Hani Babysits the Stanley Twins - Hani, Mason and Mabel

Tuesday, January 24th, Parent Teacher Conference Night at Cedar Point School

Mason Stanley smiles as he finishes ALMOST all of his homework and hops up. "Done!" he proclaims, having ignored his math book completely.


Mabel Stanley looks shrewdly at their new babysitter and then sideways at her brother "Hmmm....." She draws in her geography book as she half reads.

Haninozuka Wang has his own homework as he figures out a complicated math question ''you sure lil man 'he say as he takes out his graphing calculator.

Mason Stanley pauses halfway to the television.  "Yes?"  its an interesting answer in the form of a question.

Mabel Stanley wrinkles her nose at Hani "Mom said you went to homeschool? You still have HOMEwork?"

Haninozuka Wang chuckle . do you want me to check it . you know just to make sure  ... cuz i don't mind helping .. i love math!' he say a bit wary of the child but tries to sound helpful  ' he smiles 'well technically anywhere i do my work is home .. especially if its at home ' he laughs 'its more like I'm doing my school lesson now.. cuz i don't sleep like everyone else 'he say in a fakingly vampire tone but smiles.

Mason Stanley narrows his eyes.  "I guess ....."  but he sits and pulls the math book to him as if the raccoon on the cover is frothing at the mouth.  He opens is, pulls the calculator to himself and begins to figure on a page using only the calculator.  "Man gave us calculators so we don't have to DO math."  he preaches.  "No bedtime?  COOL!!!"  his Other homework is damn good.


 Mabel Stanley takes out her red pen and draws magma pouring out from the sectioned globes, with steam rising "they really should improve these graphics. This book is boring. Mason you can't use a calculator in the test." She waits until Hani looks away and whips an eraser at him "Mason!" She fakes a shocked look.

Haninozuka Wang laughs softly .'my bedtime is late at night.. i have insomnia and cant sleep at night 'he laughs so i sleep in the day .. like a vampire 'he say chuckling like  the count off of sesame street '   he laughs 'like the count i actually like math 'he smiles. he shrugs  as he doodle 'shes right .. he points his pencil at her waving it 'not to do math .. just graphing . and stuff. 'he looks at you.. 'but yeah .. my dad doesn't let me use a regular calculator when i sit a test or quiz 'he smirks .. 'he imitates his dad in Mandarin .. before switching to English 'that means .. how will you learn  what is there isn't a calculator around . and you need to figure sometime . " he says jokingly but respectfully. Hani feels the eraser hit his cheek an turns to catch it in his pointed canine teeth.. that he inherited from Wolf.

Mason Stanley snorts and starts to reply with.  "I'm not taking a te...."  and Hani is hit with the eraser.  "HA!  he snorts.  "You throw like a GIRL!"  he goes back to his calculated math homework.  He arches his brows at the Sesame Street reference.  "Dude.  We're 10."  and then shrugs.  "What do you need to calculate when you don't have a calculator?  When I am rich I will just hire someone to do the math."


Mabel Stanley looks weirded out by the pointed teeth. Maybe their babysitter IS a vampire and then without taking her eyes off Hani she hucks her pen at her brother "I AM a girl pea brain!" She squints at Hani "Why are your teeth like that?"

Haninozuka Wang looks at  Mason 'money... unless you like getting jipped at the store 'he laugh softly 'then don't do math .. 'he smiles . 'if you don't learn .. your accountant will cheat you out of money and you wont be rich for long but yeah .. 'he say as he scribbles some more figures on his notebook 'cuz I'm a vampire lycan hybrid 'he laugh softly 'dunno they been that way when i lost my baby teeth .. my dad has them too 'he smiles his fanged smile and chew on  end of his pencil as he thinks.
Mason Stanley snorts when he gets hit by the pen.  "I know that."  he looks at Hani.  "Not everyone is a thief.  The vast majority of people are honest, like me."  he blinks his innocent eyes at the babysitter.  "That's when I hire the lawyer to sue the accountant." he runs down the list of math problems quickly, as hes not had to think about it much.  "Our parents hired an undead animal t babysit us."  he shakes his head.  "They shoulda offered Gramps money."  he snorts and tosses the pen back at Mabel.

Mabel Stanley catches the pen "Do you only suck human blood at the full moon? Can we hire you as a hit vampire for bullies?" She looks at Mason like this idea intrigues her "Don't get me wrong, I love Grandpa....but he has that moral code...."

Haninozuka Wang raises his brow 'not if you don't have anymore money cuz your  accountant deposited it in a offshore bank accountant in Stockholm 'he say softy laughs he figures at a hard question ' not everyone is honest.. which is sad but those are the breaks kiddo'he say softly 'I'm alive ' he smiles 'nah .. i don't like human blood.. too bitter .. he says jokingly  i prefer to just make it out of corn syrup and food coloring and corn starch .. ' he trails off joking.

Mason Stanley considers and nods.  "Yea.  That DOES get in the way."  he admits.  Then he waits on the answer to possibly hiring themselves an undead vampire werewolf bodyguard.  "In other words, you're a cynical fake."  he shrugs.  "And if you mean a SWISS bank account that's one thing.  The Swedes another.  I read about them at my grandfathers."

Mabel Stanley perks up at Mason's reference "Yeah...that was a cool book. I want to be one of those girls with candles on my head....and set those big straw goats on fire!" She thinks about what Hani actually said though "Does corn syrup, corn starch and food colouring MAKE convincing looking blood? Asking for a friend...."

Haninozuka Wang looks at you 'nah .. i wish i was.. to be around for ages.. seeing  the pasting of time 'he smiles bit .. slightly 'but maybe that just my cover so that i don't spill the secret code of vampires .. 'eh says knowingly  and to the unlearn he pull off a convincing creepy stare .. ' i meant Stockholm .. cuz people would suspect you to dump it in Switzerland 'he nods and looks at Mabel and pull out a small vial that dangles from his necklace there is a skull on it ..'made it today .. 'he smiles 'just tastes like syrup that you putt on pancakes.. this one is drinkable.. it has cherry cordial.

Mason Stanley listens carefully as he finishes up with the calculator.  He closes the book.  "Another perfect grade."  he announces and leans back.  "That would just be stupid, but alright.  Doesn't matter because I'll always have my calculator with me."  he looks at the vial.  "I drink my own blood every chance I get.  It's like copper.  But I don't think it can replace water.  No water, no life."

Mabel Stanley eyes Hani with cautious curiosity "Where did our mom get your name from again?" She shuts her book "And I'm done too....let's watch TV......"

 Haninozuka Wang shrugs 'i personality don't like that coppery taste but that me 'he shrugs and smile s'Ms. Yamada i think .. Tristan's mom .. i babysit him from time to time 'he say  'sounds good ' he say scribbling the last answer to his math worksheet 'well there is that down .. now just have the others to go .. but ill finish them latter 'he laughs ' i have all night i just woke up . he smiles his charmingly macabre smiles.. that either creeps some people out or draw them like flies to Hani 'he stands up and stretches.

Mason Stanley moves to the couch, listening carefully for the reply.  "Some vampire."  he scoffs and then nods.  "Ohhhhhh ...  Tristan. He's like my best friend."  he rolls his eyes.  "We've had Leslie, and Kimmie, Dan, Herbert, Kelly and Richard.  Maybe you're lucky 7 in about 9 months ... but not if you honestly think you're creeping US out."  he laughs and grabs the remote.

Mabel Stanley beams "You're like a friendly vampire zomboy. Did you ever see that movie Bunks? Where the zombie is all cheerful and jumping on the trampoline? It was too bad about Richard. Those paint buckets were badly arranged....but I saw him out walking without his brace the other day so I don't think mom and dad will get sued."

Haninozuka Wang looks at him innocently ' I'm like mine with more of a irony taste more filling he jokes ' he smiles 'yeah he a cool kid.. he nod s' I don't try to creep people out . I'm just me and it happens that way .. my grin is way to thin and wide and my teeth are pointed but yeah .. 'he say 'what you think of watching . 'he say softly . he turn to Mabel and grins . ' That's a good one.. i also like Shaun of the dead, fido and warm bodies 'he laugh softly 'something like that .. he smiles.

Mason Stanley nods and leans back.  "Yea, I saw him too. They're safe.  Kelly and Kimmie both said we belong on NoSitEm dot com." he rolls his eyes.  "Kimmie's hair grew back and it looks better short ANYWAY."  he looks at Hani.  "It's not creeping US out.  But it looks like Mabel has a crush.  We're used to the REAL deal.  Our grandfather and father are BOTH burn victims for REAL..  A smile that makes my sister swoon and slightly sharp cainines ... you need to work on it.  We can help if you want."

Mabel Stanley throws a pillow at her brother "I am NOT swooning. He's not my type..." She looks at Hani "No offence. I'd prefer a boy with a crossbow to a suffering poet vampire any day, and it's true about the burns......but your teeth are cool. I'd just start frothing at people at random to part crowds if I had those. But I do have a wiggly one..." She opens her mouth and flicks it with her tongue. It's positively dangling.

Haninozuka Wang: he laugh softy  but perks up.. 'really what happened to them 'he say softly 'nah that cuz you two are tough as nail 'he smiles 'nositem.com 'he ask with interest .. 'you kiddos seem like legit... 'he say softy . he nods and say in a creepy as tone. 'will you help me 'he smiles back . Haninozuka Wanglooks at Mabel 'good idea ill keep that in mind 'he smiles.

Mason Stanley laughs and picks the pillow up after it hits him.  "There was a fire at my Dad's school when he was in high school.  Grandpa is a fireman and he rescued them, but got burned.  Like I Backdraft ... which we never saw, by the way."  he makes like he is cracking his knuckles.  He looks at Hani.  "Alright ... the teeth have potential but vampires seem to have given way to zombies.  Frankly, I'm a werewolf guy, myself.  So I can help."  he strokes his smooth chin.  "Ever consider perming your hair?  You know make it all shaggy like a REAL wolf?"  apparently they like this one, as they have not made any of their classic 'thebabysitter mustdie' moves.

Mabel Stanley nods at her brother and adds "And stop brushing your teeth altogether....let them just go yellow.....like you're feral.....grow your fingernails really long...until they curl and gnarl your fingers...and use them to stab your food and rake down the windows from the outside after you leave a building. Technically it's not illegal if someone calls the cops. You also can't actually get kicked out of a restaurant for bad table manners. We've been testing that...."

Haninozuka Wang watches the twins with interest as he tucks the vial back under his shirt. 'not big on perming it .. also my dad the wolf.. so that a bit unoriginal but what if i go all cybergothic.. minus the  .. space stuff. 'he say thinks his brain working 'nah cant go totally feral cuz you still need to fit in abit or the village will torch you ass. .. plus . sometimes hiding in front of there eyes is the best thing.. he ponders and a cold waft of air blows pass them the hair on his neck stands up  as he thinks .. '

 Mason Stanley nods almost frantically.  "Yes!  But not TOO long but curling like a real dog or wolf.  And yes.  We've been looking into laws a lot lately.  We want a computer for our birthday."  Hani balks o perming his hair. "So your DAD has the scruffy hair?  And why would't you fit in with long nails."  he narrows his eyes ad gives him an odd look.  "But I can understand your need to fit in with society." there is something in his tone that suggests the exact opposite of his words.

Mabel Stanley feels the air move, but it's an older house and she shrugs "Fitting in can cause less questions. Sometimes you just need a bird's eye view.....and the Internet....although an infrared sensor would be great too..."

 Haninozuka Wang nods  and snaps his finger 'i like the long nails .. thing .. nah .. he is just name wolf .. but its hard to perm my hair 'eh say soflty but I'm cool with the scragginess  cuz that doable withthe hipsters and stuff .. so i fit in .... he looks up in the air watching Angus sneak around then hide behind his chair . he bites his lip with his fanged canine trying not to laughs at a 100 year 10 year ghost afraid of a human girl .

Mason Stanley considers.  "Damn ... when we get our computer we need to lookup more on lyncanthropy.  They do't let me go online unsupervised at school and I got in trouble on my granddad's laptop ... if I can get on it next visit I'll do more research on it ... and traps."  he rolls his eyes.  "Perms are easy to do with a home kit.  Just like dying it is all.  If ya can dye it ya can perm it."  he looks at Hani and deadpans.  "You understand that if you come with psychosis my sister and I did not cause ourselves, our parents are not likely to hire you again, right?"  he asks.  "What are you supposed to be looking at?"

 Mabel Stanley looks at Mason "Told you we should come up with a waiver for new sitters." She glances at Hani "Yes what?"

Haninozuka Wang looks at you 'um .. a fly.. or a bee i thinks he say softly swatting the air as Angus sits on his head 'just something . supernatural maybe 'eh jokes but looks up serious. shaking his head and back down at the charges .. 'k your going think I'm batshit crazy but i have a 100 year old 10 year ghost on my head and he has a crush on Mabel. he say seriously .. 'and he left.. 'he rolls his eyes 'seriously I'm not making this up 'he say knowingly.

Mason Stanley shakes his head.  "Mom and Dad'll trust anyone.  It's almost cute."  he looks at Hani and then at his sister.  "Yup.  Insane.  But ... that beats overprotective, inattentive, accident prone and just plain stupid."  he slaps his knees and stands.  "I'd better go take my turn in the bath before bed.  See.  I'm being good.  Don't let Casper molest my sister.  You might even make it to three jobs."  he waves ad bolts up the stairs singing the Casper the Friendly Ghost song, but quietly.

