9
"She's asleep," May announced, stepping into the kitchen. The smell of antiseptic cleaner assaulted her nostrils. She blinked away the tears it formed in her eyes.
"Luckily your mother always had every bit of furniture and carpeting treated with some form of non-stain chemical." William nodded as he rolled down his sleeves. He nodded once before picking up the bucket next to his foot and moving into the laundry room to empty it. "I have put Phillip's shirts and socks into the washing machine, but I am afraid the suit will need to see the dry cleaner." His voice came from the small room.
May looked around the kitchen and then moved to peer into the living room, expecting to see Coulson parked in nothing more than his skivvies. She was not disappointed when he entered the room from the hallway she had just used. Despite her renewed anger, May could not resist the laugh that escaped her.
Coulson stood clad in William's dark grey sweat pants that drooped in all the wrong places. William stood a few inches taller than the man and weighed much more. The t-shirt he wore displayed a large Panda smelling a bright pink flower. May recognized it as a night-shirt she'd worn years ago and had tossed in a drawer in the spare room. Coulson attempted to cover it with a brown cardigan ala Mr. Rogers. His feet were stuffed into a pair of grandpa style slippers.
He merely stood sneering at May as she chuckled at his expense. "Your father thinks I have a car downstairs, huh," he shrugged as he moved toward the table. "Doesn't make much difference…sent my bag ahead to the plane so…" he tapped his finger on the edge of the table.
May shook her head and imagined the ribbing the man would take when they arrived at the airfield. She turned as her father exited the laundry room. "She's almost one-o-three again," May shook her head. "It's got to be more than just a reaction to that damn shot. She's never thrown up because of it." She threw a quick smile in Coulson's direction despite the seriousness of the situation. "Maybe it's some kind of flu." She turned back to her father, pulling her phone from her pocket. She poked in the number and stepped away from the two men.
Coulson smiled at the back of the woman's head as she disappeared around the corner into the foyer. "Looks good on her," he commented quietly to William.
William shook his head with a raised eyebrow. He had never quite developed a like for the skin tight black outfit that was Melinda's work fashion.
"No, no." Coulson remarked quickly. "Motherhood! Motherhood looks good on her." He elaborated.
Looking toward the muffled sound of Melinda's voice, her father concurred. "She has found a part of herself she did not know she had, believed she would never need." He smiled his satisfaction as he placed the kettle on the stove.
Coulson swallowed his feelings toward the woman who took great pleasure in sniping him at every opportunity. He didn't mind. To him it was all in play and he was more than willing to give it back although it was rather juvenile. He could not let on but the thought of dragging her away from that beautiful little girl was tearing him apart. He could not imagine why Fury would insist. The man apparently knew the situation and still he insisted on having May assigned to this damn mission. He wouldn't blame her if she told him where to shove it.
"She spent little time with her mother as a child. Lian was always loyal to her work and after we separated it seemed even less." William shook his head as he set a cup on the table and lifted his brow in an unspoken offer to Coulson who shook his head. "It was not that Lian did not love her child, but…" he paused and shrugged his shoulders. "She loved her job more."
"She made a commitment." Coulson sighed. "Took an oath to serve, it meant a lot to her."
William nodded. "So did Melinda, but she had so much trouble showing her."
"Lucky she had you," Coulson smiled. "I guess she learned to be a good mother by imitating a good father."
William merely smiled and Coulson knew it was the first time he'd done so.
Both men jumped when Melinda slammed a hand on the edge of the table and let out a frustrated breath. "Damn doctors…" she hissed.
"It is Sunday, Melinda. Even doctors have families." William tried to diffuse the situation.
"And the on call service is brainless…" she let out another frustrated huff. "Wait twenty four hours and see if she gets worse? What the hell kind of advice is that?" She turned and walked into the foyer then returned. "Or take her to the ER and wait the same amount of time for some mindless twit to tell me she has an upset stomach." She threw up her arms and let them drop with a slap to both thighs.
