33 – Ianto
Lisa's mother finally calls me, wanting to talk about the funeral. No mention of Jessie is made and I am not sure what to make of that. Well … until the call is almost ended and he calls out for a bottle, Jack crooning as he rushes to fuss.
"Is that a baby?"
I am stunned "Yes."
"Oh. Lovely. I didn't know you had one... with everything that happened with Lisa … well. How strange."
I do not know what the hell she is smoking but I simply let it go, I do not want to get into it and then she adds "Lisa's is gone. Adopted out or something … apparently she had some living will and gave him away already."
OK, so now I am torn. Keep my mouth shut and she will never know but… then she will never know him either. They will probably find out sooner or later and be pissed at me for hiding it too. No way to start this is it? I look over at Jack who is shaking his head and I know he is right.
Not just yet.
I closeout the call and sit back, frowning at the phone.
"Feel bad not admitting we have him?" Jack guesses "Look … the papers are going through now. By the end of the week the adoption papers and official custody papers will be done and dusted. Then you can say or do anything knowing they can't fight you."
"You are right" I nod, the lawyer having pretty much said the same thing. Still feels wrong "Her funeral is Friday. Part of me thinks I need to go, part of me doesn't want to. Everyone looking at me, those who did not know the entire story … but … what do I tell him? In the future when he asks what her funeral was like… what excuse do I say? I was a coward?"
"Then we go. I pick Alice up Friday night, we have the Saturday meal with Luce and Giles right? Is Rhiannon taking the kids this weekend?" Jack asks and I shrug, unable to tell him anything really about that. "Well … If we have the kids, they come too. They are old enough to know what death is, they knew Lisa right? We all go ... as a family. Let them see that you are strongly supported, we have a family unit here and if they want to have a go at you about Jessie … they come at me too."
"Jessie. Yeah, our little imp." I sigh, the Jones part on the end doesn't feel right. Like… it looks OK. It's always been my name but .. I don't know. I think I am just tired and thinking things too hard."
"Thinking too hard?" he asks softly and I smile as I lean in for a kiss "where are the cats?"
"Mimi is trying to dress one in the bedroom and the other one is on the back fence sunning itself while the matriarch is on our bed pretending the kittens do not exist" I reply with a grin "David does not like cats. A dog man … remember? A dog?"
"Ah. Yes. The Dog. Got a baby instead … what a jip!" he says theatrically "I think I need to take the man to find a dog."
"Well … OK. Yes, I did promise and it is not fair that a baby will slow that … yes. Ask the right questions though … I am trusting you here!" I warn.
"Well … come with. He will sleep in his capsule the entire time with that whole bottle going in … Mimi can watch over him and feel important, David can get his dog and it is the first act as a family!" Jack decides and I find myself nodding.
We go to the nearest shelter and let the mad boy go, wondering to myself if we should have put a leash on him as he bounces form pen to pen like a pinball machine's ball. Finally he stops to look at a little Sheltie who seems interested too, her tail sweeping slowly as she stares at him.
"Right… questions" Jack claps his hands together and I wait so see what he deems important "Is she fixed"
"Yes" the girl nods, checking the papers.
"Is she still young? Vet checked?"
"Yes."
"Shots and stuff?"
"Yes."
"Have you seen her with other animals? Like cats? Babies?"
"Calling my baby an animal Cariad?"
"What!" he seems aghast for a moment then laughs as he catches my grin. So hard to pretend to be angry around him as he leans in to kiss me, then rub a tiny head. Yeah, not in capsule but a front pack "come on. He likes her. They are a great kid's dog. Shelties love to run about, you have a lovely back yard and the dog park is close enough for Davie to walk her on his own."
"REALLY?" David is practically screaming as he hears another important part to a dog. Walkies.
"Well .. who am I to decide the fate of a man and his dog" I declare feeling happy for him as he starts to leap up and down, the dog in the cage matching him.
Shelby the Sheltie.
