Jennifer's Rabbit part 3
Title: Jennifer's Rabbit
Author: LaoTse4
Rating: M/15
Length: 5431/15 494
Spoilers: None
Summary: The fifth part in a series of long one shots that I've written.
You kind find the other parts here.
1. When you tell the world that you are mine 2. You've got a friend 3. I give you the morning 4. Can you feel the love tonight?
Fanmix Fanart
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3
Jennifer's Rabbit
Jennifer was about two months old when Sam saw his daughter laugh for the first time, he knew that she hadn’t laughed before and he wasn’t sure if he should text Rachel about it, Rachel was meeting up with some of her friends from NYADA, they had all stayed in contact. Sam laughed a little to himself when he realized that his daughter had laughed at one of his impressions, he knew that they were funny no matter what other people had told him when he was in High School.
“Should we call you mommy?” Sam asked and he tickled her, a little as he moved his fingers over the stomach, and Jennifer let out a small giggle, “you are right we should surprise her when she gets home.” Sam knew that the chance of Jennifer knowing what he was saying or even that he was talking to her was minimal.
Sam picked her up and placed him on his hip as he walked to the kitchen with her, he was supporting her head still, he knew that it she still had a hard time holding her head up, Sam placed her in the playpen they had set up while he walked over the cheat-sheet that was on the fridge, it was filled with different milestones that most of the babies did during their first year, it was Sam that had printed it out when Rachel had begun to talk about these different milestones and he didn’t want to miss anything, and in the end both of them had agreed on that Sam had done the right thing when he had printed it out and placed it on their fridge.
He took a pen from one of the drawers and he double checked today’s date before he penned it on the sheet, and after he had done that he opened the fridge and took out a bottle of water for himself and he placed it on the counter before taking out a bottle of breast milk and he warmed it on the stow, he took both of the bottles and placed them on the table and he took of Jennifer again, and he held her and grabbed the bottle, “I guess that you are hungry,” Sam said as he watched how Jennifer sucked on the bottle, and he let out a laugh.
///
Sam got up from the bed, Rachel hadn’t been feeling well for the last couple of days and he walked over to the crib where Jennifer was supposed to be sleeping until a couple of nights ago, she had slept almost through the whole night but she had begun waking up in the middle of the night crying and most of the time it was okay just to pick her up and pace the room for fifteen minutes or so and she was back asleep.
But when Sam lifted her up from her bed he felt how warm she was, Jennifer had just passed the four month mark, and Sam had no idea what it could be that would cause her to be this warm, Sam walked back to the bed and sat down on it, he used is elbow to wake Rachel up.
“What?” Rachel asked as she sat up rubbing her eyes and looked over at Sam, “you know that there is bottles in the fridge, just get one.”
“I know,” Sam said and he leaned his head back against the board, “But she is burning up, I think she has a fever.”
“Sam, don’t worry,” Rachel said and she let out a yawn, “She is get her first tooth,” Rachel saw the look on Sam’s face, “I told you that her first teeth was coming, it’s normal to get a fever,” Rachel didn’t tell Sam that she had been to their doctor the a couple of days earlier when Rachel first had noticed that Jennifer was a bit crankier than normal, “just go and get her some Advil,” Rachel looked at Sam, “It’s with the rest of the stuff for the diaper rash among other things.”
“Okay,” Sam said and Rachel took Jennifer from him as he walked to the bathroom to find the Advil for Jennifer.
“Your dad is crazy,” Rachel said as she held Jennifer in her arms waiting for Sam to come back to them, and Jennifer just gurgled and she put her hand in her mouth, “yes, he is,” Rachel cooed to her daughter, “did you find it?” she asked when Sam was back in the room, he nodded his head, “just give it to her, and then you should put her back to bed.”
“Okay,” Sam said and he gave Jennifer the medicine and Rachel just turned around and went back to sleep, Sam was pacing the room, and he saw how Jennifer’s eyelids began to drop a little and he was humming on the same lullaby that he was singing to her every night, “Jennifer’s rabbit, brown and white. Left the house and went to town one night.” This was the song that would always remind him of his small daughter and Sam had to tell her this story when she was old enough to understand him.
///
Rachel was home alone with Jennifer it was a Saturday afternoon, both Sam and Rachel had decided that they would get one Saturday a month they could hang out with their friends and this was Sam’s day to hang out with his friends, Rachel knew that it would be a slightly tipsy Sam that would get home, his friends had told him that they had managed to get tickets to a Giants game, and Rachel knew how much football meant to Sam and she hadn’t had the heart to tell him to keep it sober and not come home too drunk and stumble in to their apartment at well after midnight, she knew that he needed the time away.
Rachel stood by the stow, making her self some stir-fried vegetables and she kept an eye on Jennifer too, she was sitting in the playpen, she was babbling away and when she wasn’t she used toys and put them in her mouth, her favorite was her white rabbit but it had been a long time since it was white, and Rachel had tried to take it away when she first had noticed that Jennifer used to put it arms and legs in her mouth chewing on them, but the tears and the crying that had come from the young girl had been too much for Rachel to handle and she had given the rabbit back to Jennifer and everything that been okay again.
Jennifer looked around, and Rachel laughed a little when she put her plate on the table and she walked over to the playpen and she picked her daughter up and she walked back the table and sat her down in her high chair, she handed her a bottle of milk, as she herself began to eat her food, “Jennifer, you know your daddy will love to play with you tomorrow,” Rachel saw how her daughter’s eyes lit up a little as she heard her name and that Rachel was talking to her. And the young girl was babbling when she watched Rachel.
