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kaimelia · 3 years

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Paper Rings

hi! this is something that @teammorningglory suggested, where Amelia and Link meet on a dating app and explore their relationship. this is going to be a multi-part fic, so I hope you enjoy it!

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“All of his photos are with his mom. He looks like he would spend the whole time talking about her.”

“Amelia, stop being so picky. You are looking on Tinder. You’re not going to find some perfect guy on here,” Meredith laughed, stirring her coffee. She walked up behind Amelia. “He’s hot,”

“He’s also 23, Mer. I think he’s a bit too young.” The brunette set the phone down on the table and sighed. “I don’t think I’m ever going to find someone.” Maggie picked up the phone. “What are you doing!”

“Swiping, you’re definitely not going to find anybody if you don’t swipe.”

“Maggie! Give it back!”

“Bailey did this for me, and that’s how I met Clive.” She swiped right, smiling as the screen changed. “Look, you have a match! His name is Daniel. He’s 40 and an English professor.” Meredith paused, glancing over at the photo Maggie was showing Amelia.

“Mm, nope. I went on a date with him a few months ago. Cece set us up. I definitely scared him off.” Amelia threw her head down onto the table. “Hey, you’re the one who told me not to give up. Just because you and Owen are done doesn’t mean there’s no one for you.” Maggie’s face perked up.

“Look at this guy,” she whispered. “He’s hot.” Amelia took the phone from her and gawked at the screen.

“Okay, but his name is Atticus. Who names a kid that?” The brunette asked as Meredith reached over her shoulder and swiped right. “Hey, stop!”

“You have a match! With Atticus,” Meredith sang, grabbing her bag from the chair beside her sister. “Give it a shot, let him buy you dinner. The worst thing that could happen is you hate him and get a free meal.”

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Amelia didn’t think she hated him, at least from the conversations they’d had through the messenger. He’d even surprised her when he didn’t want just a hookup, something she’d received from the other guys her sister had matched her with. She walked down the hallway, laughing softly as she read the cheesy pickup line he had sent her. “Mm, are you talking to Atticus,” Meredith asked. Amelia looked to her side and smiled.

“Actually, I am. And he goes by Link. I gotta give it to you. He’s not as terrible as I thought.”

“Are you going out?”

“Tomorrow night. We’re going out for Italian food.” Meredith smirked at her sister. “Stop getting your hopes up,” Amelia muttered, “Remember when you thought you found that perfect guy, and then you found out he hates single moms?”

“Don’t remind me.” Meredith took the phone from Amelia. “But look at him, you have to give it a chance. A real chance.”

“Give what a chance?” Alex asked as he walked up beside Meredith.

“Amelia’s going on a date with a guy named Atticus, who she met on tinder.” She handed the phone to the pediatric surgeon, and he swiped through the photos.

“Tinder? You’re really on tinder, Shepherd?” Amelia grabbed the phone back from him and blushed softly.

“Look, I just need to get over Owen, and tinder is the easiest way to find someone. Everyone in this hospital has dated each other. It’s gross.”

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“Red or blue?” Meredith looked up from the couch to see Amelia standing in front of her, holding two dresses. She pointed towards the dark blue dress.

“Blue, the red one is too bright for a fancy dinner date with Atticus.”

“When are you going to stop mocking his name? I already told you he goes by Link,” Amelia groaned. She dropped down onto the couch, sinking into the cushions.

“Because what parents curse their child with the name Atticus? You have to find out why he’s named that.”

“I don’t even know why I’m doing this. I haven’t gone on a date in forever. I’m going to be so awkward and make terrible conversation and then accidentally tell him about all of my emotional baggage, and then I’ll scare him away.” Meredith raised an eyebrow at Amelia and set down the book she was reading.

“Go put on your dress.” She watched as the neurosurgeon slowly stood up, walking up the stairs with the dark blue dress in hand. A minute later, Amelia returned to the living room wearing the dress.

“This is too much.”

“Stop, you look hot. New haircut, fancy dress, did you shave?”

“This isn’t a hookup. But, I did.” Amelia adjusted the straps on her dress and checked her phone. “He’s gonna be here soon. He said he’d pick me up at 8.”

“I’ll answer the door, embarrass him a little bit. This is fun!” Meredith exclaimed. “Are you wearing heels? I have the black ones up in my room, the ones that pinch a little.” She stood up from the couch. “Stay here. I’ll go grab them.” Amelia unlocked her phone, a text from him saying he was on his way that’d been delivered a few minutes ago. They’d started texting earlier that day, when Amelia had given him her phone number, claiming it was for convenience. Meredith came back down just as the doorbell rang. She widened her eyes at Amelia. “Here,” she whispered, “I’ll get the door.” Amelia took the heels from her and slipped them on, waiting out of view of the door. She could hear Meredith open it.

“Oh, I must have the wrong house,” a male voice spoke.

