"Oh, yeah? Well, just because you're gonna be fat and pregnant, you better not get lazy on me. Someone's gotta support us, you know," he joked. Liam had gone to bed early and they were laying on the couch watching TV. Robert was behind Calista with one of his legs thrown over her. She turned her head in his direction because she kept hearing him make spitting sounds. "What're you doing?" she asked. He started laughing, "Your hair keeps getting in my mouth." The lisping way he said it made her start giggling which made him laugh harder, and then his laughter really got her going. In a few minutes, they were both laughing so hysterically, at absolutely nothing, that they rolled off the couch onto the floor, which really cracked them up. Calista had tears in her eyes and finally got herself under control and sat up. "What the hell's so funny?" she asked. "Damned if I know," Robert said, trying to constrain himself. They looked at each other and burst out laughing again. Calista grabbed a couple of pillows from the couch and laid back on the carpet groaning. "Oh, don't make me laugh anymore, okay? My stomach hurts." Robert rubbed her tummy and then laid his head down on her. "How's our baby doing? She smiled and began rubbing his head. "Did I ever tell you that you have beautiful hair, that I love your hair?" He nodded and, without moving his head, he reached up and took hold of her hand. She spread his hand out and traced his fingers with hers, "And, did I ever tell you that you have beautiful hands, that I love your hands, especially your fingers?" He nodded again. Then, with his head still on her stomach, he yawned and mumbled, "Okay, you want something. I don't have any money, so what is it?" "What makes you think I want something?" she asked innocently. Rolling onto his back next to her, he said, "Mmm. I have beautiful hair, beautiful hands, beautiful fingers. Beautiful this and beautiful that." He looked at her sideways, "Give. What's up?" "Well...." "Hmm?" "I was thinking. Since we don't have to worry about a weekly TV show, and we can be based just about anywhere for whatever we wanna do .... what would you think about moving to New York ... if it's something we need to do in the future?" Turning onto his stomach, with his elbow on the floor, Robert rested his head in his hand. With his other hand he caressed her face adoringly. "Now I know why I love you so much," he said gently, "but, it's gonna be fine. I'm okay with things the way they are. Even if Debbie moves to New York, I'm gonna be able to ask for a review of custody soon and we'll get Indio back, at least half time. I really believe that." He began playing with her hair, "You're so sweet," he said leaning down to kiss her, "but I'll ... we'll ... get through this. He knows how much I love him. I talk to him two, three times a day, and even with the supervised status, Debbie's now letting me see him almost every day. So, no matter where she ends up, Indio knows that if he ever needs anything .. or me .. all he has to do is call ... I'll always be there." She studied the face she loved so much, and felt an overwhelming tenderness. He was finally learning about himself, learning acceptance - and patience. "I love you." she whispered. And he bent down to kiss her again. She said a silent prayer that his strength would only increase and that sooner, rather than later, they'd both know he was completely out of the woods - that he'd made it. Robert saw that she'd become very pensive. "What are you thinking?" he asked. "About how fast everything's happened. I mean, last year when you were arrested, I thought my life was over. I knew I'd never love anyone again the way I love you, but I never dreamed we'd find our way back to each other. I figured I'd probably end up marrying Garry, or someone, just for companionship, you know. And, here we are, only a year later, married and pregnant." "Yeah," he smiled, "ain't it funny how you're walking through life and it turns on a dime?" She punched him playfully on the arm. They often quoted lyrics or lines from Ally scenes because they knew without the show they might never have met. Just then his cell phone rang. Glancing at the incoming number, Robert wrinkled his brow and frowned. "Well, having recently spoken of the devil ..." It was Debbie. "Shit, what now?" He gave Calista a pained look of resignation before answering, "Hey," he said. There wasn't much conversation on Robert's end of the line. He just kept saying, "Mm hm. .... Really? ....Mm hm ... Why? What's going on? ...Mm hm ... Mm hm ... Yeah, of course, I'm just shocked ... Hey, no, don't get me wrong, it's great ... But, what about the ..... Mm hm .... You're sure? ....Mm hm ... Mm hm ... Okay, I'll call him tomorrow .... Mm hm ... Uh, thanks.... No, really, thanks. ... Yeah, talk to you later." He hung up and bent his head, shaking it in