Fic: The Big Day (a Grandview story) Rated G
I apologize for how long this took. I know I promised it earlier... I am shamed :) Thanks for waiting! *hugs to you all*
Title: The Big Day
Series: Grandview
Rating: G
Warnings/spoilers: None
Word count: 2,329
Summary: John wasn’t sure why, but for some reason they sat him in a wheelchair when they got to the SGC. Nathan was sitting on what was left of John’s lap with his arms stretched out to the sides.
Disclaimer: They’re not mine, I’m not getting paid. I’m just playing.
John was sitting on the couch watching Nathan draw beside him, something that looked like a Furling flying a kite, as Rodney raced around the house gathering the things they’d need. Then, just as Nathan was finishing up his picture, Rodney stood in front of the coffee table and dropped two bags onto it.
“Ok,” Rodney said and sighed out a long breath. “I think that’s it.”
“You sure?” John asked. “It just seems like it took a really long time to pack those two bags,” he added jokingly.
“That’s because you put the things we’d need in every corner of the house rather than keeping them all in one place.”
“That’s just because I love watching you run around the house. I mean, you know… just a while longer until we can-”
“Whoa whoa whoa!” Rodney cut him off franticly. “Our child is present you know.” He used both hands and his head motion toward where Nathan was sitting, flipping through his notebook for an empty page.
John smirked and looked down at Nathan. “I know, All I was going to say was: Just awhile longer until we can share the duties of running a home.”
“Yeah,” Rodney said sarcastically, “right.”
“Alright, check list,” John said.
“What? You think I can’t remember all the things we’ll need? We have done this before.”
“Yes, but at that time you had my help, this time I’m just kind of sitting here and waiting.” John smiled and winked at Rodney.
“You’re an ass, you know that right?” Rodney asked lightly.
“Yeah, but I’m your ass.”
“And don’t you forget it.”
“Blanket?”
“What?”
“The check list.”
“Oh, right. Check.”
“Clothes?” John asked.
“Check,” Rodney replied.
“Diapers?”
“Check.”
“Formula?”
“Shit,” Rodney cursed and ran toward the kitchen. He returned a moment later with a can of infant formula. “Check,” he said and sat the can beside the bags.
“Baby water?” John asked through a slight smile.
“Damn!” Rodney rushed toward the kitchen again and when he came back into the living room, he was carrying a gallon jug of water. “Check,” he huffed as he sat the jug beside the can of formula.
“Bottles?”
Rodney sighed and slowly made his way toward the hallway for a third time.
“Nathan’s toys?” John asked after Rodney had stuffed the bottles into one of the bags.
“Check!” Rodney said proudly.
“Good,” John replied. “Now we’re ready.”
“Budder tumming today?” Nathan asked and looked from John to Rodney then back again.
“Yup, he sure is,” John replied and ruffled his son’s hair.
“Speaking of brothers,” Rodney said. “Did you call Dave?”
“No,” John replied as if the answer should have been something Rodney had already known.
“Why not?” Rodney asked.
“Because, Rodney, even though Jack gave him clearance to know the situation, I didn’t want him to see me like this. And before you ask if this is something I’m ashamed of, which you know it’s not, let me ask you if you’d like Jeanie to see you pregnant. This has nothing to do with the pregnancy, it has everything to do with the man I grew up with and not wanting him to-”
“John!” Rodney said firmly. “I wasn’t going to say any of that. I know that carrying our child is the one thing you’re most proud of, and I completely understand and support your decision to not call your brother.”
John sighed and nodded. “I’ll call him after Owen is born.”
“Okay,” Rodney replied. “Jeanie, Kaleb, Maddie and Oscar are coming. So is Teyla.”
John looked up at his husband. “I thought Teyla couldn’t come. Something about the Athosian celebration of something or other.”
Rodney shrugged. “I don’t know. Jack called and said Teyla was coming.”
John cocked his head in his ‘whatever’ gesture. “Okay, cool. What about Ronon?”
“Eh, he’s Ronon. He said to call him when we get Owen home.”
John chuckled, “sounds like Ronon.”
“So,” Rodney said and rubbed his hands together. “We ready to go?”
John sighed and struggled to sit forward. “I suppose,” he said and took the hands Rodney had extended toward him. He grunted as Rodney pulled him up off the couch, then he looked back at Nathan.
