2020-05-13 - Ships Coming In - Xavier, Slaine, Owen and Liam

May 13, 2020


Xavier Maximillian Walsh lay on the deck of his yacht completely at ease.  He was rich and well cared for.  While half the planet was on lock-down, he was on the water, free to just look at the Vancouver skyline and let the water rock his cares away.

It had been more than a month since he’d taken Liam away from Slaine.  By no, she was surely ready to listen to him on any subject, but especially the subject of her quitting her ridiculous job and living with him and Liam again.  This time, however, he planned to marry her and further cement their togetherness.  He’d thought a child would do it, but he was wrong.  A marriage, and the prenup that would leave her with nothing but memories of money and her son, ould make her his forever.

Currently, Liam was with Blair, one of his girlfriends.  She was only babysitting Liam because she thought it would show Xavier what a wonderful mother she was for his son.  However, Xavier couldn’t care less what kind of mother she was.  Blair could toss a salad with the best of them; something Slaine had whined about every time he made her do it.  So he had found Blair, who had no problem with licking an anus until a man was ready for her to stop.  And that was all Bialr was good for.

Getting Slaine to come back to him should be easy now.  He knew she could never afford a lawyer and if by some miracle she was able to sell her body and soul to get one, his lawyers were more than up to the challenge.  They’d keep her in family court until Liam was old enough to rule on his on behalf.  Because Xavier had come from a long line of short lived family.  The only ones in the Walsh line left were he and Liam.  His parent’s had lived hard and died relatively young, as had their parents and had their parents.  But they had also invested hard and money as the last thing Xavier now had to worry about.

He looked up at the sky.  It was a beautiful day and he could see enough of the shore to see that a few people were enjoying it, instead of staying home to avoid catching Covid-19. Near his boat was another; a string bikini clad blonde lounging almost like he was.  She looked over at him and twiddled her fingers at him before she sat up and took off her top.

Xavier smiled and licked his lips.  A show on the water.  Perfect.

She slithered to her knees and spread them, untying the sides of her bikini bottom and sliding it between her legs, giving her a fins show of a perfectly hairless pussy.  For a moment, he thought about Slaine and her wild Thai bush, but pushed that thought aside.

The blonde lay back and opened her legs.  From his distance, however, Xavier could see nothing.  He sat up and shook his head.  She moved her hand between her legs and beckoned him to come closer.

Xavier didn’t need a second invitation.  He stood and headed for the bridge of his yacht.  When he’d reached this destination he had shut down the engines.  Now he moved to start it, move closer to the other boat and maybe get laid.

Instead, his yacht exploded, witnessed by at least 20 people on the Vancouver shore.


May 14, 2020 - 8:11p.m

Owen wasn’t closing that night. Deliveries meant he didn’t get roped into clean up shifts and that was a secret blessing some days. He had clocked out at 6:30, managed to catch a bit of the end of a casual dinner with his family which could be rare with everyone’s schedules lately and then watched a bit of TV with his Dad. His dad was a channel flipper and watching TV with him could be a little maddening if he got in that mood so Owen bowed out and made his way up to his room feeling a bit displaced. He was missing Slaine but it was too early, way too early. He sighed at his phone and decided to send her a funny little cat video just to reach out a little and then popped open his laptop considering watching Netflix.

Slaine Indi had closed one door only to walk directly across the hall to another.  Climbing into her bed, she sniffed and reached for a box of tissues.  Every night for what seemed too long, she had cried in the room across the hall.  And sometimes, she would then get on the phone or Skype with Owen and cry there.  Her life had been a bizarre mix of horrific and beautiful.  Horrific because her son had been taken from her … beautiful because she had Owen to keep her sane .. and their child in her abdomen.  She lifted the top of her laptop just as her phone buzzed in her pocket.  She received the message from Owen and laughed while she cried at the cat video.  Then she opened up SKype.  She couldn’t wait another second .. and called Owen hoping he would be Ok with the early call.