disbelief. He looked up, his eyes sparkling. "Well, do I have to beg?" she asked impatiently. He continued to shake his head in disbelief, "You're not gonna believe it ... hell, I don't even believe it." She threw a pillow at him, "Tell me!" "Well, apparently, Indrizzi (referring to Victor Indrizzi, Debbie's live-in boyfriend with whom she'd formed a band) has arranged a tour for their band," his eyes began to twinkle, "and, she's wondering if we'd like Indio to spend the summer with us in London." Calista sat up as her mouth dropped open. Clapping her hands and squealing in delight, she said breathlessly, "You're right, I don't believe it!" "I'm ... not done," he said mysteriously, and then grinned slightly, clamping his lips tightly together. "Robert Downey, if you don't tell me right now, I'm gonna kill you." she warned him. He purposely stalled, twisting his lips into a silly smirk. Another pillow hit him in the head. "Okay, okay," he raised his arms as a shield in mock self defense, "now .. don't drop dead .. but she's agreed to lift the supervised restriction and have our lawyers put together a new parenting plan with a 50/50 schedule." He threw up his hands and matched Calista's wide-eyed, open mouthed look of surprise. "I know .. I told ya, it's a shocker." "Wow," Calista said, "what's up with that? I mean, it's great ... obviously, it's great ... but, we're not gonna have to sell our souls, are we? Or, give up our firstborn?" He grinned at her sweetly, "Apparently, you're what happened," he said. She looked at him curiously. Nodding, with one eyebrow raised, he continued, "Seems she thinks you're good for me, and that you're a wonderful, concerned mom, who'd never let anything happen to Indio ... and that a shared residential arrangement would be best for Indio." He wrinkled his nose, "Evidently, he's been bugging her - he wants to be with me .. us." He squinted his eyes suspiciously, "And , something tells me that it doesn't hurt that she's getting $9,000,000 as partial property settlement from my Attenborough movie." Calista said again, "Wow!" "I also think it might have a lot to do with that major production we've got goin' on," he said rubbing her tummy, "cause it takes away a lot of the power she's had over me with Indio." She couldn't help but nod in agreement. "Oh, and I forgot the best part ... no child support," he really grinned at that one. "Mm hm, you just forgot!" she said, smacking him in the stomach, "Anything else you've ... forgotten?" "Nope," he replied, wrestling her to the floor, "I just have to call my lawyer in the morning and get the ball rolling." He pinned her down and began kissing her neck and face. Then, raising up, he rested on his elbow and asked her solemnly, "Ah .. should we get the ball rolling on Liam, too, once the other's taken care of?" She smiled and pulled him down to her, "The paperwork for the adoption's been ready for weeks," she told him. Then she whispered, "My lawyer's got it on the fast track." "Oh, and aren't we the clever one." he grinned and kissed her. "Going behind my back, huh? What happened to complete honesty. When were you gonna tell me about it?" "I didn't go behind your back," she replied, "I just wanted my attorney to have everything in place -- waiting for you to tell me when or if you were ready." "Okay then, you're forgiven, 'cause I'm ready." "Good," she smiled, "I'll call him tomorrow." "Uh ... I don't imagine it escaped you," Robert said, "that at no time in all this did Debbie mention anything about me being a great dad. You'd think I was the biggest ass around - with horns or something." He stood up and stretched. "Well," she said teasingly, "you are the horniest man I've ever known - and you have an incredibly beautiful ass." He bent his head around and blew her a kiss. "Oh, you think?" Smirking, he squinted his eyes, "Well, then," he said lovingly, "maybe you just better kiss my ass, Mrs. Downey." As he turned to walk away, she sat up abruptly and lunged at him, pulling his sweats down. Giggling, she grabbed onto his legs and started kissing him all over his butt. He cracked up while she continued to kiss and bite his ass. "Uh oh," he managed to say while laughing, "you've done it now, you've managed to rile up the head of Downey Productions." He bent and pulled her up to him. Gruffly, he asked "So, what're ya gonna do about it, smarty pants?" She pushed him down on the couch, stepped out of her shorts and panties and positioned herself in such a way that he was inside her by the time she was fully seated on top of him. She grabbed him by the hair with both hands and bent over to kiss him passionately as she moved rhythmically up and down. Then, she challenged him, her voice a throaty whisper, "That's what I'm gonna do about it. Now what're you gonna do?" He groaned in pleasure and grabbed her butt to help her move, "I'm just