Monday, November 7, 2016

Hospital Visitors - Ryan, India, Adum, Megan, Adam, Tamela

 Ryan pulls his small car into the visitors parking at the Greenwood Park hospital and gets out to put time on the meter. He looks back to make sure India's getting out OK as he's been hovering more, the rounder she gets with their baby growing. He hears a beep and turns back in horror at the meter "Twelve dollars.....fuckin extortion."

India gets herself out of the car alright. She thinks .. if the car were lower to the ground, she might not be able to do it by herself. She slams the car door and joins Ryan in time to hear his curse. "It could be worse?" she offers. "There's always that parking garage we saw ..." then she arches her back, now visibly pregnant. She holds a large purse, which includes some foods from outside the hospital. Her idea, as she doesn't think hospital food is good for anyone, especially someone they care about. "Alright .... Room 319." she giggles and waits for Ryan to finish his glares so they can go inside.

Ryan sighs and puts away his debit card "If we're over 2 hours I need to plug it again. Don't let me forget." He takes her arm and looks at her purse "What's IN there Indy?" He laughs a bit.

India nods. "We'll be here for more than two hours." she tells him. She pats the bag. "Gumbo from Kagiso. Chili from Nico and the Fire Department. Gyros from Chris at the Greek restaurant. A thermos of coffee from Perkatory. Waffles from the Breakfast Nook and cookies from Earthcakes." she inventories as hey walk. "That Sam ... Wright ... he dropped it all off this morning while you were in the shower. I didn't cook him anything because he's been through enough."

Ryan just cracks up now "Indy I love you. That must weigh a ton. Sam's a good sport too." They head into the building and Ryan nods to a security guard casually. The man looks at India's bag and then takes in her pregnant belly and just smiles at the couple like he understands. Ryan clears his throat to cover a laugh and presses the button for the elevator.

India smiles at the security guard and keeps the bag. "No more than this child." she snorts and rests it on the floor while they wait. Her hand never leaves the bag. When the elevator comes and they get on, when the door closes she says "Please tell me that boy didn't think we're on our way to HAVE this child? Am I that big, Ryan?"

Ryan slides a hand onto her belly "You're not, but I think you can get away with anything right now being both gorgeous and pregnant. It's like a superpower Baby." The elevator dings at the third floor and Ryan gives her a little eyebrow wiggle before the door opens.

India laughs. "You know that's right." she smiles and she winks as she walks out and moves around the corner to walk down the line of rooms. "Here." she stops and lets Ryan go first.

Ryan takes a deep breath before entering the room, not sure what to expect. He knows Adum's awake but for all he knows he could be horribly scarred, deformed or still hooked up to a bunch of scary looking machines. He slowly steps into Adum's view "Hey man..." he calls out, trying to sound casual.

India comes in behind Ryan and sees him, sitting up in bed. She watches Ryan trying to sound casual and tries not to giggle, even though the is unspeakably relieved to see Adum looking ... normal ... except for the short hair.

Adum turns his head when the door opens and sees .... it click in his brain almost audibly. "Ryan!" he brightens and looks past him. "And ..." he pauses and .. yes .. the click. "India Tor." he sighs, but keeps smiling. "I'm sorry. My .. memory is like .. on a five second time delay." he shrugs and looks from Ryan to India to the bag. "You're not that pregnant, are you? I thought it was .. um .. January?"

Ryan exhales audibly. Adum just looks like Adum, with a buzz cut. He walks to him and reaches for his right hand to sort of half shake, half clasp it "Buddy you look amazing...and be careful about what you say to pregnant ladies." He winces a little and doesn't look back at India.

India watches the men and laughs at Adum. "No. I'm due January 20th." she drags the bag over to the bed. "Sam Wright dropped this off at our place this morning. A care basket from Alexandra." she pats it. "Gumbo from Kagiso. Chili from Nico and the Fire Department. Gyros from Chris at the Greek restaurant. A thermos of coffee from Perkatory. Waffles from the Breakfast Nook and cookies from Earthcakes." she looks him over and agrees, he looks great, considering.

Adum reaches with his left hand and checks the motion. "Sorry." he says, clasping the hand again, this time with his right hand. "I'm told I really lucked out. Some amnesia and .. for some reason I'm left handed ... and its sort of messing with me." he admits. He looks like he might say something more serious, but then India gives him an inventory. "FOOD!" he exclaims. He looks down at the bag. "Utensils?" he hopes. "A lot of this seems odd. The names are coming back." he frowns. "Kagiso ... is .. has the recording studio in town .. and ... Nico ... Yea .. he's a fireman with ... " he pauses, thinking and blows out a breath. "It'll come back I guess. Most of it is." he sighs and looks at Ryan. "One thing I can't figger out yet..."

Ryan smiles and notes the left hand thing "Might be interesting when we get out on the ice this winter." He's thinking of Adum having to shift his skill set in hockey to retrain for left handed shots. Not that either of them play on a team, just a few fun games when they can get ice time. He snickers about the food reaction and then looks quizzically at Adum about the one thing he can't figure out "What's that?"

