|
Title: The Bunny's Ears Thanks: As always, to my beta-readers extraordinaire, Nancy and Traci Note: Daly's Farm is a fictitious place St. John's Church Scully kissed William's palm as he brought his hand to her mouth once more. A new favorite game, it garnered instant baby giggles, and in turn, a broad smile from her. Not to mention smiles from many of the elderly parishioners passing by the pew she and William sat upon with her mother and her nephew, Matthew. The throng of church-goers exiting the church now that the Mass was over was a steady stream. Apparently finished getting Matthew into his coat and hat, her mother remarked, "Are you two all set?" Scully turned her head to the left to reply, getting wet baby fingers in her ear for her trouble, and saw that her nephew was indeed dressed in his outdoor apparel. "We will be in just a minute," she said, and then added in explanation, "I thought we should wait until some of the crowds diminished. It will be easier with these two little guys." "That's true," her mother agreed, and asked Matthew to sit down again, which he did without complaint. "I'm not little!" he did protest though, once seated, his eyebrows mulishly set and his lower lip jutting. The expression on his face brought up vague memories of his father Bill as a child. "I'm a big boy, mommy said!" Bill and Tara were taking a much needed vacation alone over the Easter holidays, and her mother was watching Matthew for them. "You're right," Scully agreed, trying not to smile at his perturbed declaration. "You are a big boy, Matthew. But William isn't yet, and since he's just learned how to walk, I want to wait a little while before we go, okay?" "Okay, Auntie Dana." His tiny loafer-clad feet began to kick slightly, thunking against the wood. Shifting William to her other arm, Scully sat him down on the pew beside his cousin, and turned sideways, facing him, to get his coat on. Her son had moments of willfulness, where he cheerfully went out of his way to make the most ordinary task a major event. Much like Mulder was still known to do. The last thought made her chuckle to herself, and in response, William bared his gums and two bottom teeth in a huge grin, his hands coming up in an effort to touch her. After catching the waving arms and pressing kisses on his little fingers, she lowered them down. Next she tweaked his nose, and then quickly slipped his cap on. His hands immediately came up again to try and pull the hat off, another game in his rapidly expanding repertoire. With a soft but firm 'no', Scully handed William a distraction -- his Hot Paws mittens. It was actually too warm to put them on, and they always fascinated him for some reason. If it kept him quiet and busy, all the better. One of them went right to his mouth, as she had known it would. But he left his hat alone. Rising from the wooden bench that was polished to a gleaming shine by thousands of penitents and worshippers before her, Scully picked up her coat and slipped it on, leaving it unbuttoned. She then scooped a drooling William up and settled him in the crook of one arm before reaching for his diaper bag. To find that her mother had hold of it and was standing, ready to go. Matthew had risen as well, and clasped his grandmother's other hand, bouncing slightly, an expression on his face that said he was eager to get outside. "Thanks, Mom," she murmured, and turned to exit the pew, Matthew and her mother at her heels, William happily gumming his mitten as he nestled himself into her shoulder. Glancing down the aisle, Scully could see that most of the parishioners were gone now, with only a small number waiting patiently to speak to Father McCue. She stopped at the end of the informal line, knowing her mother would want to greet the priest. A few minutes later they were walking outside and down the concrete steps, after a brief, pleasant conversation with the priest. Scully felt eyes upon her -- familiar, warm eyes. Beloved, and loving eyes. Looking up, and across the street, she saw Mulder. Leaning nonchalantly against the side of their Cherokee Laredo, his arms were crossed over his chest, with one ankle hooked over the other. A tender smile curved his sensual lips when their eyes met, and her heart skipped a beat. She returned the smile, shifting William so that he faced his father. Chucking his chin with one finger, she directed his attention towards Mulder. An excited "DA!" resounded through the air, and both hers and Mulder's smiles widened to grins. It was funny that while William now called her 'Mama', he continued to use the single syllable 'Da' for his father, instead of 'Dada'. A soft chuckle from behind Scully reminded her that she was on the church steps with her mother and nephew. Just the sight of Mulder had narrowed her world down until there was only she and Mulder. And their son. Who was now bouncing in her arms, and stretching out both hands. Trying eagerly to reach the man who was striding towards them with equal eagerness. Joining her, Mulder nuzzled and kissed her cheek before taking their son from her hold and tossing him up in the air briefly. Eliciting a squeal of delight from William and a gasp of alarm from his grandmother. Scully turned to her mother, smiling widely, knowing her cheeks were pink from Mulder's open and public affection, and explained, "Don't worry, Mom. William loves when Mulder does that." The loud giggle that followed as Mulder tossed William up again was ample proof. Scully paused, a hazy memory of childhood flitting across her mind, remembering her younger brother Charlie as a