gonna enjoy the hell out of it." Over the next several weeks, they had a blast. The play rehearsals were fun and sometimes hilarious, but always productive, and they'd settled into somewhat of a domestic routine in the evenings. The lawyers had already filed all the custody papers, and Robert picked up Indio a week before he and Calista were scheduled to leave for London. Robert was overjoyed at the closeness Calista and Indio shared, and also the bond that had developed between Indio and Liam. There was no denying they were definitely a family unit and Calista was always finding little chores for Indio to do around the house to make him feel important and needed but she was always careful not to be condescending. Indio was very attached to Calista and followed her everywhere. After dinner his second night there, she asked him if he wanted to help her bake cookies. He thought it sounded like fun. Calista let him handle the mixer and he was making a royal mess, which they both thought was hilarious. As Indio was globbing dough onto the cookie sheet, he asked shyly, "Now that you and dad are married, that means you're my mom, right?" "Mmmm," she answered, "kind of. But ... you only have one mom." She added, "I'm one of those scary stepmoms." Making a grotesque face and putting her index fingers up to each side of her head like horns, she said in a very low, spooky voice, "You've heard about US, haven't you?" Indio giggled. "What do I call you?" She laughed and asked, "What would you like to call me?" "I dunno. It's just ...." he didn't continue. "What do you call Victor?" Calista gently prodded him. He looked up and answered, somewhat indignantly, "Victor! He's not my dad .. he and my mom aren't married." Indio was quiet for a long time before saying softly, "If I call you Calista, will I still be part of this family?" "Of course you will," she exclaimed, "this wouldn't be a family without you. How could you think otherwise?" He shrugged, "I dunno. It's just that in families, kids call their parents mom and dad. Like Liam. Isn't he my brother now, too?" "Yep. Not by blood, though. But by law. And, in a few days, your dad's gonna be Liam's daddy for real and that will really make you brothers, with the same last name. And," she whispered, "I'll tell you a secret ... pretty soon you're gonna have a baby sister to bug you, too." She could tell by Indio's expression that he wasn't sure whether or not he liked that idea. "Something wrong?" Indio played with the cookie dough several minutes before answering. He looked up thoughtfully and asked, "You think my mom hates my dad?" She let out a big sigh and sat down, pulling him into her lap and wrapping her arms around him. "Oops .. sorry .. you're not to big to hug, are you?" she inquired teasingly. "Nah," he ducked his head bashfully. Nuzzling his hair with her chin, Calista said softly, "Indio, I don't think your mom hates anybody, especially not your dad. Why would you even think that?" Very soberly, he said, "Cause they fight a lot. Sometimes about me. If they like each other, why can't they just get along?" "Wow, that's a toughie," she answered truthfully. "Honestly, I don't know. Adults don't always know the right thing to do when they get ... frustrated. You know what that means?" she asked. Indio opened his mouth wide and made an awful grimace, "YEAH! But, I thought only men got their balls cut off!" Calista choked on her laughter and said, "No, honey, you're thinking of castrated. And, you're right, it's only male cattle that get castrated." She saw him frown self-consciously, "Hey, sweetie, I wasn't laughing at you," she said placing her cheek on his. "Really, I was laughing with you. You made a joke. And, it was funny." His face lit up with a silly cockeyed grin. "Everyone says I'm just like my dad," he said proudly. "Oh, no doubt," she confirmed. "You're sweet, kind, funny, intelligent and talented, and you're gonna be every bit as handsome as he is." She lowered her voice, "Maybe even handsomer, but we'll keep that a secret." Indio laughed. He scrunched up his face, "What was that word you said again?" "Frustrated?" "Yeah. Is that like when you're so disappointed you wanna scream or hit somebody?" "Yep," Calista said, "you nailed it, kiddo. That's exactly what it's like. Sometimes when people want something real bad, like when your mom and dad both want to be with you at the same time and the situation just keeps it from happening, they get frustrated. It doesn't really make them angry ... more like ... annoyed. And, people sometimes lose their tempers when they're annoyed .. without meaning to .. without really being mad at anyone ... just the circumstances. But, it can still make them argue - or fight - even with people they care about. Maybe that's what happens with your mom and dad. Does that make sense?" "I think so." She stopped, hoping she was