This chapter took a surprising amount of time to write but I'm happy with how it came out. I'm rewatching TrollHunters and Wizards(Not a 3Below fan) while writing this and the next chapter and Jim is such a sweety oh my god. I forgot how adorable he can be and he probably has the best pauses. His smile, aww it melts my heart. That was off-topic but please enjoy! Warning this chapter involves quite a bit of profound language, nothing insane but expect it.
"Under the sea, under the sea, darling it's better down where it's wetter take it from me," Jim sang along with Claire's phone that was playing random Disney toons. Cassidy was beside him in her walker, moving and clapping to the music as Jim got her breakfast(or brunch since for the first time in her life, Cassidy had slept the whole night through) ready."You're a good dancer Miss Lake," Jim complimented, smiling brightly as he looked at his daughter, enjoying the happy music.
"Mu ma," she said, holding her hands up and making grabbing motions.
Jim frowned, trying to listen to see if he could hear Claire vomiting. The music blared too loud but he suspected she was. Unlike Cassidy, this baby made any food Claire consumed be vomited up within the hour, forcing her to eat in small portions." Mommy will be down in a minute sweetheart."
"Cee," she sang along with the music, picking up quickly on the easy word that was repeated multiple times through the song.
"Good job, Cass," he said, proud of how well she was picking up on words. Miraculously, she was quite the babbler, unlike how doctors had suspected. But they had been right on the fact she was delayed with physical and motor skills. She was yet to crawl or scoot and he always had to help her not topple over when in her walker. Though he was shocked how well she was moving in it at the moment, though it was pretty fitted to hold her up.
Jim hummed as the Bear Necessities began to play, only turning when he heard the walker's wheels shifting."Mu ma," Cassidy repeated, moving the walker so she was facing Claire who was rubbing her eyes as she came down the stairs. Claire's exhausted face brightened up when she Cassidy and she leaned over, kissing the baby's chubby cheeks.
"Good job sweetie," Claire observed, noticing how well she was moving in the walker.
"She's been doing really well with that thing," Jim said, turning back towards the pancakes he was frying up. With a quick flick, a technique he'd mastered over years of having to feed his mother could in no way cook, he plated the pancakes. His cheek warmed up feeling a kiss against it, pulling away almost immediately."How's Ess?" he asked, concerned since Claire seemed pale and light-headed.
Claire let out a breathy laugh as she sat down, mindlessly, holding Cassidy's hands as the girl in the walker had approached her." You really like that name huh? Well I don't want to burst your bubble but it could easily be a boy." she pointed out, unaware of the fact she'd held hands with the baby girl she was currently pregnant with.
"Let's call it a gut feeling," he said, turning and setting the plate in front of her. At the sight of the pancakes she typically loved, Claire mentally turned green, biting her lip and breathing deeply to keep from vomiting.
"Um, I'm actually good," Claire said, attempting to stand up but finding she was suddenly short of breath.
Jim frowned, removing Cassidy from the walker and setting her in the high chair that already had mashed avocados on it. He was concerned about Claire and the baby since she was eating nowhere enough to support two lives. He understood that she just wanted to keep from puking but she was practically starving herself."Try and eat something,"
Claire gave him a pleading look, trying to convince him with just her eyes she wasn't hungry." Really, I'm good." she tried to assure him but failed.
Feeling like he was talking to a toddler Jim felt his frown deepen."You didn't eat anything all day yesterday, you were also puking all day and this morning. Claire, you have to eat something. Do you not want pancakes? I can make you anything, oatmeal, toast, eggs, uhh fr-"
"I'll get something on the way to the venue okay," she said, standing up and slipping on her shoes. With three days until Barbara and Strickler's wedding, Barbara was almost entirely depending on Claire for assistance and Jim found it annoying. Here they were stressing over moving to New Jersey in months with no money, quickly getting married in just a few months, caring for a disabled baby, and expecting another(not to mention the never-ending stress of the Arcane Order still searching for Douxie and Nari with the goal to wipe them all out), and his mother was concerned about her second wedding and making it sound like Claire had to help her while giving him a semi-silent treatment for them conceiving another and having to move to New Jersey which was as she said, a stupid move.