Mabel Stanley rolls her eyes at her brother and says "Look Hani, if you're some sort of pervert, I take Judo. And don't say the word shit in front of my Dad....he will put a bar of soap right in your mouth and not the nice Christmas smelling stuff either." She clicks on the TV and starts to channel surf, keeping a wary eye on the ghost boy.

Haninozuka Wang exhales 'he wont .. hes scared of girls'he say softly .. he say as he stands to gather his lessons and brings them back to the chair 'not insane.. just have pesky spirits that like to yack at me cuz nobody else believe they exist 'he exhales 'aren't i the lucky one 'he muttering a bitter at . 'I'm not a perv.. that just wrong 'he shakes his head as he does his homework.

Hide and Go Tea - Kaitlin befriends Yuki

Kaitlin Reinhardt had ventured out several days after she visited Michael at work, and he took her to the Fish Shack for a very nice lunch.  Michael had to go back to work afterwards, and so Kaitlin had cut her visit short, feeling a little ... funny ... about being out on her own.

Of course she had been out on her own before.  Heinrich had not made her a prisoner.  But she had been very nervous and always went to where she was headed to do whatever chore she had and then quickly back home.  The streets were dangerous, her husband had insisted.

But now Heinrich was dead and she could move wherever she wanted, whenever she wanted.  In Alexandra, she had gone to the grocery and had not even been afraid when  the nice young police chief has offered to help her home with her bags.  Nor another time, when she'd gone on an adventure to the coffee house with the scandalous name Perkatory.  She'd spoken to a lovely black woman from Trinidad, who did not mind talking to her about black people.  Much of what Heinrich had told her had been so wrong, she found out.  And then, she had not been afraid when a young man named Gareth had walked her until she was almost back to John's house.

Now she was in Cedar Point with Michael.  Not as isolated as Alexandra, but ... her son was a police officer .. so she shouldn't be nervous about any of it.  But she was.  Soon she would be meeting Stephanie's family.  Her mother and father and maybe even the other brother, Garrett.  And before she did, she wanted to NOT embarrass Michael by asking the wrong questions about Asians.  Or embarrass herself either.

The nice man, Yuki, at the Fish Shack had been very kind.  She hoped she could speak to him and have him not get angry at her for being stupid.

But the shack was always very busy and going out after dark was still scary for her.  She had gone to look every day since Michael had taken her, but there were always so many people, she had chickened out and gone to quieter places to calm herself.  The only places she had not gone to were the sushi place and the Chinese place.

Now she stood beside the benches within site of the fish shack, looking at a morning crowd and wishing she could be braver, walk up and ask Yuki questions.

Yuki Tanaka was about to do something momentous and take a day off. He had been training a young man named Dane who could cover for him. Dane was proving to be absolutely great at the job. Yuki exited the shack and backed away joking with him "You sure you got this.....I've got my cell on me....don't burn the place down now or we'll have to cook outside like hobos...." He puts his phone in his back pocket and turned seeing Kaitlin standing by the benches. Yuki waved "Good Morning Kaitlin. Are you back for more halibut? Dane's figured it out, I promise. I'm off duty today."

Kaitlin jumped as if five spotlights had caught her in the act of spying.  "No!"  she exclaims and then makes herself relax.  "I was ... looking for you,"  she confesses.  "You're so kind.  I was hoping I could ask you some questions.  You see ...  I ... oh ...  I'm a bit foolish ... and I was hoping you could help me not to embarrass Michael when I meet Stephanie's family.  I would hate to mess things up."  already she is wringing her hands.

Yuki looks surprised by this at first but then seeing her so distraught he's overcome with kindness. Clearly this woman just loved her son to bits like he loved his own grown kids. Whatever it was, surely he could try to help. He gently puts a hand on her shoulder "I don't think you would, but if you need to talk about it, come for a cup of coffee with me? I was just heading to the Dandelion."

Kaitlin looks almost physically relieved at the news.  "Oh I might.  I'm not very smart."  she contradicts him and then quickly adds.  "I'm sorry."  his hand on her shoulder calms her a little.  "But Michael loves her and .. he hasn't had much happiness and ... yes.  Please.  Coffee.  I like the Dandelion.  So bright and cheerful."  she agrees.

Yuki looks saddened by her saying she's not very smart but doesn't quite know how to counter it so he just smiles and starts walking with her to coffee "So how do you like this town of ours so far?" The snow has melted into a perpetual state of bone chilling misty rain "We do eventually see the sun." He jokes.

Kaitlin can't quite figure out the sad look, but she smiles when he mentions the town and its weather.  "Oh, I DO like it here."  she admits.  "Michael has offered me his apartment to live in, and I might just take him up on it."  she looks up.  "Oh well ...  I am a little fair skinned.  Too much sun and I burst into flames almost."  she seems very carefree.  "Stephanie told me a little bout the town.  That's really how I learned about your place.  And you were so kind.  I should spend my time around kind people now that Heinrich is dead."  she seems to realize something.  "You don't mind, I hope?"

Yuki shakes his head and looks like he thinks he knows what she means "I'm sorry for your loss Kaitlin. I'm a widower too. It can be lonely and confusing at first. The mourning ....well it never stops...but it gets easier." He gestures to the crosswalk as he sees the cars clear "We're good now. So you don't mind the noise over that bar?" He asks with a little smile like he's trying to lighten the intensity. As they reach the door to the bakery, he opens it and holds it for her.

Kaitlin enjoys the short walk.  "Well, I am a little lonely and confused, but ....."  she crosses the street and sighs, looking at the bakery.  "I don't know if you know anything about Michael's father, but ... our mourning ... is a bit ... different .. than most."  she speaks carefully which, being married to Heinrich, she is an expert at.  She looks around at the brightly colored walls, clearly delighted with bright colors and Dandelion is probably the brightest place in town.

Yuki stands with her in the short line for coffee "No, just that he passed. Was he sick for a long time? Rei was sudden. I'm told that's supposed to be worse but I think watching her suffer over months would have killed me with her." They get shuffled to the front and he stops talking about it with a small gulp and then smiles at the clerk like he does with his own customers "Hi Tara. I'll take a latte and a blueberry muffin....and..." He looks at Kaitlin "I've got the lovely lady's order too." The teen girl looks towards Kaitlin with a friendly smile. It's a friendly town after all.

Katlin stands in line and nods at his story.  But she doesn't reply until she also orders.  "Oh thank you, Yuki.  A latte and ..."  she seems a little overwhelmed, even thought the selection isn't all that large.  "I'll just have what he'shaving."  and then she bites her lip.  "No."  she proclaims.  "I will have the strawberry granola muffin, instead."  she proclaims as if its a great step forward.  She smiles brightly at the girl and, when she gets her order is ready to sit.  "Heinrich got into an argument and then a heart attack, so yes.  It was very quick."  she looks down into her coffee.  "I ... try and be sad."  she murmurs to the steam.

Yuki looks sympathetically at Kaitlin as he settles in and stirs sugar into his cup. Poor woman's probably getting her words mixed up. Grief was horrible. He sighs at her and says encouragingly "You're doing amazing considering. A week or two in I just wanted to crawl inside a bottle of Saki and drown myself." He looks out the window "This place helps. Everyone looks out for each other here Kaitlin. You chose the right spot."

Kaitlin brightens again.  "Oh ... I went home, cleaned the house and put it on the market and went to tell my boys." she tells him.  "John thought I'd thrown Heinrich out.  That's been something the boys hoped for for years.  And Michael ... at first all he could do was laugh."  she sighs and blows on her coffee.  "But considering their relationship, I can't blame him.  But things DID get better once Michael became a police officer."  she smiles and looks out of the window.  "It IS wonderful here."  she agrees.

Yuki stops mid sip as his eyes go wide. Her story was clearly very different than what he'd been through and now his sympathy shifted to what she might have been through before the man died. She seemed so sweet. He frowned "It sounds like he wasn't very nice. I'm sorry you had to live that. So you have the two sons? Michael and John?"

Kaitlin had delivered her story with a matter-of-factness that may have even been alarming.  She sips her coffee and nods in agreement.  "That is ...less than right ... on a good day he was not very nice.  He was wonderful before we got married ... and then things changed."  she sighs.  "It was my life.  I had no choice but to live it."  Yuki mentioning her sons causes Kaitlin to brighten.  "Yes.  John was first.  And then a dozen years later ... Michael!"  she giggles.  "A real Christmas surprise."  she carefully removed the muffin top from the bottom, then divides the bottom into four pieces.  "Were you happy with your wife?  I mean ... it seems like you were.  She must have been a much better wife than I was, but I don't thin that's very hard."  again she is very matter of fact, but cheerful, as if simply stating facts like her son is tall and she is short.

Yuki listened looking sad for her again, for different reasons. He smiles knowingly about her gushing about her kids and then nods ruefully "Yeah, Rei and I were very happy...." He frowns again and then counters her negative self talk "Kaitlin, just because he was unkind, doesn't mean you deserved any of it. I'm sure you were a wonderful wife. He just wasn't a good husband, or a good person."

Kaitlin smiles and then considers.  "You know, my boys always said that, too.  But ... I was very young when I got married and ... everything I learned, I learned from Heinrich."  she eats some of her muffin and swallows.  "He ... kept me very close to him.  But now ...  I am learning that not everything he told me was right."  she sips her coffee and looks at him.  "Did you know not every person of African descent knows voodoo?" she asks, amazed.  "I didn't know that until I talked to this darling Trinidad girl in Alexandra, where John lives."  she sighs.  "See, that is why I wanted to talk to you ... not about Trinidad people but about Japanese people.  I'm afraid Heinrich let his hate ... well ..  I don't think I know as much about the Japanese as I thought I did."  she admits with a sigh.  No wonder she feels like an idiot.  It was like she'd learned from a haters point of view and knew almost no truths.

Yuki smiles at her and then has to give a little chuckle about the voodoo. He doesn't do it in a condescending way, but more in spite of the situation. He nods after with a sigh "So he was a racist too? Shit.....well what did he tell you about the Japanese? We're all spies...we're here to take your jobs?" He grins impishly to show he's facing it with humour and open to talking about it. He eats part of his blueberry muffin while he waits for her to reply.

Kaitlin nods, slowly.  "Yes.  But .. well you remember when I mentioned Mako?  Like ...  I loved him in M*A*S*H, but I never knew what kind of Asian he was?"  she says it as if Asians are like ice cream and come in many flavors.  "Now it was the Vietnam was, but he played others too.  But clearly you don't all look alike.  What kind of Asian was Mako?"  she covers her mouth actually listening to herself.  "See."  she blinks and looks sad.  "I can't embarrass Michael like this."

Yuki smirks and pats her on the back "It's OK Kaitlin. I've got a great answer for you about Mako. He was the best kind of Asian, he was Japanese." He snorts a bit "Don't say the first part in front of the Chen's though. They're Chinese. I think it would be more offensive if you didn't want to figure it all out. Do you have a computer? You could do some research if it makes you feel better. There are some common ties between Chinese, Japanese and Korean history, but then of course like every other place there were wars. I never finished high school so I'm not the smartest guy to ask about it all but I've read a few books and I listened when my parents told me and when Rei told it all to our kids. She knew a lot more because she went on to university. My Dad was a fisherman so it wasn't really an option. I just had to get off my ass and work as soon as I could. My father didn't trust white people after the interment camps. That part I get because it was horrible, but it was ALL white people. You probably met Nick, Michael's boss? He and Hiroshi and I grew up together s best friends. Hell we still are. We got in a lot of trouble together when we were young guys and my Dad always assumed it was Nick's fault. Token white guy..." He laughs "No offence. Nick took a fair bit of telling off from my Dad and never spoke back with anything but politeness so eventually my Dad softened on him and they got along. "He still called him the Token white guy until he died though."

Kaitlin nods and even smiles at the reply.  "Michael and John got me a laptop.  AND a phone that seems to do the same things the laptop does but it makes calls too."  for her this is the height of technology.  "I want to high school and graduated.  Then became a secretary.  Of course, I stopped when I got married."  she smiles a bit about the whole token white thing.  "I like Nick.  And I am not a token white guy so I am not offended."  she giggles.  "I asked Heinrich why he married me once.  And he told me it was because I was a nice demure Irish woman who wouldn't argue with him because I knew he knew better than I did."  she sighs.  "But my mother was also a housewife and ... the whole thing was about getting me a husband.  Now I don't know how to do very much, but I am determined to learn."  she nods.  "Oh and I think its wonderful you being friends with white people.  Some are awful.  Heinrich was hoping that once that Trump man got rid of the Muslims and Mexicans ... well ... he had a list and hopes it would all filter up here."  she blows out a breath.  "These last weeks, I have been feeling .. like I am floating.  Like ....  like if you took one of those boats and cut its lines ... I'm not tied up anymore ..but I don't know how to be ... Kaitlin."  she blows out a breath.  "I wish I could make myself understood."

Yuki looks thoughtful "I've never been in your situation but I can imagine how confusing it would be. And I think we all do what we think is expected of us and learn later, for better or worse. I mean I made my parents happy by marrying a woman who was descended from Japanese parents too so there you go. Luckily I loved Rei but I know lots of Japanese people who married for a sense of duty...or even had an arranged marriage. We even gave our kids Japanese names to carry on traditions, Yoshi and Izumi. That's one Hiro and Sakura were more forward thinking with their kids. I mean not that there's anything wrong with carrying on names. And clearly your husband didn't know better and forgot to stereotype the Irish." He laughs "Are you all bad tempered alcoholics? You know I'm joking...." He takes a long sip of his latte and then unconscious pulls foam off his top lip with his bottom "You're all teched out and you're living in a very multicultural town. It won't take long. You can sail that boat Kaitlin, it doesn't have to drift."