explaining it so he could understand, and his face told her he wanted to hear more. "So," she said, "the next time you think they're fighting, just remember that maybe they're only frustrated - because they both love you and wanna be with you. Okay?" He nodded, apparently satisfied. Then he got quiet again. Calista could tell he was still troubled. "What's up buddy? Somethin' else on your mind?" Glumly, he said, "Now that my dad's got so many other people to love, does this mean he won't love me as much?" "Oh, Indio," she replied, hugging him tightly, "your daddy loves you more than anything in the world. And, he's so proud of you that sometimes I think his shirt's gonna pop open when he talks about you - which is all the time. And, when he talks about you there's a special light that shines from his eyes, and it brightens his whole face. You're everything to him." Indio got up from her lap and slowly began spooning more dough onto the cookie sheet. He looked at her from the corner of his eye and said, "Not anymore. He's got you and Liam and then ... pretty soon the new baby." "Aahh, but that's what's so incredible about love," she replied, "we can love a lot of people at the same time - just as much - but in different ways. I love my mom and dad, and my brother just as much I love you and Liam, but differently. And I love Liam differently than I love you, but no less. Liam's just learning about life and his amazement and silliness while discovering it touches my heart and cracks me up at the same time. You touch my heart, too, with your sweetness and brightness. I just feel good when you're around - you make me laugh with your cleverness. And, I love your dad," she said nudging him with her elbow and lowering her voice to a whisper, "... ‘cause he's a good kisser." Indio blushed and snickered. "I couldn't live without any of you in my life because you all give me that something different I need to make me complete," Calista smiled. "And, you know what? The craziest thing about love is that the more you give, the more you have to give away." Indio put his cookies in the oven and set the timer as Calista had shown him. Then, he turned and gave her a look that said she didn't know what she was talking about. "Nuh uh. If you keep giving it away, you have to run out of it sooner or later!" "Nuh uh," she said, shaking her head and lovingly mimicking him. "Love's not like that. It's an intangible. Know what that means?" He scrunched up his face and scratched his head. "I don't think so." "Well, an intangible is something we sense, feel, or think .. like a concept .. a thought ... a dream ... an idea . A tangible is something you can see, hold, taste or eat, like a cookie." She thought for a few seconds, "Let's see if I can explain it. Okay, suppose you have a plateful of tangibles and give ‘em all away - you have nothing left - right? But, now, an intangible, like ...love .. well it's different. The more you give to others, the more they give back to you, and it just keeps growing and growing inside so you always end up having more and more to give away." Grinning, she said, "I guess you could say we all have our own internal love recycling machines." Indio's eyes twinkled. "So, even though I love my mom, it's okay that I love you, too?" "Gee, I hope so," Calista smiled and teasingly poked him in the ribs, "because I don't know what I'd do without you, buddy." Raising her eyebrows questioningly, she asked, "Well, have I explained everything to your satisfaction, Mr. Downey?" He grinned and nodded. "And, dad can love you and Liam ... and the new baby ... and still love me just as much, right?" "Absolutely," she assured him, "even if you fell off the edge of the earth, he'd never stop loving you." Indio screwed up his face and gave her an exasperated look. "Don't you know you can't fall off the edge," he corrected her, "the earth's round." "Now, how the heck could I forget that?" she laughed, "Lucky I've got you around to keep me straight." He looked at her slyly, "But, I still don't know what to call you." "Gee, and I'm not much help, ‘cause I don't know what the heck they're calling wicked stepmoms this year," she said sticking her tongue out zanily and crossing her eyes. Indio happily faked a scream. "Tell you what," she grinned, "how about you just call me Cal until you decide. Okay?" He smiled and nodded. She hit him playfully with a dishtowel, "You'd better check on your cookies, buddy. And, don't forget the oven mitt, it's against the law in this house for anyone to get burned. " Indio jumped down and eagerly went to claim his fortune. Calista looked up and saw Robert leaning against the doorway with Liam on his shoulders. His eyes were burning into hers. He stood there for a long time before entering. "How long were you standing there?" Calista asked. He looked at her with immense love, "Long