Owen was still choosing a show when he heard the familiar ring of a skype call. He saw Slaine’s name popup and blinked. She was early. He hoped everything was ok. He quickly answered with a look of concern “Hey you’re early...I love it but are you ok?”

Slaine was crying when the call rang, but seeing Owen’s face, she started laughing and crying.  “Hi.”  she sobbed and grabbed a tissue.  “Is it OK .. to be so early?”

Owen looked even more worried now “Yeah it’s ok...Are you ok? Slaine, what’s going on...you’re freaking me out...Is the baby ok?”

Slaine nodded and smiled.  “Yes!  The baby’s fine.  I’m fine!”  she sniffed again.  “Liam’s back!  The police brought him around noon.  I would have called then but they had so many questions and Liam was hungry and wanted … wanted to .. spend time with me.”  and she dissolves into her happy tears again.

Owen looks happy but confused “That's amazing. The police? Slaine I’m super happy….how did this all happen? And I’ll make sure to get a bed for him as soon as I can...been collecting stuff and putting it in the place.”

Slaine cries a little and then a little more as Owen asks questions and tells her he’ll make sure Liam has a place.  But she gets herself together.  “Around noon, there’s a cop at my door.  With Liam.  He came in and told me that Xavier was in a boating accident yesterday.  He .. he died.”  she tries to sound at least a little sad, but after Xavier took her son, she had no room for charity in his direction.  “Liam was with some girlfriend of Xaviers.  But I am Liam’s only living relative … so he came to me, of course.”  she sniffs again.  “They told Liam that his father had died.”  she bites her lip.  “I’m not so sure how I feel about that.  I mean … is he too young to learn about death?  At least he didn’t see it … but still …”  she sighs deeply.

Owen takes all this in with wide eyes but then looks at Slaine with absolute love “I’m not sad he died based on what he did to you both….” He thinks “Liam might not understand death for a long time. It’s like a story to him...I don’t know….we’ll help him though as it becomes real. In a way it’s better he knows the truth.” He sighs, thinking about the kid, the child he’s only heard about that’s soon to be part of his growing family with Slaine. He just looks at her sweetly “Are you ok? I mean I know he was awful but you had a child with him...and a past…”

Slaine nods.  It’s one of those things she just doesn’t know what to do with.  How or even if she should tell her child about death .. but that decision had been made for her.  It was too late.  “I ..  I have Liam back.  I was so torn all the time.”  she hadn’t really seemed like it.  She would cry about it while talking to Owen, but then she would make herself put on a happier face for Owen.  No she lets a little of that be known to him.  “On one hand I am so happy to have you in my life.  And our baby.”  she absently puts her hand on her belly.  “And on the other I was dying without Liam.  And I still haven’t seen a doctor, except the midwife there over the phone.”  she groans.  She isn’t worried so much now, but she’s still concerned.  “Maybe now I can sleep?”  She has been sleeping but, truth be told, she was only sleeping three or four hour a night.

Owen nods “I want you to sleep properly. It’s so important. I’m glad Liam’s home...how does he seem to you? And how was the midwife?” He pulls his laptop onto his bed and lies down beside it so it’s like she’s in his bed with him.

Slaine lays on her bed, facing the open door.  “I’ll try.  I promise.”  she pauses and looks towards the door.  “He said he missed me and stayed very close to me all night.”  she bites her lip.  “He was saying it wasn’t nice with his dad and that he said mean things about me.”  she sighs deeply.  “But he still seems to love me.  He fell asleep in my arms and I put him to bed.  Then I came and found your text, like you knew to get in touch with me.”  she smiles, calming more.

