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Chapter 22

Cameron talked non-stop on the ride to the barbershop. Elizabeth wasn't sure that she'd ever heard him say so much at once. He was excited because he and Jason were getting their hair cut together. Mrs. Maguire had said Cameron was buzzing like a bee all day. That she'd never in her life had a child be so loud without uttering a word.

"Is that the place?" Cameron looked out the window. It had one of those red, white, and blue poles out front. Looking into the window he didn't see Jason.

"That's the place." Elizabeth confirmed parking in the lot behind the shop. Milo had told her where they were going. She followed Kyle and Milo followed her. "There isn't anything to be scared of. I'm going to be there and so will Jason. But if you are feeling uncomfortable let me know, okay?"

"Okay. Ben said he gets his hair cut wif his dad too." Cameron said as Elizabeth unbuckled him.

"I guess pretty soon you won't need me to come along." Elizabeth said ruffling his hair. "How short?" She would tell the barber.

"Like Jason's." Cameron said taking his mother's hand.

"Jason doesn't have curls so even if you cut it short it won't be exactly like his." Elizabeth warned her son. "Is that okay?" They walked in as he nodded and the smell of barbasol hit her. The shop was one of the old fashioned ones, probably passed down from father to son. They were even playing Sinatra. All the barbers today had snow white hair and that just made her smile.

"Can I help you?" The barber closest to her asked. They didn't get many kids in here, the only regular one was Johnny's little boy. She was with some of Jason's guys so he probably sent her over.

"We are here for a haircut, but Jason is meeting us." It never even occurred to Elizabeth to add the name Morgan.

"You must be the Mrs., congratulations." He said smiling. "I'm Vinnie."

'Of course he is.' She thought to herself. "Thank you. We'll just wait over there." Elizabeth said pointing to the vacant chairs. "Look at all the cool stuff Cameron." She pointed out the clippers, scissors, and hot towel machine. They watched Vinnie and his associate, she would bet his name was either Joey or Frankie, finish up with their clients.

When the man in the chair was pushed upright after getting his shave Elizabeth smiled and waved to Francis. "That's Mr. Corelli, he is Jason's lawyer."

Cameron gave him a shy smile. He seemed really big. The man waved back. All the white foam was gone from his face. He had looked like Santa with it on. Cameron wondered why it was there in the first place. Before he could turn and ask the door opened and Jason came in. He nodded to Milo and the other man, mommy said his name was Kyle, and to Mr. Corelli. Cameron tried to always remember names, because it was polite.

"Been waiting long?" He came over to where his family was sitting.

"No, we've been watching Francis get a shave." Elizabeth told him. "I've also been telling Cameron what some of the equipment is and what the barbers do with it." Having that type of information would help him stay calm.

"You ready for your haircut?" Jason asked Cameron. The little boy nodded slowly which meant he was a little nervous. "There is no need to be scared, I'm here and so is your mom. Milo is right there to keep you safe too. I won't take you anywhere and let you get hurt." Jason promised softly. "Okay?"

Cameron nodded again.

"Want me to go first?" Jason figured that might help.

Cameron nodded again.

"Okay Jason." Vinnie had the chair all set up. "The usual?" He asked putting a clean cloth around the mob boss.

"Yeah." Jason smiled at Cameron.

"Cute kid." Vinnie had heard that Jason got married again but not about him getting a son too.

"Thanks." Jason settled in to get his trim.

Cameron sat on his mother's lap and took every moment of Jason's haircut in. The man used the buzzing thing on the side and back of Jason's hair and scissors on the top. He sprayed him with water which made Cameron giggle, he hadn't ever seen Jason's hair wet before. It didn't take long at all and Jason was done. He didn't get the foam stuff and Cameron turned around to his mother. "I don't want the foam stuff." He whispered. "Like Mr. Corelli had."

"You are too young for it. It's to take away a beard." Elizabeth explained.

"Does Jason get it?" Cameron wanted to know. Jason never had a beard.