"Baker's available…" Coulson interjected. "He's pretty good, worked well with that kid we pulled out of that situation in Phoenix a couple months back…granted the kid was a bit older but…"
"Bakkor," Melinda repeated.
Coulson shrugged. "Just a suggestion…"
"Bakkor," she repeated then paused at the sound of Skye's call from the bedroom. She hurried toward her child but not before issuing an order. "Get him here," she stopped and turned back looking Coulson in the eye. "Fast!"
William smiled as he took his daughter's arm and led her to the nearest chair. He motioned for her to sit and with a deep sigh, she complied. The man reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a small green envelop. "Perhaps the mother in you is rushing to judgment too quickly, Mellie. Skye has not shown any signs of illness. However, she is rather anxious over the fact you are leaving for an unknown span of time. I do not know her well but from what you have told me, this little one has very little trust in what we refer to as 'the system'." He put the envelop in front of her on the table as he spoke.
Melinda placed two fingers on the small packet and slid it back and forth in a small arch. Coulson watched with interest, but did not want to interfere with this father and daughter conversation. He was anxious to see what side William would take, if he took one at all. The silence between them, however was deafening.
"Lots of kids puke when they're upset with something." He let out a short laugh and shook his head. "I rememb…."
"Shut up, Coulson," May snarled without looking at him.
Coulson pinched his lips together with his fingers and twisted in a locking motion. William shook his head again and turned to retrieve the screeching tea kettle from the stove. He calmly poured the steaming water into a large ceramic tea pot and placed it in the center of the table.
"Phillip is more than likely correct, Mellie. Small children can react much more physically to anxiety than we adults force ourselves to do." He smiled and patted her hand that still rested on the small envelop. "I shall brew her a warm tea to help ease the wind fire." He waited a moment before taking the envelop. "It always seemed to help her mama." Melinda smiled weakly as she released the object.
"You carry that with you?" She grinned at her father.
He gave an almost nod. "One does not know when one might need a little holistic remedy and my tea box fits nicely into my bag."
Melinda shook her head and watched as her father poured the dry, crumbled honeysuckle and forsythia leaves into a small cup. He took a few moments to use a spoon, grinding the tea into smaller bits then stood back as Melinda poured the boiling water from the small teapot into the cup. The sweet smell of the mixture immediately filled the room.
Coulson leaned forward to view the amber liquid.
"She likes a lot of honey." May smiled as her father stirred the tea gently.
"Is that good for a kid?" Coulson's thought became verbal before he could stop himself. He held up one hand and stepped back, silently apologizing.
"Yin Qiao Wan," William and Melinda said at the same time.
"It will help relieve the wind fire that has plagued out little one. There are times when western medicine has no effect and our Skye is clearly not getting well on what she has been taking."
Again, the younger man seemed confused as he mouthed 'wind fire?' and raised his brows.
"Fever, Coulson, she has a fever that won't break or keeps returning." May growled, still too upset to speak civilly to the man who intended to pull her away from her child.
William nodded.
Coulson glanced at his watch and let out a soft breath. "We have about two hours before wheels up, May."
Before she could bark back at him, William stepped between them. "Perhaps we should let her sleep for a short nap, by that time the tea will be cool enough and you can assure her of your return." He spoke to Melinda, giving instructions rather than suggestions. The man turned to Coulson, stopping him before he could disagree. "In that time your clothing will be dry and perhaps we can find more suitable attire for your trip." He smiled.
Coulson wasn't really up to the argument he could not win. May would not leave without seeing that Skye was feeling better. She would never walk away without saying goodbye to the child and promising her she would return. Phil Coulson knew that Melinda May always kept her promises. He had a feeling the little girl asleep down the hall knew that as well.
He gave a cut nod. "I'll make a call." He announced, pulled out his phone and stepped through the laundry room into the small back hallway.
xx
"What is it?" Skye looked into the small cup her grandfather had handed. Seated on May's lap at the kitchen table, she turned and scrunched up her face in disgust then looked to her grandfather with wide eyes.
