Chapter seven

“Do you want another sandwich?” Jon asked his daughter softly.

“No.” Kris answered and continued to stare at the huge tree they were sitting under in the small atrium of the hospital. Richie and Jon needed their joined power of persuasion to get her out of her son’s room. She didn’t want him to be alone, but Richie promised he would stay with him.

Jon sighed and put the sandwiches in a box again. Joan made them, knowing very well that the food in a hospital was nothing for her family.

“The girls are fine, they wanna visit John. We told them they still need to wait.” Jon said. Kris only nodded. She was miles away with her thoughts. Jon shook his head, but before he could continue to talk Kris whispered.

“Am I a bad mother, just like her?” Jon looked at her confused for a second, before he realized that she was talking about her biological mother. It had been years since she mentioned her. Why was she thinking about her now?

“Sweets, you ain’t like her. I already told you that years ago.” Jon kneeled down in front of her, took both of her hands in his and looked her deep into her blue sad eyes. “You are a wonderful mother.”

“But I couldn’t protect my baby…she…” Kris sobbed. Jon interrupted her immediately.

“She didn’t care about you; she was putting you in this situation on purpose…you, sweets…” he touched her cheek softly. “…you never put your kids into any danger and you didn’t push John off the tree. It was an accident. It’s not your fault.” Kris nodded and leaned into her father crying.

“I just wish I could be up there instead of him. I just wish he wouldn’t have to go through that.”

“We all would immediately trade places with him, if it would be possible…but it’s not. We can only be there for him. Show him that he is not alone. Show him that we love him.” Jon rocked her gently.

“Remember what the Doc said, we don’t have to talk with John all the time, but we need to touch him, hold his hands, so he can feel that we are there. That he doesn’t have to be afraid.” Jon repeated the words of the Doctor like a mantra.

Kris looked at her father and whipped her tears away. “Words can’t say what love can do.” She whispered.

Jon smiled softly. “Words can’t say what love can do. You are right sweets.” He kissed her forehead.

“How about we go back? Richie will worry were you two are.” Jon said with twinkling eyes.

“You know?” Kris looked at him surprised. Her father laughed.

“Your mom is handling you with kid gloves. That happened only once so far. I’m not stupid.” Jon chuckled. He tried his best to get a little smile from her. No success.

Kris only nodded when they walked back into the building and tried to get her emotions under control. She promised herself not to cry when she was with her son.