Chapter 18. I love a parade

Toby watched as his mother and father and "Auntie Linda", moved the sofa for the third time. He was getting more bored by the moment, and looked at "Uncle Jeremy" with pleading eyes. Jeremy picked the boy up and smiled thoughtfully. "Look lad," he soothed the boy. "Tomorrow bright and early I'm coming by to pick up you and Sarah; I've got some nice reserved seats for us in a building that's right on the parade route. We'll be up where we can see it all… a nice second floor flat, warm and comfortable. But you have to let your mom and dad and Auntie Linda work."

Sarah giggled watching the boy come to terms with the deal offered by her mother's boyfriend. She looked at her father who was now crossing his arms and telling wife and ex-wife to go to hell, the couch could stay where it was for all he cared.

Linda sighed. "Fine," she pointed to the lamp. "Put that back where you found it."

Robert winked at Jeremy, "I told you hiring that moving company was the smart thing to do."

"I agree." Jeremy said swinging Toby on his arms. "Now if they would get busy with the dining room, we'll be set for dinner tomorrow. Rob, you want to come with us to the parade?"

Robert winced, only Jeremy called him Rob, and he could not or would not be broken of the habit. "No, you and Sarah are the parade freaks, not me."

Karen looked at the first floor apartment, "I think it's turning out lovely. You are so lucky you didn't have to paint!"

"I know," Linda agreed. "I'm lucky old Mrs. Lagans had excellent taste!" She looked at the room, "I like this room, and it's turning out really well."

Karen picked up the list of jobs to be done and crossed off the parlor. "I'm so glad you let me do the shopping for dinner before we got here." She moved to the kitchen, a much bigger one than the one Linda had upstairs. "I think I'd have gotten lost in the stores here."

"You get use to it after a while," Linda said following her to the kitchen where the smell of pies baking was filling the room. "This room smells like my mother's house."

"I love the smell of holiday baking," Karen confessed opening the oven and checking the progress of the pies. "Don't you?"

Linda giggled, "Karen, look at us…I'm the ex-wife, and you're the new one… and here we are, like two old school mates, or sisters!"

The blond woman looked over at the raven haired beauty, her big watery blue eyes filled with merriment. "Would you rather we were tarring each other's hair out?" She joked.

Linda sighed, took a seat at the kitchen table. "No, I like what we are developing… it will be good for the baby." She looked toward the parlor where Sarah was sitting with her father. "She's going to need all of us being supportive; I've got my doubts of being able to find the baby's father."

"Still no word?" Karen fretted; she too looked over at Sarah. "How did the interview go?"

"Sarah got a contract right away," Linda whispered excitedly. "They loved her voice." She added in a bit of a gloat; "Doesn't hurt that she was something of a hit in the theater this year."

Karen poured Linda a cup of tea, "I image that will be opening doors for her along the way."

Linda nodded, sipped the tea and became thoughtful. "It does not ease things though, only finding Jay King will do that."

"I thought you said actor's equity would help." Karen murmured, sipping her own cup of tea.

"They are trying," Linda said. "But he's not at the address we have for him in London…it's a booking agency, nothing more." Changing the subject the actress smiled. "I love the things you brought over for Sarah; her apartment is turning out so cute. And the nursery, it was so thoughtful of you to give her Toby's crib."

"Well it's not likely I'll be using it again." Karen leaned back with a smile. "That ship has sailed."

"I hear you." Linda agreed. "Still I thought you would want to hang onto the crib."

"Oh I'd rather it gets used and what better way than for Sarah's baby." Karen mused. "I'm so glad it fit the room, and the dresser and dressing table as well."

A wisp of a smile danced on Linda's lips. "The curtains and the rest of the things you made really make the room."

Sarah looked over her shoulder, watched the pair in the kitchen for a moment. Then gasped, looking down at her slight bump, she whispered. "What the hell was that?"

Robert and Jeremy, who were rough housing on the floor with Toby, paused. "What was what?" Robert asked loudly.

