Last But Not Least: Dead Zone Season 6 Countdown, Part 5
JJ & Cleo
Pairing: Sarah/Johnny/Walt
Rating: PG-13
Summary: A few snapshots along the way to the Bannerman baby.
Word count: ~ 3200
***
20. February 2007
“Relax Johnny. I know this is just a ‘friendly lunch’, no strings attached,“ said Dana, trying to bridge an awkward pause in their conversation.
Johnny had felt bad enough, calling her just to get some insider information about Stillson’s next publicity stunt, and her persistently insisting on a joint lunch hadn’t really made things any better.
“Dana, I …, ” he started, but she cut him off.
“It’s okay. Really.” Dana made a pacifying gesture. “So what’s the Bannerman family been up to?” She changed the subject. “I hear Sarah is finally pregnant?”
“Yes,” confirmed Johnny.
“Took them long enough.”
“I guess.” He would rather not think about, that he might be the reason it took this long.
“What about you?” Dana asked. “Are you busy at the moment? I mean, apart from stalking Greg Stillson.”
“Not really. But I promised to help Walt with this case, there seems to be someone trying to systematically poison game, and I still need a present for JJ’s birthday next week.”
“Oh. How old is he now? Eight? Nine?” Dana asked curiously.
“He'll be eleven, Dana,” Johnny laughed.
“Eleven?” Dana made a face. “Time really flies by doesn’t it?”
“Yeah. It does,” Johnny conceded.
“Better start looking into some nursing homes,” Dana joked.
“And walkers. Don’t forget the walkers.”
They laughed, despite it being not all that funny. At least it cleared the air between them for good.
“So. Why is it I never hear anything about you and Brad Pitt?” Johnny finally asked, which made Dana give him a big knowing grin.
“He is still pissed that you stole Angelina from him,” she answered.
***
27. February 2007
“Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear JJ. Happy birthday to you!”
JJ looked rather embarrassed at his parents musical performance but endured it anyway. Sarah giving him a smooch afterwards was a bit too much though.
“Mom!” he protested, rubbing his cheek.
“Happy birthday, Sweetie.” Sarah repeated unaffected. “You can blow out the candles now.”
JJ gave her an annoyed look, but killed the cookie candles in one blow and then moved eagerly towards his presents. First he looked into the envelope on his plate.
“It’s some money for you from your grandfather,” explained Sarah.
“Cool,” said JJ counting the bills.
“You'll call him later to say thank you, right?” Sarah reminded him.
“Sure,” JJ agreed and started to open a little packet warped in red gift paper.
“Ha!” he exclaimed, as the cardboard box appeared.
“What is it?” asked Johnny.
“It’s a nano i-pod! I knew I would get it!” he said and went to hug his parents. “Thanks Mom! Thanks Dad!”
There was still a big blue present left on the table. “That one is from me,” said Johnny.
After he had made a short work of the wrapping, JJ pulled out some brand new hockey skates with a surprised look on his face. “Wow! That’s awesome! Thank you Johnny!” he exclaimed.
“You’re welcome,” said Johnny.
Walt had pulled out the cake knife and cut the birthday cake into slices. “So, who gets the biggest piece?” he asked rhetorically.
“Me of course,” JJ stated smugly. “It’s my birthday and I’m still growing!”
Johnny gave him a hair ruffle for that and Walt dished out the slices. They all sat down around the kitchen table and relished the cake, which tasted delicious, as Walt put it complimenting his wife’s baking talent.
They were almost done, when Sarah suddenly let go of her fork and made a face. "Ow!"
“Sarah?” Walt inquired.
“I don’t know, I think …” she said puzzled, then grimaced in pain again.
"What?" Johnny asked nervously.
“… I’ve got labour-pains,” Sarah announced, touching her pregnant belly.
"That's too early!" Walt exclaimed concerned and jumped up from his seat.
Johnny who knew that Sarah was still a month away from her due date was also taken by surprise.
"You're not having this baby on my birthday!" demanded JJ unmoved.
Sarah rolled her eyes. “Well, I’m sorry son, but your sister seems to have other plans,” she said and slowly got up from her chair. She let out a deep breath and held her back.
Walt was already halfway out of the kitchen. “I’ll get your bag,” he said and went up the stairs.
Sarah steadied herself against her chair and groaned.
“Can I do anything for you?” Johnny asked helplessly. “Get you something, or...?”
