Chapter 15

Knowing that school was cancelled because of snow, when they awaken they just continue to lie there sharing in each other's warmth and love.

With a big yawn and stretch Sarah rolls over onto her back. Christopher's right arm is holding her tight. She reaches down and takes hold of his arm with both of her hands and she does another mighty stretch.

Christopher wrestles that right arm out of the blankets and scratches his nose. Then while kisses her cheek he says, "Good morning, babygirl."

"Good morning." she says, yawning again. "What are we going to do today?"

"I don't know about you, but I'm pretty happy right where I am."

Sarah smiles, and as she scoots even closer to him she says, "Me too!"

The bond of intimacy and trust that is building between them can never be broken now. Christopher brings his right hand up and brushes some hair out of her face. He places his right hand on the left side of her head and makes her turn towards him a little so he can kiss her forehead. "At some point we should try and make it to the hospital to visit Nana."

"Definitely."

Christopher asks, "So, how did you like your first night in sleeping in only your underwear?"

"You mean my panties?" she corrects with that special smile girls get when they feel like girls. "I loved it very much! The warmth of our legs touching and you holding me so tight and safe was ... wonderful! Thank you, Christopher."

"I will create a safe and loving atmosphere for you to express yourself however you want to. Beyond that, it is up to you to have the courage to embrace the many freedoms of being an American and the many wonders of being human, but even more special aspects of being a girl. Hold on to your innocence for as long as you can, sweetheart, because outside of these covers and walls the world can be a very cold and vicious place. But of course I don't have to tell you that."

She shakes her head for a second, but she is no longer going to let the shadows of the past dim her brilliance today. She smiles and grabs his arm that he has wrapped around her above the covers. She snuggles under his weight and protection and her beautiful heart is again free to live. With every second that passes they help each other further from their troubled souls. What a strange and wondrous combination for pure and innocent love to flow.

To get his blood flowing in the morning, Christopher always does some quick exercises. After he does his crunches he starts to do some push-ups. Sarah walks over and lies on top of him as he is doing them. He keeps going. Then he stops in the up position and says, "Hey, shouldn't you be doing your own pushups if you want to get into shape for swimming?"

"Nope, I'm good." Sarah says, in near heaven.

"Humph!" he says, in an over exaggerated way. Sarah giggles. Then he does more push-ups.

A little while later Sarah has found her second center of harmony in Christopher's house. The first being of course right next to him, but the second is laying in front of the fireplace since Christopher has it going again. She is lying on her tummy, propped up on her elbows with her diary in front of her and all her other writing supplies surrounding her within arm's reach. As soon as they ate their pancakes she went over and planted her beautiful flag as she claims the spot for little goddesses everywhere.

Christopher has no idea why she is so willingly sharing the graces of her beauty with him so freely and without even a hint of shyness, but he promises himself and the universe that such trust and grace will not go unrewarded. For her comfort, he is already planning on buying her some kind of comforter or sleeping bag she can lie on and some big pillows she can prop herself up on.

He doesn't know if it is wrong to admire something so pretty, pure and innocent, but he cannot help but watch her from time to time as her beautiful mind works away at their novel. More than once when she looks over to him to ask a question, she finds him lost in her grandeur and all she does is smile so prettily and ask her question. He swears at times he can see a golden glow coming from her pure aura.

At last Christopher, with great regret from a heart that at long last is starting to be able to see beauty again (he saw so much ugliness in the war, Hollywood and even a couple moments in his own childhood), he realizes the day is getting long and this good time is coming to an end. "The snow is still coming down pretty good right now. If we are going to make it at all we should probably go now. Why don't you get dressed, after all, the day is already half over, and we'll head out."

Sarah gets up and comes over to stand before Christopher still in her underwear and top outfit as he sits on the couch, she gets a far away look. She places her pristine little hands on Christopher's knees as she says, "It was snowing the day my mom and dad were killed in the car crash."

Christopher's eyes fill with compassion as he pulls her into his lap, giving her a hug. She is on her knees that are on each side of him, and she has her arms wrapped around his neck as she begins to cry. Christopher doesn't say anything at first, he just holds her and lets her cry.

About five wonderful healing minutes later, Sarah leans her upper body away from him so they can make eye contact. Christopher lovingly and protectively has his left arm wrapped around the small of her back with his hand on her tiny left waist, and he has his right arm wrapped around her left hip with his hand on her right thigh, as she says in a small voice, "I miss them very much sometimes. I was six when they died, but I am very lucky to have Nana, and now I have you."

"That's right, you do have me. If you ever need to talk I will be here for you. Okay?"

"Okay."

Christopher is starting to feel a little sad, because originally he bought this house as an investment. He was going to spend a year, fix it up and sell it for a profit. He could have never seen something like this happening. Besides the fact that he seems to be helping Sarah, this beautiful sweet-hearted nine-year-old girl is pulling him out of a melancholy nightmare. He truly does not know what he is going to do now.

With a smile, Christopher pats Sarah on the tush, kisses her on the lips, and then Sarah lays her head on his shoulder again for another minute. When she pulls back up, the life in her beautiful blue eyes again makes it all worth it.

"Whoa!" says Christopher, as they go sliding into the parking lot of the hospital.

He looks over quickly to make sure Sarah is not scared, but she is getting more of a kick out of his reaction than even thinking of being scared. Sarah obviously feels completely safe around Christopher, but the strangest thing is Christopher feels completely safe and at ease around Sarah.

Since he had returned from the war he has been hyper vigilant, or even, some might say, jumpy. A car backfiring, people gibbering in a foreign language thinking they are plotting to attack you and yours, or lingering silence that you are just so sure is the calm before the storm. Even just walking down a crowded street and then you turn onto another street that is completely empty of people. Your heart starts pumping faster and your eyes start darting about as you take a tighter grip on your weapon.

Originally Christopher was going to get a permit to carry a loaded and concealed firearm for Connecticut, but he has got so caught up in a whirlwind of wonder and laughter that he has completely forgot about it.

"Look, it has stopped snowing." Sarah says, as she climbs out of the driver's side, wearing her new pink fluffy winter coat, her red jeans and her new pink and white winter boots. Sarah loves pink.

"Good, maybe we'll order a pizza tonight if they are delivering." Sarah's eyes go big as she nods her love of that idea.

"Can we get Nana another card?"

"Sure," says Christopher, putting his right arm around her shoulders.

When they walk into the room the doctor is already talking with Nan. "Hi, Nana."

"Hi, baby. So, doctor, I want to get some things in order first, but how about in a week."

"Okay, but don't wait too long. We got the infection under control for now, but we have to get that blockage out of there or it will just fester again. I'll set it up for next Thursday, the twenty-second. You should come in Wednesday night."

"I'll be here, Doctor Jansen. So how is my darling granddaughter doing today?"

"Great!" Sarah replies, with a divine smile. "School was cancelled because of a snow day, and Christopher and I started our book last night. Do you want to hear what we have so far? It isn't much, but I like it."

"Sure, but let me talk to you guys for a second. I have to have surgery on my stomach to get rid of a partial blockage. It isn't serious, but it did cause the infection that made me sick. I will be in the hospital for a whole week before they will let me come home, because of the fear of infection. I was thinking of having Karen take you home for that week."

"No, Nana, no! I want to stay with Christopher. He helps me with my math homework, we are writing our book, and he brushes my hair, which you like and are always yelling at me to do."

A smile comes to Nan's face. "Oh, I don't know, sweetheart. A week is a long time." Both Nan and Sarah look at Christopher.