Remember When
Chapter One
A/N: This was prompted by the Alan Jackson song, 'Remember When'. The lyrics are at the end of the story. The YouTube link is watch?v=TTA2buWlNyM.
Ianto pulled on his Wellies – bright red Wellies, a Christmas gift from Jack cos 'red really is my colour' – and stepped off the back porch, trug and trowel in hand. He headed off down the path to the garden with a purposeful stride, ready to do battle with the weeds that had popped up in his vegetable patch since his last visit. "Darn things just wait til my back is turned and then it's like, SURPRISE!" he muttered mutinously as he shook his trowel in the air. A bark of laughter suddenly erupted as the image of his grand-tad popped into his mind.
When Ianto was six years old, he and his older sister, Rhiannon, had gone to spend the summer with his maternal grandparents on their farm in the Welsh countryside. Thirteen-year-old Rhiannon only lasted a week, she missed her friends too much, but Ianto stayed on for three months, and on the last day, when his parent's car had appeared at the top of the country lane, Ianto had grabbed his beloved teddy bear and disappeared into the barn, certain that if he buried himself in the hay, no one would think to search the loft for him.
His grand-tad had known exactly where to look, of course, but he didn't. Instead, he'd busied himself with small chores about the barn talking all the while to the family dog, Myfanwy. Making sure to remain within earshot of a small pile of hay that never stopped moving, the old man (in Ianto's eyes, at least) took up an axe and a sharpening stone and set to work. Huw Jones – yeah, there had been dozens of jokes at his daughter's wedding reception about a Jones marrying a Jones – and his devoted canine companion discussed the events of the summer. They went over all the ways young Ianto Jones had helped out, how he'd kept the kindling box for the kitchen's woodstove full so that his mam-gu could light the fire every morning and cook such a scrummy breakfast for them. "That wee boy sure knows how to make goooood pancakes, right, girl?"
Up in the loft the hay pile shook happily while Myfanwy barked softly, agreeing with her master. She'd thoroughly enjoyed her share of the ones that were just a little too well done for her picky humans to eat. Her tail beat a lively rhythm in the dust.
"I'm telling you, Myf, that boy is a right dab hand at collecting the eggs, too. He is just the right size to not scare those old biddies, and the way he named them all and talked to them? Those hens think he's their best friend. They practically put their eggs right in his basket!"
Huw ignored the tiny giggle that came from the loft.
"And what a tremendous help he has been down in the gardens. You know what? I think all those pesky weeds are afraid of him cos he is such a good weed puller. I think the weeds all ran away to the Williams' farm and hid there, cos I rarely saw a single one all summer long."
This time, when he heard Ianto giggle Huw looked around. "Did you hear something, Myf? Sounds like we might have a wee mouse in here." She woofed at him. "Yeah, you're probably right. Maybe after lunch you can look around and find it for me." He finished with the axe and picked up a hoe with a dull blade.
"I just don't know how we're gonna get through the winter without him." Huw sighed loudly and dramatically. "I guess all we can do is hope that he wants to come back again next year, right?"
Up in the hay loft Ianto had been quivering with happiness as he listened to his grandfather talking about what a help he'd been all summer long. When he heard his hero say that he wanted him to return Ianto couldn't contain himself any longer and he burst out of his hay cocoon and raced for the ladder. With his teddy's paw clenched in his teeth, he clambered down the rungs as quickly as his little legs could take him and then he ran over and flung himself into the older man's arms.
"Can I really?" he blurted out hopefully.
Huw did an excellent job of jumping with surprise. "Have you been up there this whole time?!"
"Yep!" Ianto carefully popped the 'P' just like he'd heard Huw do so many times.
"Well," Huw shifted his grandson to his knee and considered the situation. "What do you think, Myf?"
Myfanwy barked softly as she gazed upon her favourite small human. She liked the way he would slip her bits from the table, and how he always wanted her along whenever he went 'adventuring' out in the fields. Mam-gu always packed them a wee picnic lunch even though they were only ever out for an hour or so, and she always remembered to put something special just for her in Ianto's little backpack. But most of all, Myfanwy liked the way he would curl up with her in front of the fireplace in the evenings and fall asleep with his head on her belly.
"You're right, old girl." Huw hugged Ianto to him, "it's just not going to be the same around here without you, so I guess you'd better come back here next summer."
"Really?" Ianto wriggled with joy. "Really and truly?"
The old farmer nodded his head and swallowed past the lump in his throat. "Really and truly, my boy, really and truly."
With a loud sniffle, Ianto wrapped his arms around Huw's neck and hung on for dear life. "Thank you, grand-tad," and Huw felt tiny tears wet his neck.
Pulling back just enough to see Ianto's face, Huw chuckled. "What's all this then?" He used his thumb to wipe the tears from the little boy's cheeks.
Ianto hung his head. "I didn't think you'd want me to come back cos I broke those eggs, remember?"
