A/N: Welcome to the 50th chapter of Milestones! This is full of prompts requested by you guys! Please enjoy them! And thank you so much! I hope you like them! :D
A glimpse into Miles and Young-ja's childhood….as told by Miles and Young-ja
(Miles)
I was such a little shit as a child.
I mean, I'm still a little shit, but I'm a little shit with responsibilities so it doesn't count.
Anyways, it is a wonder my parents actually kept me at all considering that amount of crap I pulled them through.
When I was in the third grade, my teacher was out for a majority of the school year because she had a baby, so this student teacher was in charge during her absence. She was some twenty two year old in her last year of college and was simply doing her best to make it through the year. The other eight year olds in the class felt the same, doing as she requested, but little tater tot Miles Upshur played by his own rules.
On one fine week in September, Ms. Posada-the student teacher's name- was teaching us about the how the America flag was designed and asked us to draw a picture of it. So, 23 pre-cooked chicken nuggets sat at their tiny desks, inhaling scented markers and drawing the U.S. flag with such surrealism that even Salvador Dali would do a double take.
However, I, the barbecue-infused nugget of the batch, decided to go my own way. Armed with a tiny marker carousel that my mom bought me because she loves me so damn much, I made a psychedelic version of the America flag with sheep stars and Air Head stripes. I probably was high off the scent of markers, but-hey, admit it- we all burned brain cells sniffing markers in elementary story.
Anyways, Ms. Posada comes to check on my work, freezes for a good three minutes, then calmly crouches down next to my little work bench and politely asks me to re-do my drawing. Looking back, I realize she was just a simple student teacher and it would've looked bad on her review if someone pointed about she couldn't control one small child. Adult me realizes that now, but kid me thought Ms. Posada was being a "poopy head".
Hey, that is eight year old me talking.
So, after Ms. Posada asked me a second time to re-do my drawing, I simply picked up my drawing and waved the scented piece of paper under her nose before whispering, "Do you know what this smells like?"
"No…?" She replied unsurely, squinting her eyes in confusion.
"It smells like freedom." I said in a dead pan tone, eyes wide in all seriousness. "So don't tell me what to do, you poopy head."
So…..fifteen minutes later, I'm sitting outside the principal's office while my parents are inside, trying to keep me from being shipped off to the bottom of the ocean and left to rot.
"Please, Mr. Hayspill," My mother's heavy Italian accent drifted from behind the mahogany door. "My son is just in that difficult stage. I promise he will shape up soon."
"Mrs. Upshur," Principal Baldy sighed. "This is the sixth time in the past month your son has been sent to the office for rude behavior. First, it was for tripping that boy in line for taking the last milk carton. Second, he pushed a girl off the swings for "taking too long". Third, he scared a class of preschoolers by wearing a Hellraiser mask! Should I continue listing the problems?"
I could hear my mom sigh in despair, wanting to keep fighting for me but having to acknowledge the mound of trouble I had caused.
My parents have always been there to clean up my messes. Mom would bake loads of goodies for the kids I bullied, and Dad had to butter up all the parents who threatened to have to have me sent off to military school. In short, my parents had to basically grovel at the angry mobs feet so I wouldn't be blamed.
Did eight year old me appreciate this?
Of course not! I told you, I was a tater tot. And not one of those crispy ones with the perfect amount of salt, but one of those stale, mushy tots you find at the bottom of the bag.
In hindsight, perhaps a tiny part of the reason I was such a rotten kid was because my parents spoiled me too much. But, the only reason for that was because I was their first and only son after a long string of false alarms and miscarriages. My parents showered me with so much love and affection because they waited for so long to have me. So, I can claim I never was grounded or given a beating, but I can never say I wasn't loved because my parents gave every bit of their love to me.
But did I appreciate it?
Not until I was in college and I met a certain short stack who helped to open my heart a bit.
From that point on, I made sure to be a better son and have devoted the rest of my life to paying back every ounce of love my parents gave me.
So, I am no longer a stale tater tot.
Nope, I am now a warm, crispy hash brown…..with a gold ring around it.
(Young-ja)
I realize there are stereotypes about Asian parents being strict and only caring about 'honor' and 'grades'. Well, I can confidently tell you that is a big fat lie because a majority of the families I know are pretty laid back. Perhaps it is because school is more competitive here and Korean high school is basically the equivalent to American college, so that may be why we are so study oriented. Well, that and kids here pay to go to school, unlike the free K-12 thing the States have got going on. Yes, studying is a huge part of our lives but the parents aren't dictators who force their kids to study every hour on the hour. And my parents aren't like that.
