Spring Eternal

Chapter 1
Iris arrives

Chapter Description: Cal's carefully constructed life is about to drastically change with Iris' arrival.

Calvin’s eyes traveled over from the back of the front seat in front of him over to watch the tops of trees pass by the window. The issue of weekly news magazine that he had been reading slid off his lap and onto the car floor. The couple in the front seat was idly chatting about the upcoming visit from Patrice’s mother. A few moments later, Patrice turned her head and looked back at Calvin with a friendly smile.

“Everything okay back there, Cal?” she called over to the toddler.

“Yah, ithhz pa-fine.” Calvin lisped his underdeveloped muscles and coordination playing havoc with his diction.

Calvin leaned his head back against his car seat as he went back to watching the greenery pass by the car. He was grateful to have friends like Patrice and Randall. He had heard so many horror stories while he was in the hospital of AR patients being victimized upon their release. Calvin had been living with his best friends Patrice and Randall since he bounced at the age of seventeen months from an attack of the AR virus. He had signed a power of attorney over to his friends and provided a sizeable estate to cover his living expenses. So, far everything had gone exceedingly well since he had come to live with them.

Calvin had met Patrice and Randall at the small state college where they had all been on the teaching staff. They had built a strong friendship over the years, spending holidays and vacations together. When Calvin was diagnosed with the AR Virus, Patrice and Randall suggested that he come live with them. The couple was in their late forties and was looking to obtain early retirement in the next few years. They had never had children but would certainly treat Calvin with intrinsic respect and affection as their long valued friend despite his infantile appearance. Patrice and Randall arranged their schedule of classes around Calvin, so he was never deposited with a daycare or a nanny. He had never felt his needs and values were disparaged in their household and he knew how lucky he was.

This afternoon, they were going to pick up Patrice’s mother, Iris. Iris was in the midst of moving to the area to be closer to her daughter. Iris was beginning to experience memory problems and could easily get confused. Patrice wanted her mother in the area, so she could attend to her needs better. Iris was going to be living at the house while they toured local assisted living communities in the surrounding county.

Randall pulled into the short term parking lot at the airport and soon, he and Patrice got out of the car. Patrice opened the back door and released the restraints on Calvin’s car seat. Slinging the necessary diaper bag over her shoulder, she turned back to Calvin. They had learned the hard way that it was better for Calvin to be in diapers in public. The short notice his bladder gave him might be sufficient at home, but was no way long enough to locate and use a public restroom. He raised his arms as Patrice placed her hands around his chest to pluck him out of the seat. Looking around at the busy airport, she placed him on her hip.

“It’s so busy here. I think I better just carry you for safety’s sake.” She stated a little more loudly than normal as she tried to be heard over the din of air traffic. Calvin nodded gratefully in agreement, he was a little relieved since so much frenzied motion around him tended to be intimidating.

Randall came around the car, took the diaper bag and placed his hand on the small of Patrice’s back as they navigated across the parking lot and through the cars moving through drop off and pick up lanes. They made their way over to the doorway of Iris’s airline. The three of them waited at the barricade as people streamed out of the terminal from the arriving flights. While they waited, several people smiled and even a few waves were aimed at the cute infant with the serious expression being held by Patrice. One very short rotund lady came forward and felt the need to comment on what a precious and well behaved baby they were holding.

“What a sweetie! Are you here to pick someone up? The woman paused on her way with a smile at the family.

“Yes, we’re here to pick up my mother.” Patrice responded amiably yet curtly as she looked over the woman’s head at the mass of people moving down the hallway.

“How wonderful!” The mature woman cooed. “Has she seen this little guy before?”

“No, this is her first visit since we brought him home from the hospital.” Randall spoke up, leaning forward to take the attention away from the small person in his wife’s arms.

A small pained sigh issued out of Cal as he heard Randall’s tired ironic joke once again.

“Well, I know she’s just going to be crazy about him. Grandmamas just love little babies!” The woman simpered at small being who kept his eyes averted from the woman’s silly manner. “You all have a good visit!”

The matronly woman coyly gave a small pointed wave at Cal before she turned and walked away. Patrice and Randall just looked at one another with a knowing smile once the woman had gone.

Calvin had gotten used to this sort of thing happening in public as routine. In order to avoid an awkward public scene, he had learned that if he acted like he had not heard or seen the people, they quicker they went away. In fact, over the time the three of them had been living together, they had developed tactics to handle this type of situation. Each of them knew their parts and played them like a ballet of verbal and physical messages for a short interaction. Even when someone attempted an unwarranted physical intrusion such as to chuck Cal under his chin, the couple would act like territorial guard dogs, pulling their child away from the stranger. It was usually followed up by a quick uncomfortable apology and even quicker retreat from the unknown admirer.