Huw didn't actually, but he wouldn't admit it. "You know what? When we first got those chickens a long time ago, your mam-gu dropped a whole basketful one day."
Ianto turned bright eyes on his grandfather. "She did?" he whispered incredulously.
"Yep," and the 'P' popped sharply. "I was here in the barn and I heard this horrible crash. It rattled the rafters it was so loud! It sounded like a tree had fallen over. Scared me half to death, I swear! I had to leave the milking and come running out to see what had happened. And what do you think I found?"
Enthralled by his grandfather's legendary story-telling skills, Ianto gulped. "What?" He was breathless with anticipation.
"I came running around the corner and I stopped dead in my tracks." Huw became caught up in his own story. "Right there in front of me was your very own grandmother, sitting on the ground right splat in the middle of the path, and do you know what?"
Ianto's eyes were the size of saucers and he shook his head. "What?" he asked again.
"There were dozens and dozens of eggs all over the place! Hundreds even! Oh, Ianto, it was an awful sight, I'm telling you." He paused and looked furtively to his right and then to his left, and then he looked up and down, and finally, with Ianto's little head copying his every move, Huw looked behind him.
Ianto's eyes were as wide as they could be as he helped his grandfather look around. He didn't know why they were looking or what they were looking for, but if his grand-tad was doing it then he'd better do it too, cos his grand-tad was the smartest man Ianto had ever met and he never did anything without a good reason.
Struggling to hide his smile, Huw lowered his voice and pulled his grandson closer. "But the worst thing was seeing your grandmother just sitting there with her apron over her head. She was making all these funny noises and her shoulders were shaking and I thought for sure she was hurt and crying."
Six-year-old Ianto was taken aback. He didn't know grown-ups could cry; he'd never seen one do it. "Oh no!" he frowned. "Poor mam-gu!"
"Yep. ('P'!) So I rushed over to her – you know, I had to shoo all the chickens away cos they were all running around like crazy people. They'd come to see what had happened too."
"Wow!" Ianto envisioned his grand-tad wading through hundreds of birds, all squawking and flapping their wings at him. The idea that his grandfather was the bravest man in the world became firmly cemented in his mind at that moment.
"Bethan, I said," as Huw continued with his story, "Don't cry, my love! It's all right, and I rushed to her side. The chickens will lay more eggs tomorrow!"
Ianto nodded wisely; he'd been quite surprised to learn that that was true. Of course, he'd been downright amazed to discover that eggs came from chickens and not from of the refrigerator.
"And do you know what happened next?" He looked down at Myfanwy and winked; she seemed as entranced by his tall tale as Ianto.
"What?" Ianto was completely caught up in the story and his imaginative little brain was working overtime. "Did all the chickens attack you?" In his mind, the small laying hens had grown to the size of turkey vultures.
"Nope. They'd decided I was much too brave so they all got scared and ran away and hid in the garden under the cabbage leaves."
"Wow…" This time the word was just a whisper. The first time he'd visited the chicken coop with his grandmother the birds had all looked at him with their bright beady eyes and Ianto had been sure they were going to get him when he wasn't looking for taking away their eggs.
"Your grandmother dropped her apron from her face and would you believe…" Huw paused for dramatic effect and put his mouth closed to Ianto's ear. "She was laughing!" he confided softly.
Ianto knew his grandfather had to be telling a lie. Eggs were worth five cents in trade at the little country store in the village that Huw and Bethan favoured. He pictured hundreds of eggs lying broken on the ground and he just knew they had to be worth at least a whole dollar, maybe even two. "Nuh-uh," he protested.
"Uh-huh," Huw countered. "I'm telling you she was just laughing away like she'd gone with the faeries."
"How come?"
Huw made a show of looking around again to see if anyone was listening. He could see his daughter standing by the door with a smile on her face. She had grown up on her tad's stories, but this was a new one, and she was waiting hear how it turned out.
"You want to know why?" he teased. "You really want to know why?"
Ianto was fairly bursting with excitement. "Yep!" and he popped his 'P' as loudly as he could.
"Cos she thought it was funny, seeing all those broken eggs!"
Huw threw his head back and roared with laughter at the sight of Ianto's face as he tried to figure that out. Then, after a few seconds, Ianto copied his grandfather and threw his head back as well. However, Huw hadn't anticipated that Ianto's little body would follow his head so he didn't really have a firm grip on his grandson. Before either knew what was happening, Ianto toppled backwards off his grandfather's knee and plopped into the soft hay on the floor.
Silenced reigned supreme for several moments as both tried to figure out what had happened but then Ianto started to giggle, which turned into deep chuckles and then shrieks of laughter as Huw took advantage of the situation and tickled Ianto's tummy.
Even Myfanwy got caught up in the excitement and she jumped around and ran in circles, woofing and barking madly.
Arlais watched the two most favourite men in her life at play and her heart swelled with love. She'd grown up on the farm; it had been hard work but all-in-all, it had been an idyllic childhood and she sincerely wished she could leave her son to grow up the same way, sheltered from the harsh realities of the world for as long as possible.