“You could call the hospital. Tell them that we’re on our way,” suggested Sarah. “Otherwise I’ll have to do this on my own, I’m afraid.”
Johnny nodded and grabbed the phone. “JJ, bring your mother her coat, will you?” he asked his son.
“Okay,” agreed JJ and ran to the coat rack.
While Johnny made the call, Walt came back with the prepared hospital bag. He shrugged on his jacket, approached Sarah cautiously and kissed her temple.
“You’re ready?” he asked her.
“No I’m not,” Sarah said doggedly. “But that’s pretty much beside the point. JJ?” She called for her son.
“Here!” JJ answered and handed her her coat.
“The hospital is awaiting you,” Johnny announced hanging up the phone.
Walt took Sarah’s arm and led her cautiously out the hallway.
“John, you stay with JJ, okay?” he asked, looking back at him.
Johnny nodded and watched anxiously as the two of them left the house.
***
He and JJ spent the next hour and a half with playing around with JJ’s new i-pod. Johnny nervously kept an eye on the phone, which, he was aware, was a bit ridiculous, since babies usually aren’t born that fast. Then JJ decided that he wanted another piece of cake and they sat back at the kitchen table. His son had been eerily quiet the whole time and Johnny started to get concerned about him.
“You’re not really mad that the baby is coming on your birthday, right?” he asked.
JJ shook his head.
“That could even be fun, you know?” Johnny gave to consider. “Like ginormous double birthday parties!”
“Yeah. Sure.” JJ admitted grudgingly, but picked at his plate.
“Hey?” Johnny poked at JJ’s shoulder. “What’s with the face?”
“It nothing. I mean it’s stupid. But for Mom and Dad everything is about the baby lately and it’s not even here yet.” JJ complained.
“I thought you were happy to get a little sister?” said Johnny.
“I am,” JJ affirmed. “But it’s also a bit annoying, you know?” he shrugged.
“Well, I can see that, yes,” Johnny agreed. “The baby is very exiting for your parents and they may seem a bit obsessed about it. But you know they would never neglect you because of it, right?”
JJ nodded, but said “You know, maybe it’s not so bad to have a backup Dad after all,” and looked at him with a goofy grin.
“Jeez, thanks,” said Johnny rolling his eyes. But slowly they were getting to the heart of the matter, he thought.
“Walt loves you very much JJ. This baby is not going to change that,” Johnny tried to reassure his son.
“But it’s his real child.” JJ whined.
"What, like you’re not real?” Johnny asked baffled.
JJ sighed.
“JJ,” Johnny tried again. “This is not a competition. Your Dad’s feelings for the baby may be a bit different, because it’s different circumstances. But it’s not a question of loving more or less, just different. Okay?”
JJ gave him a contemplative look. “You mean a bit like with Mom and you and Dad?” he mused and it was more of a statement than a real question.
Johnny blinked at his son in astonishment. He opened his mouth, but was spared an answer as the back door opened and Walt came through it.
Johnny and JJ jumped up from their seats, but Walt waved aside.
“All-clear,” he stated. “The doctor says it’s just a false alert.”
All of them let out a breath of relief.
“She’ll have to stay a few days in the hospital for monitoring though,” explained Walt.
***
18. March 2007
“Happy birthday,” said Johnny and handed Sarah the bouquet of flowers he’d just bought.
Sarah took a deep breath from the blossoms and smiled at him. “They’re beautiful Johnny, thank you. Come in,” she offered and led him into the kitchen, where she put the flowers up in a vase.
But Johnny had yet another present for her. “I know the days of ravenous appetite are over,” he said, “but Walt told me, that you have developed a taste for marzipan during the last month, so I brought a bit of chocolate too.” He handed Sarah the chocolate box. “Even if it is cliché.”
“But very delicious cliché, if you ask me,” said Sarah looking pleased and immediately opened the box to shove one of the chocolates into her mouth.
“How are you feeling?” Johnny asked mustering her curiously.
“Like an elephant,” Sarah said wearily after having finished the sweet and rubbed with her hand over her swollen belly. “A very pregnant elephant at that,” she added.
“Now come on, your not that …” Johnny searched uselessly for the right word.
“Fat?” offered Sarah.
They laughed.
“You remember the little porcelain elephant I gave you for your sixteenth birthday?” Johnny suddenly asked.
“Oh yeah,” Sarah nodded. “I think he might even be still around somewhere.”
