NYLON ~ 98 ~ THE FAMILY
Claudia dropped her bags in the foyer and rushed over to hug Hanna. Caleb grabbed his mother's bags and placed them in the guest bedroom before returning to greet her.
"So," Claudia smiled, "where are my grandchildren?"
"The girls are sleeping," Hanna told her, "and JT is at Emily's but she'll bring him by soon."
"Oh," Claudia sighed, "I thought I'd get to see them when I got off the plane."
"Well, are you hungry?" Hanna offered. "I'm sure they'll be up soon and we can eat in the meantime."
"Did you come alone?" Caleb asked her. "I thought..."
"James and Clay took another flight," Claudia explained. "James wanted to spend a couple more days with his girlfriend so Clay decided to stick around with him."
"How's the rest of the family?" Hanna asked as they sat down at the kitchen counter.
"Well, you know my husband is always working," Claudia told her.
"Sounds like someone I know," Hanna rolled her eyes at Caleb.
"Me?" he asked innocently. "Who's the one that insists on working Saturdays?"
"Guilty," Hanna smiled. "But I'm just trying to shoulder half the burden so Spencer doesn't get wiped."
"Enough work talk," Claudia interrupted. "Tell me what's been happening."
Before Caleb could catch his mother up on the latest news of his life, the elevator doors opened and Emily stepped in with JT in hand.
"Mimi!" JT squealed running over to hug Claudia.
"My boy!" she smiled picking him up.
"Mimi, how long are you staying?" he asked her.
"A week," she replied.
"You can come see me do karate," he told her gleefully.
"Jamie," Claudia flinched at the name. Hanna continued. "Jamie, inside voices. Your sisters are sleeping."
"Okay," he said defeated.
"JT," Caleb said. "What's on your shirt?"
"I spilled ketchup," he replied.
"Why don't you go change," Caleb said. "Put on something nice so we can go out with Mimi."
JT smiled and ran toward his room.
"I never understood why you named him after Jamie," Claudia said.
Hanna froze and glanced at Caleb. His jaw was nearly touching the floor.
"The man left us, Caleb," she said, "and you honor him by naming your firstborn after him?"
"You left me," Caleb reminded her.
"We talked about that," she protested. "I thought we had reconciled."
"We have," he replied. "You're the one bringing it up."
"I just don't understand," she explained. "You named JT after his grandfathers and Ashley after her grandmother. When do I get a namesake? It's not like you didn't have another chance. What does Tai even mean?"
"Mom," Caleb cut her off. "This really isn't the time."
"No," Hanna said quickly. "It's fine. I like the name Tai. It's from Clueless."
"You weren't even alive when that movie came out," Claudia scoffed. Then she turned to Caleb. "And what, you let Hanna make all the decisions?"
"No," Caleb said cooly. "She chose Tai. I chose Ashley."
Claudia's face curled and she blushed a deep red.
"Do you know who takes care of JT and the girls when we're at work?" he asked. "It's Ashley. And Mom, I love you, but in the five years that I've lived in New York, this is the first time you've visited, so excuse me if I don't name my daughter after you."
"Alright," she replied. "I think you've made your point."
"Claudia," Hanna said quickly. "We love you, we do, and JT adores you. That has nothing to do with the names we chose for our children. Please don't take it personally."
In that instant, JT came running into the room interrupting the tense conversation that was happening in the kitchen.
"Come on," Claudia picked him up. "Why don't you show me that park you always talk about."
"Okay," JT smiled.
Claudia took him into the foyer and helped him put on a winter coat while Hanna and Caleb tidied up the kitchen.
"So," Hanna said as she finished drying a stack of plates, "your mom was a little aggressive."
"Hey," Caleb cradled her waist in his hand, "don't worry about it. She was out of line."
"You don't think she might be even a little bit right?" Hanna asked. "Maybe we have been neglecting her."
"More like she's been neglecting us and the kids," Caleb retorted. "Look, I get it, she was overwhelmed when I was little and we've moved past that. But even know, after all these years, she can't pretend like she's a huge part of our lives. I mean, I only see her once, maybe twice a year, and that's only because I put in the effort."
"Babe," she sighed, "don't get heated. She's your mom."
"I'm not heated," Caleb said gently. "I just won't have her coming here to insult me. And naming the baby after her? It's so not important."
"Hey," Hanna kissed him, "let's try to just have a good time while she's here."
"Yeah," Caleb pressed his lips to her forehead. "You're right."
He kissed her again letting his fingertips wander across her body. She felt a chill run through her spine as he pressed her against the kitchen counter. Their bodies colliding and melding into one, until a shrill cry from the nursery came over on the baby monitor.
"Shit," Hanna said slinking away.
"Leave her," Caleb kissed her again. "It's good for her to cry it out."
Then a second cry was heard.
"No," she pushed him away. "They're both up. I should check on them."
"Fine," Caleb sighed watching as Hanna disappeared in to the nursery.
UP NEXT ~ GET SOME REST
Caleb comes home from a business trip just in time to celebrate the holidays with his family.
P.S. I'm sorry I made Claudia kind of a bitch, but I felt I had to address some things, mainly why it's taken 98 chapters for me to include her in this story. Hopefully you aren't too disappointed. Alright, only two chapters left in this story and coincidentally, only two days left until the special Halloween episode of PLL :P