Kaitlin nods.  "Well ..  I told you .. Heinrich wanted German names for the boys, but I thought Reinhardt was all the German they needed."  she huffs and then giggles.  "I don't get drunk, but I am a redhead.  I used to be fiery, but ..."  she offers a slightly shaky smile.  "When you are small and your husband is large ... I was more like a flying redhead when I'd try and protect the boys."  she knows she is bringing the conversation down so she tries to bring it back up.  "I like it here.  And I can go between here and Alexandra.  Maybe even ON a boat sometime.  Can you imagine ME?  Driving a BOAT?"

Yuki has to close his eyes at the thought of a large angry man hitting this sweet little lady. He didn't have a violent bone in his body himself and the idea was beyond abhorrent, double the horror in his mind that he would have hurt their children. He had never laid a land on either of his in anger and neither had his wife. Without even thinking he reaches out and takes Kaitlin's hand and squeezes it in his own after he opens his eyes, with a look of pure anguish. Realizing immediately after that he may be pushing a boundary with her he also lets go quickly after and then grins at her "Have you ever sailed? I could teach you. But it might not be wise to sail my boat quite that far. It's little and if the wake of the waves is big we might have to swim partway."

Kaitlin is very touched by the hand holding and in a way misses it when it goes away, because she'd not had a friend of any gender really for more than 40 years.  But she also notes the look in his eyes.  Her sons often had it, but then they would get angry at their father.  But she responds to the grin.  "Never."  she replies, happily.  "I've been on a ferry but ...OH!  If you could teach me, that would be wonderful.  Of course I would pay you for the lessons.  Your boat wouldn't reach Alexandra?  Oh, that's alright.  There's always the ferry."  she smiles.  "Is it one of those Japanese fishing boats?  They're so pretty."  she drops her jaw.  "Oh I did it again didn't I?" she anxiously picks at more of her muffin.

Yuki holds up his hands "I refuse to be paid for something I do as a hobby. If I was a better sailor I might charge you but I'm a self taught hack. I wish it was a pretty boat." He laughs "It's the ugliest one at the docks but it was free and it doesn't leak. So if you can stand to be seen in a junker, you're on. Can you swim?.....I mean just in case..." He asks sheepishly.

Kaitlin nods and seems to consider.  "Alright, but I insist on making ginger tea for our lessons so we don't get cold on the water.  Fair trade."  then she nods.  "I learned to about ten years ago.  Michael had gone off to collage and Heinrich said I was getting fat, so I learned to swim, which helped."  she is in good shape for her age.

Yuki nods about the ginger tea "Alright, tea I can accept." He shakes his head about her husband "Clearly he didn't learn the list of things you're never supposed to say to your wife. I can't imagine you were." He looks her over and up and down and then realizes what he's doing and blushes and laughs "Sorry....that wasn't OK either. This is why I have more male friends....."

Kaitlin smiles.  Fair trade, indeed.  She giggles a little.  "No, that was fun!  No other man ever looked at me before.  Besides you are my friend, right?" she finishes the bottom of her muffin and grins, happy to have a friend.

Yuki laughs at himself and nods "I'm glad you have a sense of humour about it. And yeah, I'd be honoured to be...... fellow sailor. Do you feel more ready to meet Hiro and Sakura? They also have a sense of humour so don't feel like you have to make a perfect impression. I mean your son fell through their patio window at Christmas..." He can't get through the sentence without laughing really hard but finally gets out "And they STILL want to meet you..."

Kaitlin nods.  "A bit yes."  Yuki continues and she can't help but laugh.  "Well, I won't go through their window.  That's unladylike."  she giggles.  "But some.  Yes.  I know Michael loves Stephanie and her son.  And if she knows about his father." she sighs.  "My sons deserve happiness and Michael is so late coming into his own ... I know it can't be perfect, but I want it as close as possible."  she considers and then happens upon another scary thought.  "I can't eat with those sticks!"  her eyes grow wide.

Yuki looks reassuring "We're actually all born in Canada Kaitlin, so we don't always use the sticks. I mean for traditional foods yes. If you go to the restaurant they'll offer them to you there especially. But last time I had dinner with Hiro and Sakura at their place, we made tacos." He grins "But I can give you some tips on chopsticks. It doesn't take long to get the hang of it."

Kaitlin looks fascinated.  "Tacos......"  as if she is trying to imagine someone eating them with 'those sticks'.  But he does reassure her.  "I can try."  she bites her lip.  I've never had Japanese food.  Mostly it was German or Irish ... burgers."  she makes air quotes.  "Normal food."  she blows out a breath.  "Whatever that means."  she eats a bit of her muffin top. and murmurs softly, although Yuki may hear you.  "Goddamn you, Heinrich Reinhardt."

Yuki realizes what a kept woman she's truly been. Sushi was almost fast food now. You could get it at food courts in malls and in the take out fridges at supermarkets. It was barely what you'd call ethnic anymore. He nods at her "Well that's another part of life you get to explore now, the food of other cultures. There's a lot of food in the world, a lot of good food. Have you had Chinese food? The Lucky in town's pretty good for Northern Chinese."

Kaitlin sighs, but also shakes her head.  "No.  Nothing like that.  It wasn't trusted.  Nothing .. foreign."  she looks at him, as if really seeing things.  "How can it not be ethnic if we'r not in Germany and Ireland and ... My goodness."  she covers her mouth.  "I'm like a little child."  she bites her lip.  "Thank you for being a friend.  I think I'm going to need one."  she smiles, a little anxiously.  "Is Chinese food good?  Oh I'm sure it is.  Whats the difference between Northern and Southern Chinese?"  she holds up a finger.  "More for me to research.  I haven't had much time, but my granddaughter and her friends suggested I look at that Your Tube place for videos of everything."

Yuki looks very patient about it all. It wasn't her fault after all from the sounds of it all. "Do you get married right out of your parents place? And yeah, Chinese food is pretty tasty I think. There's some variation in the dishes between the north and the south. I'm sure Ireland's the same way with stuff like that. The soy sauce is different than Japanese soy sauce, just a little too. You should walk around town and grab the take out menus. Most places deliver even, cept me because I don't drive..." He laughs "Don't even have a licence. We've got a bus station anyway that takes me to the sky train and all the city routes, sea bus..." He shrugs. "and YouTube....well you can get sucked in..." He grins.

Kaitlin blushes.  "Our town was very small.  I always thought if it as a fairy glen.  So the restaurants and pubs were all local fare.  When I graduated the high school, I got a job locally."  she sighs.  "But you're right.  I need to do that and experiment.  I've just been cooking for myself." she smiles.  "I don't drive, either!"  for her it is a pleasant common thread.  "After Heinrich died the hotel and hospital helped me get back home.  I took a cab back to the house and one of Heinrich's friends helped me get the house ready.  And then he helped me get to Alexandra.  He gave me very specific directions and I followed them and it worked."  she nods and corrects herself.  "YouTube.  Yes."  she pops in another piece of muffin top.  After she swallows she says.  "I feel like I just woke up."

Yuki smiles at her "It sounds like you did. Listen, I could give you my cell number...if you want that? You can call me with questions or if you need help with anything. I work most days but not everyday so that way you can track me down. But no pressure on that. It'll be good to meet Sakura too. She's a good person to befriend, not that Hiro isn't. He's the best of them, but if you want to chat with someone...you know...female too. Rei was her best friend growing up and Hiro was, and is one of mine, so we're almost family. You don't have to be self conscious around them. They're really nice people Kaitlin. Your son made a good choice falling for Steph." He pulls out his phone, ready to exchange info with her if she wishes for that.

Kaitlin nods and begins searching her purse.  "Please.  Michael says text so if he is busy I don't interrupt him.  And I know you're busy so yes ...  same for you I would imagine."  she fins her phone.  "I do feel much better about it.  I am hoping Michael just ... out and told them how hard it's been for me.  He doesn't like to talk about his father ... maybe even to help me."


Yuki opens up his contact and thinks and then says "Do you want me to tell them in case he doesn't? Steph might have already. It's a close family." He watches her for when she's ready to type his info and will take hers too if she offers.

Kaitlin looks very relieved.  "Oh yes please."  she nods.  "And .... my number is ... oh .. here it is ..."  she gets ready to exchange.

Yuki trades info with her and then slides his phone back in his pocket "I'm glad you came to ask me questions. And there are no dumb questions OK? You got a bum deal is all. But it's going to get better."

Kaitlin smiles.  "So am I, Yuki.  Thank you." she nods at being told there no dumb questions.  "I hope so.  I really hope so.  My boys are very patient with me ... but they often get mad at Heinrich, which makes sense.  I know I was isolated.  And they couldn't help me.  But I'm free now ... and I have to learn to take care of myself."

Exploring Freedom - Kaitlin, Micheal, the CPPD and Yuki

Kaitlin Reinhardt had been living in her youngest sons apartment for most of the weekend now. Michael had given up his bedroom for her and the night he DID spend, he slept on his couch. She was just beginning to get comfortable and Michael had promised her that if she wanted, she could simply live here. In her turn she promised him freedom of movement. He could have the whole apartment to himself, if he and Stephanie needed a night alone.

Soon she knew that she would meet this young Tristan, but she wanted to give Michael a chance to get settled into Stephanie's family. That time would come soon enough.

A few days of cleaning ... and cleaning again and Kaitlin was forced to admit that she was actually bored. That it was time for her to leave Michael's apartment ... her apartment ... and get to know the town of Cedar Point.

While she got herself ready, she considered the places she would like to visit. Of course, Michael's partner, his girlfriend and their new baby lived only across the hallway, but she knew how hectic life with a new baby could be. That introduction could wait.

But she wanted to see where Michael worked. And she wanted to visit Sakura Sushi ... but that visit might wait until she was with Michael. After all, that was Stephanie's family an she did not want to impose in her sons lives. Perhaps that fish shack would be a good place for a light meal, even in the January cold. Cold weather never bothered her.

Slipping into her coat, she carefully left the apartment then closed and locked the door behind her. Michael had even given her a set of keys! At the head of the stairs, she heard the new baby crying and a very pretty voice singing to comfort. By the time she reached the bottom of the stairs, the baby was quiet. So a good mother, Kaitlin was pleased to hear.

Moving around the gas station, she approached the Cedar Point Police Department, pushed open the door and walked inside.

Angie is on the phone at the front and sees the small older woman come in. She gives her a smile and a nod to let her know she's seen her and will be with her soon. In the meantime she replies to the called "Mmmhmm. You're gonna have to fill out a form for that Sir.......you can do it on the website......Well it's 3-5 business days but if you don't want to wait you can come down in person." She inhales as her caller seems to refute the idea and her nostrils flare. "That IS the PROCEDURE Sir." She taps her pen on the edge of her keyboard and looks like she's really working to be patient "Alright, you think about it. Have a good day now." She hangs up the phone and forces a smile at Kaitlin, like she's the next citizen to serve "Hello. What can we do for you today Ma'am?"

Ryan is quietly typing in the cubical he and Micheal share and is vaguely away of the conversation outside of his box. He keeps looking at a picture on his phone is India and Jayla, positively pining over being away from them so soon. As a result, his work is slow and distracted, not to mention the broken sleep of a new baby.

Nick is in the holding cell area berating Cody who's complaining about being on clean up duty again. The door to the holding cell area is open so the conversation can be heard in the main room of the station.

"Don't we have a service that comes in every week?" Cody whines.

Nick snarls at him "Yeah but if some wackjob takes a piss on the floor in between we can't just let it fester. When you miss the bowl at home, do you just leave it Nault?"

Cody looks defensive and answer too slowly "Uh......no."

"Jesus fucking Christ, I'm sorry I asked. Mop.....I'll be in my office." He shakes his head and walks away, his office door closing.

Tamela is at the photocopy machine and trying not to laugh as she prints of a series of fliers for one of her outreach programs. She glances over at the short woman Angie is about to help and smiles at her awkwardly. What a conversation to be overheard.

Kaitlin smiles her sweet smile. "Hello, dear." she says to the dark woman at the phones when she is free. "I would like to meet the people my son works with. Even his boss, if that is at all possible."

Michael is beside Ryan, sort of covering for him since he seems to be in some kind of new father Twilight Zone. He hears the voice and murmurs. "Oh shit." and stands just as his mother is starting to ask to meet Nick Callahan himself. "Mom!" he calls over and moves to stand beside Angie. "Um ..." he blushes a little bit. "Ange ... this is my mother. Kaitlin Reinhardt." he looks at his mother. "I'm not sure now's a good time, mom." he looks a little like a 7 year old whose mother has come in demanding to see the principal.

Kaitlin looks mildly at her son. "I wanted to meet the people that work with you, Michael. And I thought getting arrested might not be the best way to do that. But I can come back." she suddenly puts a hand to her chest and gasps. "I didn't bring anything. I should have brought cookies, at least."

Angie looks delighted by all this and reaches to shake Kaitlin's hand "Now's a great time! Don't worry about the cookies. I already overfeed this crew. Mrs. Reinhardt, it's wonderful to meet you." She takes in Kaitlin's size and looks back at Michael "They always come out bigger than us eh? My two boys are like giants to me now."

Ryan hears Mike's reaction and notes his fast exit from the cubicle. He listens in and then stands up, grinning and walks around "Hi Mike's Mom! I'm Ryan."

Tamela was about to walk back to her desk and turns back around "No way! I thought Reinhardt was hatched from some sort of mutant pod in an Irish bog. Nice to meet you Ma'am. I'm Tamela. I'll go get Nick....don't take her near the cell blocks Reinhardt, it still stinks pretty bad in there."

