Done Adulting Vol. 1 Ch. 127

When Jamie woke up, Mel was gone. He guessed they had slept in, and Mel had her own small Christmas morning with her family to get home for. He stretched in the bed and felt Amanda stir but not wake. He was happy to still be in bed, sleepy from staying up late. He relieved himself into his diaper and went back to sleep.

When he woke again it was to Amanda patting his butt and tut-tutting at her morning chore. She pulled him closer and bid him a good morning and merry Christmas. She sounded rested but still glad to be in bed, too. She ran her fingers up and down his arm, and Jamie cooed in response.

“You ready to get up?”

“Mhmm.”

“Did you get enough sleep?”

“Yeah. That was fun last night.”

“C’mon.” Amanda sat up and lifted Jamie to her shoulder, patting butt as they walked down the stairs.

“Do I hear my babies,” Becky called from the kitchen. Amanda headed toward her.

“Morning, Mom.”

“Merry Christmas, Mommy.”

“Merry Christmas, Baby Bear,” she said giving him a kiss. “And Manda Bear,” she added with a kiss for Amanda. “Did you go look in the family room yet?”

“We didn’t. Is there something in there we should see?”

“Maybe. I don’t know what Santa brought,” Becky shrugged.

“Let’s go see.” The three of them went to the family room, and when Jamie saw the mountain of presents Becky surreptitiously took a picture of his shocked and happy face.

“Holy cow!” Jamie exclaimed, making both bigs to laugh at such an uncharacteristic expression from Jamie. “There’s ... there’s ... holy cow.” The wrapped boxes in red and green and gold and snowflake and Christmas patterns fanned out from under the tree almost all the way to the entryway. They’d have to move some just to get to the couch.

“You must have been a very good boy,” Becky said.

“Can we open some?”

“Of course! We’re gonna open all of them.”

“After we get you in a clean diaper, stinky britches,” Amanda said with a gentle swat to his butt.

“Maybe just a few first,” he pleaded.

“Nope – sorry, Jamester, but you are one ripe bear.”

“Aw.”

“I should be offended,” Amanda said, “I’m pretty fast at changing your dirty pants.” She made quick work of it and zipped Jamie back into his teddy bear sleeper, then carried him back to the living room where Becky had made a path for them and put two mugs and one bottle of cocoa on the coffee table.

“All clean,” Amanda announced.

“Are we ready to open presents then?”

“Yes!” Jamie had never had a Christmas like this. Two, three, maybe four presents in a good year. There were at least two dozen on the floor, big and small, arrayed from one end of the room almost all the way to the other.

Only after Becky had gotten a picture of her babies on the floor surrounded by the boxes did Amanda set Jamie on the couch and hand him a box.

“I don’t wanna open one alone,” Jamie said. Becky grabbed one for herself and one for Amanda. On Jamie’s cue, they each started opening their package.

Jamie ran his finger across the seam, popping the tape and folding the paper back. Amanda looked at him with a coy smile. “Maybe try like this,” she said, tearing through paper on her box. Jamie smiled and did like she did, agreeing when he did that her method was more fun.

“What’d ya get,” Amanda asked.

“A remote controlled car! Thank you, Mom.”

“You have to promise to share with Amanda,” Becky said when she saw Amanda scrutinizing the box.

“This is so cool,” Amanda said. “Way cooler than the one I had.”

“What did you get, Manda,” Becky asked.

“I don’t know yet.” Jamie didn’t have much money to spend, just what Becky has given him, so he picked the one thing he thought would mean the most to her. “It looks like ... a T-shirt that says, ‘My little thinks I’m awesome.’ Aww, thank you so much Jamie! I love it.”

“I do, ya know,” Jamie smiled.

“I do know,” she said, leaning down to give him a kiss.

“He picked it out himself,” Becky added.

“What did you get, Mom?”

“Let’s see – a picture of you and Jamie with Santa. This is so cute!”

“We knew you’d love it.”

“I do. This is going on my desk.”

They went back and forth opening presents, with two for Jamie for every one Becky and Amanda got. Amanda opened one from her mom and rolled her eyes, “Really, Mom,” she asked as she held up the waterproof bed pad.

“It’s for when Jamie sleeps in your bed is all.”

“Why,” Jamie said with a Cheshire Cat grin, “It doesn’t bother me.”

