Page 78 of The Progressions

“Cut. That was great,” the director said. “We have enough. Thanks, Tyler! We really appreciate you doing this.”

“I’m happy to,” he answered. “Anytime you need me, just call.” It went without saying that he did it for free, and he’d also kickedin a donation to cover the costs of making this public service announcement.

“I hope it gets more kids in lessons.” He waded to the steps and carefully walked out of the pool. “Maybe I shouldn’t have given up on acting,” he mentioned to the kids. “What do y’all think?”

“You’re funny, Ungle Ty,” little Oisín told him, and they both laughed. Yes, the former baby Balderston had a name: Oisín O’Clery, like the malacologist who had adopted him and was now in every way his true father.

“Thanks for loaning me your kids,” Tyler said to Iva. He carefully handed back the newest baby Balderston, who was actually Neasa. But Oisín clung to him, because outside of his parents and grandparents, this was his favorite person.

“I want to swim,” he announced, and one of the big reasons that Ungle Ty was a favorite? His inability to say no to that sweet little face.

“For just a minute,” Tyler said, trying to sound stern. Iva and I looked at each other and rolled our eyes. Yes, he looked very tough and scary when he was winning games for the Woodsmen, but if you put him around his niece and nephew? He was Jell-O. Marshmallows. Feather pillows.

We had those on our bed, by the way, and a very nice mattress. Our whole house was lovely, two stories plus a separate apartment for my dad. He was very happy there, as was Iva in the house that she and her husband (the big Oisín) had gradually purchased from Tyler. It was the place she had once lived withstupid Dominic, who hadn’t shown his face around here in years. We didn’t miss him.

“That’s my sweet boy. You were the best actor in that whole pool!”

Tyler looked up from the water, where they had been practicing going under. He still didn’t love doing that. “Mom, you think I’m the best at everything.”

“Your lovely wife agrees,” she answered, and it was true. I did. “How are you feeling, baby?” she asked me.

“I’m ok,” I answered. I was understanding what Iva had gone through a few years ago, when she had sat in our former trailer office and told me that she was too hot and pregnant. Now, one of the empty condos served as a model home and an office for her, and she was working part-time there, where the air conditioning was much better (but the noise from the unit on the other side was loud, because there really was no insulation). Fortunately, there was an actual maintenance guy who could fix things at the complex and help her out. Oren had gotten out of jail but had quit. He’d taken off and we didn’t miss him, either.

On the other hand, Cody the water delivery guy/thief was still incarcerated. He really had stolen the diamond earring, a lucky find for him until he’d realized that it was in a different class from his other thefts. You couldn’t easily sell a six-carat, Asscher-cut diamond, especially not one with a serial number engraved on it. The police had recovered it from his hole of an apartment, and Tyler (being the guy that he was), had returned it to Shay Galton. That was the last contact they’d had, and sheseemed happy enough with her ancient actor guy. They were currently hawking vitamins made out of catfish poop, which turned off her followers as much as it did me.

I was taking vitamins, too, but they were prenatal. I was also finishing up law school, and I was feeling the heat even though it was only May. The last trimester of pregnancy could do that to you, I’d been told. In fact, the last eight months had been hard, with school and some puking, and feeling more tired than I ever had in my life. I also felt lucky that my dad was there with help and support. After he’d gotten his blood pressure problem straightened out, he had started to feel much better. The daily exercise he did with Mom—

That was what Miss Gail had asked me to call her, and it felt easy and natural. She was very, very happy that I wanted to, and it was ok with my dad.

“I would have called my real mother ‘mama,’ or maybe ‘mamusia,’” I had explained. When I’d started going to school full-time, without working too, it had seemed like I had so many extra hours on my hands. I’d started learning Polish, something I’d always thought about. The funny thing was, it came really easily. Maybe it had always been there, tucked away in a part of my brain. Or maybe, it was in my heart.

I’d decided that I would teach the baby when he came, too. Tyler had picked up some, after he’d gotten tired of what he called my terrible lies about what I was saying to him. “Kocham Cie,” I liked to tell him. I’d said that it meant “clean the kitchen,” “I would like a foot rub,” and “I want your body,” depending on my mood.

Anyway, my dad was doing much better, enough that he got involved in a big project with Tyler. They had managed to reopen the old pickle factory, which was now supplying a special line specifically made for the German, pickle-based energy drink,Sauf!Tyler was still the spokesperson, after all. It was hugely popular at Woodsmen stadium, as if the fans there needed more energy to go more bananas. They were certainly wild for him, which was completely reasonable. I, myself, was bananas about him, too.

“Time to get out,” he said to Iva’s little boy, and they both climbed onto the pool deck. Oisín scampered over to Grandpa Jerry and my husband turned to me. “Who wants a big, wet hug?” he asked, and had he really thought that I would say no? I happily went into his arms, as I always did.

“Was it ok?”

“You were great,” I promised. “I think that every parent who sees that will want to teach their kids to swim.”

“We certainly will,” he said, and put his hand on my stomach. “How’s Junior?”

That was an issue. We were still a little undecided on a name, but “baby Hennessy” wasn’t going to do it. “We’re ok,” I said.

“Tired?”

“Yes. Will you carry me to the car? Maybe you’re not strong enough.”

He looked at me and smiled. “You think I can’t?” He bent down. “Bless your heart.”

“Hey! No, don’t pick me up.” I honestly was afraid that he would hurt himself; I really was that large.

“How about I pick up your feet, put them on my lap, and rub them? After I make dinner,” he suggested.

“I’m glad that I married you,” I told him. “It was a good decision.”

“I have to agree. You were smart to marry me,” he answered, and laughed. “Hey, Kasia?”

“Yes?”

“Kocham Cie,” he told me.

“I love you, too.” The baby kicked under his hand. “Maybe he should be Tyler, junior. I want him to be just like you.”

“I want him to be just like you,” Tyler said. “The world needs more Kasia. I do.”

He kissed me, and the baby kicked again. Life, all of it, felt just like the spring sunshine.

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