Brian Ottomas Ch. 3 In My Life Part 1

Brian and Meadow were married a week after they declared their love for each other. Brian continued to build his already close relationship with Meadow's infant, Heath. It wasn’t hard; he loved the baby very much, as if he were his own son. After much thought he asked Meadow if she had any objections to him legally adopting Heath; they would all three have the same last name. Meadow was very happy at this suggestion and encouraged Brian to see about it right away. So Heath Thayer became Heath Ottomas.

Meanwhile, Brian was still playing guitar with his band at Club Dante, owned by his older brother. Both he and Meadow continued to pursue their interests, art for her and, of course, music for him. Meadow usually rose first each morning and fed and bathed Heath. Brian came down for breakfast shortly thereafter.

Sometimes they played the “baby hand-off” game. Brian would come in from work or elsewhere and go up to see the baby.  Meadow would hand him the baby, wave bye-bye and go off to take a relaxing bubble bath. So Brian played with the baby, fed or changed him if needed and then handed him back to Meadow when she returned.

They tried to squeeze in private time when they could; lazing in the hot tub was one of their favorite places to unwind together. Meadow loved that room; she’d tried to make it an oasis.  Their love was still very new and both their lives had been changed profoundly by Heath’s birth. As much as they both loved their child; like all married couples they still needed a little time for romance. Happily Heath was still at an age when his needs were very simple. He slept a lot of the time, too.

The day came for Heath’s birthday,

“I’ve got the cake ready,” Meadow called to Brian from the kitchen, “Will you bring Heath down?”

When Brian handed the infant to Meadow she rocked him and crooned “Happy Birthday to You” while Brian watched. Then she blew out the candles. And Heath became a toddler. 

He had black hair that made him look like Brian, a tan complexion like Meadow and big beautiful brown eyes. Meadow didn’t say anything to Brian but she was shocked at how much Heath looked like his biological father. She could barely remember the man’s face; until she looked into Heath’s sweet face on his birthday. Her son was absolutely beautiful, but it was not only his brown eyes that were telltale; it was also his nose, his mouth, his eyebrows—he was a stamped out miniature of Lonnie Hammond. 

She’d almost forgotten him because she thought of Brian as the baby’s father.  In fact, Brian really WAS Heath’s father, both legally and in the way he loved the child.  Brian had parented Heath from the moment he was born, even as he took care of Meadow during her pregnancy. 

She was now frightened that if Lonnie ever saw Heath in town he would know immediately the boy was his and would somehow want to intrude in their lives. She dealt with this, for the time being, by never taking Heath out of the house and yard. Brian didn’t think too much about this at first. However; when he suggested they all go to the park one day and Meadow said Heath was much too little to do that, it gave him pause. Brian shrugged though and thought; okay, maybe he was pushing it and anyway, Meadow was the mother, she should know. So, he didn’t think much about it--at first.

Heath woke early every morning now and cried for a bit, then settled down to sing to himself and jabber away until Meadow came in to change him. She’d talk to him while she dressed him for the day and then carried him downstairs for his oatmeal. He loved to play at his play-station, especially with the blocks. He was learning to walk and talk and every day was an adventure for him. 

In the early evening he had his bath, then to bed. Once Meadow taught him to use the potty, life got much easier for all of them. 

 

Brian was currently teaching him a nursery rhyme. Every day at some point he took time to play with Heath, tickling him and tossing him in the air. Sometimes Brian was the one who bathed him before he went to sleep.

Meadow had two things she wanted to discuss with Brian at this time. It was very easy for her to talk to him about anything as a rule. Except one subject that she avoided and that Brian never brought up; the name of Heath’s biological father. She didn’t know if he was unconcerned about it or just that he knew she was still reluctant to talk about it. She needed to get some courage and tell Brian. She also wanted to ask him a question on something else; but that could wait until later.

One night at dinner she gathered up what courage she had and dove in.

“I want to tell you who…” she stopped. She didn’t want to refer to Lonnie as Heath’s father. Brian was his father.

She began again, “I need to explain about...” Once more she halted awkwardly. There was nothing to explain; she’d already told Brian how she had decided to have a baby and how she went about it. She’d just never named Lonnie. That’s all there was to say really. She couldn’t just blurt it out though: ‘Okay, here’s the deal, the guy’s name is Lonnie Hammond and that's that'. That would be sort of blunt.

Brian looked at her calmly,

“What is it?”

She stammered some more and he said,

“Okay, I'm going to jump-start this conversation; I think you want to tell me the name of Heath’s biological father.”

