Sugar + Spice

Family Memories

Emil giggles and they head into the cemetery laughing and giggling to each other with glee. They stop by one stone. It was simple and plain with years placed on and a date of birth.

The children rub their fingers over the lettering and numbers tracing it over with their fingers, “1, 8, 4, 5, and 1, 8, 5, 7.” Emily says,

Emil counts on his fingers, “They are eleven!”

Emily grins, “Good, good that’s correct.. I think.”

The six-year-olds giggled and touched more graves. Emil leaves some pennies he found in his pocket on some of the graves. 

Emil and Emily spot an empty hole, “They must be ready to put something in here.” Emily whispers looking around for the coffin.

“Dare me to jump into it?” Emil asks with a grin showing his missing front tooth.

Emily snickers, “Do it!” 

Emil jumps and begins to cry realizing he couldn’t get out, “Emmy helps me!” Emily tries to be she falls in to, they both begin to weep worried they’re going to be buried alive.

An hour later they are rescued by the groundskeeper after reports of children crying were heard. Emil tells the groundskeeper his mother’s number to call so they can be taken home. Freddie and Emily’s mother arrives all flustered and worried for their dirty muddy kids.

The mothers share numbers and part ways. Freddie takes them back home, Roger rubs over his belly and lays down for a nap. Emil showers on his own and puts his tiger footie pajamas on, Freddie begins cooking popcorn and grabs candy along with other snacks,  “Guess what!”

Emil’s eyes light up racing into the room, “Movie! Movie night, mama!” he hugs his mama tight, snuggling into his sweatpants. His wet curly hair is frizzy and messy, he looks so much like his father at times.

Freddie kisses him softly on the head and leads him to the living room where the strings lights are on and a fort is put over the tv, "Let's go watch your favorite movie." Freddie hums.

Emil's eyes light up with such happiness, "Big Hero 6!!!" he races underneath the fort and Freddie has to crawl being too big to stand straight up.

The mother and son cuddle up to each other giggling and "fighting" over the snacks. Emil shoves popcorn into his pajamas and laughs spitting chewed up candy.

Soon the movie ended and Emil is rubbing his eyes sleepily. Freddie scoops him up getting a little teary eyed realizing soon his baby boy will be too big for him to carry.

By the time he's gotten into Emil's room the little one is snoring softly looking like an angel.

Freddie tucks him pulling the sheets up to his chest, "I remember when I first brought you home." he whispers softly pushing his son's hair out of his face.

Freddie thinks back to being thirteen. Him, a friend named John who was only eight at the time, and eighteen-year-old Mary snuck into an abandoned home. Freddie's labor pains were getting worse and worse, Mary told him he was going to need somewhere to deliver.

It was painful for the thirteen-year-old his body wasn't built for labor yet. His body had hardly developed yet into puberty. It wasn't ready labor yet here he was scared and in very bad pain wanting his mama. He says a small pray that the pain will be over soon and he could go home soon. Boy was he wrong.

After a full day of labor right as the sun set a baby boy was born blue his cries snuffed out by the cord wrapped around his neck. Freddie chews off the cord and Mary hacks what he couldn't get off with a shard of broken beer bottle she found on the ground.

Freddie weeps for his son that never got to live for the cries he would never hear for the memories he wouldn't make. As the tears rain down on the baby a choked out cry is heard and there's a wall. His son was crying his little heart out and Freddie cries for a whole new reason, 

"He needs a name." Freddie whispers, 

"Emil!" John shouts peering at the baby's tiny face.

And so Emil Seth Waters was born tiny and small. Weak and frail Emil was a loud mouth there was no point in hiding him. The trio now a foursome trail back to Freddie's home shame was riddled all over Freddie's face. His friends part ways once Freddie reaches his front door.

"A baby." Jer says softly, "I'll run the fire and get the poor thing some clothes." Jer coos over new grandson. She wasn't happy about Freddie being a teen dad but she wasn't going to bash him. He is his own person she can't hate him for being that.

"And who is the father?" Jer asks, 

Freddie looks over at his father stern looking and disappointed. He crosses his arms and glares at his own son.

"Roger Waters." Freddie says calmly.

"Once he gets back from war you are to marry him." Bomi says, "It will be hard to find a husband for you since you let yourself be deflowered." 

Freddie hangs his head in shame. Face burning he holds Emil close to his chest the newborn gurgles softly.

"If Mr. Waters doesn't return from war I have found a suitor for you. His name is Chris Milton we can pass the baby off as his. He too has curly hair and fair skin." 

"But the baby has grey eyes and Mr. Milton has hazel." Jer intejects but she is silenced by her husband.

"You are married to Waters if anyone asks." Bomi stated,  standing up, "And that's final."

And that's how Freddie was  widowed long before he even knew what that word would mean. 

Freddie snaps out of his thoughts looking down at his sweet six-year-old son. Freddie thinks back to, Mr. Chris Mliton and wonders how he is now. The two never met formally but a wedding was planned.

Freddie takes one last look at his son before kissing him on the forehead, "Don't you ever grow up."