Andrea didn't get hired at the U's school for children of students until the last minute. The first choice for the position dropped out a week before school started in the fall, so Andrea didn't hesitate a moment to resign from the job she had found in one of the local primary schools to take it when they called her. Both she and Tommy are delighted because their hours mesh almost perfectly.
With our classes and each of us revising texts we had written, we barely have time for anything but work. We do schedule our trips to the U's research library together so we can get in a visit with the kids. Tommy, bless him, keeps a record of anything new in our respective areas since our last visit and has it in our hands quickly.
The few times we see Paul Ashford, he's lavish, for him, in praise of the job Tommy is doing. Langford is also giving Mike a class of seniors to teach from time to time. That, of course, disgruntles Joynes who would like to have Mike teaching lab technique. Were Langford and Joynes not in so closely related departments and such good friends, I expect there would be some real internecine warfare going on for Mike's services.
Langford's comment to us is that Mike's an excellent teacher, but has already established a reputation for being a real bastard. He grins at me. "Like you were when you took Joynes' classes that year."
"I wasn't that bad and you know it, but some of those clowns needed shaping up."
"If you tell him, I'll kill you, but I did have to have a talk with him. The drop rate from his classes was higher than that of any other teacher."
"I suppose it happens with all new teachers. Don't want you older ones thinking we're slack. Want to earn tenure, you know."
Langford laughs. "If you run all the students off there won't be any tenure."
"When I have a chance, I'll sound him out a bit about what he's requiring," Tor says. "I guess in a way it's our fault for letting him sit in on so many of our classes before he even started college. But he's so bright he was doing as well as some of our students by the time he was in the ninth grade."
"I think it's a classic case of being so smart that you assume others know far more than they do. He should really be teaching graduate students, but he's too junior for that."
"Thanks for letting us know. He usually listens to Drew and me about these things."
When Mike comes home for Thanksgiving, we have a session with him. Tor and I both give him copies of our lecture notes we use with beginning students, and Mike admits he ignored those when he was looking at our notes because they looked so simple. He appears grateful that we've kept track of his work.
To keep as much peace as possible with Andrea's mother, we delay our Christmas celebration so Tommy and Andrea can spend it with her parents. When they arrive a few days after, we tell them we'll celebrate Old Christmas like many of the older natives on the Outer Banks do. The Feast of Epiphany falls on the sixth of January, which means the kids must leave the next day to return to work.
After we've exchanged gifts and had dinner, we are about to finish our dessert when Tommy stands and says, "Andrea and I have one more gift for all of you." He bends down and kisses her. "Dad, you and Tor are going to be grandfathers come late May or early June."
"Hot damn!" Mike yells. Tor and I just sit looking at each other with our mouths wide open as the news sinks in. When it finally does, dessert is forgotten as we pile into a group hug.
The rest of the evening is filled with questions and planning for the future event. Mike, being Mike, can't resist teasing Tommy. "Hey, redskin, you fast worker."
"You smart Anglo, but Indian first this time. We let our papoose have Anglo uncle, Andrea?"
She grins. "Not much way to avoid it. Maybe you smoke peace pipe?"
"Anglo too dumb. Likely set shirt on fire."
"Dumb! I'll show you who's dumb!" Mike grabs Tommy around the neck and rubs his knuckles across Tommy's head a few times, before hugging him. "This is great. I'm gonna be the best uncle a kid ever had. I'm gonna make him a star soccer player like Luc."
"What if it's a girl, Mike?" Tor asks.
"There's women's soccer, too."
"Forget it, Mike. If we have a daughter, she'll be a lady like her Aunt Martha," Andrea says.
"It's gonna be a boy; I just know it. There's soccer, and swimming, and surfing, hell, I'm gonna be busy teaching him all those things."
"By the time he's old enough for all that, you'll be busy teaching your own son," Andrea says.
"Anglo so slow, he be too old and fat by then," Tommy cuts in.
"Younger than you, redskin. You be so old, all you can do is watch."
Tommy grabs Mike and returns the knuckle treatment. "Wisdom come with age, Anglo. Indian be smarter."
"Fat chance!"
"So why you always come library ask Indian for research? Next time do for self, you so smart."
"That's your job, not mine."
Tommy grins. "Yeah. Good thing I know where to find what you don't know."
Mike hugs him. "I'll never know how, but you always do. You're great, brother."
I suppose they're both a little old to be indulging in such childish behavior, but Tor and I enjoy their antics. It takes us back to the pleasure of having the kids around. I think both of us would happily reverse the clock if we could, not that we're that old, but Mike was such a delight as a kid and Tommy is a love.
Spring break Mike is home, and Tommy and Andrea have a few days with us. Andrea is so large now the horseplay between Tommy and Mike is almost nil, Tommy giving most of his attention to Andrea.
We're coming up on exam week when we get a call from Tommy telling us Andrea has gone to the hospital, the baby due most any time.
