Chapter 15
Leaving Henry in his time out was hard on Marnie, she could already tell from the small whimpers coming from the corner that it was going to be a long 10mins. Walking back over to the group of now anxious adults she addressed Joey, "Can you please tell me what that was all about? You are supposed to be the adult" a sheepish look crossed Joey's face and he looked down unable to meet Marnie's stern look "I'm sorry miss Marnie, I guess I got carried away with playing and forgot". She wanted to be angry with him, but his now apologetic stance defused her anger. Sighing she stepped closer and looked up at his downcast face, "Joey, look at me please." The tall slender man lifted his sad eyes to meet hers. Giving him a soft reassuring smile she said "I can understand you losing yourself in playing, but when he is finished his time out I will be telling him to apologise to you and I expect you to follow suit ok." Joey nodded with a solum face as the 3 actors turned and sat.
Henry had been staring at the white wall for what seems like hours. In reality, it had only been two minutes. The seat was getting uncomfortable and he desperately wanted to go back and keep playing with his friends. His mind whirled with feelings of being cranky at Ma for putting him here, the frustration that Joey wouldn't do as he instructed and that he had broken a rule something he hated doing. In fact, they had only just put those rules in place surely she could have overlooked it. A few more minutes passed by, the noise in his head started to quieten and focus instead on Ma, all he could see now in his mind was the look of disappointment on her face. She had not been angry but she had looked at him with such sadness. His stomach started to hurt the more he thought about how he had made his princess sad. The longer he sat the worse he felt until fat droplets of water fell onto his hands. He was so caught up in his misery that he failed to hear Ma approach his chair, telling him he could leave the corner.
Marnie stood beside her boy his shoulders were hunched and he had tears streaming down his face. Seeing his distress broke her heart, she placed an arm around his shoulders and pulled him into her waist. "Shhhh Pumpkin, its all over now." His tears turned into sniffling as she continued to hug him close. "Can you tell me why I put you into time out honey?" more sniffling than a soft wobbly voice said, "I bwoke a wule, I thwow da block, ans I wasn't nice to oey" so proud of her boy for owning up to his mistakes she squeezed him tighter into her side leaning her head down kissing his hair. Henry looked up at his Ma through watery eyes "I's sowwy I makes ouuu sawd Ma. I don wike making my pwinsess sawd." Touched by his comment she lent down, looking him in the eye and kissed him lightly on the lips causing him to shyly smile. Pulling back she gave him a warm smile as she said, "Well my prince just made me very happy, and you can make me even happier by going and apologising to Joey" his smile dropped at that comment but he didn't argue.
Standing back to his full 6 ft height he took Ma's hand and walked over to where Joey was sitting. Head looking down, Henry tuck himself as close to Ma as he could and mumbled: "I's sorry oey, can oouuu fowgivs mee?" If the visitors had any doubt that he was just acting this action bought reality to the forefront. Their friend and co-worker were struggling and for Joey, the fun of pretending just flew out the window. He looked up from his seated positing into his friend's face and saw the look of contrition making his gut ache. He stood and shuffled his feet on the spot as he said "I'm sorry to Henry, I got carried away. I forgive you but can you forgive me too?" His own face looking now at the floor Joey was surprised when he was smothered, tightly circled by large arms and pulled into the chest of Henry.
His deep voice saying "I's otay oey, dons be sawd I wikes pwaying wif oouuu" Ma could see Joey squirm slightly in henry's arms. Coughing gently to pull the over-attentive toddlers attention back to her, seeing Joeys slight discomfort from being held so tightly Ma said "good boy pumpkin, you can let Joey go now ok. How about we do a different kind of playing. Would you like to play Geralt pumpkin?" the moment the words were out of her mouth the tall toddler released Joey and started jumping on the spot "Yeth, yeth me pway Gewalt" bright-faced and giddy he looked at his friends "oouuu wans to pway too?"
Together also with bright smiles Anya, Freya and Joey nodded and stood. The group rearranged the furniture to create space. Lauren spoke up once the group were facing her, even Henry seemed to remember that his direction came from her in this kind of playing. Her face serious she set the scene "Ok, were at Aratuza, Geralt has arrived with Jaskier to see how Ciri is progressing with her training with Yennifer."
Marnie sat stunned before her was no longer a little boy, but a surly sour-faced Man. The only time any softness came into his features was when he addressed Ciri. The four actors played out the scene with fluent movement and deep characterisation, that when they stopped Marnie was craving more. Clapping erupted from Lauren as she said cut "Ohhh my, you haven't lost it, the four of you still have the chemistry. Henry would you like to come back to the studio and continue to play Geralt in full costume."