Owen smiled “I just missed you….but I’m glad I texted. And of course he loves you Slaine. How could he not? How could anyone not?” He sighs and reaches for the screen like he wants to reach through “I wish I could touch you…”

Slaine smiled, sweely.  “You are biased, Mr Reinhardt.” she giggles and reaches out.  “Soon … “  she bites her lip.  “And you say that now.  I’ll be as big as a house soon.”  she giggles and then looks thoughtful.  “I could .. I could come there anytime now.  Remember that lawyer that was helping me?  From Mr Bittetto?  Joseph Samuel?  I talked to him today … I wanted him to know what had happened .. and he mentioned I could come anytime now that Liam is back.”

Owen jumps up a little in the bed “What? Come tomorrow….Seriously….but the ferry….I’ll steal a fucking boat….” Rolls on his back “Slaine I need you here….how do we do this? Help me help you…” He rolls back to look at her “I don’t care how big you get...I’ll love every inch of you I promise…”

Slane smiles at his eagerness.  “Mr Samuel told me to let him know and he’d make arrangements.  I … can email him …tell him …  as soon as he can arrange it…”  she bites her lip.  “Michelle told me when I do come I may have to self-isolate for 14 days … just to make sure I … me and Liam .. don't have Covid-19.  But .. as long as I was in the sme town with you … I never thought it would be so hard to be apart from you.”  their weeks of talking had cemented in many ways her faith that they belonged together.

Owen beams at her “We’ll work it out. I’ll take time off if I have to….it’ll be fine. Plus it will let me get to know Liam. I hope he’s not freaked out by me...by us. Does he understand you’re going to have a baby?” He looks very curious about this.

Slaine smiles and seems to concentrate on her keyboard.  “There …  I sent him an email.”  she blows out a breath and clears her throat.  “We did … he .. well he seems to think I am getting fat.”  she smirks.  “So I told him I wasn’t fat ..  that the little bump is going to be a baby … that he’s going to be a big brother.”  her face falls a little.  “I told him the baby had a father and he said ‘not like daddy’ .. and I told him it wasn't like his daddy.  That seemed to satisfy him.”

Owen smiled and then sighed “You sent an email about tomorrow? I’ve never been so nervous about meeting a  5 year old before. He really didn't like his Dad hey?” Owen readjusted one of his pillows behind his head and then casually grabbed something from the bedside table which looked like his pajamas.

Slaine sighed.  “Xavier would call me names in front of Liam.  And said things to Liam too ….  About .. being Thai ….”  she sighs.  “He was very dissapointed how much Liam looks like me … how Thai he looks…”  she blows out a breath.

Owen frowned deeply “So we can add being a racist motherfucker to his epitaph…” He shakes his head “I’m so sorry.” Casually he starts changing from his work shirt to the old tshirt he sleeps in like he’s been putting on  pjs in front of Slaine for years. He lies down to undo his pants and whip them off, trading them for his plaid flannel bottoms “Don’t mind me...just getting comfy.”

Slaine watches him change.  She’s never slept with him before … and she wants to.  More.  Then she notices a flashing icon.  “Oh, he replied!”  the focus of her eyes changes as she reads.  “Owen ….  How does Saturday the 16th sound …”  she stares at the email, her eyes moving from it to the Skype screen and Owen’s face.  But her heart stops a moment.

Owen leans in “He did...um yes!!!” He keeps watching her “Is that a for sure date?” She seems hesitant.

Slaine nods.  “Have what you want to take packed and ready by 7am Saturday May 16th.”  she reads  “I’m afraid we can’t bring large pieces of furniture as of now.  I’ll pick you and Liam up at 7.  SIncerely Joseph Samuel.”  she read.  Her eyes jump to his screen.  “This is it, Owen ….  Last .. last chance … to change your mind ….”

Owen shakes his head and grins “It’s fine….you had a lot going on earlier. I was trying to tell you I gathered some stuff already and it’s in the place. We have a couch, a chair and a coffee table care of Lydia some kitchen stuff from Cory’s parents an old futon from Paul’s brother...I’ll ask around about a kid bed...and we have a bit of time on a crib but my parents might even have one...maybe” He thinks “They did the whole cosleeping thing with us so maybe they never bought one…..but we’ll figure it out.”