"Take it easy," Jim said, sitting in the seat beside Cassidy who was making an absolute mess as she stuffed her face with mashed avocado."Don't make her overwork you, you don't owe her anything."
Claire nodded, kissing him on the lips, letting the kiss linger before pulling away." We're fine, don't stress yourself." she said, standing up and kissing the messy cheek of her baby.
"Hey eat that!" he shouted, seeing her wiping the avocado off her cheek as she began to exit the house.
Claire rolled her eyes and licked the avocado from off her cheek." Bye dad," she teased, walking out the door, slamming it harder than usual as a joke.
Jim chuckled turning to his baby girl."What are we gonna do with your mommy and sister?" he asked, getting nothing but avocado thrown in his face. Sighing, he wiped the avocado on a towel and watched as Cassidy giggled at how silly he looked."If you three girls aren't the death of me I don't know what will be."
. . .
"Da da," Cassidy said pointing at her touch and feel cat's baby book.
Placing her on his lap, he opened the book up, always loving how interesting she found the feeling of the fabric. He began to read, flipping the pages and stopping between each to watch the amazement in the small girl's eyes. They lit as she felt every bumpy, flat, fuzzy, or soft texture. It was as if she were watching a cinematic masterpiece, dazzled by every little thing. He chuckled as she squealed seeing every adorable cat.
"You really like cat's huh?" he said, flipping the page."Don't tell your mommy but I'm a cat person,"
"Ki," she said pointing at a dark-brown cat with undertones of lighter brown and bright yellow eyes.
"That's right, it's a Kitty," he said, proud of how quickly she was picking up on words.
Cassidy turned up towards him, smile wide." Da," she said pointing her hand up at him." Ki," she said, pointing back down at the yellow-eyed cat on the page.
Jim leaned over and kissed her little cheek. He'd never get tired of hearing her call him Dada, something he never imagined he'd be called at 18." I love you so much Cassie," he said though he knew the girl on his lap was focused more on the cats than himself."I promise I'll make you and your sister the happiest girls in the world. Someday, you girl's will have everything you deserve,"
Cassidy looked away from the page and towards him again, finger on a fluffy black cat."Ki-dy,"
"Ya, Kitty," Jim said, a smile on his face as he turned the next page. Before he could read the first cat's name, the doorbell's ring echoed through the living room."Don't go anywhere," he joked, sitting Cassidy on the floor with her stuffed Owl and cat book. Reluctantly, he stood up, crossing the threshold and opening the door. He expected to see Toby or Strickler but neither of those made sense, since Toby always texted and Strickler had a key. But who he did see made him wish Cassidy wasn't there. It made him wish he could summon his armor and beat the shit out of the man he saw in front of him. Without saying a thing, he began to shut the door. A foot placed strategically in front of it stopped it from stopped and the hard work boots mad it so the foot's owner felt no pain.
"Jim ple-"
"Leave!" he shouted, trying to remind himself Cassidy was there and not to say anything he'd regret. But it was all those words he shouldn't say that he wanted to. He wished he was the feet tall and could squash the person before him.
"No," the man protested, voice stern as he could remember but there was something different to it, almost a sense of self."I get you don't want to see me but let me explain why I'm here."
"Why should I!" he screamed, mentally screaming that Cassidy was there."I have no reason to ever speak to you again and you have no right to be here! So I'll ask you calmy, leave."
The man's brow furrowed and he scratched at his freshly shaved beard." No." Jim looked back, fist tensing and unloosening as he didn't want his daughter to see him hit someone." I'll leave. You'll never have to see me again, just let me tell you why I'm here."
"I don't give a fuck about why you're here," Cassidy's here, Cassidy's here." I don't care what you have to say, just get out of here n-"
"Da!" Cassidy shrieked from the living room, followed by an exaggerated whimper that over a second grew louder.