India sets the bag down and pulls the bed tray around and begins to set things out. It is a HUGE bag and, even if it isn't magical, she pulls out not only the food, but plastic containers to eat out of and silverware for at least 10. Happily she begins to dish out food.

Adum arches his brows. "Oh man! I'm going to have to learn to walk and THEN play hockey again. I mean I CAN walk, but I'm clumsy." he sighs, watching India lay out one hell of a spread for all three of them. "Well, I remember you and Megan fine now." he explains. "But I mean .. why has it taken me so long to marry Megan? I mean ... I can't even remember our dates. Hanging out with you and her ... but not like the time we had alone." he blows out a breath. "How can it just be GONE? you know?" it's really been bothering him.

Ryan looks a little unsure of how to reply "I dunno man. Some things just take time right?" He's not going to bring up Alison but he's wondering if she's lost to the abyss. If so, he is happy to let that remain unremembered. He pats Adum lightly on the arm and says "I'll go easy on you on the rink...this year." He watches Indy with a grin "She's nesting and tucking you into it. It smells great though."

Just then, Megan's head pops around the corner of the curtain. She's holding two coffees "Hey you three. Looks the party's started." She sets down a coffee near Adum and then reaches to hug Ryan. Ryan hugs her back warmly. She steps back and moves to India and then just holds out her arms and marvels at the belly "Oh my god....look at you." She hesitates before hugging because she just needs to know "Do you feel stuff happening in there now?"

India arches a brow. She's heard of Alison. Then Ryan says she is nesting and she grins. "That means he can guarantee I didn't steal any of your food on the way here." she assures him. She sees Megan and smiles. "Yes, look at me. Free Willie, right? and yes. It's so .." Grabbing Megans hand she puts it on her belly, where the baby moves dutifully." she grins and nods to the coffee. "Perkatory coffee, so give me this, grab a plate and eat." she commands. "You must be so happy he's doing so well." she smiles and blinks, remembering her own father.

Adum nods. "I guess." he agrees. He smiles when Megan arrives. "Food!" he announces, waving at the spread. Looking over at India he smiles. His desire to be a father hasn't changed. He pulls his full plate towards him and samples. Oh man ... yes ... yes .. I remember this .. Kagiso's gumbo. Oh bless food the great memory jogger."

Megan feels the baby move and beams at India and then sees her blink and just nods, a little contritely. She actually doesn't know about India's father but it thinking she's reacting to how she'd feel if it had been Ryan. She only knows of the one layer.

Ryan knows both layers and looks lovingly at India. He can't help but smile at the gumbo reaction "See, this is how we'll cure the memory lapses, food therapy."

India moves in and hugs Megan hard. Then she turns her to 10-Alarm.=the food. "They'll eat it all if you give the half a chance. Then I'll have to put Ryan in this hospital too." she laughs and dishes a plate for herself.

Adum nods, taking a little bit of everything. "Yea ... I'm a chicken .. so #1 from the 10-Alarm and Perkatory coffee ... and ... WAFFLES! Not as good as mine, but nice I don't have to cook em ..." he grins at Ryan. "How am I doing?" he chuckles. He has lost a good bit of weight and is now thinking he could put it all back on again ... today. "Thank you India and Alexandra and Sam Wright ... and his nose."

Megan nods after hugging India "You are correct." She takes some food too and then stands and eats, gesturing to a chair for India.

Ryan sneaks over and grabs himself a plate of food "The only medical emergency after chili is the ring of fire the next morning." He says with a snicker.

India takes her plate and sits near Megan. "I'm still allowed to do light exercise and not gaining so much weight, so I don't HAVE to completely watch what I eat." she eats a little and sighs contentedly. "SO Adum, I'm guessing we arent the first to visit, right?" she asks between bites.

Adum is eating happily. "You look great, India. I really am happy for you two." he chuckles and eats a bit more. "I've had all KINDS of visitors. I got this room on the 19th, so I could have more. It was only Megan and Kitty. Then the interim Chief came by and visited, then all of my cops in sort of like shifts. And deliveries. Someone sent me a box of like a hundred paper cranes, but I couldn't place the name. Okie, or something. But well, they arent in my memory. Dr McKinney said it may be someone I only met once or even just someone who read about me in the paper and sent something. They were very pretty but .. I donated them." he looks at Megan. "They put them in the kids ward, right?"

Megan nods after a heartfelt look at India's belly again as she talks. She looks at Adum "Oshi. Her name is Oshi, the crane maker. She's from Cedar Point Adum. And yes, once you healing began I thought the kids might enjoy them. Apparently it's started a whole origami thing in the craft time down there so that's cool."

Ryan gestures with his fork in the air like he has a point and then chews quickly and swallows "Oh Oshi. I know her. That's cool man."

India eats happily and occasionally rests her plate on her ever growing belly. "Thats sweet." she agrees.

