Chapter 24: Growing

Captain's Log -

All too soon, time rolled forward.  Our triplets grew to toddlers. And their individual personalities began to truly shine through.

 Muriel was excitable, and could sleep through all the commotion in the house.  She even slept through her sisters' screams.  She ended up inheriting my amber eyes, but Cordela's strawberry blond hair.

 Little Muriel . . . so quiet compared to her siblings.  She seemed naturally born with discipline.  She loved being read to.  She had my dark hair and my mother's green eyes.

 And then little Ursula, she was the bravest.  She was the first to crawl, to walk, to explore.  And Ursula was the first to figure out her peg box.  I do believe she is above average.  She is the spitting image of her mother as a baby.

 It will be interesting to see if her likeness to Cordelia will continue.

 Right now, life is beyond busy for all of us.  Una has made a great turn-around.  She has been a help to us with the triplets.  She works hard in her school studies, earning mostly A's in her report cards.  I am very impressed with her.
The triplets seem to eat all the time, we feed one then another is hungry and the process repeats itself.  Dirty diapers . . . I've seen more than my share.
Potty training is near.  Muriel and Mairin are so close to walking, little Ursula just runs everywhere.
They seem to learn a new word every day, they are in to everything from trash to toilet water.
Outside of raising our children, Cordelia has gone back to work at the office, she's striving to climb the corporate latter, but the mutual hate she has with her boss is holding her back.
I've had a quick succession of raises and promotions, but the price to pay for that is time away from my loved ones and working many graveyard shifts and non-traditional hours.
But when all is said and done, when I come home from work on those nights, I love the sound of peace in the house.

I know all is right in the world when I look in on my sleeping babes and witness their tranquil slumber.

~Tom Calico

Chapter 23: Long Nights, Warm Hearts

Captain's Log -

Labor pains started in the middle of the night.
 With a disarmingly gentle touch, Cordelia squeezed my shoulder gently to wake me.  I was surprised that the lamp was already on.  When I looked at her with sleep-blurred eyes, I could see the beaded sweat on her brow and above her lip.
"They're coming," she whispered to me.

We both got out of the bed, Cordelia taking her time between contractions.

 She was so brave.  Hardly crying out when the pain came, but she made the oddest faces while concentrating on her breathing.

 We grabbed our bag for the hospital and headed into town together.

 Once situated in the hospital, nurses attended Cordelia while I encouraged her with gentle words and praise. Strangely, once in the hospital, time passed quickly and it felt like mere heartbeats later, our daughters came.
We named them Mairin, Ursula and Muriel.
After a few days in the hospital, the doctor deemed Delia and the babies healthy to go home.

Once home, we laid the girls in their cribs.

That first night home was the beginning of lost sleep, long nights, dirty clothes, messy home, warm hearts, and a happy home.
The past was truly forgotten and the future worth living for.

~Tom Calico

Chapter 22: Countdown

Captain's Log -

Cordelia's doing so well.  To battle near-constant exhaustion, Cordelia naps every day and makes a point to do some stretches and only a little exercise. She's nearly through with the pregnancy, the doctor said she wouldn't go full-term so any day could be the day.

 With the nursery in order, Cordelia has used her maternity leave from the office to catch up on reading.  Most of her reading consists of baby-know-how.  She is getting nervous for the day but her excitement is palpable.
Una has warmed up a little to having siblings.  Her fits have lessened and she has settled to the fact that she will not be our one and only.  She has also kept herself busy with her playmate Carey Verona.  Verona as in Juliette Verona's son.  Juliette herself has settled into married life and having a family.  It's ironic to me that the woman I used to be with has a son who now plays (and is friends with) my daughter.
Needless to say, I'm glad Una has a good friend.  I think once the triplets are here that she'll be in need of a friend.  Delia and I will be so busy with the babies I fear that Una will think we've forgotten her despite our words of warning of late to her that it wouldn't happen.
I don't share too much of my worries to Cordelia, she is preoccupied with her impending labor and I know that eventually all things will turn out right.

 Soon, our babies will be here.  The days are winding down, and the moment is almost nigh.  I must attend to Cordelia, for she has need of me in these last days.

