Patchwork

Part 18


Dear Michael,

I know we just got off the phone and I promised not to cry, but I do. I can’t help it. The tears keep flooding and flooding but I don’t know what to do. I guess it will take me some time again to get used to not have you around for a while.

I hope you will be able to come back as soon as you can. I wish I could just take the next plane and visit you and this beautiful country France; a country I always wanted to visit but then never had the chance to. There’s the fact of having three children as you might have noticed. I think I’d never be able to afford to spend so much money on plane tickets, nor do I have the time. Don’t forget that my French seriously sucks and they’d only laugh at my face if I even tried to speak a single word.

Anyway I couldn’t help but had to write you and along, I’m sending you a few pictures I downloaded from the camera (yes, I know how to do that!) just right now. God I miss you and Laura so much it hurts.

When I got home, I went into the nursery in order to slowly get Susie ready for bed and I had to fold up Laura’s guest bed. I was devastated and relieved at the same time because Susie came up, thinking I had hurt myself. Right now she only understands that when one cries, that the one is hurt. Well I am, but not physically. I tried to tell her instead she sits on my lap with her large smile on her face with the thought of making the owie go away. I eventually had to smile and tell her that it was gone. Then she pulled me up to my feet and dragged me downstairs to the cookie jar. One for her and one for me and we were all set again.

Susie is the sunshine of my life Michael. I know I have Zach and Adam too, but when Danny died, the only thing that kept me truthfully going was Susie. Ever day and every night she cried for me, I had to get up, I had to take care of her, I was holding onto her for dear life. And again today, she is the one waking me up and telling me that life is going on. No matter how far you are away, she needs me, just as much as I need her.

I need you too Michael. I know there are many things we haven’t talked about yet, but I want to give us a try. I want an us… I want us to be a family and I hope you do too.

Love,
Sydney



I read the email once, twice and even three times before hitting the reply button. It takes lots of time to think about the right words to write.


Dear Sydney,

You won’t believe how cheerful I was when I found your email in my inbox. And the pictures are just wonderful. I’ll be showing them to my mother tomorrow. I guess you don’t mind me showing them right? My mother already requested to see some but I had to remind her that I first needed to download them and print them out. Technology is nothing for her… *smile*

As for Susan Sydney… I love her just as much as if she were my own daughter (I hope you don’t mind me saying that). She truly is an amazing child, she is so much like you Sydney; so full of life. I want you to hold onto each other when needed. But don’t leave out Zachary and Adam, they need you too. I know you are aware of it, you’re their mother. They love you and even though they are growing up, they will still need you. They always will need you no matter how old they are.

Before we left, I had a long talk with Adam (yes, something you don’t know!). He misses his father a lot Sydney and I think the two of you should have a mother to son talk. Especially since I’m about entering his life. I know there are things the three of us need to discuss together but there are issues that only the two of you can solve and it needs to be done quick. I don’t want to hurt you Sydney, but he feels left alone. He is still a child Sydney that needs its mother.

I’m saying this now because I needed you to know this but also because I want to give us a try too. I miss you and the entire family so much. We will figure it out… I promise.

Love,
Michael



I read the email over and over again, changing a few words here and there and adding a few of my pictures taken during our journey to the email before hitting the sent button. I stare at the computer for several more minutes before sleep is finally catching up on me.

So shutting down the computer first, I make my way into the bathroom and get myself ready for bed. I haven’t even been home yet for 12 hours and I already feel out of place. It feels so weird because this house has been my home for almost all of my life. The only reason I moved back in with my mother is because it was the easiest way to conceive with having somebody to look after Laura. Why live miles away and have hours to waste in Paris traffic to bring her forth and back?

I leave my room briefly to check up on my daughter, only to find her sleeping peacefully with doudou clutched in her arms and the Build-a-Bear© teddy watching after her. Thousands of thoughts flash through my mind thinking about what would happen if I decide to move to the United States with Laura. I’m going to break my mother’s heart and Laura’s too. She has her school, her friends, her grandmother and her uncles that love her beyond anything.

Do I have the right to place my own happiness above my daughter’s happiness?


End Part 18 :whistle:
 
omg yes this sounds selfish buy go
she is young she will adjust
im so glad you mentioned her boys as they dont seem to play to much of a part in this story and i loved em
 
Great Updates...
I like how Vaughn talked to Adam...
it shows he really cares about her kids...
Hopefully they will figure it out soon.
thanks for the pm.
 
Part 19


Dear Sydney,

Today it is Laura’s sixth birthday as you more likely remember. I can’t believe my little baby to be turning six! I mean she will start first grade in September. That’s about four months from now. It seems to me like it was yesterday that I left her for the first time at preschool. I’m so sad right now. Not only because she’s growing up much faster to my liking but also because you’re not here to spend that special day with me, with us!

