Hey, look what I found! I'm sorry it's been so long. I've been very busy with something else (which I hope you will think was worth putting all my other fics on hold for). But I better start paying attention to this one so Linka can deliver those babies!!!
Wheeler heads towards the stables, planning on hanging out there for some alone time. As he walks past one of the stalls, one of the inhabitants lets out an annoyed snort.
"Sorry buddy…didn't mean to bother you," Wheeler says.
The big horse pokes his head over the door and nudges Wheeler's arm.
"I don't have any food either. Sorry…you can be mad at me too, but you'll have to take a number."
"How 'bout you take a bucket of these oats and fill his bowl," Joe says as he enters the barn.
"Sure."
Wheeler takes the bucket from his dad and feeds the horse.
"Here ya go boy. This oughta make up for the rude awakening," Wheeler says as he pats the thoroughbred's shoulder.
"Don't let him fool you. He's been awake for a while now, waiting for breakfast," Joe says.
"What are you doin' up so early Pop?"
"Feedin' the horses."
"This early?"
"Every mornin'. It's like having babies. Speaking of, what are you doin' up this early? You should be enjoying your sleep while you can. In a few months, when I'm up feeding the horses, you'll be up feeding the twins."
"Yeah, I guess."
"You 'guess'? No, son…you WILL be up. Even if Linka's the one feeding them, you're not gonna be able to sleep…you'll want to help."
Wheeler looks at his dad, wondering where he gets off dishing out fatherly advice about how to take care of babies.
"I know what you're thinkin'," Joe says. "But there was a time when I was a good dad…or at least, I tried to be. I'd wake up with you at night, I'd change you so your mother could get her rest, and then even though I'd been up several times in the middle of the night, I'd go to work."
"Do you regret it? Working?"
"Somebody had to make the money…What I regret is NOT coming home right after work. It all started with just going out with the guys for happy hour…then I'd stay out later and later…and…you know the rest."
"Yeah."
"But your situation is different. You don't have to work. You and Linka are lucky that she's done so well for herself."
"But I don't wanna mooch off of her! I want to do something to support my family!"
"Then be there! Your wife is pregnant with twins…she needs support…but not the monetary kind. She needs emotional support. Your mother and I will be around to offer whatever help we can of course, but no one can ever take the place of a husband and father," Joe says.
"I can still be there, be supportive, and work. I'll just come home and…"
"But what about those hours that you aren't there? And they'll be strange hours…you won't be working an eight hour, 9 to 5 job. You'll be working long hours, and late hours…so on top of the stresses of being at home by herself with two babies, she'll be worrying about you and your safety."
"I guess I didn't consider that," Wheeler says as he sheepishly scratches the back of his head. I'm gonna go talk to Captain Thomas later today and tell him 'Thanks, but no thanks.' When I married Linka, I promised to make her happy…if she thinks she can handle having me around 24/7, I'll be here!"
"Good idea. A lot of people would be thrilled to be in your position. Gorgeous wife, two kids on the way, a nice house, and the chance to spend all your free time in that house with that beautiful family…you're a lucky man Jason."
"I know Pop…anything else I can help you with out here?"
"Nah, I got a system down…I can do this all by myself in a short amount of time. As soon as they're done eating, I turn 'em out in the field for the rest of the day and let them forget about being racehorses and get back to just being regular horses."
"What's the difference?" Wheeler asks.
"They start out working at a young age, learning how to take a saddle, be harnessed, get used to the whip and going into the gate, when to change leads…they're racing by the time they're two…that one over there, the chestnut with the blaze, he's 11…pretty old for a racehorse. He's been conditioned to be a competitor…everything is serious…he's all about the job. These other horses…they're all younger than him. He doesn't want anything to with them, but in reality, their natural instinct is to be a herd. That old guy should be the leader, but he's a loner. The other horses used to go out in that field, not knowing what to do without having a rider on their back…looking for a rail to run along, a track to run around…not expecting a field of grass. Eventually, they're figuring out that they can run in whatever direction they want to, for however long they want to. Except the chestnut…he stays along the edge of the fence and grazes. He doesn't run and play with the others. Like I said, he's serious. He doesn't know anything but how to work. But he watches the other horses very closely. At first, he ignored them, then he'd watch them cautiously. And each day that I've been letting them out, he's been getting a little further away from the edge of the fence…a little closer to the rest of the 'herd.' Eventually, he'll see that it's ok to not be all about work…to enjoy life. To have fun. To spend time with others and become a family. You should watch them sometime. You can learn a lot from them."
"Well, I guess I'll be having a lot of time on my hands for the next few months until the babies get here…I'll umm, take some time to watch. Thanks for the chat Pop," Wheeler says as he clasps his dad's shoulder. "I'm gonna go tell Linka that I've reconsidered. Being a husband and father is the only 'job' I need."