Cody peers out the door "No, I cleaned it. Duh....Hi Mrs. Reinhardt. I'm Cody, Cody Nault. Constable Nault actually."

Tamela pushes past him in the doorway with a bump "Code Nault..." she mutters at him, causing him to tense up before she knocks on Nick's door.

Kaitlin looks delighted at them all. She shakes Angie's hand. "Yes they do. To look at them when they grow up, you are glad they start out small." she looks delighted. "Oh, you have two boys too. Congratulations and condolences." she beams at Ryan. "You are the partner." she tells him, as if he might not know. "I heard your wee one as I was leaving. And the mother singing. Oh my she has a wonderful voice .. well they BOTH do." she looks at Tamela as she passes by. "No, no pods. It is hard to say where he gets his size. I like to think it was my brother more than his father." she is distracted by Cody. "Well hello, Constable Nault Actually. What an odd name." but her eyes, just like her sons, twinkle with mischief.

Michael stands back and watches his co-workers, but especially his mother. He's not seen her in a social situation before. She had this freedom now and he hopes this is her real personality .. happy and outgoing.

Angie chuckles and steps back from the shake, going back behind the counter "Mmmhmm." She gives Michael a look to suggest she thinks his mom is as sweet as pie.

Ryan looks wistfully at Kaitlin as she reports that she heard Jayla and India singing to Jayla and admits "It's REALLY hard to leave them and come here...." He sighs "They're both my world."

Tamela can be heard speaking quietly to Nick as the door opens to his office but neither of their words are loud enough to be clear until Nick says "Reinhardt's mother? Excellent.....I'll go out the other door and meet her." Tamela returns and grins at Kaitlin, coming to stand beside Angie.

Cody looks like he doesn't quite get the joke "No it's not actually...i mean not part of my name...actually isn't" He looks like he really need to correct this small lady and be right.

Angie and Tamela turn int towards each other and start giggling. Ryan face palms.

The other door to Nick's office opens and he walks out with a big grin "Mrs. Reinhardt. It's my absolute pleasure you meet you." He approaches with a hand out for a shake but gently places his other hand on her nearby shoulder. He towers over her and his blue eyes twinkle.

Kaitlin smiles at Angie and then looks at Ryan, curiously. "Oh, that's so sweet." she sounds a little wistful. "But your only here. If she needs you she can almost open the window and call you." she moves to him and pats his arm. Then she looks at Cody. "Oh aren't you a pudding." she says in a perfectly darling voice. Then she turns towards the Chief and she takes his hand as he takes hers. "Oh, it is so good to meet you." she cranes her neck, but she is used to that. "I've been so interested in meeting you. But I ... well .. I couldn't come to see Michael's life in this town. We .. couldn't be as close as I wanted after he grew up." she is still smiling. She pats Nick's hand. "I promise not to be a bother." she announces. "I am very law abiding."

Michael grins at Angie. He feels the same way about his mother More so now. He coughs when she calls Cody a pudding ... an idiot. She didn't like him on sight. So his mother was smart, as he'd always suspected. He can only choke his laugh into a cough. Then his mother speaks to his boss ... the Chief. "Well, things are different now, Mom." his voice is a little rough. "She's only just checking up on me." he chuckles at her comment about being law abiding. To a fault.

As decent caring cops, invested in the well being of people and families, most of the station was picking up on what both Kaitlin and Michael were saying, by their not saying it. Angie pursed her lips and closed her eyes for a second and then looked compassionately between Michael and his mother and gave an encouraging smile before the phone rang and she answered it, turning her head with it so she was not speaking into the ongoing conversation "Cedar Point Police......ok... Miss......just stay where you are......no no...stay on the line please....but give me your address...." She grabbed a pen and madly wrote and then held the phone to her chest and thrust it at Tamela, who was closest "Home invasion in progress.....there's a woman on the second floor bathroom....she thinks it's two assailants...." She gestures to the phone.

Tamela had been looking sadly between Micheal and his mother two but snapped into gear immediately "Nault, with me. I'm driving."

Cody hadn't picked up on what was unspoken and had been grinning stupidly about being called pudding. He frowns at Tamela "Why can't I drive?"

"Because I said so Pudding. Come on!" And they were off.

Angie looked behind her and caught the eye of two more officers who had been listening in from a far and pointed between them and at the back door to the cars. They followed on the heels of Douglas and Nault as the sirens of two squad cars blared and hit the streets.

Ryan looked edgy "Do you think they need backup?" He had some clue about Michael's past but having heard hints from Kaitlin too he processed the confirmation.

Angie was still on the phone speaking soothingly to a frightened woman trapped in her home "Just stay quiet and breathe honey. Listen to my voice. Two officers are on their way.....just stay where you are. You're safe. Help is coming." She multitasks and keys in the address in the computer as she talks.

Callahan had caught the hints too but didn't make it look like he was dwelling. He was laughing about the fact that Kaitlin was assuring him she was law abiding when the call came in and his focus sharpened on the situation. He pats Kaitlin on the shoulder and lets go of her hand, looking at the computer and shaking his head, coming back "It's close by. I'll stay ready to go in but Douglas can handle it." Oddly he doesn't mention Cody at all. He looks between the three still standing there and smiles "Reinhardt, Yamada, go for lunch. We're ok here. Yamada....go home and kiss that baby of yours for me, and give my best to the mama. Reinhardt, take your beautiful clever mother out to lunch will ya? Go see Yuki. He just picked up halibut this morning. Dismissed."

There were of course still a few other cops who worked in the building who had smiled and watched the whole interaction with Officer Reinhardt, his mother, their chief and the officers closest to Michael so it wasn't like Callahan wouldn't have anyone else to call in to assist on the home invasion.

Katilin is looking at her son, softly when things start hopping. She backs up, almost skipping a little. "I'm in the way, I'm in the way." she murmurs to herself.

Michael stiffens very slightly, but relaxes as the job is doled out. He moves towards his mother. "You're fine, Mom. Trust me." he looks at Nick and nods. "Yes, sir." he pats his mom on the shoulder. "You'll love the fish, Mom. Let me take you out to lunch."

Kaitlin watches with wide eyes. "You're sure I'm not in the way?" she sounds concerned, as if she's walked into a shoot out in progress in the building. Then she nods and smiles at Chief Callahan. "Thank you, Chief. And the rest of you." she raises her voice to whoever in in range of her hearing. "Alright, Michael. Not no too long. You still have a job to do, honey."

Michael chuckles and leads her out of the door. "Hey, Ryan. Kiss India and Jayla for me, too. And if you have time, we'll be over having lunch." and he leads Kaitlin away.

Yuki Tanaka is whistling to himself as he washes some more halibut and preps it in the batter mix before dropping it into a fry basket for a couple of cannery workers on their break. In the other fryer he drops in the chips to go with it. The cannery employees are are settled into a table outside, knowing the tasty lunch is in the works. He washes his hands at the sink with his back to the order window. There's a little ring for service bell at the window.

Kaitlin watches the excitement, but also watches Ryan jogging to the apartment building. "Oh, look at him." she all but croons. "Such a loving father. Was he there when the baby was born?"

Michael walks with her towards the fish shack. "Yup. They woke up at three and had the baby at home." he tells her.

Kaitlin's eyes widen. "They didn't make it to the hospital in time?" she looks belatedly worried.

"No, mom, they planned it that way." Michael explains.

"Goodness ... and he wanted to be there?" she sighs as she is guided around a corner. "That is so sweet."

Michael chuckles and rings the bell, seeing a small crowd from the cannery's lunch hour. "I guess some fathers want that."

Yuki calls back "Be right with you!" as he rinses his hands and reaches for a paper towel. He's still drying as he walks up and then tosses it in the bin by the front as he looks through the window and beams at Michael "Crash! You can't fit through my windows!" He exclaims and then looks at the woman beside him who's very close to his height. "Who's your date?" He says with a charming but impish grin.

Michael laughs and groans. "I paid for that window!" he mock protests. He looks at his mother. "Not my date. You know I'm taken. No blackmail material for you." he rests his hand on his mother's shoulder. "This is my mother. Kaitlin Reinhardt. She's living in my place for a bit. Hoping she'll take it over from me."

Kaitlin arches a brow at the odd nickname and then looks enlightened. "You got drunk and fell through another window, didn't you." she giggles a little and looks at the man in the little shack. "A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Yuki."

Yuki wiggles his eyebrows at Micheal and laughs and then sticks out a hand to Kaitlin to shake. His hands are compact like he is with stubby little fingers "You don't look old enough to be his mother. And how many windows are we talking here? Geez...and it's just Yuki." He looks dramatic "Like Cher.....or Sting.....but shorter..." he laughs at himself and then asks Michael "So you want some fish then?"

Michael snorts a laugh. "Only a ... couple ... I mean .. this year only the one .. and it was my birthday." he makes excuse. Then he looks a little sarcastic. "At the fish shack? No, man I was thinking steak and eggs? Maybe a burger?"

Kaitlin blushes a little. "Oh, I am." she accepts the compliment and then looks at Michael again. "Please tell me you didn't sing like Ulick does." she pffts. "Oh, just Yuki. Like Mako, even?" she offers. "I remember him from television.." then she playfully hits Michael in the arm. "Hush." and looks back at Yuki. "Two fish and chips, please. The halibut is very good, Chief Callahan told me you just got some in."

Yuki laughs at Michael and then throws up his hands about the steak and eggs before redirecting the hands to gesture at Kaitlin "Listen to your mother Crash." He drops one hand to his side and puts a hand over his heart "Mako. He was one of the greats." He puts a finger to his nose and then points at Kaitlin "Halibut is always the right choice. Nick sent you. Good boy...grab a table you two. There's one ahead of you. Drinks? I'll bring it all out, pay after."

Michael smirks. "I look stupid enough not to listen to my Mom?" he asks and then holds up a hand. "Never mind. Forget I asked." he takes Kaitlin's hand. "You warm enough? Maybe you need my coat ... and coffee?"

Kaitlin smiles. "Oh, he was ...." she says about Mako and looks at Michael and giggles. "And get you sick again?" she snorts. "I'm fine with my red hair to keep me warm and fish and chips too. But the coffee sounds wonderful or .. if you have ginger, two ginger teas?" she asks.

Yuki looks wryly at Micheal but then grins at Kaitlin "I don't carry ginger tea, but I have some in the kitchen so I can make that. No charge...cause it's not on the menu." He gives them a nod and turns around to deal with pulling the fry baskets up for the other order ahead of them.

Michael smiles. "Thanks, man." he tugs at Kaitlin's arm and leads her to a table .. the empty places near the door and a little out of the wind.

Kaitlin smiles brightly. "Oh ... yes ..." she breathes. She moves with Michael. "That's how I make MY ginger tea. Remember?"

Michael nods. "Yea. I remember. Sipping ginger tea when I was sick or really cold and chewing on the pieces." he smiles to himself. "Some of my best winter memories."

Yuki arranges the other order into baskets and brings it out to the cannery workers table with some banter and chuckling all around. The words can't be made out since they're slightly farther away but you can see Yuki hamming it up and talking with his hands before sauntering back in the side door and peeling some ginger to set to boil while he makes Michael and Kaitlin's order. While it cooks a few more customers walk up to the window and place orders too and the place is just cheerful and hopping. The rush doesn't seem to phase Yuki at all and he's clearly totally on top of his game. He pops back out with the tea and sets a cup in front of each of them "The rest is coming in a jiffy." He promises and disappears again.

Kaitlin smiles at her sons words and, when their tea is brought out looks into the cup and almost squeals in delight. "Ginger pieces!" she watches the stem rise in the cold and sighs deeply in bliss.

Michael looks into his own cup with a smile. "Yuki's the best." he tells her and watches his mother through the steam. "Are you sure you don't want my jacket?"

Kaitlin giggles. "Michael Nioclas Reinhardt." she chides. "I am NOT 6 years old. I'll be fine. Drink your tea."

Yuki heard the chiding of a mother to a son when he was almost back in the door and laughed. It was always that middle name thing. He dropped two more baskets down to fry and then picked up the food in take out baskets for the Reinhardt's. There was already ketchup and malt vinegar on the table. He set Kaitlin's in front of her first "For the lovely lady..." He said with a wink at her. It wasn't a lecherous wink but a cute little man wink. When he set Michael's down he teased him "Michael Nicholas Reinhardt AKA Crash.....does Nick know your middle name?"

Michael smiles as food is given to his mom first and then groans. "OK, first of all." he holds up one finger. "It's Nioclas. N-i-o-c-l-a-s. The Irish variant. And TWO." he levels a second finger. "Probably, but we do not speak of it." he chuckles and looks a little embarrassed.

Kaitlin goggles a little at the wink. She's never seen such a thing and is flattered. Then the whole middle name comes up and she laughs. "Michael is my Christmas Angel." She tells Yuki. "His father wanted the boys to have German middle names, but I ... well he wasn't around to correct their birth certificates and so .... I did what I wanted." she says boldly and then blushes and looks at the steaming food, a little embarrassed herself.

Michael groans as he hears 'Christmas Angel'. He wouldn't live this down in three lifetimes!

Yuki looks like a cat who's swallowed a canary at the revelation of Christmas angel and puts his hands in prayer position "So angelic he can fly...through glass...and land....on his ass..." He slaps his leg laughing now and it ends it a snort "Oh let me know if you need anything else. I gotta tell Hiro and Sakura that one though Crash. Thank you Kaitlin" Clearly, drinking once with Yuki makes you an instant friend.