“No, I’m Amelia’s sister. You must be Atticus,” Meredith greeted, sticking out her hand for him to shake.

“Link, actually, no one calls me Atticus. Uh, where’s Amelia?” Amelia stepped forward into the hallway, waving awkwardly at him.

“Hi,” she whispered, walking up to the door. “Thank you, Mer. You can go.” Meredith stepped back, patting her sister’s shoulder as she did.

“Be safe!” Amelia turned back to the man in front of her after Meredith had walked out of view.

“Sorry about her, she wanted to meet you.” He grinned toothily down at her.

“It’s fine.” He paused, looking into her eyes. “You look beautiful. I got you these,” he presented her with a small bouquet of roses as she blushed at him, looking down at her feet.

“Thank you,” Amelia whispered, taking a moment to smell the white roses. She looked back up at him. “We should get going.”

“Right,” he said, opening the front door and holding it open for her. He led her to the car in the driveway, unlocking it and holding the passenger door open for her.

“Thank you.” Link smiled at her before closing the door and walking around to the other side of the car. He sat down in the driver’s seat and started the car.

“Okay, first stop, Angelini’s.” Amelia looked over at him.

“First stop?” He nodded.

“Hey, I’ve got this all planned out. As dumb as it sounds, I take dates very seriously. Even tinder dates.” He quickly glanced over at her. “You look surprised.”

“I just, why are you on tinder? Guys like you don’t use tinder.”

“I could say the same for you.” He backed out of the driveway and began to drive down the street. “I just moved here. I don’t start work for a while, and I wanted to meet people.”

“Do you do this a lot? Plan out romantic tinder dates?” He shook his head.

“You’re my first tinder date. Something about you, I can’t place my finger on it.”

“Something about my online dating profile, you mean.” Link laughed as his lips turned up into a grin. “Very chivalrous, Link.”

#amelia shepherd #amelink #Atticus Lincoln #amelia x link #amelink fanfic #amelink fanfiction #grey's anatomy #private practice #greys abc #greys fanfic #my fics

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this-solaris-life · 4 years

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That Works For Me

Day: 1 || Prompt: Mid-Autumn Fall Festival

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Jiang Cheng had just finished bringing in the delivered groceries inside, when his phone started ringing. He let out a loud sigh knowing the owner of that ringtone. It was his best friend since childhood, Wei Wuxian. “It’s not even ten in the morning and you’re up? I am proud of you.”

“I wouldn’t have to be if I hadn’t let Lan Zhan talk me into these morning walks.” Wei Wuxian yawned.

“You shouldn’t have lost your bet then.” Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes as he put the man on speaker phone. He walked over to the bags to unload all the groceries he’d ordered for the dinner party tomorrow night. It was a lot of food but then their family and friends would be over. He smiled at how this would be the first party he and Meng Yao would be hosting since getting the house.

“Yeah, but it was worth it. Yummy shower time follows.” Wei Wuxian chuckled and Jiang Cheng scoffed.

“I don’t want to hear anything about Lan Wangji’s and your shower sex.” Jiang Cheng warned as he unpacked the groceries. “Also don’t forget to grab the raspberry Martinelli.”

“Oh you’re no fun.” Wei Wuxian pouted.

“No, I’m not. Excuse me if I don’t want a repeat of the last time we didn’t have some. I still can’t believe you served Xichen-ge that spiked hot chocolate.” Jiang Cheng chuckled despite remembering the chaos that’d happened shortly after the bailey’s had set in.

“Lan Zhan likes my hot chocolate.” Wei Wuxian playfully huffed. Jiang Cheng laughed as he shook his head. He closed the cabinet and put the last of the groceries away only to get out what he needed to start making the mooncakes. Jiang Cheng had promised to make them with Jin Ling when his sister brought him over later today. She had a doctor’s appointment and he never missed an opportunity to spend time with his nephew.

“Of course he likes it. He turned into your personal love bunny...oh my lord I can’t believe I said that.” Jiang Cheng said, slapping his hand on his forehead. This of course made Wei Wuxian bust out laughing.

“Lan Zhan is going to love it when I tell him about this.” Wei Wuxian teased while cackling. Jiang Cheng was going to tell him to stop but he could hear the quick tap of Wei Wuxian’s fingers. The click of Wei Wuxian’s nails.

“You’re still wearing those?” Jiang Cheng asked with a grin. Meng Yao and Jin Zixuan’s little brother, Mo Xuanyu just finished cosmetology school and Wei Wuxian had let him celebrate by putting nails on him. They were talon shaped gel nails with sparkly red polish and black matte at the pointed tip.

“Yes, their wonderful.” Wei Wuxian stated, gleefully.

“Poor love bunny.” Jiang Cheng muttered, checking his phone. Jin Ling would be there soon enough and he needed to go for his own morning run and take a shower before the toddler arrived.