Finally, she cleared her throat and stepped into the barn. When no one noticed her, not even the dog, she did it again, much more loudly. "Ahem!"
Three heads popped up and looked around with surprise.
"Shhh…" Huw stage-whispered as he put his finger to Ianto's lips. "Maybe she won't notice us if we're really quiet."
Arlais chuckled. "I can see you, old man. Now stop torturing my child and go wash your hands. Mam's got lunch on the table."
Huw jumped up, pulling Ianto up with him. "Cawl! Mam-gu was making it just for you, to celebrate your last day. Come on!"
Ianto ran from the barn, dragging Huw behind him with one hand and his teddy in the other. He loved his grandmother's cawl, full of beef and potatoes, swedes and carrots, and her freshly baked laverbread was so much better than the store-bought stuff they had at home.
After lunch, Ianto hauled his parents – Rhiannon had refused to come, saying she'd rather be with her friends than go to the stinky old country – around the farm, showing them the fort he'd built at the edge of the woods, introducing them to his chickens and taking them to the garden where he proudly presented them each with a vine-ripened tomato, carefully selected and picked just for them.
Daffyd Jones wasn't really impressed; all he could think about was getting back to Cardiff and his local, where all his mates would be gathering to watch the Rugby together.
Noticing her husband's lack of enthusiasm, Arlais handed him her tomato. "Head on up to the house and we'll be right behind, okay?"
He grunted and turned away. "Don't be all day."
"We'll be right behind," Arlais repeated. She wanted to spend a bit of time alone with her son. He was not the pale, timid little boy she'd dropped off with her parents nearly three months ago. Now Ianto was awash with vitality, his skin glowed with a soft tan and his eyes gleamed with joy and excitement. Tears pricked her eyes as she thought of how much she had missed him, how many times she'd almost come to get him; the house had been so quiet all summer without him constantly at her side. Rhiannon had been busy with her friends, and between work and his local, Daffyd had hardly been home. Funny how she'd never noticed that about him before.
As soon as Ianto was sure his father wasn't coming back, he grabbed his mother's hand. "Come this way," he whispered.
"Where are we going?" Arlais noticed the strength in Ianto's grip and that his little legs were sturdier, his shorts showing them off. She even saw that he had developed little bicep muscles and she smiled with maternal pride.
"It's a secret."
"Why are we whispering?"
Ianto stopped abruptly and nearly fell over when Arlais didn't stop but rather bumped right into him. "They don't like loud noises."
"Right." Arlais nodded sagely. "I'd forgotten."
Ianto studied her with narrowed eyes, then turned and ploughed on, heading for a large tree not far from his forest fort. When they got close, he dropped to his knees and when his mam didn't copy him, he tugged firmly on her hand until she was crouched down beside him.
Slowly they crept forward to the edge of the hayfield and then lay on their bellies in the soft grass.
"See?" Ianto whispered so softly that Arlais barely heard him. "I wonder if they're home."
Arlais looked where Ianto was pointing and there right before her eyes was a tiny faery village made of sticks, leaves and flowers. Instantly her mind flew back to when she'd been about Ianto's age and her mam had brought her to the same spot.
"Maybe they're in the woods having a picnic lunch," she suggested, repeating the words her own mother had spoken when Arlais had expressed disappointment at not seeing any faeries. Now she was just thrilled to see that her mother had carried on the faery village for her son. Looking closer she could see the remains of several strawberries in the village clearing and knew that Ianto had been feeding his little magical beings.
Ianto's little head tilted as he considered this possibility. "Yeah," he concluded. "You're probably right. I didn't tell them we were coming, so…" He clambered to his feet and then, being the gentleman his grandfather was teaching him to be, he helped his mam to her feet.
"Come on!" Again, Ianto began pulling Arlais along as a sudden thought struck him. "I forgot to tell mam-gu she'll have to feed the faeries while I'm gone!" There was a hint of panic in his voice. "Hurry!" He dropped her hand and ran on ahead, chivalry forgotten given the urgency of the matter.
Arlais stopped and watched her son race toward the house. A few months ago he'd hidden in her skirts whenever they were in public, only letting go of her hand when forced to and even then, he'd anxiously grip at her leg. Now he was running away from her without a care in the world, well, except for the feeding and welfare of his faery friends.
Later that day, when the time came for him to go home, Ianto had stoically marched himself to the vehicle, his little head held high and his eyes glistening with unshed tears. His gran had whispered, "he looks like he's going off to war, the brave wee baban," and she'd sniffled into her apron for a moment.
Despite his mother's instructions to "sit down and put on your seatbelt, young man!" Ianto knelt on the back seat looking out the rear window for as long as he could, watching the farm grow smaller and smaller until finally it was gone from view and even then, he continued to look for several more minutes. Finally, with a soft sigh, Ianto turned and sat down, already changing from carefree farm boy to uncertain first grader, for tomorrow he started school.