Laura even asked me last night whether you’d be able to come visit us some day but I told you that you couldn’t. She was sad about that and it even took me some time to comfort her. Then she asked when she would see you again, if you can’t come to visit us. Would that mean that we’d have travel to America again during summer? I told her that I didn’t know.

It was the first time that I lied to my daughter Sydney! It was the hardest that I had ever to do and I hope I’ll never have to do it again. I don’t want to put her hopes up too high because I’m not sure whether I will be able to make it during summer break. It would either have to be before that or after which means that either way, she wouldn’t be able to come along because of school.

This is so not like I had planned it! But truthfully have I ever planned for this to happen…*happy smile*

As you can read, I’m feeling rather down this morning. I think it’s also due to the lack of sleep lately because work is tiring me too much. I’m coming home late and barely have time to spend with Laura. And if I do have time, then she’s either at dance or singing classes. (girls… *rollseyes*). Yes she loves to dance and sing.

I guess I better end this email here before you hate me for killing your good mood.

Miss you

Lots of Love,
Michael



Hey,

Yes it’s me again. I guess you didn’t have time to come online. It doesn’t matter… It’s getting really late over here and I just wanted to give you some brief news about the party.

The house was full with girls! I swear to you, you should have seen me! It was a disaster but Laura has had a blast with all of her friends from dance class. They’ve been singing and dancing all the time. The music was so loud my mother had to leave the room and stayed most part in the kitchen.

My brothers were here too, helping me out. Or sort of… Ok, well, let’s just say that there was at least one grown-up person at the party managing to keep everything under control.

So before I forget it and not wanting to have a pouting Laura on my back tomorrow, I’m sending you here the photos she forced me to send to you. Now don’t you dare laughing! I’m fully aware that some of the pictures are silly but for my own defence, it was a birthday party! A girl’s birthday party nonetheless.

I’m off to bed… I gotta go to work tomorrow. (urgh)… big meeting!

Enjoy the pictures.

Love,
Michael

PS. I miss your smile.



Michael,

Sorry, yesterday’s morning was just a mess. Adam fell in the stairs (How many times did I tell him to wear his slippers when home in order not to slip on the tiled floor??!!!) and thus I not only had to rush Zach to school but also to the emergency with Adam’s broken arm. Susie in tow of course because Carolyn wasn’t home to look after her. And of course we had to wait inline an endless long time so that Susie started getting fussy (and you know how much she needs to be fussy). It was just a plain long day. All I wanted to do was crash down and watch a movie but I fell asleep ten minutes into the movie. I woke up with a sore back in the middle of the night and crawled my way heavily back upstairs.

I know it’s not very comforting (though sometimes it helps) but you’re not the only one having a bad day *smile*

I know kids are growing fast, don’t they? I hope Laura got my birthday card on time. I was a little bit late and I’m really sorry… I just never get to the post office and once I was there, but I didn’t have the box with me. I just sent it on Wednesday but I think it takes longer than three days for the mail to arrive in Europe, right? Oh well, I can’t change it…

Oh and the pictures! They are amazing. I really had to laugh so much. You really made me smile hard there. I can also see your brothers and mother. I hope I will be able to meet them some day. Anyway, I saved the pictures (of course) onto the hard disk. I even printed some out and put them into a frame. It’s the picture where you’re together with Laura, helping her to cut her chocolate cake and smiling right up into the camera. I guess either of your brothers took that one, right? It’s a very beautiful picture and I love it so much.

But looking at the picture reminds me of how much I miss the two of you. I hope you will find a way to come to visit us again. I know you will try your best, but the sooner the better *smile*

Missing you lots,
Sydney


End Part 19


A/N: So I'm surfing on the net 'cause you all know how much I LOVE to add pictures... and found some sweet pictures with the same girl that I picked out for Laura... so here some sweet little pictures of something that looks like they could be part of Laura's birthday :lol:

I'm addicted to my own fic... how pathetic is that???????? :rolleyes:


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:angelic: cookie
 
not pathetic at all
it means we get more chapters which definatly rocks

sorry greys is on gotta go but i loved it
yaya CALLIEs on tv
 
I'm so sorry I haven't replied in ages :blush: but life got really busy (well still is), anyway I caught up now.

I love this story, it's very cute. Sad, when they had to leave and I hope they go back soon. And yep, one of them will have to move, it won't work otherwise.

thanks for the pms
 
Part 20


“S’il te plait Laura” (Please Laura) I ask her to finally quit nagging and clean her room. This place is a mess. I know she has been sick last week and I have given her the time that she needs to play and recover. But then there is also the time where the toys and dolls need to be stowed away again. One can barely walk from the door to the window without spraining his/her ankle.