“I heard that!” Wei Wuxian cackled.

“Sure you did, now go do what gremlin’s do when they aren’t terrorizing their friends.” Jiang Cheng teased.

“Oh, I will. You’ll see!”

“Don’t forget the Martenelli.” Jiang Cheng reminded him before ending the call.

Thankfully the last meeting on Meng Yao’s itinerary for the day was rescheduled by the other party. That meant that he’d been able to head home early for once. Honestly, he’d felt bad leaving Jiang Cheng at home so much just after they got the house. It couldn’t be helped though because of all launches that were set for the holidays from his company. Jiang Cheng was amazing though and supported him. By the time he made it to the front door his heart was beating quicker at the thought of seeing him.

He was in the foyer and was about to call out when he heard singing. It wasn’t just any singing. No, this beautiful voice came from his boyfriend. Jiang Cheng rarely sang when it wasn’t for his nephews. Meng Yao swallowed as he took off his jacket, hanging it on the hook over their shoe cubbies. Meng Yao quietly as he could, walked to the kitchen.

It was quite the sight. Jiang Cheng’s laptop was open playing Lion King 2 while Jiang Cheng and Jin Ling were at the island. There was flour all over it and some even on the floor. He held back a laugh at seeing how Jin Ling too was covered in sugar and what looked like chocolate? Jiang Cheng probably would be completely in the same boat had he not put on the frilly apron that Jin Ling had gifted him that had grumpy cats on it.

“Now the past I've tried forgetting, and my foes I could forgive. Trouble is, I know it's petty, but I hate to let them live.” Jiang Cheng sang as he lifted the roller with the celestial stamping on it. His boyfriend’s hair was up showing off his undercut and a smudge from a little chubby hand on his cheek. Across from him Jiang Cheng, Jin Ling clapped his hands and tried to sing along. His nephew spotted him and he lifted his finger. Jin Ling nodded and went on watching his jiujiu with a big toothy grin.

“So you found yourself somebody. Who'd chase Simba up a tree. Oh, the battle may be blood...But that kind of works for me” Jiang Cheng winked at Jin Ling.

“It works for me too!” Jin Ling yelped and held his arms up in the air like Jiang Cheng.

“It works for me too.” Meng Yao said, announcing himself. That earned him a spooked yelp from Jiang Cheng and a cackle from Jin Ling.

“Yao-shu is home!” Jin Ling proudly told Jiang Cheng as the man laughed heartily.

“Yes, I’m home.” Meng Yao grinned, pushing himself off the door frame. He crossed the room and spotted the different dough rolls. They’d probably had just gotten started. “And do you both think it’d be alright if I help you finish the moon cakes?” His brown eyes gleaming with happiness.

“I think you can.” Jiang Cheng smiled before leaning in to give him a brief kiss. “But you’re getting out of that penguin suit first.”

“Alright, I’ll be right back.” Meng Yao chuckled, kissing Jiang Cheng again. That’d earned them a disgusted sound from Jin Ling. He’d eventually gone to change but not before making sure that he ‘d given his nephew plenty of kisses.

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indescribablechoices · 5 years

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stay the course

Pairing: Damien Nazario x MC (Kai Park), discussions of past Hayden x MC and suggestive beginnings of Damien x MC x Hayden

Word Count: 1686

Listening Suggestion: Walking The Wire - Imagine Dragons

Fic Tag List: @brightpinkpeppercorn @kennaxval

Synopsis: On the flight from Tokyo to San Francisco, Damien and Hayden take a moment to talk and clear the air for the first time since everything happened with Eros. Bonding and fluff ensue. (this is written with Kai who broke up with Hayden in Berlin and immediately got with Damien, and then my ass fell in love with Hayden in book two so we’re rolling with it)

“Mind if I…?”

Damien glanced up at the sound of Hayden’s voice, removing the headphones to the terrible action movie he’d been watching, “Uh, sure.”

Hayden slid into the empty seat beside him, “Kai’s sat in my seat with Sloane. They’re apparently premiering Tender Nothings on this flight and they wanted to watch it together.” A smile played on his mouth, “She didn’t want to leave you on your own so I promised I’d keep an eye on you.”

Damien laughed softly to himself, “She never changes.”

“No she doesn’t,” Hayden said, almost wistfully, “Look, can we… talk?”

“Isn’t that what we’re already doing?” Damien’s eyebrow raised slightly and Hayden gave him a look.

“We haven’t had a chance to actually talk since… well…”

“That night in Nadia’s apartment,” Damien said.

Hayden gave a nod, “Yeah pretty much. And a lot has changed since then.”

“I’ll say,” Damien said quietly then let out a sigh, his expression turning serious, “You’re right. A lot has changed, and not just with the whole Eros situation. I… I never intended to come between you and Kai.”

“I know,” Hayden said, “She told me what happened that night, with your file. That couldn’t have been easy having it come out like that… Though none of us apart from Kai were surprised.”