After a call to Dave that we'll be out for a couple of days, Tor and I pack our bags and leave early the next morning. When we reach the university hospital, Henry and Margaret have just gone up to the waiting room. Henry greets us with a smile and handshake, but Margaret hasn't thawed a bit. She glowers at me, then says acidly, "I suppose you're thankful you didn't have to go through what my darling Andrea is going through now."
Were she a man, I'd knock her senseless, but Henry seems completely lost, "What do you mean, Margaret?"
She fixes hard eyes on him. "I mean he," she points to me, "is obviously the woman in that so-called family."
"For Christ's sake, Margaret! That's totally uncalled for!" Henry snaps. "Drew's a man."
Seeing Tor's face turning fire engine red, I move closer and grab his arm. "Ignore the old bitch," I whisper. Knowing there's another waiting room just down the hall, I tell Henry, "We'll wait down the hall since our presence is unwelcome. Please tell Tommy where we are." I have to pull Tor along.
Henry follows us. "I'm so sorry. I don't know what to say."
"Don't worry about it, Henry. We're used to it," Tor assures him.
"But it's so damned unreasonable of Margaret. It's been worse ever since Andrea told us she was pregnant. She refused to come home and let Margaret baby her, saying she would continue to work as long as possible, and for her to stay home, because she didn't want her up here."
I shrug. "Guess all women get that way when there's a baby in the offing."
"I'm glad you're both so understanding. Tommy couldn't have had better parents."
"I'm afraid he wasn't with us long enough for us to have had much influence on him. He was a good kid to begin with." Tor says.
"Not to hear him tell it. I think he and Andrea get a kick out of rubbing Margaret's face in it. They never miss a chance to tell us what wonderful people you are," Henry chuckles, "just to watch Margaret go apoplectic. You'd think she'd catch on sometime."
Tor smiles. "You're pretty wonderful yourself."
"Ha! Guess I'd better get back to Margaret before she has more to complain about."
About then a distraught Tommy joins us. I know how much when he looks at me and mumbles, "Wish I had a drink."
I hug him. "New dad's are always nervous; it's perfectly natural. Andrea's going to be fine."
We go down to the coffee shop to get a sandwich for lunch and cups of fairly decent coffee to pass the time. About three-quarters of an hour later we go back to the waiting room. Henry and the doctor come to where we're sitting a few minutes later.
Tommy jumps up. "How's Andrea?"
"Just fine. You're the father of an eight pound four ounce son. He's perfect."
Tommy's face lights up. "A son? Oh, wow! Did you hear that?" He hugs Tor and me, then Henry.
"Hi, gran'pa," I say to Tor.
"Oh, damn! We're too young to be gran'pas, Drew."
"You may be, but I'm damn sure going to like having a kid call me gran'pa."
"One thing," the doctor says to Tommy.
"What?" His grin vanishes.
"He should be circumcised."
"No!" Tommy declares.
"He has an unusually long foreskin. It's going to be difficult for him to keep clean."
"Unless there's some real medical reason, he'll remain intact. It's against my religion," Tommy says forcefully. I'm guessing this must be an Indian thing, because our church has no such prohibition.
"Oh. Well, I suppose under those circumstances, but it's the first time I've had this objection."
"That's the way it is," Tommy replies. "Can I see Andrea?"
"She should be back in her room now, but she'll still be drowsy."
"When can we see the baby?" Henry asks.
"In about fifteen minutes. He'll be in the nursery just down the hall."
We're all waiting at the window, being implicitly ignored by Margaret, when the nurse brings our baby in. To my amazement, he's not squalling as I expected, but quiet as can be. What a gorgeous baby! His skin is same light shade of bronze as Tommy's and he has a full head of long ebony hair. I'd love to be holding him, smothering him in kisses, and I hate babies.
Tor turns to me. "God, he's so beautiful," he whispers in awe.
Henry just looks awestruck, but Margaret sniffs, "I hope Andrea realizes what a burden a child is."
"For God's sake, Margaret! Is that what you thought of your own child?"
"You certainly let me do all the work, while you spoiled her to death. She always did love you more than me. I don't intend for that to happen again."
I realize now that she's insanely jealous of the closeness between Henry and Andrea.
"I'll spoil my grandson if I want to, Margaret, and you can't do a damn thing about it. Why don't you just keep your mouth shut for a change."
The nurse allows only Tommy to see Andrea, telling the rest of us we'll have to wait until evening visiting hours. Of course that doesn't sit well with Andrea's mother.
"You go see Andrea tonight," Tommy tells her. "I'll wait until tomorrow morning."
"Nonsense, Tom. She's your wife and you belong with her. Margaret can wait." Henry says.
Tommy smiles at him. "She hasn't seen much of Andrea. I know you gotta go back home soon and they probably have a lot to talk about."
"That's very generous of you, Tom."
She merely nods at Tommy and tells Henry to take her back to the hotel. As he passes us, he asks where we're staying. When Tor tells him, he says he'll come by our room shortly.