Rachel took the bottle when and she pushed it up the table as when she noticed that Jennifer was reaching for it, and Rachel knew that her daughter wouldn’t be able to use her hands and drink from it, “Jennifer, you will get your bottle,” Rachel told the child, and the girl leaned forward trying to reach something on the table, but she couldn’t and Rachel noticed that she was blinking a few times, and Rachel knew what was about to happen, Rachel looked around trying to see where her rabbit was and she saw that it was still in the playpen and Rachel got up from her chair and walked over to the playpen to grab the stuffed animal when she heard a crash. Rachel turned around and she saw her plate of food laying upside down on the floor and Jennifer crying, Rachel let out a small sigh and she walked over to the table and she lifted Jennifer out from her high chair and she walked the to the bedroom where Rachel laid down on the bed, with her daughter laying next to her holding on to her stuffed animal, and she had one of the ears in her mouth, Rachel took her phone from the bedside table and snapped a picture of Jennifer and sent it to Sam and it didn’t take long before she got a reply telling her that Sam missed them and that he would be home as soon as he could.
////
Sam and Rachel was cuddled up on the couch watching a re-run of Mythbusters, and Jennifer was sitting on the floor with toys around her, her favorite was always close by and but Sam glanced over to where she was sitting, he had small smile on his lips, and he pulled his arms together around Rachel, “look,” he said as he placed a kiss on the side of her head, the two of them watched as Jennifer stood on her knees and hands and she swung back and forth, “I think she’s about to crawl.”
Rachel smiled at her daughter, and she felt Sam smile against her cheek, and she couldn’t help it, she wanted to see her daughter crawl so badly, and she knew that Sam felt the same when he opened his mouth, “Jenny, come to daddy.”
The couple watched as Jennifer put one hand forward and she looked up at them, and they could see a smile on her lips, she had a little drool hanging down her chin, and Sam laughed when he saw how Rachel’s body was twitching, Sam knew that Rachel would want to get a napkin or some paper so that she could dry of the drool from Jennifer’s chin, “Don’t,” Sam said as he placed a hand over Rachel’s hand, “just look at her.”
Rachel watched as their daughter pulled herself forward with her hands, she had yet to use her legs too, “she is crawling,” Rachel said, she almost squealed it out and she could feel Sam’s laughter against her back.
“Rachel, sweetie,” Sam said and he leaned forward a little so that his head was resting on her shoulder as she watched Jennifer, trying to crawl to them, “she isn’t crawling,” Sam kissed her cheek, “but she will be, and I want to see what they are up to now.”
“Fine,” Rachel huffed and she turned the TV back on, and the two of them watched what was left of the episode. When it was over Rachel turned to Sam, “I’ll be starting dinner, don’t fall asleep and keep an eye on Jennifer.”
“Of course I’ll keep an eye on Jenny,” Sam said and he climbed down from the couch and he sat down on the floor next to Jennifer, “We are going to have so much fun while your mommy cooks,” Sam said and he held Jennifer up and helped her wave at Rachel as the brunette walked over to the kitchen.
Sam turned the TV off, and he laid down next to Jennifer again, he closed his eyes, he knew that Jennifer would sit there next to him playing with the toys she had around her, and Rachel would be able to cook without any interruptions.
“Samuel Evans!” Sam almost jumped up from where he had been laying, he had fallen asleep while his baby girl had been playing and when he looked around in the living room he couldn’t see her anywhere, and he knew that Rachel had woken him up, and that she was in the kitchen. Sam walked to the kitchen and stopped to admire his soon to be wife, well they hadn’t set a date yet but they were engaged and that was enough for Sam to call Rachel his soon to be wife. “What did I tell you before I started dinner?”
Sam let out a small sigh and he saw how Rachel placed Jennifer in her high chair at the table and handed her a couple of things she could play with while they were talking, “You told me to keep an eye on her and I did.”
“Until you fell asleep,” Rachel said and she pointed a finger against his chest, “I was about to trip over her,” Sam smiled at Rachel, he knew that Rachel hadn’t realized how Jennifer had gotten to the kitchen.
“Babe,” Sam said and he placed both of his hands on Rachel’s shoulders and looked her in the eyes, “I need to put up those baby gates now,” he waited for Rachel to understand what he was trying to tell her.
Rachel threw her arms around him, and Sam wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in for a kiss, he pushed her towards the kitchen counter, and their lips were moving together, and they didn’t think about Jennifer who was sitting in her chair, Sam’s hands moved down Rachel’s body as he lifted her up on the counter and Rachel wrapped her legs around him and she pulled him closer to her when she grabbed his shirt, Sam moved his lips down her neck, trying to expose her collarbone, he was nipping on her skin, and Sam felt how the blood started to flow to his penis, and his erection slowly grew, the two of them hadn’t had that much time to be intimate with each other after Jennifer had been born but Sam felt like he finally had a chance to sleep with his wife but both of them were brought back to the fact that they were in their apartment with Jennifer in the same room as she let out a cry.
“Babe, she is crawling,” Sam said as he pulled away, “and I think we need to call your parents or my parents and ask them to come here for a weekend and take care of Jenny so that we could get some time alone and just have sex.”
“Samuel Evans,” Rachel said and she put her hand over his mouth, “don’t say that when she is in the room.”