William gently urged the cup toward the little girl's lips, calmly raising her hands with his own. "It is only a special tea to help you feel better. I am sure it will be pleasant as your mama informed me you like much honey." He smiled his encouragement.
Skye inhaled as the cup came close to her face. Turning her head away she stuck out her tongue. "It smells like church."
May stifled a laugh and brought the cup and the little girl's hands close to her nose, inhaling deeply. "Church?" She shook her head.
"Yeah," Skye nodded, still scrunched in a 'yuck face'. "Like when they sing all them songs ya don't unnerstand and the priest swings that smoky ball with the stuff in it."
May looked at William who appeared as confused as she was. They both shrugged their shoulders.
"Benediction," Coulson sighed. At May's look he shrugged. "My mom was Catholic…been there once or twice."
Skye nodded. "Yeah, that stuff stinks." She held her nose.
May gently pulled the child's hand away and wrapped it back around the cup. "Well, this is not benediction, it is Yin Qiao Wan and your Yeye brought it especially for you."
Skye thought for a moment then narrowed one eye and leaned closed to May as she looked at William. "How'd he know I's sick afore he got here? We din't know he's commin'"
Coulson let out a snickery laugh. The kid was smart…and quick. May shot him a look that could crumble granite. He covered his mouth and pretended to cough.
William laughed out loud. "I have brought this tea in case it was needed, especially for the one who would need it. As it seems, sunnu, that is you. So yes, I brought it especially for you."
Skye gave her grandfather a sideways glare. Something in that made sense…kinda…if ya didn't think about it too much. She pursed her lips and leaned forward inhaling the scent again. "I guess it ain't too bad." She looked at May and the others with just her eyes.
"Isn't," May corrected.
"Yeah," Skye agreed, sniffing the mixture again.
"I think you're stalling, kid." Melinda smiled as she bounced the little girl gently. "How about a sip?"
Skye brought the cup to her lips and tilted it ever so slowly, but pushed it back before letting it pass into her mouth.
Melinda shook her head. "You know, I still have the medicine we had to use when you had that tummy ache and nothing would stay down. Maybe that is the problem. We can use that instead."
Skye's eyes widened. 'Hell no!' she thought, never wanting to relive that nightmare. The little girl pulled the cup to her lips quickly, spilling a few drops over the edge. She took a small sip but before she could remove the cup, Melinda helped her to take a larger drink. Lowering the cup, the little girl swallowed hard. She rubbed her tongue against her teeth and the roof of her mouth a few times making a smacking sound, as May waited.
"It ain't…isn't too yucky." Skye tried to smile.
Melinda pressed the cup to the child's lips again and grinned as the little girl took another drink.
"Maybe it needs more honey," Skye suggested. "Cuz it gots a little bit of not too good taste in it."
William and Phil let out chuckles that Melinda did not object to as she smiled and kissed the little girl's still warm temple.
"I think you have enough honey, kid." She kissed the child's nose. "And you need to finish all of it and any more that Yeye thinks you need." Again, she gently tipped the cup toward Skye's lips.
The little girl grimaced but complied, took a mouthful and swallowed as she squeezed her eyes shut tight. "What if I throw up again?" She shook her head and stuck out her tongue.
May laughed at the little girl's dramatics as Coulson took a giant step back. She tapped the side of the cup with one finger. "The beauty of this little cup of tea is that it works on fevers and upset tummies. So, I don't think we need to worry about that. But if you're really worried we still have…"
Skye gulped down the last of the tea and swiped her mouth with the sleeve of her robe. May raised one eyebrow and help up a napkin. The little girl shrugged, grabbed it and swiped at her mouth then smiled broadly. May shook her head, just another of her little imp's endearing qualities. Skye let out a relieved breath and leaned back against May. Coulson let out a short huff and tapped his watch then cocked his head toward the door, letting May know they needed to get moving.