Karen and Linda rushed into the room. "What, what happened?"

Sarah shuddered as the movement happened again. "That…" she pointed to her tummy. Linda and Karen rushed over, smiles brimming and each placed a hand to her tummy, when the movement occurred again they began to cry out joyously. Sarah stared at them. "What are you two loons doing?"

"That's your baby moving!" Karen crowed.

Linda stuck her head next to the bump; "Hey baby! Its granny Linda and granny Karen out here! We can't wait to meet you!"

Again bump moved, and Sarah winced, "Easy there tiger." She warned placing a hand to the bump. "Give mum a break."

Linda turned to Karen, "Get a string and a pin and a pencil." She pointed to the desk.

Sarah looked at them as they put the items together. "Okay, what is that for?"

Linda held the string contraption over the bump. "It's an old folk trick, tells you what sex the baby is…"

"It's a boy." Sarah said confidently.

"How do you know?" Karen asked, mildly amused by her stepdaughters confidence.

"I just know," the girl said.

"If it moves in a strong, circular motion it's a girl. If it swings in a pendulum motion it's a boy," Linda said waiting for the motion to begin. The string twitched, started to circle, but then turned into a pendulum swing that was as strong as a grandfather clocks pendulum. "Boy!" She looked at Sarah smiling knowingly; "Any ideas for names?"

"I'd like to talk to the daddy first." Sarah winked.

Toby moved closer to where his sister was sitting, saw the bump move and gasped. "Did Sarah eat a baby?"

The adults laughed, softly as Linda ruffled the boy's hair. "No, she didn't eat a baby."

"Daddy said there's a baby in there," he pointed to the bump. "How'd it get in there if she didn't eat it?"

Sarah looked at her father, "I think this is your problem."

"And your day is coming," Robert warned as he took the boy by the hand to another room so he could explain to him how Sarah had a baby in her tummy.

Karen rested her hand on the bump, "I bet this one loves the excitement he's causing."

Linda nodded in agreement, "I know he does."

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Bright and early, as promised, Jeremy showed up to drive Sarah and Toby to his friend's apartment across town on 34th Street. He parked in the garage, and led the party to the elevator where they rode to the second floor. Fred, Jeremy's lawyer was standing in the hall waving to them. He called out, "I thought you'd never get here, any trouble parking down in our garage?"

"None," Jeremy answered as they entered the apartment. "They know me far too well, and with so many of the residences out for the day…. There were parking places galore."

Fred had met Sarah once or twice before, he offered her his hand in greeting. "Lovely to see you again, young lady. I was thrilled when Jeremy asked to come and watch the parade from here. I wanted a chance to introduce you to my wife. We were at several of your performances this summer." He waved to a woman overseeing her housekeeper. "Doris, come and meet Sarah Williams."

Doris, a tall handsome woman with red hair neatly dressed, moved toward them with a gracious and graceful gait. Her hands reached out to Sarah, "I'm so pleased to meet you!" Her voice was filled with warmth and genuine pleasure. "Come in, and sit down, we've got about half an hour before the parade starts. Would you like some coffee?"

"I'd love a cup," Sarah said tugging at the scarf about her neck. "I didn't have time for one what with the excitement this one has." She pointed to her brother. "Thank you so much for asking us in."

"Think nothing of it," Doris said leading Sarah into the parlor. "We usually have our daughter and her friends here for the parade, but this year our daughter is out of the country." She pointed to a picture of a very beautiful girl sitting with a handsome man. "That's our daughter, our Susan… and her husband to be, Dale."

"She's lovely." Sarah said kindly. "You said she's out of the country?"

"Oh yes, she's a buyer for Macy's and unfortunately had to be in Italy this week." Doris said pouring coffee and offering it to the adults. "Cleo, get some apple cider for the boy." She called gently to the housekeeper. "I don't know what I'd do with out that woman!" she said to Sarah. "She really runs the house, I'm just window dressing."

Fred placed a kiss upon his wife's head. "Sure you are."