After several efforts she finally obeys though with an obvious pout that I’m not giving into.

“Tu finis de ranger ta chambre, ensuite tu descends manger” (You finish to clean up your room and then you come downstairs to eat). I tell her, leaving the room and descending the stairs.

The doorbell chimes right when I’m next to it, startling me. Not many people are dropping by our house without our knowledge. Wondering who that could be at such late hours, I go to open the door.

I’m left out of word, seeing Sydney standing right in front of me. I must be hallucinating, daydreaming or some sort of kind. It can’t be her. She is all the way back home with her family in America. She can’t be in France… But the more I try to blink my eyes, the image still doesn’t fade. The smile and her beautiful frame are unmistakable; it is Sydney.

“Hi” Susan waves her little hand first at me, with the same smile than her mother.

“Sydney?” I’m not sure whether it is a question or an affirmation. Stepping aside and opening the door to let the exhausted pair inside. She drops her one luggage onto the floor and wraps her arms firmly around my neck, holding onto me for dear life. I also wrap my arms around her waist never wanting to let go ever again while repeating her name. I simply need to make sure that this isn’t a dream; that she is really here with me. I have too many questions in my head right now that I want to ask her but I’m not going to flood her with that. Everything comes in due time.

I’m no longer able to resist and start kissing her fiercely in the middle of the hallway.

“Oh God is that really you?” I question still quite not believing it.

“Well if it’s not me you’re kissing, then French people have a weird way to welcome strangers into their house” She smiles while all I can think about is how amazing she is.

“Susie too up!” Not able to resist her request either, I pick her up and cradle her real close against me and place a sweet kiss onto the little girl’s hair.

“I missed you so much” I pull them both close up against me, wanting to shelter them from all the bad things in the world and so much more. I want to love and to care for them, always and forever. I don’t want to be apart ever again. Sydney and I share our closeness for another minute when Laura’s stomping feet on the wooden floor tear us apart.

“Papa t’est où?” (Daddy where are you?) she shouts through the entire house. I smile down at Sydney, knowing what kind of surprise this is going to be for her. Just like expected she stops half way in the stairs when she spots Sydney.

“Sydney!” she exclaims, sprinting the remaining stairs downwards.

“Doucement!” (Slowly!) I have to remind her but she has already reached the bottom and thrown herself into Sydney’s awaiting arms. Laura clings to Sydney’s neck so that she has to lift my daughter up into her arms. Laura then places a sweet kiss onto her cheek. With lots of affection, Sydney combs her fingers through her slightly messed up hair. Her eyes are literally glistening and I come to wonder how a woman could love a child as much as Sydney loves Laura. I think though that it goes both ways since I adore her children just the same.

“Come on get in. You must be tired… who am I kidding? You’re probably happy to still stand straight, right?” I joke making her smile grow even larger, the dimples forming in her cheeks. I touch her cheek, playfully poking the tiny whole with my forefinger. I kiss her lips and whisper “I really missed that smile” making her blush profusely.

“Sydney, viens! … come!” Laura suddenly pulls Sydney by her arm. She wants to show Sydney her bedroom, but first we have to eat. She can always show her room to Sydney later. But of course, the girl is far too excited and after a very brief and rather surprising introduction to my mother and brother, they both head upstairs, leaving me to explain everything.

“Sydney…regardes!... look…here” I smile, leaning up against the doorframe to Laura’s bedroom, seeing Sydney standing in the middle with Susan in her arms. Laura shows her every single item that she owes which is far too much. She is the only daughter I have and I know I’m spoiling her rotten. I’m very often reminded by my mother but nothing will do. “Ca c’est papa qui me l’a acheté!” (Daddy bought me this one) she explains in French holding the big cuddling Build-a-Bear© teddy up to Sydney.

Sydney most certainly recognises the bear and she smiles at the sight of the teddy bear clad in his boxer shorts.

“Look…” Laura uses one of the words she has learnt from our stay in America continuously. Both end up giggling at the poor teddy bear clad in nothing but his boxer shorts. I’m almost feeling sorry for the poor guy. We have bought so many clothes on our last stay, but the only thing he’s been wearing lately is his underwear. I tried to convince her that he was going to catch flu, but I failed.

“Laura” I call out for her, catching her attention as well as Sydney’s. “Viens il faut aller manger, mamie nous attend” (Come on, we have to go eat, grandma is waiting for us) I tell her, holding my hand out for her to take.

She grabs mine and Sydney’s and then I suddenly feel this connection coming out of nowhere by this innocent bond she has created. It’s like we are linked together and I hope that some day it will be this way forever.


End Part 20


A/N: Happy????????? :lol:
 
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