Pete POV
"Everyone has their carryons?" I asked. The boys all nodded. Marvel's carry on was on my luggage trolley.
"Okay, we're checked in? Let's get moving!"
The school year was finally over. Jaime had done very well with catching up in his classes. He even made the Dean's List and Honor Roll.
Meagan helped the two youngest and Jaime and Bronx and I grabbed the rest of whatever was coming in the plane with us. Jaime's carry-on was his backpack and he had that on his back. Saint and Bronx as well. Saint had his Switch out already and was playing on it.
We went into the airline lounge and I let the kids have snacks if they wanted. Jaime looked around in awe.
"This is pretty cool," he smiled at me. "I've never flown before, but I also never knew waiting areas could be so posh."
I smiled. His speech was nearly 100% back to normal. He still stuttered if he was overtired or overly emotional. But in regular conversation, he almost never stuttered or paused.
He did have some recall issues and could forget a word but for the most part, he was doing amazing. And since he was doing so well, I'd decided it was time to celebrate our family and thank the younger kids for being so helpful when Jaime was in the hospital. The trip to London was basically their reward for making life easier for Meagan and a celebration that Jaime was okay, that he finally felt like he really is part of our family, and his recovery.
"This is the airline lounge. The regular waiting areas aren't quite as nice," I smiled.
"Well, guess I get to reap the benefits of having a rich and famous dad," he grinned. He was becoming cheeky, now that he seemed to have settled in.
"Well, that's it. It's official," I smiled.
"What?" Jaime asked.
"Yeah? What's official?" Saint asked.
"Jaime is definitely, unquestionably my son. You cheeky bas- uh - bum," I corrected as Marvel listened in.
Meagan and the boys laughed.
"What's a basuhbum?" Marvel asked.
I couldn't help it. I burst out laughing. Marvel is too cute for words.
"Jaime is a basuhbum," Saint said, laughing.
"Jaime is a basuhbum!" Marvel started singing and skipping around.
Jaime frowned at me.
"Great. Thanks, Dad," he said in his most sarcastic voice ever. It made me laugh harder.
Eventually our flight was called and we went to get in line to board. Jaime was getting nervous, I could tell.
"It's alright," I said. "You'll be fine."
He didn't seem convinced.
I saw Marvel come up to Jaime and take his hand.
"You scared?" She asked.
"No," Jaime frowned. "Nervous."
"Is okay. Flying is fun! They's have movies and tv and you can make your seat go back and you can sleep."
Jaime smiled nervously at Marvel.
We boarded the plane and found our seats. I'd sat Jaime beside me with Marvel and Meagan on his other side. Bronx and Saint were right across the aisle from us.
"You're going to be fine, Jaime," Meagan smiled at him as she helped Marvel with her seatbelt. Marvel smiled up at Jaime.
He didn't seem terribly convinced.
"What if we crash?" Jaime whispered to me.
"We aren't going to crash," I reassured him.
"How do you know?"
"I guess I don't, really, but it's highly unlikely."
Jaime pulled out his phone.
"Do not Google airline crashes. You're going to make yourself more nervous," I said, putting my hand on his phone. He sighed and put it back in his hoodie pocket.
Bronx and Saint were on their Switches, talking back and forth with each other. Bronx looked over at us.
"Dad?" He asked. I looked over at him.
"Is Jaime nervous?"
"Dude," Jaime said, looking over. "I'm right here."
Bronx laughed.
"Okay, Jaime, are you nervous?"
"Yes Bronx, I am nervous," Jaime said, reading the safety pamphlet. "We could crash into water?!"
Jaime looked at me incredulously.
"Jaime, trust me, there are far more successful flights than there are flights that crash. Successful flights don't make the news because they're successful."
He frowned and didn't seem to be entirely convinced. But he had his seatbelt on, and we were getting ready to pull away from the gate.
I watched Marvel take Jaime's hand as we pulled away from the gate and started taxiing down the runway.
Marvel giggled as we lifted off. Jaime turned pale and maybe a little green. He was gripping the arm rests tightly. Marvel's hand was on top of his. I looked over at Meagan who looked at Marvel and Jaime and smiled.
"I don't like this," Jaime said. "I really don't like this."
I smiled.
"Too late to back out now," I said.
"Thanks a lot," Jaime said.
Once we'd reached cruising altitude, Marvel took off her seatbelt and climbed up on her knees and took Jaime's arm.
"You is okay, Jaime. I sit in you lap?"
Jaime moved only his eyes to look at Marvel.
"Jaime, you can move," I said, laughing. "It won't make the plane do anything."
Jaime lifted Marvel into his lap and she sat on his legs and smiled.
"You is okay, Jaime," she said, wrapping her little arms around him. He smiled at her.
Marvel talked to Jaime and when she got tired, she curled up on him and fell asleep.
"She really, really loves you," I said to Jaime.
Jaime smiled at me. And then down at Marvel.
"Yeah. She's kinda cute," he said. "Can't lie. Kinda love her, too."
At some point later, while watching the inflight movie. I noticed Jaime had also fallen asleep, his arm protectively around Marvel. Meagan kept checking on them and eventually just covered the two of them with a blanket. She smiled at me as she did.
"He's really coming around," she whispered over their heads. "I think he's come to terms with you being his dad. He's so good with Marvel and the boys."
I smiled as I looked at my oldest son and my youngest kid and only daughter.
This trip was going to be great for all of us.