Well….they weren't at first.
Before I started going to school, my parents were a lot more affectionate and spoke gently to me.
I mean, my parents were never touchy feely people in the first place and it was very rare to receive a kiss or hug from them, but they at least made me feel warm inside.
Then, when I went to kindergarten, things began to change.
The high end law office my father worked for was accused of using forgeries in their cases, and several lawyers were laid off.
My father included.
He spent months searching for a new job, but no one would take him after hearing the scandal. My father is an honest man and he would never forge anything to win, but the public thought differently. My mother, who was a housewife, also tried to look for work but no one would take her because of her age and lack of education.
My parents married in their twenties but had me in their early forties, another thing people looked down on them for.
Eventually, the warm aura in the house turned cold and we were soon forced to move into a smaller house—the same house they live in today.
While I was in school, away from the negative emotions covering my house, I tried to make friends, but no one even looked my way. I was a tiny, chubby kid who cried easily and fumbled with my words out of fear. My emotional nature only grew worse as my parents withdrew further from me, and as time went on, I stopped trying to make friends and started to keep to myself. I stopped talking all together for a while because every time I opened my mouth, someone snapped at me and told me to speak clearly, which only made my fumbling worse. Money began to shorten out in the house, and our meals started to become a bowl of rice and kimchi with barely water. My stomach constantly grumbled, but I was too scared to ask for seconds so I went to bed hungry several times.
In my five year old mind, I thought if there was money in the house, my parents would be happy again. So, after school, I would go to stores and ask for money. Nine times out of ten, I was chased out of the stores and called a thieving punk or the daughter of a liar. And every time that would happen, I would sit in an alleyway and cry, not caring if my school uniform got dirt on it. Since my parents were too busy searching for work, I had to learn how to take care of myself, which meant bathing myself, doing my own laundry, and sometimes-cooking for myself.
The world had lost its warmth and I began to fear people. They did nothing but stab me with their sharp words and make fun of me as I cried in frustration because I was too afraid to stand up for myself.
By the time I was six, I stopped looking up at all, choosing to stare at the ground wherever I went so I wouldn't have to look at anyone. Mother finally struck gold and got a job as a cook in the mess hall at a nearby Air Force Base, so money started to flow back into the house again. Father still tried to look for work, but one day, he fell down the stairs at the bus station and broke his leg. He wasn't brought to the hospital in time, so he now walks with a limp.
During that period, while Mother worked and Father recovered, I continued living my life as a wallflower until the day a musician came to visit the first grade. I was in love the moment that man played Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" on the piano and marveled at how everyone in the room looked so tranquil. I knew in that moment I wanted to have that ability: to create music that would capture everyone's attention. After the performance, everyone cleared out of the music room to go eat lunch, so I used that time to approach the grand piano and try to re-create what I heard. In my six year old mind, I thought if I could remember it, then I could play it. Of course it all sounded jumbled and distorted, and I was soon in tears at my apparent failure.
Then, a pair of warm hands covered mine and helped me play the song. I immediately whipped my head around to find the musician smiling down at me. Scared he would mock me, I yanked my hands out from under him and raced to the corner, curling into a ball and covering my face.
The musician just smiled before slowly crouching down next to me and reaching out his hand. I flinched, ready for a smack or punch to the head, but instead, he gave me a soft pat on the head.
Oh…how long had it been since anyone had given me a comforting gesture?
"You are very good." The musician hummed. "You have a natural talent, all you need to do is polish it up and you'll be great in no time."
I never forgot that man's words, and I still carry them with me to this day.
The musician gave me a form for my parents to sign, asking if I could receive lessons from him on Sundays.
And the moment that form was slipped in my hands, my life began to change for the better and worse.
Upon hearing that their daughter had musical talent, my parents began to push me harder and harder in school and music, claiming I needed to be successful to live a good life.
Looking back now as an adult with a child of my own, I realize my parents only pushed me so hard….because they didn't want me to end up poor and unable to support my family like they did. Thought my parents are very conservative and stiff, I know they love me, and I love them.
As I began taking lessons with the musician, my fumbling began to fade away and I stopped crying so much. My piano lessons gave me some self-confidence, and although I was still very anti-social and afraid of people, I was able to move through life with some hope for the future.
Before graduating high school, the musician, Mr. Chon YongHwa, gave me one last gift before we parted ways: an application for a music scholarship sponsored by Colorado State University in the U.S.A.
The United States?! I was too scared to every consider leaving the country, but Mr. Chon encouraged me to apply, so I did.
And, as you guys already know, I got accepted to my, his, and my parents' delight.
