Caged Birds ✔️

Chapter Twenty-Three

Sam's P.O.V

"Say cheese," I told Diana before snapping a picture of her with my polaroid camera. We sat at opposite ends of the Ferris wheel. "So where are you at with baby names?"

"I was thinking Gabriel" my sister smiled, flicking her long wavy chocolate brown hair.

"Like the angel?" I cocked a brow.

"Its Henry's middle name" Diana explains.

She wore a long light blue maxi skirt with a purple woolly knitted sweater.

"Sam there's something else" she started slowly.

"No Diana" I cried, "I can't handle and more news! I swear-"

"No no, it's not news" she assured, "it's more like a favour...I'd like you to take care of my baby...not permanently or anything like that just until Henry comes back"

"What do you mean, take care of your baby? You're not going anywhere" I lowered my voice.

Diana nodded. "My doctors told me that there's a risk that something could happen to me...so in the case that they are right...I would like you to take baby Gabriel back to Manhattan with you" She explains.

My eyes widen as my heart beats at a million miles per hour.

"If something happens to you?" I shook my head.

"Tell me you'll do it, Sam" she begged.

I remember flinching at my name. After all, I hadn't heard it out loud in two years.

"No, I won't" I clenched my jaw, looking into my sister's at-ease eyes. "Because nothing is going to happen to you!"

"Sam, it's okay, I'm not afraid," she touches my knee, "If it happens, it happens...God has a plan for me, I know he does..."

I bury my head into my palms. How is one supposed to respond to a confession like that?

"Don't put your faith in a God that doesn't exist" I begged, "you need to fight for your life, fight to see your son grow up!"

"Sam, it's already happened, don't you understand? The way I die and when it happens is already written out for me...God has already planned it, there's no changing it" Diana explained to me.

"Okay, then how can you be so sure that  you'll die in labour?" I cocked a brow.

She shrugged "I don't, but my doctors tell me that there's a chance...so I'm taking the necessary precautions and planning what will happen to my baby"

I sighed.

"Okay, I'll take in Gabriel until Henry comes back...if something were to happen to" I agreed.

Diana grinned. "I knew you would say yes, I've already sent Henry a letter...one to the middle East and one to his apartment, just in case he doesn't get the first letter. I told him to come find you in Manhatten if something happens to me"

I paused at her word, furrowing my brows in confusion.

"Diana...How did you know that I live in Manhattan?" I looked up at her.

"Noah told us" She admitted, still smiling.

"What? How did he know?" I cried fearfully. I then remembered what Heath said about meeting a friend of mine and being told to look after me. "he's the brother" I gasped.

"You and cousin Alec have a lot in common" She admitted.

Noah's older brother Alec moved away years ago, leaving the Mormon church, much to my family's dismay. Alec was disowned by everyone and up until that day, I thought he was disowned by Noah too. My aunt and uncle tell people that they only have one son, erasing Alec's existence altogether.