~Tom Calico

Chapter 21: Bringing Up Baby(ies)

Captain's Log -

Cordelia has mentioned her desire to have a baby.  Although this entry may mark the first word of it, it isn't the first time she's ever said anything. It is the first time that I've actually started giving thought to having another child in the home - especially knowing now that Cordelia is pregnant.  We never bothered with protection, knowing that the outcome would likely be to have another child.  Honestly, I'm a little surprised she wasn't pregnant sooner.
So yes, my Delia is going to have a baby.  Our baby.  And it's been a long time since feeling this distinct excitement.  I have no real trepidation in the future, because I know history will not repeat itself.  Cordelia is a wonderful mother to Una, I have no doubt in her ability to be a mother to a newborn.
I am however, worried about Una.  She has been flourishing and growing under the guidance of Cordelia and me.  She has been (dare I say) given much love and has not wanted.  I fear in giving so much to Una, she has become accustomed to being an only child.  She has made it clear through her more frequent tantrums that she isn't interested in having a sibling to share affections with.  Time will tell if her feelings will change on the matter.
Yesterday, I took Cordelia to the doctor so we could be sure her pregnancy was progressing well.  She is nearly out of her first trimester.
Imagine my surprise when the doctor confirmed to us that Cordelia wasn't just pregnant with one child, but with three.
Triplets.
And in about five to six months they would be here.
Cordelia laughed, the doctor smiled, and I broke out into a nervous sweat.  Three, really?
"Well, Calico," Cordelia reached over to touch my shoulder.  She kept her perch on the examination table, I was in a waiting chair at her side, "Well, we've been waiting out for some time to see when I'd get pregnant.  All good things come to those who wait, right?"
"And apparently, they seem to come in three's." I replied.
We laughed together.


~Tom Calico

Chapter 20: Ties That Bind

Captain's Log -

Una has made it into grade school.  She passed through her toddling years, with the love and guiding hand of me and Cordelia.

 Una's first day of school was a mix of excitement and trepidation for her, and bittersweet for myself.   But she hardly showed her worries that first day she walked to the bus.  She had a set look of determination on her face and climbed onto the bus, giving Cordelia and me a wave of good-bye at the curb before the bus closed it's doors and moved up the street.
With Una off to school, I was asked by my Sargent to handle more odd-jobs of undercover work since my schedule allowed for it.  Although I held traditional 9-5 working hours, I was frequently called during the nights and weekends to go undercover and keep tabs on suspects with my partner.

There were many late nights, returning home long after Cordelia and Una were in bed.  Some mornings after my undercover work, I'd have to go back in hours later to the station to complete paperwork and report back to the Sargent.  It was hard to leave my family so much, but the end result was worth it.  I was satisfied with the salary that I got for the over-time work and it assuaged some of my guilt at leaving Cordelia and Una.

And leaving them for work gave Cordelia and Una the chances to bond and draw closer to one another.

Cordelia spent time playing with Una, read to her often, and kept her company during those times work called me away.

Cordelia even tucked Una in for bedtimes that I missed.  Cordelia's love for my daughter was no different than if we'd had a child of our own.  Every gentle touch to lovingly groom Una's hair for school everyday, every thoughtful glance to Una when she studied, every kind and appraising word she gave Una to let her know of how proud she was of her showed me how much she truly loved Una. 

 We still spent time all together as well.  I didn't leave Cordelia to care and entertain
Una solely on her own.

I made sure that our evening routine involved sitting down to eat dinner together.

 On nights that I didn't have to go undercover, I would tutor and talk with Una, giving Cordelia a chance to relax when she came home from her corporate job. 

 Sometimes, Cordelia and I would call a baby-sitter so we could visit the local bistro for time alone, too.

 Or we'd simply sneak out the door when the Una was home to give each other a kiss or a loving word.  Una had made it clear that seeing the two of us together was "great and all" but that she'd like to be spared from seeing us kiss and cuddle.
So we kept those moments to ourselves or in the bedroom.
Because Cordelia and I were one in our endeavors to teach Una the importance of family, our ties to one another were strong, and these were the ties that lasted forever, and were stronger than the ties that could rend us apart.  These were the ties that bind.

