Meet the Parents

Writers: Eimi, Emma, Suzee
Date Posted: 31st March 2012
Series: It takes Time to Love

Characters: Tavia, U'kaiah, Tavin, Shialis
Description: New Grandparents meet their grandson and his father.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 6, day 3 of Turn 6

Tavia

Tavia was dozing after another restless night with a new baby. U'kaiah
was off doing Wingleader stuff and had promised to be back later since
his few days away from his responsibilities were almost gone and he
would have to go back to work full time.

She came instantly alert when Glory chirped at her. The little gold
had appointed herself watcher over the baby and lay on a pillow
hanging from a hook near the cradle. Her head would hang over the edge
and she'd watch the little one sleep almost as intently as Tavia.

"I'm awake, I'm awake," she said blinking and rubbing her eyes.

"Can we come in?" Shialis tapped gently on the weyr door, not wanting to
wake a sleeping babe.

Tavia recognized her mothers voice and headed for the door. "Yes," she
smiled. "Come on in. Baby's asleep." Her voice was lowered to keep him
that way if possible. She reached out to kiss her mother and then
greet her da with a big smile and hug of his own. "Good to see you."

"You too," came the response as she gently hugged her daughter. "We
don't
want to wake him."

"No," Tavin said, "But we do want to have a cuddle when he does wake
up."

"Of course," she grinned. She closed the door behind them and followed
them toward the sitting area. Her weyr wasn't all that big being a
greenrider so it was only a matter of a few steps across the room.
"What is that," she asked pointing to the bag her father carried.

"Do you think I wouldn't sneak a few of your favourite treats out of the
kitchens?"

She grinned just like the cherished little girl he always made her
feel. "Thank you da," she said just before she heard a squeak from her
sleeping chamber. "Oh, that would be your grandson." She smiled and
dashed into her room to pick up the small bundle and carry him out to
her parents.

"There there," she rocked a moment to quiet him and then put him in
her mothers arms.

"He's gorgeous," while she had held babies before, nothing compared to
holding a grandson in her arms. Shialis smiled, "And I have some lovely
little sweaters for him."

A little arm waved in the air as unfocused eyes roamed and seemed to
settle on the face above him. A corner of his mouth lifted for a
second and Tavia smiled as well. "Oh look, was that a smile?"

"He's too young to smile properly," he father said as he peered over
Shialis' shoulder.

"Oh, I know," Tavia said wistfully. "It's just nice to believe." She
reached out and rubbed her da's arm in the way that told him she loved
him, then turned to peek into the bag he'd brought. "Oh," she grinned
reaching in for one of his wonderful bread rolls with dried fruits and
a sweet glaze. "I love these!"

She hoped U'kaiah would come back soon so he could meet her folks.

The bronzerider had known her parents had been expected, so he had tried
to hurry through the meeting. They hadn't been there much longer before
he was standing at the door, taking a deep breath as he ran his fingers
through his curly black hair. Shards, he hoped they would like him.
With confidence he didn't exactly feel, he pushed open the door with a
grin. "Hello?"

"U'kaiah!" Tavia waved him into the room. "Da, Ma, This is U'kaiah
he's Kaiavin's father. U'kaiah, this is Tavin," she indicated her
father "and Shialis," she put her hand on her mother's shoulder.

"Well met," Tavin held out his hand. It was easy to see where the babby
had got his mass of hair from.

U'kaiah took the offered hand. "I'm sorry to not have been here to
greet you. My Wingsecond came to discuss the Wing's progress since I've
been away since there really wouldn't be time to meet before drills
tomorrow. Work seems to find me wherever I am, I guess," the
bronzerider said with a helpless shrug. "I see you're getting
acquainted," he said, reaching out to tenderly stroke Kaiavin's hair as
he lay in his grandmother's arms.

"You two have certainly produced a beautiful baby," Shialis said.

"Thanks, we kind of think so too." Tavia smiled all around and squeezed
U'kaiah's hand. "He's a very happy baby," she said. She'd seen some of
the ones who seemed to come into the world mad at everything but Kaiavin
wasn't that way at all.

"Oh you have to try one of these," she said reaching for the bag her da
had brought along and holding it out for U'kaiah to look inside. "You
want to taste something wonderful?"

"Always," he said, sneeking a peak inside. "What's this?"

"I always called them sticky buns when I was growing up," she grinned
at her father.

"As good a description as any," he father said as he took his turn
cuddling the baby.

"Well, the name is certainly intriguing enough." He reached and grabbed
out one of the treats. "Is that cinnamon or klah I smell?"

"A little of both," came the response. "And a few other secret
ingredients."

Tavia grinned at both men and hugged her mother a little surprised
she'd surrendered Kaiavin to her father so soon. "He is a sweetie,
isn't he?"

"Which one?" joked her mother. "Your bronzerider or your baby?"

Tavia chuckled at her mother. "Well I'd hardly call U'kaiah a sweetie,
more of a hunk don't you think?" Her voice was pitched in a harpers
whisper so it could be heard through the whole room.

Her mother laughed gently. "You've done well for yourself, We always
knew you would, but when I look at you now with a fine son, and a good
looking bronzerider dancing to your tune..."

She laughed indulgently not for one moment thinking that U'kaiah would
ever dance to any woman's 'tune.' She flared her eyes in the
bronzerider's direction in mute apology. "How did your meeting go,"
she asked as a way to redirect the conversation slightly.

U'kaiah had been enjoying the way they were talking about him so much he
nearly missed that the question was directed towards him. "Oh, fine,"
he said with a shrug. "Nothing pressing. Just getting me up to speed
before I have to lead drills tomorrow." The bronzerider wasn't sure her
parents knew that his visit was drawing to an end. "I have to leave in
the morning," he explained, "to get back to my Wing. We have a Fall in
a couple days."

"You're from Dragonsfall? Right?" Tavin asked.

"Yes, I am. I'm Cyan's Wingleader," U'kaiah replied, standing up just a
little straighter. There was no doubt he was proud of that fact.

"Won't that make things hard for you two?" continued Tavin. "Dragonsfall
is so far away."

The bronzerider moved instinctually closer to Tavia, putting an arm
around her waist. "Well, I think we're both determined to make it work,
sir."

Tavin had to hope he meant it, so many bronzeriders seemed to flit from
woman to woman, but maybe this U'kaiah would be different, and be good
to his daughter and grandchild. "So long as my grandson here knows who
his father is."

Tavia leaned into the embrace and looked up at U'kaiah with a soft
smile. "He will." She was more than confident that he wanted to be a
part of Kaiavin's life. Then she looked at her own father. "It won't
be easy but Dragonsfall is only a thought away on dragonback."

"Sir, I promised Tavia from the start I would do all I could for her and
the baby, and I intend to keep that promise." He looked down at her
warmly. "And not because I'm obligated to, but because I really want
to."

"That's good to hear," Tavin said as the baby stirred and gave a wail.
"I think someone might be wanting his parents."

Tavia smiled and held out her arms to take her son. "He's probably
hungry."

"Who am I to deprive him of a meal?" her father joked as he handed over
the baby.

"Well, while he has his meal, shall I pop down to the kitchens and find
something for us?" U'kaiah suggested, trying to play a good host.

"That would be very nice," Tavia said as she took Kaiavin and prepared
to nurse him.

"Yes it would," Shialis said with a smile.

"Thanks U'kaiah," Tavia added.

Last updated on the April 2nd 2012

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