“What?”

A soft chuckle left Hayden’s mouth, “I’m not blind, Damien. I knew the first night I met you that you had feelings for her. Everyone could see it, apart from her.”

“Well, shit,” Damien sighed, “I thought I was at least subtle about it.”

Hayden offered him a smile, “You weren’t. But I didn’t think any less of you for it. I wasn’t even jealous of your relationship until…”

“Until Berlin?” Damien offered.

Hayden nodded slightly, “The flight to Berlin mostly. I was so stuck in my headspace about finding out what I was that I couldn’t be there for her, but you could, and you were. You held her, and comforted her, and made sure she was okay.”

“I think everyone can give you a pass for that evening, that was some heavy stuff you were getting your head around,” he pointed out.

“Maybe, but no matter what’s been thrown our way, you’ve always been able to look after her. I know she doesn’t need looking after, the woman’s a force of damn nature,” a comment which made them both crack a smile, “But she needs you, Damien, in a way she’ll never need me.”

“Hayden…” Damien said quietly, but Hayden kept speaking.

“Ever since she lost you she… She hasn’t been the same. Her sole and complete focus was you. Finding you, getting you home; back to her. She was inconsolable the first few days. She’d convinced herself that you had died when we destroyed the Eros facility. She thought that she’d killed you, and then to have Dames there following us around like a ghost… Then she found out you were alive, and it was all that drove her. Nadia and I had to force her to eat and sleep to make sure that she kept her strength up.”

Damien shook his head to himself, “She wouldn’t be Peanut if she wasn’t so damn stubborn… But thank you, Hayden, for taking care of her.”

“Of course.”

“No, I mean it. I can’t imagine any of this has been easy for you, and you’ve been nothing but a good man about it all. Being stuck in that cell, not knowing what was really going on or who else made it or whether I’d ever be free, the only thing that kept me going was the knowledge that you would keep her safe.”

“Always,” Hayden said softly.

Damien met his eyes, “You still love her, don’t you?” Hayden glanced away, only looking back when he felt Damien’s hand on his arm, “Look, I’m not accusing you of anything. I just want to know where things stand.”

Hayden let out a slow breath and relaxed a little back into his seat, “Yeah, I still love her. I think I always will. I was made for her, but ever since that first night; none of it has ever felt programmed. She’s the only real thing I have, and if that is only ever as friendship; then that’s okay. I just want her to be happy, even if it’s not with me.”

Damien nodded slightly, feeling every word of Hayden’s deep in his soul. He had used pretty much the exact same justification to stay with Kai, even though every time he saw her with someone else it pained him.

“Well,” Damien said, sitting up a little in his seat to try and break the almost tense silence that had begun to settle between them, “For whatever it’s worth, I know Kai’s not the only one who’s glad to have you around. You’re a good guy.”

A smile played on Hayden’s mouth, “Yeah? You going soft on me, Nazario?”

Damien gave a laugh, “You wish; I was talking about Sloane.”

“Sure,” Hayden smiled, “And for whatever it’s worth, it’s good to have you back… and not just for Kai.”

Their eyes met for a moment and there was a shared moment of respect and the beginnings of an actual friendship.

They spoke for a little while longer about the plan once they arrived in San Francisco before Damien offered Hayden one of his earphones and the pair of them leaned in to watch the end of the action movie Damien had been watching; laughing and joking together over how terrible it was.

“Y’know, there’s something I’ve always been meaning to ask you,” Hayden said as the credits began to roll.

“Shoot.”

“Why do you call Kai ‘Peanut’?”

A grin spread across Damien’s face, “She never told you?”

“I asked her, but she said it was embarrassing and told me to never speak of it again.”

Damien began to laugh quietly, “Well, long story short; Kai has this strange obsession with this peanut brand she discovered when she and Nadia went to London a few years back called KP. She gets them imported every few months in a bulk buy box, then she’s got them stashed all over her apartment. I found them one night and I’ve been teasing her relentlessly ever since. And-”

“She’s small like a peanut as well,” Hayden finished with a matching smile.

“Exactly.”

His smile only grew when he saw one of the air hostesses making her way down the aisle, “I’ve got an idea… How much cash have you got on you?”

***

A few rows down, Kai was completely engrossed in Tender Nothings, only whispering a few odd comments to Sloane about how well Bailey Johnson was doing for her first movie and how amazing the chemistry was between her and Matt Rodriguez.

“Excuse me, miss?”

Kai glanced around to see one of the air hostesses looking at her, “Hi?”

“Are you Miss Kai Park?” she asked.

“I am… Sorry, me and my friend switched seats so we could watch a movie, do we…?” Kai trailed off as the woman shook her head with a smile.

“No that’s no trouble, I have the snacks you ordered,” she said.