Adum nods. "A couple of people from the Fire Department have visited. And my Dad is supposed to arrive today. He said on the phone he didn't want to come while I was in the ICU because he knows the visits would be limited and he wanted Megan to have that time." he smiles over at his wife. "Basically, I'm never alone. If it isn't a visitor it's a doctor or a nurse. There's a knot of tissue on the back of my head now my hair should grow to cover. The shrink says it looks like I should be able to go back to work by Christmas at the latest, even with the delay in my memory. There may be gaps I just have to deal with." he grins. "I'm just glad I remembered the important people."

Megan smirks at Adum "Once you're well enough, I have other ways to jog your memory."

Ryan smiles about the prognosis and then coughs "Get a room kids....not this one..." He laughs and gestures behind the curtain "Who's your neighbour? Awfully quiet..."

India giggles. "And is he a sound sleeper?" she wonders, preparing to tear into a waffle.

Adum blushes. "Definitely going to take you up on that my first night home." he promises. He looks at the curtain. "They're calling him Mr Kaspian. He's in a coma, but he isn't even getting visitors .. which .. that's just kind of sad." he sighs and looks at his friends and his constant stream of visitors, grateful.


Ryan winces at the coma patient next door and then gestures at Adum's food "Helping to get some familiar stuff?"

Megan had giggled but stops awkwardly about the coma conversation. It was still too fresh for her.

India looks at Megan. "Well ... he's clueless again ...." she tries to get her to smile, knowing Adum probably didn't realize what he was saying.

Adum looks at Ryan, unaware of what talking about a coma patient might do to Megan. "A little ... but mostly I am just glad to have some real food. Man, this hospital food is shit." he smiles and fills his mouth again.

Megan chuckles a bit and nods at India and then waves it off. Adum is still recovering.

Ryan gets up and gets a little coffee "So are you allowed a TV or anything to stay sane?"

India grins and gives Megan a little wink. When the men don't get it, they don't get it in spades.

Adum nods. "I watched the Cubs play a few nights ago." he replies. "We have a Cubs fan owns a bar in town .. I was told he cried when they won. It was a good game and pretty cool, cause they haven't won a pennant since the 1940's. But I don't think I got as excited as Peter did." he chuckles. "And I am hoping to get my laptop today. I can do stuff on my phone, but it would be nice to have my laptop, yanno?"

Megan gives India a little smile and then leans against the wall and has some food. In the big picture, they are all so lucky and she's so grateful for friends and support.

Ryan sips at a coffee and nods and then says "That's good... Yeah I heard that one on the radio at work. Been a long time for that team."

India nods. "If my father had been alive, he'd ... well he probably would have stroked out." she grins, not a smile. She looks at Adum as if he is a miracle.

Adum agrees. "It's the year for miracles." he glances at Megan and then at India and how she's watching him. Then he remembers a conversation on his porch with he and Ryan and Megan and his jaw drops. "Jesus Christ, India!" he exclaims. "I forgot. I mean, Ryan told us last spring but ..." he sits up, dropping his fork on a now empty plate. He sits up and runs his finger over his newly growing hair. "It means so much more that you came now."

India smiles at him. "Just do me a favor and never forget the gift you got, Adum. Please."

Adum nods, still smiling.

Ryan gives India a loving look after, hearing her talk about her Dad.

Megan gives India a pat on the arm, eyes brimming a bit with tears.

India covers Megan's hand with hers for a minute and then places her own plate aside and stands. Trying to get back to happier subjects, she pulls out the cookies. "These are from Earthcakes. I haven't been there yet." she looks at Ryan as if this is somehow his fault. Opening the box, she begins to laugh. The gingerbread cookies within are rolled cookies in the shape of various sexual positions.

Adum cranes his neck. "Miss ... Miss ... Z ... something." he tries to remember and sees the cookies, reaching over to take one out of the box. "Zilpha Ainsworth ..." he chuckles, staring at the cookie and shaking his head.

Megan holds up a paired set of cookies and giggles "THAT got you her name eh? I love this woman. I think she started making these when that crazy old bat started thumping her bible against our sex shop."

Ryan blushes deeply, not looking at Megan, stammering "You have a...shop?" He chuckles a bit at the cookies.

Megan just grins at India now "Oh my god...he's adorable when he does that."

India looks curious also and then just laughs as Ryan turns red. "Look at you!" she tells her man. "Ain't like she's a pimp or a madame." she shakes her head. "Sometimes I wonder how I got this way." she rubs her burgeoning belly, agreeing with Megan a thousand percent.

Adum nods and laughs along. When he calms a little he shrugs. "Well they are BOTH crazy old women." he frowns slightly, pausing and trying to pick up on the name. "The cat in the movie." he nudges his memory and comes up with nothing. "Well, she's crazy, but so is Miss Zilpha. I remember she was a really nice lady. Housewife and all that. But her husband was a real ..." he shakes his head, more in amazement but also to stir the memory. "All I'll say is in my predecessors time, she wound up in a hospital for five years after she poisoned her husband." he takes a bite of his cookie and after he swallows, continues. "She has a line and no one crosses it. But we all sort of watch out for her. She still does odd things to people that annoy her, and we; me and Josh and Hank Stanley ... even the mayor .. watch out for her. Make sure that line doesn't get crossed." he nods. "I really need my computer back." he bemoans. "Whose the crazy woman .. real religious, right?" he growls in frustration, but has gingerbread cookies in the shape of copulating couples to comfort him.

