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Chapter or Story 
Chapter or Story
See part 1 for disclaimer.
WARNING: You may want to have an insulin injection ready, just in case.
Brand New Year, Part 9
Sitting on his mother's lap, Michael was preoccupied with the sling she now wore on her left arm. He pointed to it then looked up at her inquisitively.
"It's so Mommy can move around more easily without having to remember to be careful," Parker explained, adding, "Being careful is not Mommy's strong suit."
She paused, sighed and smiled lovingly at him then continued, "I'm sorry, kiddo, but I think it only fair to inform you that the card you've drawn in the mommy department is... well... let's just say there are a lot of things that are not my strong suit: patience, civility, normal brain function before I've had my second cup of coffee. The list is as long as my arm but, I promise you, I'll do my best. If I'm screwing up really badly, I'm depending on you to let me know. Actually, if you're anything like me then speaking your mind shouldn't be a problem, and if you're anything like your father then telling me off shouldn't be either."
Pulling her son closer, she kissed his forehead and began rocking him gently as she went on, "You are precious to me, little man. You have no idea how precious you are but you will. I may never be 'Mother of the Year' but one thing I won't do is lie to you. There is very little in this world more important than the truth. I was lied to about where I came from. I was lied to about a lot of things and it caused me to make a lot of bad decisions along the way. I got lost and it took me a long time to find my way back... and I'm not even sure I'm there yet. I won't let that happen to you, baby." Parker closed her eyes and took a deep breath then proceeded,
"You may not have come into the world in the usual way, but never for a minute think that you were not wanted or loved from the moment you were... from the beginning. Mommy may not have carried you inside her, but she fell in love with you the moment she set eyes on you. And... the... the woman who did carry you inside her loved you too. Of this I am certain; I saw it in her eyes. She made the ultimate sacrifice for you and didn't care what happened to herself as long as you were okay. She was very mixed up, lost like Mommy, and did a lot of terrible things. She once took something from Mommy... something precious... and Mommy hated her for it. But then she kept you warm and safe until, together, we were able to bring you into the world. And I... I think you were her redemption. Just like I think you're mine. You saved us, baby. You did that.
"And Daddy? Well, knowing him as I do - and, believe me, I do - I just know that he's beside himself with joy over you. Something happened when he was a little boy, something that never should have happened to him or anyone, and because of it he's spent most of his life on his own. He's just recently found your grandfather and Emily and... James... well, uh, that's a long story for another time. Anyway, family means the world to him and I know he will move heaven and earth for you. He's a genius, you know, and a hero; he's helped a lot of people over the years. You should pay close attention to him because, just between you and me, he does have some good qualities.
"Of course, he has a lot of incredibly annoying qualities too, not the least of which are SPYING AND EAVESDROPPING ON MOMMY!"
Michael sat up in his mother's lap when he heard his father enter the room and turned to watch him approach. "Da," he sighed before settling back into her embrace, looking sleepy and comfortable.
"Indeed," Parker concurred, narrowing her eyes at Jarod as he sheepishly took the chair next to theirs. The look in his eyes left no doubt in her mind as to how much he'd heard. He appeared on the verge of bursting into tears or flinging his arms around her or both.
Having endured enough drama for one lifetime, let alone one day, she advised, "Now that we are no longer adversaries, I think it's time to discuss boundaries."
"I know," he grumbled. "Force of habit, I guess. I will apologize for listening in, but I am not sorry I heard that."
Glancing down to find her son's eyelids growing heavy, she lowered her voice and asked, "Can we please not go there right now? I just need to... to be..."
Nodding he interjected softly, "It's okay, Andi. I just want to be here with you and Michael if... if you don't mind."
"No," she whispered as she watched the child's eyes drift closed. "We don't mind."
* * * *
After sitting in silence for several minutes Parker gestured toward the bed and mouthed, "We should probably put him down."
Jarod nodded and rose to gently lift the sleeping child from her arms. She stood up and followed behind him and, to his surprise and delight, placed her right hand softly on his back when he leaned forward to set Michael down on the bed. He lovingly tucked the covers around his son then stood up and stared at him for a time before turning to her to whisper,
"I... It's... just... so..."
