Chapter Text
Chapter One
Christopher looked at his Mom, "Mommy," he said as he leaned against his gait trainer as he stopped, he was tired, and his arms ached, but he wanted to play like all the other kids. "Mommy," he called again, wanting to get her attention. She wasn't on the phone, so she should answer him. She had told him not to talk to her if she was on the phone, that it was rude.
"What, Christopher?" she sighed heavily as she looked at her four-year-old son. His birthday had been the day before, just as they had started decorating the house for Christmas.
"See Santa?" he asked, looking hopeful. He had something really important to ask him. He was just hoping that he'd get his wish.
"Yes, we're going to see Santa today," she answered, smiling at him. She was tired, Helena had been trying to force Shannon to let her take Christopher for the Christmas holidays, and Shannon was doing her best to rebuff the woman and her constant need to be in Shannon's home and dictating what Shannon did with her own son.
"Yay!" he cheered, laughing and wiggling where he stood, "We're going to see Santa."
Shannon laughed and smiled, "Yeah, we are, so let's get ready to brave the mall," she said, as she leaned down and pressed a kiss on his cheek. Normally, she'd have just picked him up and taken him to the bedroom to get him changed, but since he had gotten the gait trainer, he was more independent, wanting to do things himself, though he still needed that little bit of help with things occasionally. She walked behind him as he made his way to his bedroom, which was covered in planets and dinosaurs. Eddie had decorated it when he was last on leave four months ago.
Christopher plopped himself down on the floor and looked at the socks he needed to put on. He began to try, growling when his legs jerked a little, "So stupid," he grumbled.
Shannon sat on the floor beside him, "It's okay to ask for a little help," she reminded him.
Christopher pouted but then said, "Okay, Mommy, can you help?" he said, wiggling a foot in her direction, a sock half put on.
Shannon smiled and nodded, "Of course," she told him, helping him put his second sock on, he had just about managed to do the first one, though it needed a little bit of adjustment. The heel of it was to one side, "There we go," she said, grabbing his trainers and helping him put them on.
"Thanks, Mommy," he said, as he struggled to his feet, latching onto his gait trainer. He leaned on it and began to move again. Happy he was no longer strapped into it like he had been with his old one. It meant he could easily sit down, without someone helping him all the time. He couldn't wait until he got crutches, and that'd be next year, Miss Rita said so.
Soon enough mother and son were heading to the mall. Christopher happily sang along to the children's Christmas songs that were playing in the car. Shannon smiled, feeling a little happier to be out of the house. She loved the place that Eddie had brought for them both. But with Helena and Ramon Diaz constantly trying to interfere with their life there, it was becoming more like a prison to her.
Shannon was feeling tired and run-down. Each day was the same, a whirlwind of appointments that she had to keep, weighing up the need for another operation, and all the therapies Christopher was going to. They were all to make sure he'd be able to be himself, and the best version of himself that he could be. Then she had Helena and Ramon berating her for each and every single choice she made for her son.
She never focused on herself, the only time she did was her almost daily calls with her mother, and the last call she had with her mother had been disheartening. Janet Whitt had cancer, she had been in remission when Christopher had been born, but it had come back a year ago and was more aggressive than ever. It had quickly taken hold, and this time the chemo wasn't working, nothing was working.
Janet had called that morning to tell her that it was terminal and she only had six to eight months left before she passed; she wanted her daughter beside her when the time came. Shannon had tried to tell her that she had Christopher, and Janet had told her to let his grandparents take him.
Shannon didn't want to do that, knowing that as soon as Christopher went to them, then she'd never be able to get him back. She loved her son and didn't want Helena and Ramon to destroy the bright boy that he was turning out to be.
She pulled into the parking lot of the mall and got out, getting the gait trainer out first before Christopher. Knowing that he'd want to use it straight away instead of being in her arms until she got it out. It was also easier to do it this way, not that Helena agreed with her; if Helena had her way, then Christopher’s feet would never touch the ground.
"Okay," she said, as she looked around, seeing the signposts for where Santa had been set up for this year. The two made their way through the mall, looking at the decorations and in the shop windows. They got in the line and waited around for a while as it slowly went down, so many children were seeing and talking with Santa.
"Hello there," Santa said, a smile on his face, though it was mostly hidden by the fluffy white beard.
"Hi, Santa, I'm Christopher," he said, carefully pronouncing his name.
"Well, Christopher, have you been a good boy this year?"
"I have, I've been extra good because I have a really, really big Christmas wish this year," he said, looking at him with all the seriousness that a four-year-old could muster.