“You’re kidding? That thing was butt ugly!” Johnny stated bewildered. “On sale though. So I could buy it from my pocket-money.”
“But it’s the gesture that counts. I thought it was adorable,” said Sarah. “And then you asked me out to the zoo, where you explained in great detail the mating habits of rhinos and chimps, and read the info boards of every enclosure to me,” she added with a fake dreamy look on her face.
“I didn’t read all of them,” protested Johnny.
“Yes you did. It was a very, um … informative date,“ Sarah joked.
“Yeah, yeah. Like the one where you played opera overtures on your cello for half a day was any better.“ Johnny rolled his eyes.
“Hey! I had practiced hours on end for that.”
“Opera overtures!” Johnny repeated, like it was the most offensive thing ever.
Sarah giggled. “We did have a good time, didn’t we?”
“Yeah, we did,” confirmed Johnny.
“God. That was twenty-two years ago Johnny. Twenty-two years!” Sarah shook her head. “Can you believe it?”
“No.”
“Me neither.”
They both looked at each other lost in memories, when JJ came down the stairs and interrupted their little nostalgia rather loudly.
“Hey, Johnny! Guess what?!” he yelled, hopping up and down excitedly.
Johnny looked conspiratorially from Sarah to JJ and back. “He won the science competition?” he asked Sarah, who smiled at their antics.
“He totally won the science competition.” she nodded.
“I got the telescope, today!” stated JJ. A telescope had been the first prize for the competition, Johnny knew.
“Yay!” He high-fived his son.
“Come and have a look at it,” JJ invited him and Johnny followed him up to his room.
***
“Not bad,” commented Johnny, as he inspected the telescope that stood by the window.
“Yeah. I thought it would be trash, but it’s a pretty decent model,” agreed JJ.
“You think we could watch the lunar eclipse in October with this thing?” Johnny asked.
“Sure. Well, it’s kind of your telescope too, since you did half of the assignments,” JJ observed.
“Jeez. You make that sound like we cheated, or something.” Johnny looked tentatively through the view-finder. “I just helped you a bit. That’s all.”
“Yeah right.” JJ rolled his eyes. “That was totally cheating, Dad.”
And right then and there Johnny almost had a heart attack, hearing his son call him ‘Dad’ for the very first time.
“Okay, maybe a little,” he admitted, after having caught himself again. “But we don’t have to tell your parents that,” he added with a winking eye.
***
28. March 2007
“Yes, Sir. Of course. I’ll see to that. Yeah. Bye.” Walt hung up the phone, cursing under his breath.
“Problems?” asked Johnny who had just entered the office.
“Nah. Just the deputy commissioner being his usual charming self. Nothing new. Come in,” Walt said and offered Johnny a seat.
“So, have you got any more leads on that guy soliciting young kids, trying to get them into his car?" Walt asked him.
Johnny shook his head. “Unfortunately not. I told you everything I saw. Black SUV, middle aged guy, around fifty with greying sideburns and moustache. Probably Latin American origin.”
“Hm. I already checked the database but couldn’t find anyone fitting that description,” said Walt. “Maybe we can get ahead with the car. Do you know the brand?”
Before Johnny could answer it knocked and Roscoe stuck his head through the opened door. “Um ... Walt?” he asked tentatively. “There was a call from the hospital. It’s Sarah. Looks like it has begun. She said she couldn’t get through to you, so she took a cab and …”
“Damn.” Walt was off his seat and out from behind the desk grabbing his coat, before Roscoe had finished. “You think you can manage without me for the rest of the day?” he asked his deputy.
“Of course, boss.” Roscoe assured him. “Everything is under control.”
“Good,” said Walt fishing for his car keys. “Okay, then I‘m gone.” He added heading for the door.
Johnny squirmed in his chair, unsure what to do.
"John?" Walt looked back at him irritated. "What the hell are you waiting for? Get your ass in gear already!" he yelled and stormed out of the office. A much obliged Johnny followed him hastily.
“Good luck!” Roscoe shouted after them, as they went out the front door.
***
“You sure you want me to be here?” Johnny asked nervously during the drive to the hospital.
“What the hell are you talking about?” Walt looked at him like he was crazy. “Of course I want you here. I wouldn’t have took you along if I didn’t.”
Johnny still looked at him inquiringly.
“I think it’s fitting, okay?” Walt explained. “You weren’t there the first time and four hands to be squished are better than two, Sarah will tell you.”
