4 YEARS LATER
"Next please!" The cashier called out
Jasmine placed the toys on the counter and turned around to look for her Stuart and her son when she realized they were not behind her. She gave the cashier an apologetic smile as she picked up her items.
"Um… Sorry… I think my husband's still choosing another toy." Jasmine said, getting out of the line.
The cashier rolled her eyes before continuing on to the next customer. Jasmine looked around the huge Toys R Us and sighed. This was going to be difficult. She walked around the store until she heard a two familiar voices coming from the Star Wars aisle. She turned into the lane and right in front of her eyes was her husband and son re-enacting a scene from Star Wars with the light sabers.
"You'll never get me, daddy!"
"We'll see!"
Jasmine shook her head before saying, "Boys! I thought I said to meet at the cashier?"
Stuart and her son stopped what they were doing and turned to look at Jasmine. She hugged the toys to her chest as she crossed her arms, showing the two of them that she expects an explanation.
"I'm sorry, honey… We got stuck here." Stuart said
Jasmine raised an eyebrow, "Really? Stuck because you two have been planning on re-enacting the scene here?"
Her son whispered to Stuart, "Daddy… How did mommy know?"
"I don't know…" Stuart whispered back
Jasmine laughed a little before saying, "That's because I can hear the two of you discussing this in the car. Now, if you don't mind… Could we get to the cashier to pay for this so that we won't be late for Alanna's birthday?"
"Aww…" Her son said, disappointed that the fun had to end.
"You heard mommy, Stewie. Time to go." Stuart said
She looked at Stuart, "Are you trying to make me the villain here?"
Stuart flashed her a mischievous smile and Jasmine shook her head. She walked up to him and passed him the toys before walking up to her son and whispering in his ear. His little frown turned into a smile as he clutched the light saber tightly to his chest. Stewie ran up ahead towards the cashier as Jasmine followed behind slowly.
Unsure of why their son suddenly became the happiest boy in the world, Stuart stopped her from walking further.
"What's going on?" Stuart asked
"Well… I turned things around so now, I'm the awesome mom." Jasmine replied
Stuart narrowed his eyes at her, "What did you do?"
Jasmine smiled, "I told him that he could continue the re-enactment at home."
"That's not fair! He gets a light saber?!" Stuart said
Jasmine chuckled and said, "Well, if you hurry up, you can get one too, big boy."
Stuart grinned widely as he picked up the light saber that he put down on a shelf before following after Jasmine. He outran Jasmine as he joined their son at the cashier to pay for the toys.
"Boys." Jasmine said to herself as she walked towards the cashier.
After paying for the toys, Stuart carried Stewie on his shoulders while he held the shopping bags as they headed out to the parking lot.
"Stu! Be careful!" Jasmine said, worried about Stewie on his shoulders.
"Relax, honey. I've carried heavier things on my shoulders." Stuart said
"I know… But you had free hands just in case anything happened. Why don't I carry the bags?" Jasmine said
"No… It's fine. I can manage. Right, Stewie?" Stuart said
Stewie giggled a little, "Right!"
Jasmine smiled a little and shook her head as she walked behind them, arms ever ready to catch Stewie, just in case. The family got into the car and headed for Stuart's buddy, Randy's home. Stuart and Randy both served in the army together. When Stuart first joined the army, not many people wanted to be friends with him because of his deep English accent, letting everyone know that he was a British that migrated to the USA and not an American. Randy was the first to befriend him and they hit it off really well. They eventually became the best of friends along with Andrew, who was born in Scotland but moved to the USA when he was 16.
They parked their car behind Randy's family car and got out. Stewie was holding onto his light saber and was ready to bring it in when Jasmine stopped him.
"Stewie… What did mommy say?" Jasmine asked
"It's Alanna's birthday. She's the special one." Stewie replied
"That's right. So, let her be the special one and when we go home, you can be the special one with the new toy, okay?" Jasmine said
Stewie nodded and Jasmine smiled before giving him a kiss on the forehead. Stuart held onto Alanna's present as he joined Jasmine and Stewie on the other side of the car.
"Shall we?" Stuart asked
Jasmine smiled and nodded as she took Stewie's hand. Together, they walked up the front porch steps and Stuart pressed the door bell. The door immediately swung open to reveal Randy standing there with his daughter in his arms.
"Hey! Welcome! Welcome! Come on in!" Randy said, moving aside for them to enter.
Randy put Alanna down and Stuart squat down so that he was at her level.
"Happy birthday, Alanna. This is from me and aunt Jasmine." Stuart said
Alanna smiled as she hugged the present, "Thank you, Uncle Stuart. Thank you, Aunt Jasmine."
Stuart and Jasmine both smiled, "You're welcome."
"Stewie, why don't you join Alanna to see her presents?" Randy asked
He looked at his parents who in turn gave him a nod and he happily joined Alanna as they ran towards the table of presents.
Seeing Andrew coming to join them, she turned and kissed Stuart on the cheek.
"My cue to go." Jasmine said
Stuart smiled as he watched her leave his side. Before she entered the kitchen, she looked back and smiled seeing her husband engaged in serious conversations with his pals.
