Spring Eternal

Chapter 12
Tying the Ends Up

Chapter Description: First of all, I would like to thank everyone for being so patient. My muse was MIA for a while. Here is the final chapter. Cal and Iris finally come to an understanding

Spring Eternal

By Penbumble

Final Chapter

With the soft thud of the car door closing, effectively blocking out the sounds of the rumbling traffic of the planes overhead, Cal attempted to pull one of his arms from underneath of the blanket that was tucked around him and secured with the car seat’s straps but found he could not escape its clinging embrace. He sat his head back against the padded headrest since he had learned long ago to stop his struggles against the unforgiving nylon straps that had been tightened around his body. The bobbing motion of the pacifier in his mouth seemed to bounce quarter time to the rhythm of his heaving chest. He knew that his wet slick cheeks as the tears continually cascaded down them. He could only blame himself for the situation, he found himself in. He sniffed loudly as he looked over the driver’s side door and heard the highly animated voice.

“Let’s go home!”

>>>>>>>>>>>>

Due to her high emotions, Iris eagerly called out to the little figure held out in front of the guard as Cal ‘s body shook as vomit continued flow from his mouth. As Lancine’s little granddaughter loudly proclaimed “Ewww!” that echoed against the marble in hall’s lobby. The guard winkled his face as he held out Cal as far away from him as he possibly could, fighting his natural urge to recoil from the shuddering toddler. He unintentionally flexed his fingers from around the smelly torso of the child in front of him. At the same time, Iris lurched forward in full maternal display; disregarding the mess, she caught the small form in her arms and walked swiftly to the ladies’ room.

All the events of the last few days caught up with Cal. All the frustration, fear and insecurity of a child warring against the rigid logic of an adult mind had been building up in Cal until it sought the only release it had and he became physically sick. Cal felt disconnected from the world as he lay passively Thein Iris’ arms. He retreated within himself as his vision became foggy and voices sounded like they were underwater. He did not know or care what was happening to his body as he became lost in the shrapnel of his tattered psyche.

Cal painfully opened his eyes and blinked as the intense headache clouded his vision. Everything seemed foreign to him. He wanted to retreat away from this world of noise and harsh light. He closed his eyes again and felt something cool being dragged gently but persistently over his mouth and chin. He pulled his head away from it with a note of complaint and then felt a gentle hug. The unanticipated affection seemed to pierce his fog. He unconsciously followed the warmth of the other body. He leaned his head toward the soft breasts hidden by polyester. After a few moments, he dared to open his eyes again and saw an arm reaching in front of him with a water darkened square of industrial rough textured paper towel coming toward his face. He felt the coolness turn to irritation as the paper began to scrub at his face. He pulled his face away until he felt another arm pinning him to the large body as the toweling continued its scrubbing. He followed the arm slowly up until he was looked up into the wrinkled soft face of a woman. He blinked in confusion at this face that was smiling down at him. He could see her mouth moving but her voice was so muffled to his ears that he could not make it out. Nor did he have any interest as the lethargy became overwhelming, he was only sitting up because this woman was holding him up with her other arm. He turned his face to bury it in between her breasts and allowed these women their will with his body, pulling the fouled clothing away from him, wiping him down and wrapping him in a baby blanket Iris had stored in her purse.

After they had pulled into their driveway, Iris carefully opened the rear car door and leaned over the car seat located in the back. She saw that Cal was still asleep in response to his melt down at the show. She carefully pulled the slack body out of the car seat and pressed him to her chest. Cal did not respond but only turned his head to rest his cheek against her shoulder. Iris closed the car door and walked to the door of the house. She was about to put her key in the latch when Randall opened the door.

>>>>>>>

The next morning, Cal woke up in the crib. He found that he was encased in a footed sleeper with the detested yet alluring pacifier protruding from his mouth. From the glow emanating from the blinds on the window, he could tell that the sun had been up several hours. The remainder of the stress headache that had befell the previous evening was slow in releasing its remaining tenuous hold on him. He longed for the simple remedy of a pair of headache pills and a glass of water, but he knew that was farfetched idea with Iris treating him as it was. Putting a hand to his forehead, he tried to remember what had happened after the guard had got ahold of him at the concert hall. His head throbbed as the effort to remember made the pain worse. He made a small groan as he brought up his other hand to keep his head from exploding. A few seconds later, the door to the bedroom and one of his saviors smiled at him. She walked over to the crib and looked down at her dear friend. Cal relaxed as he thought “At last, things were going to be put right again.”