He took one hand of the steering wheel and put it over the one Johnny had on his thigh.
“We’re going to be in this together,” he said squeezing it tightly.
***
Turned out it wasn’t so easy for them to get together into the maternity ward to Sarah. The young helping nurse looked at them like they were totally insane. But Walt pleaded very prettily and after the midwife and doctor confirmed that yes, it was okay to let both crazy guys to Mrs. Bannerman, they were admitted.
“Hey, Baby!” Walt greeted Sarah with a kiss on the mouth.
“Hey,” she gave back and caught his hand. Then she saw Johnny standing at the door.
“You brought Johnny with you?” she asked curiously but looking pleased.
“Yeah. I thought he could use some coaching in this matter.” Walt explained.
“Come here,” she signalled Johnny tapping with her hand on the bed, but as he stepped closer, suddenly curled up in pain.
"I'm going to kill you, Walt Bannerman!" Sarah yelled at her husband and started to breath heavily.
"You hear that? Sounds good," informed him Walt with a slap against the shoulder.
Johnny gave him a puzzled look.
“Well yeah, when JJ was born she combined some very colorful expletives with your name while squishing my hand,” he explained. “It’s perfectly normal.”
"You cursed a comatose man?" Johnny looked at Sarah in feigned shock.
"That's it. I'm going to kill both of you!" She threw back at them frustrated. "Oh ... God!" she whined, as the next wave of her labour hit her.
Finally he and Walt both took places at each side of the birthing bed and helped Sarah to switch positions, cajoling her into pressing and breathing when necessary.
Only three hours later a little squealing Bannerman had finally seen the light of day. She was wizen and red and obviously very angry. Just perfect, thought Johnny.
“Have you already chosen a name for her?” asked the midwife laying the crying bundle into Sarah’s waiting arms.
“Not really,” answered Sarah and gave Walt an accusing look.
“My daughter will not be named Shania or other such nonsense!” Walt fended her off.
After some arguing and eyes rolling he and Sarah finally gave him an expectant look.
“What? Me?” Johnny asked perplexed.
“It would only be fair,” a smiling Walt said. “I chose JJ’s name after all.”
Johnny searched Sarah’s gaze and she nodded endorsing.
He was all kinds of shocked by their request, but inspected the little girl in her mother’s arms closer and touched her perfect little fingers.
"Cleo." Johnny decided. “Cleo-Marie”
"That was my mother's name," Walt stated surprised.
"Yeah, I know," Johnny answered looking at him familiarly. He had found out during those weirdly shared moments of Walt’s short-lived coma.
Obviously touched Walt returned his gaze and then suddenly leaned over Sarah to give him a short kiss on the lips. From the outside this could have probably been interpreted as a harmless thank you kiss, except that Walt totally had slipped him the tongue. Johnny blinked dumbfounded and felt the blood shoot into his face.
"God Johnny, you should see yourself." Sarah was laughing weakly, head rolling on her pillow. She catched his chin tugged his mouth towards her and gave him a fervid kiss.
From the corner of his eyes Johnny tried to gauge Walt’s reaction, but he was just watching them intently and still smiling.
After Sarah let go of him Johnny cleared his throat. “I have to choose your children’s names more often if it leads to such a treatment,” he asserted.
“Yeah, right.” Sarah shook her head resolutely. “This is the second and last time I'm doing this. If you two want a hockey team, you’ll have to make it on your own,” she announced, which made Johnny’s face become even hotter and Walt give him a downright nasty grin. Jesus.
“So who of the guys wants to give the young lady her first bath?” they were interrupted by the midwife who had apparently finished preparing everything in the next room.
In the end both of them did.
***
13. April 2007
"Uh … It's a baby," said Dana, looking at the picture. She sounded rather underwhelmed.
"It's a baby? That's all you've got to say?" Johnny asked disappointedly.
"Well ..." Dana looked a bit lost. With an apologetic shrug she handed him the photo back over the table.
“She’s the cutest thing ever!” Johnny protested her indifference. “And awesomely clever. She knows exactly when Sarah will nurse her or when we’re about to play with her."
Dana looked at him pitiful, but Johnny ignored it.
”Walt let me choose her name,” he announced proudly.
"Really?" Dana asked cryptically.
Johnny smiled sheepishly. Damn that woman and her journalistic instincts, he thought.
“Well, the main thing is that you’re happy, right?” asked Dana.
“I am,” answered Johnny, and it was true.