"I don't know. I'll have to ask him." Elizabeth said laughing. "He probably shaves at home in the morning."

"Oh." Cameron said trying to picture it in his head.

"Okay buddy, ready?" Jason came over and asked.

Cameron nodded. He slid off his mother's lap and held onto Jason's hand. Taking a deep breath to be brave he walked over to the chair. It was really high up and red. Reaching out Cameron felt the smooth material that was warm in some spots and cool in others. While he watched Vinnie put his foot on a bar in the back and the chair slid down. Carefully Cameron climbed up.

"Ready." Vinnie asked the wide eyed boy. He'd never seen a kid this quiet in this life. The little guy nodded and Vinnie jacked the chair up.

Cameron's laughter filled the shop. This was as good as the rides outside the supermarket. He smiled at Jason who was smiling back. When the chair stopped the man put a cloth around him like he did for Jason. Jason's cloth had been black, but this one was red. Cameron liked it. It was like a superhero cape.

"So what are we doing today, mom?" Vinnie asked Elizabeth. You always asked the mom unless it was just dad.

"He said he wants it cut like Jason's." Elizabeth announced watching as the stunned delight played across her husband's face. "I already explained about the curls."

"Okay then. You ready big guy?" Vinnie asked getting the clippers. The kid nodded again. "These don't hurt but you will feel a vibration on your skin. Your parents are right there." He knew a newbie when he saw one. The home haircut always gave them away. Vinnie made quick work with the clippers and moved onto the scissors. This involved spritzing which made the kid laugh again. Some snips with the scissors and they were done. "What do you think?" He gave Cameron the big mirror.

The kid's smile lit up the whole shop.

Elizabeth came over and ran her hands over his soft curls. He looked older with the shorter cut. "Very nice, thank you."

"He's got good hair." Vinnie figured he just got himself another regular. "Take your pick." He kept lollipops around for Ben.

Cameron took a grape one and pointed to Jason. He did good too, so he should get a lollipop as well.

Vinnie grinned as he offered the box to the mob boss. Ben was the same way with Johnny. "The green apple ones are the best." The barber said shaking the container.

Jason laughed and took a grape one as well. He would hold onto it and give it to Cameron later. They walked out as a group and Jason took a few minutes to talk with Francis. He hadn't expected to see his friend and the baby smooth skin said he'd gotten a shave. A shave in the middle of the week meant something important was happening. It wasn't business so Jason was thinking Diane. "Hot date?"

"Yup." Francis said getting only a little nervous thinking of the night ahead. "I'm gonna ask Diane to marry me."

"No shit." Jason said surprised. No little ears were about so he didn't have to watch his language. "Congratulations."

"She hasn't said yes yet." Francis pointed out.

"She will." Jason said grinning. "And Maxie will plan you a lovely wedding." He said laughing.

"Don't even get me started on that. I will just hand over my credit card to the two of them and hide in my office." Francis said laughing. Diane and Maxie were going to have a field day.

"You could elope." Jason said to cause trouble.

"Couture gown." Was all Francis said. Diane would have her moment. "Get your family home. Oh and Jason?"

"Yeah." The mob boss was straddling his bike.

"You are being watched closely these days, so it might be time to get a helmet." Francis told his boss. He'd pointed out something similar to Johnny the other day.

Jason looked over to Elizabeth's car where sure enough Cameron's eyes were glued on him. He waved and the little boy grinned and waved back. He too had noticed that since moving in Cameron had started wearing plain t-shirts and the hair cut today had been telling. It seriously hadn't occurred to Jason that he was now a role model. While he couldn't change his career path, getting out was not an option, he might need to change his behaviors at home. So yeah he needed to get a helmet. "Thanks."

"No problem. The girls were the reason I quit smoking." Maxie and Georgie had been nine and six when their parents died. Maxie was only a year out from her heart transplant so he had to hit the ground running. He had a lot of bad habits to break, cigarettes being the one that hung around the longest. Then at twelve he caught Maxie trying one out and that was the end of that. "They take everything in."