As I entered the gate of the college that following August, I expected four years of keeping my head low, avoiding all human contact, and getting my degree without any conflict.
But, that all went out the window when I met a certain smart mouth kid on a rainy day. He is the one who helped me express myself freely and hold my head up once more.
But, most importantly, he made me feel loved again.
The proper love I never received as a child was given to me constantly for twelve years and it continues to engulf me to this day.
My childhood may not have been the happiest, but it made me who I am today and if enduring such pain meant becoming a musician, meeting Miles, and having a wonderful daughter, then it was worth it.
Alternate version of Chapter 1: Meeting….as kids.
(Third person)
It was the first time four year old Park Young-ja had been to the States. The foreign chatter in the airport confused and amazed her all at once. She was traveling with her parents who were going to visit some friends in Florida and the plane had made a fuel stop in Kansas City, Missouri. The tiny girl clutched her Moomin doll close to her chest and stared up in wonder at all the lights and displays flashing around the large airport. Her thick, dark brown hair was done up in two puffy buns framing the sides of her chubby face, done in an attempt to mimic one of the many 80s anime heroines. Her brown eyes sparkled with excitement and several passersbys awed at the adorable sight. Soon a teenager walked by with a Goofy hat on and the little girl immediately reached out to tug on her mother's dress so she could point to the funny sight. But, all she grasped was thin air. While marveling the new sights, Young-ja had not been paying attention to where her parents were going and was now lost.
Having no knowledge of the English language and scared to death, the four year old fell to her knees and began to cry against her doll, calling out for her parents.
Then suddenly, a napkin was shoved against her face and Young-ja glanced up to find a boy around her age crouched next to her. He had light green eyes and a round face framed with curly black hair. The boys glared at her, trying to look tough but he looked as threating as a fuzzy bunny. His family had just gotten back from a trip to Italy, and the boy was ready to go home and play with his new toys.
"What are you crying for?" The boy asked in an annoyed tone. "Are you a baby or something?"
The words were like gibberish to her so Young-ja just stared at the boy in confusion, tears still sliding down her cheeks.
"You are still crying?" The boy groaned in annoyance before reaching into his pocket and pulling out more napkins. "Did someone die? Crying never solved anything you know. And can't you speak? I'm talking to you, y'know!"
Though she didn't understand him, Young-ja could see the boy was getting irritated and cleared her throat to speak up.
"잘 모르겠어요.*" She mumbled against her doll, eyes staring at the marble ground. (*A very formal way of saying "I don't understand")
"What?" The boy squinted his eyes in confusion. "You don't speak English or something? Ugh, why didn't you say so?!"
The language barrier now established, the two four year olds elected to continue crouching in the middle of the hallway and stare at each other in silence.
"I'm Miles Upshur." The boy suddenly spoke up, electing to ignore the language barrier and making Young-ja jump in fright.
"Eh?" Young-ja gasped, trying to decipher his words.
"Miles. Upshur." He pointed to himself, his wide smile showing off his missing tooth. "My name is Miles Upshur."
As he continued pointing to himself, Young-ja eventually understood what he was getting at.
"Michaels…Upshore?" She repeated slowly and pointed to him.
"No, no!" He shook in his finger in front of her face like a spoiled know-it-all. "Miles Upshur! Mi-les Up-shur. Say it with me! Mi-les Up-shur!"
"Mi…les…Up…shur?"
"Yes!" He beamed, giving her a double thumbs up. "And what is your name?" Miles pointed to her.
"Miles Upshur?"
"No! That is my name. I'm Miles Upshur!" He patted his chest then patted hers. "Who are you?"
"Oh!" Young-ja gasped in understanding. "Park Young-ja."
"Park Young-ja? Your first name is Park?"
"Park Young-ja!" She pointed to herself, then recalled her father saying that Americas put their first name first. "Ah! Young-ja Park!"
"Young-ja? That is your name?"
"Young-ja." She nodded, patting her chest. "Young-ja Park!"
"Well, nice to meet you, Young-ja!" Miles smiled and held out his hand.
Young-ja stared at it for a moment before placing her hand in his and letting him roughly shake it.
"Great!" He laughed. "Now we know each other! You wanna play tag?"
"T-tag?" She repeated.
"Ah! Do they not play tag where you are from? Hmmmm." He began to stroke his chin, a habit he picked up from his father to look more mature. "Hey, is this your doll?" Miles pointed to the Moomin doll in Young-ja's arms.
"Moomin." She held the cow doll up and made it wave at Miles. "Moo~Moo~Min~."
Miles busted into a fit of laughter, causing Young-ja to blush at the sight and hide her face behind the doll.