"Hey, Sam! Need any help?" Jasmine asked
Samantha, Randy's wife, turned around and smiled, "Oh! You're here! Yes! I could use some help!"
Jasmine laughed a little before joining Samantha at the kitchen island.
"Apparently the other mothers opted to sit outside and watch their kids." Samantha said
"Well, lucky for you, I'm not the other mothers. So, how should I help?" Jasmine asked
"Could you get me the toothpicks from the first drawer?" Samantha asked
Jasmine nodded and walked over to the drawers. She pulled open the first drawer and took out the toothpicks that were in a holder. She handed it to Samantha as she headed back to stand next to her.
"What took you guys so long to come over? You're 15 minutes late." Samantha said
"I know… Blame it on the boys." Jasmine said
Samantha chuckled, "Let me guess… They got stuck at the toy store?"
"Yes. The two of them were playing with light sabers." Jasmine said, "Re-enacting a scene from Star Wars."
"Well, boys will be boys." Samantha said
"Yeah. I could only get them to stop when I agreed to let them buy the light sabers." Jasmine said
"At least that will curb their urge for a light saber fight in the toy store." Samantha said
Jasmine nodded as she helped to put the toothpicks into the finger sandwiches to hold it together.
"And… Done!" Samantha exclaimed, putting the last toothpick in.
She picked up the tray and said, "Let's get them out of the kitchen!"
Jasmine nodded and picked up the other tray before following after Samantha out of the kitchen. Together, they laid the trays on the main table and stood by the side as some kids came over to take the sandwich.
Jasmine went back into the kitchen to get a drink and leaned against the kitchen island. Samantha came back in and stood next to her.
She sighed, "Now that that's out of the way, I can finally relax."
Jasmine laughed softly, "Now you're making me not look forward to Stewie's birthday."
Samantha laughed before looking at Jasmine, "You okay?"
"Hmm? Yeah… Why wouldn't I be?" Jasmine asked
"You look… Distracted." Samantha said, "Is it because of the promotion Stuart got?"
Jasmine put her cup down on the kitchen island and sighed, "Yeah…"
"It's just a title, Jas. They know he has a family. They wouldn't just send him out on a dangerous mission." Samantha said
"You think? But knowing Stu, he'd still volunteer to go." Jasmine said
"Yeah… Randy's the same." Samantha said
She looked at Jasmine, "But I always have faith he'd come back safe. And I know you have it too."
Jasmine nodded, "Always."
About two hours later, Jasmine was busy chatting to the other army wives with Samantha when her son ran up to her.
"Mommy…" Stewie called out
Jasmine smiled, "Yeah, sweetie?"
"I fell down." Stewie said
Immediately, she carried him up and sat him on her lap.
"Where sweetie?" Jasmine asked
"Here." Stewie replied, showing her his elbow.
Jasmine looked at it for a while before saying, "That's quite a fall you had. Come on, let's go patch you up."
She turned to Samantha, who was looking at Stewie with concern, "Hey, do you have a first aid kit?"
Samantha nodded, "Yup. It's in the upstairs bathroom. Bottom cupboard."
"Thanks." Jasmine said
She carried Stewie up to the bathroom and sat him down on the sink.
"You've been a brave boy, Stewie." Jasmine said, opening the first aid kit.
"That's because daddy's brave too." Stewie said
Jasmine smiled, "So you didn't cry?"
Stewie shook his head, "Nope."
Jasmine smiled and said, "Okay. This is going to hurt a little."
Stewie nodded as Jasmine lightly applied the antiseptic cream onto the scrape Stewie had on his elbow. She looked at his face and even though he was wincing a little, he still put on a brave front. She smiled and put the cap back onto the antiseptic cream before putting a plaster on it.
"There. Be careful, okay, sweetie?" Jasmine said
Stewie nodded just as she planted a kiss on his head and carried him off the counter to put him down. Just as they exited the bathroom, Stuart appeared in the corridor.
"Hey, I heard what happened. Is he okay?" Stuart asked
"I'm okay, daddy!" Stewie replied
Stuart smiled and carried him up, "Are you now, little buddy?"
"He said he didn't cry cause he wanted to be brave like his daddy." Jasmine said
"I'm so proud of you, buddy. You are much braver then daddy will ever be." Stuart said
Stewie beamed and looked at Jasmine, "Daddy said I'm braver then him!"
"Yeah… I heard him." Jasmine said, smiling.
"I wanna tell Alanna!" Stewie said
Stuart laughed, "Alright then. Off you go."
As soon as he put Stewie down, Stewie raced for the stairs, excited to tell Alanna everything.
"Be careful, sweetie!" Jasmine called out after him, hoping he heard her.
Stuart put his arm around her and pulled her close, "He heard you."
"He better. Cause sometimes, he's too much like you." Jasmine said
"Oh, really? What about at the bookstore? It seems like you two have that in common." Stuart said
Jasmine looked at Stuart, "That's different! He enjoys reading. It's a universal thing."
"Yeah, I'm sure." Stuart said
"Um, excuse me, Mr Bennett but what does that mean?" Jasmine said
Stuart grinned which made Jasmine smile as he started for the stairs and she followed after him, demanding an answer to their playful banter.