Page 60 of Jack of All Trades

They did look at the other homes, but Jack insisted the first was his choice. Maltin called the realtor to make an offer, and while he was doing that, Rodney was waving his hands around wildly.

“Rodney, no! Don’t…put spells on them to accept. We should get this fair and square. If fate wants us here,” Jack pled.

“It wouldn’t hurt to help fate along a little!”

Maltin laughed and said, “No, Rodney. As Jack said, we want this done right.”

“Fine. You two are entirely no fun now that you’re parents. It will be up to me, as the children’s favorite uncle?”

“The children’s only uncle,” Maltin pointed out.

“As their favorite relative, then, to inject some fun into their lives.”

Maltin didn’t want to think about the kind of fun Rodney would get them into. He suddenly saw all the walls of their home colored with fingerpaints and the constant racket of noisy toys breaking through their morning routines.

Jack was already laying down the law. “Fun is great, Rodney, but don’t get them into mischief or you’ll be in trouble like they are.”

Trudy whispered to her brother, “We’ll spoil them silly, Rodney, don’t worry.”

The offer was accepted that very day, and Rodney swore he had no hand in it. They moved the following week after paying cash for the place, and just as the last coat of paint was on the walls of the nursery, Jack went into labor.

Maltin was setting the paintbrush down as Rodney complained for the tenth time about how much he hated paint fumes. “Rodney, we can’t have Jack up here. The fumes aren’t good for him or the babies!”

“Why must we smell them at all? With the wave of one hand?”

“Jack sees this as a love letter to our children. Doing things by hand, putting sweat into it. He’s washed and ironed all their wardrobes four times just since we moved in. It’s part nesting and part of that love letter. This is our part, and you’re not getting out of it.”

“Trudy is shopping. Why can’t I shop?”

“My children don’t need diamond studded cufflinks or Prada loafers, Rodney, especially in size ten.”

“I want to look my best for them when they first see me! How would I ever explain wearing last year's trousers?”

Maltin was about to give up when they heard Jack screaming from downstairs, and both used magic in lieu of running to get to him instantly. “It’s…it’s time! Gods, Maltin, it’s time,” he said as his face grew redder by the second.

Finding he couldn’t move his feet, or breathe, Rodney sprang into action. He snapped his fingers to produce a limo outside the big picture window, and he then took Jack’s arm to help him walk to the door, calling for Maltin, “Dad, get in gear!”

Maltin was shaking, his breath caught in his throat, choking him. Once Jack and Rodney were out the door, Maltin felt his chest moving, getting around that block of pure air, and he felt his feet moving with it.

He was out the door, walking as if in a dream, and the faster he ran, the further away the car got from him. The world was spinning, the trees whispering laughter in the summer breeze, and Maltin felt like screaming.

Before he could, however, his mother was there. She had hold of him, leading him to the car. “This is a frightening thing, son, but you have to be there. You’d never forgive yourself if you fell apart when Jack needed you most.”

“M-M-Mother, I can’t. I…he doesn’t need me! I’ll faint. I’ll…”

She got in front of him and snapped her fingers right in his face. “Maltin Theodore Graves, don’t you dare fall apart and let that poor boy do this alone, or worse! With your Uncle Rodney!”

That was what he’d needed. He came out of his shock and kissed his mother’s forehead. “Thank you,” he told her and then ran to the limo, closing the door before she could get in behind him. Rodney reopened it for her and together, the three surrounded Jack, holding his hands, soothing him with loving words.

Maltin saw the pain his mate was in and felt it all the way through himself. Jack was bringing their children into the world, he was strong, sure, but Maltin feared for all of them.

Neither minded when Rodney grew impatient with the traffic near Valleywood Bridge and snapped them to the hospital. Rodney ran for a wheelchair and Maltin held Jack while they waited. “You’re doing splendidly.”

“This feels like I’m being torn apart from the inside!”

Maltin kissed his temple and said, “We’re here. The doctors can help you now.”

“Don’t leave me. Not for a second, please?”

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