Kaitlin giggles and reaches over to tousle her sons hair as if he were 6. "I will. Thank you so much, Yuki." she takes her hand back and sips her tea. "You know so many nice people, Michael." she takes the vinegar and gently drizzles it on the fish and chips, taking a bite. "Mmm .. and he is a good cook."

Michael lifts his head after his hair is tousled. "You do understand, Mom." he intones, reaching for the vinegar in his turn. "That I may well be ruined in this town." he huffs and eats a bite. "My only saving grace is I told Stephanie that story. In PRIVATE. So I could stand the giggling." he rolls his eyes.

Yuki hears Kaitlin's compliment and his cheeks go a little pink "Oh gee thanks. I just slap it all in batter and fry it up..." He says chuckling. He gives Michael a little point as he walks away "Try not to fly off eh." He slips back in through the side door and works his fish fray magic some more. Happy customers walks away with beautiful food and laughter can be overheard as they interact with Yuki.

Kaitlin giggles again as she eats. Sipping her tea, she looks at Michael doing the same. "Michael." she pauses a moment between filets. "I am ... happy." she confesses. "This place .. it is healing."

Michael pauses after his first filet. "Yea, Mom. It is a healing place." he looks around a little bit but his eyes go back to his mother. "You're gonna heal. John will too and so will I ... and we had a head start on healing long before you did. Now ..." he shrugs and picks up another filet. "We can all heal together." he grins.

RP Night at the Black Hole Jan 21st - Micheal and Vaughn

Vaughn Baker settles in at the Black Hole takes a beer from Molly the bartender when she passes it to him "Thanks. And yeah thankfully a quiet week at the fire hall.....I guess the only fires are in politics right now eh?"

Michael Reinhardt walks in, pays the cover and heads for the bar. "Hey, Molly. Let me have ..." he considers. "Coffee." he orders. She looks at him, slightly bemused and turns to get it. Michael claps Vaughn on the shoulder. Hey man, fancy meeting you here."

Vaughn Baker smirks "Yeah it's a really far walk for both of us, I know."

Michael Reinhardt chuckles. "Well, I am coming from the OTHER home." he points up ad takes his coffee. "My mom is upstairs. Making her new bed and cleaning. The place was't dirty, but this is what my mother does, so I decided ... I needed a break before she decides I need dusting."

Vaughn Baker laughs "Oh one of those. Charlene's mom is like that. Drives her nuts but it all comes from a good place. How's she settling in anyway?"

Michael Reinhardt smiles and sips. "She's doing better. I know she is trying to tell herself that it is still MY place. April adores her. I think I'm going to get a Dear Michael letter from my cat." he laughs.

Vaughn Baker almost spits out his next sip and then wipes at his face with the back of his arm "In paw print font." He jokes.

Michael Reinhardt snorts. "Probably. We've been sort of arguing. I told Stephanie not to expect me home tonight, but Mom says she can be alone." he huffs. "After all, she has April the guard cat."

Vaughn Baker considers this "Well giver her a bit of time to change her mind. I'm sure the kids are off having a blast. Juliana was talking non stop this morning about going to a nighttime party. I mean not that she knows yet..." He snickers "Over the supper hour is night."

Michael Reinhardt chuckles. "Hey that sounds like the same party Tristan is going to. David Kapoor?" he grins. "I'll let her be alone but I'm gonna make her work for it, dammit!" he protests. "If it had been a NIGHTTIME party, I wold have gone to get Mom TOMORROW morning instead of THIS morning. You know how it is ... if the kids away, the mom can play."

Vaughn Baker nods "David yeah, roller skating. God it's like the 80s and 90s again." Vaughn groans "Tell me about it. But we have three, good luck getting alone time ever. I swear they have time release alarms...."

Michael Reinhardt nods. "That's him. Maybe roller skating is coming back in style?" he wonders. "And yea. I know about that My brother somehow managed to have 4 kids. They're 18, 16, 14 and 13 and my niece JUST had her 16th birthday .... Irish twins ..or maybe triplets. So guess who got to occasionally come take the kids to spend the night at a bachelor pad for the occasional night ... before my sister-inlaw decided that she might get pregnant again .... man hat almost broke them up."

Vaughn Baker frowns "Glad they worked it out. I know you're coming in on the older kid end but kids can change stuff, in ways you don't expect. And I thought Char was going to snip me herself after Jules. God her labours were brutal."

Michael Reinhardt nods. "Yea. Tristan's a really good kid. I'm lucky.But my brother was feeling lucky until his youngest hit HIS teens." he shakes his head. "But I don't know much about labor. I mean, I got called when Colleen .. my sister-in-law went into labor so someone could take care of the kids when she had Shay, and ... she seemed to be fine, but .. hell Ryan's girlfriend had their baby yesterday and apparently it only took a couple hours."

Vaughn Baker laughs "Oh they had the baby? Tell him congrats, and her too of course. I won't tell Char about that couple of hours...what'd they have anyway? And what's the name?"

Michael Reinhardt laughs. "Char'd hate India, eh? I can see that." he sips his coffee again. "She is named Jayla Sakura Yamada-Tor. They hyphenated her last name. I thought that was kinda neat."

Vaughn Baker's eyes go wide as he sips "Did you say Jayla Sakura...like Aayla Secura? That fuckin rocks....do you know your Jedi? I've been watching all the extended stuff with my kids. You see more of the Jedi......but cool on the hyphen too."

Michael Reinhardt snorts. "I know, I know .. not my Jedi but my partner. May the child not become a Sith?"he smirks. "I am not enough of a geek for yo people."


Vaughn Baker shakes his head "Not a sith...just super kick ass." He does his best Darth Vader "I find your lack of geek disturbing."

Michael Reinhardt snorts. "Would YOU want a child who could kick your ass for sending them to bed when they didn't want to?"he demands. "Oh God ... I play halo like a champ, if that counts. And I know it doesn't." he laughs.

Vaughn Baker laughs "Good game, but no. Thankfully we all like Star Wars. So when the younglings try to come out of their rooms for a third glass of water I pretend to use the force and they comply...or at least wait until my back is turned."

Michael Reinhardt laughs. "I am SO lacking. But Tristan is teaching me to play Minecraft. That gt him so excited .. he was jumping up and down when he got those burns."

Vaughn Baker sets his beer bottle down and refuses a second beer with a gesture "Ah cool. We have a server we can invite you guys to. It's a fun way to hang out with your kids Michael...or kid in your case."

Michael Reinhardt smiles and sips his coffee. "Thanks, man. Right ow I think I am safe in saying I officially suck, but he's hanging in there with me. I am taking it as a good sign. He's not told Stephanie to dump me and find a man with some kind of TALENT."

Vaughn Baker laughs "Aw common don't be so hard on yourself. You guys looked pretty close when I fixed up his foot. I hope he's healed for roller skating by the way?"

Michael Reinhardt nods. "Oh he's fine. I already knew he was accident prone." he sighs. "I ... well .. I really like that kid, Vaughn."

Vaughn Baker just smiles "And the woman? So what's the hold up man? As they say....put a ring on it." He teases.

Michael Reinhardt nods. "I love her. I want to ask her to marry be but ... shit ... " he pauses. "We ... " he sighs deeply. "Part of it is fear of rejection. Shes my first woman ad ...." he sips his coffee, not really considering his words.

Vaughn Baker looks like he's going to say something and then hesitates and then inhales as he looks ready to finally just ask "So....were you a virgin...or gay? I'd be much less weirded out by the second one to be perfectly frank...because how old are you?" He starts to chuckle.

 Michael Reinhardt snorts. "I turned 31 on Christmas." he admits. "And sort of both. I'd lived as a gay man until Steph ad BAM." he shrugs. "I had a fiance as a gay man but .. he died ... here .. in that earthquake in '11." he sighs. "I'd wanted Steph to be my beard and ... I honestly do't know what happened, but apparently she is that ONE woman."

Vaughn Baker looks totally floored "I never would have guessed...not that its bad at ALL, any of it. So who were you engaged to before? I lived in other places when i was playing ball but I did grow up here...and come back here..."

Michael Reinhardt chuckles. "Yea. I was DEEP in the closet. Harley Bell. He was an archivist here. I cane here to get closure .. ad I have ... but I still visit his grave. When he died I was all he had. No family. Nothing. And he'll always be special. Steph knows that."

Vaughn Baker nods with a look of dawning "I remember him....and he's in the same neighborhood in the cemetery as my family. I wondered who you were visiting...but you know....never wanna ask..."

Michael Reinhardt nods. "I understand. And appreciate it. It was so hard ofr me to come out. But ow ... it's hard for me to ask Steph to marry me. I mean .. what if Tristan is only being polite? But I'm thinking I need to go ring shopping ... without her, of course."

Vaughn Baker smiles supportively "I'm an ally. Even if you're with a woman now. My sister had just come out before she died...most people don't know that part." He ponders the rest "Does she want a ring? Char didn't...wanted us to both just have the band, just be equal in how we exchanged for all that. Ask before you shop maybe."

Michael Reinhardt looks at him. "If I ask .... then she'll know my intent." he sighs.

Vaughn Baker just laughs "Uh huh...isn't that kind of the point? I mean propose and then do rings if it's rings...." His phone dings and he looks at it and nods "Shit one of our trucks is stalled. I gotta go back...but think about it." He pulls out his wallet as he stands up and pays cash for his one beer.

Michael Reinhardt is about to protst when the phone dings. "Oh just .. GO!" and he finishes his coffee and heads back upstairs.

Casual RP January 19th - Michael, Ryan, Hani

Ryan Yamada looks Micheal over critically "You're healthy now right?"

Michael Reinhardt rolls his eyes. "Yes, Mom. I am. Thanks. I plan to bathe Aspirin in ammonia and bleach tonight JUST in case."

Ryan Yamada snorts "Perfect. Might fix some other stuff too. Which way are we walking the beat today?"

Michael Reinhardt laughs. "You KNOW I was joking, right?" he points towards the cemetery. "That way. AWAY from our building." he rolls his eyes again. "And the post office. AND the mayors office." he jokes.

Ryan Yamada stops, glancing at the Yamada ancestor's area on habit "God what a week! Do you think it's really Shirley Douglas boning that old crankpot?"

Michael Reinhardt shakes his head in some manner of disbelief. "I have NO idea, but hell. They're in their damn 80's. More power to em if they can." he glances towards the end of the cemetery. "You ever met him? That article makes him sound like Stalin and my Dad had a baby."

Ryan Yamada nods as he walks forward "Yeah he was a trip. Saw a few of us just starting shift and we didn't move fast enough so he asked if "we boys just suck the town's teat. Be a hell of an irony if he's doing it.....poor taste I know...."

Michael Reinhardt groans. "VERY bad taste. If I was the blackmailing type I'd tell Brate. But he'd probably just laugh." he stops a second and looks over at Harley's grave. He never really stopped visiting it so it is still well maintained, but his visits are much fewer than they were. And he's moving on ... moving in with Stephanie and Tristan.

Ryan Yamada grins and then sees where Michael is looking and nods, not asking but just acknowledging and then gesturing to the residential area "Galley and then a circle through the alley?"

Michael Reinhardt nods and looks in that direction. "Yup." he starts moving. "Hey. My mom is coming on Saturday. And with me moving in with Steph ... I was thinking she could live there. She's got this thing about not being a burden on me and John, but also having no home. So that works out." he grins. "So you have another emergency babysitter when .. what are you naming the kid again? And whose last name is she gonna have ... probably India's huh? You guys aren't married." he doesn't sound disapproving just concerned.

Ryan Yamada listens and then says "Your Mom? That's good right?" He laughs "Jayla Sakura.....Like Ayla Sakura? The Jedi...." He looks thoughtful "You know when didn't talk about the last names. I'm really fine with whatever she wants though." He walks forward towards the school.

Michael Reinhardt nods. "Yea. This way she doesn't have to sleep on my couch and feel like she's a visitor. Even bought her a new mattress because I can't afford the therapy involved in her sleeping on the mattress me and ..." he stops. No need making Ryan think about it, either. "Jayla the Jedi. Wow, nicknames to use before the kid is even here." he teases. He pauses a moment. "You COULD always marry her." he suggests. "See, that way I could ..." and again he cuts himself off.

Ryan Yamada is nodding along and then tenses up about the mattress reference "Ah.....don't just don't....." He shakes it off and thinks about the marriage suggestion "It's crossed my mind and who knows right, wrong order by some people's view but..." He looks quizzical "You could what Mike?" He walks around by the school and then takes the crosswalk to set a good example and heads for the lane.

 Michael Reinhardt chuckles and moves with his partner. "And she's probably got lawyers and pre-nups and shit like that, too." he pauses ad waits until they are across the street. "I was thinking ... of asking Stephanie to maybe ... I don't know ... it's too soon to ask her to marry me." he both tells and reverses himself like a sap.

Ryan Yamada's eyes widen and then he looks really into the idea and smacks Mike on the arm with the back of his hand "You should man. She'd say yes, I'm sure of it. I won't say anything though if you have some big ...plan. I don't think Indy would hit me with a prenup. I told her right off I'm not after her money....just her body..." he laughs "Course then I knocked her up so there ya go." He walks down the lane seeing a few kids run off from a garbage bin and opens it cautiously, pulling out 3 fire crackers "Shit...." The kids had scattered so fast and in all directions so they'd never be caught, at least not this time.

