Disclaimer: I do not own anything. Story is simply for enjoyment and entertainment!
July 2014
Davenport's POV
My oldest son was eighteen years old and a senior at Mission Creek High. My two younger children were juniors. Chase, at sixteen, was only supposed to be a sophomore but his superior intelligence allowed him to jump a grade. Allowing my kids, who had been sheltered their whole lives in a laboratory in the basement of my house, to attend public school for one of their first ventures out into the real world was a difficult decision. But after hearing my step-son's reasoning and a long discussion with my wife, I decided it was best to let them experience life as teenagers. Unfortunately, I also knew that allowing them out into the world also meant that they would be experiencing life guided by teenager hormones which lead to risky and questionable behaviors. Those behaviors could then lead to consequences that would be difficult to guide them through. As my kids grew up, I made sure to instill manners, common sense, and good decision making into their brains. But unfortunately, no matter how many times you repeat yourself… ultimately, it's up to the kids to make the final decision.
Adam reached puberty long before his siblings. He shot up like a weed around the age of twelve and underwent puberty. He was growing up so quickly and turned into a very handsome young man. He wasn't the brightest of my three children but he had good looks going for him. Adam was extremely strong due to his bionics but he was also fiercely protective of his siblings.
Bree was my little girl. She was blessed with speed and agility due to bionics but she was also intelligent in her own right. She was the middle child. Growing up with myself and just her brothers, Bree also possessed several "tom boy" qualities. However as she grew up and reached puberty around age thirteen, her "girly" qualities began to turn up. She grew into a beautiful young woman before my eyes with maternal instincts peaking up whenever one of her brothers got injured.
Chase was my youngest and brightest child. His bionics made him the smartest person in the world. With his high intelligence led to random facts being quoted from my son which led to his siblings cracking jokes at his behalf. Unfortunately, once he attended school, his school peers would laugh at the random facts and knowledge that Chase possessed. But despite not fitting in at school, Chase didn't allow this to stop him from enjoying school. Chase was extremely loyal to his siblings even when they would make wise cracks at him.
I knew it was only a matter of time before one of my children came home with a relationship question or dilemma. I knew it would be either Adam or Bree. Chase was very egocentric and was more focused on learning than seeking a relationship. It didn't surprise when Adam sought me out one evening and asked me about being in a relationship. Adam was a seventeen-year-old hormonal teenager… just one with bionics as well. He was about to embark on a new journey with an equally as hormonal teenage female. Needless to say, that evening, I sat Adam, Leo and Chase down and we had "the talk". That was not a pleasant thirty minute discussion but it was needed.
The next evening, on a beautiful September evening, we met the young woman who had caught my eldest son's attention. She came over for a movie night. Her name was Jennifer "Jenny" Milo. None of us at that time realized how involved she would become in our lives. Adam and Jenny had been dating for fourteen months when Adam came to me with news that I had been dreading ever since I sent my children off to high school.
Flashback - November 2013
Tasha and I were gathering the ingredients to begin dinner for the evening. Bree, Leo, and Chase were sitting at the dining room table finishing up the last of their homework. Adam had called me earlier informing me he would be home for dinner; he and Jenny had something important to do after school. I glanced up when I heard the living room door open. Adam and Jenny walked in holding hands; they both appeared anxious.
"Hey kids, dinner will be ready in about an hour," Tasha said as she began throwing ingredients together in a mixing bowl."
"That's great," Adam said distractedly. "Umm… Mr. Davenport, Tasha… we… I… we need to talk."
Adam and Jenny look petrified. If I wasn't mistaken Jenny had tears in her eyes and Adam looked more determined than ever. I took Tasha's hand and we walked over to the sofa and sat down. I noticed Bree's concern as she walked over and took a seat as well. Leo and Chase followed.
"Well, Adam, you have our attention… what's going on?" I pressed.
Adam took a deep breath as he stared into Jenny's eyes. Receiving a nod from her, Adam sighed and looked directly into my eyes, "Jenny's pregnant."
It was such a simple statement but the repercussions behind it were so profound. I almost wanted to laugh; I wanted to believe so badly that Adam was pulling a fast one on us. But as I stared into his eyes and glanced at Jenny I knew that they were serious. My eldest son never appeared so serious and mature in his life as he did in that moment. I turned to look at Tasha who looked disappointed but supportive. I heard my other kids snickering and making light of the situation; they were teasing Adam at how much trouble he was in.
I raised my hand and silenced my other children. It was so quiet in the room that you would be able to hear a pin drop. "Adam, Jenny…" I sighed as I gathered my words, "How could you be so irresponsible? You are only kids yourselves. When… We need more information."
"It was homecoming night… nothing was planned. Jenny's parents weren't home… it was still early… left the dance early. One thing led to another…" Adam stumbled over his words.
"We are so sorry. We weren't thinking about the consequences. Everything seemed right at the time." Jenny glanced at my son before continuing, "We are young. We make mistakes. We are sorry… truly, we are. Today, after my doctor's appointment confirming the pregnancy, we made a decision…"
Adam squeezed Jenny's hand reassuringly, "We are keeping this baby. And we are going to raise this child in a house full of love. The baby is due in July. That's after our graduation."
Jenny took over, "We understand if you choose not to be supportive. But please understand this, if you choose not to be supportive then please realize that's your decision. We will not have people, family or not, coming in and out of our child's life when it's convenient for them. You're either supportive now or never."
"I do hope you guys choose to be supportive because my son or daughter would be lucky to have crazy people like you in their life. And I love you all… I don't want to lose you either," Adam added.
