and then, out of nowhere, he says

Jonah and I are in the car driving to music class this morning. We’re listening to classical music, commenting to each other about the construction vehicles we see as we pass them by.

Out of nowhere, he says, “Leila is all gone.”

I am completely taken aback.

“Yes, Jonah,” I say, “Leila is all gone.”

A moment passes.

“She was in the hospital.”

Over the last few weeks, Jonah has visited David, and the kids, Jacob and Joseph, with us several times at their house. The last time Jonah saw Leila was about a month ago and eight days before she died, in the hospital. The day that I didn’t write about when I was chronicling these events here. The day we’d all been told she had hours to live, and we’d rushed to be by her side. Jonah has only referred to that day one other time since then, talking about the beaded lizard he’d liked, that was attached to Joseph’s backpack that was on the floor, leaning against the hospital bed.

“That’s right. The last time we saw her, she was in the hospital.”

He thinks a bit.

“Where did she go?”

I think for a bit.

“Leila died. She went to heaven. We won’t see her again… Do you miss her?”

“Yeah.”

“Yeah. Me too.”

6 comments for “and then, out of nowhere, he says

  1. Pop Pop
    November 4, 2009 at 9:36 pm

    OMG, tears to my eyes. He is so special, just like you and Scott.

  2. November 5, 2009 at 8:33 am

    Sweet little boy!

    (Don’t be surprised if it comes up at odd moments again, and for a long time to come. At least that’s been my experience.)

  3. Leanne
    November 6, 2009 at 8:42 am

    Oh, wow. Tears in my eyes, too.

    So absolutely poignant. Jonah’s a special little guy. And so is his mama.

    Thinking of you…

  4. November 9, 2009 at 11:53 pm

    oh, my heart.

    krista’s last blog post..lullaby

  5. November 10, 2009 at 8:25 am

    It always takes me aback how much young children understand and take in. I am so sorry for your loss and his…

    kbreints’s last blog post..a dose of christmas guilt….

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