The boy put his pencil back in his pencil box, closed the notebook in which he’d begun a new drawing, and tucked both under his arm. “Ready,” he announced as he bounced off the couch.
~*~
John wasn’t sure why, but for some reason they sat him in a wheelchair when they got to the SGC. Nathan was sitting on what was left of John’s lap with his arms stretched out to the sides.
“Look duhduh, I’m fwying!” Nathan called happily.
“You sure are,” John responded and tickled the boys sides making his arms clamp down in a tight self hug.
After what felt like an age of rolling down the stark gray SGC hallways, they reached the room that had been converted into Nathan’s play room, and John turned Nathan around and hugged him tightly.
“I love you, Nath,” John said into his son’s ear.
“Wuv you too, duhduh,” Nathan replied.
“No matter what, daddy will always love you. Remember that, okay?”
“Otay, duhduh.”
John reluctantly loosened his grip and ruffled Nathan’s hair. “Good, now go have fun with Sam and I’ll see you in a little while.” He kissed Nathan’s forehead and helped him to the ground.
“Bye duhduh, hab fun,” Nathan said before running toward Sam who was standing in the doorway of the play room.
John watched Sam lift Nathan onto her hip and he waved as his chair began to roll away.
“Tarol and Tarthon detting budder out of duhduh’s beddy today.” John heard Nathan inform Sam and he smiled a mixture of pride and worry as they rounded the corner.
~*~
“Okay, John,” Caroline said as she hooked John up to some wires and IV’s. “You’ll be awake but you won’t feel anything more than pressure. If you do feel pain let me know, okay?”
“Okay,” John sighed and looked up at the blank ceiling.
Two nurses strung a small sheet above John’s chest to keep him from seeing what the doctors were doing, and John squeezed Rodney’s hand for reassurance.
“You might feel a tad sleepy,” Carson said. “If you want to go to sleep that’s fine.”
“I don’t want to go to sleep,” John replied hurriedly. “I don’t want to close my eyes.”
Rodney tightened his grip on John’s hand and moved down the bed slightly. While the sheet kept John from seeing him, he heard whispering.
“Don’t worry, John,” Caroline said when Rodney returned to his vision. “I may not be a baby doctor, but I’ve performed a few emergency C-sections, and this one is scheduled so it’ll go a lot smoother.”
John glared at Rodney, knowing what they’d been down there whispering about. Rodney just shrugged and patted John’s hand and smiled.
“Alright, John,” Caroline said softly. “Tell me if you feel this.”
“Okay,” John replied and took a deep breath.
Carson chuckled and said “I guess he can’t feel it.”
“Alright then, let’s get started.” Caroline said. “Here we go, John.”
John sighed, closed his eyes and swallowed hard. A moment later, he reopened them and looked at Rodney when he felt the pressure moving across his lower belly. He bit his lip and locked his eyes on Rodney’s.
“It’s okay,” Rodney said. “We’re almost done.” He squeezed John’s hand again and ran his other hand over John’s capped hair.
“Rodney,” Carson spoke, “you can watch if you’d like.”
“No thank you.” Rodney said firmly. “I have no desire to see my husband cut open.”
The cap covering John’s hair felt tight and Rodney was beginning to look a little blurry around the edges; he felt nauseous.
“Rodney,” John whispered, then the room went black.
~*~
John opened his eyes and saw Rodney’s face floating above him.
“Hello sleepy head,” Rodney said and kissed John’s forehead gently.
John lifted his head and grimaced at the pain. “It’s over?” he asked.
“Yup, you did good.”
“Well, there wasn’t anything for me to do besides lie here and…”John panicked when he realized that this was his nightmare. “Where’s Nathan?” he asked frantically.
“Nathan?” Rodney asked confused. “Don’t you mean Owen?”
“No, I mean Nathan! Where is he?”
“Calm down, John.” Rodney said and put a gentle hand on John’s shoulder. “Nathan’s fine, he’s with Sam.”
“Are you sure?” John’s eyes were huge and the pain from his incision was worsening from his movement, but that didn’t matter.
“Of course I’m sure, I was just there a minute ago.”
John sighed and felt himself start to calm a little. “Did you see Owen?” he asked.
“No, I told them not to show me because I wanted to wait for you. I wanted us to see him together.”
“Okay,” John replied. “Go get Nathan, then we’ll see Owen.”
Rodney still looked a little confused but he nodded. “Okay, I’ll be right back.”
