Chapter 7: Storytelling
. . .
A low voice broke into Jo's sleep. She groaned and covered her head with the pillow. It didn't really help as she was still able to hear that voice. Then there was some other noise that sounded like the jingling of a little bell. Jo tossed the pillow aside and listened. She smiled when she realized what was it. It was Lily's giggle. She sat on the bed and languidly stretched herself. She heard Mac's voice again.
''Will I make it?'' He asked and Jo smiled subconsciously upon hearing how happy he sounded.
''Nope.'' Lily told him without any hesitation.
''You don't believe in me?''
''It will end up on the floor!''
Guided by curiosity Jo tossed her blanket aside and rose to her feet. There was a moment of silence and then Mac said, ''Taaaadam!''
''Wooow! One more time!'' Lily exclaimed.
''Now you're talking.'' Mac laughed. ''Ladies and gentlemen, a spectacular pancake triple toss backflip, for the lovely lady in the front row!'' He announced and Lily giggled.
Jo entered the kitchen at the exact moment when the pancake landed back onto the frying pan. Lily started to applaud and Jo glanced at her. She was sitting on the table and looked as happy as a 4-year old can be. Mac made a graceful bow. He was still holding the frying pan in his hand and he intentionally tilted it. Lily gasped at the sight of the pancake almost falling to the floor and then started to laugh as Mac made a funny face and caught it. Jo couldn't help but laugh too. That caught their attention and they both looked at her.
''Hi, Jo!'' Lily greeted her.
''Hi, sweetheart.'' Jo answered. She moved closer to her and kissed her head. Then she smiled at Mac.
''Mac, one more time, for Jo!'' Lily asked. Mac glanced at her and Jo could swear he blushed slightly. He ran his hand through his hair, slightly embarrassed.
''Maybe with the next one. This one is ready.'' He said and put the pancake on Lily's plate. Jo picked her up and sat at the table. Then Mac put banana slices and three strawberries on top of her pancake, just like the other day.
''Why do I have to eat those?'' Lily asked in a complaining voice.
''Because fruits contain vitamins, minerals and proteins and you need them all to grow up to be a healthy and beautiful lady.'' Mac told her seriously.
''Like Jo?'' Lily asked as she picked up one of the strawberries and ate it.
''Yes, like Jo.'' Mac confirmed. Jo thanked him for his compliment with her smile and gently stroked his back as she moved passed him to start the coffee maker. Then she stood next to him and leaned against the counter. He watched her out of the corner of his eye. She was wearing the same long pajama pants with cupcake prints and a pink top that rose slightly above the waistband of her pants, but she didn't seem to notice. Her hair was slightly tousled from her sleep and she wasn't wearing any make-up. Yet there was still something exquisite about her and for the first time in his life Mac thought it wasn't really some kind of image she created, but just her.
As if Jo felt his eyes on her, she suddenly turned to face him and smiled as she met his gaze.
''Did you sleep well?'' She asked him.
''Yes, and you?'' Mac asked and smiled at the recollection on how he had picked her up from the armchair and moved her to the bed. As he had thought, she was completely unaware of that.
''Yeah, me too.'' She answered and reciprocated his smile. Then she turned to Lily. ''Listen, sweetie, we have some good news for you.'' She told her. Lily stopped eating and looked up at her with her big blue eyes. ''We're gonna take you to your brother today.''
''To Rickie?'' Lily asked in disbelief. ''Where is he?''
''He's at the hospital.'' Mac told her.
''Are we going now?'' Lily asked impatiently as she placed down her fork, leaving the pancakes completely forgotten for a moment.
''After breakfast.'' Jo said.
''Oh, OK.'' Lily nodded and started to eat again but much faster this time.
. . .
''Riiiickiiiii!'' Lily squealed and jolted towards the boy's bed. She had some troubles with climbing onto it, so Mac rushed to help her. She threw her arms around Rick's neck and hugged him with all her strength.
''Hi, Lily!'' Rick greeted her as he hugged her back.
''Scoot over.'' Lily asked him and he complied.
''Oh my goodness, look how adorable they are together.'' Jo whispered to Mac as she approached the bed. Mac only smiled at her. After a moment, Lily pulled away from Rick.
''Are you sick?'' She asked him.
''Yeah, a little.'' Rick nodded.
''But he's getting better every day.'' Mac told her with a smile. ''I talked to the doctor and he said you'd be released in two days.''
