Vanished!

Chapter 8 - The Reunion

"You're in the hospital Sonja. It's momma. Your sister is her. Christopher is here. We need you to wake up baby." Sonja continues to look around. "Dr. Johnson I have another recording of the baby talking." "Why you don't play it and turn the sound up." The babbling of our son fills the room. "Liam" she whispers. "Liam is New Orleans with Tammy and King Sonja" I tell her. "See him" she mumbles "see him." "We couldn't bring him Sonja but when you're better we'll skype him and let you see him. I brought some new pictures of him. He's really grown."

"Tired, so tired. Hurts, I hurt." "I know Agent Percy" the doctor says. "We didn't want to give you any more pain medication. We were hoping that the pain would make you respond to it and wake you up. I can give you some pain medication now that won't make you sleepy." I had no idea what the doctor said to the nurse but she returned quickly with a bag of clear liquid and hung it on the rack by Sonja's bed.

"Agent Percy, your family is going to leave now and let you rest a little. They will be right in the hall way and will come back in about an hour. I want to look at you good for minute and make sure that we didn't miss anything. You can help me as I look and feel your body."

We were all crying with relief as we got back into the hall. When I could collect my thoughts I had to think about what time it was in in the states. It was just after 2 a.m. in New Orleans. Instead of calling, I just texted Tammy, King and Loretta that she was awake and that I would call them later. Tammy called immediately. "You know good and well that no one sleeps with a baby in the house. I stayed at your place tonight and just heard Liam. He's teething and giving your mom fits." "She's awake Tammy. Sonja's awake". "Oh Chris, I'm so happy". "She kept asking about Liam" "Look, I'm going to try to go back to sleep. Call us at the office tomorrow. I'll tell your mom before I leave in the morning. Tell Sonja I love her." Tammy says.

I hung up and walked out the door to the patio and fell to my knees and wept. Thank you God. Thank you for bringing her back to us." I could finally breathe again. I felt a hand on my shoulder. It was one of the MPs in the building that had taken a liking to me. I fell into his arms and allowed myself to finally let all that pain go. For months I had forced myself to be strong for Sonja's sisters and her mother and my son. But now free of them all, I could finally weep tears of relief, fear and joy.

We all remained with Sonja as much as COL Johnson let us. She still wasn't speaking much but her facial expressions told us a lot about her. I would catch her following me around the room with her eyes. Every once in a while when we were alone, I would have to wipe away leaking tears especially when talking about the baby and showing her pictures. I talked often about Liam telling her of his exploits, his new teeth and his learning to walk. I told her that momma had come to help me to care for him and that I bought a home in the Quarter if she wanted to come to 'Nola with me. I showed her photos of his bedroom where she could see pictures of the two of them in his room. I didn't want to make her cry but she did especially when she viewed the pictures of Liam and me together. I could only imagine what she was thinking and feeling.

The social worker spoke with each family member for about an hour every day. I looked at her with great surprise one day when she asked me if I was angry at Sonja. "Angry?" "For keeping you away from your son." "Oh, I think there was a time that I was but when they told me that they had found her the anger just evaporated away. When I saw her that first day I wanted to climb in that bed and change places with her. I just want her to get strong and come home to our son. He needs her."

Sonja was gaining strength and COL Johnson thought it was time for her to be moved to the States. I learned that it was a good thing that she was one of the first to go on the medi-evac plane. Glad because the patients are loaded onto the plane with the ones in the worse condition loaded last so that they would be the first off. Sonja's nurse, doctor and CIA operative were right there with her. I was really tired of the operative but happy because I could be in the room alone with Sonja without him being present.

The plane flew Sonja directly to the army medical center in San Antonio where we met her several hours late. Then a smaller government plane flew the eight of us into New Orleans. We would finally get rid of the CIA agent I couldn't stand. Director Vance had told me that they would start the debriefing about a week after Sonja was settled in New Orleans. A SCIF was built right there on the grounds of Tulane for them to use.

The team continued to electronically contact Sonja. The psychologist didn't not want her over taxed with visitors. I brought Liam to see her the first day she was there. I was thankful for the professionals who help us during the time they were apart. While he was initially shy around her, they played games with him sitting either behind a screen or his head covered by his blankee. He recognized her voice and slowly his heart let him be moved physically closer to her. Most visits ended with the three of us in her bed. Snuggled between the two of us he began to understand that the love that was so obvious between Sonja and I included him as well.