment that my life will bring. Right?”

“Right.”

“Like I said, you don’t have to stay. I’m not forcing you. You’re not my boyfriend or my husband. I’m asking a lot.”

“You’re right.”

“But again I’m not making you stay.”

“Let me think about it.”

“Fine.”

Jonathon walked out of the room and I could hear the front door open.

Kendra looked at me, sadly. “Do you think he’ll come back?”

“I just don’t know.”

“I’m sorry.”

I shook my head. “It’s okay. If he can’t deal, he can’t deal. I’m not sure I can totally deal. I thought my girls were gone forever.”

“It’s okay. I know you said you didn’t remember, but since you’ve had some time to think about it, do you remember anything at all?”

“No. I remember giving birth to all three girls and then they told me that during the night one of the girls didn’t make it.”

“Can you be hypnotized? That might help you remember.”

“It’s worth a shot. Know anyone?”

“A psychiatrist may be able to do it. I’ll have to research it for a little bit. I’ll get back to you.”

“Thank you.”

“No problem.”