Part 8
Hey,
You won’t believe what happened! No you won’t! Laura broke her leg… yes… right! Seriously, is that kid ever going to listen to me? I don’t think so… She’s so…aaarrghh! Really… I mean…my little baby…a broken leg! Can you imagine what that’s like for me? What I feel like?
Oh right, yeah you probably do, but still…. My little baby…
So we were up on the mountain together (yes Laura can ski, pretty well even…- she’s gifted or something… yet that didn’t keep her from breaking her leg… ok this time it’s me babbling…). I told her she should go easy this time because it was a steeper hill than we’d usually take. She goes all yeah yeah daddy… I can do that. So I let her go… and what is the outcome of this? A BROKEN LEG!
She couldn’t break in time and crushed right up against somebody else (poor woman… but she’s ok) and fell real hard so that her leg bent. It’s a disaster…
But besides this, we had lots of fun. Just as usual, the two of us enjoying much needed time together! And now that Spring break is approaching I’m getting more and more excited to visit you again.
I’ll still need to fix things for Laura’s passport soon though otherwise she won’t be able to travel with me but I really want to take her to get to meet you guys. As you more likely know she doesn’t speak a word of English so I started teaching her some during our vacation. She loves it even if some words are pretty hard for her to remember. Believe me, I’m not forcing her, it’s just some fun… and she likes it, so… can’t be too bad. I wish you could see her face in the morning when I hand her the bowl of cereals and she actually THANKS me (in English please!). She’s quite something… She always makes me smile…
Anyway… she’s calling me so I better go before she runs a tantrum!
Love,
Michael
I quickly add some pictures as an attachment onto the email before hitting the SEND button. Laura is waiting for me at the stairs. I lift her up and carry her all the way downstairs where my mother and brother are waiting for dinner. Later I have some more work to catch up with my brother and then slowly towards the end of the evening I retreat myself back to my bedroom, after dropping a kiss onto my mother’s head.
“Bonne nuit maman” (Good night mother)
Feeling that my muscles are sore from the hour long sitting at work, I decide to have an later shower instead of early in the morning. It’s quite refreshing too, feeling the hot water run all the way down my body and end up spending more time in the shower than intended. Dressed up in a pair of boxer shorts and shirt I want to sit down but realise the laptop still being on. I grumble but still decide to shut it down.
There’s a new incoming email and I instantly know it’s from Sydney. I just know it and have to sit down and read it.
Dear Michael,
OMG I’m so sorry for Laura. Please could you give her a kiss from me and wish her get well? You know, my French is so not good (especially since I don’t even speak a word – haha). I’m sure it will heal just fine and you’ll see her running around pretty soon again to keep you busy. In the meantime you can take real good care of her (not that you don’t the other days). You know just… you know… Glad though you two had fun
You know I have to admit that I’m really looking forward to seeing you again and Laura of course too. I’m so excited and I’m already counting the weeks (not the days quite yet). 7 left to go…. And counting… LOL. I guess I should get my French practise started thus. Laura seems to have a good start ahead of me (shame on me!).
I have an excuse though, I’m a full-time stay at home mum with two (almost) teenage boys (!!!!) and baby to take care of. And it also happens that every once in a while Eric forgets to pick up his children too, which would make it five. (Yes, it happened and Carolyn was pretty mad at him!)
Anyway, I don’t have much to tell, except that Susan learnt how to pronounce her name correctly this week! I’m so proud!
Gotta pick up Adam and Zach from school,
Sydney
With a smile plastered all over my face, I shut down the computer, turn off the light and sneak under the bed sheets for a nice long sleep.
Part 9
Ever since I told my mother that I was going to travel to America with Laura she’s been pushing me non-stop in order to have a nice watch out over Laura. I don’t get the fuss she is making but whenever she starts her rambling, I simply let her talk and try my best to keep control over myself and act as if I don’t hear her.
“Tu donnes un dernier bisous à mamie?” (Could you give one last kiss to grandma) I ask of Laura, lifting my baggage first up to be weighed while I’m handing out both passports and flight tickets onto the flight attendant.
Laura is far too excited about this trip and at the same time I wonder what she will be like during those 8 hours of flight and how to keep her entertained. On the plane I realise quickly that she’s much more capable of behaving herself than I thought. During take-off she is a little bit scared, which I already know but then the flight attendant shows up with a special entertainment unit for kids. That one keeps her busy till dinner is served. She falls asleep a short while after a brief comic strip and sleeps through three hours straight. I on the other hand can’t sleep but keep my eyes closed for quite some while with the prospect of seeing Sydney soon again. I have also brought a couple of books along but I rapidly get distracted by Laura tossing around in my lap, trying to find a comfortable position.