Michael Reinhardt shrugs. "Don't say anything about it. I'm still working my way up to it. And there's Tristan to consider. He seems to like me well enough. He hasn't burned any of my clothes AND forgave that whole burning ... thing....." he laughs at the pre-nup thing too. "Babies DO last longer than marriages." he looks at the firecrackers. "Are they lit?" he peers at them. "Man these kids ...."

Ryan Yamada shakes his head "Not yet.....brats. Tristan likes you though, like really likes you. It'll be cool."

Michael Reinhardt nods."He's a great kid. Little clumsy but ... he's patient. Teaching me Minecraft. Turns out ... I'm an idiot in that area." he laughs.


Ryan Yamada laughs "Minecraft? I actually kinda like it....you can fight zombies and shit....little square assed zombies. And jury's still out on that." He teases.

Michael Reinhardt snorts. "Yea... I know. I keep getting killed." he announces. "Now in Halo, I'm good. Minecraft I'm a blockhead. Get it? Blockhead." he waggles his eyebrows.

Ryan Yamada rolls his eyes "Blockhead indeed. You'll catch on..i mean kids do it right? Course Tris is a pretty smart little dude....alright let's walk down and around?"

Michael Reinhardt nods. "Hopefully before he gives up o me as a useless adult." he nods again. "Let's go."


Ryan Yamada chuckles "We can see city hall...think there's any press still sniffing around? God that Potter woman is a piece of work...."

Michael Reinhardt considers this. "I hope not ... they wouldn't go after India, would they? I mean is that woman ... ugh." he groans at the very idea.

Ryan Yamada shrugs the idea off "No, the shitty part of her life is behind her. I mean unless they want to get on her for having a bay out of wedlock which nowadays is more than half of people having kids right?" He walks down by the bakery "Coffee?"

 Michael Reinhardt agrees. "And I'd have to sic April on em. Then my mom can come visit me IN the jail. Assault with a deadly Siamese." he looks at Ryan. "You know I never say no to coffee. It might even make up for your treatment of me during my illness."

Michael Reinhardt agrees. "And I'd have to sic April on em. Then my mom can come visit me IN the jail. Assault with a deadly Siamese." he looks at Ryan. "You know I never say no to coffee. It might even make up for your treatment of me during my illness."

 Ryan Yamada: Ryan snorts "Hey, I need to stay well. Could be any day man. I mean technically it's tomorrow but our midwife says that's rare." He walks up to Tara "Two large coffees please....I've got them both." He quick draws on the back card and grins "Be glad it's not Lysol.

Michael Reinhardt nods. "Well, if it's Saturday, we have the day off and I can come by and entertain you guys. I hear it can take 18 or more hours. John was 22. I was 18. Mom never lets is forget." he smiles. "I'm gonna get my nephew for that. His little girlfriend or ex girlfriend or whatever gave him that cold ... and they skipped town to hear John tell it. He's still having a hard time talking about it cause Shay is only 13."

Ryan Yamada shakes his head "I don't think Indy wants a ton of spectators man."He takes his coffee after paying and is about to answer about the other topic and then considers the clerk's age "13.....oh.....let's head down to Chen's..." He waits until they're outside "Shit, your nephew?"

 Michael Reinhardt follows and sips his coffee. "No problem. I'll wash my cat." he teases. "Yea ... he's 13 and she is 15. So technically no statutory rape, but ... John is NOT amused. Shay is getting to be a handful of a teenager.

 Ryan Yamada shakes his head "You tell me this story as I'm about to be a dad....lots of little years before the big ones....thank god..."

Michael Reinhardt snorts. "You got a few years to worry. Tristan is 10 ... and frankly if he's anything like Seamus, he might find himself in a monastery school on a mountaintop. Not that I can talk. I was younger than Shay."


 Haninozuka Wang carries a small digital camera talking to it then pointing it around avoiding the cops and mutter softly to the camera then closes the front viewer giving the cops a look  over cautious . as this still urban boy watching them a bit

 Ryan Yamada glances at the boy who's looking around like he doesn't want to be noticed and then head juts at his partner "Let's cross..." He says casually and walks towards the kid, putting on a smile "Heya," he offers nonchalantly at the kid.


Michael Reinhardt sees Hani across the street. He nods and crosses with Ryan, their steps oddly matching. "Hey Hani." he lets his eyes drop to he camera, recognizing inner city paranoid and planning to have fun with it. "Nice camera...."he eyes it as if either considering getting one of considering confiscating it for evidence.

Haninozuka Wang looks up cautious at the man smiling a bit 'Hello  ' he say a bit guard leaning on the stone pillar a bit.. . he turns to the other officer ' 'hello, sir ' he says respectfully ..keeping his eyes  on the both of them 'yeah.. my .. wolf.. got it for my birthday .. 'he say softly

Ryan Yamada nods "That's cool. Lots of good views for pic here. Did you go up the lighthouse. His sign says he's closed but if you catch him in a good mood and knock, Morgan Wright will let you walk up."

Michael Reinhardt nods and avoids smiling. "Wolf ... your Dad right ... the other one." he knows the situation. "Very nice. Enjoy your footage." he glaces up at the lighthouse. "Just be careful up there." his mind flashes to Dion White for a moment.

Haninozuka Wang raises his eyebrow.. 'its not that kinda of camera .. but yeah ... ive been up there 'he say softly .. ' yeah .. wolf is my bio dad

Ryan Yamada nods at Michael and looks back to Hani "Do you do the ...vlog thing...like video,,,,you tube and stuff?"

Michael Reinhardt offers a slight amile. "Alright." he listens for Hani's reply

 Haninozuka Wang shakes my head 'no just a web series... sometimes.. a horror web series  .. he say softly Chronos of Fear.. 'he say softly  . he looks up a bit then smiles  then back down . looking at the two . then Ryan 'your Tristan's uncle right.. how is he ?'he adds softly

Ryan Yamada grins "Yeah I'm Ryan....oh hey...you the babysitter kid? Han is it? If I'm getting it wrong, sorry man....Chronos of Fear? Sounds intense."

Michael Reinhardt watches silently. He'd almost forgotten this was Tristan's babysitter for short times.

Haninozuka Wang nods 'i was but yeah .. works slowed down so . ' he trails off 'but its okay it give me more time to focus it into Chronos '

Ryan Yamada looks more relaxed about Hani with context "Well I'll have to check it out on YouTube eh. We should keep walking the rest of our route...but you take care Hani."

Michael Reinhardt nods and smiles at Hani. "I sort of took your job, Hani." but no way is he apologizing. "But there other kids in town to fill that void." he smiles and nods. "Take care, kid." and he readies to move off with Ryan.


Haninozuka Wang looks at you 'its not on youtube..'he say but shrugs 'i have to plan anyways.. in case the shit hits  the fan tomorrow 'he says knowingly and spins around and wanders down the street taking his camera out  like he is vloging his last  moments . 'this is the predawn before the storm crashes the back .. today is upon us .. viewers "

Ryan Yamada half watches and listens to Hani and then gives Micheal a weird look "Alright then. And back to the station where the shit is always as weird....."

Labour Day - India, Ryan, Michelle and Nick

January 20th, 2017

India Tor woke up at around 3am on the morning of the 20th of January feeling incredibly uncomfortable. Today was her due date and she had found that, over the last week or so, she almost hoped to find herself standing in a puddle of amniotic fluid. She couldn't see her feet. Felt like she weights an even 500 pounds, even though she knew she didn't. Just an overall uncomfortable.

"Please be prompt, baby girl." she looked at her overround belly, already mildly annoyed that she had not been awakened by going into labor.

She rolled herself out of bed, used the bathroom and, after a moments thought, brushed her teeth and took a shower. It was doubtful she would be able to go back to sleep. Going back into the bedroom, she slipped her favorite, most comfortable dress over her head and decided she'd done enough to get dressed.

Moving down the hall, she leaned in the doorway of the second bedroom. "It's time for you to move into your room, Jayla." she rubbed her belly softly. "I love you ... but ... get out." she chuckles and shuffles back down the hall and down the stairs.

Moving into the kitchen, she put on a pot of coffee and found a coffee roll, which she forced herself to place on a small plate while the coffee brewed. In the meantime she found herself sitting on a chair in the dining area and looking at the dark and peaceful city of Cedar Point from her window.

Ryan rolled and reached out in the bed to find India not in it. His eyes popped open as he was on high alert these days. It could be any minute, literally. He was instantly wide awake, in pajama pants and a t shirt and walking around to look for her. He found her in the kitchen and visibly exhaled "Hey Baby....are you feeling OK?" He leaned down to kiss her lightly.

India has picked up her coffee roll and now sets it down to move over to Ryan. She returns the kiss and rubs at his arms. "I am, Just can't seem to sleep." she sighs deeply. "I know I should be getting all the sleep I can, but ..." she shrugs slightly. "I didn't wake you, did I?"

Ryan shakes his head and then leans his forehead into hers "Bed was too empty...I worried. Radar's on right now." He laughs.

India chuckles and leans forward. "Tell me about it." she sighs and straightens. "I was told I could give birth any day now a week ago and NOOOOOOO." she rubs her belly. It felt so ... hard and full .... She was ready even if Jayla wasn't.

Ryan puts a gentle hand on India's belly "I figured you'd move out last night Jayla...sorry for the jostling about..." He jokes and then smiles at India "Maybe we need to shake things up again?"

India laughs. "I know, right? But it was beautiful." she arches her brow at him. "That sounds like a good idea." she replies. "After all ... they say 'if at first you don't succeed, try, try again'." she moves a little closer to him ... as close as her huge belly will allow.

The logistics of getting it on with India's belly were always a trick lately. He looks around and nods to the counter, thinking she'll be able to lean back a bit when they get to it and be more comfortable. He kisses her and steers them to it as a unit, gently and carefully lifting her up onto it "Mmmmm..." He pulls her legs tighter to him, letting his hands begin to wander, one to her ass and one to a breast.

India is amused with Ryan's idea and gets on the counter with only slight difficulty. She pushes her coffee roll out of the way. "For after." she murmurs. It was nowhere NEAR breakfast anyway. She sighs happily, living the feel of Ryan's hand on her breast. If nothing else it was a distraction. Ryan always made her feel beautiful and she adored it ... and him.

Ryan leans forward around the side of her belly and attacks her neck with kisses, pushing her knees apart a bit as he presses against her already hard and ready to go. He grinds his hips and moans into her neck, his hands still caressing. "Oh Indy....mmmmm..."

India sighs into the kisses and can feel that Ryan is ready and glad she'd passed on her pregnancy bloomers. "Ryan..." she whispers, kissing him deeply. And then she feels it. As if she has peed herself ... but ... 17 times all at once. "Oh! Ryan!" she exclaims. She can't stop the feeling ... and she can't stop the liquid ...

Ryan feels the wetness and at the first second smiles and then steps back in total alarm as he's literally soaked down the front of his pajamas "Holy shit.....your water?" It just pours out of her like there's not tomorrow for a really long time, forming a giant puddle on the floor and under his feet "It's still going!" He says in fascination before it slowly ebbs and stops."Indy..." He says looking at her with a grin "This is it...."

India sees Ryan's pajama bottoms when he steps back and stares for a minute. Her water. "I ... yea ...." she swallows hard. It WAS it. A wave of fear covers her. "Um .... alright ... we ... we ... " she draws a blank. "The list!" she remembers. "We follow the list!" on which are the numbers of who should be called in the ORDER they should be called and .. basically a childbearing checklist Michelle and Susan wrote up for them.

Ryan doesn't care about the mess but sees her fear "First, deep breath. I'll get the list OK? Indy, we got this....it's OK."

India remains on the counter and nods. "We do!" she nods to herself. "You get the list." SHE reaches for the coffee roll to calm her nerves.

Ryan gets the list and his phone and sets them on the counter. He dashes to the bathroom and pulls out the mop but doesn't fill it until he makes the calls. He calls Michelle and she reassures him she's heading out right away. He calls work and Angie can be heard literally squealing at the other end and of course he's got the day, and several more off. Then he calls Steph's cell. She'll tell Michael and call the rest of the family. That was the plan from the start. Next he checks back in on India "Any contractions? I was going to mop...but if you need me...." He looks a little hyper now and sees the coffee roll "Are you allowed to eat?"

India had stayed on the counter, annoyed that she had pushed the coffee roll completely out of her reach. She was afraid to slide off of the counter and was leaning to reach for it when Ryan spoke. She froze, suddenly trying to remember exactly what Michelle had said about eating. "I ... shit .. I don't think so ... for either .. no contractions, but no eating either." she closes her eyes as if in pain, but its no contraction. "God, get it out of my face." she demands. :And please mop because I'm afraid I'll slip in the stuff and have to have her on the kitchen floor." which was NOT in her birth plan.

Ryan smiled ruefully at her and took the coffee roll to the cupboard and just stuck it on a random shelf. He then dragged the mop bucket to the bathtub and filled and came back as fast as he could, after a lightning fast pj pants change to mop up the amniotic fluid. He moved the mop to one side of the kitchen, not dumping it yet, just in case and then reached out his arms to help India down "Are you still leaking? Do you want me to grab you a washcloth and a change of clothes...we could sit you on a towel at least so you can relax."

India watches Ryan clean, completely missing where he even put her coffee roll. She hugs Ryan as she slides onto the floor. "Ugh yea. I wonder if I can take a shower? I swear Ryan, everything they told me about childbirth feels like it came out of me with the water." she looks at him, clearly still very afraid but at the same time very happy.

Ryan offers his arm "I'm sure you can shower. Michelle's bringing a kiddie tub in case you want to have a baby in it...a shower should be fine. I'll come in with you if you're nervous. She's on her way...had the bag and supplies ready to go."