After a cathartic morning of unloading on the unjust treatment he had received from Iris to his sympathetic friends, Cal finally strolled back into the living room. As well as he could in his toddler form, he strutted proudly around his castle’s living room as felt that he had reclaimed his adult status once again. Ironically, he was grateful to be back in his training pants, if only to grab that prized minute distance from diapers. As he walked by, he cast a dirty look at the playpen that had been folded up in the corner. He went over to the bookcase to pick up and book and noticed that three other occupants of the house were deep in conversation in the dining room.

He pulled his desired book from the bookcase, a book with no pictures or silly rhymes, but a book written by a fellow college professor. He tucked it under his arm with a grin of satisfaction and walked back to the sofa. He navigated the small set of steps that allowed him access to the sofa. He was relieved to be able to sit on the sofa once again rather than being regulated to the floor. He sat back among the cushions and opened the book. He could hear bits and pieces of conversation coming from the dining room. He concentrated on his book and tried to ignore the scene taking place in the other part of the house. Since this was a family matter, Cal did not feel comfortable eavesdropping on the conversation. He was sure that Iris was being read the riot act by his friends. He did not want to compound the familial damage by witnessing the emotional carnage. He did however feel a delightful vindication that his friends were straightening her little red wagon as he began to whistle and turned the page.

A few hours later, the group had just finished lunch. Patrice had done her best with sandwiches made of white bread and a spread made out of canned ham, celery and chopped Spanish olives. As Cal managed to choke down the last bite of the half sandwich had been given, he began to wax nostalgically of Iris’ cooking. Patrice looked over to with a sense of nervous anticipation on her face. Randall cleared his throat in response as he placed his napkin on the table.

“Uh, Cal.” Randall said as he found the table top. “We need to talk about what happened at the meeting.”

Cal cocked his head in curiosity as he felt the tension suddenly appear in the air. Randall went on to explain that both Patrice and he had lost their positions at the local colleges due to budget cuts. Cal was curious that neither seemed upset at the change in fortunes. Iris was smiling shyly at him as she listened to Randall. She had obviously been informed of the circumstances, she displayed no surprise at the news. It slightly rankled Cal that Iris had been brought into his friends’ confidence before him. He did his best to avoid looking like a petulant child, but the set of his mouth betrayed him to his friends. In response, his friend leaned forward excitedly to tell him

“That’s not the big news, Cal. While Patrice and I were at the conference, we met Professor Horatio Baumfeld. You know the one who had the big write up in Superior Science. It turns out that he had some positions open on his next expedition.” Randall spouted as he cast a fond look at Patrice. “Well, short story is…. Patrice and I have accepted positions with him.”

“Wt…. Wh du meen?” Cal stuttered as he sat back, daring to hope that he had somehow misunderstood.

“Cal, you must understand. This is going to be the pinnacle of Randall and my careers…. we couldn’t pass it up!” Patrice calmly said as she grasped Cal’s hand.

“Yeth. Yeth, I unstan.” Cal responded, biting his lower lip in anxiety. “Aw Go too?”

“The expedition is going by a small boat traveling in the Arctic ocean for the next two years. It is going to be tight on space and terribly cold.“ Randall paused and then went on quickly, saying. “I’m sorry. It just won’t be possible to bring you along.”

“Oh.” Cal gulped, realizing that his worst fears had now come to fruition. “Aw go to da State.”

“OH NO, CAL!” Patrice gasped as she brought up her hand to her mouth.

“There’s no way we’re going to let you go to the State!” Randall exclaimed. “We’re still your friends and we take care of our friends.”

“Bu how?” Cal blurted, not daring to look at Iris. He stared at his friend with a blatant plea in his eyes.