***
Now also overlooked by
hctib_notsob. Thanks muchly!
Pairing: Sarah/Johnny/Walt
Rating: PG-13
Summary: A few snapshots along the way to the Bannerman baby.
Word count: ~ 3200
***
20. February 2007
“Relax Johnny. I know this is just a ‘friendly lunch’, no strings attached,“ said Dana, trying to bridge an awkward pause in their conversation.
Johnny had felt bad enough, calling her just to get some insider information about Stillson’s next publicity stunt, and her persistently insisting on a joint lunch hadn’t really made things any better.
“Dana, I …, ” he started, but she cut him off.
“It’s okay. Really.” Dana made a pacifying gesture. “So what’s the Bannerman family been up to?” She changed the subject. “I hear Sarah is finally pregnant?”
“Yes,” confirmed Johnny.
“Took them long enough.”
“I guess.” He would rather not think about, that he might be the reason it took this long.
“What about you?” Dana asked. “Are you busy at the moment? I mean, apart from stalking Greg Stillson.”
“Not really. But I promised to help Walt with this case, there seems to be someone trying to systematically poison game, and I still need a present for JJ’s birthday next week.”
“Oh. How old is he now? Eight? Nine?” Dana asked curiously.
“He'll be eleven, Dana,” Johnny laughed.
“Eleven?” Dana made a face. “Time really flies by doesn’t it?”
“Yeah. It does,” Johnny conceded.
“Better start looking into some nursing homes,” Dana joked.
“And walkers. Don’t forget the walkers.”
They laughed, despite it being not all that funny. At least it cleared the air between them for good.
“So. Why is it I never hear anything about you and Brad Pitt?” Johnny finally asked, which made Dana give him a big knowing grin.
“He is still pissed that you stole Angelina from him,” she answered.
***
27. February 2007
“Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear JJ. Happy birthday to you!”
JJ looked rather embarrassed at his parents musical performance but endured it anyway. Sarah giving him a smooch afterwards was a bit too much though.
“Mom!” he protested, rubbing his cheek.
“Happy birthday, Sweetie.” Sarah repeated unaffected. “You can blow out the candles now.”
JJ gave her an annoyed look, but killed the cookie candles in one blow and then moved eagerly towards his presents. First he looked into the envelope on his plate.
“It’s some money for you from your grandfather,” explained Sarah.
“Cool,” said JJ counting the bills.
“You'll call him later to say thank you, right?” Sarah reminded him.
“Sure,” JJ agreed and started to open a little packet warped in red gift paper.
“Ha!” he exclaimed, as the cardboard box appeared.
“What is it?” asked Johnny.
“It’s a nano i-pod! I knew I would get it!” he said and went to hug his parents. “Thanks Mom! Thanks Dad!”
There was still a big blue present left on the table. “That one is from me,” said Johnny.
After he had made a short work of the wrapping, JJ pulled out some brand new hockey skates with a surprised look on his face. “Wow! That’s awesome! Thank you Johnny!” he exclaimed.
“You’re welcome,” said Johnny.
Walt had pulled out the cake knife and cut the birthday cake into slices. “So, who gets the biggest piece?” he asked rhetorically.
“Me of course,” JJ stated smugly. “It’s my birthday and I’m still growing!”
Johnny gave him a hair ruffle for that and Walt dished out the slices. They all sat down around the kitchen table and relished the cake, which tasted delicious, as Walt put it complimenting his wife’s baking talent.
They were almost done, when Sarah suddenly let go of her fork and made a face. "Ow!"
“Sarah?” Walt inquired.
“I don’t know, I think …” she said puzzled, then grimaced in pain again.
"What?" Johnny asked nervously.
“… I’ve got labour-pains,” Sarah announced, touching her pregnant belly.
"That's too early!" Walt exclaimed concerned and jumped up from his seat.
Johnny who knew that Sarah was still a month away from her due date was also taken by surprise.
"You're not having this baby on my birthday!" demanded JJ unmoved.
Sarah rolled her eyes. “Well, I’m sorry son, but your sister seems to have other plans,” she said and slowly got up from her chair. She let out a deep breath and held her back.
Walt was already halfway out of the kitchen. “I’ll get your bag,” he said and went up the stairs.
Sarah steadied herself against her chair and groaned.
“Can I do anything for you?” Johnny asked helplessly. “Get you something, or...?”
“You could call the hospital. Tell them that we’re on our way,” suggested Sarah. “Otherwise I’ll have to do this on my own, I’m afraid.”
