Chapter 74
Friar & Son

"Hey, hey, it's alright, I got you. Hello, good morning," Lucas hushed as he picked up his crying son from his crib. Pacing the length of the room with him, one way and the other and back again, he gently brushed his blond hair in a less sunburst fashion. Elliott did not give this much care, as his still mildly distressed attitude made him burrow his head in his father's chest, undoing the neat placement of his fine baby hair. "Okay, hey, if that's the style you're going for right now, I won't get in the way. Let's just take a breath, yeah? Your mommy's still sleeping and we want to keep it that way," he pointed out, moving so he might be able to see across the hall and confirm that this was the case. By now, Elliott had calmed down, if only a little, which made things easier once it became clear the culprit was his diaper, which was in need of changing.

The days where Lucas had any extended time to spend with his boy, when he wasn't at school, or at work, were sadly few and far in between. He tried to make up for it, as best he could, in the times when he was around, at home or otherwise, which helped to remind him this was all for a good cause. He was providing for his family, for the here and now as much as the future, and he was present. In time, the sacrifices would be more than worth it.

But today was different. Today, he had the day off. No school, no work, and he had enough of a handle on the things he needed to study or the assignments he had to write up that he had decided to dedicate the entire day to Elliott. It worked out for all of them, really, as it would in turn allow Maya some time to dedicate to her research for the professors. She would spend the day comfortably settled in, with her books, and her computer, and he would get to go out and about with the baby.

"I will be really glad when I can run around like you're doing right now," Maya remarked later on, as she watched him stock up the Elliott bag. "It takes me so long just to get him ready to go these days, by the time it's done, I'm exhausted and I don't feel like going anywhere anymore."

"I just don't want to forget anything," Lucas explained.

"Hey, come here for a second." He paused, turned to her. "Come here," she waved him over. When he finally walked up to the kitchen table where she sat, she pointed to the chair next to hers. With a sigh, he sat down, allowing her to take his hands in hers. "You know, I'm not the only one who needs to relax around here," she smiled. It got a laugh out of him. She would see right through him. "Lucas… You have to stop going around like this, like you're going to mess up or something. Elliott is almost ten months old, and you know what you're doing with him, you do."

He looked at her, at that confidence in her eyes. He knew what she said was true, he did. Now, on top of that, he was made to face the fact that he continued to show insecurities over the fact that he hardly ever had sole responsibility over their son, outside their home especially. No matter how many times he would go and prove to himself that, as she said, he knew what he was doing with him, it was always the next time when suddenly his concerns would get renewed as though the reassurances had never happened. What was it going to be like when he had both of his boys to look after?

Maya pulled him forward until she could press a kiss to his forehead, to his lips, and she kept cradling the side of his face as she smiled at him. To look at her… She had changed so much, since Elliott had come along. Not in a bad way, not in the slightest, no. She was still the Maya he had known and fallen in love with, but now on top of that she was a mother, and that whole facet of her just felt so powerful. It added to her in ways he could not have expected, just as it added to his love for her. When he expressed that love to her, right here, she smiled. She had reassured him, just as she'd meant to do.

After they were ready to go, Lucas settled Elliott in his car seat, Opie Bunny on hand, and they were off into the city. So far as errands went, he needed to go to a few places at the mall, to the pharmacy for a prescription, and then a round at the grocery store, which more often than not would lead to his picking something up for his parents, which he'd then drop off on the way home. This would by no means take the whole day, but then he did have it in mind to take Elliott on a stroll through the park, and once he walked into his parents' home, perishables or no, who knew how long it would be before he exited again?

Stop number one was the pharmacy, and Lucas had sort of been looking forward to it. The pharmacist had been there for something like thirty years, and she knew her people. She had been there, whenever Lucas had accompanied his mother or father as a kid, had been a presence he remembered all along even as she got to watch him grow. The first time he had come in and picked up something for Maya in relation to her first pregnancy, Miss Ruby Ann, as she would have him call her, had been as emotional as an aunt or grandmother might have been. Really, she might as well have been that to him. The coming of baby number two had been received in the same fashion.