When Wheeler gets back to his bedroom, he sees that Linka has fallen back to sleep. He contemplates crawling back into bed with her, waking her with a kiss, but then he reconsiders. When she's mad, sometimes it's best to let her cool off, even holding off on an apology until she's a little more willing to accept it.
Wheeler checks his watch and decides to get cleaned up and go into the city to meet with Captain Thomas. It'll be easier to apologize to Linka and let her know that he's not taking the job once he's officially taken himself out of the equation of joining the FBI.
An hour later, Wheeler arrives at his former precinct and is greeted happily by all his old friends and co-workers. After taking in all the well wishes about his surgery and momentary health scare, and then accepting congratulations about becoming a future father, he heads for Captain Thomas' office. Once the secretary tells the Captain that Wheeler is there to see him, Captain Thomas immediately stops what he's doing and welcome's Wheeler with a firm handshake and them pulls him into a hug.
"Oh, sorry! I didn't mean to be so rough with you! How are you feeling?"
"I'm completely recovered, so no need to apologize…I'm still young and strong enough to take you!"
"Ha! I'd like to see you try!" Captain Thomas jokes. "So I assume you're here to get back to work?"
"Actually, yeah…I did come here to talk to you about that…just not what you think…I'm afraid I'm gonna have to decline your offer."
"Really?! I can't believe you'd pass this up."
"I know…it's a great opportunity and under different circumstances, I'd jump at the chance…but I'm gonna be a dad…with twins! Linka's gonna need me around. I can't be spending all day at work, putting myself in potentially dangerous situations while she's at home with two babies."
"I doubt you'd be out in the field much. It'd pretty much be a desk job. You'd just be analyzing intelligence. And babies are expensive. Do you have any idea how much diapers cost? I know I was shocked when my daughter had her kid and I found out what diapers were going for these day. Way different than when I had my kids. Most people struggle with all those new expenses…diapers, formula, new clothes every few weeks…And that's just with one baby…you're gonna have two to take care of!"
"I know, but Linka's income is enough to cover that. She's done pretty well for herself with her computer programming. I mean, she had that nice house in Scarsdale long before we got together. She doesn't need a second income."
"Ah, so you're a kept man then?" Captain Thomas meant it as a joke, but Wheeler feared that it was what everyone would think of him. That Linka was the one supporting their family and he wasn't doing anything to contribute…he was living off her.
Wheeler didn't want it to appear that way. What would Linka's brother think? That his sister was being used? And what would Linka's friends think? Niki and Sophie each had boyfriends who were working hard…Niki was still dating Wheeler's friend from the NYPD, and Sophie's boyfriend had just returned from his second tour in Afghanistan. Both of Linka's closest friends were in relationships with guys who could take care of them…and one of those guys was a good friend of Wheeler's. What would the guys in the PD think if Petrosky told them that Wheeler's wife was supporting their family while he sat at home all day, changing diapers, and watching Sesame Street?
That wasn't the Wheeler they knew. The Wheeler they knew was the best damn detective the NYPD had seen in a long time…and now he had the chance to become the best damn agent the FBI had ever seen! All his life, he'd been made to feel like a failure. His father made him feel worthless…then as a Planeteer, even though his friends never said it, he felt like he was considered to be the dumb one. The one that they were always rolling their eyes at. The one that they always had to carry through the missions because he was always goofing off and not taking things seriously.
And now, he WAS taking things seriously. He'd matured. He was a husband and would soon be a father. He had a responsibility to his family…Linka would understand…eventually. And she'd see that he'd made the right decision. Sure, they may have been financially stable, but every little bit would help. And once she stopped letting the hormones think for her, she would see that he wasn't taking this job as an excuse to get out of the house and away from her and the babies, but as a way of providing for all of them.
"I'm sorry to hear that you're no longer interested in the job Wheeler…as I'm sure my buddy in the Bureau will be as well. He was really looking forward to working with you after all the bragging I did."
"I don't wanna put you in a bad spot, Cap…I mean, if you were doing your best to make me look good, I guess if I turned the job down, it'd make you look bad."
"Well, I didn't need to try very hard to make you look good…I was just being honest...and bragging that I taught you everything you know! It wouldn't look bad if you turned down the job…I completely understand you wanting to be home with your family…if my wife could take care of me, I'd jump at the chance to stay at home!"
If my wife could take care of me…That did it. Linka was NOT taking care of him. Forgetting everything his father told him about being there for your family, and disregarding the point that he'd made about the race horses having to re-learn how to just be a horse, Wheeler wasn't ready to re-learn how to NOT be a hard worker. He needed to feel useful.
"Hold on Cap…tell me more about this job with the Feds…"
To Be Continued…