As soon as we arrive at Mike's flat, Tor picks up the phone and orders a dozen Tiffany roses delivered to Andrea. We're about to fix a drink when there's a knock at the door. It's Tommy and Henry. Henry takes a bottle of chilled champagne from the plastic bag in his hand and pours us all a drink. Even Tommy takes one when Mike who has just come in from work insists.
Tommy suddenly puts down his drink. "Hey, I gotta call Steph and Luc and tell 'em the good news."
"We should call Dave and Martha, too," I tell Tor.
After we've made the calls, we finish our drinks and Henry takes his leave after giving Tommy a hug of congratulation. He's never been quite so openly demonstrative before.
It's not long before Stephan and Luc turn up with two bottles of sparkling grape juice out of deference to Tommy. We party a bit until Tor complains that he's hungry. Tommy calls Henry and invites them to join us. Margaret refuses as we expected, but Henry says that he'll be happy to if someone will pick him up at their hotel, because she will be using their car to visit Andrea. Tor and I ride with Stephan and Luc, while Mike and Tommy go to pick up Henry. Where else would we go but the steakhouse?
Henry immediately orders a tall drink then grins at us. "Damn it's good to be out with men I can respect and not have to listen to a carping woman."
Poor Henry. If I were married to someone like Margaret, I'd probably be up on charges of premeditated murder.
Tommy takes all the teasing over dinner in good grace, but having lived with Mike, I guess he's become used to it.
When we get back to the flat, the phone is ringing. Tor answers, suddenly looks concerned, and passes the phone to Tommy. Andrea, he mouths at me.
"But honey, I do love you. I just went with your dad and mine to get something to eat. I figured your mom and you would have a lot to talk about." He listens a bit more, and I can tell he's on the verge of tears and angry. "They won't let me in this late. I'll be there first thing tomorrow morning. I love you, honey. Kiss our baby goodnight for me."
"Shit!" he yells as he hangs up.
"What?" Mike asks.
"Her momma done told her I didn't come see her tonight cause I don't give a damn 'bout her ner the baby. That's a damn lie!" He breaks down. "I love Andrea more 'an anything."
I wrap my arms around him. "When Andrea is completely recovered, she'll know what her mother said is a lie. Henry will set her straight."
"Ain't fair. I hate that damn woman."
"Once she goes home and you and Andrea settle in with the baby, you'll both forget this."
"Not likely," he says stubbornly, and I know he's right.
"Have you guys figured out what you're going to name our grandson?" Tor asks.
Tommy turns me loose and smiles. "We talked it over some, but Andrea says what I want is too long."
"And that is?"
"Greg Andrew Michael Henry Thomas Torrence."
"Good Lord!" Mike exclaims.
"You might save a couple or three of those in case you have another son." Tor says with a grin.
"Maybe, but I want him named for all his grandfathers."
"I'm not his grandfather," Mike adds. "Why my name?"
"Cause you're my brother and you're gonna be his godfather."
Mike hugs Tommy. "Now that I like."
"I hope Steph and Luc will, too, cause I'm gonna ask them."
"You and Andrea want two gay guys to be godfathers for your baby?" Mike asks, eyes wide.
"What's wrong with it? They're good guys and it ain't like they're gonna have any babies, so I want 'em to like ours."
Tor puts his arm around Tommy. "That's sweet of you, babe, but it's something you and Andrea need to work out together."
Tommy finally smiles. "We done talked about it already. One thing for sure, I ain't never naming no baby of mine Margaret."
"I'll drink to that!" Mike says.
We're up early the next morning to have breakfast with Mike and Tommy before Mike has to go to work. We've packed our own things because we have to get back to give exams.
Apparently, Henry has gotten to Andrea early, because the moment we all walk into her room she hugs Tommy and starts to cry, begging his forgiveness for what she said on the phone.
After she calms down, she says, "The nurse will be bringing the baby any time now. I want you all to see him; he's so beautiful."
Andrea has always been no more than an attractive girl, but at this moment I can understand the 'bloom of motherhood' for she's gorgeous, glowing when the nurse hands her our baby. Without the glass and lights between us he's even more beautiful than yesterday. He appears to look at us with a tiny smile, and I feel Tor's hand grab mine and squeeze until it's painful. His look is one of awe.
Standing there gazing at his son, Tommy is so besotted he looks almost idiotic. "Isn't he the most beautiful baby in the whole world?" He finally says.
"I'm proud to call him my grandson." Henry has slipped in unnoticed.
"Tor and I are, too, Henry. Your daughter has done us proud."
We chat for a few moments until Andrea asks, "Where's mother?"
"She'll be up shortly," Henry answers.
Tor and I know immediately he means she will come in to see Andrea as soon as we've gone. We have to hit the road back home anyway, so we kiss Andrea, hug Tommy, and shake hands with Henry.
"We wish you'd come down for a visit, Henry. We know Margaret won't come, but you're welcome at any time."
Henry smiles. "I may just take you up on that invitation if you're sincere. There's nothing I love better than surf fishing, but I don't get much chance at it."
"Any time. We might even be able to show you a good spot or two."
"I'll look forward to it."