John Baptiste. [powered_otaku]

[sweetsalome]

        It's one of those perfect summer days, one that isn't too hot, too humid. Right after a hard, cold rain, that cools everything down and leaves just enough moisture in the reserves for when the sun shines high over head. Salome's Grandparent's house sits on three acres of land, enough for a great back and front yard, but not enough to be considered country. Far back away from the road, it rests on top of a slight incline, that is just right for sledding when the snow falls in the winter. Two stories tall, it's painted white with blue shutters, that get repainted every two years, a task that her grandfather complains about, but always does proudly. There is a front porch and a back porch, maybe some years ago they were connected, but it seems someone had gotten rid of it years before.

On the back porch there is a swing, it's chain rusted and when it rocks back and forth it squeaks. Not an annoying squeak, but steady and simple, it's sound changing with the back and forth movements. It's one of the things on grandpa's to do list, but never seems to get done. There are four old apple trees a few feet away from the back porch, in the spring their leaves turn dark and about mid-summer the married couple talk at great length over what is the perfect time to pick the fruit. In the end, their largest issue is what to do with the apples they don't eat, turn into preserves, or bake into pies. The setting is idyllic, and for the most part, so is life in the Snyder house.

But like most things the exterior does not match the interior.  The Snyder's have an almost rabid hatred for anything to do with Liam Collins, and who can blame them?  The man took away their daughter, and through lengthy court custody battles, have left them with very little money to survive.  Despite the fact that they can't get a third year law student to look at their case, they still hold out hope that they will one day have their daughter back.  It's painfully obvious, and a weakness that is easily exploited.

       This morning, Salome and Jonba sit on the back porch with finger paints and large sheets of paper.  An old book with pictures of paintings sits propped up on the railing.  Salome is trying to convince the boy to make a painting like the vase of flowers in the book.  The boy needless to say is having none of it.  He is much happier smacking his multi-colored hands down on the paper, or just rubbing his chubby fingers around in circles in globs of paint.  Painting is just not a talent that the Collins possess, clearly.  It doesn't seem to matter, the boy is laughing and having a great time of it.

Comments

[powered-otaku.livejournal.com]

"The hat is mine! Now I must come up with an elaborate scheme to obtain it." He moves his hand a bit to the right to avoid the soapy T-Rex.

[sweetsalome.livejournal.com]

"The mailman has no idea what he's up against, we'll drive him insane." Jonba tolerates the washing as he growls with his T-rex and then offers Hiro his other dinosaur, a brontosaurs.

[powered-otaku.livejournal.com]

"Yes, he will go insane and I will grab his hat." He takes the brontosaurus from Jonba "Oooh, I am a big mean brontosaurus." He moves it slowly towards the T-Rex making roaring noises.

[sweetsalome.livejournal.com]

"So, he has to be insane BEFORE you can take his hat? I thought it would be more like you take his hat and then he goes insane." Giggling, she watches Jonba attack the brontosaurus with his T-Rex. "Eat! Rawr!"

[powered-otaku.livejournal.com]

"It would make it easier, but perhaps you are right. He would go insane without his hat for then he would no longer be the postman. Yes! Yes! Your plan is much better!" The bronto wiggles back and forth. "You will not eat me, T-Rex!"

[sweetsalome.livejournal.com]

"Hey, I know why I don't like the postman, but why don't you like the postman?" She loves that he can joke around with her, that he can take apart of silly ideas. Jonba loves the fact that Hiro will play with him, as his mother rinses him off he laughs. "T-wex hungee! Yum, Yum!"

[powered-otaku.livejournal.com]

"The postman is evil. He brings me bills." He snickers a little. "Insanity is too good for him." The bronto wiggles again. "No, no. Don't eat me, T-Rex. There are tasty humans to eat. I am too tough."

[sweetsalome.livejournal.com]

"Such hostility!" She teases him, "my instigation of the postman is based solely on the fact that I am weird." T-Rex goes for the neck before Jonba looks up at Hiro. "Who T-Rex eat?"

[powered-otaku.livejournal.com]

"Ah, but I am a hero. I have to save people from evil." The bronto moves towards Salome. "Girls are more tender than boys."

[sweetsalome.livejournal.com]

"That's right! And the mailman is the root of all evil." Her eyes widen when she sees the dinosaurs coming toward her. "Ohhh no, please don't eat me Mr. Dinosaurs!" Jonba giggles wildly as the T-Rex starts in Salome's hand.

[powered-otaku.livejournal.com]

"Yummy!" says the brontosaurus as he starts on her other hand. "Girls are yummy!"

[sweetsalome.livejournal.com]

Giggling, she tries to hold on to Jonba all while avoiding the dinosaurs. "Brontosaurus don't eat girls! They only eat leaves."

[powered-otaku.livejournal.com]

"Girls taste much better than leaves," the brontosaurus says. "Much better the boring old leaves."

[sweetsalome.livejournal.com]

"That may be true, but this girl needs to not be eaten so she can take care of the boy." Still, she laughs and then kisses the brontosaurus on the head. "Will that tide you over until after bath time?"

[powered-otaku.livejournal.com]

"Ok, that is good. Kisses are very good," the brontosaurus says. "You will need to give one to Mr. T-Rex, too."

[sweetsalome.livejournal.com]

"Okay, come here, Mr. T-Rex." Leaning forward she kisses T-Rex and then Jonba. "Out of the pool, my love, before you turn into a prune." She grinned at Hiro as Jonba wraps his arms around her neck. "May I have the towel, and would you like to help get cookie monster ready for bed?"

[powered-otaku.livejournal.com]

Hiro grabs the towel and holds it open for her to wrap Jonba in it. "You ready for bed, cookie monster?"

[sweetsalome.livejournal.com]

"Bed time!" Salome puts Jonba in the towel so Hiro can wrap it around him. She lets out the tub and goes into the bedroom to get his clothes. "He-woo go to bed?"

[powered-otaku.livejournal.com]

Hiro starts with drying Jonba's hair, when it's all spikey and somewhat drier, he dries Jonba's face and moves all the way down to his feet, making sure to be gentle. "I will be going to bed soon, too. It has been a big day." When he reaches Jonba's feet, he goes back to drying off his hair. He finger-combs it somewhat into shape then gives him a kiss on top of his head.

[sweetsalome.livejournal.com]

Jonba remains still, letting Hiro dry him off, yawning widely before putting his fingers into his mouth. It's clear that it's been a big day for him too. Salome comes back and smiles at the two before picking up the little boy, "time to get dressed! You can wear your dinosaur pajamas tonight, huh?" She walks with him and Hiro back to the bedroom.

[powered-otaku.livejournal.com]

Hiro puts his arm around her waist as they walk to Jonba's bedroom. "Oooh, dinosaur pajamas." He sits at the foot of the bed as Salome puts him down.

[sweetsalome.livejournal.com]

She lays Jonba down and starts the process of dressing the boy who keeps squirming around on the bed. As soon as the pajamas are on him, he stands up and starts bouncing around, singing along with Elmo.

[powered-otaku.livejournal.com]

Hiro grabs him and pulls him into his lap. "Cooookie monsters need to sleep. So does Elmo."

[sweetsalome.livejournal.com]

Jonba squirms and whines in Hiro's lap, flopping in the man's arms. He's tired, but refuses to settle down and actually go to bed. "Nooo . . . No bed!"

[powered-otaku.livejournal.com]

"Yes, yes, bed. Bed is good. Bed is soft and cuddly and wants to be your friend. I will read you a story, if you want, but I cannot read it if you are not ready to go to sleep."