Leap of Faith (La Flor #1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

Ms. Jones. She explains the rules of the classroom and hands me several papers that need to be filled out, signed, and returned the following day, since we were unable to attend the meet-the-teacher conference held earlier in the month. I ask her about lunch and receive a menu and form to fill out so Skylar is able to eat at school when I don’t send her with a school lunch. I thank the teacher and excuse myself, allowing another parent to take my place.
    I walk toward my girls. Skylar is showing her big sister her desk, introducing her new desk mate, and showing Rylee how she’s going to organize her supplies. I stand back and listen to my little girl adjust to her surroundings. I look at her and know that no matter how scared or nervous she is, Skylar is going to love school. A sense of peace fills me just as a small gust of wind passes through the room. I know Jake is watching over our little girls from heaven. I bend down and give my little peanut a big hug and goodbye kiss and tell her, “I love you.” I step back and let Rylee have her turn.
    Rylee does the same but adds, “Good luck, Peanut, and don’t forget, take care of yourself in the playground. Don’t let the big kids be mean to you. If you have to slip and ‘accidentally’ have your foot meet their shin or your fist meet their face, then do so.”
    Here we go.
    I should probably expect a call from the principal later today. Thanks, Rylee, I say to myself, but I’m glad she said what I wanted to say. Finally, Rylee and I head out the door. As I step out of the classroom, I take a couple deep breaths and look at Rylee.
    “Our little baby is growin’ up so fast. Thank you for being here with your little sister on her big day.”
    She smiles.
    “We’re all we have, Momma. I wouldn’t miss this for the world. Daddy would’ve wanted me here and so here I am,” she tells me.
    We hug and then start walking toward our Jeeps.
    “Now let’s get you to school. Hopefully, the school doesn’t have a problem because you’re late,” I say.
    “Eh . . .” she says with a shrug. “I’ll tell them today was my little sister’s first day as well and if they have a problem, then that’s on them. Family always comes first. Love you!”
     

 
     
    Instead of heading to work, I call the office to let them know I won’t be coming in today, and they need to forward any urgent calls. And only urgent calls—I don’t want to be notified unless it’s an emergency and we’re going to war.
    Today is one of those days for me—the ones where I hurt and I get emotional.
    This will be the first day I don’t have Skylar with me. She’ll be at school the whole day and won’t be in my office coloring or trying to do flips over my chairs and couch. I’m really going to miss my baby.
    This milestone makes me miss Jake more than normal. People say time heals all wounds, but mine don’t seem to be healing. I’ve learned to live my days for my girls, but the nights—those are the hardest. They’re lonely and long. I only have our memories to keep me warm and my tears to soak my pillow.
    Jake and I were always cuddling, always touching in some way. He always held me after our lovemaking and would tell me he loved me more every day. Now, I don’t have that—I’m alone in my bed and almost five years later, I still miss his body next to mine. I had to sell our old bed because I couldn’t bring myself to lie there alone. It held so many memories—memories of our love, our antics, our fights.
    Memories of our time together and what was robbed from us.

10 April 2008
    “I love you so much, Faith, more than you can ever imagine. I thank God every day you were brave enough to approach me, making me the luckiest man in the world. I must’ve done something right because I have you beside me,” he says to me as we lie in our bed.
    We had just experimented with some toys I bought at a neighbor’s Passion Party. Jake was extremely pleased when he came home late from