"I'm noticing." Jason tried to behave around Ben, but those were just visits. He thought he was doing well with Cameron. To be safe he'd ask Elizabeth if there were things he needed to do differently. "Good luck."

"Thanks. I'll be sure to let you know how it goes." Francis said heading to his car.

Jason started his bike and followed his family home.

"Ready." Elizabeth had all the ingredients prepped.

"Uh-huh." Cameron replied. He was standing on his stool and he and mommy were getting ready to cook. They were having turkey chili and now it was time to make the biscuits.

"Pour in the flour." She watched while he dumped the two cups in the bowl. "Now the sugar, baking soda, and salt." They were all together in a smaller bowl. Elizabeth picked up her pastry blender. "Okay now the butter."

"It's really cold." Cameron knew that was how it needed to be. "I remembered." After Elizabeth cubed it he had put it in the freezer and set the timer on the microwave.

"That's why you are such a good helper." Elizabeth liked cooking with Cameron. She worked the mixture until it started to look like cornmeal. "Make the well." Cameron did then poured in the milk while she mixed the forming dough. Then she turned it out onto the floured counter. Cameron wasn't yet strong enough to knead so she did that and he followed with the cutter.

"Do you think Jason will like these?" Cameron really hoped so.

"I bet he will, they are really good." Elizabeth often had to force herself to stop at two.

"Can you tell him I helped?" Cameron asked his mom as they cleaned up. You always have to clean carefully when you were done.

"I certainly will." Elizabeth rinsed out the sponge. "You want to watch Chuggin Charlie while we wait?" They had about twelve minutes.

"No, we have to stay and make sure the biscuits are okay." He was worried something would happen. These were for Jason, so they had to be the best.

"You don't have to watch them." Elizabeth thought he was too cute.

"Please, mommy." Cameron gave her his saddest look.

"Fine." She loved that he wanted to impress Jason. "Next time we go sit down in the living room."

"Okay." Cameron said turning back to watch the timer.

When they got home Jason had gone into his office while his wife and son went to start dinner. He wanted to check his messages. Mac had called this morning to say that Jesse was following Donnelly to see if they could get any information from that source. The town was not so small that a stranger stuck out but the younger man was still being cautious. Jesse had already checked out Spencer's apartment which oddly enough still had all his things in it. Like he was expected home at any moment. Someone was paying rent to hold it, Spinelli had been told to find out who.

Luke was not currently in town and from what Jesse could pick up he was at the moment out of the country in Ireland. Jason had asked Johnny to tap some old friends to find out if that was true. Now he was back to waiting. So he ordered two helmets for his bike. Hopefully Georgie would work out, and then he could Elizabeth on a ride.

With nothing else to do he wondered out of his office and was going to shoot some pool when he heard the conversation in the kitchen. For the first time since meeting him, Jason was hearing Cameron talk. They were making biscuits and he was asking his mother if they were okay.

His son's voice was beautiful. He sounded happy. It just made Jason more anxious to hear Cameron talking to him. Today when Cameron had taken his hand for the second time he almost melted into a puddle on the spot. They were getting closer every day, but they still had work to do.

"Hey." Elizabeth walked over to Jason who looked a bit stunned. "You okay?"

"I heard you and Cameron talking." He said softly.

Elizabeth just smiled. "I know it's hard but he needs more time."

"It is hard, but I will wait forever if I have to. Do you think he might call me dad? I'll understand if he doesn't want to, but I'd like it." Jason confessed softly.

"We'll see when the time comes." Elizabeth wanted to tell him it would happen, but she had to keep Cameron's confidence. "Now it's time for dinner. Come see what your son helped make."

"Thank you for sharing him with me." Jason said giving her a kiss.

"You're welcome." Elizabeth squeezed her hubby's hand, thinking that she'd like to give him another child as well. Having more children was not something she even allowed herself to think about, but now sometimes when she looked at Cameron she thought that he would make a wonderful big brother.

Cameron ran out and took his mom's hand in one of his and Jason's in the other pulling them to the table.

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