Sunflower - Gen 1 Ch 6

Ever since we returned from China, Max has been obsessed with ghosts. He spends most nights at the graveyard, "doing research" for the military. He still insists it is possible to communicate with them, contrary to all popular opinion. It turns out the big wigs were so pleased with his success in China, that they have given him free rein to follow his own lines of research.


One night Max brought home the scariest looking fish I have ever seen. He wants to investigate any possible use for the ugly thing. "Just don't put it in the refrigerator!" I shuddered.
"And don't you dare release any of them in the pond!" I called after him, as I watched him head off in that direction. He turned and gave me a sheepish grin.
"I.. uh.. of course not Sweetie, I would never even consider such a thing."


As for me, I've been feeling sicker and sicker every day since we returned. I couldn't possibly be expecting again, could I? It sure feels like the same old pregnancy nausea. Our kids are almost grown; I really don't want another baby.


Heather tried to cheer me up. " You know Odin and I just recently had little Jeramy, after our two girls were already grown up. And he is the light of our lives. You just wait and see, when you hold your baby in your arms everything will change."

"Oh, I hear Jeramy awake in there now, can you get him for me?" Heather gave me a quick hug.

Awww, such a sweet baby boy. I'd forgotten how wonderful it is to hold a little one close and breathe their sweet baby scent.

Maybe having another child isn't going to be so bad after all. I know Max is grinning from ear to ear about it. "There's something in the water in China, that's what I think, " he winked mischieviously at me.

I really wanted another girl, so I made sure to follow Heather's advice and eat lots of watermelon. Max just smiled, "Wait and see, I think you may be surprised."



Well, Max was right, I was surprised when little Rayne was born, and he turned out to be a boy! How did Max know? But Heather was right about one thing - once we held him in our arms, nothing else mattered.


Rayne is such a happy baby, always smiling, especially at his daddy. He has gorgeous green eyes, just like Max. His favorite toy is the xylophone; he can spend hours plinking away on it.


My first-born is becoming an adult! The first thing he did after his party was to take down all the pictures in his bedroom - the ones I had painted.
"Uncle Travis says that art is a frivolous persuit, and not practical in the least, and I agree with him."
I sighed, a little hurt. Raven has always looked just like his uncle, now he sounds just like him as well.
Number two on Raven's to-do list was to join the military. He has decided he wants to "be all he can be" as his lifetime goal. Number three was Sharonda.

My baby boy is getting married!

Rose gave Sharonda a make-over in preperation for the wedding. I think she looks beautiful, but she insists Rose made her look like a clown.


The ceremony was so beautiful, Max wore decent clothes, and Heather and I hugged each other and cried. Our babies were getting married! To each other!

"With this ring I thee wed"

At the reception, Max dicussed his theories and recent research into ghosts with his dad.

"I don't feel so well, Max - maybe we can discuss this later? I need to lie down."

Sadly, Luke's time here was over. Max begged him to stay, but he was already gone. Sharonda looked on with an odd expression on her face.


Suddenly Sharonda gasped, her eyes rolling back in her head.

She fell to the ground in a dead faint.

Raven worried about Ronda, but I am worried about Max. He is not taking this well at all.

He started spinning around in all directions, talking to something or someone no one else could see.

My poor Max, he is unconsolable. Rose is crying, and Raven is hovering over Ronda. Strangely enough, all the wedding guests proclaimed the party an epic success.

The only way I could get Max to calm down was to promise to take him to the graveyard. Tonight. I hope we don't see any ghosts.


I brought candles, and Max cut some flowers from the garden. We placed Luke's gravestone next to Ginny's who had died last year. Afterward we both felt much better. Max says his dad says thank you for the flowers, and that Ginny likes them too. I just replied that I was glad they like them, and Max smiled brightly and gave me a little kiss. Then we headed home.