She watched the nurse hurry around the room, busying herself around the small basinet in the corner as she grasped her husbands hands.

“Is the baby…?”

“One minute, sir. Just give us another minute.” The nurse turned back to her work, gentle hands moving over the baby with a soft cloth She turned back towards the young couple, the wiggling bundle in her hand. Walking across the room, she handed him over, the baby instantly clinging to his mother. “He’s a perfectly healthy baby boy.”

She looked up at her husband, wanting him to confirm what she thought she had heard. She watched his hands move swiftly, a smile coming to her face as she read his words.

“What’s his name?”

He slowly turned to the nurse, reluctant to let his eyes leave his precious son. “Gilbert. Gilbert Grissom.”

*~*~*~*~*

She put the baby in the high chair, wrapping the dish towel around his middle and threading it through the back of the chair, safely securing him. She pushed the chair towards the table, smiling as her baby smiled back at her. “Daddy will be home soon, baby. Then we can celebrate your birthday.”

“I’m home now.” His fingers echoed the words spoken for the sake of the baby. He set his briefcase on the counter and pulled the wrapped package from the small bag.

“What did you get?”

“A present. It’s my son’s birthday, I had to get him something.”

“I thought we agreed…”

“I know money’s tight. And he’s not going to remember, but I will.” He walked around the table, kissing his wife before leaning down to kiss his son’s chubby cheeks.

“Are you ready for this?”

He nodded his agreement as his wife took the small cake out from under the metal lid. She walked across the room as the two of them sang, setting the cake down in front of their baby. His big blue eyes looked up at them as they gestured towards the cake, his little fists raising in the air and smashing into the cake as he gurgled in delight.

The camera snapped and she smiled as her husband snapped her picture, both of them smiling at their precious son.

*~*~*~*~*

“Mommy.”

She looked down at the tugging on her skirt, smiling as she bent down to pick up her son. “What’s wrong, Gil?”

“Daddy?” His thumb moving to his forehead as he said the word.

She gently corrected his hand, uncurling his fingers until they pointed straight up. “Daddy.” She repeated back to him, moving her own hand to mimic the correct position. “He’ll be home soon. But first we need to get you cleaned up. You were playing in that dirt far too long.” She walked down the hall, humming an absent melody to her son as she entered the bathroom. She kept her chatter going, signing her words as she spoke, acclimating her son to both of the languages used in their household. Stripping him of his diaper, she set him in the empty bathtub, turning for the basket of baby items before turning on the water. She turned the faucet, carefully testing the water before letting the tub fill. Once the water covered the bottom of the tub, she turned the faucet off and quickly bathed her son. Giving him a few minutes to play in the warm water, she slightly cleaned the bathroom, keeping an eye on the child.

“Honey?”

“Daddy?” His thumb connected with his forehead again, this time in the correct position as he pointed to the door.

She turned around to see her husband in the doorway, a broad smile on his face.

“There’s my two favorite people.” He stepped into the room, kissing his wife before reaching for the towel and wrapping Gil in it, drying him off as the family stepped out of the bathroom. “If this year is anything like last year, maybe we should leave him like this until after the cake.”

“Cake?” Gil twisted in his fathers arms, trying to look towards the kitchen. “My cake!”

His father tightened his arms around the wiggling toddler, setting him into the chair. “Wait just a minute Gil, you need to blow out the candles first, then you can have cake.”

Gil watched as the candles were lit on the cake, his eyes dancing in the light of the fire. He looked up to his parents, watching to see what he should do. Copying their movements, he blew out the two candles on the small cake.

*~*~*~*~*

Gil sat at the table, eyeing the small pile of presents before him. “Mommy?”

“You have to wait for your father to come home, Gil. You know that.”

“How much longer?”

She pointed to the clock, lifting Gil so he could see it clearly. “Where is the little hand when he gets home?”

Gil raised his fingers indicating the number.

“That’s right. Five. It’s just four now, so we’ve got one hour to wait. Go on and play while I make your favorite supper.” She shooed him out of the room, watching as he toddled down the hallway. Moving to the kitchen, she went to the pantry taking out the potatoes and placing them on the counter. She watched as Gil ran through the kitchen, reaching for the door handle and jumping slightly.

“Can I go outside?”

She opened the door, reaching for the screen door before it slammed back into place. “Stay where I can see you.” She watched for a minute as he waved back, before moving back to the dinner preparations. She quickly peeled and cut the potatoes into small strips, blanching them and setting them aside for later use. Wiping her hands, she watched as Gil ran around the back yard chasing a butterfly.

She opened the back door, watching as Gil ran across the yard and jumped into his father’s arms. Keeping the door open, she waved them into the house, smiling as they both kissed her on the cheek as they passed through the doorway.

“Can I open them now, Mommy?”

She glanced at her husband, who nodded his agreement. “One present now. And then you can open your others after dinner.”

*~*~*~*~*

“Where are we going?”

“It’s a surprise, Gil.”