John looked up at the ceiling as Rodney left the room. He still felt a little dizzy from reality coming so close to his nightmare, and to be honest, he still wasn’t completely sure that this wasn’t his nightmare. He was about to doze off again when Rodney came back into the room with Nathan on his hip.
“Hey buddy,” John said softly and pressed the button to make the bed sit up a little.
“Hi duhduh,” Nathan called and reached for John. Rodney put Nathan on the bed beside John and Nathan looked up at him. “Budder here?” he asked.
“Yup,” John smiled. “Daddy was just about to tell the doctor to bring him in.”
“He’s awake,” Rodney said as he pressed the button on the wall. “He wants to see the baby.”
“Of course,” Caroline’s voice came through the speaker. “We’ll be right in.”
A moment later the door opened and Caroline walked into the room carrying a small pink bundle.
John looked up at Rodney and found Rodney looking back at him, looking as shocked as he felt.
“Here’s your beautiful daughter,” Caroline said and handed the bundle to John.
“Dat budder?” Nathan asked, craning his neck and trying to see.
John pushed the blanket out of the baby’s face and smiled. He looked down at Nathan and shook his head. “Not a brother, a sister.” He looked up at Rodney and then back at their little girl. “Hey there sweetie,” he said gently.
“You guys did choose a name for a girl, right?” Caroline said hopefully.
“Yeah,” Rodney said. “John insisted.”
Caroline chuckled. “Good thing. What’s her name then?”
“Grace,” John said. “Grace Meredith Sheppard.”
“It’s a beautiful name.” Caroline commented.
“She’s a beautiful girl,” Rodney replied.
“Dirl?” Nathan asked shocked, as if things had just caught up to him. “Posed to be a boy like me. Tan’t pway wif a dirl.”
“Of course you can,” John said, “but you still have to wait until she’s bigger.”
Rodney lifted Nathan off the bed and leaned over so he could see his sister.
John smiled when Nathan put his small hand on the baby’s head and spoke softly. “Hi thithter, I’m Nathan, your budder.”
“Big brother,” Rodney corrected and kissed Nathan’s head.
“You wanna trade?” John asked Rodney.
“Sure,” Rodney replied and sat Nathan back on the bed. “Nath, you have to be very gentle with Daddy, he has a booboo on his belly.”
“Otay,” Nathan said.
John put an arm around Nathan when Rodney took Grace from him. He kissed Nathan’s temple and watched as Rodney held their daughter for the first time.
“She’s beautiful, John.” Rodney said as he looked down at the baby. “She has your mouth.”
“John reached up and pulled the pink cap off the baby’s head to reveal a thin layer of fine blonde hair. “And your hair,” he said.
John looked down at Nathan and found his son looking at him with another of his confused looks. “What is it, Nath?” he asked.
Nathan looked away from John and up at Rodney before looking back at John again. “Thithter don’t have duhduh’s mouth and dada’s hair.”
Both parents laughed, knowing what those sentences sounded like to a child. “No, she doesn’t,” John said and kissed Nathan again. “What we meant was her mouth looks like mine and her hair looks like daddy’s did when he was little.”
The look on Nathan’s face deepened and a little shock was added to the confusion. “Dada wath wittle?”
John smiled. “Yeah, and so was I.” He looked up at Rodney. “I think it may be time to pull out a few photo albums.”
Rodney nodded and adjusted Grace in his arms. “I think you might be right,” he said and bent over John. “Here, you did all the work, you deserve a little more cuddling.”
As Grace changed arms, she opened her eyes and both parents caught sight of the hazel coloring.
John looked up at Caroline who had been standing quietly beside the bed.
“Aren’t babies born with blue eyes?” he asked.
“Most are,” the doctor replied. “But not all, although, most babies with light colored eyes are born with blue eyes, so Grace is unique.”
“In more ways than one,” Rodney said.
“John,” Caroline said, slipping back into her doctor’s tone. “I’m going to want you and Grace to stay here for a few days. Give you some healing time before you go home.”
“Nathan and I will be staying too, then.” Rodney said.
Caroline smiled and nodded. “I figured as much. We’ve made up a room for the four of you.”
John looked up at Rodney and smiled. “The four of us,” he said.
“The four of us,” Rodney repeated and bent to kiss John lightly on the mouth.
“1,2,3,4,” Nathan counted and pointed to each of them.