She wrapped her arms around Skye and breathed in the scent of the melon shampoo the little girl had picked out for herself. May pictured the green one-eyed fish shaped bottle with a pink spout on the shelf in Skye's bathtub and burned it into her memory. She heard the little girl's laughter in her mind as they shared a silly game at bath time making sure all 2200 parts were clean as a whistle and played the video of sparkle in Skye's eyes as she hung each ornament on the large tree in the parlor. These things she planned on keeping close to her heart as she trekked through some god-forsaken no-man's-land on the outskirts of Transylvania.
"Skye…" May began.
"Maybe you gotta stay til I ain't got a fever no more." The little girl interrupted staring at the look in her grandfather's eyes.
Skye knew that look. She knew it meant it was time to go. She'd seen it thousands of time in her short life. Sr. Stephanie always looked like that when one of the kids left St. Agnes and every case worker wore the same expression when they came to get her at one of the homes she didn't quite fit into. Skye felt the tears behind her eyes and rubbed both fists into them to hold them in place.
"Skye…" May started again, turning the little girl to face her.
"We gotta finish the story about the boy learnin' ta be a wizard." She tried not to sound like she was begging, cuz that was wrong. Ya were s'pose ta try ta change things, just do what yer told…but this was May!
May closed her eyes. "Skye," she breathed. Before the little girl could speak, she placed a finger gently against her lips.
Skye swallowed hard, but as hard as she tried could not stop her bottom lip from quivering. She shook her head as May spoke.
"I have to leave now, kid." She swallowed the tremor in her voice and looked to her father who nodded his understanding.
Skye swiped both eyes with her sleeve and sniffed back her fear. "But yer commin back?" She didn't want it to be a question…she wanted it to be a fact.
"I am absolutely coming back." May assured her, keeping her voice calm and stoic. She refused to let her emotions take control.
"May, they won't wait." Coulson reminded her as he moved toward the door. "We have to go."
The woman stood, easing the little girl to her feet. She rested her hand on Skye's shoulder as William moved closer and wrapped his arms around his granddaughter. He nodded to Melinda, letting her know all would be find until her return. The man never let the thought that his daughter, or in her time, his wife would not return. There was no other choice. They had to return.
May smiled as she slowly backed away, picked up her black go-bag and hefted it onto her shoulder. She turned and walked toward the door where Coulson stood holding it open. Determined not to look back, she steeled her jaw and almost marched forward.
Skye stood in the kitchen doorway with William's arms still wrapped around her shoulders. She watched as the door closed with a soft click and froze for a second before bursting out of her grandfather's grip and racing down the short foyer. She pulled the door open and scrambled into the hallway.
"MAY!" She screamed as the elevator doors opened with a soft ping.
May turned and dropped her bag a second before the little girl raced down the hall and leaped into her arms, wrapping herself around the woman in a death grip. All of the tears the little girl had held burst forth in a exhaled outburst. May pulled her close and felt her own tears trickle over her cheeks. She looked up to see her father slowly approaching. She shook her head and held up one finger, motioning for him to wait.
"I love you, M…mom." Skye whispered through her tears into May's neck. "I just love you so much. Please come back. Please be my mom forever." The little girl pulled back and looked into May's eyes. "Please…"
Again, May pulled her closed and kissed her temple. "I promise, baobei…yǒngyuǎn de yǒngyuǎn." She kissed her twice. "Forever and always, Skye, I will always come back to you."
"Young yan," Skye repeated in her sob.
May ignored the sound of Coulson clearing his throat in an effort to get her to speed things up a bit. She nodded to her father who moved down the hallway and reached for the little girl, taking her easily into his arms. She wrapped herself in his embrace. Melinda leaned forward and kissed the child's cheek, pressing her own against it as she whispered on a breath into Skye's ear, "yǒngyuǎn de yǒngyuǎn".
She looked into her father's eyes, thanking him silently. Just as silently he told her they would be fine. May backed away slowly at first, easing her hand from her child then quickly turned and picked up her back. She pulled her mask back into place and swiped away the tears as if they were sweat from a blistering workout. She turned and faced forward as the elevator doors slowly shut and felt Coulson smiling approvingly at her.
"Shut up, Coulson." She snarled without looking at him.
The man nodded and faced forward.