"I know," she whispered back then lowered her eyes to the floor.
He took a step toward her and pressed his forehead to hers then took her by the hand and led her out of the room. She stopped in the doorway to look back at their son then switched off the overhead light and pulled the door about halfway closed behind her before turning her attention to Jarod.
"Hopefully, he'll start sleeping better. He seems more comfortable and relaxed now that you're up and around," he observed.
Nodding she said, "He takes a while to wind down. During our visits at the Centre, I noticed that he'd go to bed easier for the night, or even for a nap, if we had some quiet time first. So I sort of developed this routine with him."
"Routine is good," he encouraged. "All the books say so."
"You know, it's weird. I haven't been around kids much and I don't have the faintest idea what I'm doing here but... he just... fits in my arms so well and I... I don't know, I guess I'm surprised I haven't inadvertently set him on fire or drowned him or anything."
Shaking his head, Jarod leaned in and whispered into her ear, "And I'm sure that you're the first mother in human history to feel that way."
"But I'm terrified!" she blurted then glanced anxiously into the room to see if she had awaken Michael before lowering her voice and continuing, "And I'm not talking about the Centre, but about inadvertently setting him on fire or drowning him or any of the million other things I could possibly do wrong."
"You think I'm not?" he responded, adding, "But from what I've seen out here, nobody is one hundred percent perfect out of the gate. Training for parenthood is pretty much on the job."
"Mama was," she remarked wistfully. "She did everything right. Always."
"If she were here, I doubt she'd agree with that statement."
"God, I wish she was," Parker said on a sigh, her eyes moistening.
"So do I," he offered with a compassionate smile then took her hand in his and brought it to his lips for a tender kiss before continuing, "She would be very proud of her little girl... and her grandson. Now come on," he coaxed as he began pulling her back into the bedroom. "It's late and you need to rest."
Stopping and tugging back on his arm she inquired, "Will you be staying?"
Lowering his eyes to the floor Jarod replied, "Yes, I would like to very much."
"Go on then," she advised with a nod then followed him into the room and closed the door behind behind her.
# # # #
WARNING: You may want to have an insulin injection ready, just in case.
Brand New Year, Part 9
Sitting on his mother's lap, Michael was preoccupied with the sling she now wore on her left arm. He pointed to it then looked up at her inquisitively.
"It's so Mommy can move around more easily without having to remember to be careful," Parker explained, adding, "Being careful is not Mommy's strong suit."
She paused, sighed and smiled lovingly at him then continued, "I'm sorry, kiddo, but I think it only fair to inform you that the card you've drawn in the mommy department is... well... let's just say there are a lot of things that are not my strong suit: patience, civility, normal brain function before I've had my second cup of coffee. The list is as long as my arm but, I promise you, I'll do my best. If I'm screwing up really badly, I'm depending on you to let me know. Actually, if you're anything like me then speaking your mind shouldn't be a problem, and if you're anything like your father then telling me off shouldn't be either."
Pulling her son closer, she kissed his forehead and began rocking him gently as she went on, "You are precious to me, little man. You have no idea how precious you are but you will. I may never be 'Mother of the Year' but one thing I won't do is lie to you. There is very little in this world more important than the truth. I was lied to about where I came from. I was lied to about a lot of things and it caused me to make a lot of bad decisions along the way. I got lost and it took me a long time to find my way back... and I'm not even sure I'm there yet. I won't let that happen to you, baby." Parker closed her eyes and took a deep breath then proceeded,
"You may not have come into the world in the usual way, but never for a minute think that you were not wanted or loved from the moment you were... from the beginning. Mommy may not have carried you inside her, but she fell in love with you the moment she set eyes on you. And... the... the woman who did carry you inside her loved you too. Of this I am certain; I saw it in her eyes. She made the ultimate sacrifice for you and didn't care what happened to herself as long as you were okay. She was very mixed up, lost like Mommy, and did a lot of terrible things. She once took something from Mommy... something precious... and Mommy hated her for it. But then she kept you warm and safe until, together, we were able to bring you into the world. And I... I think you were her redemption. Just like I think you're mine. You saved us, baby. You did that.
