Two weeks passed uneventfully. Plans and meetings for FOWL were put on hold for the time being, and Bradford had put in a leave notice to Scrooge many weeks prior for vacation time for up to two months. He and Heron divided their responsibilities between each other and for the next foreseeable months as they planned who will do what once Bradford had to return to his day job without risking suspicion.
Most of the plans and scheduling Bradford presented to Heron, however, have been met with mostly derision or more disgust.
"I will certainly not become just another ho hum housewife for you to boss around, Director," she had growled in derision one day.
"I'm not forcing you to do anything, Heron," Bradford replied calmly, his hands folded on the staff lunch table with the baby monitor by his side. "You know you're my equal partner in all of this-"
"Well then, maybe you should start treating me as such!" Heron slammed the table with a fist as the eggheads around the watercooler glanced at her in startlement. Bradford, however, was not amused.
"Heron, as we both agreed-"
"Don't use your blasted 'businessman' voice on me! You know I do most of the work here with that drooler! I cleaned her, changed her, had to listen to her crying and crying for most of the night-"
"Heron," Bradford interrupted with a stern yet impatient voice. "You knew what you were getting into when you agreed to this-"
"Then why can't you just hire someone to do this?" she asked shrilly. "Or like I said before, have your mindless brothers do this. Heck, get a dumb egghead to do this!" As she said this, one of the eavesdropping eggheads nearby scoffed. Heron sneered at them, making them jump and spill some of their water.
"We would be compromising this entire venture by hiring someone from the outside without proper clearance first, you should know this by now," Bradford informed, annoyed. "As well, Project 87 is still top secret for all of the eggheads we have on board. And you know as well as I do, my other selves have very little capacity to do anything other than parrot me and follow orders. I…" His beak pursed, then he said in a low, serious tone, "I don't want them anywhere near her."
"Why?" she asked mockingly. "Afraid of what they'd do with their little 'sister'?" She chuckled darkly. Bradford glared at her intensely, even after she had stopped smiling. She suddenly became embarrassed under his glare.
Finally, after a long silence, he whispered dangerously, "If you want less to do, then I'd be more than willing to compromise with your responsibilities. You only have to name them."
Heron gulped, took in some air, then said modestly, "Look, I didn't say I couldn't do them. I just…wanted to do less of them. You know I don't like doing them, clearly."
Bradford flatly stared at her, then acquiescently laid out their organized schedule on the table. "Very well. Then perhaps an exchange in duties shall fix this up. I can pick up most of the other times, but I would have to give up play and nap time to make up with it. If you'd like more time doing less stressful activities with her..."
"If it means hearing her cry less, I'm okay with anything at this point," she muttered as she massaged her temples.
Bradford sighed in defeat. He rather enjoyed these quality times with April. But, if it meant having Heron stay along with the project, he'll have to comply with her requests. But with her current misgivings, he wondered how much longer she could take this until April's first birthday…