Mouse

chapter twenty nine

Whilst Ricardo concentrated all his efforts on getting back up on the trapeze as a performer again I occupied myself and all my attention on being a full time mother to our son George.

Now that he was old enough, and more aware of the things going on around him, he had this over enthusiastic curiosity for discovering all things new, and once he started crawling and getting into everything, it kept me on my toes trying to keep up with him.

He was a bright child who caught onto things fast, and learned quickly, so I wasn't overly surprised by the time he was just over ten months he was on his feet unsteadily toddling about, and he was even able to say the odd word, 'Mama,' and 'Dada.'

Even Ricardo could not hide the pride and adoration he felt for George, and when they did spend time with him, it gave me a chance to see another side of him, where he was openly affectionate playing with his son and talking with him, fondly referring to him as his 'Geordie boy.'

George adored his father in return, and always got excited and happy whenever he appeared on the scene and spent time with him.

So I thought it was a good omen that around the same time George started to get on his feet, Ricardo was fit and capable of finally going back on the trapeze.

He wouldn't be doing anything too spectacular still, just easing himself back slowly and gradually for short periods of time, along with Alex and Jeanette and his younger sister Maria.

A little nervous I went into the Big Top to watch him in action while they were practising, just to see how he was coming along.

He was already up on the swinging trapeze with his dad and Jeanette and Alex on hand on the platform to supervise him

Despite my first initial concern, I found myself smiling. Already he was looking so relaxed up there; it really was where he belonged. Even if the thought of heights made my head swim, I was starting to appreciate how much it meant to him being able to do what he loved best. So I was happy for him, it had taken a while for him to get to this stage, but his determination had won through in the end.

He was just standing on the trapeze swinging gently back and forth as if to get the feel for it again, then he glanced down and noticed me below watching him

"Hey Mel, wanna come up and join me?" he called out, and I immediately had a flashback of the time he had practically bullied me into climbing up that ladder over a year ago and I felt myself gave an involuntary shudder.

But today it was different, his tone was teasing, not demanding, and there was just a hint of mischief in his dark eyes and not the scowl he had usually reserved for me back then

"No, I am fine just watching you from down here, I will leave all that high flying to you," I assured him with a grin,

He just chuckled, and made the trapeze swing further, then hunkering himself down, he deftly dropped so his legs were hooked onto the trapeze bar and his upper body was now dangling upside down as he went back and forth

"You sure you don't want to join me?" he called as he continued dangling quite at ease, "You never know you might like it," he grinned at me upside down

"Show off," I called back good naturedly because I knew he was enjoying every minute of it.

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Ricardo being Ricardo, was not contented with just making a comeback in the public eye and being back up on the trapeze.

He wanted to test himself to the his full limit, by performing a daring stunt involving a triple somersault in the air whilst going from one trapeze to the other. It had been something he working on before he had the accident, even then, it was fairly risky for him to attempt it