Sam was feeling confused.  He 'knew' that Brooklyn was dead but he often glanced to the front door, expecting her to come through it and everything being normal again.  He knew that emotionally he was in a long process of normalisation, rather than recovery.  That didn't stop him having conversations with Brooklyn, imagining what she would say or think.  Her counsel was a source of comfort in these dark days.  When he wanted to stay in bed and not go to work he'd think, 'what would Brooklyn say'.  When he felt so depressed he couldn't face putting on his clothes or washing he thought the same - 'what would Brooklyn say'.  She would still have a presence in his life always.  However that didn't change the worrying occurrence of his recently hearing her in his head.  He felt he was losing grip on reality when he thought how it had occurred twice over the last few days.  Brooklyn's voice was a source of comfort the first time, but the idea of her in pain haunted him.  That she could still suffering beyond the grave made him feel awful.

He walked into the living room where Louis was oblivious to his Dad's precarious mental state.  Sam was startled when Louis gurgled, "Mama".

Sam sat down on the play mat with his son and put his arms around the seated boy.

"You hear her too kiddo?" Sam asked as he kissed the boy on his head.

"I wonder if you babies see and hear things differently?  And that you'll forget it all as you grow into a toddler, then a little boy.  You'll forget...."

Sam tried to tease Louis by pulling on his rattle to take it off him, laughing as Louis pulled his hand back shaking it.  They played pull and tug with each other, both smiling and laughing together.  There eyes met in total love that can only happen between parent and baby.

"We'll be alright Son.  Mama will be watching over us."

Sam picked his babe up and held him aloft before lying on the floor and placing the baby on his chest.  Louis lifted his head up and slavered whilst smiling.  The drool fell down and as Louis hid his face in Sam's chest his shirt was dampened by Junior's saliva.  Louis lifted his head again and laughed.  Sam hugged him firmly, yet gently and rolled the boy from side to side pretending to grapple with the boy.

"You and me champ.  We can do it!  We'll make Mommy proud,"

Sam played with his son and felt the love of their family coalesce together.  "We are the power of three and everyone who lives here loves everyone else.  Daddy, Mommy and Louis."

Sam resolved to go to the police station and try and find out what was going on.  Maybe Chad would come with him?  Maybe he should talk to someone about the voices?  But not now, not today.  This afternoon was time for Sam and Louis.  Time long overdue.