Dare To Heir
Chapter Four
It was naptime at the Daily Delights Day Care Center for which Sarah was supremely grateful. She could do with a nap herself. She had just rolled out Millie's blue mat when her twin sister Mary Lou grumbled, "Don't wanna lay down. Wanna play."
Gideon was experiencing a similar problem with young Jesse and his brother James. Those two little terrors were turning it into a tag-team wrestling match worthy of the WWF. Sarah grinned when a somewhat winded Gideon – part owner of the day care – muttered something under his breath about never having children of his own. He might be having issues with the little darlings right now, but Sarah knew he genuinely enjoyed working and playing with the little buggers. Someday, after Gideon grew up, he'd make a fine father.
It had been his brainchild to start up the day care business, and while it had been as far removed from Sarah's original dream as one could get, it had turned into a rewarding and worthwhile experience. She hadn't had much in the way of capital to help Gideon fund this little venture, but he hadn't minded. The only thing he required was her willingness to help him with the children and Sarah had been happy to do that.
They'd been working together for just about four years now, and each day brought a new challenge. In the beginning, times had been tough with nary a child candidate in sight, but they'd trudged onward anyway as best they could. They had dealt with several crushing financial crisis of the worst sort until hope of hopes the applicants began turning up on their doorstep.
First, there had been Jesse and James Utz. Their parents, working class people, desperately needed a place for the boys having no relations in the surrounding area who could keep an eye on them while they worked. They hadn't much money as they needed both incomes to make ends meet, so Gideon had cut them a deal. If the Utz's could spread the word - be a sort of walking advertisement – they would be charged only half price. The young couple had readily agreed. After that, the applicants had really started to roll into the daycare.
Unfortunately, their tiny facility had room to house only six to eight youngsters, so there were quite a few parents who had to be turned away. Due to the indisputable fact that children grow up, the daycare virtually had a revolving door attached to the front of the building. The plastic toddler seat was barely cool after the departure of one of their "alumni" to the gates of kindergarten before it was once again filled.
What amused and bemused Sarah was how after all the turning wheels had come to a stand-still, they had somehow ended up with three sets of twins. It wasn't as if an ad had been taken out in the Weekly Chronicle begging the parents of twin children to plop them down in their front lawn. No, it had just been some strange quirk of fate or, according to Gideon: God had an extremely sadistic sense of humor.
Millie obediently curled up on her mat while her stubborn sister stood with her chubby little arms crossed with a mutinous expression on her face. Sarah marveled at how different in looks and temperament the two girls were. Mary Lou was unquestionably the leader of this dynamic duo. In Sarah's opinion, she was bordering on being a bully; a significant accomplishment at fives years old. Possibly she'd picked up this attitude from her mother.
Soon enough though, they would be losing Millie and Mary Lou because kindergarten was in their immediate future. They probably wouldn't have had them to begin with but for Millie and Mary Lou's father. Mr. Harding had come in to look the place over, and determined that the Daily Delights Day Care would suit him and his girls' just fine. His wife, however, had been an entirely different kettle of fish. She had sashayed in - there was no other word for it – a week after her husbands' visit. The woman gave Sarah and the surroundings a derisive glance before declaring the place "totally inadequate" for her daughters' needs.
Gideon was just returning from a meeting with his lawyer when he'd come upon Sarah desperately attempting to change the mind of Mrs. Mason-Harding. The harridan had snootily informed Sarah she preferred to be addressed as such. He had interceded using his considerable charm, seamlessly allaying the woman's fears. One look at Gideon was all it had taken for Mrs. Mason-Harding to drastically change her tune. In a sudden turnaround, Laura – as she so graciously gave Gideon permission to call her – had decided that her sweet ones were to be left in his capable hands. Sarah had been hard-pressed to keep her lunch down at the woman's saccharine fawning.
Even all these years later whenever Mrs. Mason-Harding (Sarah had never been granted the same privilege of referring to her as anything other than her married name) deigned to enter their quaint little establishment, Sarah had to fight down the urge to retch. Sarah prayed for the evenings when Millie and Mary Lou's father walked through the door instead of their man-eating mother. Mr. Harding seemed like a nice, quiet man which was a welcome reprieve from his wife's constant flirting and hair flipping.