"Well, now, if it isn't my Friar boys," she beamed as Lucas rolled Elliott down the aisle toward the prescription counter.

"Hey, Miss Ruby Ann," Lucas smiled back while she came around, the better to get a good look at the boy. He had fallen asleep at some point during the ride, and he remained that way as was carried out. The woman looked on to the sleeping boy and her smile warmed.

"Looks more and more like you every time I see him," she reported.

"He does," Lucas agreed. It was strange sometimes, the way he could look so much like him one minute and so much like Maya the other, depending on how you looked at him, what you looked for… He really was just a perfect mix of him and her.

After the pharmacy, banking on the fact that Elliott would carry on sleeping, Lucas got him back in the car and they went off to the mall. He always loved to be walking around with him, pushing the stroller. The bigger he'd get, Lucas would now be imagining times where Elliott was able to walk, and he could walk side by side with him, holding his hand. He also feared, in varying levels of rationality, the point where his being able to walk would also mean his being able to wander away from him and get lost, but he heeded his father's words on that and reserved the thoughts for when Elliott actually could walk like that. For now, he could stand, for seconds at a time, and he wouldn't be going anywhere he wasn't meant to go.

Walking through the mall, Lucas had a feeling it wouldn't be long before Elliott woke up from his nap, with the hum of activity around him from other shoppers. They made it into their first stop before Lucas looked down and found those clear eyes staring up at him. When he smiled down at him and his boy smiled back up, it felt like the rest of the world disappeared. As much as his love for Maya was one he had never felt before with any other human, so was his love for his son. There was no comparing it, although there would be others, one so far, who could count on his sharing in this love. For now, there was only Elliott, and every time he looked around and caught him staring up at him, following his every move, it made him start to laugh all over again, until he had to stop at a bench after coming out of their second store, so he might lift the boy into his arms for a few minutes.

It was the strangest feeling, to witness Elliott's growth. He was really so close to being a year old already, and yet Lucas remembered so distinctly what it had felt like to hold him for the first time, remembered sitting in that hospital room with him while Maya slept. And he wasn't just growing in size either, he was so far from that tiny little person he'd first been. He was becoming his own person, slowly but surely, developing something like personality. Whether this would carry on or turn into something else completely in the years to come, who was to say?

He was curious, definitely curious, and as much as Lucas could say he wasn't not curious, he could not pretend to have provided any of this trait on to his boy, that was all Maya. That was when he looked like her the most, when he'd be taking in the world around him. It would be right there in his eyes, just as it had been back there in the store. Maya would joke that his patience had definitely been a gift from his father, and thus Elliott was like their baby bear, from Goldilocks. He'd gotten it just right. And he was such a lively little guy, easy on the smile, the laughter… They would definitely have to keep a close watch on him once he started to walk and run.

"How about it, Sprout?" Lucas set him down on his feet, keeping hold of his hands. It almost felt like playing with fire, risking the chance that this moment would happen here, where no one else could see, but then as he usually did Elliott simply thumped down on his padded bottom after a few seconds. He stared up at his father and laughed. "I'm starting to think you do that on purpose because you like it," Lucas 'accused' as he lifted him back on to his lap. Elliott babbled, wiggling about. "That's all you have to say, huh?" Lucas smiled, brushing at his hair.

Finally, they got back on track, finishing up their shopping but stopping at the food court for lunch before leaving the mall. It really felt like the best time for it, so they headed to the park for a digestive stroll.

