Love Without You

mountains so they didn't really go far. After they got back they invited Jessica’s Mom over for breakfast and told her that they were taking her on a trip. The three of them were going on a cruise to Mexico. Seven days and six nights of nothing but being pampered with massages and shopping were the best of the best and they could hardly wait. They could hardly wait and Jessica’s Mom was excited. They had been on several cruises before and they loved them. And they really needed to get away from everything. So in three weeks they would be going away for a week and they couldn't wait. They shopped and planned and plotted and every day they got more excited. Finally the day came and they flew to where they boarded the ship.
    The Carnival Cruise line was boarding as they went up the gang plank and they took their luggage to their stateroom. They upgraded their room so Brenda could have an adjoining room to theirs. They didn't want her to think that they were going to ignore her on this trip. This was for her too and they intended to make sure she had a great time. After changing clothes and the ship getting underway they took a tour of the ship and saw just about everything there was to see. They even talked to the captain and he invited them to his table that night for dinner. When Brenda changed for dinner she was a vision of loveliness. Her blonde hair framed her face and her outfit was beautiful. A red satin dress with gold sandals and she looked like an angel. Jessica and Josh couldn't believe the transformation in her and she was just the perfect traveling companion, not intrusive at all.
    Dinner was so much fun at the captain’s table. They dined on lobster for dinner and for dessert they had a peach sorbet that was delicious. Everything was great and the conversation was very interesting and Brenda seemed to make a big impression with the captain. After dinner they went for a walk on the deck and looked at the water and watched the moon dance on it. The shimmering effect it had on the water was mystical and it t urned into a night to remember.
    That was just one night on the cruise; the rest of it was just as good. They played and ate and when they docked they toured and walked and study the history of the port they were in. Basically they did anything that the three of them wanted to do anytime. When they were tired they slept and when they weren’t tired they went out and Brenda kept up the pace with them without a struggle. They had a terrific time together and Jessica learned a lot more about her Mother than she knew before and so did Josh. Bur then there was time for Jessica and Josh as a couple too. Brenda made sure of that. There were times when she would make an appointment so that she would be busy so Josh and Jessica would be forced to be alone. One night the captain invited her to a special dinner just her so it gave Jessica and Josh time to have an intimate dinner alone. There was something for everyone.
    Then the last night of the cruise Brenda got a surprise gift from Jessica. Jessica brought it to the table and when Brenda opened it she cried. It was a pair of baby booties. Yes Jessica was pregnant! How exciting and how happy everyone was. She was already three months along so she felt sure she would carry it before she told anyone. This was the end to the perfect vacation. Tomorrow they would go home but now there was something exciting to go home for and even Brenda had something to live for now.
    When they got home and life settled down they started planning for the baby. Their guest bedroom was turned into a nursery and Josh painted the walls a pale aqua color and Jessica stenciled some Disney characters on the walls and Brenda made the baby a quilt out of cross stitching. It turned out to be cute and by the time the 7th month came they were ready. All they had to do now was wait on the baby and that was hard to do. Jessica had quit her job and she went for long walks on the beach every day to pass the time. Brenda would come over and keep her company when Josh was working. She and Brenda became addicted to chocolate ice cream and it had to be a staple that was bought before anything else in the house. Jessica loved grilled cheese sandwiches and ice cream and Brenda helped her get what she craved, every day.
    When the time was near Brenda helped Jessica pack her bag for the hospital trip and then they waited and waited and waited. When the baby was six days past due the doctor told them