~Tom Calico

Chapter 19: Smooth Sailing

Captain's Log -

It's been too long since my last entry.  Life has been busy with raising Una that I've lost time to record all the happenings in our life.
First, I must share news that Gertie has married into a prominent family in Barnacle Bay, the Inkbeard's.  No doubt of some pirate heritage with a name like that, but respected very much in town.  She married one of the son's named Bart.  Although I was not in attendance to her wedding, word in town is that she is happy.
And I wish her joy in her union.  Time with Una, finding my own joy in fatherhood, and pride in my work has allowed me to let go of the bittersweet ache that had been holding a place in my heart for some time.  Although I still regret how it all turned out for us, I cannot deny that she certainly found the 'happy ending' she deserved.
Second, Patty has moved on without hesitation since our fall-out.  Last time I heard, she'd been caught on the arm of Felix Soto who was married.  She still hasn't come to see Una.
And last, though by far the best news is that I've been seeing someone. We met at the local gym.

She seemed to be struggling with the weights and I had offered to help spot her (although it doubtless wasn't necessary.)  She accepted and that's how simply our relationship started.


We were friends at first, everything platonic in deed even if my thoughts were otherwise.  We found a mutual love for sports and exercise, and went together to the gym four nights a week.

We spent other times talking on the phone late into the night.

 And when Una was down for the night on other evenings, Cordelia would come over to watch movies or TV with me.
We inevitable forgot about what we watched to talk more with each other.

She seemed to love hearing about my "worldly adventures" and I never hesitated to share some old, nearly-forgotten tale from a life that almost didn't seem like mine anymore.
And when moments were right, I confessed to her my abandoning ship and how I ended up on Barnacle Bay, and how I came to be Una's only parent.
And when she was comfortable, she told me how she had ended a long love affair with an older man who had hidden his marriage from her after years of companionship.
We had both been burned and found comfort in each other knowing we wouldn't inflict such heartache on the other.
Una too, has come to recognize and enjoy Cordelia's company when she's visited on weekends.  It seemed like our little home of two was now more complete with three.
With a little trepidation, fear in repeating the past, I held back on asking Cordelia to move in with me.  But eventually, I warmed up to the idea and she accepted when I asked.
Cordelia has fit into my life as perfectly as any piece to a puzzle.  Una has grown accustomed to having her as a playmate and quite simply, I love her.

~Tom Calico

Chapter 18: Weathering the Storm

Captain's Log -

Patty is long gone and moved on and I am glad of it.  Although, I wish she had thought to say good bye to Una, or to have left me with a promise to come and see her soon.  But she didn't.  It only confirmed to me the lack of character that Patty had.
In the aftermath of her absence, the storm of adversity still went on.  I battled being a single father, caring solely for Una.  I relied on my own resourcefulness to gain a baby sitter through an agency to watch her during the day while I worked at the police station.  When I got home, I played, fed and bathed Una.  My evenings consisted of devoting every moment to my daughter until I had her in bed for the night.  And once she was in bed, I found that I could barely keep my eyes open due to my long shifts on the job and the stress of being the sole caretaker for a baby.
The first two months were hardest without Patty.  It seemed as if Una knew of her absence and cried in mourning over the loss of her mother. Una was clearly pining for her despite everything.  I seemed to be of little comfort to Una at times.  And those long nights when I paced the floors, bouncing Una on my shoulder, I wondered how could Patty have foresaken the love of her daughter for flippant love affairs and selfish desires to better her career.
After awhile, Una seemed to either forget Patty or come to terms in her own infantile way that Patty wasn't coming back and the crying bouts abated.
As time went on, I got to know more about my daughter, and more of her personality came out to shine.  She loved bananas and mangoes, she would giggle at the sight of a pink bunny stuffed animal, she loved it when I would make monkey faces at her.  Most of all, I noticed how much of myself I saw in her.  She had my eyes, my mother's face.
My life had settled into a pattern and at some point in the past the storm I had been weathering out had ceased and I had found a comfortable pace for me and Una.

Before I knew it, she was a walking two year old toddler.
My, how time seems to fly.  The happy moments speeding time on before I was ready for it.
And despite all that, when I look at my child, my daughter, I know that indeed, I have found my rightful place in life and I have true joy.

~Tom Calico, Captain of my destiny