Slaine gets misty eyed over the list of things given to their new home, but manages not to cry.  When he mentions that his parents coslept with their kids and sighs.  “I wanted to with Liam.  Whenever Xavier wasn’t around I could, but if he was around he put Liam in his own room, door shut and…”  she hiccupped.  “Just let him cry.  He held me back … said it was good for him…”\

Owen looked horrified “I’m so sorry. That’s not right. I swear I’m closer to my siblings for having kicked one another in the face all night long as toddlers.” He tries to lighten it but he’s afraid he’s also not.

Slaine begins to laugh at the vision of it in her head and after a few seconds covers her mouth, afraid she will wake Liam.  But after all of this talk of co-sleeping she wouldn't mind it a bit.  “I’ll ..be able to really meet them …  I mean … in person ….”

Owen grins “My family is both wonderful and a bit like being drunk all the time...I mean sometimes they are a bit that way...not like alcoholics...but more like..” He tries to think of a better turn of phrase and all he can say is “Crazy people…” He laughs….

Slaine considers that.  “They love you so much.”  she tells him, her voice a little far away.  “I hope we’re a good fit…”  she smiles.  “So what news in Alexandra before Liam and I come to stay?”

Owen looks sweetly at her “I have faith that we’re already a  good fit.” Then when she asks for news of Alexandra Owen blows out a breath “Well one of my coworkers...Cory I think I mentioned him. His parents threw him a big birthday party. He’s really shy but they’re really NOT shy and it was kind of the weirdest night. I forgot to tell you about it the last few nights because I decided to bore you with trying to explain the politics of star Wars. I’m honestly glad you didn’t hang up and leave me…” He jokes.

Slane smiles.  “We are aren’t we?”  they had talked every night since she’d told him she was pregnant and it had really helped her to feel that she knew him.  “But things might be different the first time I stink up the bathroom or Liam surprises you with his snoring when he’s sick.”  these were the things that had infuriated Xavier and she bit her lip.  The man was dead.  And not with them.  Why was he haunting her?  Then he tells her about the birthday party.  “Weird how?” and she chuckles.  “I didn’t mind that a bit.  I love being educated.  And I wouldn’t leave you over Star Wars.  I’m just glad you don’t snore.”

Owen smiles and nods and then shakes his head “Slaine if you never stunk up a bathroom I’d worry you were some kind of robot. I mean we all shit right? Someday you’ll use our bathroom after my Great Uncle Uilick’s been in it...or you won’t because it will be clogged….I swear to god…..and I can’t guarantee I don’t actually snore ever. I’ve never slept with myself...i mean...you know what I mean..” He blushes deeply and then goes back to the topic of the party. “Well for the shyest guy I’ve met...it was a huge party. I think maybe everyone was just so glad to not be cooped up...it just grew….like down the block. There was like a DJ and a famous singer...and my brother gave Cory condoms….oh I didn’t even tell you about Shay’s job did I? He works in a …” Owen tries to find a way to say it politely and bluehes again “Well it’s a sex shop….no other way to say that…” He blows out a breath and waves the topic off “That’s a whole other things. Btu he gave the shy guy condoms...and THEN Cory kind of shouted at the girl he liked and asked her out….it was..something else…” He laughs. “This town is odd. My family is odd. I hope you like odd….”

Slaine giggled.  “Great Uncle Ulick…”  she murmurs.  “That’s some name, no offence to your great uncle.”  she laughed at the idea that Owen had never slept with himself and then more at the description of the party.  “Was it Aqoustic Spirit or India Tor?”  She knew both lived in Alexandra.  “I don’t know much about either, except that they live there.”  She's been researching a little about Alexandra trying to get to know the town better.  Then she coughs when told about Shay giving the shy kid condoms.  “Why would he do that.  Well …  that's Shay .. right.  He does that sort of thing.” and then she blushes a bit and bites her lip.  “You .. you aren’t …”  she blushes a bit more.  “Into .. you know … toys?  Are you?”  she asks, trying to sound natural.  She blows out a breath.  “I don’t care how odd any town is, as long as I’m with you, Owen.”

