Disclaimer: David Shore own's House. Some people have all the luck!
I tried to format the lullaby but the website had other ideas. I hope that centering has helped make it easier to read
Like Father, Like Son
Chapter 6
House entered his apartment at 6:55 hoping beyond hope that Greg would share his new toy with him. It wasn't just Greg that had dreamt of owning that guitar; House had too. The only thing that had stopped him from buying it was the fact that House would never play the instrument the way it deserved to be played. That was the guitar of a professional, not the guitar of a rank amateur who would never go beyond learning a lick that he found to be "totally awesome, man!" What he found when he walked through the door, though was Greg playing his acoustic guitar.
"The electric didn't arrive?"
"It's here. I just needed to touch base."
"Touch base?"
"Yeah, mom preferred it when I played the acoustic so when I'm thinking of her that's what I play. I've thought of her a lot lately."
"I didn't know her well, but is there anything that I can help you with?"
"Why didn't you two stay in touch?"
"We never even exchanged phone numbers. It wasn't meant to be. I never knew about you. If I had I would have made the effort. The truth is, I was in a committed relationship at the time your mom and I had our…thing. We talked about Stacy and your mom's hopes and dreams and my own and it was pretty clear that although we had a love of music and hot sex in common, there wasn't much else there. If it helps any, it meant more to me than just a one night stand. I kept the picture that someone took of us and when I'm feeling like I need to lift my spirits I pull it out. Your mom was incredibly talented and beautiful." House left the room just long enough to pull the folder with the picture in it from his closet. When he returned, He handed the folder to Greg.
"This picture isn't quite like the one my mom has…had." Greg went to his duffle and pulled out the picture that had been Renee's.
House took it and looked at it with a wistful smile. "She kept the best picture for herself!"
Greg chuckled at how much like a little boy his dad sounded as he said that. "Baby!"
"What of it? It is a better picture!"
"Of you maybe, but your picture is better of her."
House looked at the two pictures side by side. "Okay, maybe you're right."
"I usually am."
"You've got a really big head for a fourteen year old."
"I must take after you, then. I get the feeling that you're never wrong either."
"That's right. Just ask me." House grinned at his son. "So are you going to play that thing or just use it as an arm rest?"
"You get nothing until you feed me."
House walked to the counter where he kept the take-out menus and started flipping them in Greg's direction. "Take your pick!"
After feasting on Thai take-out House sat down at the piano and played awhile. Greg joined House on the bench for a bit and then went back to the acoustic and followed along with House. Finally, House found himself playing the melody that Renee had turned into Greg's lullaby.
"Well, let's hear it."
"What?"
"Your mom's lullaby."
"Alright"
Greg checked the tuning of the acoustic guitar and then played and sang another song before starting on the lullaby. Although Greg was tall and his speaking voice was deep, his singing voice was still that of a young boy. It was clear and a little reedy. It had been a long time, but the Greg's voice reminded House of Renee.
Sleep my love, slumber deep
From my heart to yours, let this melody seep.
This lullaby is so filled with love
A combination of your dad and your mom.
Dream of the things you'll accomplish some day
Think on the things that you'll do your own way
Your world is as big as you want it to be
Let your heart make its plans, let your spirit run free.
Right now you're a babe in your mommy's arms
I love your blue eyes and your sweet baby charms.
But someday you'll be like your wonderful dad,
With a musical soul and a talented hand.
Your dad opened his heart, let me glimpse within.
If I had it to do over, I would do it again.
You were no accident, although unplanned,
You're my gift from Greg, and I think you're grand!
Dream of the things you'll accomplish some day
Think on the things that you'll do your own way
Your world is as big as you want it to be
Let your heart make its plans, let your spirit run free.
But now baby sleep; let your mind have its rest.
You're Mommy's boy and she loves you the best.
Let your breaths become quiet peaceful and calm
Your sweet sleeping sounds become Mommy's balm.
I love you, my child, and it's my hearts desire,
That you always know this and need never inquire.
Dream of the things you'll accomplish some day
Think on the things that you'll do your own way
Your world is as big as you want it to be
Let your heart make its plans, let your spirit run free.
"I told you that I sang this at her funeral and I added extra verses. Do you want to here that part, too?" Although House's back was turned, Greg noted House's slight nod and so he continued…
Mommy, It shouldn't have happened this way.
You should have been at my wedding day.
Today I have to say good-bye.
I know I can't do it, I'll only try.
You'll stay with me always in my heart and head
There are so many things that I never said.
Grandma and Grandpa will keep me from harm
They'll help me remember your smiles and your charm.
I'll dream of the things I'll accomplish some day
I'll think on the things that I'll do my own way
My world is as big as I want it to be
My heart makes its plans, and my spirit runs free.
When I am a man, not a nine year old boy,
I'll go look for my dad and I'll tell of the joy
Of being your son, how you mattered to me,
And how like my dad you dreamed I would be.
You dreamt of the things I'd accomplish someday
You thought on the things that I'll do my own way
You made my world is as big as can be
Your heart made its plans, now your spirit runs free.
House wiped his eyes. He never cried, well, rarely, but his heart was breaking. It was breaking for a romance that he never pursued. It was breaking for a woman who should still be alive; it was breaking for his motherless son. No child should have to lose his mother like that. House thought his heart was breaking most of all though for never being able to tell Renee thank you for the wonderful gift that was Greg House-Dubois, their son. He supposed that he should be angry and regret the lost years watching Greg grow up, but the truth of the matter was, he didn't believe that Greg would be the young man that he was if House had been an influence in his life. By genetics alone, Greg had some of that edgy House wit and sarcasm. Had House been ever-present in Greg's life, the boy would probably be hopelessly jaded having lived with House during the infarction and the bitterness that House spewed thereafter. Yes, things were just as they should have been, minus Renee's death, that is.
"You hated it." Greg's soft words brought House back to reality.
"What?"
"You hated my mom's lullaby, that's why you didn't comment. Or was it just the part that I added when she died."
Greg had been positioned with his back to House so he had been unable to see House deeply emotional reaction to the music.
"None of the above; Greg, I'm speechless. That was beautiful. Your mom loved you very much and apparently she thought more highly of me than I deserve. I wish that I could thank her for loving you and for giving you to me and for being positive in the way she spoke of me. She could just have easily portrayed me as the bastard that left her and her baby to fend for themselves." House blew his nose one last time.
Greg nodded and then presented House with a smirk identical to his own. "The verses I wrote when mom died aren't exactly as I wrote them. Grandma made me change a line."
"What would that be?"
"You know the lines:
Grandma and Grandpa will keep me from harm
They'll help me remember your smiles and your charm?
What I really wrote was:
Grandma and Grandpa will keep me from harm
Up until they've bought the farm!
Grandpa laughed but Grandma seemed to think it was inappropriate."
House laughed out loud! "There's no accounting for taste, is there?"
"Nope, I guess there isn't!" Greg laughed with House as he got up and put the acoustic away and got out his new electric guitar. "Who's gonna go first?
House replied immediately "Me! I bought dinner. You owe me!"
Greg rolled his eyes. "It's good to know who the adult is around here!"
"I don't see Wilson around anywhere so I declare this an adult free zone!" House handed Greg one of his own electric guitars in trade for the new one.
As they were tuning up the phone rang and House looked at the caller ID. "Crap! It's Wilson!"