“Snacks?” Kai frowned, and before she could say another word, the hostess turned to her cart and began unloading handfuls of bags of peanuts onto Kai’s tray table, then onto Sloane’s. Sloane started collecting some of them into her lap as they began to overflow onto the floor.

Kai’s mouth flapped in confusion as the hostess allowed herself a little laugh before leaning in to say quieter, “You friends two rows back asked me how many complementary peanuts they were allowed, and then paid for forty more packs to send to you. They told me they’re your favourite snack and wanted to cheer you up after your bad trip to Tokyo… Excuse me for saying this, but I’m not sure which one of them is your boyfriend, but either way; you’re a very lucky woman to have two guys who care that much about you.”

“Yeah, I guess I am,” Kai said quietly, a dumbfounded smile on her face as she pushed her cart away.

She kneeled up on her seat, looking over the top of Nadia and Steve who were behind her to where Damien and Hayden were sat the row behind again, their heads poking up over the top to watch her. She heard them crack up laughing as she flashed them her middle finger, calling to them, “They’re not even the right brand, assholes.”

“Close enough, Peanut,” Damien beamed, ducking quickly back into his seat when Kai launched a packet at him.

***

After their flight landed and they headed through the airport to hire a car, Kai caught up to Damien properly.

“Did you like your present?” he asked, putting an arm around her to hold her close as they walked.

She nudged him with her hip, “The guys at customs looked at me like I was a madwoman.”

He chuckled, “Well, it’ll be worth it to keep you happy for the next few weeks. I know they’re not the brand you like, but hopefully they’ll do until we can find you somewhere more permanent to get yours delivered.”

“Oh,” she said quietly, realising the heartfelt message behind the gesture, “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me, thank Hayden; it was his idea,” he nodded over to where Hayden was walking with Sloane, Dipper safely tucked in her carry case.

“Really?” her eyebrows went up a little and she felt her chest swell with affection.

“Yeah. We had a really good talk on the plane, and he wanted to do something to make you happy; no matter what happens over the next few weeks,” he told her, glancing at her as he watched her gaze remain settled on Hayden, noticing the soft smile on her face, “He’s a good guy.”

“Yeah,” she said softly, “He is.”

Together they headed out into the San Francisco sunshine to face their next challenges with Eros, a new but not unwelcome feeling settling in both of their hearts.

#i'm back BAAABY #perfect match #damien x mc #damien x mc x hayden #hayden young #damien nazario #kai park #writing

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thisdayinfavrd · 5 years

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March 24, 2009

Thanks to Twitter, I now know that celebrities are not so fascinating. Many of them are not only dull, but bordering on illiterate. @AmyJane (Amy Jane Gruber) – 74

Does Facebook's new design have you at wit's end? Maybe you should go the fuck outside. @adamisacson (Adam Isacson) – 72

The first rule of Mime Club is: you do not talk about Mime Club. @luckyshirt (Darin Ross) – 69

Ellie and I wave at trashguy. Just as she walks away, trashguy looks up. At which point, it's just two guys in their 40s saying, "Hi!" @hotdogsladies (Merlin Mann) – 64

Hate to sound like a snob, but the books that I buy and never read are WAY more sophisticated than that shit Oprah pushes. @hotdogsladies (Merlin Mann) – 63

Today's schedule: 2p - Tax appointment with accountant. 4p - Hard liquor. 5p - "Ron Paul 2012" sign goes up in front window. @gruber (John Gruber) – 62

Fuck "Rest in Peace". My epitaph's gonna read "BASE JUMPING WITH THOR IN VALHALLA!" Admit it. That gave you a boner. @sween (Jason Sweeney) – 57

Every year the doctor asks if I still perform sexually. Every year I say, "Not professionally. Just for tips mostly." He doesn't get me. @trelvix (Trelvix) – 55

girls, if a guy asks why the neck of your shirt is stretched out, say "because i was looking at my boobs" not "because i haven't washed it." @baileygenine (Bailey Siewert) – 52

I forgot my "strangers please talk to me" sign for my train ride, good thing my headphones and book relay the same message. @baileygenine (Bailey Siewert) – 50

Horror! If the Hollywood celebs take over Twitter, it'll be nothing but vapid narcissism and uninformed political commentary! @Remiel (Remiel) – 50

Today the stock market had its 20th-largest single-day percent gain in history. Guess who's going to bed $27.83 wealthier than he woke up? @adamisacson (Adam Isacson) – 45

If you want people to buy your toxic assets, start calling them delicious, all-natural assets. Also, free toy inside. @badbanana (Tim Siedell) – 44

Somewhere, on some world, a man is judged not by his dancing but by how he nods his head knowingly to the beat. And on that world I am King. @secretsquirrel (Ryan Bateman) – 43

Stupid PBS Kids show said "if you don't have a tissue, sneeze into your elbow." My sportcoat now looks like I just delivered a baby calf. @adamisacson (Adam Isacson) – 42