Lucas briefly considered leaving the stroller in the car and just carrying Elliott off in his arms, but in the end he got him settled in again, protecting him with a bit of shade from the sun before they took off together. This almost became pointless, as Elliott would twist about a lot of the time, like he'd caught sight of something and wanted to follow it when it went and disappeared from his view. Whether that was the case, Lucas couldn't say. What he did know was that the boy loved trees, and the more filled with leaves the better. Pappy Joe would joke in wondering where he had gotten that idea from. Maya would say that she couldn't wait for the leaves to start changing colors, to see how Elliott would react to those. His trees may have been filled with a whole expansive rainbow of colors back in the nursery and in his parents' room, colors he wouldn't find on normal trees, but he didn't look all that disappointed by the mainly green foliage he saw at the park.

"Alright, I get the message," Lucas finally brought the stroller to a stop once he'd found a good spot. He lifted Elliott out of there, an action which was received with vast enthusiasm. "Your mom would tell you you're such a weirdo right now," Lucas teased him.

He walked around with him for a while, kept him in one arm while pushing the stroller with the other. This lasted longer than Lucas would have anticipated, but then again, curiosity with patience… The immediate notion he got right then made him pull out his phone, surreptitiously taking a picture of Elliott looking to the trees and sending it to Maya.

Lucas: I have a feeling he's going to grow up to like museums.

Maya: I wonder where he got that from.

Maya: Don't stay out too late, ok? Can't send me pics like that, I miss you both.

Lucas smiled, passing this affection on to their son with a kiss to his blond head. He just turned those eyes of his back up again, making his father laugh.

They had to make a pitstop across from the park, at the diner, as Elliott was due for another diaper ASAP. Nando gladly waved his policy of bathrooms being for customers only, as they were family in his book. Asher and Joey's uncle got to hold the newly changed and thus much more peaceful Elliott for a few minutes before they could leave again. He went around behind the counter, babe in one arm and filling cups of soda with the other, making him a big hit with the customers.

This wasn't exactly isolated to the diner or the pharmacy. Going through the mall, or any store, or… well, any place with other humans, honestly, with a baby in tow was just an invitation to a lot of strangers sneaking looks, or stalling with a smile for Elliott, or a few words. Of course, Elliott being the jolly boy he was meant that he was responsive to this, time and time again, which only made the experience that much more comical for everyone involved.

The most memorable encounter of the day happened when they got to the grocery store, after leaving the diner. Elliott actually loved being here, though Lucas mostly heard of this from Maya. After their night at the hospital, Shawn had taken it upon himself to handle their grocery run of the week, and now this week it was Lucas' turn for once. When he'd called his father-in-law to let him know this, he'd almost sounded disappointed at not having that outing with his grandson to look forward to. Along with Elliott, he'd brought little Alex, the four-month-old uncle, and the boys had been so sweet together…

Maya had told him how Elliott seemed to particularly enjoy the music over the PA, like he'd constantly be trying to figure out where it came from. Between that and all the colorful packaging wherever they went, no wonder he couldn't keep still. And then, at one point, by the coincidental turn of Lucas' head away at the critical moment, Opie Bunny went tumbling out Elliott's hand and fell in the middle of the aisle while they kept going. Elliott didn't even notice right away, but the moment his brain got to 'hey, where's my friend?' he started to cry, calling his father's attention.

"Hey, it's okay, I… Oh… No, no…" Lucas started to look around, realizing the bunny was missing. He'd definitely been in the seat clamped to the front of the basket, with the baby, when they'd started through here and…

"This wouldn't happen to be yours by any chance?" They had just gone back the way they'd come, retracing their steps in search of the stuffed toy, when upon turning to the previous aisle Lucas had found his son's long-eared friend in the hands of his former middle school gym teacher.

"Mr. Wiley…" he spoke out of surprise, which turned into a happier one with each second. Of all the people he could ever have imagined running into so unexpectedly, this one… Here was a man who had done so much for him, way back when, and to meet him like this, all he could think anymore was how much he owed to him. Possibly Elliott's entire existence might have hinged on the actions this man had taken when Lucas had been suspended. Finally, hearing Elliott's babbling brought him back to reality and he blinked. "Yes, yes, it is, I-I mean… it's his," he indicated the seat and the boy it contained. His former teacher also looked like it took him a moment before he finally connected the dots and possibly really saw the baby for the first time.