Marnie watched and scrutinised the tall man, she could already tell by his stance that he was no longer in toddler headspace. His face flushed a pink hue, looking down as he said quietly "if you would have me back, I would be honoured" Lauren smiled softly standing and walking over to him, "Henry, we couldn't finish this without you. We will take as long as you need to make it work, to get back on your feet, ok." He looked up then, eyes shimmering as he leant down and hugged the petite woman whispering as he did "thank you"
The four visitors said goodbye and Lauren arranged with Marnie a time to bring Henry to the studio the following day. Once they left, she made Henry lunch, he was quiet now, it seemed that acting as Geralt had pulled him fully back into his true age of 37. A comfortable silence filled the house as Marnie ate alongside the tall man. Taking a bite of her sandwich Marnie chewed thoughtfully then on swallowing quietly spoke, "You surprised me today, the way you changed into Geralt was beautiful and scary." He turned to her a blush colouring his cheeks as he spoke softly "do you really like the way I act?" she smiled hoping to encourage him and smooth out the uncertainty she saw in his eyes. She had the impression from the research she had done online that he had been a very confident actor, so this reaction was not what she had expected.
He waited silently watching her features, his blue eyes shimmering "Yes Henry, I do like the way you act. In fact, would you mind if we watched one of your movies together this afternoon? I would like to see something you have finished" His face showed slight apprehension at her request, but she waited patiently until his face lightened as he responded "Sure, I would be ok with that" Together they stood and moved back to the living room. Henry set up the movie and sat next to Marnie on the couch. Man of Steel started up as he sat down near her, it was an awkward movement as he was not little right now and was not sure how to act around her.
Marnie understood the hesitancy and distance Henry had put between them on the couch. Up until now, he had only been big at night and in a sleepy haze. So, this current situation was new, wanting to make him more comfortable Marnie faced forward, whispered as she continued to watch Russel Crowe fight to protect his child "Why don't you lie down, if you want you can put your head on my lap" she didn't say anything more, just kept watching until she felt movement and a head settle on her lap. He lay ridged until she placed her fingers into his hair. She heard a soft sigh and his body relaxed, Marnie herself felt the tension leave her own body as she continued to play with his hair. A moment later she heard his deep voice murmur "Thank you"
By the end of the movie, Marnie was truly in awe of the skill of the Man who was now sleeping on her lap. She sat there continuing to play with his hair and contemplating his insecurity when Nick quietly joined her along with Marianne and Nicks wife. They smiled at the scene before them, Marianne speaking softly so as not to wake her sleeping son "I have never seen him so relaxed as I have when he is with you Marnie. You have a way about you that soothes him, thank you, thank you for showing him so much care" the eyes of the older woman shimmered as she turned away fiddling with her hands. Nick followed this comment with his own praise "You truly have been a Godsend Marnie, we would have been ok, but he needed the extra care you have given him that we would not have been able to provide".
Marnie wondered where this conversation was heading, she was grateful for the comments but to her, it almost sounded like they were going to ask her to leave. Nick began to rub the back of his neck a trait she had also seen Henry do, "I hope this is going to be ok with you, but it has been a week and we have obligations that need our attention. We have seen your ability to work well with him and we were wondering if you will be ok if we leave you now. We will be but a phone call away if you need us but well.." he left the sentence hanging, she wondered if they knew that he had been in his true age, or if they would have made this request had he been awake and looking at them. She sighed and looked down at the man now asleep in her lap, completely oblivious right now of the request being made of her.
After a moments pause, she responded in a gentle whisper her eyes not leaving his face "Ok, we will give it a trial, but if I need you you're a phone call away, yes?" looking up she caught Nick's eyes, relief seemed to flood them as he said an assuring "yes" another thought crossed her mind as she voiced "alright, but we need to get Henry a phone too. If we put your numbers in it, he can call you if he is worried or if we get separated". Nicki and Marianne nodded in agreement. Together they sorted through plans and arrangements until Henry began to stir. Marianne and Nicki's wife left to start dinner, and a groggy Henry lifted his head, he rubbed his eyes looking around until his direction fell on Nick. Surprised he smiled "Hey, what are you doing here?" Nick's face took on a look of surprise, then schooling his features forced himself to relax into a smile. "We just popped over to see how you were going, mum and the missus are making dinner for us all".
Resting his head back on her lap he sighed, Marnie was happy he felt comfortable enough to continue staying in this intimate position. She was glad that he was still in his true age and she hoped it would continue. Moving to get up she the stroked his hair and murmured: "can you sit up hon, I need to go see how they are going?" He sat up and gave her a soft intimate smile as she stood and walked away leaving the two brothers to talk. His smile stayed with her as she went to join the women in the kitchen. Marianne looked up at her as she stood a silly grin on her face. Smiling back his mother asked "What has you grinning like a lovesick puppy? Wouldn't happen to be my son would it?" blushing Marnie schooled her features as she responded, she moved to pick up a knife and cut some carrots "He's awake and feeling his true age. But he doesn't remember that you and Nick have been staying here."
The women murmured their concern and appreciation that she gave them a heads up. Looking back at her carrots she couldn't help the butterflies that bubbled in her stomach as she remembered that smile.
A/N Thank you for reading another chapter of Baby Boy Henry Please vote and comment I love seeing your reactions to each scene. :) have a great weekend stay safe Selah