baby. "Didn't Dad toss us up like that when we were little?" she asked then. Her mother's eyes grew soft with remembrance and fondness. "Yes, he did," she replied, still watching Mulder and William, a quiet longing in her voice. Turning to face Scully, she continued, "And it frightened me each and every time. I would tell him to stop, and your dad would just laugh and laugh." She smiled a little, the skin around her eyes crinkling, and added, "And then of course I would laugh too." Bittersweet memories. Scully sighed and blinked rapidly, her eyes damp. Moving to stand right beside her mother, she settled an arm around her mother's shoulders in a quasi-hug. Her mother's free hand came up and patted hers, and they leaned their heads together for a moment. Remembering. Silently sharing those memories of Bill Scully. Mulder came over then to say hello, and the two separated, though they remained side by side. William was tucked high on his father's arm, with giggle-flushed cheeks and a drooling grin, his own arms waving madly in the air. "Good morning, Maggie," Mulder said. "Happy Easter." Leaning in and down, he kissed her on the cheek, mindful of William's curious fingers, which were always grabbing for ears or noses, or handfuls of hair. "Good morning, Fox, and Happy Easter to you as well." With a gentle nudge from his grandmother, Matthew stepped forward and solemnly held out his hand for Mulder to shake. "Hello, Uncle Mulder." "Hello, Matthew," Mulder replied, with a modicum of the same seriousness the little boy had employed, though Scully could see the humor glinting in Mulder's eyes. He always commented to Scully in private that Bill Scully already had a Navy man in training in Matthew. Bending slightly, smiling when William attempted to grab his cousin's hat, Mulder shook hands with Matthew and then straightened again. "I thought I'd take Scully out for a surprise pancake breakfast," he explained then. "Would you and Matthew like to join us, Maggie?" "Normally that would be an offer I could not refuse, being asked out for breakfast by a handsome man," her mother replied, eyes twinkling as she teased. "But Matthew and I have plans already. Thank-you, though." Mulder smiled and gave her an 'ah well' shrug of his shoulders, before saying, "Well, I guess we'll see you later this evening for Easter dinner, then?" "I'm looking forward to it," was the response. With that, kisses and hugs were exchanged, and Mulder, Scully and William crossed the street to their vehicle. Daly's Farm It was warm in the small barn where a reasonable-sized crowd had gathered -- parents with their young children, siblings and grandparents. After the egg hunt out in the field for older children, this hunt was for those aged 3 and under. He was unbelievably happy and content to be standing there with Scully and William. Certainly not something he had ever imagined himself doing, yet it was true. Mulder swung William out of his arms and settled the baby on his feet, holding one tiny hand. Scully moved to crouch by their son's other side, and grasped his free hand. With the much milder weather of the afternoon, his Hot Paws were definitely not needed, and his wool hat of the morning had been exchanged for a baseball cap. Scully talked softly in William's ear, pointing out the colored plastic eggs being tossed onto a cleared area of the barn floor. More eggs were set down upon low bales of hay, in plain sight. "See the eggs, William?" Mulder heard her say, followed by William's excited babble. Once all the eggs had been distributed by the "Easter Bunny" -- an elderly, whiskered man in a white bunny suit with floppy ears -- a whistle was blown, signaling that the toddlers were allowed to 'find' the eggs. Together, he and Scully walked William over to a bale of hay, where they both let go of his hands. After wobbling precariously for a moment or two, William leaned against the bale and reached for a bright turquoise egg. It took him several attempts before he managed to pick the egg up, whereupon it immediately went to his mouth. Mulder saw Scully cringe, but she did not stop William from trying to cram the egg in his mouth -- an effort that was without success as the egg was child-proofed and too large to fit in his mouth. Mulder hid his grin, knowing that Scully's Doctor and Mommy personas were thinking of all the possible germs that could be on the plastic object. Though there were other parents assisting their children in filling baskets with as many of the plastic eggs as they could find, he and Scully didn't bother looking for any others. William was quite satisfied with the one he had, and there were the animals to visit next. Scully scooped William up this time, ensuring his egg was secure in his hand. They left the barn to follow a well-marked trail leading to another larger, red barn. Above its open double doors was a gaily painted sign that read "Petting Zoo" in large, cartoon-like letters. Inside, there were straw-filled wooden pens with goats, sheep, pigs, horses and chickens. They took their time, looking into all the pens, with William watching wide-eyed and wanting to touch every animal, his plastic egg forgotten and tucked in Scully's coat pocket. He giggled madly when a goat nipped at his fingers, and nearly poked a placid and extremely understanding horse in the eye. Once again Mulder was struck by the thought that he had never imagined himself voluntarily in a manure-enhanced barn where small animals attempted to eat his clothing. Or that he would be enjoying it. Scully nudged his arm then, and indicated they should walk over to