"I have some toys too." Miles dug into his backpack and pulled out an Etch a Sketch. "I am a great drawer! Watch me!"
Together, the two of them huddled together and watched Miles create masterpieces such as "Askew Tree" and "Very Askew Log".
Young-ja clapped and cheered as Miles shook the toy to erase the final masterpiece, and he soaked in the praise and bowed with a proud smile.
"I'm going to do something great one day! Promise me you'll cheer for me again when we get big, okay?" He shoved his pinky finger into her face.
Young-ja had no idea what Miles was going on about, but just smiled and locked pinkies with him anyways.
"Now you can never go back on your promise! If you do, then…then…" The boys racked his brain for something to scare her with…despite the fact that she couldn't understand him. "Then all of your stuffed animals will come to life and go pee pee on your bed!"
Young-ja just nodded, completely unaware of the boy's outrageous threat.
Then, in the distance, Park Minho and Park Eun-hye could be heard calling for their daughter. Shortly after, Kamal and Sophia Upshur could be heard doing the same.
"Well, sounds like we have to go bye bye now." Miles sighed, pulling Young-ja to her feet. "Now, remember your promise and no more crying! Or I'll give you a knuckle sandwich!"
The little boy shook in fist in Young-ja face and she laughed at the funny gesture, making the boy's cheeks turn red at her adorable smile.
"T-There is nothing funny!" He pouted, crossing his arms and pointing the other way. "Go to your mommy and daddy, you stupid girl! Go!"
As her parents calls grew closer, Young-ja knew it was time to say goodbye to her new friend, so she waved goodbye to Miles and made Moomin do the same before scampering off towards her parents, all tracing of her earlier crying session now gone.
"Remember your promise!" Miles called out one last time, waving to her retreating back before hurrying off to his parents.
"Mother, Father!" Young-ja cried out, grabbing his mother's hand. "I just met a funny boy!"
"Mom, Dad!" Miles shouted, running into his father's arms. "I just met a weird girl!"
The day Annie was adopted
(Miles)
Yesterday, when I promised to bring home a new friend for Young-ja, I was really just speaking out of my ass at the time.
I mean, where am I going to find someone to hang out with her while I'm gone? I can't just walk up to someone, handed them $100, and ask them to be friends with my wife for six hours of the day!
I kicked a lamppost in frustration, flipping the bird to a man who gave me a strange look.
'Of all the times to have a huge case, why did it have to be when Young-ja's due date is approaching?!'
I told her I was going to drop the case to be with her, and I meant it from the bottom of my heart, but she insisted on me to continue working.
Sighing, I leaned against the lamppost I was abusing earlier and closed my eyes.
I would do anything for her….because…because Young-ja is my entire world and our daughter will be my stars when she is born, so it kills me to leave her alone in that farmhouse for half a day.
We fell in love with the old house in the country the moment we saw it.
"It is perfect for our growing family." Young-ja said, placing her hand on her still flat abdomen.
I smiled at the memory, remembering it was the glow in her eyes that sold me.
Pushing myself off the lamppost, I heading down the sidewalk towards the parking garage where my jeep was so I could head home. It was cloudy all day, and now, Mother Nature decided it was time to send a spring shower upon Denver.
Grumbling under my breath, I jogged down the sidewalk and was about to turn the corner when I heard something.
"Bark! Bark!"
It was a squeaky little bark, and I found myself backpedaling to see what caused it. I stood in front of a pet store window, a sign in the corner advertising "Adoptions Daily". There was a small play area in front of the window where passerbys could look in at the puppies and kitties and whatevers playing around.
However, there was only one dog in the play area—a leftover from the adoption rush early that day.
"Poor thing." I sighed, crouching down and placing my hand on the cold window, chuckling as the baby Corgi got on its hind legs and pawed at my hand with much excitement.
It couldn't have been more than a few days old, but it was a strong little thing full of life and joy.
Then our eyes meet and that puppy's big eyes sucked my soul dry.
"Fuck it!" I shot up to my feet and kicked to door of the pet store open. "Old Man! I want that puppy over there!"
"Alright, I just need you to si-."
"Shut up and take my money!"
"Welcome home, Miles." Young-ja greeted me in the foyer, one hand on her pregnant belly and the other one holding a mug of warm tea for me.
"Aw, Short Stack." I sighed, taking the mug out of her hand and placing onto a nearby table before gathering her into my arms and kissing her. "Didn't I tell you to stop waiting up for me? What if you fall over?"
"And what if I don't?" She smiled, wrapping her arms around me. "I want to see you come through the door myself. It makes me and the baby feel better knowing you are home safe and sound."