///
“Jennifer,” Rachel said as she once again was about to trip over her daughter, ever since the day that she had crawled for the first time she had started to be a little bit of a dare devil, and she knew exactly what she was doing or that how Rachel saw it, Sam just laughed at her when he had seen the look on Rachel’s face, “don’t you remember what mommy said,” Rachel kneeled down next to the girl, and she lifted her up and smiled at Sam as she walked over to the blonde haired young man, he wasn’t as blonde as he had been when he was younger. Rachel put the girl down in her chair and she placed a kiss on the top of her head, “Jennifer, you should talk to you dad while I get you your breakfast.”
Sam loved days like this, “your mum is crazy,” Sam said and he took a hold of Jennifer’s hands, and she grabbed his fingers, and she was smiling, “can you say dad,” Sam asked as she joked around with Jennifer as he waited for Rachel to come back with breakfast for them, he heard how Jennifer was babbling and making the same sounds that she always did but Sam was almost sure that he had heard her say something.
“Jenny, what did you say?” Sam asked and he looked at her waiting for her to say the same thing again before he called for Rachel to come to them.
“Mom,” Sam had been sure that he had heard Jennifer say mama, before but he didn’t want to let Rachel know until he was sure.
“What did you say? What did Jenny say?” Sam asked again and he was smiling as he held her rabbit in one of his hands and he waved it from side to side.
“mmmmamma,” Jennifer said and Sam smiled, he knew that Rachel would love to hear Jennifer call her mom, from what Rachel had told him, she had been working really hard with Jennifer to say it and from what Sam understood Jennifer was sitting there calling for her mother but not really saying it.
Sam watched Rachel walking over to them placed the breakfast on the table, and he smiled at her, and then he looked over at Jennifer, “Jenny who is that?” Sam asked as he pointed at Rachel.
“Sam, you don’t have to do that, she will say it when she is ready,” Rachel said with a small smile and she reached for Sam’s hand and she gave it a small squeeze before she let it go and she pulled out the chair to sit down that was when Rachel heard the sounds that Jennifer was making, “is she saying what I think she is saying.
“I’m not sure but I think she is,” Sam said and smiled at Rachel he was happy for her but he wanted to have Jennifer telling him the same thing, “Jenny,” Sam said as he tried to get her attention, “Who is that?” Sam asked as he pointed to Rachel.”
“Mam,” Jennifer said when she looked a Rachel, both Sam and Rachel smiled.
“She just called me mama,” Rachel said and she had tears in her eyes when she looked at Sam, “My baby just called me mama.”
“I know,” Sam said and smiled at her Rachel before turning to Jennifer, “who am I?” Sam got some looks from Jennifer, “Maybe later.”
“I’m sure she will call your dad any time now, I have been working with her,” Rachel said and she let out a laugh, “and I am sure that you have done the same,” Sam nodded his head.
“Da,” Jennifer said as he eyes were trained in Sam, he looked from the young child over to Rachel.
“I’m calling that,” Sam said as his smile grew even wider and Rachel’s did the same, neither one of them could believe that Jennifer had called them mom and dad, well her versions of it at the same day within minutes of each other.
///
It was a Saturday afternoon, and both set of parents had flown in from Lima to attend Jennifer’s first birthday, both Rachel and Sam had decided on that they should ask if Shelby and Beth wanted to join them and Shelby had agreed to it, and the whole Evans family and Berry family plus the two Corcoran’s sat in the living room, where Jennifer was walking around when she was holding on to tables or her grandparents hands.
“So when do you think that she will walk on her own?” Hiram asked as he handed Jennifer over to Tammy, who picked her up and put her on her lap.
“I think it will be any day now,” Sam said and he placed his arm over Rachel’s shoulders, and pulled her in for a side hug, “I wouldn’t be surprised if she takes her first steps today.”
“If she does, she for sure is Rachel’s daughter,” Leroy said with laughter as he had picked up the last part of the conversation, and he had Shelby and Beth trailing behind him.
“What are you talking about?” Shelby asked as she looked over at the small brunette that was sitting on her grandmother’s lap, playing with a bracelet.
“We were just saying that if Jennifer takes her first steps today she definitely is Rachel’s daughter,” Hiram filled them in on.
“I don’t know why you are saying that,” Rachel said and she looked at both of her fathers, “I can’t think of anything that would lead to her definitely being my daughter just because she takes her first steps on her first birthday.”
“Rachel,” Shelby said and glanced from the one year old to her daughter, “I wasn’t there while you grew up but from what you have told me and what your dads told me; you were the same anything big would happen on days that was important for you, birthdays, half birthdays.”
“I was a special child,” Rachel said and licked her lips, and she leaned in to Sam.
“You are still special,” Sam whispered in her ear and he placed a small kiss on her lips.
“Ew,” both Sam and Rachel looked at the blonde girl that was standing next to Shelby, they all laughed when they saw the look on Beth’s face.
“Beth,” Rachel said and she patted the couch next to her, “why don’t you come over here so that we can talk.” Beth looked up at Shelby, who nodded her head, and the seven year old girl walked over to the couch and she sat down next to Rachel. “So what do you like to do?” Rachel asked as she looked at the blonde girl, Beth just shrugged her shoulders, “Would you like to hold her?”
“Can I?” Beth asked in a low voice, almost like a whisper as she looked at Rachel, and Rachel nodded her head, and Tammy put Jennifer down on the floor standing and the girl placed her hands on the table and she walked over to Rachel and Sam.
“Mama,” Jennifer said and she pulled on Rachel’s leg as she wanted to picked up, Rachel leaned down and picked the one year old and placed on her own lap for a second.
