<\/p>\n
There was a change to the morning routine when Henry suddenly looked up from his porridge one day and said to his husband Frank, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Your mother still hasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t seen Sam.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Frank didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t look back from trying to aim mushed banana into his son\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s mouth, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153She sees him all the time. Here comes the aeroplane<\/em>,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d He furrowed his brow as Sam shook his head violently, obscuring the runway and sending the aircraft into a spin dive, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153He Skyped her yesterday. He\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s very technological, aren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t you<\/em>?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d He ruffled the tentative hairs on the baby\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s head and then managed to shove the spoon in.<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I mean in person.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153She\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll see him at Christmas,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Frank answered, trying not to sound defensive. He had a horrible idea he knew where this was going.<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153He\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll be twice the size he is now by then,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Henry responded.<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Babies change. She knows that, she\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll understand.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153We could take him next month.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a four-hour flight!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Frank could hear the shrillness of panic in his voice. He wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t afraid of flying, not in the technical sense, but he suffered from horrible, debilitating travel sickness. Every second of every journey, from the moment he sat in a vehicle was sheer torture. If he could have walked to his mother in Luxembourg, he would have.<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not that long.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Henry said, as though discussing a trip to the shops.<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcEasy for you to say,\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 Frank thought. He said \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not fair on other passengers, bringing a screaming baby for four hours.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n Henry ruffled Sam\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s hair, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Maybe he won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t scream. Maybe he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll be just like his daddy,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Henry had been in the RAF.<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Well, one of his daddies flies like a brick,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Frank reminded him.<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s hope there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not too much of that daddy in him, then,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Henry said without thinking. Shortly after, he kissed Frank and Sam on the cheek and went off to work, not realising what he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d just said.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Henry got his way. A flight was booked and the plans made. Frank sat in his seat, Sam sat on his lap. Frank fidgeted and gripped his son like the handrail on an ice skating rink.<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Do you want me to take him?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Henry asked, ever the font of charity once he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d gotten what he wanted.<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m fine.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Frank responded, his breath short.<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re squeezing him like a stress toy.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m fine.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n The engines began to drone and Frank grimaced, his stomach turning to mud in anticipation of what was to come.<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re going to pop his head off,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Henry said, concerned.<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m-\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n The plane began to move. Frank unceremoniously foisted Sam onto Henry and then dived for the sick bag.<\/p>\n Henry turned his infant son to face out the window, dandling him happily and saying \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t daddy being silly?<\/em> Isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t daddy silly?<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n Over the sound of the engines and his own vomiting, Frank could hear Sam laughing merrily. It broke his heart.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Molly was pleased as punch with her grandson, especially, as she kept repeating to Frank\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s displeasure, as she\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d thought she\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d never be a grandmother.<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153He\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s like a bowling pin with a face!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d She commented, bouncing Sam in her arms.<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t say that,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Frank pled.<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s okay, he can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t understand me,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she looked up from her grandson, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Can he?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t mind him, Molly, he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s just grumpy from the flight.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Henry smarmed. Sometimes, Frank really loathed his husband.<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Oh, let me guess, he vomited the entire time.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It was like Niagara.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n They both laughed. Frank tried not to scowl. It wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t just the flight that had upset him\u00e2\u20ac\u201c but he couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t tell Henry what was worrying him. He needed to speak to his mother alone.<\/p>\n A stroke of luck: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Just popping to the loo,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Henry announced.<\/p>\n Once he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d left, Frank turned desperately to his mother. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Sam\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not mine,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he said.<\/p>\n Molly\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s brow furrowed. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153What?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153He\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not my son, he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Henry\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I thought you didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t know whose\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6material they used?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d She wrinkled her nose at the thought.<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153No, but now I do.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Frank was trying not to sound whiny, he really was.<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153How?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Sam didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t get travel sick.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6So?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n Frank sighed, exasperated, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153So I always do!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t. Does that mean you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re not my son?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not the same, we know you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re my mother.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Frank needed her to see, he needed someone else to share his anguish.<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re making a fuss over nothing.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d She chided, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153So, he didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t get sick\u00e2\u20ac\u201c I mean, do you want him to?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Of course not-\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Babies change. Maybe next time he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll throw up like a champion. And you can be so proud as you mop up the sick.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Frank rolled his eyes and Molly added matter-of-factly, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153He\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s your son no matter what. You know that. I know you know that.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yes, but\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Frank looked down at his son, still too young to show any real signs of his parentage. Maybe there was a hint around the eyes of Henry, but then maybe he was imagining it. He smiled.<\/p>\n At that moment, Henry returned, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Feeling a bit better, love?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d He asked Frank.<\/p>\n Molly answered, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Oh yes, he was just telling me how well Sammy flew.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Well, thank God, right? I was scared he was going to be a sickie just like his daddy. I mean, they look so much alike, I thought he hadn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t got anything from me.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n Henry busied himself rubbing Sam\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s head, so he wouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t see Frank\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s triumphant smile.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Rory Kelly<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" There was a change to the morning routine when Henry suddenly looked up from his porridge one day and said to his husband Frank, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Your mother still hasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t seen Sam.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Frank didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t look back from trying to aim mushed banana into his son\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s mouth, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153She sees him all the time. Here comes the aeroplane,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":113,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false},"categories":[443,407],"tags":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hyogoajet.net\/hyogotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5704"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hyogoajet.net\/hyogotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hyogoajet.net\/hyogotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hyogoajet.net\/hyogotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/113"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hyogoajet.net\/hyogotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5704"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.hyogoajet.net\/hyogotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5704\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hyogoajet.net\/hyogotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5704"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hyogoajet.net\/hyogotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5704"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hyogoajet.net\/hyogotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5704"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}