I smiled and was about to kiss her once more, but a loud bark interrupted us.
"Um, Miles?" Young-ja started, pointing to my jacket. "Did…your jacket just bark at me?"
"No!" I snorted, unzipping my jacket and holding it open. "This is what you heard."
"Awwww!" Young-ja squealed, making grabby hands at the baby Corgi nestled inside my jacket. "Who is this cutie?!"
"Your husband."
"No! I'm talking about the puppy, you dork!"
"This," I smiled, placing the Corgi into her waiting arms, "is your new friend. Annie will keep you company when I can't."
"Annie?" She cooed, rubbing her nose against the puppies and laughed as Annie licked her nose. "Why that name?"
"Because…. "Annie" is your favorite musical." I mumbled, slightly embarrassed at my confession.
"You dork!" My beautiful wife giggled, getting up on her toes to kiss me sweetly before waddling towards the bedroom. "Time for me to snuggle with our new family member!"
"H-Hey!" I called after them, kicking my shoes off. "Remember the talk we had in the car, Annie! The bedroom is MY domain!"
Waylon reuniting with his family following Chapter 18
"I wish you the best of luck in the future, Ms. Park." I smiled, placing my hand on the young lady's shoulder.
She smiled and wished me the same, and we went our separate ways.
Young-ja Park….she was a sweet, gentle young lady. I hope her romance with Miles Upshur will continue to blossom. I had been a huge fan since his Afghanistan report. It didn't take long for me to trace the leaked footage back to him, and ever since that day, I've followed his reports very closely. His unclouded sense of justice and drive to help the victims made me admire him with all my heart.
I glanced down at the business card Young-ja gave me and laughed.
'I might have a use for this one day.'
But my mind soon drifted away from Miles Upshur and Young-ja Park as I took the escalator up the arrivals lobby.
'At long last, I'll finally be with my family once again.'
The moment I reached the top, I could see my sons racing across the linoleum floor, huge smiles plastered to their faces. Nick, our youngest, was holding Lisa's hand, trying to run as fast as his baby legs could take him, and Owen, our three year old, was latched onto me before I could blink.
"Daddy!" Owen cried, clinging to me with all his might. "I missed you!"
"Hey," I smiled, kissing his forehead and holding him close. "I missed you too, Wen-Wen."
"No!" He stuck his tongue out in disgust. "I'm grown up now! No more baby names!"
"Oh really?" I chuckled, tickling his sides and making him erupt into giggles. "But you will always be my baby."
Lisa and Nick finally caught up to us and I immediately lent forward and kissed my wonderful wife with all my heart and soul.
"Ewww!" Owen squealed, burying his face into my shoulder.
"Welcome home." Lisa smiled, now holding Nick in her arms. "We missed you so much, honey."
"Not as much as I missed you guys." I grinned, stroking Nick's baby face before wrapping an arm around Lisa's shoulder and holding my entire family close. "C'mon, time to go home."
A Day out with Mommy….because we don't see a lot of interaction between Young-ja and Ae-cha.
On one of my days off, I decided to let Miles catch up on work and took our little nine month old daughter out for a day on the town.
"Y'know, I don't have THAT much work to do." Miles spoke up, leaning against the doorway as I zipped up Ae-cha's jacket and made sure her shoes were on tight. "I could've taken you two out shopping if you asked earlier."
"Nonsense!" I giggled, blowing raspberries against Ae-cha's cheek before picking her up. "You have kept Mrs. Peters waiting too long for you to report back to her. Now, behave and do your work, and maybe we'll get you a present. Right, sweetie?"
"Da!"
"See? She agrees! Now, we'll be back before five and there are plenty leftovers in the fridge if you get hungry."
Looking like a tree blowing over in a harsh wind, my dear husband just nodded with a dejected look and I couldn't help but chuckle at the adorable sight.
"You always hog our little girl to yourself, so let me have a day with her."
"But I nev-!"
I hopped up and kissed him quickly before grabbing my purse and racing out the door, calling out a "See you soon, my love!" behind my shoulder.
Skipping over to my bike, I settled Ae-cha in front of me, securing her seatbelt and helmet before kicking the brake up, revving up the engine, and speeding off towards the city.
One of the perks of living out in the country was the peace and quiet, but it did take a while to get to the city, but I wouldn't trade it for anything else.
Arriving at one of my favorite bistros, I kicked the brake back on, took off our helmets, and carried our little girl into the tiny building.
