Down a Winding Road
Part One
The goldfish's lifeless body bobbed atop the tiny waves sloshing over the sides of the bowl, and a trail of tiny wet footprints marked the little girl's progress to the kitchen.
"Daddy," the little girl announced with a lisping pout, "Ju-Ju don't feel good."
"He doesn't?" Luis asked distractedly, one brown eye scanning the front page of the morning edition of the Harmony Herald while the other glanced at his bereaved daughter.
Water dripped down stubby brown legs from the bowl cradled so fiercely against her protruding little belly, forming a small puddle on the black and white tiles of the floor, and the fish…
Luis lowered the chipped coffee cup from his lips to the kitchen counter, wearing the appropriate expression of sadness when he saw that Ju-Ju was, in fact, feeling very bad. Dead, actually—victim number four of his daughter's generosity when it came to feeding time. It was really a shame. Julian 'Ju-Ju' the Fourth had lasted longer than Julians I, II, and III put together. If only removing the fish's namesake from his family's lives were as easy. "Izzy, Baby," Luis sighed as he picked up his pink panty-clad daughter, fish bowl and all, "Daddy's afraid Ju-Ju got really, really sick."
Izzy's full pink mouth turned down in a frown as Luis carefully removed the bowl from her arms and set it down by the sink, lifting one big hand back up to comb her tangled gold mane back from her face. "Daddy?" she whispered softly, laying her little head on his strong shoulder and rubbing her tiny palm across his prickly morning stubble. "Did Ju-Ju go to Heaven?"
Goldfish in Heaven? Luis supposed anything was possible. He shifted Izzy to his left arm when the microwave started beeping and pulled the door open, hissing when his skin made contact with the hot bottle. "Yeah, Baby, and you shouldn't cry," Luis told her, remembering the fat tears that welled in her big blue eyes earlier, "cause he feels good. He feels more than good. He feels perfect." Strands of golden hair smelling of baby shampoo tickled Luis's nose as he rubbed her little back comfortingly, and because nothing tugged at his heart like his baby's tears, he racked his brain for a way to ease her hurt. "Come on, Izzy. No more tears. Shh. I know. Remember that puppy you saw when you and Mommy went to lunch with Ethan yesterday? Well…as soon as we get back from our vacation, Daddy'll get him for you. Would you like that?' Luis suppressed a groan when he saw his mother lurking in the kitchen doorway, wearing an amused but reproachful smile on her lips. "What are you going to name him?"
"Laa-Laa," came her muffled answer, and a second later, she was leaning back in his arms and flashing an adorable grin at him. "Can I tell Mommy?"
At least it's the Teletubbies now and not Julian, Luis thought, though he hadn't realized she still watched those strange little creatures. "Only if you give me a kiss first," Luis bargained, squeezing her tight and making her giggle before she peppered his face with baby kisses. As soon as Luis set her on her feet, her chubby brown legs whirred into action, and she avoided her grandmother's attempts at a kiss of her own with more giggles, scurrying out of the kitchen and down the hall.
"You spoil her, Mi hijo," his mother stepped forward, shaking her head lightly at him as she grabbed the warm bottle from the microwave. "I'll take this while you go clean up and take care of the fish. The plane leaves in two hours, and none of you are even dressed."
Luis pressed a quick kiss to her cheek in passing and paused in the doorway to grin at her. "Thanks for spoiling me, Mama."
"My puppy's Laa-Laa…," the little girl chattered excitedly, head bowed as her mother combed the tangles from her damp golden hair. Her tiny feet peeked from the edges of the big fluffy yellow towel, and she wiggled her toes back and forth against the covers of her mommy's bed, admiring the fresh coat of pale pink paint her aunt Theresa had applied the night before.
Sheridan tied the thick gold strands back with a red ribbon and tugged the towel off the tiny shoulders, nuzzling the baby soft cheek as she helped her daughter step into a fresh pair of underwear. She snatched a red tee-shirt from one of the open suitcases beside her, and Izzy held her short arms over her head helpfully for her to put it on. As soon as the jeans were on and the laces of the miniature white tennis shoes tied, Sheridan shut the suitcase and stood up, offering her hand. "We're running late, Izzy. Let's go check on Daddy."
Pilar met them in the hallway, cradling her wide-eyed grandson close as she leaned forward to press an affectionate kiss against Sheridan's cheek. "I wish I could come with you, Mi hija, and look after the children, but Theresita…"
"Needs you, and we'll be fine," Sheridan smiled at Pilar consolingly. "Isabella's going to love Spain, and I know Zac's going to be too young to remember anything, but I can't be away from him, Pilar. Either of them. We'll be fine. After all, we have Luis to look after us. He won't let any harm come to us so don't worry so much."
"Sheridan's right, Mama," Luis added his encouragement, coming up behind his mother in the hall and cupping his palm around the back of his gurgling son's peach-fuzz covered head. "I love these guys too much to let anything happen to them. That dream Charity had was just that. A dream," he reiterated, giving the baby in his mother's arms a loud kiss and making him coo in response. "Miguel's waiting outside with the car if you're ready," he said, looking over his mother's shoulder at Sheridan.
"The rest of the bags are on the bed," Sheridan answered him, giving him a quick kiss on the lips then wiping the lipstick off of his mouth with a sheepish smile. She turned back to Pilar once Luis had gone, holding her arms out and receiving her infant son. She let Pilar slip the baby's diaper bag onto her shoulder and watched her as she lifted Isabella up onto her hip. "Pilar, I wish I could convince you…we'll be back in a couple of weeks."
"I know, Mija. You go. Enjoy yourselves. And take lots of pictures of these little ones," Pilar said tearfully, hugging her granddaughter goodbye. "They grow so quickly."
"Every day," Sheridan vowed as they walked out of the house and toward Miguel's car. Miguel took Zac from Sheridan's arms and secured him into his car seat while Luis loaded their bags in the trunk, and the two women held each other tightly, Isabella squirming between them. "We're going to be okay," Sheridan whispered, pulling back when she felt Luis's guiding hand at the small of her back. "I love you."
Pilar looked into Sheridan's blue eyes and the identical blue eyes of her granddaughter and murmured "I love you" as Luis helped them both into the car and gave her one last hug. She watched Isabella flap her little hand at her through the rolled down window, chirping "Bye, bye" until the car faded out of sight. Pushing her fears away as she walked back up the winding walkway, she let herself inside the house. The phone rang, and Charity's voice cut through the lonely silence of the house, causing chills to sweep up her spine.
"You can't let them leave, Pilar. You can't, or she won't be coming back."
Another unfinished fic I decided to post, just in case I ever regain the inspiration to pick it back up again.
You never know.
;)
Feedback would be lovely if you're so inclined.
Thanks so much for reading!