Reunion

Harriett took a deep breath and knocked on the door. She stepped back, nervously twirling a ringlet of orange hair between her fingers. It had been several years since she'd seen her son. She had told him to leave until he was able to behave himself. He'd never returned. She had heard that he was now the proud father of two children with his long-time girlfriend. Her partner, Alfonz, had encouraged her to reconnect with her son and get to know her grand-kids. She was terrified. Her experience raising her son by herself had been awful. He had been an energetic, excitable child, always getting into mischief and rarely calm. He'd driven her up the wall daily; breaking things, stealing, harassing her workers and any visitors brave enough to knock on the door. As a teenager, things had only gotten worse. He'd discovered alcohol, drugs and sex. His appetite for all three led her to kick him out, sick of looking after him and cleaning up his messes.

The door was opened by a tired-looking young man holding a toddler on his hip with a towel over his shoulder. His orange eyes widened as he recognised his visitor.

'Hi, Harvey. It's good to see you,' Harriett said quickly, afraid of what his first words to her would be after all this time.

'Mum. Thank God. Here, hold him. I have to change his sister. Snow's sleeping.' He thrust the toddler into her arms and hurried back into the house. Harriett looked at the little boy in her arms, so similar to his father at that age. He grinned at her and her stomach lurched, waiting for him to smack her or throw up on her. The toddler babbled at her, sticking his hand in his own mouth to chew on. She let out a breath she hadn't realised she was holding and stepped into the house. The house was surprisingly tidy and she sat on the couch with the toddler on her lap. Harvey came into the lounge room carrying an infant and a soft toy. He plopped onto the couch beside her and handed the baby the soft toy to play with.

'I'm sorry I kicked you out,' Harriett said softly.

'I needed it, Mum. It gave me a chance to really get everything out of my system and figure my life out. Snow's got me under her thumb now, and the kids keep us both busy.' He chuckled. 'How have you been? Had any siblings for me?'

'Heh, no. I've been good. Just working and taking photos.'

'That's good. I'm sorry I was such a terror as a kid. He can be a handful sometimes. I don't know how you did it by yourself.' The little boy giggled as his dad ruffled his hair.

'Some days I'm surprised you survived me. I was so unprepared. I had no idea what I was doing, and I got frustrated so easily. I cried myself to sleep so many nights,' she admitted. They sat in silence for a while, playing with the children.

'Thank you for letting me sleep, Harvey...Oh, hi, you must be Harriett. I'm Snowflake.' The young woman had ice blue hair with pale pink streaks, pink eyes and a pair of ice blue dragon wings sprouting from her back. She gave Harriett a welcoming hug and kissed Harvey on the cheek.

'Mum!' the little boy cried, arms up in the air for a hug.

Snowflake scooped him up and cuddled him, covering his face with kisses. She sniffed and pulled a face. 'Ugh, Harvey, he needs to be changed,' she said, holding him out to her partner.

'Aw, man.' Harvey passed the baby to his mother and got up, taking his son and leaving the room. 'Oh, my God! What have we been feeding you?' Harvey cried from the bathroom. His outburst was followed by laughter from his son as Harvey continued to moan and groan in mock horror.

'I don't miss that at all,' Harriett commented as Snowflake giggled.

'I bet. Harvey told me he was a handful of a child. Did he really get on top of the fridge with a butcher knife?'

'Yes, he did. I still don't know how or why.'

Snowflake laughed. 'I'm glad ours aren't that bad. But we are dreading the teen years. With my dad being the Demon Lord of Lust and Mum's history of being promiscuous...let's just say we are looking into chastity belts,' she said with a chuckle.

'Take it from me, a belt probably won't help. I recommend a well-secured room. Or just let them get it out of their systems. Teach them about safe sex; protection, contraception and potions. Or hope they go for same-sex relationships to begin with.'

Snowflake grinned and nodded. 'Good advice. Dad says they can just date the minions. Can't reproduce with them.'

'Yeah, that's another option. I'm so glad my boy found a loving home. You two seem really happy together.'

'Thank you, we are. Don't beat yourself up too much over kicking him out. He was still really immature and silly when I met him. I didn't want to date him, but then he proved himself to me. He's still immature and cheeky, but he knows his boundaries now.'

'That's good. I feared he would get himself killed with his mischievous ways.'

'Who's got a clean bum?' Harvey sang as he entered the lounge room.

'Me!' announced the toddler in his arms with a huge smile.

'Shall we watch a movie?' Snowflake suggested as Harvey sat on the floor and tipped out a tub of blocks.

'Moana!' the toddler cried excitedly, running over to the television, orange curls bouncing.

'Okay, okay. Sit down and Mum will put it on for you,' Snowflake said calmly. The boy sat down with his father as Snowflake put the movie on and relaxed on the couch. Harriett sat back, smiling contentedly, her pink-haired grand-daughter falling asleep in her arms as the movie began to play.