Won’t Let You Down

Chance was crying.

Bawling.

Screaming.

His parents didn't hear him. He was in a room down the hall with his brother, a make-shift nursery created for when Laura came by with her babies before they were older. They had just moved Chance into the room the previous night and Abby and JC weren't stirring at the sound.

William was wide-awake.

Rolling over in his bed, he looked at his wife. "Rhonnie...that kid is screaming again."

She mumbled some incoherent words and rolled over in her sleep. She always had been a deep sleeper, as had Abby. JC must be too, then, if he wasn't hearing that.

Grumbling, he pushed the covers off his legs and placed his feet into his house slippers as he grabbed his robe and wrapped it around him. Shuffling down the hall, he cracked the door to Abby's room and peeked in. Sure enough, they were still fast asleep. Rolling his eyes, he continued on down the hall toward the racket.

Slowly pushing the door open, he stepped into the room. He noticed Braeden in his bed, looking up at him in hopes that he would quiet his little brother. "Plug it," he said quietly.

William couldn't help but smile at that. This child was so innocent and curious, and those were the ones that continuously could make one laugh. Putting a finger to his lips, he shushed the boy and made his way toward the crib where the problem lay.

"What is your problem?" he asked, looking down at the screaming boy among pillows, blankets, and stuffed animals. Reaching down into the crib, he pulled the child out and instantly knew the problem.

"Diaper," he commented, wrinkling his nose as he walked over to the changing table and flipped on the small light over it. He lay the baby down on it and proceeded to change the dirty diaper as he had many times with his own children and then his grandchildren.

He smiled slightly as he pulled the now sniffling child back up into his arms. He began to place Chance back down into the crib until he started to whimper again. "What do you want from me?" he asked quietly, looking into the baby's expressive eyes.

"Sing," Braeden replied. "Chancey want Gampa sing! Daddy does to us."

William looked at the older child for a long moment, struck deeply with the fact that he had called him his grandfather. The corners of his lips curved into a small smile again, and he made his way over to the rocking chair under the window. He cradled the little boy in his arms and watched as Braeden lay back down in his bed.

"I used to sing this song to your mommy when she was a baby just like you," he whispered, smiling down at the little boy.

"Beautiful dreamer, wake unto me
Starlight and dewdrops are waiting for thee
Sounds of the rude world, heard in the day
Lulled by the moonlight have all passed away
Beautiful dreamer, queen of my song
List while I woo thee with soft melody
Gone are the cares of life's busy throng
Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me
Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me

Beautiful dreamer, out on the sea
Mermaids are chanting the wild lorelie
Over the streamlet vapors are born
Waiting to fade at the bright coming morn
Beautiful dreamer, beam on my heart
Even as the morn on the streamlet and sea
Then will all clouds of sorrow depart
Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me
Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me"

He chuckled slightly as the baby's eyes drooped shut. Standing up slowly, he walked the boy back over to the crib and gently placed him in it. "Goodnight, little angel," he whispered, kissing the child's forehead.

He stood up and looked from grandchild to grandchild, and it was then that he suddenly realized that he had loved them from the moment he saw them.

And he loved his daughter more than anything.

~*~

Abby leaned against the doorframe and smiled as she looked in and saw JC standing there with Chance held close to his bare chest. The baby, wearing only a diaper, was sucking slowly on JC’s finger, causing the man to smile. Walking over to him, she wrapped her arms around him from behind, smiling up at him as he looked back at her. “You look so…eugh…I can’t even begin to describe what you look like. Sexy, delicious, something along those lines.”

He chuckled and turned around to face her. “I think he’s hungry. I walked by to check on them this morning on my way to the bathroom and he was whimpering a little bit. I think he might have slept through the night for once.”

Braeden stood up in his bed and put his fists on his hips. “Chancey no sleep last night. Waaah waaah waaah,” he muttered, sitting back down. “Gampa come in.”

Abby’s eyes widened and she moved to sit beside her son on the small bed. “What did you say?”

“Gampa come in lass night. Plugged it.”

She looked up at JC with eyes like saucers. “You don’t think-"

He shrugged. “Maybe.” He looked down at his son in his arms again and pulled his index finger out of his mouth. “Feed this kid, please. I’ll feed the other one.”

Abby rolled her eyes. “Oh yes, that’s fair.”

He laughed as she took the baby from his arms. “Hey, I’d do it, but I don’t have that trait in my genetics, so…do your thing, babe.”

She carried the little boy out of the room with a mumble, causing him to laugh again. “Now, as for you…ready for some breakfast, buddy?” he asked, crossing the room to Braeden’s bed.

He nodded. “Yesum.”

He nodded and leaned down to lift the boy up into his arms. Braeden kicked at him and scrunched up his face. “I can walk, Daddy!”

“By all means,” JC replied, rolling his eyes. “Let’s go, pal.” He took his little hand into his own and led him out the door and down the stairs to the kitchen. They walked into the room and Rhonda smiled brightly to the two of them as she was cooking breakfast.

“Good morning, boys!” she said cheerfully. “How did you sleep?”