Johnny nodded and grabbed the phone. “JJ, bring your mother her coat, will you?” he asked his son.
“Okay,” agreed JJ and ran to the coat rack.
While Johnny made the call, Walt came back with the prepared hospital bag. He shrugged on his jacket, approached Sarah cautiously and kissed her temple.
“You’re ready?” he asked her.
“No I’m not,” Sarah said doggedly. “But that’s pretty much beside the point. JJ?” She called for her son.
“Here!” JJ answered and handed her her coat.
“The hospital is awaiting you,” Johnny announced hanging up the phone.
Walt took Sarah’s arm and led her cautiously out the hallway.
“John, you stay with JJ, okay?” he asked, looking back at him.
Johnny nodded and watched anxiously as the two of them left the house.
***
He and JJ spent the next hour and a half with playing around with JJ’s new i-pod. Johnny nervously kept an eye on the phone, which, he was aware, was a bit ridiculous, since babies usually aren’t born that fast. Then JJ decided that he wanted another piece of cake and they sat back at the kitchen table. His son had been eerily quiet the whole time and Johnny started to get concerned about him.
“You’re not really mad that the baby is coming on your birthday, right?” he asked.
JJ shook his head.
“That could even be fun, you know?” Johnny gave to consider. “Like ginormous double birthday parties!”
“Yeah. Sure.” JJ admitted grudgingly, but picked at his plate.
“Hey?” Johnny poked at JJ’s shoulder. “What’s with the face?”
“It nothing. I mean it’s stupid. But for Mom and Dad everything is about the baby lately and it’s not even here yet.” JJ complained.
“I thought you were happy to get a little sister?” said Johnny.
“I am,” JJ affirmed. “But it’s also a bit annoying, you know?” he shrugged.
“Well, I can see that, yes,” Johnny agreed. “The baby is very exiting for your parents and they may seem a bit obsessed about it. But you know they would never neglect you because of it, right?”
JJ nodded, but said “You know, maybe it’s not so bad to have a backup Dad after all,” and looked at him with a goofy grin.
“Jeez, thanks,” said Johnny rolling his eyes. But slowly they were getting to the heart of the matter, he thought.
“Walt loves you very much JJ. This baby is not going to change that,” Johnny tried to reassure his son.
“But it’s his real child.” JJ whined.
"What, like you’re not real?” Johnny asked baffled.
JJ sighed.
“JJ,” Johnny tried again. “This is not a competition. Your Dad’s feelings for the baby may be a bit different, because it’s different circumstances. But it’s not a question of loving more or less, just different. Okay?”
JJ gave him a contemplative look. “You mean a bit like with Mom and you and Dad?” he mused and it was more of a statement than a real question.
Johnny blinked at his son in astonishment. He opened his mouth, but was spared an answer as the back door opened and Walt came through it.
Johnny and JJ jumped up from their seats, but Walt waved aside.
“All-clear,” he stated. “The doctor says it’s just a false alert.”
All of them let out a breath of relief.
“She’ll have to stay a few days in the hospital for monitoring though,” explained Walt.
***
18. March 2007
“Happy birthday,” said Johnny and handed Sarah the bouquet of flowers he’d just bought.
Sarah took a deep breath from the blossoms and smiled at him. “They’re beautiful Johnny, thank you. Come in,” she offered and led him into the kitchen, where she put the flowers up in a vase.
But Johnny had yet another present for her. “I know the days of ravenous appetite are over,” he said, “but Walt told me, that you have developed a taste for marzipan during the last month, so I brought a bit of chocolate too.” He handed Sarah the chocolate box. “Even if it is cliché.”
“But very delicious cliché, if you ask me,” said Sarah looking pleased and immediately opened the box to shove one of the chocolates into her mouth.
“How are you feeling?” Johnny asked mustering her curiously.
“Like an elephant,” Sarah said wearily after having finished the sweet and rubbed with her hand over her swollen belly. “A very pregnant elephant at that,” she added.
“Now come on, your not that …” Johnny searched uselessly for the right word.
“Fat?” offered Sarah.
They laughed.
“You remember the little porcelain elephant I gave you for your sixteenth birthday?” Johnny suddenly asked.
“Oh yeah,” Sarah nodded. “I think he might even be still around somewhere.”
“You’re kidding? That thing was butt ugly!” Johnny stated bewildered. “On sale though. So I could buy it from my pocket-money.”
