Chapter 1: The Discovery

It was a bright, December morning; snow covered the ground, unmarred by footprints, as the sun rose over the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee and turned the world into a sparkling wonderland. Stacy Jamison, with coffee cup in hand, looked out over the vast expanse from her kitchen window and sighed. She almost wished that it was storming, or at least cloudy; the sun had no right to shine on this day of all days. Well, at least it was nice enough they could go to the cemetery and visit the grave, last year it had stormed so bad she couldn't even do that.

She walked up the stairs quietly, it wouldn't do to wake Ken and Travis up yet, she still needed some time alone. At the top of the stairs she turned to her right and opened the second door, it squeaked a bit – she'd have to get Ken to oil it - and stepped back in time, Jamie's room was just the way he had left it – music posters, and sports trophies adorned the walls, his bed with the Atlanta Braves comforter smoothed over it, (why he like the Atlanta team was still a mystery to her, since he had always lived in Tennessee) it all looked like it was just waiting for him to come home. And then reality hit, Jamie wasn't coming home, at least not to this room; his body came home in a casket and was buried out in the Mt. Juliet cemetery 5 years ago. All his things had come home in boxes, boxes that Stacy could not bring herself to open. It was just as painful today as it was 5 years ago when she had gotten that phone call that every parent dreads; tears ran down her cheeks as she thought about that day.

She had gotten up early that day, too. Jamie hadn't emailed in two days, which was the longest he had ever gone without writing, since boot-camp, and she couldn't sleep so she got up early to check her e-mail, when she saw there was still no mail from Jamie, she tried to tell herself everything was ok and he was just busy. She spent the morning in prayer for her son and reading her Bible, trying to tell herself that she was all worked up over nothing. She went shopping and was working in the garden when Travis came running out the back door yelling “Mom! Come quick! There's someone on the phone for you! I think it's about Jamie!” she quickly stood up and brushed the dirt off her knees and hands, hurried inside and didn't even stop to wash her hands. She picked up the receiver and heard those dreaded words “Ma'm, I regret to inform you, your son, Sergeant James William Jamison has been killed in a car accident.” She was vaguely aware of slipping to a chair and the phone falling from her hand, as Travis said something in the back ground. It was Travis who had gotten the details from the Officer. She never fully passed out, she just went numb and all she could think was this was not supposed to be happening. Jamie was supposed to have been safe – it wasn't like he was in Iraq or anything, he was in Germany, not even close to any fighting – not that it mattered because it wasn't a bullet or a bomb that ended her son's life, but a drunk driver.

A teardrop splashed on the dust that covered the boxes, she wiped the dust away, as she jerk her attention back to the present. In sudden impulse she reached for the pocket knife laying on the desk, perhaps Ken and Travis were right, perhaps it would make her feel better to go through his things. She set her coffee cup down, took the knife, and cut the packing tape. As she opened the box her tears fell more heavily, but she kept going, carefully removing each item of clothing, suddenly feeling a strange sense of urgency, it was almost as if she was looking for something, but she didn't know what. Then about halfway down the box she found his leather jacket, the one she had given him for Christmas right before he left. She picked it up and held it close to her chest; she could still smell his cologne on it. As her tears continued to flow, she felt through the pockets and in the inside pocket she found a wallet. Opening it slowly she was very surprised by what she saw, in place of their family picture was the picture of a beautiful, blond girl, she was wearing a red shirt and black and white plaid jumper. Her hands were under her abdomen, smoothing the jumper taunt and revealing a small baby bump. Curious Stacy pulled it from the protective casing and read on the back, “Leslie and Baby Jamison, December 2000”

Stacy was stunned “What could this mean?” she wondered “had Jamie gotten married? If so why hadn't she come to the funeral? Where was she and what about the baby? Did she keep it, put it up for adoption, or worse abort it?” Too stunned to move Stacy sat on the floor starring at the picture she held in her hand.

A knock at the door brought her back to the present. “Mom, are you in there?” the question was followed by a head peeking around the door and then her son Travis entered the room “You ok?” he asked as he casually crossed to the bed and sat down.
At 24 Travis was the spitting image of his older brother, with one small difference, a small scar running across his chin, from a run-in he had with home plate as a small boy. Being five years younger than his brother he had been quite spoiled by the family and since Jamie's death Stacy had to fight extra hard to keep from being over protective of him. But, really, he hadn't turned out all that bad. He had graduated top of his class with a computer science degree and was now well on his way to becoming a top executive in a leading computer technology firm in Nashville, and now he was home again, but just until Christmas. He knew this time of year was especially hard on his mom and tried to take a few days to come down and help ease the pain. He would always be her sensitive one, Stacy smiled at his concern and finally answered “Just going through Jamie's things. Is your dad up yet?”

“I don't know.” Travis replied looking puzzled “I didn't see him, but then I didn't make it downstairs yet either. Do you want me to go see?”

“That would be great.” Stacy replied absently returning her gaze to the picture she held in her hand.