A rose by any other name *would* smell as sweet, but you're less likely to put your nose near something called an octopus ejaculation. @sniffyjenkins (Justine Kilkerr) – 41

Someone said "Twitter drama" and I thought they said "Twitter diorama" and now I can't stop thinking about what that might look like. @Moltz (Moltz) – 39

Milkman looked at me oddly today. Must have been shocked by my hat, because *everyone’s* seen a naked woman with a loaded crossbow before. @sniffyjenkins (Justine Kilkerr) – 38

When I broke up with Jennifer Anniston, it was because of her consistent and continuous failure to realize I even existed. @toldorknown (Arch Stanton) – 37

Apparently, you can do anything as long as you do it "ironically". "Oh, just doing some pedophilia. But you know... 'ironically'." @sween (Jason Sweeney) – 32

#favrd is down

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heytothe · 5 years

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Many plant arrangements do dual purpose by arriving in bins that can be recycled. Lovely 'Welcome Baby' preparations can be ordered in white, red, yellow, or light red boxes or in holders that can be used again in the baby's room for holding things. Some contemporary plant arrangements arrive in tin bins that create ideal ice carafes or can be recycled for other plants.

Flowers Work When Nothing Else Does

Numerous plant customers are looking for something exclusive and have already spent hours ineffectively shopping for an ideal present at various shops. What you want to this dilemma is the slow down. Floral effects include flowers and treats that can be customized for the receiver. For example, for the fabulous you might choose a slow down with lavish flowers, fabulous offerings, and a container of great regional wine.

Floral effects are the best present for any special event. A regional property broker can near each cope with a slow down of real flowers and fruits. A well known romantic evening slow down contains a container of Bailey's, fabulous sweets, and a wonderful posy. And, don't forget a slow down for the new mom and dad. These are very in demand and contain light flowers and toiletry items for the newborn child.

Sometimes flowers are the best present option because you may not know what would be appropriate otherwise. For example, you get invited to an office retirement party and don't know the individual very well but still want to take a present. Instead of buying something the individual won't enjoy, you will carry a bouquet or slow down. Arrangements or fabulous present holders create innovative and sophisticated presents that can be as personal or as general as you want.

When you visit an online flower shop in Victoria, there you will contemporary plant arrangements, conventional plant choices, exclusive or conventional preparations, and of course, flowers.

Arrangements can also be sent for fun or 'just because'. Would a large stuffed stuffed bear sitting in a basket full of flowers put a grin on your friend's face? Well, this agreement and many other light-hearted options including tropical pleasures and balloons can be delivered with just a click or a short telephone call.

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latetothegreysparty · 6 years

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Enough Part 6

Hello, friends! I’m sorry this chapter took more time to write than I anticipated. It’s also pretty long. If you’d like to read/reread the earlier chapters, they can be found here: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5. Enjoy!

Enough Part 6

When Amelia got home, she poured herself into making the necessary preparations for the baby so that she wouldn’t have to think about her conversation with Owen. The first thing she did was research cribs and changing tables online and order one of each to be delivered the next day. She figured that would be easier than going out and buying those items and having to figure out a way to get them back to her apartment. Once she had purchased those bigger items, she decided to wait and see what April brought and what she suggested before beginning to buy the smaller stuff. The next thing she did was fill out and scan the forms Bailey had emailed for requesting family leave. Amelia was working on planning out where all the new furniture would go when she heard a knock at her door.

Amelia’s eyes went wide when she opened the door. Anybody who had passed April in the hallway probably thought she was moving in. She had bags and bags of items as well as multiple larger items such as a car seat, a bassinet, and a playpen. April noticed Amelia’s surprise and smiled. “I know this is a lot of stuff. You don’t have to take it all if you don’t want it. Feel free to send anything back home with me if you’d like.”

“No, no, no!” Amelia responded quickly. “This is so nice of you to bring all of this stuff over. I am happy to take anything you’ve got. I was just surprised you brought so much with you is all. Oh, and I’m probably going to need an explanation of what all of this is and how it works.” As she spoke, she began to pick up some bags and other items and carry them into her apartment. April followed suit and carried the car seat into the apartment behind Amelia. “Do you have some time to explain this all to me? Unless you have Harriet tonight. I don’t want to keep you from your child. If you need to go, I totally understand.”

April shook her head. “No, I have time to stay.”

They finished bringing in all of the items, and then Amelia got each of them a glass of water before they sat down together on the couch. “So where should we start our adventure into the world of all things baby?” Amelia asked.

April paused, looking at Amelia for a moment before answering. “You know, I think most of this stuff is actually pretty self-explanatory. You’ll figure it out as you go. And if there’s anything you need help with, you can ask me along the way as it comes up so that you don’t have to try to remember a bunch of information I overload you with tonight.” April waited a beat before continuing on with her thoughts. “But I did want to ask you how you’re doing. I didn’t really get to ask you earlier. Then I saw Owen, and when I mentioned the baby he had kind of a big reaction. Then it occured to me that if Owen was reacting that way, you must really have a lot of emotions.”

