Life in the LaSalle household had progressed to where it was time for Olivia to start pre-school part time. Chris was just shocked how much she learned from having a different source of learning in her life. Several of her classmates were Latino and dad soon realized that Spanish words were cropping up in her vocabulary. LaSalle found a young clerk in the office whose mother was a teacher. He gave the young man marksmanship lessons in exchange for his mother working with Olivia with Spanish.
LaSalle was hoping that Sonja would be back for Olivia's school program and for her own birthday. No one was happier than Chris to have his wife back home. While it was true that he never knew when she would be home, this was a joyful reunion.
They had always insured that they went out together the first week that she was back in country. Even though it was her birthday celebration she insisted on going to one of his favorite restaurants. LaSalle pulled a small box from his jacket pocket and sat it in front of his wife. She was thrilled to find a pair of white gold earrings in the shape of a heart. She kissed her husband then turned to find her bag.
"I have a gift for you too Country Mouse" she said.
"I don't think that is how it is done wife" LaSalle responded.
"Humor me" she said with a smile!
LaSalle opened the envelope to find a card. Inside the card was a sonagram.
"Really Sonja?"
"Yes husband. I am hoping that this is your son" she said as she patted her stomach "because this is the last baby I am going to have".
This time she immediately told her supervisor knowing that she would-be put-on desk duty. She loved leaving the office every day at a reasonable time. Over the next few months, she was given a wide variety of varying projects which made her wonder why she was not privy to this part of the operation sooner.
Sonja had worked with the Legal Attaché' program personnel on many of her assignments. She hated the one assigned to Germany. He stood out even more because of the teams assigned in France and the ones in northern Africa. No one could ever say that she was stupid even though men still discounted her ability as a law enforcement officer, but he clearly did not like her. Sonja made sure to create a close working relationship with two of the other agents. One was an African American man and the other was a female agent who was of Chinese heritage.
The 'brother' invited Percy and her husband to meet his spouse for drinks. One of the other couples at the engagement was an old spy named Malcom Nance. Sonja explained to her LaSalle afterwards that Nance had made a series of nasty comments about politicians and a TV personality during their time at NCIS. She told Chris that she had seen his name on a report one day and asked who he was. Her boss gave her a short version of his background and added that while he was thought of as an irritant, he had seen files where he had been the only one who had assessed a situation correctly especially when it concerned the Russians.
A month before her due date, Percy learned that the Division was going to be realigning. Two new professional level positions and two support positions would be added in October at the beginning of the new Federal fiscal year. She was asked if she was interested and jumped at the opportunity to have a CONUS based job in the field of operation that she loved.
Her baby was born one day before his due date. Christopher Elliott LaSalle was just a little smaller than his sister and gave his mother no difficulty with the delivery. They were all surprised to see that he had has father's blue eyes as well as the broad forehead of many of the males in the LaSalle blood line. They were able to come home one day later.
Initially Olivia was intrigued with the little one, but her fascination soon turned to jealousy as she realized that her brother seemed to always be in their mother's arms. Once again aunt Kasie rose to the occasion by buying Olivia a doll the afternoon they went to an ice show. The 'baby doll' could use a bottle to eat but Olivia decided that she could 'breast feed' her baby just like her mother. Chris only took two weeks off with this baby since the nanny was also in the household. Things were exciting as they were memorable. Sonja took the entire six months of her maternity leave this time. She had nearly 170 hours of comp time and saw no need to hold on to it with her new assignment.
Two months after she returned, she moved to the Legal Attaché Program division permanently. Once again, she lucked out. The Division Director retired at the end of the Fiscal Year. Everyone in the division management moved up leaving an office remaining. Sonja got it due to her time in federal service. It certainly was not the best way to force yourself into a new spot, but she secretly did not care. She remembered all the mud and actual shit that she had crawled through the past five years and the shacks that she lived in while undercover at ATF.
Sonja soon became the darling of the unit. She was the only remaining agent with 'boots on the ground' experience. She could anticipate 'possibilities' quicker than others. Six months into her addition to the unit, the director decided to create a third Bureau and promoted Sonja to lead it. The family certainly appreciate the salary increase. It allowed them a few extra adventures and the ability to put away more money in the college fund.
The months had passed by quickly and the time for the second round of potty training approached. Young Chris struggled. Grandma LaSalle had the remedy down pat. The reward system worked as a great incentive. Sonja was not so sure, but the candy reward was too much for the boy to resist. A year later Chris started day care part time. The LaSalles did not see it as a big deal at how well he talked. They attributed it to the fact that he needed to talk above his sister.