“Maybe you should have gotten me one of those plug-in scented wax melters then,” Amanda retorted.

“Actually,” Jamie said,” I’d kinda like one of those for my room, too.”

When they were done, the crumpled paper and open boxes covered more of the floor than when they’d started. Jamie’s favorite were the ornate marble blocks; he could finally build his cathedral. He got a football and net; new running shoes; a board game; more sleepers with feet and ears; a membership to the rec center where he could swim; action figures; a bunny stuffy; and clothes for winter and spring.

“Last one,” Amanda said, handing it to Becky.

“Ooh. It’s from Jamie.” Becky carefully tore the paper – she wanted to save the label – and opened the box. Inside was a picture frame wrapped in tissue paper and bubble wrap. She peeled back the paper. Inside the frame was a picture of their house and the three of them on the front porch, with Jamie seated on Becky’s lap, and “Webb Family Home” arching over the top.

“I would have dated it,” Jamie said, “But I have no idea when it is ... Mom?”

Becky was struggling and failing to hold back tears. She didn’t have any words to say. The picture said everything for all of them. Their home, the three of them – it was exactly what she’d wanted what felt like so long ago when she’d decided to adopt a little.

Their home, their family. It felt complete with the love he had brought into their lives; love so deep they didn’t know they had so much of it to give; love so strong because that was the kind of love Jamie needed, and o! what joy it brought Becky and Amanda to give it; love in equal measures sweet and tender and painful, the way Jamie loved, with everything he had.

“Mommy?”

“O, baby, I love it,” Becky said as she swept Jamie into her lap and held him so tight he felt bashful. Becky held out her arm for Amanda to join them, and she fell on top of her mom so that Jamie was stuck between them, the Webb Family together on Christmas morning, warm in each other’s company, content to stay together in their embrace knowing nothing outside it would ever be so meaningful and perfect.

At last, Becky let go and leaned back, sniffling hard before asking, “Who wants breakfast?”

“Me,” Jamie said with the gentle, neat smile he wore so often now, the grin that said life was good and easy and safe.

While Becky started breakfast, Amanda got Jamie in the tub. When he was clean, she watched him play with his bath toys, leaning her elbow on the edge of the tub and smiling at him until he got self-conscious.

“What,” he asked.

“I was just thinking.”

“About what?”

“About you.”

“And?”

“Just ... I’m proud of you. You’ve come so far from that ... hurt, angry person who came here. I hope you’re proud of yourself.”

“I am, I think,” Jamie responded. For once he didn’t feel embarrassed to receive a compliment or like he didn’t deserve it.

“Can I ask, do you like it here? Aside from me and Mom and Mel and everyone, do you like it here now?”

“Yeah, most of the time. I’m happy here.”

“Why?”

“Life is just, I don’t know, easier. Better. Part of me thinks that if people where I’m from treated each other as gently as people treat littles here, it would be just as good, maybe even better.”

“I’m sure it would.”

“Manda? I’m glad you picked me.”

“So am I,” Amanda said as she got down on her knees next to the tub. “Can I be the shark,” she asked as she took the toy from the top of the water.

______________________________________________

“We’re going on a diet starting after New Year’s,” Jamie announced over his full belly after Christmas breakfast.

“We are,” Becky asked.

“Yes. It’s a tradition where I’m from. We go on a diet after New Year’s and quit after four days and then we come to terms with the fact we’re five pounds heavier.”

“That’s sounds like no fun.”

“It sucks, but I think if I eat any more sugar I’m going to skip right past being a little diabetic and lose a toe.”

“What a horrible start to the new year that would be.”

“I know, right?”

“Wanna go play with your new toys?”

“That sounds like a lot of effort right now.”

“I should’ve stopped you after your third cinnamon roll.”

“Meh.”

“We can go for a walk. It’s cold out, but you can wear your snowsuit.”

“Okay.” They waited for Amanda to get out of the shower, announced their plans, and Becky got Jamie bundled up and into the stroller. They headed for the park. There weren’t many people out. The sky was clear, making it even colder, and the sun reflected harshly off the little bit of snow that covered the grass but not the sidewalks or streets. When they reached the park, they headed toward the swing set where a few bigs were playing with their kids. There weren’t any other littles around.

“Do you think everybody just stayed home,” Jamie asked.

