Page 36 of Changeling
The door to their bedroom cracked open and two little dark-haired four-year-olds slipped inside. At first they were careful and sneaky, but as soon as they got to the foot of the bed, bothof them scrambled up on top of the covers and each moved to pounce on one of the sleeping figures.
Watching, Nathan expected his parents to wake up with a start, but apparently they were ready for this attack. Just as little Nathan and Jim lunged, Miriam and Owen Grier were up, flipping the boys over onto the mattress and tickling them mercilessly.
“Daddy!”
"Mama, stop!"
“Gotta plan those sneak-attacks better, kiddos, or you’ll never get one up on your old man,” Owen laughed with a wide dimpled grin like Jim's. His hair was dark brown, not quite black like their mother's, and his eyes were a warm honey gold.
“Caught again, huh?” said Miriam, ceasing her tickle assault on Nathan, while Owen continued to tickle Jim.
“Mama, help!” Jim called out through his giggles, writhing on the bed.
She grinned and immediately reached over to begin tickling Owen instead.
"They were wonderful people, Nathan," Walter said, watching the scene beside him. "You were both very lucky to have such parents. For all your resentments, you have many blessings to be thankful for too."
"Yeah," Nathan said, "I just hope I can have a few of the more current blessings a while longer."
“I wan’ pancakes for breakfast!” Little Nathan jumped on the bed.
"Yeah, pancakes!" echoed Jim.
Owen reached over and hauled Jim onto his lap.
“Well,” Miriam said, pulling Nathan in close much the same way, “I suppose we might be able to do pancakes.”
“Yay!"
"Pancakes!”
Miriam and Owen both laughed at their boys' exuberance. “You better help, then,” Owen said, getting out of bed with Jim lifted up into his arms. “What happened to that rule about no getting up before seven on a Saturday, huh?”
The real Nathan had seen enough of the domestic scene. Seeing things like this made him think too much about what might have been if his parents were still alive, and that didn’t lead anywhere good. He watched for a moment longer, though, as his mother hoisted his younger self up to follow after Owen and Jim.
"Come on, sweetie, you can't let Jimmy do all the work without you. You have to take care of each other."
"I take care of Jimmy all the time, Mama."
"Oh, you do, do you? Even though you're my sweet little baby?"
Little Nathan squirmed as his mother nuzzled his neck, completing her trek to the bedroom door. "I don't hafta be the oldest!" he protested.
"That you don't, sweetie. You can look after your brother just fine as you are."
Nathan knew that the woman in the scene couldn’t hear him, but he hoped the real thing could, wherever she was. “I got him, Mama,” he whispered, “and I’m not gonna let anything happen to him.”
Without meeting gazes with Walter, because he knew his Spirit Guide would be all sympathy and concern and he wasn't sure if he could handle that right now, Nathan headed out of the room and straight to the entryway to find the others.
Jim was standing there alone, waiting for him.
"Hey," Nathan said, not sure how else to begin.
But Jim didn't look as upset anymore. His expression was somber, but not angry or accusing, since he had watched all of those heartfelt scenes as well. "Do you ever...think Mom andDad knew it would turn out like this someday?" Jim asked. "You...being the only thing holding me together?"
Nathan stared for a moment, not sure how to respond. Then he knew exactly what to say. "Dude, I'm pretty sure it's been the other way around just as often."
Jim smiled.
