Chapter 22
A year later, the kids walking and being just normal kids, Jen thought about returning to work. Maybe in six months or so she thought. The thought of leaving her kids saddened her a little. Jan had called a few days ago and they talked for hours on the phone. Jan was tired of modeling and was going to come home and take a rest for awhile. Jen was very happy her sister would come home and see the kids for the first time. She told Todd that night and he was happy for her. The two of them were so close.
Just after the news of Jan coming, a pregnant Jen had a miscarriage. The doctors said nothing to worry about, it happens. A few months later Jen returned to work three days a week. Jan started coming to work with Jen and the both of them worked hard on the advertising end of the business. Glenda had been up to the house and spent many hours with a camera crew taking pictures of the twins and the home life of the Lincolns. Jen and Jan put out a special addition of the Lincoln magazine. Jan did most of the layout, from her experience in modeling and Jen did the writing. The magazine sold out so fast that they went back and printed another run of it. Lines were formed at stores selling the magazine.
Jen was pregnant again so Todd suggested she back off work and takes it easy this time around. She consented. The twins were two years old now and starting to look like their parents. Both were blond, but of dark skin. Blue eyes stared back at you with intelligence. They were very close to each other. Played together like Jen and Jan when they were growing up.
Two weeks later, Jen was in the hospital with the second miscarriage. Doctors had a concerned look on their faces. They consulted with Todd and wanted to run some tests on Jen. Todd was beside himself. “God, please, please don’t take my Jen away from me,” he said through tears.
A week later, Jen was home and Todd walked through the door with a downcast look on his face. Grandmother looked at him and the housekeeper too. The kids ran up to him and he picked them both up and held them tight. Kissed their cheeks and slowly climbed the stairs to their bedroom. Jen was resting and had just woken up when he came in holding the two kids in his arms. She looked at him and he began to cry.
A few days later Jen was operated on. Todd was beside himself with grief. Both her parents were in the waiting room. Finally the head surgeon walked into the room and asked Todd to follow him to his office. Todd meekly obeyed and in his office sat there numb with the worst thoughts running through his head. The doctor said, “Todd we removed all we could of the cancer, but we didn’t get it all. As a doctor yourself, you know we have to recommend our normal procedure with cancer patients: chemotherapy and some new drugs that show promise. She will, as you know, feel great for awhile and then get slowly worse. My best estimate is one year at the outside. Would you like me to tell her or would you like to be the one to tell your wife?”
Todd said, “Thank you doctor and I will be the one to tell her parents and sister. When I think it’s the best time I will tell my wife.” Todd was having a hard time keeping his emotions in check as he slowly walked out of the doctor’s office.
Inside the waiting room he broke the news to her parents who immediately broke down and Dr. Curtis quickly recovered and hugged his son in law. Jan walked in and guessed the situation and ran into her mother’s arms sobbing. She looked at Todd and said, “I knew, I felt it all day long. She is going to die, isn’t she?”
Todd nodded his head and she released her mother and fell into his arms. Todd put his arms around her and she quit crying holding on tight. They all went to the cafeteria and had some coffee waiting for Jen to wake up. Todd vowed to use all of his resources to prolong the life of his wife. However, he knew that it was all in vain, but still held out hope. He would, he promised, spend the remaining time with his wife and kids.
For the next year he stayed with his sick wife. Damion took care of the business. Mario helped out and was a great supporter of Damion. They worked well together. The Lincoln Group was doing better than anyone had dreamed. Todd’s original plan was perfect. Every step of the way he had predicted and was touted in the industry as a genius.
At grandmother’s house, Todd and Jen talked for hours when she wasn’t sleeping from the drugs. She never felt any pain. She was strong and proud to the end. She spent her waking hours with the kids and her husband sitting on the bed and at her side.
Todd then remembered the bad dream he always had and now it raised its ugly head in the realization of truth. In the dream he had remembered looking down at Jen’s mother in the hospital. But in fact is not her mother but his Jen. The bike with the two seats was in reality three seats as he rode the bike with the two kids behind and his wife jogging beside them with her pony tail swinging back and forth going around the park.
Almost a year to the day told him by the doctor, Jen went to sleep for the last time.
Chapter 23
God’s tears were falling on top of the canopy showing His grief for the family. Thunder and lightning could be heard and seen in the distance. Under the canopy only the immediate family and friends sat listening to the priest mumble in Latin. Todd thought and said under his breath, “A perfect day for a funeral. Jen would love it. She is probably watching right now at all of us mourning for her.”
He saw her lovely smile and remembered the night on the sailboat the first time they made love listening to the rain pounding on the little sail boat. A small smile could not be seen by others.
Sitting next to him on either side were little Todd Jr. and Penny. They were leaning on him and he had his arms around them. Grandmother sat next to Penny and Jan was on Todd Jr. other side. Jen’s mother and father could be heard sniffling and an occasional sob came from June.
In the Lincoln Group, Damion and his lovely wife Violet; Alex and Maria who were now married and she was due with their first baby soon; Pete and his family; and Nancy, Glenda, Ann and Jens other friends, like Beth and could be heard expressing their grief.
The priest finished and nodded to Todd and he went to stand under his little canopy. Friends and family started to move to their respective cars to have a chance to say their final goodbyes and to share their grief together at Jen’s parent’s house.
Doctor Curtis led his wife to the car and the only ones left standing were Todd, the twins and Jan. Penny looked up at her father and said to him, “Daddy is mommy in heaven now?”
Todd dropped to his knees and told them both with his arms around them and said, “Yes, mommy is in heaven with God and she is looking down right now at us.
“How come we can’t see or hear her," Todd Jr. asked.
“Well son, only mommy’s body died and her spirit is up in heaven with Jesus and his Father: God.
The twins didn’t understand but trusted their father. Todd stood up and they slowly walked to the limo that was waiting for them.
Todd stopped and looked back. Jan was standing there looking at him and the kids. His eyes sent a message and she walked up and took his arm. She held Penny’s hand and Todd Jr. held his dad’s hand; they slowly walked to the car.
The rain stopped and Todd thought, as the rays of sunlight broke through the huge black thunder clouds, “Well, Jen, we will survive, but miss you something terrible for the rest of our lives. I have our kids and it would appear you left your legacy with me in your sister. I can’t have all of you, but I can have half of you.” His next thoughts were about the Lincoln family. He had Todd Jr. to carry on the Lincoln line and it looked like there would be more little Lincolns in the future. End.
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