enough." "Dad," Indio said excitedly, "you have to taste these. I made ‘em." Robert put Liam on the floor and took the cookie that Indio offered him. He fanned it with his hand trying to cool it off and then, taking a bite, closed his eyes in rapture. "Mmmm, this is absolutely the best cookie I've ever had," he said tousling his son's hair. "I love it." "If you love it, then why don't you marry it," Indio giggled. Then he started running around Robert, chanting, "Daddy's a good kisser. Daddy's a good kisser. Daddy and Calista sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g!" Robert looked slyly over at Calista and grabbed Indio as he ran by. "And you should be so lucky when you grow up," he snarled at him jokingly. Robert tickled Indio and made him giggle even harder. "At least you know how to spell." Grunting impatiently and jumping up and down, Liam pointed to the plate of cookies, insisting on a treat. Robert broke a cookie in half and made sure it was cool before he gave it to him. In bed, after the boys were bathed and tucked in, Robert offered Calista a backrub, which she readily accepted. He straddled her and massaged her expertly, leaning down now and then to kiss her naked back, while she moaned in pleasure. Later, lying on his side facing her, Robert propped himself up on his elbow and rested his head in his hand. He looked at her very intently. "What?" she asked. His eyes played back and forth between hers and then traveled several times over her face. "I guess I love you more than I ever thought I could love anyone." "When will you know for sure?" she asked sweetly. Outlining her face with his finger, he looked at her lovingly. "Check back with me in about 40 or 50 years," he said taking her hand and holding it against his lips. He shook his head, "I really tried to fuck it up, didn't I? I just can't believe you hung in there with me ... that we're here ... now ... like this." Calista moved into his arms and rubbed her nose across his cheek. He chuckled softly, "I was so goddamn arrogant when we met, I thought I knew it all, that I was gonna teach you everything. But, the longer I know you, the more you end up teaching me." Kissing her tenderly, he said, "thanks for sticking around and not telling me to go to hell." "I didn't have a choice," she whispered, "I'd been waiting for you all my life." He rolled onto his back and pulled her on top of him.
That Monday night was the Ally season/series finale and they'd given David permission to incorporate some of the scenes from their wedding into the Ally/Larry marriage. Indio was excitedly jumping around knowing he was going to be on television. Robert and Calista were anxious to see how it turned out, since they hadn't had time to preview the final edit. But, Calista had made one stipulation to David, as she had with Pat O'Brien, absolutely no intrusion into their actual ceremony or vows. To her, that was private and not to be shared with anyone except themselves, their closest friends and family. Glancing at the TV, Calista said, "Hey, shh, everyone, here comes the wedding scene." She turned up the volume. David had been very clever. Calista's gown very much resembled that worn by Ally (probably because Calista had chosen it herself from wardrobe), and he had brilliantly interwoven the before and after shots of their ceremony into that of Ally and Larry's, making it all look like one. Editing had spliced in footage of Calista from behind walking up the aisle with her father (who resembled Ally's TV dad) toward Robert and Indio (who looked very much like Sam). Robert poked Indio in the ribs as they watched a close-up of his toothy grin. Then, just as Robert had reached for Calista's hand, David had cut away to Ally and Larry taking their scripted wedding vows. Then, after Larry and Ally shared their first kiss of married life, there was a switch back to Robert smiling and whispering something to Calista. It then showed Calista laughing, then Larry kissing Ally, then Robert and Calista turning, beaming, and then back to Ally and Larry facing their friends and family. Then there was a fade out and cut to the bar on the Ally set, the TV wedding reception and Ally/Larry's ultimate honeymoon departure. "Now, that was a beautiful wedding," Robert said, "editing actually did a good job, for once. And, who the hell was that gorgeous bride?" Calista gave him a sweet grin. On Tuesday before their scheduled departure for London on Saturday, the pre-adoption home study was completed and the caseworker was submitting her report to the court the following day. Robert had signed all the necessary documents and Calista's attorney had the adoption papers ready to file on Thursday, at which time an order would be entered declaring Robert as Liam's legal father. There would also be an accompanying birth certificate legally changing Liam's last name to Downey. Indio