As they stood there, Patrice suddenly bounced on the balls of her feet as recognition appeared on her face. She quickly transferred Calvin over to Randall as she looked back over her shoulder to keep her eye on her target coming down the fairway. Once Calvin was safely deposited in Randall’s arms, Patrice went up on her toes and waved wildly at her mother coming towards her, loudly calling her.

“Mom! Mom! Over here!”

Iris stopped for a moment when she heard her daughter’s voice. She bent slightly and craned her neck to see where the voice had originated. Once she located her wildly waving daughter, she straightened and marched toward her daughter was waiting for her at the exit of the fairway.

“Mom!” Patrice exclaimed and wrapped her arms around her mother as she exited the partition.

After several minutes of hugs, kisses and a quick session of questions and answers about her plane trip, Patrice guided her mother over to Randall and Calvin.

“Iris.” Randall leaned over and greeted his mother in law with a kiss on the cheek. “It’s good to see you. We’re very glad you came.”

“It’s very good to see you too. You’re looking well.” Iris blushed at the greeting and then turned to look at the small body held by Randall. “Who’s this little one?”

Patrice stood in between Iris and Randall as she made the next statement with great import.

“Mom. This is Calvin. Remember, I told you about him?” Patrice stated slowly and patiently, her eyes watching her mother, expectantly.

“Oh, that’s right.” Iris gasped and looked flustered for a moment. She calmed a moment later and added. “Hello, Calvin. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Hewwo. Ithz nitha mee yuu tu.” Calvin responded, looking at Iris with friendly grin.

Inside his head, he cringed at his linguistic abilities when meeting a new person. At least, it was good to know that Iris was aware of his physical predicament and wouldn’t be pinching his cheek in the future.

“Heck, why so formal? We’re all family. Here, why don’t you hold him?” Randall impetuously and cheerfully spouted as he held out Calvin to Iris. “I’ll take your carry-on bag.”

Calvin was initially reluctant to be immediately thrust into Iris’ arms. Even the look on Iris’s face betrayed that she was also reticent to take the little stranger into her embrace, but seeing the small body dangling in front of her, she had little choice.

She coyly took the small body in her arms with an uncomfortable grin. In reaction to being so vulnerable during the time he was held at arm’s length away from Randall, Calvin pressed his body against Iris’s shoulder for reassurance. The small action flared a wealth of long established maternal feelings toward the infant body in her arms. She gave his small back a few gentle pats in response.

The four of them walked down to the luggage carrousel to wait on Iris’ bags. As the bags began to deposit on the carrousel, Randall decided to get the car and pull it into the pickup lanes outside, taking along the two large bags that had already at the carousel. The women and Cal decided to wait on the lagging third bag that had not made an appearance yet. As Iris stood there with Calvin in her arms, she chatted with her daughter as she watched the constant flow of bags spill onto the moving platform.

From old experience, her hand felt the weight of the diaper between her hand and Calvin. Catching her daughter’s eye, she looked down meaningfully at Calvin’s baby curls and then over at Patrice. Patrice nodded and took Calvin back from Iris. She patted her mom on the arm as she whispered that she would be right back. Patrice picked up Calvin’s diaper bag and energetically marched toward the ladies restroom.

Iris sighed as she turned to watch for her last small bag. She was impressed that her daughter handled the situation so deftly. A woman who had been on the same flight, sidled up next to her. She was short and round and had a genial expression on her face.

“I must say, you have the cutest grandson.” The woman beamed over at Iris. “You must be thrilled to see him. I saw you holding him. He wasn’t a bit scared of you. I can tell you two are going to have a very special relationship.”

Iris stood there as she listened to the woman praise and prattle. As she stood there, withstanding the woman’s well-meaning torrent, confusion clouded her mind. Conflicting thoughts raced through her mind, muddling the facts. ‘Patrice, Randall, there was something about the baby…What was it?’ She remembered it just a minute ago. She glanced around the airport. ‘Where was Patrice?.. Maybe she could clear it up. If only I think clearly…Grandson? If Patrice and Randall had a baby, of course, it would be my grandchild.…’

“Yes, thank you. He’s already so precious to me.” Iris responded to the lady, in full grandparent pride.