The sun dipped below the horizon as Fiona peered through an enormous plate glass window that over looked the landing strip. From a distance, she could see Michael with a tiny blue bundle in his arms as he slowly disembarked the airplane. She spotted a tiny crop of brown hair peeking out from the blanket that he used to shield the child's face as the wind whipped across the air field.
"There's Gabriel," she whispered to herself.
Her gaze followed Michael as he stepped on the landing of the mobile stairway and paused to speak briefly to a dark haired young man in well fitted suit. He offered Michael a polite handshake and then, much to Fiona's surprise, leaned forward to kiss the baby once on each cheek. A moment later, he slipped into a dark sedan idling nearby and drove away. Fi was curious about the mysterious man. Was he connected to the current mission or a doctor that helped to facilitate the medical evacuation? Butterflies rose in her stomach as Michael and the child disappeared into the covered walkway to the main terminal of the private airport.
"That was their flight that just came in," she called over her shoulder to Madeline as she tried to control her nervous excitement.
Fiona was still in a state of disbelief over the sudden turn of events in the last few days. Her fiancée called had her the previous night to explain that while on a mission he had rescued an abandoned child. His team later discovered that the little boy had been orphaned several months before. While in the care of a US military hospital the doctors found the toddler had a heart defect which required surgery. Michael had intervened so that the boy would receive the necessary care at Miami Children's Hospital.
"This isn't the kind of work I usually bring home. I hope you don't mind," Michael joked. She told him she would be delighted to have the baby with them as long as needed. "It's only temporary," he promised, "maybe a week or two at most."
The news of Gabriel's medical evacuation was welcomed but could not have been more of a surprise to Fiona. She recalled an argument she had with Michael just the day before he left for D.C. While shopping for linens in a waterfront district their playful banter turned tense over the question of her regrets of not having a child. She rebuffed Michael's inquiry and insisted that regardless of the man she was with "it would be impossible." He did not press her for an explanation and let the matter drop. Fiona took this response as an indication of something she had long assumed, that in his mind as in hers, the matter of children was resolved years ago. That is until tonight, when she watched her fiancée step off a plane with a cherubic toddler in his arms.
"I guess there are things that we never expect to change and then they do," she thought to herself as she watched the figures moving on the ground below. She turned to Maddie who sat on a bench a few feet away.
Maddie too had been stunned by Michael's request late last night for her assistance during Gabriel visit to Miami.
"I know this is a lot to ask last minute but we had to move fast on this or we'll lose..."
"Michael, it's not a problem. Please don't worry. We have most of what we'll need at my house already. Ruth will lend us anything else. Tell me again, he's two years old."
"Yes, he's about two and half years old. He was born in February."
"This will be fun. Charlie will love having a playmate for a few weeks."
"Sure."
"Michael, I know you must have talked to Fi already but…"
"Yes, I spoke to her before I called you, she on board with our plan."
"Of course she is, but that's not what I meant." Maddie toned grew stern. "Does she know that I told you…?"
"No. I didn't get a chance."He knew exactly where she was going with her line of questioning but had no desire to discuss it with his mother. "It wasn't the right time."
"Well don't you think now would be…"
"Can we talk about this later?" he cut her off. The sooner the topic was closed, the better.
"But Michael…"
"I'll talk to Fiona when I get home. She understands that I am trying to get Gabriel the help he needs. That's all."
"Alright dear,"
"I need to go. I'll see you tonight."
Maddie was uncertain about the next few weeks but she felt hopeful. She had always wanted her eldest son to experience fatherhood but after many years of waiting she doubted it would ever happen. "Perhaps he'll have the chance now." She smiled to herself as she looked over at Fiona who stared anxiously out the window. Madeline knew the younger woman had a similar opinion about parenthood as Michael but for very different reasons. She wished that Michael could learn what she had believed for many years; that his heart had a greater capacity for love than he ever acknowledged. And she held the same truth for Fiona. Perhaps this child, even if his stay were just a brief visit, it might draw them closer to a new understanding.