"Is that her?" the man asked."Uh, Cassandra right,"
Jim was not only shocked but angry he knew his daughter even existed."Stay here," he grunted between his teeth before turning to the living room. As predicted, she wasn't crying over anything bad but just seeking attention." Sshh," he cooed, picking her up and holding her on his hip. Once in his arms, she fell almost silent, smiling as if all in the world were perfect. Typically that smile would melt his heart but knowing who was at the door made him angrier than he'd ever been.
"I'm surprised," the voice said, no longer at the door but in the foyer of the house." I'd think she'd redecorate a little more but your mom was never into the whole decorating thing,"
"What makes you think you can just walk in here?" Jim asked, keeping his distance and facing him at an angle so he couldn't see Cassidy.
James turned back towards his son, trying to wrap his head around the fact he wasn't the five-year-old who'd been on the couch asking if they could build his bike. No, he was now an eight teen-year-old, with his own child."I know I have no right being in here but as long as your mom doesn't know about it I should be good."
"So all you care about is how mom feels?" Jim asked, finding it infuriating he wanted to avoid his mother but had no problem speaking to the son he'd abandoned."You don't think the fact you never came back didn't affect me?"
James's eyes softened, a rare sight to see on the four-year-old man."Of course... I mean, I didn't mean it like that."
Jim scoffed, trying his hardest not to kick the man out."You did and I don't want to give you a big head because your leaving actually didn't affect me. I still did everything all other kids get to do and my life is great, I just don't want you trying to come back and mess everything up again."
"I'm not," James assured his son."I'm not here to apologize or get forgiveness, I just wanted to talk."
"About what?" Jim questioned, entertaining Cassidy with his hand so the baby would remain quiet. To his dismay, Cassidy quickly grew tired of reposing her father's hand and whined to go back to reading her cat book." Cass," he hissed, praying she would quiet.
"Is that her?" James asked again, trying to move so he could see his granddaughter," Uhh Cassandra,"
"Cassidy," Jim corrected unsure why he was telling the man his daughter's name. Probably because people assumed her name was Cassandra since they mainly called her Cass while out and about.
"She's uhh cute, has your eyes," James said, trying to start a conversation that didn't involve yelling.
"How do you know about her?" Jim demanded, voice stern as he continued to rock the baby.
"Uhh that girl of yours, mom. I try to see how the towns doing since I grew up here and I saw a picture of the little one you and uhh Claire isn't it," James explained, leaving Jim furious at Ophelia. Well not directly mad but he wished she wouldn't post pictures on her open account that was mainly about town news. It made it so people like his father could easily know about her.
"Well don't get the idea your her grandfather," Jim said setting Cassidy back down on the ground, crossing his arms as he turned back to his father."What are you really here for," James Lake Senior always had an ulterior motive, he just wanted to know it so he could kick him out.
James stared at Cassidy for a minute as she stared at him before turning to her Owl plush."Don't worry I'm not. I'm here just to talk as I said. I'll take up as little time as I can and then you'll never have to see me again."
Personally, he didn't want to spend another minute talking to his father but from his childhood, he could remember that his father was a stubborn man so talking was the quickest route to getting him to leave."Fine," he said, sitting down on the couch and pulling Cassidy onto his lap. He didn't want that man anywhere near his daughter.
"Thank you," James said sincerely, sitting down in the armchair parallel to the couch." How are you doing?" he asked as Jim was struggling to get Cassidy to stop pulling on her tube.
Prevailing after a second of struggling, Jim glared in his father's direction." That all you wanna know? How I'm doing,"
"Look I've missed out on most of your life, I just wanna make sure you're doing okay especially with the... the..." he held a hand out towards Cassidy.
Jim frowned, realizing that his father probably assumed his life was hell." My life is actually great for your information." he said, bouncing Cassidy on his lap. She giggled, attempting to say stop but it only came out like a snake's hiss.
"That's good... you're still living here?" he asked, looking at the baby stuff that was scattered about the living room.
"Ya, we're still living here," he said, hating ho he knew exactly what his father was thinking. He knew he was thinking how he would've expected more with Barbara raising him and how he'd turned out a mess like himself.
"What are you guy's plans. I mean whatcha thinking about college and stuff?"