Megan just walks over to Ryan and offers him a cookie pairing in full on gingerbread girl on girl 69 and smiles sweetly, holding it up on her hand like a platter. Ryan had winked at India and was now blushing again as he took the cookie muttering "Thanks." He shakes it off a bit as Adum talks about Zilpha "Yeah I remember all that. She had a pretty messed up life that lady."

Megan turns around "Ursula Norris. The cat was nicer, probably because it was a cat......I wonder how Gareth is doing with ours.....Tams is getting the keys from him to bring me some clothes too. She'll probably be here today."

India giggles at both Ryan and the wink Megan gives him. "Sounds like ..." she grins. "But as long as she's not poisoning people she isnt pissed at ... and these cookies are GOOD!"

Adum's eyes sort of flash, as they always do when he makes a connection these days. "Yes!" he listens further. "We already have a Voldemort. Can we not have a Mrs Norris, please?" and then he nods. "Yea. Dad's supposed to have gone to the house to get my laptop. Maybe he'll give her a ride?" he looks at the door, squirming like a boy who is waiting for Daddy to deliver his favorite toy to him.


Megan casually picks up a cookie which is simply a perfectly formed penis. she holds it up to India "Remarkable detail. Do you think she uses moulds or forms them by hand?" she looks at Adum "Oh I could text her and check on that."

Ryan just shakes his head at Megan and then chuckles at Adum "You are a bit stir crazy aren't you? Wonder what kind of wifi strength you'd have in here. We could game online."

India smiles and looks at the detail of her cookie, which is a simple missionary. "Ohhhh girl, I would LOVE to hear he stories behnd the models!" she almost squeals. "My gingerbread men...." she sings hopefuly as if writing a song in her head.

Adum looks at the women and laughs. "You can. Zilpha likes you." then he turns to Ryan. "Damn right I am." he lifts his right arm; the hospital had learned. "They aren't going to let me out until they are all my numbers are right .... like this is the lottery." he refers to his IV. But yea .... I'd love to game with you. I'll probably suck. I have to learn to use a controller all over again. Left handed." he grins. "So I'll be worse than usual since I don't have a nephew to practice with." his grin fades slightly. "How are Steph and Tristan doing?" he asks softly. Even in the line of duty, he knows he's killed his best friends sisters ex lover .. his nephews father.

Megan giggles as she texts to her sister and then mutters "Oh...she does NOT like Gareth....betcha he hit on her.....yep...strrrrike!" She laughs some more as she reads the replies "Oh man Tams...."

Ryan smirks "I'll go easy on you Adum. I think they're OK. Steph's dating someone now eh? Mike, my cop partner....anyways...it's a bit weird for me but he's really really there for her."

India leans over. "Oh lawd .. what's happened to your sister?"

Adum looks at Ryan. "Seriously? But she's kinda small and he's HUGE. How do they...." he stops himself. "I really shouldn't be thinking about that, should I?

Ryan's eyes pop out of his head and he sticks his fingers in his ears and closes his eyes tightly for a second "La la la la la la!! Adum!" He shakes his head around and answers India "The guy that shot Adum...well they shot each other...is...was...Colin Rankin, Tristan's father. He held up our pharmacy first and Steph was a witness."

Megan giggled and then her smile faded and she nodded grimly.

India's eyes go wide. "Holy shit." she whispers and then louder. "I mean ... I know her and Michael got together, got together after that robbery but .... I mean ya'll talked about that at Thanksgiving. I remember. How did I not make the connection?" she sighs and looks at Megan. "But I really wanted to know what Megans sister was going through, to be real about it."

Adum listens and sighs. "Frankly, I think I would rather know that too, honestly." he admits. The shooting of Colin Rankin was such a mixed thing in his mind. So he wants another up part to this roller coaster. "Gareth made a pass at her? I mean, that's what Gareth does, but still. He's come on to me before." he looks thoughtful.

Megan chuckles a bit "Tams likes girls and Gareth is not one and he was being ...you know...himself. She's also a bit blunt...shall we say. It would have been amusing to watch. It sounds like she's had to talk to him more than she's pleased with though. I hope the cats are OK."

Ryan smiles at Adum and then nods along "Yeah Tams can be a little scary. I'm amazed she hasn't kicked Cody's ass yet, some days disappointed."

India chuckles. "Lordy. So that was her welcome to Alexandra, huh?"

Adum grins. "Tams ... I remember ... Cody ...." he bites and chews on gingerbread lovers. "He .... right, right ... he pulled me over ... real ass." he nods. "I think I'd like to see that myself. Yea. Naught? Cody Naught?"