“Jennifer, this is Beth,” Rachel said and pointed to blonde girl next to her, “Beth is your aunt.”
“Be,” Jennifer said and she reached for Beth’s blonde hair, Rachel could see the smile on Beth’s face.
“Jennifer,” Rachel said and she looked down on her daughter, “its Beth.”
“Be,” the one year old said and she reached out for the blonde girl sitting next to Rachel.
“Okay,” Rachel said with a small laughter in her voice, “Beth will hold you, be nice.”
“Be.”
“She likes you,” Sam said and smiled at Beth, over the years they had all grown closer but there was still some awkward times between them, mostly between Rachel and Shelby but they were adult enough not to let it get out over Beth, and probably Jennifer when she got older.
///
Rachel left and Sam moved closer so that he was keeping an eye on Jennifer, Sam had seen some things these last couple of days that had shown him that this girl could be trouble if she wanted to even if she was just a year old and she had a strong will, and she knew what she needed to do to get what she wanted and Sam was a sucker for it, he couldn’t say no to her, Rachel had told him multiple times that he need to learn to say no, even if she was just a year old, this was when she learned.
Rachel walked back in to the living room she was caring a cake with a candle on it, and she put it down in the center of the table and she smiled when she saw it all playing out in front of her, Jennifer had taken a shine to Beth, there had been times when Jennifer had shown her strong will and didn’t want to let anyone hold her but her mother or father depending on what kind of mood she was in but when Sam was trying to take Jennifer from Beth, there was tears and screaming as Sam held her.
“Rachel,” Sam said and looked up at her, “maybe you could take her.”
“Sure,” Rachel said as she made her way back to the couch and she sat down between Sam and Beth, and Sam handed her Jennifer, and the one year old calmed down a lot more, now that she was in Rachel’s arms, “I think someone is a bit tiered,” they all let out a laugh when they watched Jennifer rub her eyes with the back of her hand, “you know what why don’t we blow out the candle,” Rachel held Jennifer close to her chest as the two of them leaned forward and both of them blew at the candle and it was put out.
“I’ll go and take her to bed, why don’t you all start with the cake and I’ll be back as soon as she has fallen asleep.”
///
A couple of hours passed and Sam heard a faint cry coming from their bedroom, “I think someone has woken up and is in a better mod,” he said as he got up from the couch, he turned to Beth, “Would you like to come?” she nodded her head, “follow me.”
“So Sam seems great with her,” Leroy said and looked at Rachel, “but we already knew that he would be amazing with her.”
“He is great, but he can’t say no to her,” Rachel said and she let out a small sigh, “I’m always the bad parent, she will hate me.”
“Rachel,” Tammy said and patted Rachel’s leg, “he has always had trouble saying no to you too,” Rachel closed her eyes and nodded her head, “so what did you think when you had a daughter?”
“I knew that it would be hard on him but I never thought about it,” Rachel confessed when she ran one of her hands over her hair, “but he’s amazing and I wouldn’t have it any either way.”
Sam came walking back holding Jennifer in his arms, she had snuggled her head against his shoulder, hiding her face in the crock of his neck, and Beth was walking beside them she was holding on to Jennifer’s rabbit, the sat down at the table and talked a little, Beth and Jennifer were playing with her bunny, and they all heard the laughter and giggling coming from Jennifer.
Time flew by and Shelby stood up and she looked at Beth, “I just wanted to say thank you for letting us come by,” Shelby said and smiled at Sam who now was holding Jennifer as Rachel followed Shelby and Beth to the door.
“It was great to see you again,” Rachel said and she gave Shelby a short hug and she turned to Beth, “if you want you can stop by tomorrow before you fly back to Lima.”
“Can I, mom?” Beth asked and she looked at Shelby who looked over at Rachel and Rachel nodded her head.
Sam sat in the living room, he had Jennifer in on his lap and she tried to get away from him, Sam put her down on the floor and as he did, he saw how Jennifer stood holding on to the table, “Be go,” she said before she turned around holding on to Sam’s legs, “Be go,” she said again.
“You want to say good bye to Beth?” Sam asked and he saw how Jennifer took a few steps forward still holding on to the couch as she walked, but when she reached the end of the couch she didn’t know what to do, she let go of the couch, standing there not holding on to anything, Sam got up from the couch and he was right behind her. Sam watched as Jennifer took the first step without holding on to anything. “Babe,” Sam called and he heard Rachel respond, “can you tell Beth to wait, Jennifer wants to say bye.”
“Be go,” Jennifer said, and she took another step forward.
“Rachel!” Sam called as he watched Jennifer move forward, “she’s walking,” and it didn’t take long before Rachel was there and Beth was standing beside her.
“Jennifer, come to mommy,” Rachel said and she kneeled down on the floor, and the one year old walked with wobbly steps towards here.
They were all laughing, when they had realized what just had happened, “Jennifer Fanny Evans is really takes after her mother,” Hiram said with a laugh, and the rest of the room laughed too.
“Be,” Jennifer said as she reached Beth, and Beth leaned down and gave her a hug, and Jennifer turned to Rachel before she fell down and landed on her butt, “mama.”
“Yes, mommy is here,” Rachel said and she picked Jennifer up from the floor, “you are one special little girl,” she said and kissed her head, Rachel couldn’t believe that it already had been a year since she had given birth this last year had gone by so fast and she looked up at Sam who smiled at her.
“We need to set a date,” Sam said as she walked up to them and pulled them in for a hug, he kissed the top of her Jennifer’s head before he placed a quick kiss on Rachel’s lips.