“That’s right, Nath,” John said. “We’re a family of four now.” He smiled and looked up at Rodney. “Just like daddy said.”
TBC
Title: The Big Day
Series: Grandview
Rating: G
Warnings/spoilers: None
Word count: 2,329
Summary: John wasn’t sure why, but for some reason they sat him in a wheelchair when they got to the SGC. Nathan was sitting on what was left of John’s lap with his arms stretched out to the sides.
Disclaimer: They’re not mine, I’m not getting paid. I’m just playing.
John was sitting on the couch watching Nathan draw beside him, something that looked like a Furling flying a kite, as Rodney raced around the house gathering the things they’d need. Then, just as Nathan was finishing up his picture, Rodney stood in front of the coffee table and dropped two bags onto it.
“Ok,” Rodney said and sighed out a long breath. “I think that’s it.”
“You sure?” John asked. “It just seems like it took a really long time to pack those two bags,” he added jokingly.
“That’s because you put the things we’d need in every corner of the house rather than keeping them all in one place.”
“That’s just because I love watching you run around the house. I mean, you know… just a while longer until we can-”
“Whoa whoa whoa!” Rodney cut him off franticly. “Our child is present you know.” He used both hands and his head motion toward where Nathan was sitting, flipping through his notebook for an empty page.
John smirked and looked down at Nathan. “I know, All I was going to say was: Just awhile longer until we can share the duties of running a home.”
“Yeah,” Rodney said sarcastically, “right.”
“Alright, check list,” John said.
“What? You think I can’t remember all the things we’ll need? We have done this before.”
“Yes, but at that time you had my help, this time I’m just kind of sitting here and waiting.” John smiled and winked at Rodney.
“You’re an ass, you know that right?” Rodney asked lightly.
“Yeah, but I’m your ass.”
“And don’t you forget it.”
“Blanket?”
“What?”
“The check list.”
“Oh, right. Check.”
“Clothes?” John asked.
“Check,” Rodney replied.
“Diapers?”
“Check.”
“Formula?”
“Shit,” Rodney cursed and ran toward the kitchen. He returned a moment later with a can of infant formula. “Check,” he said and sat the can beside the bags.
“Baby water?” John asked through a slight smile.
“Damn!” Rodney rushed toward the kitchen again and when he came back into the living room, he was carrying a gallon jug of water. “Check,” he huffed as he sat the jug beside the can of formula.
“Bottles?”
Rodney sighed and slowly made his way toward the hallway for a third time.
“Nathan’s toys?” John asked after Rodney had stuffed the bottles into one of the bags.
“Check!” Rodney said proudly.
“Good,” John replied. “Now we’re ready.”
“Budder tumming today?” Nathan asked and looked from John to Rodney then back again.
“Yup, he sure is,” John replied and ruffled his son’s hair.
“Speaking of brothers,” Rodney said. “Did you call Dave?”
“No,” John replied as if the answer should have been something Rodney had already known.
“Why not?” Rodney asked.
“Because, Rodney, even though Jack gave him clearance to know the situation, I didn’t want him to see me like this. And before you ask if this is something I’m ashamed of, which you know it’s not, let me ask you if you’d like Jeanie to see you pregnant. This has nothing to do with the pregnancy, it has everything to do with the man I grew up with and not wanting him to-”
“John!” Rodney said firmly. “I wasn’t going to say any of that. I know that carrying our child is the one thing you’re most proud of, and I completely understand and support your decision to not call your brother.”
John sighed and nodded. “I’ll call him after Owen is born.”
“Okay,” Rodney replied. “Jeanie, Kaleb, Maddie and Oscar are coming. So is Teyla.”
John looked up at his husband. “I thought Teyla couldn’t come. Something about the Athosian celebration of something or other.”
Rodney shrugged. “I don’t know. Jack called and said Teyla was coming.”
John cocked his head in his ‘whatever’ gesture. “Okay, cool. What about Ronon?”
“Eh, he’s Ronon. He said to call him when we get Owen home.”
John chuckled, “sounds like Ronon.”
“So,” Rodney said and rubbed his hands together. “We ready to go?”
John sighed and struggled to sit forward. “I suppose,” he said and took the hands Rodney had extended toward him. He grunted as Rodney pulled him up off the couch, then he looked back at Nathan.
The boy put his pencil back in his pencil box, closed the notebook in which he’d begun a new drawing, and tucked both under his arm. “Ready,” he announced as he bounced off the couch.