Owen snorts “He suits the name. And it was India Tor. She’s kind of distantly related to us now by marriage……” He tries to explain “So my Uncle Mike...my dad’s brother…. is married to Stephanie Yamada...her brother Ryan is married to India Tor…” Owen’s eyes go wide at the mention of toys and he has to open and close his mouth a few times before he gets out the word “No….although it you are I can...try ti I guess. To be honest the idea isn’t really calling me...never has. But Slaine...you’ve basically been it...I mean I was in a  relationship 3 years ago but we didn’t...i mean we kissed….a  lot...but we didn’t go to bed together. Wow I sound like a total loser right now…” He turns and laughs into his pillow.

Slaine listens to the lineage.  His family was huge.  When he then replies to her question of toys, she shakes her head and quickly says “No …”  as he says ‘although if you are’ but listens to the rest.  “Maybe … we can … well see.”  she giggles.  “I’m not much better experience wise, Owen.  We’ll have to learn together.”  she opens her mouth to change the subject when she catches movement in the corner of her eye.  Turning her head she can see Liam, rubbing his eyes.  He comes and climbs into the bed with her.  He’s 5 years old but looks like a male version of his mother.  Like Xavier Walsh had nothing to do with him.

Owen is about to say more on the learning together thing when he sees Liam for the first time on screen and waves at him with an awkward smile “Hi….Liam…” He’s not sure if introducing himself is the way to go or he should have waited for Slaine to do it.

Liam looks at the screen with wide eyes and immediately moves closer to his mother, hugging her tight and trying to effectively crawl into her cia her armpit.  But he waves back, safe in her embrace.

Slaine holds Liam close.  “Baby this is Owen.  Owen, this is Liam.” she introduces them.  “Do you remember when I told you the baby has a daddy too.”  She takes Liam’s hand and puts it on her belly.  “Owen is the baby’s daddy.”  she explains.

Owen looks sheepish. This was huge. This kid had been through a lot and he was new and maybe scary. He thinks for a moment and then steps away from his bed “Hang on a sec….” He comes back with and old lego spaceship “Hey Liam...do you build lego?” He asks putting the ship closer to the screen and opening the cockpit. He takes out the little spaceman and makes him walk up to the screen.

Liam peeks out and looks interested and then shyly dives back under but says “I like legos….”

Owen looks hopefully at Slain over top of the space man “What kind of legos do you like?”

Liam doesn’t peek back out but says very clearly “Spiderman….”

Owen beams “Dude I love Spiderman.”

Slaine can feel Liam still half buried in her side.  “He’s the one with the cape. Right, Liam?”  she asks, innocently.

Liam pulls away from his mother to look up at her.  “No.  He doesn't have a cape.  That’s Batman, Mae.”  he shakes his head and looks at Owen, still close to his mother but at least he looks at the screen.

Slaine gives a mock wince.  “Oh .. sorry..”  she rolls her eyes.  “I get them all confused.”

Owen laughs “Don’t worry Liam. I know all the superheros.” He winks at Slaine. “Is Spiderman your favourite?”

Liam is now looking curious about Owen and nods and then tuns his little hand and makes a web shooter motion “Ptew..”

Owen pretends to get hit with webbing “Aww…..it’s too strong…..”

Liam giggles and looks at his mom with a big grin.

Slaine winks back at Owen and hugs Liam to her.  “You couldn’t sleep?”  she asks him.

Liam shakes his head.  “I miss Lego.”  it seems a smidge random, but it is what they were talking about.

Slaine smiles at him.  “Well we’ll get some later.  We're going to move to a pretty island called Alexandra.  There very nice people there.”

Liam considers it.  “Not like Blair?”  he asks.

Slaine half smiles at him.  “No baby not like Daddy’s girlfriend.”  she answers him and tells Owen what they’re talking about.