''That's cool.'' Rick said happily. ''I'm really fed up with the food here. Today for lunch, I was given peas pudding.'' He complained.
''Yuuuck!'' Lily wrinkled her nose in disgust. ''We ate potato casserole yesterday. Jo made it!'' She told Rick.
Mac turned to face Jo and looked at her with his eyebrows raised.
''What? Are you surprised that I can cook something?'' Jo asked him.
''Yeah... I thought your cooking was limited to dialing the number of the closest restaurant and ordering take away.'' Mac joked and she playfully smacked his arm.
''For your information, I really can cook and both, Ellie and Lily, loved my casserole.'' Jo told him. ''Right?'' She asked Lily.
''It was yummy!'' Lily exclaimed.
''Lucky you.'' Rick sighed.
Suddenly Jo pulled her phone out of her handbag.
''Umm... I'll be right back.'' She murmured and headed for the door.
Mac followed her with his gaze. He watched how she stood in the corridor and talked on the phone. His thoughts drifted to Christine, who was standing almost in the exact spot only a day ago. He recalled what she had said and it made him feel frustrated again.
He looked at Rick and Lily, who were sitting together on the bed eating 'Jelly beans'. Rick started to show Lily some drawings in his book and she looked at them with utter fascination.
Mac sighed deeply. The bond between the brother and sister was really strong and he was more than aware that they shouldn't be separated by any means. He glanced at Jo again and felt slightly angry that she wasn't with them and was talking on the phone, just like Christine. But just as he thought that, Jo ended her conversation and threw her phone into her handbag. Then she had a little chat with a nurse that was just passing by and she came back into the hospital room.
''I've heard that you're the favorite patient here. All nurses and doctors love you.'' Jo told Rick and he smiled shyly.
''Here, sit down.'' Mac told Jo and offered her his chair.
''No, no.'' Jo protested, placing her hand on his shoulder. ''Don't get up, I'll sit on the bed. May I?'' She asked Rick.
''Sure.'' He told her with a little smile.
''Wow, 'The Chronicles of Narnia' .'' Jo noted. ''Is it interesting?''
''Very! I'm only at the beginning, I can't wait to see what will happen next.'' Rick told her with excitement.
''What is it about?'' She asked and glanced at Mac. From her smile, he was able to tell she knew the book, but she wanted to have a topic for the conversation with Rick. The boy started to tell them what he had read so far and Mac watched Lily who poured a large amount of 'Jelly beans' onto the duvet, started to pick out all the pink ones and ate them. He chuckled when Jo reached out and, instead of telling her it wasn't the best idea in the world, started to do the same with the purple ones.
Suddenly Jo's phone started to ring and she rose from the bed.
''Yes? Sure, one second.'' She said and left the room without saying a word. She quickly disappeared around the corner and Mac frowned again. He was sure it wasn't anything connected with work. His phone would have also rang, as both of them were on call today. So it had to be something personal and clearly more important than spending her time with him and the two kids. But he didn't even get a chance to feel sad, as he saw Jo coming back, holding two pizza boxes in her hands. Mac raised his eyebrows at the sight.
''You ordered pizza to the hospital?'' He asked in disbelief.
''Yup.'' Jo confirmed as it was something usual.
''Are you sure that's a good idea?''
''Oh come on, Mac. It's not like Rick has a sick stomach and has to be on a diet.'' She told him with a smirk. ''I've got two. Hawaiian...''
''Yaaay!'' Lily squealed.
''… and Peperoni.'' Jo finished.
''I got dibs on that one!'' Rick said quickly and Jo gave him the box while she cast Mac a triumphal smile. Then she sat down back on the bed and opened the box with Hawaiian one. She took a piece and gave it to Lily, who bit into it hungrily. Jo laughed as she saw her and turned to Mac to offer him a piece as well.
''Thanks, but we are guys. We don't eat pizza with pineapple.'' Mac joked. ''Right?'' He turned to Rick.
''Right!'' Rick confirmed and gave him a high-five. ''We need meat!'' He added and Jo chuckled upon hearing him.
''There is ham on it, too.'' Lily noted as she studied her piece closer. Jo looked at her and smiled. She reached out to wipe a little stain of tomato sauce of her forehead and wondered how it was possible for it to get there.
''Yeah, and pineapple.'' Rick bit back and Mac nodded. Then they both winced.
''As you wish. But don't ask us to share when we have some pieces left.'' Jo told him with a mocked grudge.
''As far as I know you, Jo, there won't be any left.'' Mac teased. Jo gasped and hit his arm, which made Rick giggle.