"Listen sweetheart," Sarah said to Mary Lou, taking her plump little hand and pulling her gently toward the mat situated next to her sister, "Everyone's lying down for a nap. Look, over there." Sarah pointed to where Gideon had just settled the rambunctious boys. "Mr. Gideon's tucking the boys in."
Gideon had just draped a multi-colored throw rug over the two little bodies turned back-to-back. Jesse was sucking his thumb, a habit that they had been trying to break him of, but so far had experienced no success. James' eyes were fluttering as Gideon gently stroked the soft skin of his rosy cheek.
Sarah quickly looked toward the cribs located a few feet away from where she stood. She could distinguish quite clearly through the slats that neither of the 14-month-old children was sleeping yet. The sound of their contented gurgles made Sarah smile; they were such good-natured little ones. Gillian and Gabe were fraternal twins. Both had a thatch of reddish-brown hair and big caramel colored eyes and Sarah adored them. She was fond of all the children, but she had a special soft spot for the babies.
Now, that Gideon had the gruesome-twosome in dreamland, Sarah could see him tiptoeing to where she was still trying to cajole Mary Lou into following their example. No doubt, he would have more success. This little tyke was certainly turning out to be a miniature of her mother in more ways than one.
Gideon bent down on one knee so that he could look directly into Mary Lou's quicksilver grey eyes. "If you're a good girl and lie down I'm sure Miss Sarah will sing you to sleep."
Sarah did a double take. Sing? Where the hell did he get the ludicrous notion that she could carry a tune? "I can't sing," Sarah sputtered quietly out of the corner of her mouth.
Gideon's eyebrows disappeared into his hairline and he chortled, "Of course you can! I've heard you countless times in the shower." Blue eyes gleaming, he teased, "You sure know how to hit those high notes."
Clenching her hands into tight fists Sarah proclaimed through gritted teeth, "There is no way in h…,"
"Uh, uh, uh," Gideon admonished while motioning toward Mary Lou who was listening avidly. "Little ears, and all of that." Sarah sent him a glare which silently promised retribution at a later date, which he calmly ignored. "Now then," he spoke to Mary Lou sounding quite pleased, "We must follow our part of the bargain."
Mary Lou was much more compliant and quickly lowered herself onto her mat. A whimper from one of the cribs drew Sarah's attention away from the little girl. She hurried over and discovered that Gillian's arms were waving about in a clear indication of wanting to be held. Sarah took a moment to note that her brother was lightly snoring; tiny bubbles blowing from the corner of his mouth.
The little girl babbled happily as Sarah hefted her onto her waiting shoulder. Gillian snuggled contentedly into the warmth of Sarah's neck, and not for the first time, Sarah thought it was one of the best things about holding a baby. This magically, incredible feeling of a tiny life burrowing with absolute trust against her heart created a feeling of love unlike any other. Someday, I will hold my own child like this, she promised herself. Someday.
Gideon sat down in one of the two rocking chairs in the room while Sarah commandeered the other. They were a purchase that she had insisted on, and often put to good use. She was gently, but steadily rocking to-and-fro and, as promised, she began to sing. Contrary to what she believed, Sarah was quite good and he enjoyed the soft lilt of her contralto voice.
Somewhere out there beneath the pale moonlight, someone's thinking of you and loving you tonight.
Somewhere out there someone's saying a prayer that we'll find one another in that big somewhere out there.
And even though I know how very far apart we are it helps to think we might be wishing on the same bright star.
And when the night wind starts to sing a lonesome lullaby it helps to think we're sleeping underneath the same big sky.
Somewhere out there if love can see us through, then we'll be together somewhere out, out where dreams come true.
Gideon surveyed her thoughtfully through heavy-lidded eyes. She looked beautiful; her face enraptured as she finished the song and pressed her lips against the top of little Gillian's sleeping head. He had been in love with Sarah for forever and watching her with a baby cuddled close in her arms only served to cement that love. He hoped that eventually they would carry their relationship further. Someday, Gideon promised himself. Someday that would be his child cradled in her arms.