Megan snorts "Yeah he thought I was some sort of hooker and Adum was hiring me for a little action while he worked in CP, the Ryan got out of the car too. What a prick. Nault. Cody Nault. Thankfully Gareth isn't like that guy, just a bit slutty in all directions."

Ryan sighs "I remember that. He was way out of line. Jackass."

India sits back, enjoying the conversation while sipping on Perkatory coffee.

Adum nods, the recall coming back. "Yea. Really pissed me off." he looks at Megan. "But that was the night I think I realized I just couldn't stay away from you." he remembers. "Man ... I really AM slow sometimes." he smiles and reaches for her with his left hand. "But you still love my stupid ass."

Megan takes his hand and teases him "Your ass is one of my favourite bits of you. And better late than never right?" She grins.

Ryan looks around and jokes "Should we uh...pull the curtains and let you have the room kids?"

India pours more coffee. "Hell no! Don't close no curtain. Open it .. wake his roommate up!" she leans back, as if ready to watch one hell of a show.

Adum pulls Megan in for a deep kiss, then looks at Ryan. "No .. unfortunately I am celibate .. something about no sex while I am a patient ... blah blah blah." he sounds pained at the idea.

The door opens again. "Well, its nice to see you're still my boy." it is Adam Brate, Ryans father. Who looks almost exactly like Adum, except for being around 50 years old with more gray hair than his son. The tall and lanky man walks in and looks his son over with a smile. "I might try that hair style." he has two laptops with him. "I hope one of these is the one you wanted." he looks around, knowing everyone except India but not having seen any of them in years.

Ryan clears his throat and averts his eyes now. but mostly facetiously.

Megan kisses Adum back eagerly, too eagerly for a room with other people, but damn she's had to hold back after thinking she might never get to again. She leans her face into his neck as he speaks to Ryan and grumbles "it might be healing....all those endorphins...." She giggles and stands up as Adam's father walks in and speaks "Hi Adam." She offers warmly.

Ryan greets Adum's father as well "Mr. B!" He looks delighted to see the man. "This is India."

Tamela slinks in behind Adam and pokes her head around giving a little finger waggle. Megan scoots from beside her husband and moves around to fiercely hug her sister. Tamela laughs and hugs her back, waving at the others from Megan's back.

Adam moves around to hug Megan quickly before she can escape to her sister. "A worthy daughter. Finally. Praise be to the goddesses of love, light and romance!" he jokes, turning to India even as Megan escapes and Ryan introduces her. "Ohhhhhh." his voice is a smile. "Beautiful, beautiful." he touches India's shoulders without grabbing them. "These boys have my undying jealousy. I heard about you. Listened to your songs and just look at you. Glowing in pregnancy." he sighs deeply. "Someday ... someday..." he looks over at Adum. "Get out of here and work on my grandchildren." he smiles again. "Megan is the better choice. I told you that YEARS ago, son."

India looks slightly amused until Adam touches her and speaks. Then she can't help but beam. "He's like Shaggy in that movie." she giggles. "Hello Mister Brate."

Adum laughs, watching his father one hand already protectively on his laptops. He arches his brows at his father mentioning Megan as the better choice. "Wait ... what?" he looks confused ... again.

Megan had of course hugged her father in law back but now leans back from her sister and stares at the back of him with an awkward gritted teeth forced smile. Tams turns to the opposite wall with a a wince and audibly exhales.

Ryan clears his throat and tries to joke it off "Of course she is Mr. B....of ALL the fish in the sea..." He tries to catch the older man's eyes and shake his head without drawing Adum's gaze in his direction at the same time. He may or may not succeed.

India takes in the looks and wonders a bit about it.

Adam is still looking at his son. "Megan was the better choice." he repeats. "Alison .. well your mother liked her but Jesus Christ. You never should have married that one." he blows out a breath and then looks at his soon a bit more closely.

Adum looks at his father. "I never should have married .... Alison?" he frowns a moment, as has become part of his trying to remember. But this time he's drawing a blank. "Dad .. who the fuck is Alison?" he looks like he sounds. Completely lost.

Ryan just sighs and says it, getting it over with for everyone "Adum you haven't remembered her, and to be honest, she was so toxic, we were all just going to leave it."

Megan comes to stand beside Ryan, looking guilty about it and nodding "You were married to someone before me. Alison Chase. She wasn't very nice to you. I'm sorry."

Tamela turns to face the group and purses her lips. She saw India's look and steps towards her, chuckling a bit "Shaggy....eyep." It's her offhand way of breaking up the awkward.

India nods looking around. "Yeaaaaaaa ... The Original Shaggy."

Adam looks around at them, and then at his son. "You don't .. remember Alison? Seriously?" he searches his son's face and then slowly begins to grin. "Long blond hair? Legs for days? Money coming out of every orifice?" he coaxes.