Owen frowns briefly but then shakes it off for the kid. “Liam do you like ice cream?” He knew the answer. What kid didn’t like ice cream?

Liam nodded “Uh huh…”

“We have lots of ice cream here...and lego. It’s like a lego ice cream island…..”

Liam’s eyes went wide and he looked up at his mom.

Slaine nods in confirmation.  Owen had told her so much about the island, she felt like she could walk the place right now.  Looking down at Liam she tells him.  “It’s true.  Owen has Lego and there’s ice cream … and a beach and a place that sells cupcakes.”  she emphasises the last word.

Liam’s eyes remain wide.  “Can we go Mae? Can we?”

Slaine shakes her head.  “Not now, we can’t.”  she tells him, sounding disappointed herself.  “First of all it’s too late at night.  But we’re going to be there this weekend.”  she remembers what Michelle had told her.  “We have to stay inside, in case we’re sick, but I bet someone could bring them to us.”  she looks at Owen, almost as hopeful of face as her son.

Owen laughs and grins at them both “I’m sure we can get some cupcakes to celebrate you both coming to stay here….on the island of lego and ice cream…” Then he thinks about something ‘Liam have you seen The Lego Movie?” He probably had...it wasn’t new after all.

Slaine smiles, but shakes her head.  “No, I wanted to, but .. you know .. money.”  she looks dissapointed.

At the same time, Liam perks up.  “I did with …”  and he stops and his whole being drops.  “Daddy.”  He looks at the bed covers.  “He said you’d get mad and hit me if I told.”

Slaine closes her eyes.  “I’m not mad, Liam.”  not at him, of course.  “Tell me about it?”  she smiles and, like all mothers, hides her pain.

Owen looks a little taken aback by the kid telling Slaine his dad said she would hit him. He knew Slaine never would. What a horrible father...He looks encouraging at Liam.

Liam looks up like he’s reaching into his imagination “There's a city where everyone is working...an Emmet lives there...he’s a happy guy..a good guy. But he touches a brick and then he’s in trouble...and then Wildstyle comes...and Batman….and more bad guys...oh and the Unikitty and the Pirate...and they have a big fight….” He goes on and on and not all of it makes perfect sense but it’s clearly made an impression.

Owen nods after “Yeah...just what you said...that’s how I felt..” He looks at Slaine.

Slaine leans back a little.  Liam is looking at the screen.  Her voice is mostly normal when she replies.  “Oh, that doesn’t sound like a good place, or do the good guys win?”  she reaches to the side of the bed and pulls a tissue into frame.  She quickly wipes her eyes and tucks the tissue away, so Laim doesn’t see it.

Liam looks at Owen.  “How you felt too?  Really?”  and then he nods.  “The good guys always win, Mae.”  he tells her like she should know this.  He looks up at her and hugs her tight again.

Owen inhales and looks pained for just a second as he realizes Slaine is crying. Then he composes himself, following her lead. It suddenly dawned on him this is part of parenting and his parents did this too. A full circle moment in the brain. He smiles at Liam “Yeah totally. Did you see the Lego Batman movie? Cause I have that on my computer….” He looks sheepishly at Slaine “Yes...I still watch cartoons...a  lot…” He admits to them both thinking it might go over better with the kid.

Liam looks happy about this idea and then flops back on the bed and makes an exploding noise.

Slaine chuckles a bit, still covering her own emotions.  “That’s OK Owen … that’s sort of my job with the visual novels.”  she admits.  And then her son explodes and she gasps melodramatically.  “Oh no!  Is he on fire?”  she pats at him … and then tickles him.

Liam begins to giggle ... then scream giggle … then giggle snort.

Owen is delighted by Slaine and Liam and also delighted Slaine won’t judge him for loving cartoons. He started laughing at and with Liam because Liam's laughter was contagious. His happiness was contagious...and Owen suddenly connected to the small child knowing he could do this. He and Slaine could be and make a family.