"Oh," Santa said, nodding, "Then I'll make sure to listen extra closely," he said, leaning in and asking, "So, Christopher, what is it that Santa can bring you this year?"
"My daddy, he's in the army, and I want him to come home. But not just for a bit but for forever," Christopher said, "I miss him a lot, I talk to him every day," he added, "but I want hugs every day too."
"Right, so you want him to come home from the Army and never go back," he said, as Christopher nodded several times.
"I miss Daddy," Christopher said, tears gathering in his eyes. He loved having his mommy, but he wanted his daddy as well.
"Of course you do, everyone loves their daddy and mommy. I'll see what this Santa can do to make sure you get your Christmas wish," he said, knowing that in reality, there wasn't anything that he could do.
Shannon watched, biting her lip as she kept down the anger inside that she felt at Eddie reenlisting when Christopher was two. They had argued about it each time they had seen each other. Yes, it was a good idea financially, but she needed help in taking care of Christopher. She felt like she was drowning with all that she needed to do to make sure Christopher was well taken care of. Then there was the in-laws, Helena and Ramon were always in her business, demanding to see and take Christopher at the drop of a hat. No matter what she said, they'd just show up and demand things. So far Shannon had been able to keep them at bay, but she didn't know how much longer she'd be able to hold out.
"Thank you Santa," Christopher said, hugging the man before he was set down on his feet. He leaned onto his gait trainer and walked back toward his mom. "Mommy, I miss Daddy, can we try calling him tonight?" he asked her.
"We can try, he might not be able to answer," she reminded him, though if she was being honest, Eddie almost always answered. If he didn't, he'd call her as soon as he could and it was an acceptable time in El Paso for him to call.
"I know, Mommy," Christopher said as they made their way through the mall. Shannon picked up a couple of things as they slowly made their way back to the parking lot.
XxXxX
It was almost Christopher's bedtime when Shannon was able to get in touch with Eddie. The man was rushing around a tent with a pad in his hand. "Eddie," she called to him, getting his attention.
"Sorry, Shannon," Eddie apologized, "I wish this were a good time that we could have a proper talk and chat," he said as he saw Christopher and smiled, "How are you, mijo?" he asked his son.
"Good, Daddy, miss you," he said, a little pout on his face.
"I miss you and Mommy sooo much," Eddie told him, looking at Shannon for a moment. "I wish I had more time," he said, "We're about to head out. Emergency mission," he added. She knew that sometimes he had to go out into the surrounding areas and pick up the injured.
"Yeah," she said, "I need..." she began, "when are you going to be coming home?"
"I have leave in three months," Eddie told her, "I wish I could be there this month," he added. "How was your birthday?" he asked, grabbing his helmet.
"Was fun, but missed you," Christopher answered him as he looked at the screen.
"I miss you as well, buddy," Eddie sighed, "I'll be home as soon as I can."
"This will be the last," Shannon said. "No more after this one."
Eddie remained quiet. He had already been in the army when they had started dating. He had signed up before they had even met. When he signed up for his second tour, he had been trying to get through to her that he had intended to make the army his career. He had told her that when they had first started dating, and again when she told him she was pregnant. It didn't matter what he said, she still believed that he should do what she wanted and leave. He was sick of going around in circles while trying to tell her that he was going to be signing up again for a third tour in two years. Though he was going to be trying to do a stateside posting and to move the family with him.
"Eddie, no more," she pressed again.
"Shannon, we've talked about this. I've talked to you about this several times over the years. Even before we started dating. The Army is where I want to be. I joined when I was eighteen, before we even met. I told you that I'd be doing this for the rest of my life," he reminded her, "I'll be trying to get a stateside posting, so I can be home more."
"Eddie, you--" she began to shout, causing Christopher to jump in her arms.
"Mommy?" Christopher said, voice wobbling in shock and a little fear at the raised voice.
"Eddie, you need to be home. I can't do this alone," she told him.
"I'm trying to go stateside, but it's going to be at least six months before they might let me. I have two years left of this tour, so I don't know if I'll be able to get one just yet," he told her, being honest. "You know about this, I told you so many times. You knew this about me before we got together," he said once more, shaking his head as he heard his name being called, "Shannon, I have to go, I'll talk to you again either tonight or tomorrow. I love you, both of you. Love you, Christopher, be good for Mommy, buddy," he said as he began to head out of the tent.
"Love you, Daddy!" Christopher called.
"Yeah, bye," Shannon said as she disconnected the call. She had known that he was career Army, she had hoped she'd have been able to change his mind. She held Christopher and cuddled him as he cried for his dad. She joined him in his tears before she settled him in bed for the night.