“But it’s the gesture that counts. I thought it was adorable,” said Sarah. “And then you asked me out to the zoo, where you explained in great detail the mating habits of rhinos and chimps, and read the info boards of every enclosure to me,” she added with a fake dreamy look on her face.
“I didn’t read all of them,” protested Johnny.
“Yes you did. It was a very, um … informative date,“ Sarah joked.
“Yeah, yeah. Like the one where you played opera overtures on your cello for half a day was any better.“ Johnny rolled his eyes.
“Hey! I had practiced hours on end for that.”
“Opera overtures!” Johnny repeated, like it was the most offensive thing ever.
Sarah giggled. “We did have a good time, didn’t we?”
“Yeah, we did,” confirmed Johnny.
“God. That was twenty-two years ago Johnny. Twenty-two years!” Sarah shook her head. “Can you believe it?”
“No.”
“Me neither.”
They both looked at each other lost in memories, when JJ came down the stairs and interrupted their little nostalgia rather loudly.
“Hey, Johnny! Guess what?!” he yelled, hopping up and down excitedly.
Johnny looked conspiratorially from Sarah to JJ and back. “He won the science competition?” he asked Sarah, who smiled at their antics.
“He totally won the science competition.” she nodded.
“I got the telescope, today!” stated JJ. A telescope had been the first prize for the competition, Johnny knew.
“Yay!” He high-fived his son.
“Come and have a look at it,” JJ invited him and Johnny followed him up to his room.
***
“Not bad,” commented Johnny, as he inspected the telescope that stood by the window.
“Yeah. I thought it would be trash, but it’s a pretty decent model,” agreed JJ.
“You think we could watch the lunar eclipse in October with this thing?” Johnny asked.
“Sure. Well, it’s kind of your telescope too, since you did half of the assignments,” JJ observed.
“Jeez. You make that sound like we cheated, or something.” Johnny looked tentatively through the view-finder. “I just helped you a bit. That’s all.”
“Yeah right.” JJ rolled his eyes. “That was totally cheating, Dad.”
And right then and there Johnny almost had a heart attack, hearing his son call him ‘Dad’ for the very first time.
“Okay, maybe a little,” he admitted, after having caught himself again. “But we don’t have to tell your parents that,” he added with a winking eye.
***
28. March 2007
“Yes, Sir. Of course. I’ll see to that. Yeah. Bye.” Walt hung up the phone, cursing under his breath.
“Problems?” asked Johnny who had just entered the office.
“Nah. Just the deputy commissioner being his usual charming self. Nothing new. Come in,” Walt said and offered Johnny a seat.
“So, have you got any more leads on that guy soliciting young kids, trying to get them into his car?" Walt asked him.
Johnny shook his head. “Unfortunately not. I told you everything I saw. Black SUV, middle aged guy, around fifty with greying sideburns and moustache. Probably Latin American origin.”
“Hm. I already checked the database but couldn’t find anyone fitting that description,” said Walt. “Maybe we can get ahead with the car. Do you know the brand?”
Before Johnny could answer it knocked and Roscoe stuck his head through the opened door. “Um ... Walt?” he asked tentatively. “There was a call from the hospital. It’s Sarah. Looks like it has begun. She said she couldn’t get through to you, so she took a cab and …”
“Damn.” Walt was off his seat and out from behind the desk grabbing his coat, before Roscoe had finished. “You think you can manage without me for the rest of the day?” he asked his deputy.
“Of course, boss.” Roscoe assured him. “Everything is under control.”
“Good,” said Walt fishing for his car keys. “Okay, then I‘m gone.” He added heading for the door.
Johnny squirmed in his chair, unsure what to do.
"John?" Walt looked back at him irritated. "What the hell are you waiting for? Get your ass in gear already!" he yelled and stormed out of the office. A much obliged Johnny followed him hastily.
“Good luck!” Roscoe shouted after them, as they went out the front door.
***
“You sure you want me to be here?” Johnny asked nervously during the drive to the hospital.
“What the hell are you talking about?” Walt looked at him like he was crazy. “Of course I want you here. I wouldn’t have took you along if I didn’t.”
Johnny still looked at him inquiringly.
“I think it’s fitting, okay?” Walt explained. “You weren’t there the first time and four hands to be squished are better than two, Sarah will tell you.”
He took one hand of the steering wheel and put it over the one Johnny had on his thigh.