"This way dear, I think they'll come through that door," as she pointed across the small waiting area towards an airline counter. The older woman smiled at Fi as she took her hand.
A uniformed airline worker pushed open a door labeled Gate 27 as the light from the interior of the covered walkway tunnel shone brightly. Fi heard the echo of a child crying and then saw her fiancée's silhouette as he glided up the walkway. When he spotted Fiona from a short distance she could see his face break into a wide smile. Her heart quickened in excitement as Michael crossed the courtyard. As he approached them the little boy grew quiet.
Maddie walked to Michael as he pulled his mother in for a quick hug. "Thanks for coming Ma."
"Of course darling, I'm happy to help." She could not keep the tears from filling her eyes.
Michael reached over to lightly touch Fiona's cheek. "Hi," he said softly holding her gaze.
The child let out an excited chirp and Michael smiled down at him as he shifted the toddler in his arms. "Mom, Fi, this is Gabriel." The little boy stared wide eyed at the new faces before him and rested his head on the grown man's shoulder.
Fiona stood in silent amazement. In the course of a week, the man who told her, 'kids, there just not my thing,' now gently swayed a frightened child in his arms. Yet it was even more astounding to here the way the child clung to Michael as if he were a life line. She reached out her hand and softly stroked the tiny cheek of the sweet faced boy with dark brown hair and startling blue eyes. "Hello there love," she whispered.
Gabe met her gaze and then nestled his tiny face into the crook of Michael's neck. He stole another peak back at Fiona as he slipped his thumb into his mouth.
"My name is Fi. I am so happy to meet you."
The little boy tucked his face back into Michael's shirt collar before spying another glance her way.
Accepting the invitation to the game of peek-a-boo, she masked her eyes with a light scarf that she wore around her neck. Gabriel pulled the cloth from Fiona's face and let out adorable belly laugh that brought smiles to everyone in the small group.
"Why don't we get your bags? You two must be tired after your long trip." Fi suggested, satisfied that the boy had begun to warm up to her in the midst of the frightening new surroundings.
As the small group walked through the airport, Maddie explained to Michael the preparations made at her house for their arrival. "We should have everything we need for tonight and you all can stay as long as you like." Maddie reached for Gabriel. "Here let him come to MeMe for a while."
Michael nervously passed the boy to the confident grandmother who greeted the toddler warmly.
"That's what Charlie calls me. I'm MeMe. And that's Tia FiFi," as she pointed over to Fiona.
Michael shot a confused glance over to Fiona. "Is that what you want?"
She laughed at the expression on his face. "It's the nickname my nephews in Ireland gave me when they were little. It suits me just fine."
"OK then," he shrugged, happy the introductions to the family went smoothly since he would depend on their assistance in the coming weeks.
"He looks like he'll fit into the same size clothes that Charlie is wearing these days." Maddie pulled at Gabe's tiny t-shirt which was damp at the waist from a leaky diaper. "Oh, his shirt is all wet. Didn't change him while you were on the plane?" she scolded.
"Ma, Gabe was asleep most of the time. I wasn't about to wake him up right before we landed."
"Michael, your flight was five hours long." Maddie was well aware of her son tolerance level as she teased him. "He'll need a clean shirt and a fresh diaper before we drive home." She paused in front of the restroom and passed the little boy back to her son. "There should be a changing station in the men's room,"
Michael felt a sudden discomfort at his mother's insistence. He was reluctant to tell them, especially since was the person who brought Gabe to Miami in the first place, that he had never before changed the diaper or clothes of any child. In the hospital the nurses had looked after all of Gabriel's needs and even on the flight to Miami, the attendants doted on the boy the whole time. He was grateful for his mother and Fiona of help with Gabriel but reluctant to admit that he was more comfortable dealing with any other kind of hardware than a tiny child. He turned to his mother and said, "Ahh, Ma, could you help me out here?"
Fiona intervened and took the little boy from Michael's arms. "Here, let's see if he'll let me hold him for a bit? I think Maddie and I can manage things."
"Thanks Fi." He looked visibly relieved as he passed her a black nylon knapsack. "The nurse gave me this before we left. It should have everything you need."