Adam looks around at his friends and wife, as if he is hearing all of this for the first time. Then he looks at his father as he describes this woman. Alison. "What?" he sits up a bit. "No?" he looks at Megan. "Dad, I don't know what's going on. I don't remember anyone named Alison? Never MIND being MARRIED?" he is clearly upset. "I'd remember being MARRIED< Dad? Especially to a ..." he motions to Ryan. "Toxic ... leggy .. blonde!" be pffts out a breath and frowns more deeply. Surely he would remember being MARRIED. And to someone so awful his best friends .. his WIFE .. would keep silent about her.

Megan inhales, getting teary eyed with how upsetting this is for Adum. Hasn't Alison done enough damage.

Ryan watches Megan and puts an arm around her supportively, nodding at her and then looking a tad exasperated with Mr. B.

Tams snorts "She was a piece of work Adum. Don't work too hard to remember her if she's left the building so to speak....oh and she did sorta...die. Not when she was with you, in the earthquake we had in the spring."

India watches Adum and bites her lip. She'd heard enough about that Alison to fill a lifetime.

Adam watches his sons reaction. "You .. forgot her?" he sounds like its hard to believe. "That's...." he blinks and his voice becomes emotional. "It's a MIRACLE." he cups his son's face and a tear falls. "I ... always wished the whole family .. your friends ... could just forget that cunt." he sounds happy, even through his tears. "I wanted you to forget ALL those years. High school and college ... all of it."

Adum listens and touches his father's hand. "Dad. I can't .. I'm trying ... to remember." he grasps his father's fingers. "I remember high school. I remember visiting you in Cedar Point after the divorce." he swallows hard. "I remember finding Mom in the fucking car." he blows out a breath, still racking his brain. "If I can remember Mom in the damn car ... how could I forget being MARRIED? I mean .. I remember meeting Megan and hanging out with her and Ryan ... I remember ... coming by ... " he laughs a little bit. "Cleaning your house cause you're a slob. Taking care of your eight cats." he pauses. "I remember .. one time me and Ryan and Megan went to the beach and .. I ddn't go in with them .. I just sat on the beach .." he laughs again. "Watching Megan .. I was always watching Megan .. and I couldn't just ask her out .. she was my best friend." he clears his throat roughly. "Him and Garrett set off fireworks and Ryan's shirt caught fire." he laughs. "It was almost graduation." he sighs and holds his father's hand. "I don't remember ANYONE named Alison. At ALL." he proclaims. And, considering the little hes heard, he's sort of glad. But as far as he can remember there are no gaps in his memory.

Megan laughs and cries at the same time looking between Adum and his father "Maybe one of you could wack me on the head and shake her out of mine too. Let's put her behind us though. She kept us apart for far too long and now that part's over. I'm glad you didn't forget everything else though, even some of the tough parts....they make you...you Adum and we love who you are." She takes his left hand and clasps it.

Ryan sniffs a bit, listening and then laughs "I still haven't grown a single chest hair in that spot since. Of all the things to remember about me..."

Tamela exchanges a glance with India and keeps quiet for most of it and then quietly says "Eight cats huh....it's funny that's in your ....shall we say wheelhouse...." She clears her throat and then looks down.

India smiles and quips. "I ain't singin We Shall Overcome, Adum even if you CLEARLY have."

Adam blinks his tears away. "Well ... thats great. And Megan is right .. of course ... you remembered HER." he puts an arm around Megan. "Now about those grandchildren ...." he looks at Tams. "They were great cats. All of them." he looks at Tams in a sort of intense way.

Adum kisses Megan's hand. "Never thought there would be an upside to getting shot in the head." he quips and gives India a sort of apologetic look. "Dad .. please ... I don't want to conceive your grandchild right this minute ..." he considers and goes for the laugh. "Well .. I DO, but .. you know .. hospital rules and god knows after those cookies I CLEARLY have impotence problems." he squeezes Megan's hand to tell her silently he doesn't. Not that he knows of.

Megan laughs "I doubt that but they'll probably sick Nurse Gretchen on us if we try to go for it."

Ryan just sips at his coffee again now that the emotions are calming. He gives India a little smile through his sip.

Tamela blinks in acknowledgment at Adam's intense look and then just flat out says "Adum, Megan....Voldemort had kittens. 4 kittens to be exact. Congratulations, you have 9 cats now."

India was about to speak when Tams does, leaving her mouth agape in shock.

Adam looks on his son and daughter in law with the beaming smile of the kitty grandfather.

Adum was in the process of kissing Megan's hand again when Tams speaks. He freezes, and after a moment his eyes travel up to the face of his most beloved wife. "Voldemort. Had. Kittens." he repeats the announcement slowly ... perhaps TOO slowly.

Megan's face slowly breaks into the biggest beaming grin. She squeals at Adum and then matches her joy energy with her father in law, beaming at him. She looks at Tams like she's going to burst "What colour are they?"

Ryan just starts laughing, almost spitting out his coffee and walks away a bit to try and contain himself.

Tams squints at her sister and Adam like they're both nuts "I dunno...greyish...." She looks at India after like she's seeking a sane person in the room. Adum's reaction has been hard to read and Ryan has removed himself.