It wasn't rush hour yet, so we got a seat pretty quickly. I helped Ae-cha into her high chair and let her play with a napkin while I ordered for us. One of the reasons I loved this bistro was because they actually had a section of the menu dedicated to babies! Which is fantastic since my baby deserves a five star meal while on a night on the town!
"What are you hungry for, Ae-cha?" I held the menu out in front of her. "Pick anything you want and umma will get it for you."
"Bah!" She threw her shards of napkins at the menu and laughed.
"Hmmm. I see! Excellent choice!" I called our waiter back over and put in our order. "Hello, my daughter would like your finest Mac n Cheese, and I will take a bowl of your Sausage and Lentil Soup."
While waiting for our food, I pulled out Ae-cha's toys from my purse and we played House on the table using the sugar bin and flower vase as buildings. Well, I played House while Ae-cha gnawed Charlie Brown's head off.
"No, no, sweetie." I laughed, gentle taking the poor doll from her mouth and giving her a teething ring instead. "Blockheads aren't good for your teeth."
She laughed and chewed away without a care in the world.
Soon, our waiter came back with our food, and it was time to eat!
"Say 'ah!'" I cooed, holding a spoonful of gooey delights in front of her until she complied.
Ae-cha was never a fussy baby to fed, if you place a dish of food in front of her, she will eat it without a second thought. I guess she inherited that from her papa.
Once Ae-cha was full, I picked her up, burped her, gave her a bottle of milk, and quickly ate my soup. Since becoming a mom, I've learned to do things quickly so I can devote all my time to the little one.
After paying the check and giving our waiter a generous tip, we left the bistro and began strolling down the sidewalk. I pointed to various objects and explained what they were to Ae-cha.
"That is a street lamp, sweetie. When it gets dark, it goes 'Pop!' and light comes out." I made a 'Popping' motion with my hand and giggled as she tried to mimic me. Ae-cha is just too cute when she tries to copy us. Just a few days ago, Miles was sitting on the couch and reading a novel while Ae-cha sat in her walker and tried to do the same with one of her picture books. She would've been a mirror image….if it wasn't for the fact that she was holding the book upside down. Ae-cha is such a Daddy's girl and tries to do everything just like him. She even plays with his camcorder a few times when the moron doesn't put it up like I'm always telling him too. Miles is a little more careful now since the last time Ae-cha got her hands on his camcorder, she recorded herself making drool bubbles for ten minutes straight and he accidently showed it to one of his clients during a meeting. He never got mad at her though; Miles is just not capable of yelling at our baby. He is such a marshmallow deep down.
We spent a good two hours walking around, pointing at random things and such. Then we went into a little beauty store and I bought Ae-cha an entire Spring wardrobe, complete with hair accessories and shoes.
"We can have a little fashion show for your Daddy when we get home!" I laughed, Ae-cha in one arm and the bags in the other. "You are becoming so beautiful! Maybe you can become a model one day."
"Ba!"
"No? Well, whatever you decide to do, we will support you until the end!" I kissed her rosy cheeks and was thrilled when she did the same to me. "I love you, my little Ae-cha. I love you, Annie, and your Daddy so much that it makes me believe in happily ever after."
Ae-cha just smiled and patted my cheeks, as if she understood what I was saying.
"It's getting late, so we should head home now." I hummed, skipping back towards my bike. "But first, we should pick up something for your Daddy! A reward for not stalking us the entire day to make sure we are safe…..like he did last time."
Thirty minutes later, we rolled up to the driveway and I tip toed to the front door with a sleeping Ae-cha and five bags in my arms. It took me a moment to fish out my keys, but I managed to open the door, close/lock it, and kick off my shoes without waking her up. The house was dark and quiet, so I knew Miles was either sleeping or in his office. I slowly creeped up the stairs and went into Ae-cha's nursery. I placed the four clothing bags to the side and changed Ae-cha into her pajamas. I tucked her into her crib, making sure her feet were covered, and that she was comfortable. I also made sure her baby monitor and night light were on and function properly.
"Goodnight, sweetheart. Thank you so much for the wonderful day." I kissed her forehead before tip toeing out of the room and closing the door behind me.
I made my way down the hallway and saw light peeking out from under the office door. I knocked on the door a few times but when I didn't receive an answer, I cracked it open and peeked inside. Miles was slouched over his desk, head resting on his crossed arms. His desk was covered in notes and photographs, proving that he actually had a lot of work to do. An empty plate and coffee mug were placed off to the side with an open bag of jelly beans next to it.
I crept up to the desk and smiled down at my sleeping husband.
"You liar." I mumbled, brushing his bangs back. "You did have work to do today."