Meadow nodded in relief.

“I told you once that it was none of my business. I’ve changed my mind, though. We’re married now and Heath is my legal son, so maybe it would be best for me to have the information.”

When Meadow didn’t speak Brian prompted,

“Is it someone I know?” His face was expressionless, but she could tell he was trying very hard to stay unemotional. He was worried that it might be someone he knew or even a close friend.

Meadow shook her head,

“No, or at least I doubt it. He only moved here a few years ago. It was back when you were still on the road. His name is Lonnie Hammond.” There. It was out.

“Nope, don’t know him,” he said with relief. Then he asked her,

“Does Heath look just like this Lonnie guy?”

“Yes.”

“Is that why you won’t take him anywhere?”

She nodded her head, admitting,

“I’m afraid Lonnie might see him at someplace public like the grocery store or the park, get suspicious, and try to barge into our life; that he might try to get custody or something.”

“Is he a hothead or someone who likes to cause trouble?”

“No, actually he always seemed friendly and even-tempered, but I didn’t see him that many times.”

Brian took her head,

“Then I don’t think we should assume he will be a problem. This is a very small town; in fact it’s more of a village, so it’s true we could go out with Heath and run into him; eventually anyway. So what? He might not think anything at all. Heath’s hair is black like mine. He skin is golden tan and mine is very fair, but your complexion is just as dark. Anyway, I am legally Heath’s father now. And you said this guy is married with a child. I doubt he would want to explain to his wife about Heath. You have to stop agonizing about it, Meadow, because right now the only people Heath knows besides us are my family and the gardener. He’s never been out of the yard. It’s not right and it’s not good for him, Sweetheart. He’ll be frightened of people when he first goes to school. So do you think you can put aside your fears and relax a little? Just taking him for a walk down the street would be a good way to start out.”

“You’re right,” Meadow agreed but she still looked apprehensive at the thought, “Will you go with us on the walk the first time?”

“Wouldn’t miss it.” 


The next night when they were relaxed on the bed Meadow brought up the second subject she'd wanted to discuss with Brian. She tried to sound offhand.

“Um, so, what would you think about us having another child?”

Brian stared ahead for a minute. Not a good sign to Meadow’s mind.

“Is it something you feel strongly about?” he asked finally.

“Yes, of course, it is. Brian, you are so good with kids; or at least with Heath, that I hoped you’d really like the idea,” she confessed.

“It’s not that I don’t like the idea; but there are some things to consider.”

“Okay, what?”

“Well, for one thing, we’d have to make some changes to the house; turn the hot tub room into a bedroom for Heath. Put a baby in the nursery where Heath is now.”

Meadow thought about it,

“I don’t want Heath to be on another floor from us. He’s only two.”

“That’s what I mean,” Brian said, “There is no way for us to have three bedrooms on this floor or even on the third floor.”

“No, I just don’t like the idea of our children on a separate floor from us until they are older.”

She loved the sound of that--“our children”.  Plural.

“Okay, so we’d have to buy a new house and sell this one. That’s expensive and can be a pain in the neck. And you’ve always loved this house, always been proud that you bought it for yourself.”

“Yes but that was my life back then. Everything is different now.”

Brian was silent. Meadow was the one staring off now,

“Then you don’t want another child?”

“No, I told you that’s not it. I’m just trying to be practical and look at both sides.”

“So when do we get to the other side?”

Brian looked at her,

“Okay, now. You tell me the other side.”

“Well, it would be nice for Heath to have a brother or sister.”

“See, that’s one thing that worries me,” he pointed out, “How will this affect him? I don’t want to cheat him out of any attention.”

Meadow spoke from her heart now.

“Brian, I love you. It’s only natural that I want to have your baby; a baby that’s a part of both of us. Maybe the problem is that you are thinking of love as a pie and the more pieces you try to get out of it the smaller each piece is. Like there is a finite amount of love you have to give and if you give too much it will be gone, but that’s not true. Love is something you have inside you and it just expands; the more love you give the more it grows.  You can never run out of love and you can never give too much of it. I would never give any less love to Heath than to his brother or sister and neither would you. Sure, it will be hard to juggle the time we give each one, but I believe we can do it. Anyway, that’s what I think about it.”

 Brian leaned over and kissed her cheek,

“You’re amazing, you know that? You could have been a lawyer," he grinned, "And I think you’re right; let’s procreate, Sunshine.”

“What a sweet-talker you are.”

“But then I think we really do need to go house-hunting and not wait until we have a small baby to move,” he continued.

She said, “You really think we must?”