''That was nasty!'' Jo told him. ''Boys are always like that, aren't they?'' She sighed as she addressed her question to Lily.
''Mhm.'' She confirmed, being quite busy with gnawing on her piece.
''Ahh, but we do have some good qualities, also.'' Mac said, trying to defend the honor of his gender. That somehow caught Lily's attention as she looked up at him.
''Like what?'' She asked as she wrinkled her forehead. Jo looked up at Mac as well and crooked her eyebrow. There was something in her look that pushed his mind in the wrong direction and suddenly all examples he could come up with weren't exactly the ones he could give to the 4- and 8-year old.
''Like saving you from dragons.'' Rick pointed out.
''OK...'' Jo agreed hesitantly. ''And since there are no dragons anymore...'' She started, but Mac cut in.
''It was a metaphor.'' He told her.
''No, it wasn't.'' Rick protested. ''And there are no dragons because we did our job.''
''Aaahh.'' Jo gave him a nod of understanding and Mac smiled at her, being pretty proud of how Rick turned it over.
''Here.'' Lily said and gave Rick the crusty edge of her piece, which he accepted with a sigh. Jo frowned lightly seeing it.
''Do you like them?'' She asked.
''Not really.'' Rick answered rather sadly. ''They are too hard for Lily to eat because they hurt her gums, so she always gives them to me.'' He explained. Jo looked at Mac and he smiled upon seeing her entranced expression.
''Oh my goodness, this is the cutest thing ever.'' She whispered in awe.
''You want me to eat the edges of your pieces?'' Mac asked her with a silly smile. He almost chuckled when he saw how Jo's look changed, as she stared at him like he was out in left field.
''No.'' She took him aback, trying to sound serious, but Mac was able to see how the corner of her mouth twitched. Then she turned to Rick and said, ''you don't have to eat them if you don't want.''
''But what you would do with them? You can't throw away food.'' Rick said.
''Well...'' Jo hesitated.
''We can feed ducks with them.'' Mac blurt out and Jo looked at him amused. She had to admit she truly enjoyed this side of Mac Taylor. It was completely new to her and so different from his usual, slightly uptight attitude. ''What? We could.'' Mac repeated as he saw her expression.
''Yeah, why not.'' She agreed with a smile.
. . .
''Duckies!'' Lily exclaimed happily. She let go of Jo's hand and ran towards the pound. Because of the excitement, she didn't pay attention at all to the ground below her feet and she didn't notice a small rock in the middle of the alley. She tripped over it and fell on her knees and hands. Jo gasped and rushed towards her, but Mac was quicker. He ably picked her up from the ground and looked at her. She made a sad face and he was able to see how tears were gathering in her eyes. He didn't want her to cry, so he quickly looked around.
''Look, sweetheart, swans.''
''Where?'' Lily asked with a quiet sniff.
''There.'' Mac pointed with his hand. He was just about to move into that direction when he felt Jo's hand on his shoulder. She looked at Lily and smiled sadly at her. ''We're going to watch the swans.'' Mac told her and she instantly understood that he was trying to provide some kind of distraction.
''OK.'' She nodded.
They stood on the small bridge and watched how two swans swam slowly towards them.
''Look! They have small ones!'' Jo exclaimed.
''Where?'' Lily asked and leaned more towards the water to get a better view, which caused Mac to tighten his hold on her.
''Between the wings.'' Jo told her and moved closer to show her.
''Ahhh, I can see now.'' Lily gasped. ''But why aren't they white? Only gray?'' She asked with a frown.
''They're like that when they're small.'' Mac told her. ''They'll grow beautiful white feathers when they're about 2 to 3 years old.''
''And will they look like the others?''
''Yes, they will.'' Mac confirmed.
''But aren't they cute now? They look so fluffy.'' Jo said with a smile.
''Yeah...'' Lily agreed hesitantly.
''And they're nestled comfortably between their mommy's wings.'' Jo continued.
''How do you know it's a mommy?'' Lily asked. ''Maybe it's a daddy. Could it be their daddy?'' She asked again. Mac glanced at Jo as he wasn't sure if she knew that it was usual for swans that both, a female and a male, were taking care of their offspring. She was looking directly at him and she smiled.
''Yeah, it could be daddy as well.'' She told Lily, although her eyes were still on Mac. She raised her hand and rubbed his shoulder, which made him wonder for a second if what she had just said was actually about swans. ''Mac, do you know this fairytale about the little swan that hatched in a duck's nest by mistake?'' Jo asked suddenly.