"Dad," a male voice called out from the foryer. "I'm here!"

Fred looked down at his wife before moving to greet the newcomer. Doris turned to Sarah; "That's our son Fred Jr., he's a lawyer too."

The handsome young man who entered the parlor looked toward his mother, "I'm sorry I'm late, Mom. Oh coffee, can I beg a cuppa?"

Doris was already pouring, "Fred, you know Jeremy… This is Sarah Williams, and her little brother Toby. Sarah is Linda Williams daughter. Sarah my son, Fred."

Sarah smiled up at the man warmly. "Hello."

Fred Jr. looked at her for a moment, "I know you!" He pointed to her. "You're that brazen woman from the Dream…. The actress who did more than justice to the role of Tatiana."

"High praise," Sarah teased. "Yes, I'm that actress." She blushed slightly, as they handsome man kept looking at her as if she were a desert on the cart at the Waldorf.

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Crystal shattered against the far wall and goblins scattered to the winds. Frustrated and annoyed Jareth roared with rage. Nicole entered the throne room just in time to witness the spectacle of her brother displaying a fit of jealous rage. "Well, well, well," she mused as she confronted him. "So the great and mighty Jareth does have feelings."

"Nicole!" He raged. "That mortal was flirting with her… and she liked it."

"What mortal?" the Fae woman asked quietly.

Jareth looked at the shattered crystal across the room. "Bother!" he fumed as he flicked his wrist causing the shards to reform and the crystal to come back to his hands. He shoved it into her hands. "That mortal!" he said pointing at the tall figure standing talking to the seated girl.

"He's rather nice looking, isn't he?" Nicole was enjoying torturing her brother.

"No, he's not! He's bland and flat and… mundane." Jareth crossed his arms. "Sarah prefers something more exotic."

"Does she?" Nicole raised the orb and looked into it, "I think she's enjoying this."

A gloved hand snatched the crystal from her, holding it to his chest he moved to the window and took a seat on the sill. He looked into the heart of the orb and whispered. "Don't enjoy it too much, my pet." His voice warned heatedly. "I'm not a man to dally with." He brought his lips to the smooth surface of the crystal. "And I don't share!"

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Sarah's hand went to her abdomen when she felt the strong movement. She lost track of what Fred Jr. had been saying to her, and fought to catch her breath. "Whoa." She soothed the bump.

Fred Jr. took a seat beside her on the sofa. "Are you alright?"

"Just a few months along." She patted the slight bump.

"How wonderful," Fred Jr. said kindly. "You're husband must be thrilled." He saw the girl blanch and whispered. "Oh dear, I've stuck my foot in it, haven't I?"

Doris sighed, "Fred, be a dear and show Toby where to sit to get the best view of the parade." Once her son had moved to the large windows, she looked at Sarah. "I'm sorry, I should have warned him."

"It's alright." Sarah sighed. "I'd best get used to that reaction…" She looked toward the man who was pointing out the window and explaining something to her little brother. "It's not his fault."

"I over heard Jeremy talking to my husband about your…situation," Doris confided. "I take it you're still not able to locate the father."

"We keep trying." Sarah whispered.

Taking the young woman's hands into her own, Doris gave her comfort and encouragement. "Don't give up, my dear."

Toby called Sarah to the window, "Sarah come and see! The parade is starting."

Fred Jr. made room for her so she could see the same view Toby had. He looked down at her and smiled softly. Something about the girl gave him a feeling deep inside. He wanted to protect her from any harm, and from hurt feelings. He watched her take pleasure in just watching the parade that was passing the building. Something about her was unlike any other woman he'd known in the city, and he wanted to get to know her better. "Sarah, before they go home, you really should take Toby here to Macy's to see Santa," he suggested gently. "I'd love to escort you and him tomorrow if you'd like."

Sarah looked at the young man trying to make amends to her. "That would be very nice." Something distracted her; "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Fred Jr. asked almost mesmerized.

"That sound… like crystal shattering?" Sarah tugged on her ear as Fred shook his head.