The End!
Author: LaoTse4
Rating: M/15
Length: 5431/15 494
Spoilers: None
Summary: The fifth part in a series of long one shots that I've written.
You kind find the other parts here.
1. When you tell the world that you are mine 2. You've got a friend 3. I give you the morning 4. Can you feel the love tonight?
Fanmix Fanart
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3
Jennifer's Rabbit
Jennifer was about two months old when Sam saw his daughter laugh for the first time, he knew that she hadn’t laughed before and he wasn’t sure if he should text Rachel about it, Rachel was meeting up with some of her friends from NYADA, they had all stayed in contact. Sam laughed a little to himself when he realized that his daughter had laughed at one of his impressions, he knew that they were funny no matter what other people had told him when he was in High School.
“Should we call you mommy?” Sam asked and he tickled her, a little as he moved his fingers over the stomach, and Jennifer let out a small giggle, “you are right we should surprise her when she gets home.” Sam knew that the chance of Jennifer knowing what he was saying or even that he was talking to her was minimal.
Sam picked her up and placed him on his hip as he walked to the kitchen with her, he was supporting her head still, he knew that it she still had a hard time holding her head up, Sam placed her in the playpen they had set up while he walked over the cheat-sheet that was on the fridge, it was filled with different milestones that most of the babies did during their first year, it was Sam that had printed it out when Rachel had begun to talk about these different milestones and he didn’t want to miss anything, and in the end both of them had agreed on that Sam had done the right thing when he had printed it out and placed it on their fridge.
He took a pen from one of the drawers and he double checked today’s date before he penned it on the sheet, and after he had done that he opened the fridge and took out a bottle of water for himself and he placed it on the counter before taking out a bottle of breast milk and he warmed it on the stow, he took both of the bottles and placed them on the table and he took of Jennifer again, and he held her and grabbed the bottle, “I guess that you are hungry,” Sam said as he watched how Jennifer sucked on the bottle, and he let out a laugh.
///
Sam got up from the bed, Rachel hadn’t been feeling well for the last couple of days and he walked over to the crib where Jennifer was supposed to be sleeping until a couple of nights ago, she had slept almost through the whole night but she had begun waking up in the middle of the night crying and most of the time it was okay just to pick her up and pace the room for fifteen minutes or so and she was back asleep.
But when Sam lifted her up from her bed he felt how warm she was, Jennifer had just passed the four month mark, and Sam had no idea what it could be that would cause her to be this warm, Sam walked back to the bed and sat down on it, he used is elbow to wake Rachel up.
“What?” Rachel asked as she sat up rubbing her eyes and looked over at Sam, “you know that there is bottles in the fridge, just get one.”
“I know,” Sam said and he leaned his head back against the board, “But she is burning up, I think she has a fever.”
“Sam, don’t worry,” Rachel said and she let out a yawn, “She is get her first tooth,” Rachel saw the look on Sam’s face, “I told you that her first teeth was coming, it’s normal to get a fever,” Rachel didn’t tell Sam that she had been to their doctor the a couple of days earlier when Rachel first had noticed that Jennifer was a bit crankier than normal, “just go and get her some Advil,” Rachel looked at Sam, “It’s with the rest of the stuff for the diaper rash among other things.”
“Okay,” Sam said and Rachel took Jennifer from him as he walked to the bathroom to find the Advil for Jennifer.
“Your dad is crazy,” Rachel said as she held Jennifer in her arms waiting for Sam to come back to them, and Jennifer just gurgled and she put her hand in her mouth, “yes, he is,” Rachel cooed to her daughter, “did you find it?” she asked when Sam was back in the room, he nodded his head, “just give it to her, and then you should put her back to bed.”
“Okay,” Sam said and he gave Jennifer the medicine and Rachel just turned around and went back to sleep, Sam was pacing the room, and he saw how Jennifer’s eyelids began to drop a little and he was humming on the same lullaby that he was singing to her every night, “Jennifer’s rabbit, brown and white. Left the house and went to town one night.” This was the song that would always remind him of his small daughter and Sam had to tell her this story when she was old enough to understand him.
///
Rachel was home alone with Jennifer it was a Saturday afternoon, both Sam and Rachel had decided that they would get one Saturday a month they could hang out with their friends and this was Sam’s day to hang out with his friends, Rachel knew that it would be a slightly tipsy Sam that would get home, his friends had told him that they had managed to get tickets to a Giants game, and Rachel knew how much football meant to Sam and she hadn’t had the heart to tell him to keep it sober and not come home too drunk and stumble in to their apartment at well after midnight, she knew that he needed the time away.
Rachel stood by the stow, making her self some stir-fried vegetables and she kept an eye on Jennifer too, she was sitting in the playpen, she was babbling away and when she wasn’t she used toys and put them in her mouth, her favorite was her white rabbit but it had been a long time since it was white, and Rachel had tried to take it away when she first had noticed that Jennifer used to put it arms and legs in her mouth chewing on them, but the tears and the crying that had come from the young girl had been too much for Rachel to handle and she had given the rabbit back to Jennifer and everything that been okay again.
Jennifer looked around, and Rachel laughed a little when she put her plate on the table and she walked over to the playpen and she picked her daughter up and she walked back the table and sat her down in her high chair, she handed her a bottle of milk, as she herself began to eat her food, “Jennifer, you know your daddy will love to play with you tomorrow,” Rachel saw how her daughter’s eyes lit up a little as she heard her name and that Rachel was talking to her. And the young girl was babbling when she watched Rachel.
