"Ishta said, 'There comes a time when every woman decides what is truly at the center of her life. If a man is involved he must understand and accept her decision.'"
CHAPTER 56: FAMILY OF CHOICE
"Ma…ma, ma…ma," the tiny words echoed through the room. The ears that heard Charlie Gilmore's first words were duly impressed. So much so that one six-foot-two Air Force General jumped to his feet, mindless of his aching knees. Once standing, said General pulled the little guy into his arms and swung him over his head with a triumphant whoop. All of this delighted little Charlie and he squealed his approval.
"Alright, little guy!" Jack exclaimed. "Way to go!"
Without further ado, Jack made a beeline, giggling baby in arms, to find "Mama"
"He's talking!" he exclaimed excitedly. "Do you know what he said?" he asked as he found Christina quietly at work in the kitchen.
"I'll bet it was 'Mama'," Christina said with an indulgent smile, putting down the dishes of pureed baby food she was patiently filling. Coming over to take Charlie from his second favorite uncle, Christina explained, "To tell you the truth, he started yesterday and he's been practicing ever since."
"That's great!" Jack said. "He'll show those doctors a thing or two."
"Yes, it is great and yes he will," Christina agreed, looking happily at the now ten and a half month old little boy. "When the doctors said being so sick would delay his development, I was worried. Hey, when haven't I been worried lately?"
"Worry's part of being a parent," Jack said. "So don't worry." Jack looked his usual confused self as he listened to his own advice.
Sitting down at the kitchen table, starting to feed a suddenly starving little boy, Christina continued. "When they told me he should be babbling and saying small words, I was actually surprised. I didn't pay a lot of attention when Jessica was this age. Now, it's like Charlie is the biggest part of my life. I can't help but pay attention to everything he does."
Jack looked at grandmother and child for a few moments without speaking. Charlie was sitting in his high chair eagerly awaiting the next spoonful of homemade applesauce. And Christina? Well this previously spoiled, self indulgent model turned ad exec had made some big changes. Although she still looked like a model (heck she was beautiful after all), she now dressed like an everyday mother, ready for baby spit up and used to it. As far as Jack could tell she genuinely enjoyed caring for Charlie. That did his heart good.
"I'm glad," he said finally, "glad you gave it a chance."
"So am I, Jack," she answered sincerely.
OoOoOo
Charlie had been home from the hospital a full two weeks now. At the start, Christina was understandably panicked and concerned over the special precautions her little boy would need to keep him well. What with anti-rejection medications, the care of his semi-permanent intravenous site and frequent medical appointments, she worried what might go wrong. Moreover, he still needed frequent supplemental nutrition, delivered via the central line, as his body continued to recover and became able to absorb nutrients again. Sure she'd been trained by the nurses at the hospital to perform all these procedures, but being out on her own was another thing altogether. What if she did something wrong?
Somehow Christina had successfully negotiated those first few days at home. Firing the private duty nurse when she didn't perform up to expectations had left Christina to her own resources. It helped that Bobby, David Francis and Jack had all been trained in little Charlie's care as well. Helped and amazed! After all, Christina hadn't known any of these people before the fateful accident last December. But here they were, pitching in as though they were family. Charlie's three honorary uncles took turns sitting with him or coming over to support Christina when she was feeling especially insecure. And it made all the difference.
The support of her friends had increased Christina's confidence in her own abilities. Undoubtedly, Charlie picked up on his grandmother's change in attitude. He was thriving. Beginning to gain weight, tolerating more and more solid foods, intravenous supplemental feedings were needed only infrequently now, drastically reducing the need for high tech care. In fact, for all intents and purposes, Charlie was quickly becoming a regular little boy.
And as Jack saw today at his first visit in nearly a week, Charlie was making developmental gains as well. Jack and the rest of "Charlie's Angels", as Christina had christened them, rejoiced over all of his achievements. Watching the tiny child who'd been so near death feeding himself Cheerios, sitting up, cruising around furniture and saying his first words felt like a miracle. Of all the Gilmore's new friends, Jack had the least time to spend at the house, so the changes seemed all the more amazing to him.
OoOoOo
Charlie's new bone marrow produced enough cells to allow his counts to normalize within two months of the transplant. Still Christina had been cautioned to avoid bringing him into crowds where the chance of infection would be more pronounced. So when it came time for the baby's first birthday, the celebration was strictly a "family" affair. Coming as it did in early September, it was the occasion for a final summer celebration.
In attendance were Jack, David Francis and of course, the Cramers. Bobby and his three children had been frequent visitors since Charlie's return home and today was no exception. In the days since the Memorial Day picnic, where Christina was less than popular with Denise, Charlie's grandmother was now well accepted by all the Cramer children. And Bobby? Well Bobby Cramer was clearly smitten, with Charlie and Christina.
In the past month, he and Christina had begun dating. Slowly, they were beginning to get to know each other. As Jack would say, it wasn't a "first barbecue" for either of them, so they understood the need to take things slowly. If it was to be successful, their relationship had to be based on more than their shared love for a once sick little boy.
"Bobby, did you pick up the cake?" Christina asked. She'd originally considered baking her grandson's first birthday cake, but had to admit that would be asking too much of her fledgling culinary skills.
"Got it right here," Bobby answered, cheerfully gesturing to the double layer chocolate cake with white icing. The cake was decorated with the image of a baby prizefighter, dubbed "Knock-out Charlie". That's how Bobby had begun to refer to the little guy. Still underweight, Charlie had managed to knock-out leukemia with a little help from his friends.
"Good," Jack said, coming up behind Christina as she took the cake from Bobby's hands. "There has to be cake for the little man's birthday."
"What do you think?" Denise said, bending down to Charlie's level and talking directly to the boy as he held onto the sofa, practicing his new walking skills. She was rewarded with a huge Charlie smile and her name, at least the best approximation the one-year-old could make.
"Neni," Charlie said, reaching up to touch her face.
"That's me, Den…ise…," the fourteen-year-old said, patiently pronouncing her own name.
Anne and Justin stood a few feet away smiling at their sister and Charlie. Denise had come a long way in the past month or so, quickly becoming one of Charlie biggest fans.
"Lunch is served in five, everyone," Jack announced.
"Yeah, don't be late," Bobby answered. "Give Jack an extra minute or two and your burger will be incinerated."
"Funny," Jack said.
"I thought so," Bobby quipped, bringing Charlie's high chair out to sit next to the picnic table.
"Hey," Jack said, taking the chance to comment before Christina and the kids came out, "you two look great together. How's it going?"
"I like her a lot, Jack," Bobby said easily. "And like you, I'm already in love with Charlie."
"Oh yeah," Jack answered.
"How 'bout you, buddy?" Bobby asked as David Francis joined them on the patio, carrying Charlie.
"I'm good," Jack said simply. "Sam's coming home in two weeks. So I couldn't be better."
Though these friends had no idea exactly how far away Sam's military assignment had taken her, they did understand the hole her absence left in Jack's life. And they rejoiced with him as he awaited her return.
"That's wonderful!" Christina said, as she joined the group. "I've been so pre-occupied with Charlie I almost forgot Sam's coming home. I'm so happy for both of you."
"And you said she's requested deployment stateside?" David asked for his own clarification.
"That she did," Jack replied. Right now, he was very glad Sam had decided to come home for good.
TBC
A/N: Thanks once more for your continuing support. The reviews make my day.
We're in the home stretch: one more spat of chapters, followed by an epilogue.
Hope you enjoyed the update on Charlie and his Angels.
Please review.
