Generations: The Long Game

Emery Turns Two: Reece

TW: mention or insinuation of potentially life threatening disease or illness

"Char, can you give me a hand with this banner, and where the hell is Viv?" He was frazzled. His anxiety had only gotten worse, and she knew he wasn't keeping regular visits with Veronica. She held the banner up I silence waiting for him to tack it up.

"You know she does have a pregnant wife who isn't far off her due date, so maybe we cut her some slack." He rolled his eyes at her but didn't argue. He would give anything to be in their shoes. To have the only thing looming in the future be another life. They wouldn't have any more moments like that. Not that they had planned for more children. Now that he knew that they wouldn't have more; that she might not see the two they had grow into adults or even properly into childhood, it felt like a different kind of grief that that was part of their past. He gripped at his own stomach as the panic began to rise.

"I need to make it perfect, Char. She isn't here, so it needs to be perfect. Winter should have made it to the hospital by now. Where the hell is Mia? She wondered that herself but hadn't heard from her either. Knowing Mia, she would show up with something meant to cheer him up and only end up pissing him off.

"I am sure she is on her way. Reece, my arm is starting to go numb. Can you tack this side up please?" He reached over and pushed the tack in relieving her of her duties. She stepped down and excused herself.

"Now where are you going?" She waved him away as she stepped into the kitchen. "I might as well be here all by myself with the help I am getting." He was mumbling to himself at this point, but he didn't care. "Marjorie, I need strength. I am not going to make it through today without you." He had started talking to her weeks ago. He wasn't even sure why, but he knew it brought him some comfort.

"Okay, Mia is on her way and Viv is as well. They both got caught up, but they are definitely on their way now. Winter is going to stay with Marjorie until you can break away after the party. Then he and Autumn are planning to stay here with the children so you can stay the night with her." He let a small, crooked smile cross his face. He hadn't been able to do that in awhile. He wanted to but also felt guilty that it would be on Emery's birthday.

The party was about to begin and still there had been no sign of Mia. Everyone else was here. His eyes went a little glassy at that thought. Everyone wasn't here. She wasn't. He slipped away to the kitchen and checked on Viv. They had decided to make the homemade pizza, and Viv had perfected the recipe. Her little tweaks just improved upon everything he and Mia had learned over the years. "Viv you are sure she was fine this morning?"

"She was upset that she wasn't going to make it home, but she was fine. Mia had gone and Winter was settling in to read 'Little Women' to her. I am fairly certain that is his favorite book as well as Marjorie's" He chuckled, and it startled her. No one had heard him laugh in weeks. Maybe even months.

He left her and went to the lounge to check on Emery. He found him sat next to Rory on the floor. His little blonde curls completely unruly. Marjorie would have made sure he had a haircut before today. She probably would have gone out and got him a new outfit just for the occasion. She would have made it a perfect day for him. He had to do better. The children deserved more than he was giving them. She would have done this better.

He was lost in a sea of his own deprecation and had totally missed the chaos going on behind him until he saw Emery stand and run.

"Mummy!"