That’s when I can’t take my eyes off my sleeping daughter in front of me. She is resting rather peacefully once she has herself nestled nicely. Combing my fingers lovingly through her long dirty blond hair my thoughts travel to places they aren’t supposed to go as yet. I see myself and Sydney, married, living together in the States and all. Do I really want to go that far? How is Laura going to react to this big change? Will she be up to it? Will I be up to it? I mean, for all I know Sydney doesn’t even love me and only sees a friend in me.
I shake my head lightly and realize that I’ve fallen asleep after all. The lights on the plane are turned on again, waking a large part of the engine. Some still doze away, other keep their eyes closed and the queue for the restrooms keeps growing once again. The moment Laura wakes up, she needs to head the bathroom too so we join the line.
We’re approaching the East Coast of the States very fast from then on, because breakfast is being served followed with a movie.
“Le film est en anglais papa. Je comprends pas!” (The movie’s in English daddy. I don’t understand!)
“Alors regardes les images. Tu as déjà vu le film, non?” (Then look at the images. You have already seen the movie, haven’t you?) I tell her referring to the movie BABE she has already seen like a billions of times. Knowing how much she loves the movie and I am happy that I have convinced her by sitting still for another couple of hours before the plane starts its descent.
Laura’s head is like glued to the window as the plane starts to go down and the big city of New York approaches little by little. Not too soon does the plane set tires again onto the cement ground of the States.
“Papa on est là. On va voir Sydney maintenant?” (Daddy, we’re here. Are we going to see Sydney now)
“Oui ma chérie. Mets ta veste s’il te plaît, on va bientôt descendre de l’avion” (Yes, sweetie. Please put on your jacket, we’re soon going to leave the plane). I beg her to stay put some more till the plane has reached its standing position. I’m not looking forward at all to wait in line for customs but there’s no way around it. Keeping Laura busy during that hour is more difficult than the eight hour flight.
Next thing is to wait for our luggage and as soon as we claimed ours I search for the exit, until I hear a very distinct “Michael” right behind us. Immediately spinning around I see Sydney with Susan in her arms all smiling. I unconsciously drop all our belongings onto the floor, gathering them into a very tight hug.
“Sydney! I’m so glad you’re here! Sydney” I repeat several times letting the name smoothly roll over my lips again. Then it’s time to introduce Laura and Sydney too each other, as well as Susan.
Kneeling slightly down, I fail not to notice that Sydney pulls her hair back behind her ear as she talks to my daughter for the first time.
“Hi, I’m Sydney”
Laura smiles at Sydney, her grip though softly tightening around my hand, still uncertain. “Hi” she greets Sydney and immediately looks back up at me before her eyes go back to Sydney and Susan.
“Hey Susie” I tickle the girl lightly who recognises me in some way.
“She’s beautiful Michael” Sydney awes still showing her dimples while referring to my daughter.
“I know… I’m her dad” I joke which makes her smile even further.
“Come on let’s go home, you must be exhausted from the long flight” Sydney starts babbling as we make our way to her van. The entire way over the freeway, Laura is amazed by the big city. Sure Paris is also a big city but it’s all different. Plus this is something new… something new to explore that she hasn’t seen yet.
“Papa, la fille elle a pris mon bracelet!” (Daddy, the girl took my bracelet) I turn my head to the back of the car, seeing Susan grinning away and showing me her new possession, waving her arm that carries now Laura’s bracelet. Of course Laura grabs the toddler’s arm to get her self-made pearl bracelet back, which only makes Susan squirm.
“Mummy…no…mine….mummy mine! ‘way!” Sydney analysis the situation in the rear mirror before telling me.
“We’re going to stop by at the grocery store soon so we can get whatever you want to get for Laura” I nod my head.
“Laisses lui le bracelet pour l’instant. On sera bientôt arrivé et ensuite elle te le rendra d’accord?” (Leave her the bracelet for now. We’ll be there soon and then she’ll give it back to you, ok?”
Laura keeps a suspicious sideways eye on Susan who seems to enjoy her new toy far too much for Laura’s liking. This trip is going to be very promising I think….
tbc