"Would you look at this fella?" he chuckled, stepping up now and becoming an instant hero upon reuniting boy and bunny together. Mr. Wiley turned back to his former student, the question not even needed. Of course, this was his son.

"This is Elliott," Lucas introduced him. Upon hearing his name, Elliott looked up from his bunny. "And that's Opie," Lucas gestured to the toy.

"Yes, we've met," Mr. Wiley chuckled, following the gesture before turning his attentions once again to the boy in the seat. Elliott, as usual, did not miss an opportunity to share a smile. "Thought I heard something about you and Maya having a baby from one of the other teachers, I didn't know if it was real, but I've got my answer now, don't I?" he gave one of Elliott's small feet a light shake.

"If you can believe, that's only half of it now," Lucas revealed, before informing him of their soon-to-be second child. Mr. Wiley received this news with great joy.

Had it not been that they both had places to be, Lucas ventured they might have talked on for much longer. He might have told the man about Kermit, and the worries he and Maya had been left with, about his change in career goals. Maybe in hopes of making this conversation happen, he mentioned as they were parting ways that he worked at the bookstore back at the mall. Mr. Wiley looked to be filing this information away for later times, so maybe they would run into each other again.

As expected, he'd been left to pick up a few things for his parents, so after getting everything loaded in his car and settling the baby and the bunny in the back, Lucas drove off to his final destination before home. When he arrived, the front door had barely opened that Elliott was already halfway into his grandmother's arms, while Lucas followed with the grocery bag. He could only smile, seeing how happy both grandmother and grandson were to be in one another's presence. All he could think was that they would have to start Elliott early on notions of… well, not being spoiled. He was already so precious to Granny Mel, she would find a way to get him anything he wanted if he asked or even suggested in her general vicinity.

"Would you believe she's been posted at the window ever since you called?" Thomas Friar smirked as he came into the kitchen to find them all there.

"Yeah, I would," Lucas laughed. His mother was too busy with Elliott to pay them any mind.

"Come here, I want to show you something," Thomas stepped back, and Lucas now followed him. The sound of Melinda singing softly to her grandson grew fainter as they went.

Lucas followed his father all the way to the closed double doors through which his office could be found. There was something distinctly eager in him, which was almost odd, coming from him. It was eager, with a dash of nerves. Lucas finally understood why once the doors were pushed open.

The furniture had been rearranged, something which had not been seen for so long that they could still see the shape of where the wooden desk used to be on the carpet. It had been moved now, along with a few other items, in order to make room for something new. There was a second desk, facing the other, identical to it. This new desk was empty still, but its presence suggested a need met, and Lucas didn't take long to understand what that need was. The desk was for him.

"I know, I know, it's early, you're still in school," Thomas raised his hands. "I was going to wait, but then your mother got in my head about whether we might be able to get a matching one to mine, and once I saw that we could…" he gestured around the room. "Got the Avelino boys from across the street to help me move everything."

Lucas kept looking at the desk. He guessed the reason his father had been so nervous was out of some fleeting thought that, upon seeing the desk, Lucas might stop and tell himself that he'd made a mistake, or that he might think himself trapped in something he didn't want all of a sudden. But then Lucas had never regretted his choice. And truth be told, even if it hadn't been his initial choice, he was really enjoying his new classes. He looked forward to working with his father, and for that… The desk made him happy, knowing his father was looking forward to working with him, too.

He went around and sat in the chair. It was a really good chair, and when he turned back to his father, and he saw the pride in him… It meant everything, to the both of them, to be starting this together, as unexpected as it had been. Someday, they might decide to get an actual office, away from here, but for now this was good, this was all they needed.

TO BE CONTINUED

See you next week! - mooners