Hey everybody! Today's my birthday and to celebrate here's a new Jori Parenthood chapter! XD.
As we all know, Jade has been known to give some "tough love" from time to time, right bellow will be a demonstration of that.
"Come on Tony." Tori said with encouragement "You can do it."
The little boy wobbled, trying to stand up.
"That's my boy!" Tori cheered "Good! Now walk to Mama! Come on, walk towards me."
Tony took one step only to fall on his face.
Good thing Tori had taken the precaution of putting a protective layer of bubble wrap in a similar fashion to a rug all over the living room floor, so Tony wasn't in harm, just irritated that he could walk over into the waiting arms of his mama.
He let out a soft whimper.
Tori quickly ran towards her son and held him in her arms. "Oh Tony, don't cry, I know it's difficult but don't give up, don't you wanna learn to walk like your mama?"
Tony nodded.
"That's the spirit, now let's try it again, don't give up, I know you can do this!"
The Half-Latina set her son once more on the floor and then walked across the living room, yet again, kneeling down and opening her arms to encourage her son to walk towards her.
Instead Tony in his mind decided that he wanted to be with his mama by any means so he started crawling.
"No baby, you gotta walk." Tori said gently. "Come on, like this!"
Tori then moved one foot in front of the other exaggeratedly so that her son would get the message "See how easy it is?"
"Ma!" He shouts "Ma!"
He then began crawling once more.
"Oh Tony, please listen to me and try to walk." Tori pleaded "Come on, for me?"
Unfortunately, the toddler didn't want to even try, he just wanted to be close to his mama and play, so that's what he did, he crawled towards the Half-Latina and lifted his arms, telling her that he wanted to be carried.
"You're not making this easy for me Mijo." The brunette sighs. "What am I doing wrong here?"
"You're babying him Vega." Jade said "That's what you're doing wrong."
Tori turned around to see her spouse at the front door, Tony also took notice and happily began to babble what they could only guess was his attempt at saying "Mom."
"What do you mean I'm babying him?"
"Basically, what I just said." The thespian comments with an eye roll. "How many times have you ran towards his side the moment Tony falls?"
"I dunno, maybe once or twice."
"Vega." Jade said warningly "Don't try to pull a fast one on me, we both know that a lie."
"Fine… I lost count." Tori admitted meekly. "But in my defense, he needs me!"
"What he needs is for you to not be so overprotective." Her spouse pointed out. "Otherwise how will Tony do things on his own?"
Tori looked at her son, resting on her belly, staring back at her, Tony was so innocent and carefree, she closed her eyes for a moment and a brief flashback of how different he looked they day they found him.
Vulnerable and alone.
She shuddered at the memory, at how close to death he was had they not walked by the alley that fateful day, that image was forever implanted in Tori's mind and it was one which reminded her that her son's life started on such a dark note.
And Tori did not want his formative years to go on that path.
"Tony deserves to be happy."
During her train of thought, Tori didn't notice her wife grabbing her son from her arms and sitting him down next to the coffee table.
"Now Tony, stand up!" Jade said evenly "We're done playing games, you're a West and Wests don't give up, now if you can't walk the first time then you try again and again until you can!"
"Jade! What are you doing?!" Tori protested "You don't need to talk so harshly!"
"Vega, I know what I'm doing." Jade replied before looking at her son. "Now, Tony, see what I'm doing?"
Jade puts an arm on the coffee table and used it to get up, a means to show her son what to do and copy the motion, which he did after some effort.
Tony puts both tiny hands on the coffee table and he stood up.
"Yay! That's good!"
"No cheering Vega." The thespian ordered. "You're distracting him."
Once she was on her full height, Jade walked towards the other side of the room, next to her wife.
"He needs motivation." Jade thought.
Tony stared at his parents, lifting his arms, it took all of Tori's self-restraint to not go running towards him and hold him in her arms.
He had to walk towards them… That was the point of what they were trying to achieve.
Tony started using his secret weapon, which was making his eyes big and watery, something that always got Tori's attention, the Half-Latina took the bait "Ohhh… My baby!"
Jade however puts an arm in front of her wife's chest, their eyes met, the thespian shook her head "Don't… That's just what he wants, Tony sure is sneaky for his age."
"I wonder who he got that from?" Tori said sarcastically, looking accusingly at her spouse. "What have you been teaching him?"
"That he's a West."
"Uh-huh, sure." Tori replied, crossing her arms.
"Stop stalling Tony!" Jade ordered "Get over here!"
"Again, with the harshness! Seriously?"
"Well its better than he being babied all the time, Vega!"
"He's two!" Tori screamed exasperatedly "Which means he is a baby!"
"And are you continue babying him till he's what? Ten? Fifteen? Twenty?" Jade challenged "This isn't just for him Vega! It's for you too!"
"What are you talking about."
"Tori, one has to be blind not to see how attached you are to our boy." The thespian said. "You got to give him independence, not all at once but little bit at a time, otherwise he's going to grow dependent on you and on the day, we're gone? What then?"
"But he's our baby." Tori said softly.
Jade lifted her wife's chin "I know but Vega, like I said … little steps, you can't keep protecting him just because you fear he's going to get hurt, I'm not saying we have to be hard on him but sometimes we all need a little tough love."
"I don't recall you giving the twins some of that tough love when they were learning to walk."
"Vega, that's a lie and you know it." Jade snapped "Need I show you the video so you can see that I did give them a little push?"
Tori took a deep breath, gazing at her son who started playing with some of his toys while his parents were arguing.
"You made your point Jade." She admitted reluctantly. "Let's try it again."
After a while of playing with his toys and his parents, it was back to business so once more he was wobbling on his two feet.
"Good, you mastered standing up." Jade comments. "Now let's see if you can actually do some walking, because we're going to be here all day if we have too."
Tony blinked as if to say "What?"
"Walk towards us Mijo." Tori encouraged "Walk towards us and I'll give you hugs and kisses."
"Vega…"
"I mean… its for your own good."
"That's better."
Tony once more did his watery eyes trick, which Tori had to look away in order to avoid wanting to hold her child.
"Good one Vega." Her wife smirked "You're learning."
The toddler frowned, he did not like being ignored but unlike regular toddlers, he did not start crying, instead he took one tiny step much to the surprise and joy of his parents.
He took another and another until he was finally within arms reach of his Mama's hands, he finally collapsed into her waiting arms.
Tori didn't take long to let out a joyful squeal, hugging her son and jumping up and down like an excited little kid.
"HE WALKED! HE WALKED! HE WALKED! HE WALKED!"
"Yes, I saw Vega." Jade said annoyed, massaging her ears since she was inches from her wife's sudden squeals.
"I'm so proud of you!" Tori told her son "Let's have some ice cream to celebrate!"
The Half-Latina hugged Tony, taking him to the kitchen for his reward.
Jade was left alone in the living room, unlike her spouse, she was cool and collected when it came to her children achievements.
That is, until she was sure she was alone.
Only then did she let go.
"YES!" She raised her arms triumphantly. "I knew he could do it! He's a West all right!"
Jade then went after her wife and son to celebrate with them.
"That's my boy."
Tony sure has a little bit of his mom Jade if he doesn't like being overlooked, heh... And obviously Tony wasn't the only one that needed some tough love if Tori required some of it too from her wife.
So, anyway, your thoughts on this? I sure hope I didn't make Jade appear too mean.
Invader Johnny Signing Off.