#somethingsomething generational inheritance somethingsomething repeating patterns something something

[jere-me--oh-my]

Have I Told You Lately? - Oneshot

-

Jack Johnson stood, smiling down at his son, who stared up at him with empty blue eyes, his earlier wriggling coming down to just the gentle movement of one hand reaching up towards his Dad from his cot. “Sleeeeeeeep little man, sleep.” He soothed him, reaching out a hand to stroke his golden curls with one finger. “I love you so very much, I do-” he whispered.

-

Jeremy sat at the kitchen table, propped up on one elbow over his maths homework. The 7 times table was not going well for him. Mrs Johnson set a mug of tea down next to her husband, who was finishing the last of the washing up. “You, my dear, are a wonderful woman-” Jack sighed heavily, turning over his shoulder and smiling at his wife.

-

Jeremy was playing with his magnets on the living room floor, trying to build a pyramid. His Dad sat with him, sprawled on the floor, building his own little earthquake proof building with the magnetic strips and balls. Julia watched them both from the sofa, playing with her hair. Case notes weighed heavy on her lap. “We should go to the park this weekend,” she said, out of nowhere.

-

Jeremy was blushing pink all over, as members of the congregation came up to him, congratulating him on his first choral solo, all so impressed by the little boy with the cherubic blonde curls and the soprano voice. “Jeremy!” His parents came rushing up. “Oh we are so proud of you!” Jack gushed, bending down to give his son a hug.

“And we are getting ice cream on the way home!” Julia beamed, waiting a moment before she swooped in and peppered his cheeks with kisses.

“Yesss!” Jeremy beamed, bouncing on his toes.

-

Jeremy was half asleep in the back of the car on his way back from his grandparents. Voices drifted from the front seats.

“I’m really proud of you, you know that darling?”

“Thank you. I know it’s been a drain... shall we go to dinner? Just us? It’s been a whole since we’ve had the chance.”

“I would love that.”

“I’ll try to get a sitter for Jeremy-”

-

Jeremy was sitting on the sofa, while his baby-sitter was trying to sort through the DVD selection to find anything they could bear to sit through. Mr Johnson strode into the hall, his shoes clicking on the wood. They were joined by the sharper click of high heels. “Why Mrs Johnson!” Jeremy heard his dad exclaim. “You look absolutely beautiful, my darling-” he leaned in and pressed a kiss to his wife’s cheek. “Ready?” She was not, naturally. She had to go through a few more things with the baby-sitter.

-

At the kitchen table again, Jeremy was trying to get through his English coursework. Suzie was howling upstairs, and he was trying to drown it out on his headphones. He glanced up as his Mum returned to the room. His parents were chatting away, and he slid the headphone from one ear. “I love you, sweetheart,” Jack was saying. “You are a wonderful Mum.”

-

Jeremy looked from Jack, to Julia, and back to Jack again. Had he heard that right? Were they actually going to let him go to Australia? He gaped in shock. “Th.. thank you.” He stammered. Julia reached for her husband’s hand, and gave it a squeeze. “Shall we watch a movie tonight?” She carried on, brighter than she could possibly be feeling about that thought. “After dinner? I can make popcorn?”

-

Jeremy was making a cup of tea in the kitchen, as his parents sat in the snug. The door was open and he could hear them chatting, as his father suddenly began to laugh at something his Mum had said. “Oh Mrs Johnson,” he sighed. “Have I told you lately, that I love you?”

“Mmmm, probably but I’ll hear it again.” Jeremy could hear the smile in his mother’s life.

“Could I tell you once again somehow? Haaaaave I told with all my heart and soul how I adore you-” Jack began to croon.

“Well darling, I’m telling you nooow.”

Jeremy smiled to himself as the two of them laughed, and his mother began making plans for the weekend.

-

Jeremy set his tea down on Suzie’s bedside table, as he climbed up onto the bed along side her, and she wriggled herself in next to him.

“So you picked which one we’re reading, yeah?” He took what he’d been handed. “Ooooh, ok excellent I love this one,” he nodded, and gave her a squeeze before he flipped open the book, and began to read.

Suzie was asleep against his ribs before he finished, her blonde curls rising and falling as he breathed in and out.

Jeremy slowly wriggled his way out, and gently pulled the duvet up over his little sister, crouching beside her bed. “Night night, Suzie,” he murmured, stroking her hair gently once. “I love you so very much. Sweet dreams.”