12: Mistletoe: Harold and Leshawna

Harold and Leshawna were the kind of people who the general population could not wrap their heads around. When the couple walked hand in hand down the street of their small town, people outright stared at them, squinting as they tried to figure out how two complete opposites functioned as a couple. Sometimes, it even surprised Leshawna that they did. But Harold was the type of person who, if there was a chance, he'd take it and never let go. It had worked since season one of "Total Drama" and hadn't stopped since.

She did understand where they were coming from though. After all, she was a fine young thing with a lot to offer the world. Harold was just lucky enough to snatch her up in high school. Well, that's what her parents thought, at least in the beginning. Leshawna knew better though. She was the lucky one. Harold might be a complete dork most of the time, but he would do anything for Leshawna. He'd let her drag him anywhere her little heart desired, even her crazy gospel church, and that was saying a lot since Harold was an atheist. But he did it anyway, because he knew it'd make her happy. And it did, a lot. She put in her time too though. It took a lot of convincing, but when she found the perfect Uhura costume, she was off to Comic Con with Harold. It was probably the best weekend she had since that time her daddy took her to the amusement park and she got stuck at the top of the Ferris wheel at night, meaning she got the best view of the stars.

Leshawna really liked the night sky. She remembered looking up at it one night when she got teased at school because she was the only black girl in her class. She looked at the sky that night and realized how dark it was, much darker than her. She felt a bond to it, and since then, her head was often directed upwards. That was one of her motivations for taking a major as an astrologist while working on her singing career on the side.

Once she got her degree, they moved out to Washington, a small town to be exact, and set up a homestead there where she could perform her research and Harold could convert all the kids in town to be mini-dorks just like him with his comic book store. He did have a degree in physics and a PhD in biophysics, but with all his "potential" he "settled for a menial life". That was what his parents thought at any rate. Then again, hers weren't too thrilled at her choices either, but the pair really didn't care. They made their bed, and they were perfectly happy laying it in for the rest of their days.

They were living in the country for about a year before things changed, and not change as in need-a-new-car change, but life-altering-holy-bananas-batman-we-have-a-problem change. It was a problem at first, at least in Leshawna's mind. She hadn't been feeling well for the past few weeks, waking up with an urge to vomit then praying to the porcelain god for the next half hour or so. Finally, Harold convinced her to go to the doctor, and when she did, she damn near fainted in the consultation room. Leshawna was pregnant.

She brought the news home, and while Harold was just as terrified as her, he vowed not the abandon her like everyone thought he would. After all, they weren't married. They may have been dating since high school, but he didn't have a "reason" to stay. Well, now he did, and he had every intention of doing what made them happiest.

It was already decided they were keeping the baby. Leshawna supported a woman's right to choose, and her choice was life. Her mother called daily lecturing her about how she had to make sure she ate the right foods, didn't clean up too much, be extra careful of who was following her in the "shady" small town, etc. Harold's parents were less oppressive, but she knew they wanted their son to get out before he was stuck. They saw his wasted potential as her fault. She could live with that, so long as Harold didn't think that.

Miya Nicole McGrady V was born February of the following year. She had skin the colour of hot chocolate, her father's dark green eyes, and her fuzzy dark chocolate hair stuck up on end as soon as she was cleaned up. Leshawna was in tears the entire time and through them she saw her baby girl's upturned lips and everything in that moment was perfect.

By the time Christmas came around, Miya was already crawling, making her mother's life a living hell when it came to decorations. Thankfully, she napped long, just like Harold had, so Leshawna finished decorating by the time Harold got home. She got off the stool near the living room entrance just as he opened the door with a classic "honey I'm home" spiel he played out every day.

"I'm in the living room baby. Don't be shoutin' unless you wanna wake up Miya," she half-whispered, not moving from her spot.

She heard Harold's footsteps and brushed aside her lose brown hair just as he turned the corner. At first he just stared at her, wondering why she wasn't coming over, but then he noticed it. Mistletoe, right above her head. She waved him over with a finger and he eagerly went over, stopping just under the white berries.

"Is this what you've been doing all day?" He asked, his voice still clinging to its raspy edge he had when they first met.

"Well what else do you think I'm gonna do on maternity leave, sugar? Now kiss me. Momma missed Daddy," she chuckled as she reached up on her tip toes to kiss him. He met her halfway and she felt that familiar buzz she got whenever the two embraced.

Yeah, people outside might not understand how they worked, but they did. And Leshawna loved every second of it.