“Yes, unless you’re willing to have one child on another floor.”

“No, I don’t want to do that. Not unless we’re forced to do so.”

So it was decided; they would look into buying a new home. How hard could it be?

  

Next update: Brian Ottomas Ch. 3 In My Life Pt.  2

 

Jenny Lomax-Hammond Ch 2 Married Amour Fou

(Story continued from the Jenny Lomax Story – Ch 1 Amour Fou)

After his daughter was born Lonnie did stay the next day and the day after that. The third day was when he proposed to Jenny. She asked him if he’d considered it carefully—she could hardly believe that he was prepared to give up his playboy life. Wondering if he did this because of Loni Faye alone or if he truly loved her, she hesitated. Lonnie knew what she was thinking.

“I don’t care about that life anymore, Jenny. I won’t be happy unless I’m with you AND Loni Faye. I know that’s hard to believe, but I hope to prove it to you. I’m going to sell my old place.”

That was the clincher and Jenny said “yes”—he was willing to give up his beloved bachelor pad. She loved him so much and had given up on the thought they would be together. She’d thought she would have Loni Faye and that was all the happiness she could expect.

They both enjoyed life with their daughter. Jenny was surprised at how Lonnie took to parenting. He really was amazing; joining right in with the bottles, diapers, burping and baths.

It was not many weeks after that when Lonnie and Jenny married. Jenny now had the life she never thought she’d experience with Lonnie. Truthfully, she did not think she deserved to be so happy after the way she’d treated Larry Max. It had taken her a long time to fully realize just how much she’d hurt him and the children. Now she was a little superstitious that she would pay at some point. She was already paying in one way because her daughter Chelsea had not talked to her in six years. But Jenny was afraid that she would lose Lonnie and the baby somehow now as retribution for what she’d done. She didn’t tell anyone this but it often bothered her.

Lonnie was working hard at his culinary career and advancing quickly.  Jenny found it ironic that her first marriage had been to a man who wanted to become a celebrity chef and now Lonnie, who never cared to work that much at his slacker jobs, was suddenly career minded in the same field. She would guess that it was all for his daughter and to make money for her future, but Lonnie said he had discovered a hobby, besides his piano and music, that was not work, but fun, and that was cooking. Why not make money while enjoying it? Whenever he fixed a special dish at home it was apparent to Jenny that he now exceeded her own, quite decent, abilities as a cook.

Life was good with their infant daughter and all too soon it was time for her birthday.

Loni Faye had been an exceptionally happy baby and followed that as a toddler as well. It was more and more apparent every day who her father was, she looked just like him. She was very smart and learned quickly all the little things a toddler needs to learn, the first being potty training. When she finally aced that subject, Jenny proudly told Lonnie of her successful training. It was incredible to Jenny that he was eager to hear the news, rather than bored or even grossed out as some men might be by the subject. Of course, he had helped with the training, too.

Jenny had been hoping to paint a masterpiece but she first wanted to finish her portrait of Lonnie. And no way would she sell family portraits. But after that was finished, framed and hung on the wall, she went back to painting still life that she hoped would qualify.  She didn’t have much time to paint, though, because her day was pretty much consumed with cleaning the house, sewing and, of course, caring for Loni Faye. The little girl woke early and in a rather bad mood, but quickly became her lovable self once Jenny got her out of the crib. Then it was lessons in walking which she learned as quickly as she had learned to potty. Now she could walk to the potty on her own, making Jenny’s job much easier. At the end of the day it was bath time; a time with their child that both Jenny and Lonnie enjoyed. 

Jenny had begun dressing Loni Faye proudly in the beautiful antique blue silk dress that they’d received as a gift from the Cullens before Loni Faye was born. At first she’d kept it wrapped up for  a “special occasions”, then realized there was only so long a time that Loni Faye would fit in it, so she began letting her wear it for every day. It was definitely the toddler’s favorite dress.

On the days that Lonnie had off (which were increasingly often now that he had received another promotion) he liked to be the one who started Loni Faye’s day. Lonnie was the one who taught her to talk. While he was still working at this chore he admitted to Jenny,

“I don’t know how you trained her to walk without pulling out your hair! I get so frustrated.”

“Patience and plenty of practice,” Jenny told him, “Don’t get discouraged, babe, you’re doing well and suddenly it will click and she’ll learn a new word every day. I know it took a long time to get her to say Daddy and Mama, but now she’ll move right along; you’ll see.”