Madeline exchanged a glance with Fiona who motioned them towards the ladies room nearby. "We'll just be a few minutes then," she nodded and followed Fi who beamed at the little boy in her arms.
"You are a handsome fella, aren't you Gabriel?" she cooed to the child who appeared charmed by the smiling face of the woman holding him.
Michael watched as the trio disappeared into the people streaming past and sank onto a bench as he rubbed the exhaustion from his eyes. He reminded himself that he would have to proceed carefully in the next few days.
Michael remembered his quarrel with Fiona the day before he left for D.C and difficult conversation between that remained unfinished. He could understand that his action of bringing Gabriel to Miami contradicted his insistences about children during their argument. How would he explain the sudden change to Fiona? The obvious facts were a good place to start. He had been the one who found Gabriel after his long period of isolation and the child, already an orphan, formed an attachment to his rescuer. It was not totally out of character for Michael to develop a protective bond for someone helpless who needed his assistance; in this case it was a little boy. But he did not want to discuss those unanswered question with Fi or his mother because he did not want to deal with them for himself. None of those things mattered because it was not the point. There was one objective and that was to get Gabriel the medical help he needed. Everything else could be dealt with later after his plan was carried out.
But he was certain that the women in his life would have strong opinions about Gabriel's care while in Miami. While he appreciated their willingness to help until the toddler could be placed with a foster family he could tell the grandmother in Madeline Westen was smitten the moment he walked through the airport gate with Gabe. And a few moments ago, when he saw the joy in Fiona's face when she held Gabe for the first time, Michael knew the foster family would be difficult for Fiona and his mother to accept. Their time with Gabriel could only be temporary because of the demands of his current assignment and the requirements defined for the medical evacuation. There was no other way.
Madeline and Fiona returned from the ladies' room carrying Gabriel who was crying loudly.
"He was fine up until somebody turned on that damned hand dryer. It's so loud it scared him to death." Maddie explained.
Gabe reached for Michael immediately and then snuggled into his arms as he cried hiccupping tears into his chest. He rubbed the little boy's back whispering softly to him until the toddler laid his head on Michael's shoulder. "There we go. You're OK," he murmured, "the loud noise is all gone." He gave his mom and Fiona a bashful smile. "Why don't we head to the car?"
The two women exchanged a look of astonishment but said nothing as they continued through the airport. A few minutes later when they arrived at the airport lot, Gabe protested loudly as he was placed into the car seat.
"What's he so mad about. It's not hurting him?" Michael asked in bewilderment.
Maddie explained that Charlie was currently in a defiant phase where he fought and fussed at the sight of his chair; much less submit to being buckled. Gabe presented a similar show of resistance as he flailed his tiny limbs and cried inconsolably. Michael was happy to leave this unpleasant task to his more experienced team members and grabbed the car keys from his mother.
"Why don't I drive?" He retreated to the front of the sedan.
Maddie and Fiona were too busy fussing over the wailing child to give him any notice. After a few minutes the women made the required adjustments to the straps and buckled the child in safely. Gabriel was still cranky over the continued confinement as he protested even louder. Maddie took out a sack of toys from the trunk and handed them over to Fiona who sat in the back next to Gabriel.
After several minutes of screaming, Fi exclaimed, "I just can't get him to stop crying. He doesn't like the car seat."
"Here, try these. This always worked when the boys were little." Madeline passed Fiona a small packet of mini chocolate cookies.
"Oreos? These things are nothing but sugar," she scoffed.
"Just try it Fi. If he stops crying, give him was many as he wants," Michael called to the back seat as they pulled on the highway.
"Those were your favorite when you were little, don't you remember?" Maddie commented to Michael.
"Do I remember being little or eating sweets? Not really."
Fiona smiled at the exchange between mother and son as she popped a tiny chocolate disc into the boy's mouth. He chewed slowly, exploring the crunchy texture. His eye grew wide and he began to kick his feet as he reached for the plastic bag in Fi's hand.
"Well, I think he likes them too," Fiona said, as she slipped a few of the cookies into her mouth too.
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