"And Daddy? Well, knowing him as I do - and, believe me, I do - I just know that he's beside himself with joy over you. Something happened when he was a little boy, something that never should have happened to him or anyone, and because of it he's spent most of his life on his own. He's just recently found your grandfather and Emily and... James... well, uh, that's a long story for another time. Anyway, family means the world to him and I know he will move heaven and earth for you. He's a genius, you know, and a hero; he's helped a lot of people over the years. You should pay close attention to him because, just between you and me, he does have some good qualities.
"Of course, he has a lot of incredibly annoying qualities too, not the least of which are SPYING AND EAVESDROPPING ON MOMMY!"
Michael sat up in his mother's lap when he heard his father enter the room and turned to watch him approach. "Da," he sighed before settling back into her embrace, looking sleepy and comfortable.
"Indeed," Parker concurred, narrowing her eyes at Jarod as he sheepishly took the chair next to theirs. The look in his eyes left no doubt in her mind as to how much he'd heard. He appeared on the verge of bursting into tears or flinging his arms around her or both.
Having endured enough drama for one lifetime, let alone one day, she advised, "Now that we are no longer adversaries, I think it's time to discuss boundaries."
"I know," he grumbled. "Force of habit, I guess. I will apologize for listening in, but I am not sorry I heard that."
Glancing down to find her son's eyelids growing heavy, she lowered her voice and asked, "Can we please not go there right now? I just need to... to be..."
Nodding he interjected softly, "It's okay, Andi. I just want to be here with you and Michael if... if you don't mind."
"No," she whispered as she watched the child's eyes drift closed. "We don't mind."
* * * *
After sitting in silence for several minutes Parker gestured toward the bed and mouthed, "We should probably put him down."
Jarod nodded and rose to gently lift the sleeping child from her arms. She stood up and followed behind him and, to his surprise and delight, placed her right hand softly on his back when he leaned forward to set Michael down on the bed. He lovingly tucked the covers around his son then stood up and stared at him for a time before turning to her to whisper,
"I... It's... just... so..."
"I know," she whispered back then lowered her eyes to the floor.
He took a step toward her and pressed his forehead to hers then took her by the hand and led her out of the room. She stopped in the doorway to look back at their son then switched off the overhead light and pulled the door about halfway closed behind her before turning her attention to Jarod.
"Hopefully, he'll start sleeping better. He seems more comfortable and relaxed now that you're up and around," he observed.
Nodding she said, "He takes a while to wind down. During our visits at the Centre, I noticed that he'd go to bed easier for the night, or even for a nap, if we had some quiet time first. So I sort of developed this routine with him."
"Routine is good," he encouraged. "All the books say so."
"You know, it's weird. I haven't been around kids much and I don't have the faintest idea what I'm doing here but... he just... fits in my arms so well and I... I don't know, I guess I'm surprised I haven't inadvertently set him on fire or drowned him or anything."
Shaking his head, Jarod leaned in and whispered into her ear, "And I'm sure that you're the first mother in human history to feel that way."
"But I'm terrified!" she blurted then glanced anxiously into the room to see if she had awaken Michael before lowering her voice and continuing, "And I'm not talking about the Centre, but about inadvertently setting him on fire or drowning him or any of the million other things I could possibly do wrong."
"You think I'm not?" he responded, adding, "But from what I've seen out here, nobody is one hundred percent perfect out of the gate. Training for parenthood is pretty much on the job."
"Mama was," she remarked wistfully. "She did everything right. Always."
"If she were here, I doubt she'd agree with that statement."
"God, I wish she was," Parker said on a sigh, her eyes moistening.
"So do I," he offered with a compassionate smile then took her hand in his and brought it to his lips for a tender kiss before continuing, "She would be very proud of her little girl... and her grandson. Now come on," he coaxed as he began pulling her back into the bedroom. "It's late and you need to rest."
Stopping and tugging back on his arm she inquired, "Will you be staying?"
Lowering his eyes to the floor Jarod replied, "Yes, I would like to very much."
"Go on then," she advised with a nod then followed him into the room and closed the door behind behind her.
# # # #