“Great,” JC replied, sitting down on a barstool after lifting Braeden onto the one beside him.

“Plugged,” Braeden mumbled, leaning his head on his little fist.

“What was that, honey?” she asked, placing a plate in front of each of them.

”I have no idea what he keeps saying that for,” JC answered with a shrug. He smiled to the woman as she scooped some pancakes and sausage onto his plate. “Thank you.”

”No problem, dear,” she replied. “I love having you around the house. It gives me someone to talk to besides my cynical husband.”

He chuckled slightly. “He is kind of hard, isn’t he? It’s really upsetting Abby.”

“How could it not?” she asked, sitting down beside him. “Abby and William were always close before she got pregnant. Laura was content to spend time with me, but Abby was always a daddy’s girl. I’m sure that’s why this has affected both of them so much.”

JC nodded and looked over at Braeden, crossing his eyes and causing his son to laugh.

~*~

Abby was leaving her bedroom with Chance in her arms when her father came out of the bathroom, still shaking the water from his hair. She paused in the hallway when she saw him and smiled slightly. “Morning, Daddy,” she whispered, holding Chance a little closer.

He smiled to his daughter and reached out to place his hand over Chance’s head. “Morning, Sunshine.”

Abby’s head spun around so fast, it was a wonder it stayed firm on her neck. He walked by on his way back to his bedroom and she stared after him as he disappeared into his room. Looking down at her son in her arms, she continued down the hallway and on down the stairs.

Entering the kitchen with a bewildered look on her face, she placed Chance in his pumpkin seat that sat on the counter. “What’s wrong, babe?” JC asked, reaching out to touch her arm gently after he saw the look on her face.

She turned her gaze to him with a small smile crossing her face. “My dad, he just…he smiled at me and called me Sunshine…he used to do that when I was little.” She closed her eyes and sat down at the counter. “He smiled to me.”

He stared at her in wonder. “Do you think he’s coming around?” he asked, scooping some pancakes into his mouth.

She shrugged and took the breakfast plate that her mother offered her. “I don’t know. He’s acting like he used to when I was younger.”

Rhonda sat down across from her daughter, future son-in-law and grandchildren. “Kids, I know he’ll come around. Your babies are entirely too irresistible not to give in eventually.”

The proud parents smiled at her words, knowing it was true. JC reached over and ruffled Braeden’s hair. “They are, aren’t they?” he agreed with a grin.

They all looked up as the man in question entered the kitchen and dropped a kiss on his wife’s forehead on his way to the refrigerator. “Morning everyone.”

Rhonda smiled to him. “Good morning, dear. Are you hungry? There’s pancakes on the stove.” She watched him fill his plate before sitting down at the counter with his family.

Abby toyed with her fork on her plate before looking up at her father. “Daddy? About this morning…I was wondering if-”

She paused as her father reached across the counter and covered her hand with his own. “Sweetie. It’s behind me. I spent time with your boys last night and that was all I needed. When I held Chance in my arms and sang the song to him that I used to sing to you, I realized all the things that I had stolen from both of us by pushing you out of our lives.” The man stared into his daughter’s eyes, and Abby could see the tears forging in them. “I am so sorry I forced you to go through the things you did because I wasn’t willing to accept that you made a mistake.”

Her smile faded at her father’s words. “Braeden wasn’t a mistake, Daddy,” she whispered, letting her gaze fall to his hand on hers. “I can’t believe you’d say that.”

William mentally kicked himself and looked at the other two adult faces at the table. “Abby…honey, that’s not what I meant. I-I…” He sighed. “At the age of seventeen, it was just…scary for me. I didn’t want to accept that my baby was going to be having a baby of her own. And now I see what a wonderful child you’ve raised and that you’re taking steps in creating a real family for yourself, and I regret ever saying any of those things to you.”

"Your words were very hurtful, Dad,” Abby sniffed. “Not just back then when I got pregnant, but also now when I just came home again. You have no idea how much I just wanted your acceptance.”

William Garner’s heart broke as he watched a single tear slip down his daughter’s cheek. “I know that now. And now you have it. If it takes the whole rest of my life, I will make this up to you. I love you, Abby.”

Abby stood up from her seat and walked around the island counter to stand before her father. Smiling slightly, she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling his arms encircle her body. “Thank you, Daddy. I promise I won’t let you down again.”

He held his daughter close, oblivious to the tears falling down both their faces, as well as the other two adults in the kitchen who were silently celebrating. Abby pulled away and smiled to her father before moving back to her seat. Wiping the tears from her face, she reached for JC’s hand under the counter and smiled again as his fingers entwined with her own.

William took a few moments to compose himself before turning to smile at JC. “Yes.”

JC raised an eyebrow and looked at the man curiously. “Huh? Yes what?”

“You may marry my daughter. I know that’s why you’re here. I can see it in your eyes and I know that you will take good care of her and my grandkids. So yes, I would be happy to walk Abby down the aisle and give her away to you.”