He couldn't help but laugh since college was a non-existent thought at the moment."You really think college is manageable with two kids," the second he said it, he regretted it.
James Lake Jr was afraid of a few things. His in-laws being the main thing that brought fear to him, but even after over a decade he hadn't forgotten how terrifying his father was when mad. The way his chest puffed, face turned red, eyes sharpened in just a second was terrifying and made Jim want to summon his armor and run with Cassidy, but of course, he couldn't."Wait the hell do you mean two kids?!" he shouted, standing up from the chair, causing it to push back an inch."Don't fucken tell me you and that whore are having another of those little bastards!?"
"Shut up!" Jim yelled, standing up too quick Cassidy was startled. Between Cassidy wailing and James yelling at him, Jim felt himself begin to form a slight panic attack. Thought it started and tears were shed, he regained enough self-control to finish what he should've said from the beginning."Leave!" he shouted, pointing at the door." Leave!" he said again when his father just continued to yell."I don't want you anywhere near my daughters! I don't want you anywhere my girlfriend, I don't want you anywhere near me!"
"Fine you ungrateful brat!" he shouted, starting towards the door as Jim backed away, clutching Cassidy close to his chest."Ever hear of someone offering help?! You and your little whore can have a fucking great time making more little brats until your on the curb eating shit from the gutters!"
"Leave!" Jim cried, shocked he was actually starting to cry."You only ruin my life, I don't want you to ruin it anymore,"
James held the doorknob for a long moment, shocked Jim was actually crying. Looking up at the ceiling he sighed, pulling out an envelope labeled Jim and setting it on the coffee table."Look I know I've fucked up your life... I know I can't make it better but I hope this helps a little." that was all he said before silently exiting the house he used to live in, closing the door halfway.
Tears streaming down his face, he sat back down on the couch, Cassidy falling silent, looking up at Jim with questioning eyes." Da?" she seemed to asked, tapping at his soaked cheeks." Dada," she said again, reaching her hand to touch his cheek again.
Entranced by her eyes, Jim laughed between tears, lifting a hand up to hers and pressing it against his cheek, holding it gently."Hi baby,"
Cassidy's lip quivered, able to sense that her father was upset."Sa,"
"Ya, daddy's sad," Jim said, loving that he and Cassidy could have mini conversations even if not much was said. With his free hand, he stroked her cheek, tickling her as he did so."No at you thought, never at you,"
Obviously, not understanding, Cassidy pointed towards her cat book sprawled out on the ground."Ki ki,"
"We can read the kiddy's," he laughed, leaning over to grab the book but pausing when he finally looked at the letter, wondering what his father could have to say that he needed to hear. And though he didn't want to, he had to know what it read. So after giving Cassidy her cat book, he opened that letter.
Jim, you're probably reading this because I got mad and I'm sorry. I wanted to tell you that you're not the reason I left. And it wasn't that I hated your mother though I do. You probably don't know but when I was younger my brother, Jack, disappeared. It was really hard on me and because of this, I did some bad things. One of those things was I started partying as a teen. At one of these parties, I met this girl, Alana. There was nothing between us but we dated for a while and when we were 17, broke with no money she got pregnant. Alana didn't want it and when I suggested we try at least, she left. Her name or your half sister's name is Lindsay Grocer. I tried my hardest to take care of her but couldn't so when she was one I put her up for adoption. She lives in Arcadia, not sure where but that's her name. If your wondering, no your mom doesn't know about her. I'm not sure why I felt like you should know but I just have always wanted to tell someone and out of everyone, you needed to know the most. You're a good dad Jim. I wasn't. I hope you do okay and hope this helps. I'm sorry for not being a dad.
The letter fell to the floor."What a..." he had no idea what to say. His dad was a worse man than he ever could've imagined. He'd abandoned him, his mom, and his sister. He was nothing but a leaver. He left people. The only way he helped was...
In the fold of the letter, something grey caught his attention. Pulling it out it was a check for five hundred dollars, and with it was the photo of a one-year-old girl. She had dark black hair and light blue eyes. There was nothing significant besides a small dimple on her cheek.
He was going to find Lindsay Grocer no matter what.