“We’re going to be in this together,” he said squeezing it tightly.
***
Turned out it wasn’t so easy for them to get together into the maternity ward to Sarah. The young helping nurse looked at them like they were totally insane. But Walt pleaded very prettily and after the midwife and doctor confirmed that yes, it was okay to let both crazy guys to Mrs. Bannerman, they were admitted.
“Hey, Baby!” Walt greeted Sarah with a kiss on the mouth.
“Hey,” she gave back and caught his hand. Then she saw Johnny standing at the door.
“You brought Johnny with you?” she asked curiously but looking pleased.
“Yeah. I thought he could use some coaching in this matter.” Walt explained.
“Come here,” she signalled Johnny tapping with her hand on the bed, but as he stepped closer, suddenly curled up in pain.
"I'm going to kill you, Walt Bannerman!" Sarah yelled at her husband and started to breath heavily.
"You hear that? Sounds good," informed him Walt with a slap against the shoulder.
Johnny gave him a puzzled look.
“Well yeah, when JJ was born she combined some very colorful expletives with your name while squishing my hand,” he explained. “It’s perfectly normal.”
"You cursed a comatose man?" Johnny looked at Sarah in feigned shock.
"That's it. I'm going to kill both of you!" She threw back at them frustrated. "Oh ... God!" she whined, as the next wave of her labour hit her.
Finally he and Walt both took places at each side of the birthing bed and helped Sarah to switch positions, cajoling her into pressing and breathing when necessary.
Only three hours later a little squealing Bannerman had finally seen the light of day. She was wizen and red and obviously very angry. Just perfect, thought Johnny.
“Have you already chosen a name for her?” asked the midwife laying the crying bundle into Sarah’s waiting arms.
“Not really,” answered Sarah and gave Walt an accusing look.
“My daughter will not be named Shania or other such nonsense!” Walt fended her off.
After some arguing and eyes rolling he and Sarah finally gave him an expectant look.
“What? Me?” Johnny asked perplexed.
“It would only be fair,” a smiling Walt said. “I chose JJ’s name after all.”
Johnny searched Sarah’s gaze and she nodded endorsing.
He was all kinds of shocked by their request, but inspected the little girl in her mother’s arms closer and touched her perfect little fingers.
"Cleo." Johnny decided. “Cleo-Marie”
"That was my mother's name," Walt stated surprised.
"Yeah, I know," Johnny answered looking at him familiarly. He had found out during those weirdly shared moments of Walt’s short-lived coma.
Obviously touched Walt returned his gaze and then suddenly leaned over Sarah to give him a short kiss on the lips. From the outside this could have probably been interpreted as a harmless thank you kiss, except that Walt totally had slipped him the tongue. Johnny blinked dumbfounded and felt the blood shoot into his face.
"God Johnny, you should see yourself." Sarah was laughing weakly, head rolling on her pillow. She catched his chin tugged his mouth towards her and gave him a fervid kiss.
From the corner of his eyes Johnny tried to gauge Walt’s reaction, but he was just watching them intently and still smiling.
After Sarah let go of him Johnny cleared his throat. “I have to choose your children’s names more often if it leads to such a treatment,” he asserted.
“Yeah, right.” Sarah shook her head resolutely. “This is the second and last time I'm doing this. If you two want a hockey team, you’ll have to make it on your own,” she announced, which made Johnny’s face become even hotter and Walt give him a downright nasty grin. Jesus.
“So who of the guys wants to give the young lady her first bath?” they were interrupted by the midwife who had apparently finished preparing everything in the next room.
In the end both of them did.
***
13. April 2007
"Uh … It's a baby," said Dana, looking at the picture. She sounded rather underwhelmed.
"It's a baby? That's all you've got to say?" Johnny asked disappointedly.
"Well ..." Dana looked a bit lost. With an apologetic shrug she handed him the photo back over the table.
“She’s the cutest thing ever!” Johnny protested her indifference. “And awesomely clever. She knows exactly when Sarah will nurse her or when we’re about to play with her."
Dana looked at him pitiful, but Johnny ignored it.
”Walt let me choose her name,” he announced proudly.
"Really?" Dana asked cryptically.
Johnny smiled sheepishly. Damn that woman and her journalistic instincts, he thought.
“Well, the main thing is that you’re happy, right?” asked Dana.
“I am,” answered Johnny, and it was true.
***
Now also overlooked by
hctib_notsob. Thanks muchly!