~*~
John wasn’t sure why, but for some reason they sat him in a wheelchair when they got to the SGC. Nathan was sitting on what was left of John’s lap with his arms stretched out to the sides.
“Look duhduh, I’m fwying!” Nathan called happily.
“You sure are,” John responded and tickled the boys sides making his arms clamp down in a tight self hug.
After what felt like an age of rolling down the stark gray SGC hallways, they reached the room that had been converted into Nathan’s play room, and John turned Nathan around and hugged him tightly.
“I love you, Nath,” John said into his son’s ear.
“Wuv you too, duhduh,” Nathan replied.
“No matter what, daddy will always love you. Remember that, okay?”
“Otay, duhduh.”
John reluctantly loosened his grip and ruffled Nathan’s hair. “Good, now go have fun with Sam and I’ll see you in a little while.” He kissed Nathan’s forehead and helped him to the ground.
“Bye duhduh, hab fun,” Nathan said before running toward Sam who was standing in the doorway of the play room.
John watched Sam lift Nathan onto her hip and he waved as his chair began to roll away.
“Tarol and Tarthon detting budder out of duhduh’s beddy today.” John heard Nathan inform Sam and he smiled a mixture of pride and worry as they rounded the corner.
~*~
“Okay, John,” Caroline said as she hooked John up to some wires and IV’s. “You’ll be awake but you won’t feel anything more than pressure. If you do feel pain let me know, okay?”
“Okay,” John sighed and looked up at the blank ceiling.
Two nurses strung a small sheet above John’s chest to keep him from seeing what the doctors were doing, and John squeezed Rodney’s hand for reassurance.
“You might feel a tad sleepy,” Carson said. “If you want to go to sleep that’s fine.”
“I don’t want to go to sleep,” John replied hurriedly. “I don’t want to close my eyes.”
Rodney tightened his grip on John’s hand and moved down the bed slightly. While the sheet kept John from seeing him, he heard whispering.
“Don’t worry, John,” Caroline said when Rodney returned to his vision. “I may not be a baby doctor, but I’ve performed a few emergency C-sections, and this one is scheduled so it’ll go a lot smoother.”
John glared at Rodney, knowing what they’d been down there whispering about. Rodney just shrugged and patted John’s hand and smiled.
“Alright, John,” Caroline said softly. “Tell me if you feel this.”
“Okay,” John replied and took a deep breath.
Carson chuckled and said “I guess he can’t feel it.”
“Alright then, let’s get started.” Caroline said. “Here we go, John.”
John sighed, closed his eyes and swallowed hard. A moment later, he reopened them and looked at Rodney when he felt the pressure moving across his lower belly. He bit his lip and locked his eyes on Rodney’s.
“It’s okay,” Rodney said. “We’re almost done.” He squeezed John’s hand again and ran his other hand over John’s capped hair.
“Rodney,” Carson spoke, “you can watch if you’d like.”
“No thank you.” Rodney said firmly. “I have no desire to see my husband cut open.”
The cap covering John’s hair felt tight and Rodney was beginning to look a little blurry around the edges; he felt nauseous.
“Rodney,” John whispered, then the room went black.
~*~
John opened his eyes and saw Rodney’s face floating above him.
“Hello sleepy head,” Rodney said and kissed John’s forehead gently.
John lifted his head and grimaced at the pain. “It’s over?” he asked.
“Yup, you did good.”
“Well, there wasn’t anything for me to do besides lie here and…”John panicked when he realized that this was his nightmare. “Where’s Nathan?” he asked frantically.
“Nathan?” Rodney asked confused. “Don’t you mean Owen?”
“No, I mean Nathan! Where is he?”
“Calm down, John.” Rodney said and put a gentle hand on John’s shoulder. “Nathan’s fine, he’s with Sam.”
“Are you sure?” John’s eyes were huge and the pain from his incision was worsening from his movement, but that didn’t matter.
“Of course I’m sure, I was just there a minute ago.”
John sighed and felt himself start to calm a little. “Did you see Owen?” he asked.
“No, I told them not to show me because I wanted to wait for you. I wanted us to see him together.”
“Okay,” John replied. “Go get Nathan, then we’ll see Owen.”
Rodney still looked a little confused but he nodded. “Okay, I’ll be right back.”
