The Parenthood Drabbles

Lost at Sea

Lost at Sea

In the style of Sally Jackson and Poseidon

Miranda was completely lost in the world and unfocused when she knocked on Sally's door. Her friend answered, hair pinned up haphazardly, blouse buttoned wrong like she'd had to suddenly change because of baby excrements/throw-up/spit, and aforementioned baby in her arms.

"Can I crash here?" She asked, totally helpless.

"Umm... sure," Sally said right away. "But the baby's going to scream all night. He's in that kind of mood."

"Percy's a cutie, it'll be okay." Miranda said.

Sally closed the door behind her.

"You don't look so good, and you're dragging a bag." Sally said readjusting her grip on Percy. He cooed. "Are you alright?"

"I had a fight with Dylan," Miranda said dropping on a couch and burying her head in her hands. "I think this is it."

"Oh, sweetie..." Sally said putting a hand on her shoulder. She hesitated. "Maybe it's for the best. I mean, this on again/off again isn't healthy and it's been going on since the tenth grade."

"Maybe," Miranda agreed.

Karen peeped from the bathroom. She was staying with Sally heart-of-gold Jackson while her plumbing was redone. "Anda..?"

"Dylan," Sally filled in.

"Ah," she said coming out further. "I think there's ice cream in the fridge, it can..."

"No need, I'm not upset." Miranda said. "I just wanted a place to escape. Screaming... is tiring."

"Yes," Karen agreed. She grabbed the phone.

"Who are you calling?" Sally asked as Percy cooed some more.

"Juliet. Might as well have her over too," Karen said.

"I don't have enough food guys," Sally said. Percy started screaming his head off again.

"Ooh," Miranda said. "Well, guess I got a fair warning."

Sally shot her a look, and then walked off bobbing Percy up and down. He didn't stop. She tried burping him and singing and everything that any of them could think of. They tried to help out, but Percy just wailed and wailed and wailed -even more when someone other than Sally held him- and as he did Miranda noticed the rings under Sally's eyes more and more.

"That's it," Sally said walking over to the bathroom.

"What is she... doing?" Miranda asked.

"Bathtub," Karen asked. "He likes water. He's a special one."

"Unsurprising," Miranda shrugged. "His dad though... that was one smoking hot piece of mancake."

"Please don't ever say that in front of Sally she'll be scarred," Karen said shaking her head. Her eyes were right in front of her.

The door opened and Juliet, who felt free to let herself in anywhere, came in.

"I was just at a bar and- ooh, should've stayed." She winced when she heard the wailing.

"Sally's working magic; he'll stop wailing any minute now." Karen said.

And sure enough he did.

"Is she drugging him?" Juliet asked.

"O-kay, someone is clearly coming home from the bar." Miranda said. Juliet sat down next to her.

"I feel so bad," Karen said pushing her hair behind her ear. "I mean, I've tried to help out while I'm here, but with uni and everything? None of us have time and she's alone and Percy's a picky child and we're no good at this, we're not like a father..."

"I swear, he better be lost at sea like she thinks he is, because if he's somewhere out there and she's here alone with the baby..." Miranda said shaking her head.

Juliet said, "I know that this might be crazy because he probably doesn't even know there was a baby... but I'm kind of mad that Sally's handling this alone."

Oh I'm pissed too."

"Yup," Miranda said.

"But at the same time... not really." Juliet said.

"Explain," Karen demanded. "Unless it's the alcohol talking, because if so Miranda can just sleep on the floor and you can take the couch."

"I mean... when's the last time we've seen Sally as happy as she was this summer?"

They didn't have an answer.

"I know that she's just a crazy hard worker, but I really think that after all that work she did to get to NYU in high school and then having to drop out... I think she just needed to be happy again, and he did that for her. And she is happy with Percy, right? It's hard, but she loves him."

They didn't say anything, because in a weird, twisted way it was true.

"Especially when he doesn't cry," Karen finally piped up.