In which Sam learns about NYC Elite Preschools...

[likely_evil]

It had started at the playground. Sam was getting into the habit now that springtime had come of taking baby Michael to the park. He would lather the baby up in sunscreen - no skin cancer on his son - and then sit on a blanket in the grass

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[enjoythe_ride]

Bela shed her jacket as she walked into the apartment, surprised at how quiet things were. She could hear a happy giggle coming from her son bouncing around, but she couldn't hear Sam. She made her way inside slowly, spotting Sam pouring over some paperwork. "Hello, love," she said with a wide smile as she picked up her son, who gave her a wide baby grin, letting her set him on her hip, as she made her way over to Sam.

Bela looked over his shoulder slowly, frowning when she saw what he was looking at. "Sam -- what're you doing?"

[likely_evil]

"Do you realize just how much these toddler schools cost? I mean, really, ten grand to teach a baby how to color? I don't get it. I don't understand what the deal is..."

He didn't even lift his head, focused on the screen.

[enjoythe_ride]

Bela chuckled slightly, before shifting so that she was leaning her weight back against the desk, letting Michael's feet rest on the desk. He grinned slightly, between the feel of the wood under his feet and the sight of his father in front of him and started to bounce a bit, trusting his mother to support him. He started to reach forward for Sam, putting himself between the laptop screen and Sam's view.

"What on earth are you talking about? Toddler school?" Bela let Michael lean forward, waiting for Sam to take him off her hands, because clearly Michael wouldn't have it any other way.

[likely_evil]

The one thing Sam couldn't ignore - cute baby hands trying to tear off parts of his face. Sam chuckled, leaning back as he pulled Michael into his arms.

"We were at the park and these girls were teaching their daughters sign language. And these girls weren't any older than Mikey, Bela. And then they started talking about Elite and Mandell and how Michael's going to be far behind the other kids in school because I'm just letting him sit in the park and stare at the clouds and drool."

[enjoythe_ride]

"Oh, God," Bela rolled her eyes slightly as she let Michael go. Michael grinned as he landed on his father's lap, his hand reaching forward and latching onto his father's hair. "Sam, don't listen to them, alright? They don't know what they're talking about."

[likely_evil]

"I just want the best for him, Bela." Sam was struggling to keep Mikey from ripping his hair out. "I mean, I grew up in the back seat of the Impala, and because of it I had a hard time in school. I don't want him to go through that."

[enjoythe_ride]

"I know you do," she sighed. "But I grew up in this. I know how the system works, and Michael has nothing to worry about. He's not going to be at any disadvantage if he doesn't go to toddler school."

[likely_evil]

"We should at least get a spanish speaking maid or nanny. I don't know about you, but I only know English, enough Latin to piss a demon off, and enough Spanish to ask where the bathroom is and to ask if they have any pie."

[enjoythe_ride]

"I've worked all over the world, Sam. I speak fluent Spanish and French from my years at school, I know enough German to get by, and enough of most of the Arab languages to do business. He's not going to be at any kind of loss." She paused before pushing herself off the desk and heading into the kitchen. "Just -- let me take care of it, yeah? I know what I'm doing."

[likely_evil]

Sam leaned back and looked at his son, a hand going to smooth out the small amount of hair that Michael had on the top of his head.

Suddenly he felt very... inadequate.

"Alright," he said softly.

[enjoythe_ride]

Bela paused with what she was doing, before making her way over to him, sliding her arms around his shoulders. "You're a good father, Sam. Don't let some idiotic obsessed women tell you otherwise. He's not thinking about college right now."

Michael's arms flailed slightly, and he gave his father another grin. "Just let him be. He's a smart boy -- he'll be just fine."

[likely_evil]

He leaned back against Bela a bit, smiling at Michael. "I just worry. But you're right. He's going to be just fine."

[enjoythe_ride]

She turned and kissed his cheek lightly, one hand rubbing the front of his chest. Michael just grinned back at both of them, before shoving his fist in his mouth and gnawing on it as he babbled over it.

"Babababababa -- "

[likely_evil]

Sam laughed. "So what is bababababa in French, dear?" Sam teased, making to stand up and toss his son up in the air gently.

[enjoythe_ride]

She chuckled slightly at that, before letting him go and heading back to the kitchen again. "It means stop talking about that stupid grown up stuff and pay attention to me."

Michael let out a happy giggle as he got tossed in the air, and Bela gave them some room, eying the empty dinner table. She paused, before turning to look in the fridge. "You boys hungry?"

[likely_evil]

"I'm just going to have to find a new park to take you too," Sam told Michael, blowing a kiss into his belly.

"Starving. You going to cook, or should I just pull out the menus?"