Rachel took the bottle when and she pushed it up the table as when she noticed that Jennifer was reaching for it, and Rachel knew that her daughter wouldn’t be able to use her hands and drink from it, “Jennifer, you will get your bottle,” Rachel told the child, and the girl leaned forward trying to reach something on the table, but she couldn’t and Rachel noticed that she was blinking a few times, and Rachel knew what was about to happen, Rachel looked around trying to see where her rabbit was and she saw that it was still in the playpen and Rachel got up from her chair and walked over to the playpen to grab the stuffed animal when she heard a crash. Rachel turned around and she saw her plate of food laying upside down on the floor and Jennifer crying, Rachel let out a small sigh and she walked over to the table and she lifted Jennifer out from her high chair and she walked the to the bedroom where Rachel laid down on the bed, with her daughter laying next to her holding on to her stuffed animal, and she had one of the ears in her mouth, Rachel took her phone from the bedside table and snapped a picture of Jennifer and sent it to Sam and it didn’t take long before she got a reply telling her that Sam missed them and that he would be home as soon as he could.
////
Sam and Rachel was cuddled up on the couch watching a re-run of Mythbusters, and Jennifer was sitting on the floor with toys around her, her favorite was always close by and but Sam glanced over to where she was sitting, he had small smile on his lips, and he pulled his arms together around Rachel, “look,” he said as he placed a kiss on the side of her head, the two of them watched as Jennifer stood on her knees and hands and she swung back and forth, “I think she’s about to crawl.”
Rachel smiled at her daughter, and she felt Sam smile against her cheek, and she couldn’t help it, she wanted to see her daughter crawl so badly, and she knew that Sam felt the same when he opened his mouth, “Jenny, come to daddy.”
The couple watched as Jennifer put one hand forward and she looked up at them, and they could see a smile on her lips, she had a little drool hanging down her chin, and Sam laughed when he saw how Rachel’s body was twitching, Sam knew that Rachel would want to get a napkin or some paper so that she could dry of the drool from Jennifer’s chin, “Don’t,” Sam said as he placed a hand over Rachel’s hand, “just look at her.”
Rachel watched as their daughter pulled herself forward with her hands, she had yet to use her legs too, “she is crawling,” Rachel said, she almost squealed it out and she could feel Sam’s laughter against her back.
“Rachel, sweetie,” Sam said and he leaned forward a little so that his head was resting on her shoulder as she watched Jennifer, trying to crawl to them, “she isn’t crawling,” Sam kissed her cheek, “but she will be, and I want to see what they are up to now.”
“Fine,” Rachel huffed and she turned the TV back on, and the two of them watched what was left of the episode. When it was over Rachel turned to Sam, “I’ll be starting dinner, don’t fall asleep and keep an eye on Jennifer.”
“Of course I’ll keep an eye on Jenny,” Sam said and he climbed down from the couch and he sat down on the floor next to Jennifer, “We are going to have so much fun while your mommy cooks,” Sam said and he held Jennifer up and helped her wave at Rachel as the brunette walked over to the kitchen.
Sam turned the TV off, and he laid down next to Jennifer again, he closed his eyes, he knew that Jennifer would sit there next to him playing with the toys she had around her, and Rachel would be able to cook without any interruptions.
“Samuel Evans!” Sam almost jumped up from where he had been laying, he had fallen asleep while his baby girl had been playing and when he looked around in the living room he couldn’t see her anywhere, and he knew that Rachel had woken him up, and that she was in the kitchen. Sam walked to the kitchen and stopped to admire his soon to be wife, well they hadn’t set a date yet but they were engaged and that was enough for Sam to call Rachel his soon to be wife. “What did I tell you before I started dinner?”
Sam let out a small sigh and he saw how Rachel placed Jennifer in her high chair at the table and handed her a couple of things she could play with while they were talking, “You told me to keep an eye on her and I did.”
“Until you fell asleep,” Rachel said and she pointed a finger against his chest, “I was about to trip over her,” Sam smiled at Rachel, he knew that Rachel hadn’t realized how Jennifer had gotten to the kitchen.
“Babe,” Sam said and he placed both of his hands on Rachel’s shoulders and looked her in the eyes, “I need to put up those baby gates now,” he waited for Rachel to understand what he was trying to tell her.
Rachel threw her arms around him, and Sam wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in for a kiss, he pushed her towards the kitchen counter, and their lips were moving together, and they didn’t think about Jennifer who was sitting in her chair, Sam’s hands moved down Rachel’s body as he lifted her up on the counter and Rachel wrapped her legs around him and she pulled him closer to her when she grabbed his shirt, Sam moved his lips down her neck, trying to expose her collarbone, he was nipping on her skin, and Sam felt how the blood started to flow to his penis, and his erection slowly grew, the two of them hadn’t had that much time to be intimate with each other after Jennifer had been born but Sam felt like he finally had a chance to sleep with his wife but both of them were brought back to the fact that they were in their apartment with Jennifer in the same room as she let out a cry.
“Babe, she is crawling,” Sam said as he pulled away, “and I think we need to call your parents or my parents and ask them to come here for a weekend and take care of Jenny so that we could get some time alone and just have sex.”
“Samuel Evans,” Rachel said and she put her hand over his mouth, “don’t say that when she is in the room.”