Grandma LaSalle came to share Christmas with the family while the nanny was on her holiday break. Grandma was busy baking and needed aluminum foil. She absent mindedly asked out loud "I wonder where the aluminum foil would be?" Chris went to the pantry and got a box off the shelf. "Here grandma" he said as he handed it to her. Charlotte was shocked. She wrapped the meat and put it into the oven then she called out to Chris. She quizzed him on everything in the kitchen. He could name every item and even called the refrigerator by its correct title.
Charlotte knew she was right before she said anything to Percy and LaSalle. She left a little early before picking up Olivia from preschool and stopped at the discount store. She quickly found what she was looking for and proceeded on her way.
The next day grandma brought out the books that she had purchased for Chris as both children sat down to draw. "Chris can you do this?". Charlotte watched as her grandson traced every letter perfectly.
"Olivia, can your write your whole name?"
"Sure, I can grandma" and began printing her entire given name.
"How about you Christopher" she asked?
"Oh, he can't write Grandma" Olivia spoke up.
Charlotte took another tablet from the book bag and wrote Chris on the page.
Chris looked. Picked up a color and wrote all four letters plainly however crooked on the paper.
"I thought so" she exclaimed out loud! Charlotte turned and took a white piece of paper and wrote his entire name on it. Soon his whole name was on the paper a second time. Charlotte replaced the writing books with coloring books and walked into the kitchen to fix a snack for the children.
After the children were in bed for the night, Charlotte took the books into the family room where Chris and Sonja were sitting. "Did you know that your son could write his name?"
"Well momma he is a little you to be writing. Scribbling does not count" Chris answered.
"Well, this time Christopher, I am glad that you are wrong" she said as she hands him the papers from earlier in the afternoon. "He can also sing Do-Ra-Me. I taught him the song this afternoon.
Chris looked at his mother with doubt in his face.
"Sonja, your husband has forgotten that I taught four-year olds in Sunday School for years. I noticed how Olivia talks for him. Cade did the same thing until my mother sent him outside one day to play. My mother quizzed Christopher in front of me. "What is your name? No, your whole name, son. What is your father's name? Your mother's? What is your address?" He rattled it off as if it was no big deal.
I bought some books today for the boy. The day care should have caught this. I would suggest that you look for a new one after Christmas. He is not near old enough to be in pre-K, but you will need to present this information to the screener as you are looking.
Sonja knew that there was a pre-school in the adjoining building to her office. Young Chris would soon be her car-pool buddy. It provided a special time of bonding for mother and son. The preschool was able to meet Chris' education needs and he was reading at age four. Having learned his ABCs allowed him to begin piano lessons.
Young Chris started kindergarten at age five, but he was reading and talking at grade level 2. Keeping the boy busy would be a challenge for everyone through middle school.
Once again, their good friend Kasie had a solution. She incorporated Dr. Palmer and her husband to help mentor him in science and mathematics. They even reached out to their old colleague Dr. Mallard whose knowledge of classical music eclipsed all three of theirs combined.
Sonja thought it amusing how quickly her son took to Dr. Mallard. Dad saw it too and had to admit to his wife that he could be jealous of his son had he not realized what a gift "Ducky" was to young Chris. He would stand out of sight of the two interacting. Unbeknownst to LaSalle, his wife was observing her husband as well.
Later one night Sonja broached the interaction that she had observed. Her confronting the issue invoked him into a quiet conversation. Overwhelmed, LaSalle finally began to speak. "I never had that with my father. Beau LaSalle was stern and kept Cade and I at arm's length. Yes, he taught us all those 'manly' things, but he was always critical if we did not catch on quick enough or if we were physically off target or too slow.
We were so lucky to have momma. She was an excellent mother treating each of us kids as an individual. She tagged along with us to every football game to support Cade and me. She took my sister to dance class for as long as I can remember. She was the one who pushed me to take speech classes knowing it would boost my self-esteem. Honestly, honey, I do not see a way that we could ever repay Dr. Mallard for the time he spends with the children.
Ducky made sure to invest time with Olivia as well. She was one of the few girls that he knew who could tolerate insects. Their gathering and studying them together began her march to a master's degree in Medical Entomology. She would spend several years in various African countries before returning to the States to teach at Auburn University.