Closed These First Days

[Shane Ackley]

Shane had reached out to Mallory, Annika's sister, knowing that she had just had her baby and how difficult the first few months could be, and especially when it was clear that Mal's partner was busy and a little busy to be the support he maybe needed to be. But Shane knew that he and Annika had been lucky. He was taking Ulysses with him. The boy was just about a year old, crawling all over the place, almost walking. He babbling excited and hated being out of Shane's hold. He was a bright and adorable baby. He had him in the pram, and went to Mallory's house. He had a bag filled with ready food and a few of the things Ulysses had grown out of. Shane knocked on her door and waited, bending down as Ulysses tried to grab his attention, but the boy did just largely want out of the pram.

 

[Professor Mallory Grayveson]

Mallory was glad she'd decided to take the semester off for the birth of her son. She adored Atkin- he'd been so attentive in the beginning, but soon enough she'd insisted he go back to his shifts at the Inn- she wanted time with Peter before she went back to the school next semester. She was still really tired, but she was doing her best to pull through. She'd just finished feeding him, burping him, when a knock sounded on the door. With the baby still resting against her shoulder, Mallory crossed the living room in her pajamas. "Hey Shane," She greeted, not minding that her hair was in a messy braid or that there were bags under her eyes. "Ulysses. Come on in," She stepped aside, giving them room to enter.

 

[Shane Ackley]

Shane smiled at Mal when she opened the door, he pushed the pram inside and stepped in after. Ulysses was babbling excitedly at seeing his Aunt Mal. Shane moved to the pram and got Ulysses out from it, taking him in his arms and setting the boy on his hips. "We bring frozen dishes, clothes and ourselves to help you out today," he said, using some charms to get the food he'd prepared and frozen to emerge from a bag in the pram and go to her freezer so that it could be had a later point. "How are you doing?" he asked. "How is little Peter?" he asked, leaning a little in to look at the little baby, remembering when Ulysses had been that small.

 

[Professor Mallory Grayveson]

Mallory smiled as all the men entered, shutting the door behind them. She rubbed a krick in her neck as Shane spoke. She gave him another tired smile. "Oh, you know. Up every few hours, lots of fussing, sleeping in whatever chair he thinks is comfortable." She chuckled. "Trade?" She asked, shifting Peter gently into a better position in her arms so she could pass him over if Shane wanted to give her Ulysses for Peter.

 

[Shane Ackley]

Shane gave a little knowing smile, he had done a lot in the beginning, as Annika had just needed more time to recover. He hadn't minded really, he'd never been a great sleeper, and he loved Ulysses so much. Wanted to keep him in his arms as much as possible. He nodded, and let an eager Ulysses be switched for the little baby Peter. "He's beautiful, Mal," Shane said lightly, keeping a good hold of him, touching his tiny little nose and touching his soft pudgy cheeks. "Let's sit down," he encourage, since he was sure that sitting would be more comfortable.

 

[Professor Mallory Grayveson]

Mallory let Shane take Peter, shifting to take on the much wigglier little Ulysses, who immediately started playing with her hair. She chuckled, and nodded, moving to sit on the couch and summoning over a few fabric books for Ulysses as the boy settled in her lap, babbling to himself as he eagerly lost himself in the toys she gave him. She kept a hand on his back but turned to Shane. "So! How are things? The business? Nika? Yourself?" She questioned, stifling a yawn.

 

[Shane Ackley]

Shane sat down, carefully holding Peter as he did so. Watching as his own son immediately began babbling and playing with what Mal presented to him. "Things are good, Nika's doing well, getting there," he said. "Business is busy, and picking up now that I can do slightly more. I take Ulysses to work with me a lot, to give Nika more space when she needs it," he said softly. "You know, I'm happy to just watch Peter for a couple of hours if you want to rest?" he offered.

 

[Professor Mallory Grayveson]

Mallory smiled, a little bit of worry niggling at her gut for her little sister. She shook her head at Shane's offer. "Oh, thank you, but I'm alright. Atkin lets me rest when he comes home in the evenings." She reassured him, thumb idly rubbing at Ulysses' back. "I'm worried for Annika," She admitted softly. "I don't feel the way she does at all..." She chewed on her lip. As the oldest, it was her job to look out for her younger siblings. She let out a soft sigh. "I should do some digging, go back into family records, figure out if there's something we should know."

 

[Shane Ackley]

Shane gave a little smile. "Okay, but I'm here if you want a break during the day, or a nap, so, just, tell me what you need," he assured her, not wanting her to think he wouldn't also just be there for her as she needed him. If she needed him. He glanced at Peter in his arms and then back at her. "Oh, you think it might be something?" he said, having always just figured that people recovered at different rates. "If you tell me more, maybe I could help, try to spot what we might be looking for,"

 

[Professor Mallory Grayveson]

Mallory smiled, her thumb rubbing against Ulysses' back. "You're a good man, Shane. Thank you," She offered easily, eyes drifting down to Peter in his lap. She liked this- a little family of four. She'd have to talk to Atkin later to see what he thought about it. For now, though, she shook her head, having other things to worry about. "I'm not sure... anything, really. Annika has always been so... full of life, sometimes it was hard to keep up with her and Dimitri when we were younger. They were so mischevious. She hated sitting still for too long, if she wasn't pampering herself." She sighed. "I'm worried,"

 

[Shane Ackley]

Shane could share in some of Mallory's concerns, though perhaps he was a little blindsided by his own emotions. By his own feelings towards how she was doing. He knew it was a struggle, but she was slowly bouncing back, it was just taking more time, and he didn't want to make a big deal of something, but clearly Mal was concerned, and he knew that Annika was probably concerned too. "Okay," he said. "I'll take Mal to a healer as soon as I can get an appointment with one, and willmake sure they check for anything and everything it could be.

 

[Professor Mallory Grayveson]

Mallory gave him a soft smile. "Thank you, Shane," She murmured, as Peter started to fuss. "Oh, he must be hungry," She fretted. "Trade?" She asked, still rubbing Ulysses' back. "I'll do some digging at home and get back to you," She promised. "Let me get a full family history before her appointment, it should help."