Misdirected

Chapter 10 - The Family

Jacque was joined by a baby brother, Christopher Jon, three years later. That pregnancy was much easier on Sonja and she continued running through her seventh month. She took an extended family leave with CJ. She had long missed being with Jacque and enjoyed being able to be home with her babies for a year.

"Hey Papa" she said to Christopher after one long day at home. "I think it's time to modify our life plan. I know that I have to go back to work in eight weeks and I will be honest in saying that I really would prefer to stay home. I can retire at 42 and a half. With mother LaSalle here, we don't have to pay child care. I was thinking that I could up my retirement contribution right now and without withholding and income taxes have the about the same amount of money each month and retire early.

Sonja was delighted when an 'educator' position opened up at the FBI academy. Her varied assignments within the FBI, ATF and NCIS gave her a leg up on the other applicants. Since she was in the classroom, she worked normal business hours. It allowed her to drop the children off at day care and school and be home for sit down dinner with them as well as help with homework as they grew.

With two years left to work Sonja proposed that they take a weekend off and fly to Alabama. "Sonja that's kind of silly when momma is right here with us."

"Humor me LaSalle please." Remembering that a happy wife makes a happy life he agreed. He also acknowledged that the trip would also allow him to spend some time with his brother Cade.

"Hey have I seen that before City Mouse" he asked eyeing what he thought was a new nightie?

"Well no and I'm surprised that you noticed."

"I always notice you Sonja" he responded sweetly.

Safe in her husband's arms Sonja confesses why she wanted to come to Alabama. "Christopher." Uh oh he thought my given name. "I want to have another child. I talked to the doctor and she said that she didn't see a problem. I'm in great physical shape and the first two children were delivered without incident."

"Sonja, if that is what you wanted I don't understand why we had to come all the way down here for this discussion." 

"You needed a break Christopher. You were both mother and father when I am away where ever. I appreciate you so. I know how you loved this place and I wanted you to be able to get away from the hustle and bustle of D. C."

It didn't take long for Sonja to get pregnant. William King LaSalle was born on a snowy February day without incident. His sister soon became his surrogate mother. Sonja returned to work at the end of her approved leave and six months later put her retirement papers in. Her bosses were not happy.

Sonja couldn't believe how free she felt. She loved getting up and going to 'King's' room every morning, giving him his bath and taking an early afternoon nap. Being at home allowed her to learn some of her spouse's favorite dishes. Mother LaSalle agreed to stay with them for one more year helping both the children and Sonja acclimate to the changing of the guard. The next Christmas the whole family helped to load up Grandma's belongings and then piled into their SUV for the drive to Alabama where they helped her unpack everything.

'Papa LaSalle' took the older children out to hunt deer and turkey. CJ was ecstatic to have spotted a large turkey which found its way onto the table for Christmas dinner. Chris' sister had deer stakes in her freezer from the previous year. They were not very popular with the northern city folks. Sonja couldn't even stand the smell of the meat cooking.

Even with a toddler in tow, Christopher and Sonja found the opportunity for long romantic walks and horseback riding. The older nieces and nephews were more than ready to volunteer as a babysitter. There came one unusually warm day when Chris borrowed a friend's boat and took Sonja out for that long awaited boat ride that they had talked about while they were on a case when they worked together at NCIS.

Chris never did tell Sonja about the pain in his heart of having to leave his beloved childhood home when they returned to D.C. He longed to retire but he was committed to stick to the plan that they had laid out years ago. The sale of LaSalle Industries had left him little cash money. Now with another college education to pay for, it was even more important that he be able to maintain the family's health insurance and save for the third college education fund. They only had two more years to pay on the mortgage which would free up a considerable amount of money to invest into the retirement and college funds.

Chris laughed to himself that Sonja's fierce dedication to being vegan deeply influenced his two older children's diets. Sonja and his mother grew most of their veggies supplemented by fruit trees, raspberry bushes and strawberries. Mother LaSalle taught Sonja how to can. There were some weeks in the summer when he consume more meat than all of the rest of his family combined. The chickens provided both eggs and meat. Sonja found a meat locker outside of the beltway who would slaughter her chickens and dress the meat out. One of Chris's childhood friends bagged three or four turkeys off the farm in Alabama and shipped them to D.C. each season.