She was right, Lonnie found out, and soon Loni Faye was talking to them all the time; in a cute little voice with frequent mispronunciations. Jenny loved most the evenings Lonnie was off when they watched TV or cuddled in the living room while Loni Faye played with her favorite toy and jibber-jabbered to herself. Lonnie was just sure that Loni Faye’s love of the xylophone meant she had real musical talent and would love the piano just as much as he did.

One of these special family nights Lonnie brought up a subject that startled Jenny as much as it intrigued her. He wanted to have another child.

“Lonnie, I’m not a 25 year old. I knew I was pushing it when I got pregnant with Loni Faye, but I just wanted her so much. Now, it’s three years later,” Jenny resisted.

“I guess I’m asking a lot; you’ll be the one who has to go through the pregnancy—and it will mean you have to deal with two kids, not just one. But, I don’t want her to be an only child. I was an only child; it’s lonesome. You came from a family of six and you miss them a lot now that you’re here and they’re still back in North Carolina.”

“But, Lonnie, we’d have to move, there’s not enough room here for another bedroom. We can’t put them both in the same room; the baby would wake up Loni Faye and vice versa.”

“I’m making really good money now and if we have to move; we will. I think, though, that we should call a contractor and see about adding on to this place.”

“We have no yard left except for that patch by our bedroom! I want at least some lawn for Loni Faye to play in.”

“Well, we could raise the roof,” Lonnie considered.

Jenny just bit her lip.

“Baby, it can’t hurt to get a builder’s opinion. You didn’t want to do that when we added on at the one end of the house, but we did and it turned out great.”

Jenny was still dubious; she was usual extremely practical, especially when it came to money. She was also strong-minded. But Lonnie had always been her soft spot and he continued to be so. He sweet-talked her that night and reminded her in the days and weeks ahead how good it would be for Loni Faye to have a little brother or sister. 

“How could I say to him, ‘I don’t want your baby’?” Jenny thought, “Besides, I really don’t want Loni Faye to be an only child; I’m just worried about the possible problems ahead.”

Pretty soon Lonnie wore her down and she agreed they could try for a baby.

Meanwhile, Lonnie was finally promoted to Celebrity Chef and only had to work three days a week. Jenny was sewing clothes for the new baby and for Loni Faye. One evening Lonnie brought home a fellow chef, Gary GilsCarbo—without letting Jenny know ahead of time. She’d sewed all day when she could have been preparing something special, now she had to scramble to make something quickly, which turned out to be spaghetti sauce she’d previously frozen; fortunately she made delicious spaghetti sauce. While she cooked the spaghetti, thawed the sauce, popped some packaged garlic bread into the oven and threw together a salad, Jenny griped to herself,

“Oh fine! Now I’m cooking not only for one famous chef, but two!” She planned on strangling Lonnie when their guest left.

Mr. Gilscarbo had his dinner, said it was magnificent and left shortly thereafter. Jenny said nothing to Lonnie but he was suddenly aware that she was perturbed with him. He began to help her clean up,

“I’m sorry, Baby, I just didn’t think. Frankly, Gary has been angling for a dinner invitation for a long time. But I should have called you. Will you forgive me?”

Of course she did forgive him by bedtime but for a while Lonnie thought she was never going to talk to him again. It gave him a little time to think about her side of it and he decided he would not make that mistake again; he’d keep her informed way ahead of time on guests.

One of the bad habits the Hammonds had fallen into, on the days Lonnie worked and it was fairly late when he came home, was keeping Loni Faye up to all hours so Lonnie had a little more time with her.  He might be right with her or end up playing a game to relax in the living room, but Loni Faye was not far away, playing with this or that.  Whenever she had not decided on which toy; Lonnie always made the xylophone available to her.

“Oh, brother, if that little girl doesn’t turn out to have musical talent, Lonnie will be devastated,” Jenny mentioned to Bobbi Jo Cooke with a chuckle.

Jenny was working on teaching Loni Faye a nursery rhyme these days. She was so adorable as she tried to follow the words and music and even the gestures.  On workdays Lonnie now spent time in the morning with his daughter so they could wean her off late nights. He fed her the cereal she always wanted and (when enough time had passed to keep her tummy from protesting) he tossed her around and up in the air. She always screamed with laughter and demanded more.

One day Jenny found herself vomiting several times for no apparent reason.  Then she realized there was definitely a reason. She had some news for Lonnie that should make him very happy. He came home from work a little earlier than usual and swaggered into the house. Having just received a bonus he was feeling proud and happy. His plan was to give Jenny a big kiss and then tell her the news. He kissed her all right, but he got a surprise himself before he could brag about his bonus.