JC smiled at the man’s words. “Thank you. You don’t know how much I love your daughter. She means the world to me and I want nothing more than to have a family with her and grow old with her beside me. You have no idea what this means to me.”

William looked at his wife and smiled. “I think I do, son. I think I do.”

~*~

JC smiled and hugged Rhonda one last time before reaching out to shake William's hand. "Thank you for everything, Mr. Garner," he said with an easy smile.

Abby's father eyed the young man before him for a moment before pulling on his arm to hug him. "Call me William, son. Welcome to the family, and thank you for loving my daughter enough to help her through everything."

JC smiled gratefully as he pulled back and reached down to lift Braeden into his grandfather's arms. "It's not a chore or anything. I'm happy to do it."

JC couldn't keep the large grin off his face as he watched Abby hugging her mother and her father holding Braeden close. This was everything that she had been missing for the last five years of her life. Her son was four years old before he was ever introduced to his grandparents, and that was much too long in JC's opinion. He made a solemn vow right there and then that no matter what his children may do to disappoint him, he would always love them and protect them from the evils the world had to offer. His reasoning was simple; he never again wanted to see the pain he had seen in Abby's eyes as her father had pushed her away time and time again.

Looking at his watch, he realized their flight was leaving in an hour and a half, and they needed to get to the airport. Reaching out to take Braeden from William's arms, he smiled to the man again with a slight nod of his head. "Abs, babe we gotta get going."

Abby pulled away from her mother and turned to look at her father. "Daddy-"

William wasted no time in pulling his youngest child close into his arms. "No goodbyes, baby. We'll see you again at the wedding, if not sooner. Take care of those boys, now."

She kissed his cheek and pulled back, smiling into his eyes. "I love you, Daddy," she whispered.

He pulled her close again, running his fingers through her hair as he memorized the moment. "I love you too, Abigail. I love you too."

JC reached his hand out to her as he balanced Braeden on his hip. She bent down and picked Chance's carseat up as he nodded to her parents. "We'll see you soon," he promised with a smile. "It was great meeting you both."

The couple got situated in the car with their children in the back, and JC smiled as he pulled away from the curb. Looking in the rearview mirror, he saw the older couple standing on their front porch, waving as the car disappeared. "They're great people," he said softly, watching Chance sleep peacefully in the backseat, despite his brother's attempts at getting his attention.

Abby wrapped her arms around her torso, smiling thankfully as JC reached out to turn the air down. "They are, aren't they? I almost forgot what they were like."

He reached his hand out and took hers into it. Squeezing it tightly within his own, he winked at her as they made their way back to the airport. The ring in his coat pocket was itching to be on that hand, and he had the feeling that it was going to take its place there very soon.

~*~

"Your house is huge," Abby said with a sigh as JC dropped their bags within his front door. "I almost forgot how big it was."

He flipped on the lights and went to deactivate the security system. "It is kinda huge, isn't it? I don't know why I insisted on buying this place. Tyler was living with me for a while and the guys were always over, but I guess it seems a bit smaller when we're just trying to get a family going here." He came back into the foyer and smiled as he watched her help Braeden out of his coat.

The boy rid his arms of the heavy material and ran to the plush couch in the living room where he promptly curled up on one end with a pillow under his head. "He's tired," she said with a yawn of her own.

"So are you," he said, grinning as he wrapped her up in his arms. He turned her within them and stared down into her eyes. "You are so beautiful," he whispered, his eyes darting between her eyes and her lips. "I'm amazed each day that I get to spend with you. And I'm so happy that you came into my life."

"You're getting all sappy on me here, honey," she said, smiling back up at him, her hands on his back pulling her closer to him. "You've come through for me in all the ways that you promised, and then some. You swore you'd be there for me when I had my baby, and you were. And you managed to bring my parents back into my life. I owe you so much for that."

He shook his head. "I don't think you owe me a thing, but if you insist, I only have one request."

She stood up on her tiptoes and kissed his lips gently. "And what's that?"

JC slid his hand up her back to place at the back of her head. His other strong hand rested at the small of her back where he pulled her even closer to his own body. Leaning down to brush his lips across hers again, he kept them close as he spoke his next words. "Marry me."

She looked down as he slid the ring onto her finger. Moving her eyes back up to meet his, she stared back into them in uncertainty. "Josh...you know I love you, but I don't want you to feel obligated to do this."

"I'm not doing it because I feel obligated," he argued. "I'm asking because I want to, and I have your father's permission." His blue eyes begged her and she felt her knees go weak under the intensity of his gaze. "Please marry me, Abby Garner."

Abby looked down at the ring he had placed on her left hand. It wasn't as huge and gaudy as she had originally thought...maybe because the weight on her shoulders wasn't quite so heavy. It was a simple, elegant diamond ring that made her eyes water at the meaning behind it. Looking back up into the two pools of crystal blue before her, she smiled slightly. "I love you, Joshua Chasez. I will marry you, yes."

JC grabbed her around the waist and spun her around with an excited yell. "I won't let you down, baby...I won't let you down."

*song credit: Beautiful Dreamer-Stephen C. Foster*

 

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