Slowly, Miles began to stir and with a yawn, he opened his eyes and glanced up at me.
"Hey there, sleepyhead." I whispered.
"Hey." He mumbled, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. "When did you get back?"
"Just now. And~" I whipped out the bag I was hiding behind my back. "I went and bought those blueberry croissants you love so much. Since you have been working hard, here is your present."
Miles gave me a sleepy smile and took the bag and placed it on his desk.
"Thanks, Short Stack. But," He grabbed my hand and pulled me onto his lap. "knowing the two of you made it home safely is a better present."
I laughed and snuggled against him, enjoying the warmth his embrace always gave me.
"Were you lonely?"
"…A little. It's not often I have the house to myself."
"You have Annie with you though."
"That cinnamon roll butt did nothing but sleep the entire time you guys were gone." He pouted, resting his cheek on my head. "Mhmmm. I'm sleepy."
"Then let's go to sleep." I tried to get of his lap, but he held me still.
"Not yet. Tell me about your day."
"It's late, Miles. We can talk about it tomorrow."
"But I wanna hear if you guys had fun today." He yawned, leaning back in his chair and taking me with him. "C'mon, what adventures did my Short Stack and Cheerios have in the big city?"
I smiled and sighed in defeat, making myself comfortable in his arms before telling him all about our girl's day out.
Father/Daughter Dance because of reasons. (C'mon, Miles is this tall redwood man and he is going to be surrounded by all of these tiny shrubs. Lol.)
(Miles)
"Short Stack, Is my tie on straight?" I asked Young-ja, peeking my head into the music room.
"For the 52nd time, Miles, yes." She sighed in exasperation, scooting back from the piano. "It was straight when you asked me two minutes ago, it was also straight when you asked me five minutes ago, and it was al-."
"Alright I get it!" I began pacing around the room, fiddling with my cuff links. "I'm just….anxious."
I turned around when I heard her laughing.
"What's so funny?"
"It's just that you are so cute!" She got up from the bench and came to my side. "If this is you at a Father/Daughter dance in an elementary school, I can't wait to see the Father/Daughter dance at her wedding."
"Don't even want to think about that." I grumbled under my breath, watching her adjusting my collar and buttoning up my blazer before she sighed. "Why are you sighing?"
"Well," Young-ja hummed, taking my hands in hers. "for one, I'm jealous that you get to have this moment with Ae-cha. There aren't many Mother/Daughter dances in the school system. And second, you look really handsome in a suit. The last time I saw you wearing one was when you went to that birthday gala two years ago….alone."
"It was for Mr. Patrick's birthday. I had no choice since he's an old friend of the family, and you're lucky my mom didn't drag you along because it was boring as hell."
"I know, but," She clasped her hands behind her back and shyly dug her toes into the carpet, making me grasp my chest involuntarily at how cute she looked. "It would have been fun, getting all dressed up and walking around with you on my arm and I could show off my gorgeous husband to the masses."
"…..Are you calling me 'arm candy'?"
"Mayb-Ack!" She squealed as I reached out and pulled her cheeks in revenge for the arm candy comment. "Ruresme! Ruresme!" (Release Me! Release Me!)
I let her go and chuckled when she stuck her tongue out at me while rubbing her red cheeks.
"It's not my fault you're handsome." I was tempted to pull her cheeks again but settled for bending forward and bumping my forehead against hers.
"You're pretty radiant yourself, Cara Mia." I gave her a light kiss on the lips before continuing on. "How about we have a date night tomorrow? Both of us get dressed up and go to that one restaurant near the lake. It's very expensive and very crowded. We will sit on the patio and everyone will talk about what a sexy couple we are while we drink wine with our pinkies out. Then we will come home and work on Child #2. How does that sound?"
"Wonderful. It's a date." She giggled and looked so bashful that I was tempted to start the date then and there. "However, I think your date for tonight has been waiting for you."
"And how rude of me to make a lady wait. We'll be back by nine."
"Alright. Be careful and make sure not to drive with the window down. It took me hours to get her hair perfect."
"Roger that."
We headed out of the music room and went to the main hallway, just in time to hear Ae-cha come running down the stairs.
"No running, Ae-cha!" Young-ja called out in her motherly tone. "You know the rule!"
"Yes, Mommy!" She smiled, walking down the rest of the way before bouncing in front of us. "Am I pretty, Daddy?"
"Sei bellissima!" I applauded as she twirled around in her bright red dress. Her long, black hair had been put up in a bun and was decorated with flower pins, all Short Stack's handiwork.
"Have fun, sweetheart." Young-ja bent down and kissed Ae-cha goodbye before doing the same for me. "Tell me all about it when you get back!"