“Okay, Handsome, the news you have been waiting to hear has arrived,” Jenny quickly told him with a smile, “We are preggers.”

Lonnie broke into a grin from ear to ear; he forgot to even tell Jenny about his bonus until late that night.

Almost immediately Jenny began to tire much more easily. So she made sure that, if Loni Faye wasn’t napping herself and Lonnie was working, she was in the living room with a toy while Jenny caught a catnap on the couch. Lonnie would come home and, especially if Jenny was napping, he would attend to any needs Loni Faye had. Then he would make dinner and wake Jenny in time to eat.

Finally her pregnancy was far advanced. She toted her toddler daughter around, but when she sat down on the floor one night to sing a nursery rhyme with her; she couldn’t get up. Fortunately, Lonnie was home and had to come help her get to her feet.

“Okay I’m not getting on the floor again until after the baby,” Jenny laughed.

Lonnie took care of Loni Faye more often than not now that it was getting near to Jenny’s due date. He wanted to be prepared although he knew it was entirely possible the baby would be stubborn and take longer to come. Meanwhile, Jenny and Loni Faye said “goodbye” to her old nursery. They had built a new one on the second floor and all of her things had been moved upstairs along with everything from the master bedroom. Jenny was often weary during all of this and told Lonnie he could do the new master bedroom in the colors he had in his room at his bachelor apartment, if he wished. She’d seen that room and knew she could easily live with that. In fact, right now she would settle for any décor, just to have it over. She would miss her “purple enchantress lair” (as Lonnie used to call it) but it was no longer something she needed or wanted. Lonnie was not sorry to see it go; she knew that.

“Honest, Baby, it’s been giving me purple nightmares. I didn’t mind it when we were dating but now that I’m sleeping there every night, ugh. It doesn’t look like the bedroom of two married people either. Don’t you think we should have a more respectable room?” he asked seriously.

Jenny had to hide her laughter—sometimes Lonnie was just plain endearing--and replied, “Yes, I do, babe. We need to be downright upright.”

The Hammond home with first addition (made before Loni Faye was born) on the left side of the photo and the “enchantress' purple lair” on the right side.

Below is revised first floor; nursery converted to office for Lonnie, piano moved to former master bedroom, stairs added there, and Lonnie added a synthesizer.

New second floor, left to right, Loni Faye’s bedroom for when she moves out of her crib, the purple-floored bathroom is for her. Her current nursery has a bathroom off that, too. Master bedroom will be changed slightly to accommodate new baby’s crib and table until Loni Faye is ready for her "little girl's" room. Master bath is at far right.

(The photo immediately below is actually from later in the story. Lonnie and Jenny did not decorate Loni Faye's new bedroom until she had her birthday and could choose things herself)

The night before the new baby was born; Jenny took an especially long nap on the couch while Lonnie moved the wide awake Loni Faye to a corner of the exercise room where they had placed her downstairs play-station. While she played he worked on his blog in his new office next door. When Jenny woke up Lonnie was putting supper on the table. She was still tired so after the meal they put Loni Faye in her crib and climbed into their own bed. 

 The next morning Lonnie was putting Loni Faye in her high chair to have her breakfast. Jenny was already eating an omelet. Suddenly she stopped in mid-chew and stood up, walking (okay, waddling) to the center of the kitchen where she went into labor. Lonnie had been sure that this time he would stay calm and in control, but when Jenny howled, he thought he was going to actually pass out. Then he saw his daughter still sitting in her chair without a bite of food or bottle in sight. That straightened his brain out a bit. The baby turned out to be a beautiful baby girl and Lonnie was terribly excited all over again, but managed to keep his wits about him long enough to get a bottle for Loni Faye. Then he, again, looked at Jenny and the baby in amazement. His wife calmly handed the baby to him, “Meet your new daughter, Liara Kaye.”

Tenderly he cuddled Liara while Jenny plucked Loni Faye out of the high chair and took her to the bathroom to bathe her and put on a clean pair of pajamas. No one would have guessed that Jenny had just delivered a baby. Pleasantview mothers were just a breed apart; pioneer stock. 

Lonnie had recovered and fed Liara her bottle; put her in her crib upstairs then came back downstairs to see how his oldest daughter had survived the vivid experience. She was calmly coloring at her playstation again; apparently not traumatized at all. Jenny was sewing in her studio like it was no big deal. Lonnie felt like he’d survived a tornado. 

Next update: Brian Ottomas Ch. 3 In My Life Pt. 1

Next installment on the Jenny Lomax-Hamilton story HERE