///
“Jennifer,” Rachel said as she once again was about to trip over her daughter, ever since the day that she had crawled for the first time she had started to be a little bit of a dare devil, and she knew exactly what she was doing or that how Rachel saw it, Sam just laughed at her when he had seen the look on Rachel’s face, “don’t you remember what mommy said,” Rachel kneeled down next to the girl, and she lifted her up and smiled at Sam as she walked over to the blonde haired young man, he wasn’t as blonde as he had been when he was younger. Rachel put the girl down in her chair and she placed a kiss on the top of her head, “Jennifer, you should talk to you dad while I get you your breakfast.”
Sam loved days like this, “your mum is crazy,” Sam said and he took a hold of Jennifer’s hands, and she grabbed his fingers, and she was smiling, “can you say dad,” Sam asked as she joked around with Jennifer as he waited for Rachel to come back with breakfast for them, he heard how Jennifer was babbling and making the same sounds that she always did but Sam was almost sure that he had heard her say something.
“Jenny, what did you say?” Sam asked and he looked at her waiting for her to say the same thing again before he called for Rachel to come to them.
“Mom,” Sam had been sure that he had heard Jennifer say mama, before but he didn’t want to let Rachel know until he was sure.
“What did you say? What did Jenny say?” Sam asked again and he was smiling as he held her rabbit in one of his hands and he waved it from side to side.
“mmmmamma,” Jennifer said and Sam smiled, he knew that Rachel would love to hear Jennifer call her mom, from what Rachel had told him, she had been working really hard with Jennifer to say it and from what Sam understood Jennifer was sitting there calling for her mother but not really saying it.
Sam watched Rachel walking over to them placed the breakfast on the table, and he smiled at her, and then he looked over at Jennifer, “Jenny who is that?” Sam asked as he pointed at Rachel.
“Sam, you don’t have to do that, she will say it when she is ready,” Rachel said with a small smile and she reached for Sam’s hand and she gave it a small squeeze before she let it go and she pulled out the chair to sit down that was when Rachel heard the sounds that Jennifer was making, “is she saying what I think she is saying.
“I’m not sure but I think she is,” Sam said and smiled at Rachel he was happy for her but he wanted to have Jennifer telling him the same thing, “Jenny,” Sam said as he tried to get her attention, “Who is that?” Sam asked as he pointed to Rachel.”
“Mam,” Jennifer said when she looked a Rachel, both Sam and Rachel smiled.
“She just called me mama,” Rachel said and she had tears in her eyes when she looked at Sam, “My baby just called me mama.”
“I know,” Sam said and smiled at her Rachel before turning to Jennifer, “who am I?” Sam got some looks from Jennifer, “Maybe later.”
“I’m sure she will call your dad any time now, I have been working with her,” Rachel said and she let out a laugh, “and I am sure that you have done the same,” Sam nodded his head.
“Da,” Jennifer said as he eyes were trained in Sam, he looked from the young child over to Rachel.
“I’m calling that,” Sam said as his smile grew even wider and Rachel’s did the same, neither one of them could believe that Jennifer had called them mom and dad, well her versions of it at the same day within minutes of each other.
///
It was a Saturday afternoon, and both set of parents had flown in from Lima to attend Jennifer’s first birthday, both Rachel and Sam had decided on that they should ask if Shelby and Beth wanted to join them and Shelby had agreed to it, and the whole Evans family and Berry family plus the two Corcoran’s sat in the living room, where Jennifer was walking around when she was holding on to tables or her grandparents hands.
“So when do you think that she will walk on her own?” Hiram asked as he handed Jennifer over to Tammy, who picked her up and put her on her lap.
“I think it will be any day now,” Sam said and he placed his arm over Rachel’s shoulders, and pulled her in for a side hug, “I wouldn’t be surprised if she takes her first steps today.”
“If she does, she for sure is Rachel’s daughter,” Leroy said with laughter as he had picked up the last part of the conversation, and he had Shelby and Beth trailing behind him.
“What are you talking about?” Shelby asked as she looked over at the small brunette that was sitting on her grandmother’s lap, playing with a bracelet.
“We were just saying that if Jennifer takes her first steps today she definitely is Rachel’s daughter,” Hiram filled them in on.
“I don’t know why you are saying that,” Rachel said and she looked at both of her fathers, “I can’t think of anything that would lead to her definitely being my daughter just because she takes her first steps on her first birthday.”
“Rachel,” Shelby said and glanced from the one year old to her daughter, “I wasn’t there while you grew up but from what you have told me and what your dads told me; you were the same anything big would happen on days that was important for you, birthdays, half birthdays.”
“I was a special child,” Rachel said and licked her lips, and she leaned in to Sam.
“You are still special,” Sam whispered in her ear and he placed a small kiss on her lips.
“Ew,” both Sam and Rachel looked at the blonde girl that was standing next to Shelby, they all laughed when they saw the look on Beth’s face.
“Beth,” Rachel said and she patted the couch next to her, “why don’t you come over here so that we can talk.” Beth looked up at Shelby, who nodded her head, and the seven year old girl walked over to the couch and she sat down next to Rachel. “So what do you like to do?” Rachel asked as she looked at the blonde girl, Beth just shrugged her shoulders, “Would you like to hold her?”
“Can I?” Beth asked in a low voice, almost like a whisper as she looked at Rachel, and Rachel nodded her head, and Tammy put Jennifer down on the floor standing and the girl placed her hands on the table and she walked over to Rachel and Sam.
“Mama,” Jennifer said and she pulled on Rachel’s leg as she wanted to picked up, Rachel leaned down and picked the one year old and placed on her own lap for a second.