Just as Travis stood up to head to the door, however, it opened again revealing an older version of the young man, and Kenneth Jamison walked into the room. “Thought I might find you here,” he stated simply “So you finally decided to go through those boxes. What did you find?” Stacy handed the picture to her husband, who when he had looked at it passed it to Travis, the same look of shock registered on his face that she knew was on her own. “Baby Jamison? What?!” was all Ken could manage; he shook his head, as if to clear the cobwebs, “Why, didn't he say anything?”
Travis looked at the picture and then from one parent to the other shock written all over his face “Jamie was going to be a dad? When? How? Who's Leslie? I mean you would think she would have come to the funeral or something!”

“I don't know,” Stacy answered “I've been asking myself those same questions. I just wish we knew more about what happened and where she might be. Why didn't she ever contact us? Why didn't Jamie say something? There are just so many questions and the one person who could have answered them is gone.” Tears poured down Stacy's face as she finished.

Kevin sat down next to her and took her in his arms “Well,” he said “I don't have any answers either, but I'd say the best place to start looking would be these boxes, surely there will be something that would point us in the right direction. Let's keep looking.”

So for the next several hours they carefully sorted through the boxes and in the end “Nothing, not a wedding picture, marriage license, nothing!” Stacy said her voice dripping with disappointment and frustration. Kevin helped her up from her cramped position on the floor and suggested that they take a break and get some breakfast as it was now well passed noon and none of them had eaten, maybe after some nourishment their brains could function better and they might find something they had over looked before.

After eating some lunch Stacy felt a little better and at Kevin's suggestion they called Pastor Thompson to come over. Greg Thompson was not only their pastor but also a lifelong friend, they had shared everything with the pastor and his wife, the birth of their children, graduations, everything. In fact, Stacy was pretty sure that their Anne-belle was part of the reason for Travis' frequent trips home, he hadn't said anything yet, but he made a point to see her at some point when he was home and as a mother, Stacy could smell a budding romance. Well, at least she thought she could, since the discovery this morning she wasn't so sure. She had thought she knew everything about Jamie too.

It was about 4 in the evening before the Thompsons arrived, Stacy and Kevin had gone to visit Jamie's grave, Travis stayed home, in case the Thompsons came before his folks got back.

“Sorry, I couldn't come right away,” Greg said as soon as he and Emilie were seated in the Jamison's living room with warm, cups of coffee “Mrs. Miller had another attack and they had to take her to the hospital, Kevin said this wasn't an emergency so we went there first.”

“Oh, that's perfectly alright,” Stacy said “How is Mrs. Miller now?”

“Doing better. They're still not sure what is causing her to have those seizures, but they've changed her medication again, so hopefully it will help her. I know that she wishes they could find the cause and not just keep medicating the symptoms, but so far they haven't been able to find anything. But now lets focus on you” Greg placed his cup on the coffee table as he turned to Stacy “Kevin said you had some news?”

“Yes, we do,” Stacy replied “Actually it's about Jamie. I decided to finally go through his things today and we found this” she leaned over and handed the photo to Greg, who looked at it on all sides and passed it to Emilie who looked at it and gasped, but it was Greg who asked “Well, I know this is a silly question but, how does this make you feel?”

“I don't know” Stacy said “I'm trying to allow the fact to sink in that I quite possibly have a grandchild out there somewhere that I've never met and may never meet. And I'm angry, one that Jamie didn't tell me about this woman in his life and his baby and secondly anger at this young woman for not respecting my son enough to even come to his funeral and not trying to get in contact with his family. And I'm a little worried too that she might have had an abortion after he died or that my grandchild might be living in poor living conditions or even being abused. It's just so over whelming!” Emilie stood up and walked over to Stacy's chair and the two women embraced and cried together for a few minutes.

When they had calmed a little Greg said “Well, let’s deal with each one of these problems one at a time. I think you should contact the Army and see if they might have any information for you... there's a good chance that she was military, and if that's the case the army would have record of that, also if they had gotten married the army would have records of that as well. Then you can go from there. As to the young lady, Leslie, you said her name was. Since you didn't know what she looked like you don't know that she wasn't at the funeral, and even if she wasn't it might have been out of her control, especially if she was a military girl herself.”

Stacy sighed “I know...I just feel so overwhelmed.”

“If you feel overwhelmed, think how she must have felt, pregnant and alone. Since Jamie never mentioned her, she might have felt awkward approaching you especially since she was pregnant. She didn't know you, you didn't know her. Would you believe her if she told you she was carrying Jamie's child? Would you think she just wanted a hand out?” Emilie pointed out, tenderly “and, honestly, think about how you would have reacted if she had showed up at the funeral and told you the things you know now”

“You're right” Stacy admitted “I probably wouldn't have believed her, I thought Jamie told me everything, I had never known him to keep a secret from me.”
“I don't know what to tell you about that” Greg said “but I think it would be a good idea if we prayed now, for you that you will have wisdom, patience and love as you search for this young lady and your grandchild. And that He would prepare her heart to be open to meeting you.”