India takes his arm and heads for the stairs. She giggles. "I am getting a very strange mental image about having a baby in a kiddie pool." she works her way slowly up the stairs and grabs one of her gigantic shower caps. "I am VERY glad I washed my locs. They'll probably get all sweaty anyway but ... well .. maybe if I have to wash them again you can blow dry them." she had a blow dryer and usually just did it herself. It was a long process, in any event. "Who all is coming to this little concert we're putting on now?" she wonders as she begins to undress.

Ryan stands by ready to help with anything she needs or wants "You and I and Michelle and eventually...Jayla. Did you want me to invite more people?" He teases and then looks serious "Steph offered if you want another birth companion. She reminded me it can take a long time."

India takes off the dress. "I'll pass, thanks." she chuckles. "I always liked smaller venues." she steps carefully into the shower after covering her locs. "I know I have to shelve my pride. Kagiso offered to come by and play music for me ... like I don't have all his albums." she begins to shower. "I think you three will be enough. Glad we got that damn paper signed, or who KNOWS who all'd be at the hospital."

Ryan takes off his clothes and steps in with her, reaching right over her head for the soap as he's prone to do "Don't worry I'll keep it to myself. I remember Michelle saying nothing internal after the water breaks." He teases and then washes off any residue. He had just whipped on clothes to be back downstairs for her before but not actually washed. He's about to offer her the soap and then looks at it "Shoot, I should get you a fresh bar so we don't cause an infection...dammit..." He steps out of the shower and spring clicks the cupboard door and then washes his hands before even touching the new bar and bringing it to her.

India is opening her mouth to protest when Ryan steps back out of the shower. She laughs at him, because his fastidiousness just fascinates her. When he comes back she looks at him with more than the usual adoration. "You love me." she states, as if she knew it, but she is being hit with yet another wave of it.

Ryan nods "Mmmhmm......I do. I'm going to get you a perfectly fresh towel too. Don't have a baby while I go down the hall OK?" They had lots of towels. Stephanie always gave everyone in the family towels for Christmas like ti was some kind of obsession.

India giggles and showers while Ryan is away, thinking it may be the last time she has to deal with the humongous belly. She sighs and tries to relax, but her nerves are on end. The only thing she isn't worried about is being able to afford a child. Everything else, she was still terrified.

Ryan comes back dressed in a t shirt and black sweats and stands by with a lovely fluffy blue towel that's fresh washed "M'lady, when you're ready..." he quips.

Indie steps out of the tub like royalty. "Thank you m'lord." she inhales and exhales. "Alright ... now what?" she rubs her belly and takes his hand and places it there as well. "Maybe ..." she smirks. "We should have chosen to have the baby at Adum's house. She was conceived there." she teases.

Ryan grins "Shorter trip for the midwife and I don't know if I ever told Adum..." He laughs "Someday..." He caresses India's belly and then leans down and kisses it through the towel "Do want...clothes? A robe? I don't mind if you're naked but I don't know what you want on for when Michelle arrives."

India laughs. "We should. It will be part of out birth story." she smiles and suddenly looks shy. "Yes please. I don't see much point in dressing at this point."

Ryan sees her look and smiles "I'm sure she's seen it all Indy." But he goes to get her bathrobe and holds it out for her.

India mock snatches the robe to her. "I don't care. All my dignity bout to go out the window. Give me my last few minutes of pride." she giggles and slips into the robe.

Ryan hugs her after she's in it "Let's take your mind off this....we'll watch a movie or Parks and Rec, just chill until contractions start ok?"

India nods and smiles. "Yes ... relaxing sounds like a fine idea, baby." she heads for the stirs and slowly descends. "Maybe a movie? I'll get into Parks and Rec and want to see all the seasons." she giggles.

Ryan snorts "Yes we best not interrupt a marathon binge with childbirth...." he chuckles.

India nods and goes to sit on the couch, laying, leaning trying to get even a little comfortable. "The sun will be coming up soon." she murmurs.

It's an hour and a bit into a movie they've both sen many times ((you can decide what:)) and Ryan sweetly massages her lower back "Any sensations yet?"

Michelle is in the traffic line up coming off the ferry at Tsawwassen, a bought coffee from the ferry Starbucks in her hand as she waits with all the day trippers. She's calm and listening to REM's Best of album, head swaying a bit with Man on the Moon as she sips and edges forward.

India is actually starting to relax. "A bit ... it's all ... kinda ... tight." she adjusts herself and groans a little.

Ryan looks worried "Tight? Like a contraction tight?" He just lets his hand rest on her back now but doesn't rub, not sure what she needs.

Michelle pulls onto the 99 and is heading for the dreaded tunnel. Murphy's law kicks in and there's emergency crews on the scene and tow trucks, dealing with the remains of an accident from the wee hours of the morning after the bars closed. She deflates a bit at the sight of it as traffic is routed down to one lane "Shit shit shit....." She truly hopes the people involved are OK, but she has a baby to catch and she's hoping this labour is blessedly slow.

India gets up. "Tight like cramps." she reports. "Like I need my period right now." she frowns. "What do I know about contractions, Ryan? Its ... tight." he's being minorly irritating ... and the tightness isn't stopping.

Ryan can't help but chuckle a bit "Like it's...contracting?" He offers. Remember the breathing stuff, just go slow. Do you want to sit differently?" He looks at her body position.

Traffic completely stops as tow trucks get in there dragging away some horrific wrecks. Michelle winces at them and then puts her car in park and take out her phone and texts Ryan "Accident in the tunnel, delayed here. Sorry."

Ryan feels his phone buzz and takes it from his sweats pocket and then frowns at it, not telling India the message just yet.

India begins rolling around, trying not to lay but to stand. "I guess. Maybe that IS it." she gets to her feet after a sort of creative left, left, left up roll. she begins to head for the dining room .. and the window outside. "I want to walk. Don't they walk on television?" she groans again, but it is far from a groan of pleasure.

Ryan nods "If your body says walk, then walk baby. It's still the same? I thought they would be small with time between them?"

India puts both hands on her back looking out on a slowly lightning Cedar Point. Usually its so beautiful and peaceful at this time of the day. But her back was bothering her. "My both hates me right now." she complains.

Ryan is ever the dutiful father to be "I can massage again? Did that help."

Traffic crawls. Michelle curses it. A delivery van weaves through and cuts her off just as she's able to move up and she slams into it's bumper "ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?" She yells though the closed windows at the other driver. The van pulls over to exchange info and Michelle know she has to and does the right thing, but she'd really like to just take off on the guy. She grabs her licence and insurance info and steams towards the delivery guy who's standing there leaning over his open door.

India sighs and nods. "Please?" he asks, all discomfort. "Did Steph go through all this?" he asks, not sure she wants to know. She peers out of the window for Michelle's car. "And where the HELL is Michelle?"

Ryan walks up to her and massages her as she stands "Yeah she did.....and Michelle....is a little stuck in traffic. The tunnel you know? I was hoping she'd text again by now but I also just hope she's driving.

The delivery guy pops out of the van with a grin at Michelle, not taking her murderous look as a social cue "Gave me a little bump there....just finding my stuff....one moment."

Michelle's gaze bores through him "I'm a midwife and a woman's in labour. Could you hurry it up a bit please?"

India physically turns from the window to look at Ryan. Her looks suggests she is near homicidal. "I. Beg. Your. Fucking. PARDON?" because she could NOT have heard that right.

The delivery guy is a lanky middle aged man with wispy sandy blonde hair, adult acne and an underdeveloped goatee. He's wearing grey coveralls and a matching baseball style cap that both have a logo on them that say Rug Rats. He also has a sewn on name tag that says Bob. There's a lighter grey rat inside the circle of the logo with the words going around it. "Midwife eh? That'd be a stressful job." Mr. Rug Rat was digging in his coverall pockets after having gone through his entire jacket first "I musta forgot my wallet. Can you believe that?"

Michelle is almost shaking with irritation "Alright Bob. Give me your phone number and the licence plate for this van and I'll give you my info. I REALLY need to get back on the road NOW."

Bob pads his pockets again, looking a little dim "Haven't got a pen have you Missus?"

Ryan shrinks back slightly from India. He's never seen this look before "Uh......" is all he can manage before a terrified gulp.

India is in a mode she doesn't get in much. Full on ghetto pissed. "Michelle can't be on the ROAD .. fuck THAT. I'm having a BABY over here. You go to get her OFF the fucking road and HERE, Ryan." she points to the floor, indicating the place beside her. "Call someone. Nick or Michael and get her OUT of traffic and between my legs where she fucking BELONGS!"

Michelle finally gets back in her car after sorting both her own and Bob's info exchange. She quickly keys India and Ryan's address into goggle maps and the app indicates it should be only 15 minutes. She frowns at the slow but now moving line up of cars and texts Ryan "Probably 20 - 30 minutes away. Sorry."

Ryan's eyes go wider than India's ever seen and he holds up his hands protectively "Baby I'm not sure I can..." He starts to stammer and then his pocket buzzes and he carefully grabs for his phone, watching India like she's an escaped Tiger from a zoo, considering him for prey. No sudden movements....no sudden movements. He looks at the text and tenses up repeating the message out loud in a small voice.

India looks at Ryan, clearly fuming and groans again. She cries out in pain ... that was a bad one. "Fuck 20 - 30 minutes." she snatches the phone from him and goes through his contacts for Chief Callahan's number and presses CALL. "Call someone in some fucking AUTHORITY here! Sheeeeit!"

Ryan chances at trying to rub India's back again, looking worried about her pain. There's a little bit of a "nice kitty" energy to his attempts though right now and he just lets her take the phone and do what she wants "Yes dear...."

Nick is on shift, joking around with Angie when he feels his own phone go off "I totally ate the last maple glazed...and you can tell Nault that too..." He looks at the number curiously "Huh...Yamada..." then clicks to answer, thinking it's Ryan "Did your beautiful mama pop one out that quick Yamada?"

Angie is in the background looking suddenly ready to burst for baby news.

India does appreciate the back rub, as much as she can through her discomfort. "NO!' she snaps when Nick answers. "The fucking midwife is stuck in TRAFFIC! Godamnit." she groans in pain again as another of those crampy things ... contractions ... hits her. "Go clear a fucking path, goddamnit! You're the chief of police ... clear a path and i will personally double your budget for 2017!" and while she can, she doesn't seem to be aware that, in her labor pains, she has just bribed Cedar Points top cop.

Nick almost drops his phone "Oh shit India. I'm sorry...and I can't. We had reports of crews dispatched from Surrey to the tunnel. Is she on the 99? It should be clearing now and there's nothing impeding the way here once she's through...Just do that breathing thing right?" He offers meekly looking at Angie like he's a drowning man.

Angie starts quietly chuckling, deep in her belly, as she tunes into what's happening to Nick, and India.

Ryan just rubs his woman's back and hangs his head, hoping to god he doesn't get fired before he's a father.

India straightens and groans loudly with another contraction. "I don't know where she fucking IS!" she yells into the phone. "She's not HERE!" she moans in pain again. "I DID the breathing thing!" she screams. "I don't want to breathe anymore, I want this baby OUT! Oh God why am I wasting my time with you if you can't even direct traffic?" and she clicks the phone off. "Oh Ryan what am I going to do?" she bemoans and then turns back to the window. "Where is she. We cant do this alone, can we?" she sniffs and would cry but another wave of pain hits her.

Ryan still gently rubs her back, worried as hell by the level of pain she's in "Oh god...I don't know Indy...I'm so sorry..." Her agony takes precedence over his job and his boss.

Nick just stares at his phone like it just caught fire after India blasts him and hangs up. Angie lets her laughter out and pats Nick on the arm "You'alright there Chief? That's just how it goes. Been too many years for you...."

Cody walks to the box of donuts by the break area and mutters "Dammit who ate my maple? I bought two...just in case...."

Michelle pulls into the parking lot beside the Poseidon building and looks at how many loads she needs to haul up. She decides on her medical kit and the big bag containing the birth pool in case she needs to start filling it and heads into the building.

India yells in pain loudly again. "Oh you SHOULD be sorry." she snaps and then sighs. "But I was there, too. I blame Adum. Leaving us alone. Some fucking host HE is. Leaving us alone like that! I'm going to give that man apiece of my mind." she begins to scroll through contacts again but another contraction makes her scream and drop the phone.

Michelle arrives at the door just in time for the scream and mutters "Must be the place...." She knock loudly and calls out "Baby catchers R US!"

Ryan looks at the door like it's the gates to heaven and they've just been saved "It's Michelle!" He beams and quickly scoops up his phone while he dashes to answer "Please come in....please."

Michelle casually walks in. She'd seen it all of course. She steps out of her shoes and goes right to India "Oh pretty strong eh?" She can see it in her face and puts a hand lightly on her back "Let me wash my hands and get some gloves on to check you. You're not going to like me for a minute."

India makes a grab for the phone but Ryan gets it first. She looks at Michelle with big eyes. "Nothing should hurt like this, Michelle!" she proclaims. she heads over to one of the ottomans and sits. "If you can make this happen I'll love you more than HIM at this point." she swings her head at Ryan who not only knocked her up, but kept her from calling Adum and making him face HIS part in all of this.

Ryan looks like a scared little puppy, holding the phone and his hands someone protectively before his groin. He's heard the stories.

Michelle tries not to laugh, looking between them. They're at THAT point. She grabs her kit, pulls on the latex gloves and sinks to her knees in front of India's "Ok, I need to get a little personal and take a look here." She gently pushes India's legs apart and looks and then snaps her head up "Uh....you're basically crowning..." She pulls a cloth from her bag and lays in under India "Do you feel ready to push?"