was bugging Robert to take him shopping because they'd told him he could decorate his room anyway he wanted. The two of them went shopping the following day and came home loaded down with posters, toys and tons of video games. "Video games?" Calista said, "that's decorating?" Robert and Indio shrugged. "Okay, I can see we need some rules around her. So, I'm calling the first Downey family meeting to order." Robert and Indio looked at each other like they'd both been caught with their hands in the cookie jar. "What'd we do?" they asked. "Oh, don't play innocent with me," she warned. "How could you - there's enough video games there for a year." "So?" they said, seeing absolutely nothing wrong with it. "We also bought lots of other things that are gonna be delivered." She gave an exasperated groan. "Okay, here's the deal. I'm not gonna lose a husband and a son to a computer or the TV. So, Rule #1, no more than 1-1/2 hours a day on video/computer games, and never consecutively. Understood? We've got lives here, guys, and we're gonna live ‘em." She put her hands on her hips indicating she meant business. "Agreed?" Robert and Indio looked at each other again and rolled their eyes, trying to keep from laughing. "I'm serious," Calista said almost cracking up herself. "1-1/2 hours, tops. Agreed?!" They hemmed and hawed and reluctantly nodded and then laughed and high fived each other. Robert grinned at Calista, "You coulda had us at one, sweetheart, maybe even half an hour." She sneered lovingly at them both, "Oh, that's funny." Liam came up behind Indio and squeezed his head between his legs, "Ona pay," he said. Looking down, Indio said impatiently, "Liam, don't bug me, I don't wanna play right now, I've got lots of things to do." Liam bounced up and down, presenting an incredibly pathetic face, "Ona pay...ona pay, peeze" he whined. Then he looked up at Indio, and gave him a wide, crooked, semi-toothless grin. Robert and Calista decided to stay out of it and let them work it out. Finally, Indio shrugged in surrender, "Oh, awright, I'll play with you, but first you gotta help me put this stuff away, okay?" Liam grinned and nodded and they both wandered off toward Indio's room. That evening after dinner, they played in the pool for a while and then Calista reluctantly joined the guys in Indio's room and suffered through numerous video games. While getting ready for bed, she surveyed herself in the mirror. "I love it. For the first time in my life, I've got boobs. I may stay pregnant the rest of my life." Robert came up behind her and cupped her breasts in his hands. Burying his face against the back of her neck, he murmured, "Mmm, if that's an invitation, I'm up for the challenge." She turned in his arms and kissed him sweetly, "I don't doubt that for a second." They kissed again. Later, laying curled up against Robert's back, Calista asked, "You scared?" "About ....?" Robert ventured cautiously. "About everything," she answered. "I mean, my head's spinning. Everything's happened so fast ... and it's ... just ... too perfect." She suddenly sat up in bed, panicking, "Oh, shit, Robert, we have to change our plane reservations." "What?" "Things are just too good. I mean, TOO good. Something's gonna happen, I just know it. I've got this sick feeling in my stomach." He stretched out on his side and yawned. "You're pregnant, remember? Aren't you supposed to feel that way?" She hit him on the arm. "I'm not kidding. The plane's gonna crash. I know it." She was working herself into a panic. "We have to take separate flights. That way at least half of us will ... still ... be here." Robert sat up. "Like I'd wanna stick around and cry the rest of my life if something happened to you or the kids?" he asked incredulously. "And, uh .. I'd kinda like to think you'd feel the same way. Hell, if we're gonna go, I wanna go together. That way, we won't know any different." He rubbed her shoulders lovingly and said, "But, honey, nothing's gonna happen." He grinned sweetly, "I've already had my plane crash, remember? If God wanted me to go that way, I'd already be gone. So, logically," he said smirking, "the safest place you and the kids can be is with me. Right?" "Maybe," she said glumly, "but, then, why do I feel this way?" He shrugged, "Because .... everything's perfect." He kissed her tenderly on the neck, "But, let's trust it, okay?" He laid back down and tugged on her arm gently, "Now, come to papa, I'll kiss it and make it better." She looked at him menacingly, "Okay, but I'm warning you Robert, if we all die, I'm never gonna talk to you again."
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Author: shirley fry
E-mail: emtnest@worldnet.att.net
Thanks to: Helen, for inspiring a few paragraphs and
for the insightful medical/psycho references. Much appreciation
to Charlotte for her guidance as my editor/musical director.