“Probably. I bet none of these people have a little.”

“I’ll come with you if you want me to,” Becky offered. Together, the two of them went to play on the jungle gym, Becky ready in case he fell, or more likely in case a kid got too aggressive with him.

“He’s cute,” some stranger said to Amanda while she watched.

“Thank you.”

“Is he yours or your brother?”

“Both.”

“That’s kinda awkward. What are you going to do when you move away from home?”

“I try not to think about it. Excuse me.” Amanda went to go join in the play.

______________________________________________

Becky was lying face down on her bed topless, having just fed Jamie his goodnight milk. She had him stripped to his diaper and was tickling his back, watching him sink deeper and deeper into his littlest headspace as the milk did its thing.

“Did you have a good Christmas, Baby Bear?”

“It was the best, Mommy.”

“It was my best, too … I wish I had skin like yours. So soft.”

“Yours is soft, too,” Jamie blushed. He ought to know.

“Do you wanna sleep in Mommy’s bed tonight?”

“Mhmm.”

“Ok. Be right back.” Becky put her robe on and went downstairs to the nursery to get an overnight diaper and some wipes. She saw the flickering light in the family room and went to investigate.

“I didn’t know you were still up,” she said to Amanda.

“It’s early.”

“Yeah, but it was a long day. I was just about to put Jamie down in my bed.”

“I hope he had a good day.”

“I think he had a great day.”

“It was a great Christmas, Mommy. Thanks for all the work you did. I should have helped more.”

“You helped plenty! And thank you for the nice presents.”

“You, too. Even the bed pad.”

Becky smiled. “Maybe it’s time to get him thicker diapers.”

A sudden swell of emotion welled up in Amanda’s chest. “O, Mom,” she moaned.

“What’s the matter, baby,” Becky asked in concern. Amanda had seemed quiet since the park, but Becky had assumed it was because she was tired.

“I … he’s so … I just remembered today how much I love him. I never told you thank you, for doing this. You were so right.”

“I never doubted for a second you had it in you. Even more than me.”

“Was it this hard raising me?”

“No. I got you from scratch. I didn’t have to undo anything, not like with Jamie.”

“Can I ask you something?”

“Anything.”

“When he first got here, and he wanted me all the time, what did you think?”

“Honestly? I was so happy to watch the two of you bond, but I was also very put out. Mostly I was frustrated with myself, but I was also jealous of you.”

“Did you ever wish he had wanted to be more like a toddler?”

“At first, yeah.”

“Even after I told you he didn’t want to be?”

“Yes. I thought he’d be happier that way … And I guess I missed having a carefree spirit like a toddler in my life. Keeps you young.”

“He’s pretty carefree these days, mostly.”

“And that’s mostly because of you.” Becky couldn’t express how proud she was of Amanda and the tender, smart, brave, loving, empathetic woman she had become.

“You could’ve done it without me. He just needed to know he was worth loving. I think we both did that. Wore down his defenses. And he’s not 100% there yet.”

“No, but if he stays just like this I think we can be happy.”

Amanda chuckled. “He was awfully affectionate last night. I think he caught the Christmas spirit.” They both smiled at the thought of the past two days, already fading into the warm, hearth-lit memories they’d have for a lifetime.

“I should go back up there. He’s probably asleep by now.”

“I’ll come with you.” Jamie was indeed fast asleep with his thumb in his mouth. He thought he’d give that a try, a spur of the moment thing. Becky got him changed into his nighttime diaper and threw the old one into her wastebasket.

“I could’ve sworn I had one of his pacifiers in here,” she said, searching through the drawer of her nightstand. “Ah! Here it is.” She gently pulled his thumb away and put the paci to his lips, which he parted for her.

“I’ll go get some jammies for him,” Amanda said.

“He should be warm enough. You wanna share the bed with us?”

“Yeah,” Amanda said with a warm and happy smile. “I’ll change. And bring the bed pad,” she added with a giggle. One her way back it occurred to Amanda that Becky had gotten the pad for when Jamie slept in Amanda’s bed but hadn’t gotten one for when he slept in Becky’s bed. She shook her head and smiled.

When the three of them were finally in bed with the light out, Becky looked at Jamie and Amanda, and she remembered again, as sometimes the thought comes back to us, that life is a miracle, and the people we care about are precious.