John looked up at the ceiling as Rodney left the room. He still felt a little dizzy from reality coming so close to his nightmare, and to be honest, he still wasn’t completely sure that this wasn’t his nightmare. He was about to doze off again when Rodney came back into the room with Nathan on his hip.
“Hey buddy,” John said softly and pressed the button to make the bed sit up a little.
“Hi duhduh,” Nathan called and reached for John. Rodney put Nathan on the bed beside John and Nathan looked up at him. “Budder here?” he asked.
“Yup,” John smiled. “Daddy was just about to tell the doctor to bring him in.”
“He’s awake,” Rodney said as he pressed the button on the wall. “He wants to see the baby.”
“Of course,” Caroline’s voice came through the speaker. “We’ll be right in.”
A moment later the door opened and Caroline walked into the room carrying a small pink bundle.
John looked up at Rodney and found Rodney looking back at him, looking as shocked as he felt.
“Here’s your beautiful daughter,” Caroline said and handed the bundle to John.
“Dat budder?” Nathan asked, craning his neck and trying to see.
John pushed the blanket out of the baby’s face and smiled. He looked down at Nathan and shook his head. “Not a brother, a sister.” He looked up at Rodney and then back at their little girl. “Hey there sweetie,” he said gently.
“You guys did choose a name for a girl, right?” Caroline said hopefully.
“Yeah,” Rodney said. “John insisted.”
Caroline chuckled. “Good thing. What’s her name then?”
“Grace,” John said. “Grace Meredith Sheppard.”
“It’s a beautiful name.” Caroline commented.
“She’s a beautiful girl,” Rodney replied.
“Dirl?” Nathan asked shocked, as if things had just caught up to him. “Posed to be a boy like me. Tan’t pway wif a dirl.”
“Of course you can,” John said, “but you still have to wait until she’s bigger.”
Rodney lifted Nathan off the bed and leaned over so he could see his sister.
John smiled when Nathan put his small hand on the baby’s head and spoke softly. “Hi thithter, I’m Nathan, your budder.”
“Big brother,” Rodney corrected and kissed Nathan’s head.
“You wanna trade?” John asked Rodney.
“Sure,” Rodney replied and sat Nathan back on the bed. “Nath, you have to be very gentle with Daddy, he has a booboo on his belly.”
“Otay,” Nathan said.
John put an arm around Nathan when Rodney took Grace from him. He kissed Nathan’s temple and watched as Rodney held their daughter for the first time.
“She’s beautiful, John.” Rodney said as he looked down at the baby. “She has your mouth.”
“John reached up and pulled the pink cap off the baby’s head to reveal a thin layer of fine blonde hair. “And your hair,” he said.
John looked down at Nathan and found his son looking at him with another of his confused looks. “What is it, Nath?” he asked.
Nathan looked away from John and up at Rodney before looking back at John again. “Thithter don’t have duhduh’s mouth and dada’s hair.”
Both parents laughed, knowing what those sentences sounded like to a child. “No, she doesn’t,” John said and kissed Nathan again. “What we meant was her mouth looks like mine and her hair looks like daddy’s did when he was little.”
The look on Nathan’s face deepened and a little shock was added to the confusion. “Dada wath wittle?”
John smiled. “Yeah, and so was I.” He looked up at Rodney. “I think it may be time to pull out a few photo albums.”
Rodney nodded and adjusted Grace in his arms. “I think you might be right,” he said and bent over John. “Here, you did all the work, you deserve a little more cuddling.”
As Grace changed arms, she opened her eyes and both parents caught sight of the hazel coloring.
John looked up at Caroline who had been standing quietly beside the bed.
“Aren’t babies born with blue eyes?” he asked.
“Most are,” the doctor replied. “But not all, although, most babies with light colored eyes are born with blue eyes, so Grace is unique.”
“In more ways than one,” Rodney said.
“John,” Caroline said, slipping back into her doctor’s tone. “I’m going to want you and Grace to stay here for a few days. Give you some healing time before you go home.”
“Nathan and I will be staying too, then.” Rodney said.
Caroline smiled and nodded. “I figured as much. We’ve made up a room for the four of you.”
John looked up at Rodney and smiled. “The four of us,” he said.
“The four of us,” Rodney repeated and bent to kiss John lightly on the mouth.
“1,2,3,4,” Nathan counted and pointed to each of them.
“That’s right, Nath,” John said. “We’re a family of four now.” He smiled and looked up at Rodney. “Just like daddy said.”
TBC