India blinks. "Is THAT what I feel?" she nods. "Please? Can I ... I really want to push ... yes ... is this too fast? Never mind, I don't care ..." and she prepares herself to push.

Michelle rapidly pulls a bunch of stuff to the top of her bag so she's ready and then points at Ryan "Do you want Ryan behind you holding on? Or do you want him to see everything happen holding your hand in front? Do you want a mirror so YOU can see?"

Ryan looks totally freaked out for a second "Oh my god it......it's now....the baby is now.....holy shit...it's now...."

India loves Ryan, but she is still in a malicious mindset. "In front. It ain't like he hasn't seen it before now." she reaches for him. "And yea ... I think I'd like to see it. Man how conceited is THAT?" she wonders and takes in another breath from the pain.

Ryan quietly gulps and does what he's told. He's very fine with between her legs but when he moves and sees how open things are and the beginning of a head he just about trips as he crouches down holding her hand. India was a whole world right now, a universe even. It was beautiful and terrifying to watch.

Michelle chuckles "Not conceited, just natural. It's quite amazing to watch, and you get to meet her very soon." She gets out a mirror and hands it to Ryan "OK you hold this for her because I need both hands for the rest. Now Indy, when you push, do it on a contraction and then stop when the contraction does and wait for the next one to push again OK? You'll get less tearing that way. And push to the back like you're having a poo." She puts her hands right under India's opening and waits "When you're ready....and make sure to breathe through it..."

India looks and smiles. "Wow ...." she holds one of Ryan's hands and nods at Michelle's instructions. She waits. "Come on Jayla." she coaxes and when the next contraction comes she does push and has to scream a little through it. Through the pain. suddenly its hot, but she is a little too busy to complain ... she simply sweats it out. Literally.

Michelle's hand slips under the back of the top of the baby's head "Ok doing great India....keep breathing....one more push and we'll have the head all the way out...this is the hear part but you got this...." When she can see the intensity build again she coaxes "And...breathe...exhale and push......oh hello there..." Suddenly there's a full head out between India's legs and Jayla lets out a wail "That's what we want to hear from you.....good girl...Just one more push India...then you can hold her...."

Ryan is holding the mirror still but burst into tears as he sees his daughter's head and hears her cry. He squeezes India's hand and looks up at her with absolute pure love.

India nods and pushes, as instructed. It's painful but also .. she has a goal in mind. Ryan's daughter. Her daughter. In a way the baby symbioses more than just the love of two people. She nods again and gives that final push, hearing Ryan cry and unable not to cry herself.

Michelle catches the rest of Jayla as she slides right out, still letting out a healthy cry "Lungs are clear..." Michelle says with a big grin "Everything's here..." she wipes her off a bit and hands her up to India with the umbilical cord still attached and pulsing.

Ryan stands up following the path of their baby like he's mesmerized by her, be cause he is. He's also completely bawling now and leaning into India's shoulder as he connects with the family they're about to become.

India is laughing and crying as she takes the baby into her arms. "There you are." she croons. "Not a minute old and you already in trouble. Made me yell at your daddy .. and the chief of police." she sniffs and laughs. "Oh god .. Ryan I am so sorry for what I said ... and to you too, Michelle.' all is forgiven and suddenly she laughs aloud. "Oh god ... Nick!" she looks at Michelle. "I think I bribed the police chief!" she sniffs and laughs again. "That's coming out of your allowance, young lady." she looks at Jayla with absolute adoration.

Ryan laughs at India and reaches out a hand to hold onto the side of their baby too as he hugs India "It doesn't matter...none of it matters. Only you little Jayla...matter....and you Indy." He looks at her teary eyed "Thank you...I love you, both of you."

Michelle has stepped back after handing them their baby. The cord could wait, the cleanup could wait. The bonding was golden. She walked over to the window and smiled back when she was spoken to from afar, giving them room to connect.

India is absorbed in her little family. "Ryan .... could we ask Nick to .. you know .. maybe .. be a god GRANDfather?" she asks, meekly. "I mean ... he reminds me of Daddy ... and ... well ... maybe then he won't arrest me?" she teases, leaning her head against his. "God she is just gorgeous." she breathes.

Ryan runs his hand over Jayla's forehead and cheek. Her crying has cried and she's looking at them both with the awesome lucidity and wisdom of a newborn before they hit the all the time sleepy stage. "I think Nick would like that. And I'm sure he gets it. He did have a daughter himself so I assume he was there when Eryn was born. She really really is gorgeous. You are Jayla.....what do you think she's thinking?"

Michelle slowly moves back into the space and starts doing things that probably won't even be on their radar as they coo at their baby until she has to check India again "Sorry to invade. you don't seem to have passed the placenta yet. I'm going to clamp and cut the cord and then see what's happening there OK? Just relax though...then we could move you to a bed or the couch as you like....and you'll need some big nasty maxi pads."

India is looking at Jayla and absurdly counting fingers and toes. It isn't that she doesn't trust Michelle, but she is just double checking. "She's probably thinking its cold and where's that room I promised her.' she jokes, in a MUCH better mood. She looks at Michelle aware the is still there. "Let's do it." she agrees. "And yes, I have those maxi-pads someplace. How long exactly am I going to bleed like a human sacrifice? And did I break myself?" she doesn't feel torn, but she figures she is on endorphins.

Ryan winces at what India's poor body is going through but can't take his eyes of Jayla. Hers are just starting to close and he strokes her head lovingly.

Michelle deals with the cord and then looks over India "You are in great shape down here. You'll still swell and bleed, particularly starting when I go in and get the placenta so try not to kick me OK? Actually...pain killers first...I'm not a monster....." she takes off her gloves and discards them and then goes to wash her hands and get India a glass of water to take some Tylenol with codeine.

Michelle makes a face and shakes her head "Well when it births....just try not to kick me and tell me when the drugs kick in. I'll do it then unless you just want it out. You guys don't want to like make a placenta cake or some hippy dippy stuff like that do you?" She asks wryly "I can put it in the freezer, or I can dispose of it at a facility on my way back home."

Ryan looks up from his bliss in horror "Placenta CAKE?"

India nods. "Give me a few minutes to be happy. I'm assuming this won't efffct the breast milk?" she belatedly asks and then is complete distracted by the words placenta cake. "The fuck is THAT?" she shakes her head. "No .. no .. HELL no ... people EAT ... no .. just ... god."

Michelle just laughs "Hey it's a question I have to ask in the mix. Answer noted. and no it won't affect your breast milk. You should put a diaper on her before you nurse...things happen....loud meconium poopy things that will make your heads spin around. Her first few bowel movements will look like molasses but don't worry. That goes away." She checks Jayla's belly where she cut the cord and cleans it again, putting on a little gauze wrap and tape "Be gentle here and keep it clean."

India listens and nods ... and begins to float. "Ohhh yea ..... that's the feeling ..." she looks at Michelle. "Codine is beautiful stuff. Do your worst." she looks at Ryan. "Would you like the first diaper, handsome?"

Ryan is literally happy to do anything "I don't want to take her from you...but the change table's upstairs. May I?" He reaches out for the baby.

Michelle decides to wait until India's not holding Jayla and once that happens she regloves and then reaches inside India, which even on painkillers will probably be really uncomfortable "Sorry..." she says as she does it and then yanks the placenta out and puts it in a special case to transport it to be incinerated later. She tidies India up afterwards and the padding and cloth under her is now quite horrid so she changes it. "Once Ryan's back down with you, I'll go get you some panties so we can contain things."

India watches Ryan take Jayla away and then looks at Michelle as a great deal more discomfort starts. "Holy shit, that's ... really not a lot of fun, Michelle." she groans. After the cleanup, she does feel a bit better. "Should I be worried if the bleeding doesn't stop?" she asks thinking in hindsight that was a pretty stupid question.

Michelle comforts her "It'll stop, but generally yes. You didn't lose an abnormal amount though during the birth. I'm not worried. You shouldn't be either." From upstairs comes a little scream from Ryan. Michelle walks partway up the stairs "Everything alright?"

Ryan laughs and then calls back "Just a little surprise and we're down an extra diaper." Then Jayla starts crying,unhappy to be changed and cold and Ryan coos at her "Oh baby...almost done....but you had to pee everywhere I'm sorry......"

Michelle walks back down "Alright he's got it. When they're back and you have a pad, you should try and nurse. She's awake and I'll help you get the latch."

India almost jumps up with Ryan shouts and Jayla begins to cry, then realizes that is not gonna happen. But she is relieved when its not serious and smiles softly. "Jayla is really going to trigger his OCD isn't she?" she asks and then nods. "Thanks ... you're a real lifesaver, Michelle."

Michelle grins "Just my job Ma'am. And yes if he likes it clean...whoooo!" She laughs.

Ryan comes downstairs with Jayla, changed and in a little outfit that's perfectly adorable and coordinated with a little hat even. "There's Mommy! OCD, what OCD?"

Michelle stifles a laugh and starts for the stairs "Underwear for padding you is where?" she asks India.

Indie laughs and tucks that info away for lazy mama days. Then Ryan comes down with Jayla and she almost melts. "YOUR OCD, baby ... god ... she is gonna have fashion sense and to spare between the two of us." she calls after. "Mine are the BIG diapers."

Ryan holds Jayla like a pro already and looks at India with a smirk and then says "How are you feeling?"

Michelle brings down a "big diaper" and says "that's very efficient, better that the overnight ones we usually try. Let me help you into this and then you can be a bit more mobile, as well as get comfortable and start to nurse her." She gets right to India's legs and slides it up her and on. then she stands "OK, where so you want to be? Couch? Bed? It might take awhile the first latch..."

India watches Ryan with Jayla and just feels warm and cozy. "I'm tired and I hurt and I'm happier than I've ever been." she replies and then gets into her new undies with help and sighs happily. "Couch please. I just want to be down here for a little bit." she looks outside the windows. "At three this morning I was up and pregnant .. and now its what? Seven? Eight? And I'm a mother ...." she eases onto the couch. "Alright ... teach me, Michelle. Someone has to."

Michelle reaches out to Ryan "I'm going to have to steal this beautiful creature from you so she can eat. Can you go grab some bed pillows? We'll figure it out and get comfy."

Ryan pretends like he's going to run away with Jayla and then smiles and passes her over and then goes for pillows.

Michelle hands her to India "OK let her just be on you with the robe open. She'll start rotting when she feels your skin....in fact....take off her little shirt because skin on skin is helpful for their instincts. We need to make her hungry."

India smiles seeing Ryans feint but in the end, takes off Jayla's little shirt and lays her on her chest, holding her like the pictures shes all but memorized tole her too. Indeed, Jayla does root and India, with very little help from Michelle gets the baby latched on. India stares, fascinated. "Just .... wow ....." she swallows hard and looks at her daughter.

Ryan comes back with pillows and then looks at his little family in happy tears. He's never seen anything so beautiful.

Michelle does a quick shove of a few pillows and then wanders off to tidy "You got this. I'll be in shouting range...but I won't hover."

India is entranced with the baby and her eyes move from Jayla to Ryan and back again. "How did we do this, Ryan?" she is amazed at this. She knows the biology but this was more amazing than she thought.

Ryan comes closer and leans down and kisses India's cheek, and then lightly, the baby's cheek, not wanting to disturb "It's amazing. I had no idea. I mean I've seen it...but when she's ours...." He trails off.

Jayla isn't going to let something like her father get between her and a meal. "It's really different. All those videos I watched .. nothing compares, huh?" she looks up at him. "I love you, Ryan Yamada."

Ryan just watches his daughter and nods and then meets India's eyes "And I love you India Tor. Hey we didn't talk about her last name but her middle name definitely needs to still be Sakura. Jayla Sakura....someday Daddy will tell you about the Jedi and all the other nerd things."

India gives no indication of really paying attention, but she looks up and addresses Michelle, not Ryan. "Can I fill out her birth certificate now .. please?" so she HAD heard.

Ryan looks curiously at India and then Michelle.

Michelle pulls out a soft file case from her bag "Yep, got it. Need a pen?" she brings both "Can you do this while you nurse Supermama? Male person..." she shoves it at Ryan "Scribe please."

India giggles. "I'd better learn. Cause I am not giving up EVERYTHING just to nurse. She DOES switch Jayla to her left breast, freeing her right hand. "Give me that pen, please." she begins to fill it out. "Mother's name .... father's name .... date of birth ..." she looks up. "Time of birth? I hope SOMEONE was paying attention cause I sho nuff wans't."

Michelle smiles "Just after 7 am...7:02 on your DVD player to be exact. I still need to weigh and measure Jayla. So once she's had enough from that breast I'll take her."

Ryan exhales "Shit that was fast right?" He looks between India and Michelle "We woke up at 3.."

India smiles and fills in those parts. "Yea ... she's like her mama. Once her mind is made up she just DOES IT!" she smiles. "Now for your name ...." she stops speaking then and just writes, then hands it innocently to Michelle and goes back to nursing Jayla and staring at her intently.


Michelle takes the form and smiles at the name "Aww." and makes like she's about to file it in her leather file case for paperwork.

Ryan looks between India and Michelle incredulous "Uh hello? Scuse me.....can I.....seriously? Can I read it?"

Michelle winks at India and then laughs at Ryan "Just fucking with ya Daddeo." She pulls the form back out and hands it to him. He practically snatches it from her hand.

"Jayla Sakura Yamada-Tor." He reads aloud and then smiles. He leans down and kisses India lightly and then cups his daughter's sweet little head and kisses her cheek "It's perfect, like her."