Amelia laughed humorlessly. Owen was the last person she wanted to think about at the moment. “Owen’s reaction was probably due in large part to the fact that I hadn’t told him yet.”

April’s eyes widened and she clapped a hand over her mouth which had involuntarily fallen open. “Amelia, I am so sorry! I had no idea! I should have asked. It really wasn’t right of me to say that without making sure you’d told him. Really, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” said Amelia. “This is my fault. I should’ve let you know that I hadn’t really told people about this yet. Of course you would assume that I’d told Owen if I was telling you.”

“But still, I shouldn’t be so flippant when talking about such an important topic,” April argued. “I hope I didn’t cause a problem between you and Owen.”

“I’d rather not talk about Owen right now,” said Amelia.

April felt a pang of guilt as she realized that there probably had been some drama between Owen and Amelia as a result of her comment to Owen, but she decided to respect Amelia’s wishes and steer the conversation in another direction. “This is a difficult topic for me,” Amelia said. “I think I’ve told you before that the last time I was pregnant, the father of the baby was dead by the time I found out I was pregnant. What I didn’t tell you is that the last time I was pregnant, my baby was anecephalic. I ended up giving birth to a child who had no brain and died 43 minutes after he was born. Ever since then, the topic of babies has been a sore subject for me. To tell you the truth, I don’t know why I agreed to become a foster parent to this baby. One day I went to the NICU on a whim and met him, and I guess one thing led to another, and now I’m getting ready to take him home and care for him until somebody else can. I have no idea what I’m doing. The whole way through this process, I kept thinking that I wasn’t making any commitments and I could always decide later that I wasn’t ready after all, but then all of a sudden I looked up and I was accepting a placement. So now my living room is full of baby toys and some company is coming to deliver a crib tomorrow and I have no idea how to do any of this.”

April smiled sympathetically. “Nobody ever has any idea how to do it,” she said. “No matter how many babies you’ve been around before, you can’t possibly understand what it’s like to care for your own until you actually do it.”

“I guess that’s true, but most people have a lot more time to prepare themselves,” Amelia argued. “It’s only been a little over a week since this idea first popped into my head, and I’ll probably have this kid in my apartment within the next few days.”

“It actually might be helpful that this is happening fast,” April reasoned. “You’ll have less time to freak out and second guess yourself. That’s probably for the better. He’ll be here soon, and then you won’t be worrying and waiting anymore. It’s probably better to jump into it without giving yourself a bunch of time to worry about never having done this before.”

Amelia nodded thoughtfully. “I suppose you’re right.” She stared blankly at the wall, eyes vacant, as her mind began to wander.

April pulled her from her wandering thoughts before she could get very far. “Amelia?” she called softly. “Is there something else on your mind?”

“Just, um, just thinking about my little boy, you know?” Amelia said with a watery smile, and April knew from experience that she wasn’t talking about the little boy she was about to bring home from the hospital and care for.

“Yeah, I know,” April whispered. “I know that there will be moments when you look at that sweet little baby that you’re about to bring home and all you can think about will be the little one who you should’ve brought home but didn’t.” A few tears started to slide down Amelia’s cheeks. April sighed. “Amelia, I know that this probably isn’t what you want to hear right now, but I think you should talk to Owen. I don’t know what happened between the two of you this afternoon.” Amelia opened her mouth to speak, but April kept talking. “And I’m not going to ask you. That’s between the two of you. What I do know is that you two are very close. I know you’ve helped each other through a lot of crap. I know that the next few weeks are about to be the most beautiful thing you’ve ever experienced and the hardest thing you’ve ever experienced. You’re going to need someone in your corner. I’ll be here for you. Of course I will. But I think you could really use the person who you’ve trusted with your issues for the last few years.”

Amelia looked away from April as she wiped her tears. At this moment, she desperately wanted to be alone so that she could let out all of the emotions that had been building for the last several hours. ��I’m getting tired, I think I should call it a night,” Amelia said softly.

April took the unsubtle cue and stood up. She walked to the door and opened it, but turned back to Amelia before stepping through it. “If you need anything, please call. Even if you just want to talk. I know I can’t understand exactly how you’re feeling, but I can do my best. Seriously, call any time.”

“Thanks,” Amelia said, doing her best to offer April a small smile.

“And please just think about what I said,” April added. “I know something happened between the two of you today, but he really would want to be there for you. I know it. Just talk to him.”

“Good night, April,” Amelia said, pointedly avoiding responding to April’s comments.

April sighed as she accepted that she wasn’t going to get any further on that subject tonight. “Good night,” she said before stepping out of Amelia’s apartment and pulling the door shut behind her.