one corner of the barn. Once there they found baby chicks under a heating lamp, little bundles of pale yellow down peeping quietly. William was entranced. "Here, hold William please," Scully said, and passed their son over. After he had William comfortably ensconced against his chest, facing outward, Scully took one of William's hands and guided it to the chicks. They petted one together, softly, and William giggled and kicked his feet, clearly excited. Or hungry, Mulder mused. A baby carnivore plotting how to bring one of the chicks to his mouth. A woman wearing an apron with the words "Daly's Farm" embroidered on the front was passing by them with a white bunny rabbit cuddled in her arms. Spying William with the chicks, she asked, "Would you like to hold the bunny for him?" Mulder noted how Scully's eyes had gone all soft and warm when the woman held up the bunny and felt a tug on his heart. Scully had nodded, and was already following the woman to a quiet corner of the barn. Carting William, Mulder headed after her. By the time he and William joined Scully and the woman, Scully was seated on a bale of hay, her back against the wall and the white bunny in her lap. Mulder carefully squatted, his right side pressing into the hay bale. He shifted William until the baby's bottom sat on his knee, very close to Scully, and William leaned forward, bouncing on his father's leg. His rounded eyes first looking at Scully before focusing intently on the rabbit in his mother's lap, his rosebud mouth was shaped in an 'O' of excitement. Little hands first touched Scully's thigh before he reached for the bunny. Scully caught one hand and led it to the rabbit, stroking it gently along the animal's back. Once, twice, three times. Soft white fur, tiny pink, quivering nose and those long, silky ears. How could William resist? Seeing his son's tiny fingers open and close, trying to reach the bunny's ears, Mulder tensed. He was waiting for William to yank on them and cause the bunny to bolt. Instead, William leaned forward further, his mouth opening wider. Scully made a choked sound, and said, "No, William. We don't eat the bunny's ears." The statement was ruined by the fact that her voice was strangled because she was trying desperately not to laugh. As was he. Mulder bit his lip and looked away for a moment. After composing himself, Mulder grasped one of William's still eagerly reaching hands and brought it towards the rabbit. He let William's fingers touch the top of the bunny's head, murmuring, "We touch softly, and gently." Glancing up, he caught Scully's eye, and winked at her, watching her cheeks go pink. Knowing she was recalling the night before, when their touches had started out soft and gentle and gradually became hot and heavy. Her tongue darted out to lick her lips, and his breath caught in his throat. Thankfully William bounced on his knee then, trying again to touch the long, white silky ears that were just out of reach. Pulling Mulder's eyes and thoughts away from Scully before something embarrassing happened. "Sorry, buddy," he told William, and helped his son touch one of the rabbit's ears. A second later, William almost succeeded in grabbing the ears, and they decided to give the trembling bunny a rest. Mulder stood up, smoothly turning William around in his arms so that they were facing each other, and tossed him up in the air. All a diversionary tactic to distract his son from the fact that the rabbit was leaving. It worked. William squealed and giggled, and forgot all about bunny ears. Until they left the Petting Zoo barn, that is. Just outside and to the left, a staffperson was selling imitation bunny ears. The young man wore a pair himself, and set them to bobbing when he saw the three of them by moving his head from side to side. In Scully's arms, William giggled, waved his hand in the direction of the man's wobbling bunny ears, and let out a clear, "Ba-ba!" Mulder looked at Scully quickly, seeing her staring at William with her mouth slightly open. Thus far, their son's vocabulary had consisted of 'Mama' and 'Da'. Was he attempting to say 'bunny'? Clearing her throat, Scully said, "That's right, William. Those are bunny ears." "Ba-ba!" Now both of William's hands were in on the action, apparently reaching for the bobbing, wobbling ears on the young man's head. Mulder grinned at Scully. "I think he wants the bunny ears." Scully smiled back, nodding. "It would seem so." With that, Mulder dug out his wallet and forked over the required money, getting a pair of ears in return. After tucking his wallet away, he lifted the ears towards William's head, watching his son's face. William had lowered his hands and was staring avidly at the approaching ears, his mouth once again shaped in an 'O'. Mulder carefully stretched the headband and settled it on William's head, who allowed his father to do so without a complaint. Their son seemed content to let them sit there, so they left them in place as they headed to their car. The ears bobbed end earingly with the motion of William's body, held within Scully's arms. Once everyone was strapped in, Mulder glanced over at Scully to see her sitting with her head craned back, watching William. Staring at the bunny ears. Leaning over quickly, he planted a kiss on the arch of her neck before bringing his mouth to her ear. "I'll model the bunny's ears later for you, if you'd like," he murmured. Letting his lips brush her lobe he exhaled into her ear, making her shiver visibly, and crooned, "Just the ears." The end Happy Easter, everyone. Feedback appreciated at lovesfox@rogers.com
|