“Jennifer, this is Beth,” Rachel said and pointed to blonde girl next to her, “Beth is your aunt.”
“Be,” Jennifer said and she reached for Beth’s blonde hair, Rachel could see the smile on Beth’s face.
“Jennifer,” Rachel said and she looked down on her daughter, “its Beth.”
“Be,” the one year old said and she reached out for the blonde girl sitting next to Rachel.
“Okay,” Rachel said with a small laughter in her voice, “Beth will hold you, be nice.”
“Be.”
“She likes you,” Sam said and smiled at Beth, over the years they had all grown closer but there was still some awkward times between them, mostly between Rachel and Shelby but they were adult enough not to let it get out over Beth, and probably Jennifer when she got older.
///
Rachel left and Sam moved closer so that he was keeping an eye on Jennifer, Sam had seen some things these last couple of days that had shown him that this girl could be trouble if she wanted to even if she was just a year old and she had a strong will, and she knew what she needed to do to get what she wanted and Sam was a sucker for it, he couldn’t say no to her, Rachel had told him multiple times that he need to learn to say no, even if she was just a year old, this was when she learned.
Rachel walked back in to the living room she was caring a cake with a candle on it, and she put it down in the center of the table and she smiled when she saw it all playing out in front of her, Jennifer had taken a shine to Beth, there had been times when Jennifer had shown her strong will and didn’t want to let anyone hold her but her mother or father depending on what kind of mood she was in but when Sam was trying to take Jennifer from Beth, there was tears and screaming as Sam held her.
“Rachel,” Sam said and looked up at her, “maybe you could take her.”
“Sure,” Rachel said as she made her way back to the couch and she sat down between Sam and Beth, and Sam handed her Jennifer, and the one year old calmed down a lot more, now that she was in Rachel’s arms, “I think someone is a bit tiered,” they all let out a laugh when they watched Jennifer rub her eyes with the back of her hand, “you know what why don’t we blow out the candle,” Rachel held Jennifer close to her chest as the two of them leaned forward and both of them blew at the candle and it was put out.
“I’ll go and take her to bed, why don’t you all start with the cake and I’ll be back as soon as she has fallen asleep.”
///
A couple of hours passed and Sam heard a faint cry coming from their bedroom, “I think someone has woken up and is in a better mod,” he said as he got up from the couch, he turned to Beth, “Would you like to come?” she nodded her head, “follow me.”
“So Sam seems great with her,” Leroy said and looked at Rachel, “but we already knew that he would be amazing with her.”
“He is great, but he can’t say no to her,” Rachel said and she let out a small sigh, “I’m always the bad parent, she will hate me.”
“Rachel,” Tammy said and patted Rachel’s leg, “he has always had trouble saying no to you too,” Rachel closed her eyes and nodded her head, “so what did you think when you had a daughter?”
“I knew that it would be hard on him but I never thought about it,” Rachel confessed when she ran one of her hands over her hair, “but he’s amazing and I wouldn’t have it any either way.”
Sam came walking back holding Jennifer in his arms, she had snuggled her head against his shoulder, hiding her face in the crock of his neck, and Beth was walking beside them she was holding on to Jennifer’s rabbit, the sat down at the table and talked a little, Beth and Jennifer were playing with her bunny, and they all heard the laughter and giggling coming from Jennifer.
Time flew by and Shelby stood up and she looked at Beth, “I just wanted to say thank you for letting us come by,” Shelby said and smiled at Sam who now was holding Jennifer as Rachel followed Shelby and Beth to the door.
“It was great to see you again,” Rachel said and she gave Shelby a short hug and she turned to Beth, “if you want you can stop by tomorrow before you fly back to Lima.”
“Can I, mom?” Beth asked and she looked at Shelby who looked over at Rachel and Rachel nodded her head.
Sam sat in the living room, he had Jennifer in on his lap and she tried to get away from him, Sam put her down on the floor and as he did, he saw how Jennifer stood holding on to the table, “Be go,” she said before she turned around holding on to Sam’s legs, “Be go,” she said again.
“You want to say good bye to Beth?” Sam asked and he saw how Jennifer took a few steps forward still holding on to the couch as she walked, but when she reached the end of the couch she didn’t know what to do, she let go of the couch, standing there not holding on to anything, Sam got up from the couch and he was right behind her. Sam watched as Jennifer took the first step without holding on to anything. “Babe,” Sam called and he heard Rachel respond, “can you tell Beth to wait, Jennifer wants to say bye.”
“Be go,” Jennifer said, and she took another step forward.
“Rachel!” Sam called as he watched Jennifer move forward, “she’s walking,” and it didn’t take long before Rachel was there and Beth was standing beside her.
“Jennifer, come to mommy,” Rachel said and she kneeled down on the floor, and the one year old walked with wobbly steps towards here.
They were all laughing, when they had realized what just had happened, “Jennifer Fanny Evans is really takes after her mother,” Hiram said with a laugh, and the rest of the room laughed too.
“Be,” Jennifer said as she reached Beth, and Beth leaned down and gave her a hug, and Jennifer turned to Rachel before she fell down and landed on her butt, “mama.”
“Yes, mommy is here,” Rachel said and she picked Jennifer up from the floor, “you are one special little girl,” she said and kissed her head, Rachel couldn’t believe that it already had been a year since she had given birth this last year had gone by so fast and she looked up at Sam who smiled at her.
“We need to set a date,” Sam said as she walked up to them and pulled them in for a hug, he kissed the top of her Jennifer’s head before he placed a quick kiss on Rachel’s lips.
The End!