Adam beams back at her. "I always wanted Adum to do better than I ever did. NINE cats." he beams in pride at his son and daughter-in-law. "Oh pish posh." he tisks at Tams a bit. "One is almost all black, like mama, but with white in the ears. Another is grey. There's one that looks like a big ol bunch of orange mash and the last is pure snow white." he looks back at Megan. "Do you have names picked out already?"

Adum looks around the room, helplessly, then between his father and wife. "Nine. Cats." he seems to be in something akin to shock. He slowly turns his head towards Tams. "Four. Kittens ...."

Megan muses on the kitten naming "Well we'll have to see what's under those tails and look a little more carefully than we did with Voldy....but I do want a Luna and Hermione, oh and Sirius, maybe a Remus......but you said there's an orange one too....either Ginny.....or even Crookshanks right? Adum what do you think Love?" She's completely immersed in her joy and it would never dawn on her that he's simply not as over the moon as she is "9 cats! We're so lucky!"

Ryan is about to turn back around but then just doesn't, his shoulders shaking a bit as he silently laughs.

Tamela just snickers and asks India "Got any more of that coffee. The cat people are speaking their secret language."

India doesn't hide her smile. She looks over at Ryan and shakes her head at him before the pulls herself up and gets the coffee, bringing it over to Tams and pouring her a cup. "So ... how they gonna act when they have a HUMAN baby?" she asks, in many ways seriously wondering.

Adam smiles even more brightly. "That's right, you're a Harry Potter girl." he sounds impressed. "I like all of those names. Adum?"

Adum looks at Megan's face and sighs. "Megan." he looks as if he's about to say something, and then he begins to shake his head. "I love you too much." he announces. Then he lifts his heft hand, his index finger pointing to her and saying, sternly. "No more! This is the last one ... I mean four. And Voldy gets fixed. Hell they ALL get fixed .. even the kittens." he nods firmly, as of quite proud of himself at putting his foot down.


Megan's shoulders shrug up with her crinkle nosed smile. In a way it almost looks like she knows she's won one with Adum. She beams at her father in law "Yes...and you live in Harry Potter land....we need to come on one of those tours when we visit you. Adum said I can only gives the cats Harry Potter names so don't worry...we won't name a baby Hagrid or anything. Hagrid Brate though, does have a nice ring doesn't it?"

Tamela gestures with her coffee cup as she answers India "I think this is EXACTLY how it's going to go with a human baby." She chuckles quietly into her cup.

Ryan can't contain himself any more "Hagrid Brate, keeper of cats in Alexandra. You guys seriously can't ever do that to a kid."

India watches the Brate family, still shaking her head. "Just .... dayumn...." she is, effectively, speechless.

Adam looks at his son. "Not even a Ron? Honestly, son. Don't be so inflexible." he nods. "Hagrid DOES have a nice ring to it. Think it over."

Adum looks between them both, his no finger still extended. "No, no, no, no, no." he moves his finger between the two of them. "Not even a Ron. Or a Tom. It stops being innocuous when it comes from your mouth, woman." he reaches fro her hand and pulls her close. "I mean it ... nine is my limit." he reaches up to caress her face, but he looks less strong, touching her, as if remembering how easily she can convince him of just about anything .. when they are alone.

Megan leans her upper body across the rail so Adum can achieve his goal. Her voice drops to a whisper "OK...babies next....maybe not nine of them or we'll need a bigger house." She jokes.

Tamela's eyes go wide. She'd always gotten the impression her sister was not such a baby person. She takes a step away from India and teases "You're bloody contagious.

Ryan just grins at Tamela and India and nods.

Adum grins and winks at her. "That's fine. My father is a VERY good architect." and then he kisses her softly.

Adam grins and blushes.

India laughs. "Well, I'm only having ONE ... not NINE." she replies to Tam. She looks at Ryan. "No litters, and ONE of us is getting fixed if we go more than a few years between. Nothing against you and Garrett or Michael and his brother, but I ain't tryin to hear it." she winks at him.

Megan kisses Adum back, smiling through the kiss.

Ryan shrinks into himself a bit and jokingly puts his hands defensively in front of his crotch "Yes Ma'am."

Tamela just leans against the wall taking it all in muttering "Breeders." under her breath.

India nods to Ryan. "I see you guessed which of is is first in the operating room." she huffs, but is grinning. She moves closer to him and rests her head on his shoulder. She is tired, but not willing to say it since the friends haven't seen each other in so long. It's an important visit for Ryan.

Adam watches, beaming. "Oh it is so good to feel all this love." he sighs, happily. He points at Adum. "Don't clean her out of your life, son." he advises.

Adum finally breaks the kiss. He looks at Tam. "SOMEONE has to have the babies, ya know sis." he then turns his eyes towards his father and shakes his head. "I married my father ..." he realizes. "Me, I'm more like my mother was. Neat." he kisses Megans cheek. "You're more like my father here ... no wonder you two like each other so much." he looks at his Dad. "Hey where's that .... GIRL ... I heard over the phone when you called the day I got married?" he narrows his eyes. "And how old is she?"