“That’s what we’re here to talk about. This is just a suggestion but I think that you and Iris should continue to stay here.” Randall stated and looked at his friend

“Aw don thin goo idee.” Cal retreated with a slight scowl.

“Patrice and Iris discussed the entire situation.” Randall held up his hand to alieve his friend’s concerns and stated. “Iris understands what went wrong and she is very sorry.”

“I do so hope you’ll forgive me. I promise that it will never happen again.” Iris beseeched with a contrite expression on her face.

“I gueth.” Cal squeaked out when he would rather rail at the witless woman sitting across the table.

Smiling at the resolution between her mother and Cal, Patrice leaned forward toward the small figure at the table.

“Actually, Randall and I had a good idea. We thought we might get someone else to help you while we’re gone.” She said as if she was springing a great surprise on him.

“Yu don meen…Awwis?” Cal responded doubtfully and looked over at the flighty woman.

“Well, considering of what you told us of what transpired while we were away, I think that we should get professional help to stay with you. It will be up to you to pick out the person.” Patrice suggested and then paused. “Cal, I know this is an imposition, but I would also like Mom to stay here in the house as well. If you’re not comfortable with the idea, just tell me.”

“Aw hav to thin boot it.” Cal still stinging from his treatment, responded slowly.

“Of course, of course. I don’t want to pressure you.” Patrice said in agreement. “Think about it and let me know.”

>>>>>>>

Patrice and Randall were scheduled to leave by the end of the month. After thinking over it a few days, Cal relented and agreed to let Iris stay at the house. Patrice, Randall and Cal interviewed round after round of candidates for the home care position. Cal finally decided to hire a woman named Georgia who had worked with other victims of the regression virus. She had passed the intensive interview process with flying colors. She got along well with Iris and Cal and looked to be a smooth integration into the household.

During the final week, everything went by in a whirlwind. Patrice and Iris always had their heads together making sure that all preparations were done for his friends’ long absence. When things got too tense in the house, Randall would scoop Cal up and go enjoy male pursuits such as attending a ballgame or go fishing at a local pond. The day before they were supposed to leave, Patrice and Randall went over the plans with Iris and Cal once more. Iris and Cal would drop off Patrice and Randall at the airport the following day and Georgia would move in that same evening.

The day finally arrived, Patrice and Randall left for the expedition. With a few tears and many hugs, Randall and Patrice checked their bags and waved at the woman and small child as they went through security. Waving until it was no longer possible to see the couple, Iris carried Cal through the jostling crowds back to the car parked in short term parking. Cal’s small body could not contain his emotions as he sobbed loudly on Iris’ shoulder. When Iris got to the car, she laid Cal in the car seat with soothing sounds as she patted his chest. She saw the blanket sitting next to the car seat and tucked it around Cal before she began working with the straps to secure him in the seat. As a last minute action, she tucked the pacifier between the trembling lips of the upset toddler.

Iris had driven a few miles from the airport when she heard the pacifier being spit out.

“Awis. Whe Jorrrja?” Cal asked, a little loudly to be heard over traffic noise.

“What, honey?” Iris responded as she briefly looked in the rear view mirror at him.

“Wha tiiim Jorrja?” Cal asked again.

“Are you saying Georgia?” Iris asked as if she had cracked a code.

“Yeth.” Cal responded and waited.

“I am sorry, baby. Georgia isn’t coming. Patrice was so busy that she asked me to call Georgia to get the details of when she would be moving in. I called her but told her that the position had been retracted and she would not be needed.” Iris primly explained. “I don’t need anyone’s help taking care of my grandbaby. It is just going to be us for the next two years. Won’t that be fun?”

"Nuh, yu can du dis!" Cal screamed as he attempted to wriggle loose from the tight embrace of the car seat. His control still freshly bruised from the departure of his friends took a disastrous effect on his diction. His arguments were soon lost in what appeared to be the unintelligible tantrum of a toddler.

At the next stop light, Iris calmly sighed and looked back in the rear view mirror at the upset infant in the rear. She decided that she would just drive around until the poor little thing fell asleep. The whole day had just been too trying for the sweet baby. It was just what a good Grammy would do.