"I promise!" Ae-cha smiled before we pulled our shoes on and headed out.
The dance was taking place in the school gymnasium. A huge banner with the words "Sonya Rose Elementary's Kindergarten Father/Daughter Dance" rested upon the double doors.
"I think it is a full house tonight, Cheerio." I pointed out, looking for a parking place.
"Yeah!" She bounced up and down in her car seat. "Daddy, can you dance?"
"Of course I can dance." I laughed, putting the jeep into park and unbuckling myself before going to help her out of her seat. "You saw me dancing last night. I smoked the entire competition!"
"That was a video game!" She giggled behind her hands as I locked the doors. "That is not the same!"
"Dance Dance Revolution is the cornerstone of dancing simulation, Cheerio."
"What does 'simulation' mean?"
"I'll read the dictionary to you later," I reached out and took her tiny hand in mine. "Well, then, shall we go in, Princess Cheerio?"
"Yeah!"
And we headed inside with the other dressed up fathers and daughters.
We were the best looking ones though.
Just saying.
For a simple dance for a bunch of five year olds, the gymnasium actually looked pretty cool. There were paper lanterns hanging from the ceiling, a punch table with a heart shaped bowl, a DJ playing classical music, tables with frilly table clothes, and last but not least, Thomas the Tank Engine plates.
Because nothing brings a dance together quite like talking trains on a secluded island who are employed by a top hat dictator.
The moment we stepped into the room, a bunch of little kids swarmed around me like a scene from "Children of the Corn" and I nearly had a heart attack.
'Back away, you demons! Back, I say!'
"Ae-cha!" A girl with curly hair smiled. "You are so pretty!"
"Ae-cha!" A boy with freckles shouted. "Let's go eat the cake!"
Feeling much like Gulliver in Lilliput, I gave Ae-cha permission to scurry off with the little gremlins and sat down at a nearby table.
I fiddled around with the centerpieces which were hydrangeas wrapped in ribbon.
'Wonder how much I can steal before anyone notices.'
Moments later, I felt a tap on my knee and looked down to find my daughter curtsying before me.
"May I have this dance?" She asked, perfectly imitating her mom and I clutched my chest once again.
'Why is my family so fucking adorable?!'
I laughed and stood up, bowing at the waist and holding my hand out.
"It would be my honor."
We walked onto the dance floor just as a nice string quartet began to play.
She stepped onto my shoes, I took ahold of her hands, and we began to dance.
I felt like an idiot, but the huge smile on Ae-cha's face made it all worthwhile. Neither of us were great dancers, Young-ja was the musically inclined family member, but we made it work.
As we box stepped around the floor, Young-ja's words echoed through my brain and the thought that someday I would dance with Ae-cha on her wedding day made my throat close up and I held her hands tighter.
"Something wrong, Daddy?"
"Nothing, sweetheart." I smiled and twirled her around. "Just…just don't grow up too fast, alright?"
"Alright." She smiled and hugged my legs. "I love you, Daddy!"
"I love you too, Ae-cha." I picked her up and spun around, grinning as she squealed in surprise and joy. "I always will."
The rest of the evening went great.
After playing some more classical pieces, the DJ did a 360 and randomly played the "Electric Slide", and I knew it was my time to shine; I ended up teaching the dance to a group of five year olds while their father chuckled behind their hands.
"Breathe a word of this to my wife and I will end you." I told them later.
Soon Little Cheerio tired herself out and I carried her back to the jeep and we headed home.
"How was it?" Young-ja whispered, closing the door behind me since I was carrying a sleeping Ae-cha.
"It was fun." I smiled, slipping her shoes off and heading upstairs. "We won first place in looks and talent."
"You went to a school dance, not the Ms. America competition."
"Close enough." I gently placed Ae-cha on her plushie infested bed before tucking her in and kissing her on the forehead. "Goodnight, sweetheart. Thank you for the lovely evening."
Once I was back in the hallway, Young-ja bombarded me with questions ranging from the music to how many times I fell flat on my face.
"Such confidence you have in me, my love." I sighed, shrugging my blazer off and tossing it to the side once we were in our room. "But I believe you would've been amazed at my dancing skills."
"Really?" She laughed, sitting on the bed. "I'll believe it when I see it."
"Guess we'll have to add dancing to our date to do list." I grinned, pulling my tie off and adding it to the pile. "I'll have to get in some practice before hand though."
"DDR is not a real dancing simulation, Miles."
"Yes it is!"
A/N: I hope you liked this special chapter! We return to the main story in the next one so look forward to it!