End of Flashback.
Present: July 16, 2014
Davenport's POV
Those nine months flew by quickly. It was March when I remember feeling so much happiness for my son who was beaming when he told us the gender of his child. The family and I had taken a poll on whether the baby would be a boy or a girl. There were seven votes in total (including Adam and Jenny) with the end result being 5 votes for a boy and 2 for a girl. I hadn't known at the time since Adam and Chase usually joked about everything they would do if Adam had a son, but Adam had voted for a girl… I had also. He came home that afternoon, after dropping Jenny off, with such a large grin on his face. His face lit up so brightly when he informed us that he was going to have a little girl.
Then came my eldest son's high school graduation in June. I was so proud of everything he had accomplished. School was not an easy task for him but he still managed a 3.3 GPA. I had thrown a small family (Jenny's included) graduation party for him that evening. That was not the only surprise that evening. A month earlier Adam had had dinner with Jenny's father in secret. The only one who knew Adam's plan for graduation night was Chase. Adam had gotten down on one knee and proposed to Jenny. A tear slipped down my face unexpectedly. My son had grown up so quickly in the past two years; it was hard to keep up with all the changes.
Now the day we had all been waiting for had come… my family, along with Jenny's, sat in the hospital waiting room all anxious for news. Jenny's mom, my daughter Bree, and Adam were just beyond the waiting room behind closed doors as Jenny was giving birth. Adam and Jenny decided on asking Bree to be Godmother to their daughter. Bree gladly accepted; Jenny then informed Bree she would be honored if she was there in the delivery room in which my daughter readily accepted.
It had been 22 hours since Jenny had first gone into labor and now at 8:30 at night we finally heard the door creep open. I looked up to see a tall figure in blue scrubs exiting the doorway with his back to us. I instantly recognized my son's hair. I grabbed Tasha's hand in anticipation. Chase and Leo stood up instantly with us, along with Jenny's father and brother. The next few moments unfolded in slow motion. Adam turned around to face us. His arms were held securely in front of him with a bundle of pink blanket gathered in the crook of them. His gaze hadn't left that bundle as he faced us.
With a sigh of content, Adam looked up and met my eyes. The smile that broke out on his face was full of relief, content, and pure love. He walked closer to us and shifted his arms, ever so slightly with a gentleness only a father possessed, so we could see the face of the beautiful baby in his arms, "I'd like you guys to meet my daughter." After a moment, he continued, "Charity Grace…" For a moment he looked nervous, "…Davenport. You are the only father I know… but we will understand if you'd rather not have her use your name." He looked away from me as he said this.
"Charity Grace Davenport," I spoke lovingly as I gently caressed the newborn's soft strawberry blonde hair, "Welcome to the world, little one." I looked into my eldest son's eyes as I whispered with a pride I had never felt before, "I am so proud of you, Adam." as I gathered him in my arms, careful not to crush my new granddaughter.
Future: May 2018
You never know what life will give you once a decision is made. Six years ago, I sent my three children off to school for the first time. Could I have predicted in those six years that my eldest son would be engaged and a father himself? No. Could I have predicted that Charity would bring out such a fatherly instinct in her Uncle Chase? Not at all. But I certainly adored watching Chase run around and play princesses versus bionic heroes with his three-year-old niece. Charity adores her Godmother; Bree has played a very active role in her life since day one. Every other Saturday, Bree and Charity had a girl's day for the afternoon together.
Did I know that six years ago, what I once thought would be a major mistake in my son's life was now the reason for him getting up every morning and making a living for his family? No I did not. Adam and Jenny did not want any help from either of their families. Jenny went to school and was now a registered nurse working in the ER at the local hospital. Adam, Bree, and Chase still go on missions together but Adam now worked for the county's emergency responders helping people who are trapped in vehicles, house fires, and other structural accidents. Instead of waiting on special equipment to arrive, the county now used Adam's bionics for life-saving measures.
Adam and Jenny might not be making the millions but they now lived a comfortable life. Could I have predicted that six years ago, Adam would be a father of two and another on the way in just a few months? Not at all. Could I have predicted that I would be the grandfather of three? No. But I wouldn't change a thing.
Because of Adam and Jenny, our family has expanded and the love in the Davenport house has grown excessively. Charity Grace was born July 16, 2014. Adam and Jenny married on September 10, 2015. Blake Joshua was born June 6, 2016. And now, my third grandchild was expected on August 7, 2018… little Michael Donald Davenport.
I never could have predicted the responsible, loving young man Adam has turned into… I have Jenny to thank for that transformation. But the man I am looking at before me today, the man having a tea party with his young daughter while holding his sleeping son in the crook of his free arm… I have one person to thank for that humble young man sitting in a chair much too large for him. Charity Grace Davenport turned my son into the caring, gentle, loving, protective, and dedicated father I am watching today as I peak into my granddaughter's bedroom at my house.
Fatherhood may have thrust itself into my son's life earlier than I had planned on… But as I think back on the decisions I made six years ago that inevitably led to where Adam's life has ended up today… I would never go back and change any of the decisions I made.
Author's Note: I hope you all enjoyed this! I enjoyed writing it. I love Adam-centric stories. Right now, this is a stand alone. However, I see many ways that this could be made into a multiple chapter story. Would you all want chapters with events that took place within the time frame of this stand alone? PS: Working on the next chapter of my other story "The Impossible." I got my muse back for writing and Lab Rats. Thanks!