Ryan chuckles but then senses her tiredness and puts an arm around her, giving her a little kiss on the forehead and then just breathing into her hair.

Megan leans back and looks curious for the answer to Adum's question too, remembering the female voice in the background of their wedding call.

Tams smirks "Have all the babies. I'll help out but I'll give them back when they stink."

India smiles to herself, nuzzling a little into Ryan and resting a little.

Adam grins. "Oh, that was was just my date for the evening. And she's THIRTY, I will have you know. So she's older than you are. Don't worry." he assures his son.

Adum grins at Tams. "So you're a no on babysitting until AFTER potty training? Noted." he chuckles and then almost gives himself whiplash his father replies about the woman. "Dad! I'll be thirty in the SPRING!" he protests and then sighs. "I want you happy, Dad, I really do, but ... I really don't want to have a stepmother who I may have lusted after in high school. Or COULD have, if we'd been in the same country."

Megan giggles "Well that gives me hope that you'll still be ready to go as we get older Adum." She's teasing her father in law as well.

Tams just stays right out of this one but smirks a bit.

Ryan watches the family dynamic and chuckles a little into the side of India's head.

India snorts a little but continues to shake head, moving Ryan's hand to her belly. That baby moving thing never gets old.

Adam grins and looks at Megan. "Oh Brate men are VY long lasting." he reports. "It wasn't the sex that got between me and his mother. It was the." he looks at his son. "Feather duster." he jibes.

Adum begins by blushing and moves on into mock offensiveness. "Maybe you just didn't use the feather duster right, Dad." he pokes back, proving that in the end, father and son are comfortable speaking on any subject.

Ryan gently moves his hand around on India's belly, tracking the movement of what might be a little foot pushing back at his hand. He's basking and barely notices the conversation, giving a tiny chuckle. He's very bonded with this child already in a way he didn't expect.

Tamela sniffs casually and just quips "Be an interesting holiday when the Douglas's and Brate's all get together. Lewd, but interesting."

Megan just laughs and nods at her sister after blinking a bit at the Brate males.

India hears them and laughs aloud and kisses Ryans cheek. "You're already a great Dad." she whispers to him.

Adam grins at Tams. "I sort of miss talking to your father...." he muses. "Maybe I will make plans to come back for Christmases." it's hard to say if that's a threat or not.

Adum grins at Tams. "How could you not just love me on sight?" he muses. "And now you get me, my father and his latest chippie ... who probably can't even clean right!"

Adam smirks at his son. "It's not what she cleans, but how she cleans it." he nods knowingly.

Megan gives Adum a little light swat "You guys..." she giggles.

Tams nods at the Christmas threat/promise "Let us know. Aunt Shirley would love it. She hosts, best house for it." She mock sneers at Adum "On sight? Nope, you had to prove your worth and you did. Paid in ham, as it should be."

Ryan gives India a little melting look and teases her, pointing at her belly now "I think this part is the easy bit...it's when they come out..."

India laughs and smacks his arm playfully. "I think it's time we headed home. Your child is already wearing me out." she grins and moves to Adum, kissing him on the cheek. "I'd love to stay all day but I'm tired. I'm sorry."

Adam nods. "I will do my damndest next year. Promise." he smiles at India and looks at his son. "Looks like she might not be the only one needs a nap, son."

Adum accepts the kiss and pats India's arm as his father speaks. "Yea .. I'm afraid he's right." he reaches for Megan. "Not you. Stay with me?" she always does and he is grateful during a nightmare or two he has.

Ryan reaches out to clasp Adum's hand after India's farewell "I got to keep my family healthy, you work on you OK? I'll be back soon and we'll figure out a game. Text me buddy." He'll let go and take India's hand after "Beautiful Mama...you can snooze in the car. and I'll wake you when we get home. Bye everyone."

Tams waves at India and Ryan and then gives Adum a little pat on the arm "Heal fast Adum. You're family now." she winks at Megan and steps out of the room, letting father and son say goodbye in private.

Megan nods "Course I will. I'd crawl in with you if they'd let me."


India grins and drags herself out of the door parting with "Good, cause I am SO ready for bed. Man oh man."

Adum nods. "As soon as I'm ready to have my ass handed to me." he promises and nods to Tams. "I'll make you one of MY hams when I get outta here." he tells her, lifting his hand in farewell.

Adam moves around the bed and kisses Megan on the forehead, then takes Adum's hand. "You take care of my boy." he tells her. "And you take care of this woman here." he taps on the laptops. "And I really hope one of these is the one you want." and he heads out.

Megan grabs the chair and scoots it as close as possible. She leans over Adum and runs her fingers gently through his very short hair and just croons "You can sleep Love. I'll be here."

Adum lays down and turns his head first to the door his friends and family left through and then back at his wife. "I love you." he says, letting his tiredness seep through his voice. "I never knew another. Never want to." he rests his head in the pillow and is asleep less than a minute later.




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