''''The Ugly Duckling'' by Hans Christian Andersen.'' Mac nodded.
''Yeah, that one. The duckling tried to fit in, but everywhere he went, he was teased to no end, because he didn't look like a duck.''
''Because he wasn't a duck, he was a swan.'' Mac interjected with a smile and glanced at Lily who was listening to them with her mouth opened.
''Exactly. He saw a flock of wild swans and he wished to be like them, but he couldn't join them, as he couldn't fly yet. And when he grew up, he decided to throw himself at the flock of swans. He thought that they would chase him away or even kill him. Much to his surprise, the flock accepted him, as he was one of them.'' Jo finished.
''And he wasn't ugly anymore?'' Lily asked.
''No, he was beautiful.'' Jo told her with a smile and then she looked directly at Mac. ''What amazes me in this story is how the duckling instantly became bewitched when he saw the flock of wild swans for the first time. Like he knew this is it, this is who he wanted to be. Even though in his own eyes, he was still the ugly duckling. I always thought that deep down he knew that he was one of them from that very moment. He just needed to grow up to this.''
Mac frowned slightly. He had never thought about this fairytale that way. He glanced back at Jo and saw that her eyes were fixed on him. The way she told this story, as she wanted to convey something more than just the plot itself. Suddenly, it all made sense to him and he smiled widely at her. And she smiled back, as she knew that he had understood.
They looked at each other for a moment until Lily broke the silence.
''My hands burn.'' She complained in a sad voice. Mac took her hand in his and studied her palm. Even though they were quite dirty, he noticed that the skin was slightly abraded. He looked around and spotted the drinking fountain. He moved towards it and Jo followed them. He gently washed Lily's hands in cool water.
''Better?'' He asked with a shy smile.
''Yeah.'' Lily told him and smiled at him as well. Then she brought her hand towards his face with her palm up. Mac looked at her, not quite sure what he was supposed to do with it.
''You have to kiss it better.'' Jo whispered in his ear. She took Lily's other hand and kissed her palm. ''Like that.''
Mac raised his eyebrows and looked at Lily who nodded with a serious look on her face. He smirked slightly, lowered his head and placed a soft kiss on Lily's palm. He pulled back and looked at her face and saw a beaming smile. All of sudden Lily threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.
''Thank you.'' She told him quietly. Then she indicated that she wanted to be put down, so Mac did it and she ran towards the swings.
''Just watch your step, Lily!'' Jo shouted after her. She turned to Mac and saw the silly grin on his face. ''What?'' She asked.
''Kiss it better? Really?'' He teased.
''Your mom never did that to you?'' Jo asked with a smile.
''I don't quite remember.'' Mac answered evasively.
''I'm sure that she did. It's crucial for a healing process.'' Jo stated firmly, but he just smirked. ''Really! It's scientifically proven. It released endorphins which are natural painkillers. It can also have the placebo effect and...'' She paused as she saw how his smirk grew bigger. ''What?''
''I thought I was the one to brag about my knowledge.'' Mac quipped.
''Well, I also know something about something.'' She told him with a smile.
''Are you quoting me, Jo?''
''Only paraphrasing.'' Jo answered. Then she put her arm around his shoulders and gently led him towards the bench near the playground. ''Come on, we have to watch her. She's a bright spark.''
. . .
It was almost 9 pm when Mac finally returned to his place. He couldn't recall the last time he had so much fun on his day off. Maybe it was during those first few months with Christine, when they were still head over heels about each other. But now, as their relationship became full of grudges and resentments, this memory seemed to be very distant.
He entered his apartment and first thing he noticed was the smell of green curry chicken. He sighed deeply. He wasn't really fond of green curry. Yet somehow, he wasn't quite sure how, Christine got the impression that it was his favorite dish. It was probably when she had made it for him for the first time and he had praised it out of politeness. He had never told her the truth, as he didn't want to be disgraceful. After all it didn't happen too often that someone was cooking especially for him. But tonight it didn't make him happy. Quite the opposite, he felt slightly angry, as he knew what she was up to.
He hung his jacket and entered the kitchen. Christine turned around upon hearing him and she offered him a beautiful smile.
''Hi, darling. I'm glad you're back.'' She cooed.
''Hi. What are you doing?''
''I'm making us dinner.'' Christine told him and moved closer to him. ''I want to apologize to you.'' She said softly. ''I didn't mean to upset you.''