He sat back in the seat, standing to look out the window on the passenger side, then leaning over the front seat again. “I don’t like surprises. Where are we going?”

His mother reached behind her seat and motioned for Gil to sit back. “You don’t have to wait much longer.”

Gil leaned back with his arms crossed, his feet bouncing in anticipation as he waited for their arrival. When he felt the car slow down, he pushed forward, eyes widening in delight as the castle came into view. “Is that…?”

“Surprise son. Happy birthday and welcome to Disneyland.”

*~*~*~*~*

“Can I go to school with you?”

“You start your own school in a couple of weeks.”

“But Daddy, why can’t I go with you?”

He leaned down, pulling Gil into his arms and walking across the room to the sofa. “Five year olds can’t go to college. But you are going to have a lot of fun in school.”

“How do you know?”

“You like to learn things. You’re a smart boy Gil, just remember that. Anything you set your mind to, you can accomplish.”

*~*~*~*~*

“I thought Dad said he was coming home early?”

“He did. It’s only three. Go and watch Mr. Wizard while I finish frosting your cake.”

Gil ran out of the room and switched the television on, sitting on the floor in front of the screen.

“Move back from there, you don’t need to sit so close to the television, you’ll ruin your eyes.”

He moved back, turning the volume up as he watched the experiments take place. Once the show was over, he pushed the knob on the television off and ran back into the kitchen. “Mom…”

“I’m sure he’ll be home any minute. Has he ever disappointed you?”

“No.” Gil was about to say more when the front door opened. He turned and ran across the room, jumping into his father’s arms. “Dad! You’re home.”

“What have I told you about running in the house?”

“Not to?”

“That’s right.” He kissed Gil on the cheek before setting him back on the ground. “Are you ready for your big surprise?”

“I am! Can I open it now?”

“I’m not sure. Maybe we should wait until later tonight, give your mother and I a chance to rest first.”

“But then I won’t be able to play, I’ll have to go to bed.”

“Maybe you’re right. Go get your mother, slowly… I don’t want you running through the house, and then maybe we’ll let you open your present.”

“You should go easy on him, he’s been bouncing off the walls all day waiting for you to come home.” Gil’s mother walked across the room and slid onto the couch next to her husband.

“Does that mean I can open it?”

They both nodded and watched as Gil tore into the packaging, his mouth opening in shock.

“It’s a Chemlab 500!”

*~*~*~*~*

“Dad, can you stay home today?”

“You know I have to go to work. What’s wrong?”

Gil looked down, shuffling his feet as he avoided his father’s eyes. “I was just…never mind.”

“You can tell me son, you know you can tell me anything. What’s wrong?”

“I just wanted you to show me how to play ball. All the kids at school were making fun of me and I thought maybe instead of a present this year, you could help me catch a ball better. I know how to catch, I’m just not very good at it.”

“You want me to play ball with you?”

“This baseball glove finally fits. I just don’t…”

His father stared at the glove, smiling as he remembered Gil’s first birthday and seeing how he has now grown into the glove. “Let me call in to work, then we’ll go out back.”

*~*~*~*~*

“Mom.” Gil moved his hands fluently while he spoke, making sure to enunciate his words clearly.

“Yes, dear.”

“When dad gets home, can I take my new microscope outside? I want to look at the water from the stream. And then I want…”

She smiled watching the excitement grow in her child’s eyes. “I’m sure your father would love to go outside with you. You like your gift then?”

“I love it. It’s the best present ever.”

“The best ever?”

Gil turned around at his father’s voice, causing his mother to also look in the same direction.

“Hi honey, I’m home.” He smiled, pulling his wife into a hug before looking down at Gil. “So you like this present?”

“I do. Can we go use it? I want to…”

“Wait a minute. Let me say hello to your mother first then I’ll join you outside.”

Gil left them alone in the kitchen, going out the back door and taking his microscope with him.

“Are you sure?”

“I am. Did you have a good day?”

She nodded burying her head in her husbands neck as she wrapped her hands around his waist. “I love you.” She moved her hands up, feeling the reply she could no longer hear. She pulled back, staying in his arms as they looked out the window, watching Gil in the back yard.

“We’ve got a good boy out there.”

“We do. Go out and help him. I’ll let you know when supper is ready.”

He left the warmth of her arms and followed Gil into the back yard. “Gil, come here. I’ve got another surprise for you.”

He followed his dad into the garage, smiling as the open space on the work bench came into view. “Is that…?”

“You’re very own space. You can keep your microscope here and anything else you want. Especially your bugs. You know your mother doesn’t like them in the house.”

“But Dad, they don’t harm anything. They were put here for a reason.”

“I know that, and you know that. Even your mother knows that. But that doesn’t mean she wants them in the house. If you keep them out here, things will be fine.”

“Okay.”

“Gil… some day, you are going to be a great scientist. I want you to remember that. Always look for the reason why and never be afraid to try or learn something new.”

*~*~*~*~*

to be continued