Mac sighed a little. It wasn't the first time that she apologized to him in such a way. In a sweet voice, looking up at him and pulling the sleeve of his shirt to get his attention. Every other time before tonight, he had found it endearing. It always awoke his protective instinct as she seemed like a little girl to him at such a moment and he forgave her as he didn't want to hurt her more. But this time it all seemed so fake to him. He felt manipulated as if he was taking part in some sort of game.
He kept his poker face and he was able to see how Christine's confidence started to slip. She looked him in the eye and tried again.
''Mac, I know you took a liking to this boy...''
''His name is Rick.'' Mac cut in as he was slightly irritated that she didn't even bother to remember it.
''Yeah, Rick. I know you like him. I really understand that. But I just want to show you that we can be really happy just the way we are. Only the two us.'' She told him with a smile. ''We can go out every night and sleep until noon. We can go away for a weekend anytime. We can do just anything we feel like doing.'' Christine said. But when she saw she wasn't really getting into him she decided to pull out the big guns. She leaned even closer to him and whispered directly into his hear. ''And we can make love all night long. In every single room, in every possible way, without caring about anything or anybody.'' She whispered seductively.
Mac's put his hands on her shoulders and gently but firmly moved her back slightly to looked at her. It took all his strength not to smirk at the expression of total shock on her face.
''See, that's exactly what bothers me. You don't care about anything or anybody. Only yourself.'' He told her.
''What? That's not...'' She tried to deny it, but he didn't let her.
''Oh, yes it is.''
''Are you saying that because I don't want to adopt this child?'' Christine asked angrily. ''If that's the case, then you have to be out of your mind! You can't force me to do that!''
''Of course I can't. See, that didn't even cross my mind. I hoped that you'd feel like doing it. What's even more, I hoped that you'd understand why I felt like doing it. But now I know it wasn't possible and it will never be, because you care only about yourself, Christine.''
''What do you expect? That I should care about every single orphan?'' She blurt out.
''No, I don't expect that. I only wish that you care about me. Which clearly isn't a case here.'' Mac answered calmly. Christine looked daggers at him.
''It's because of her, isn't it?'' She snapped. ''It's Jo who put those ridiculous ideas about the adoption in your head.''
Mac couldn't help but smile upon hearing it. It was typical. Jo was like a fixed point in their all arguments. He could assure Christine there was nothing going on between him and Jo until he got blue on his face. She always knew better. And here it was, the same green monster of jealousy again.
But what truly amused him, was that this time she seemed to be quite right. If it weren't for Jo, he would have never considered adopting a child on his own. It was Jo, who had told him he would make a great father. She knew how hard it was to be a parent and even though, she was sure he was able to do that. He smiled at the thought that it was actually her and not Christine, who gave him self-confidence and support that he needed so much.
He looked at Christine and saw how her expression changed as she noticed his smile. Of course she understood it in her own twisted way and now she was truly furious.
''You know what?'' Christine hissed out and clenched her hands in the cloth that she was holding. ''Maybe she should adopt this little girl and you should adopt this boy. Then you all could live together, like a big, happy family!''
Mac knew it was supposed to be her way to ridicule the whole idea of adoption. It had crossed his mind that she, or someone else, would do that and a part of him had been afraid it would make him back out. Only now, upon hearing her, he realized it didn't sound ridiculous at all. To him it was like a dream come true.
''You know, that sounds like a perfect plan.'' He told her with a smile. He was sure that she thought he was mocking her, but he couldn't care less.
Christine groaned loudly and threw the cloth she was holding into his face. She stormed out of the kitchen, but before she did, she turned to him and said, ''I'll be waiting for you to call me and apologize to me.'' Then she left his apartment, slamming the door behind her.
''Yeah, I don't think that's gonna happen...'' Mac murmured to himself and moved to the cooker in order to turn off the flame under the green curry chicken.
. . .
A/N Funny thing, when I started to write this chapter it was supposed to be completely different, having some crucial scene in it, but somehow, from one tiny idea to the another, it became like that. And the scene I was thinking to put in here, had to be moved to the next one...
Again, Jessica (csinyfan28) did a great job with correcting this chapter. I have to tell you, that the last scene was written kind of for you, as I had you comment on chapter 6 (''damp the woman, goddam it'', if I may quote it :D) on my mind the whole time.
I really appreciate that you take your time to read it and leave some wonderful reviews – every single of them always lightens up my day :)