The first thing Amelia did after waking up in the morning was go to the hospital to visit the baby. She knew the crib and changing table were scheduled to be delivered sometime in the afternoon, and she wanted to go see him before she had to be home to wait for the delivery. When she arrived in the NICU, a smiling Nia greeted her. “Good morning, Amelia. Here to see your little man?”

Amelia smiled back. “Yes please,” she said as she started toward the nursery door.

Nia continued to chat as the pair filed into the nursery. “The trauma surgeon came back last night,” she said.

Amelia froze. “What was he doing here?”

Nia didn’t seem to notice Amelia’s discomfort and continued to chat nonchalantly. “He said he had a patient who had been pregnant and had gotten an emergency C-section. He came down to check on the baby so he could tell his patient how her daughter was doing. Then he saw that our little guy was still here and asked what he was still doing here and if he could hold him. I told him about the foster care, and he asked if it was you who was taking him home. Do you guys not talk much?”

Amelia busied herself with fussing over the baby so she wouldn’t have to make eye contact as she responded. “Oh, um, no, we talk. I’ve just been a little busy lately.”

Nia chuckled lightly. “I can’t imagine why.”

Amelia forced a laugh, hoping Nia wouldn’t press her for more details about Owen if she kept up the appearance of a light atmosphere. “I’m sure you can’t. I’m sure you have no idea what it’s like to be busy either. Speaking of which, I’m sure you have a lot to do right now. Do you mind if I rock this little guy in the rocking chair for a few minutes while you take care of business.”

“Not at all, give him some extra snuggles for me.” With one final smile, Nia walked out of the room, leaving Amelia to take the baby boy to the rocking chair for a bit of bonding.

Amelia smiled as she looked down at the little boy in her arms. He was awake, but he seemed content. He wasn’t squirming, and he wasn’t making much noise, save for the occasional coo. “So Miss Linda tells me that I’m allowed to choose a name to call you. Well, at least until we find you your permanent home. Then your parents will get to name you for real. But in the meantime, we’ve got to call you something, don’t we? I was thinking Theodore. What do you think of that? It’s a nice strong name. And it’s got lots of nicknames. Ted, Theo, Teddy. Do you like that? Are you my little teddy bear? You’re certainly every bit as cuddly as a teddy bear.”

The little boy stared up at her, his pale blue eyes peering up at the face that had started to become familiar. Amelia laughed softly as she stared back at him. “Well, you’re not screaming or spitting up on me, so I’ll take that as approval.” She turned her eyes up to gaze at the wall across the room. “You’ll have to forgive me for the next few weeks. I’m sure there will be some bumps along the way. This is the first time I’m doing this, so I’ll probably make a lot of mistakes. But I’m hoping we can learn how to do this together. Maybe we can both try to be patient with one another and figure this whole family thing out together. What do you think?” She turned to glance down at him, and she found that his eyes were now closed. He cooed as he moved slightly against her chest, trying to find a comfortable position in which to rest. “Did I catch you at nap time?” she whispered. He shifted once more before stilling. “I’m sure I’ll learn your schedule soon. Why don’t I rock you a bit and see if we can get you to sleep?”

Just as she had said, Amelia began to rock softly in the chair. She remained silent as she allowed her mind to wander. She thought of how surreal it would be to be doing this in her own home. And then she thought of the fact that she hadn’t ordered a rocking chair. Shoot. She hoped Teddy would be fine without one for a few days while she ordered one and waited for it to arrive. She hadn’t even brought him home yet and she’d already discovered her first mistake. She could feel her heart begin to beat a bit faster as she worried herself over her failure to purchase a rocking chair along with the crib and changing table. She absentmindedly bent forward and sniffed at the infant’s head. She involuntarily smiled at the soft baby scent that filled her nostrils. When she glanced down, she found that he had already dozed off. He seemed to be a good little sleeper. Amelia found herself smiling softly again as she stood up and carried the little boy back to his crib. She spoke quietly as she settled him back in. “You are just too precious, you know that? Sleep well, little man. I’ll try to do a little better tomorrow.” With that, she turned and walked out of the room, taking care not to make too much noise that would wake Teddy or any of the other sleeping infants.

The rest of Amelia’s day was a blur of activity. She had stopped on her way home and picked up some odds and ends for the baby. She’d gotten several cases of diapers in the size that Nia had told her he currently wore. She’d stocked up on formula, baby wipes, diaper cream, and baby powder. And then, because she couldn’t help herself, she’d purchased a little onesie with bears on it. After coming back at her apartment and eating lunch, the delivery truck driver had arrived with the crib and changing table. She’d spent the rest of her afternoon and evening picking out and ordering a rocking chair to be delivered in the next few days and organizing all of her newly-acquired baby supplies. She went to bed exhausted, but content. She’d be ready to bring Teddy home very soon.

The first thing Amelia did when she woke up the next morning was call Linda. Unsurprisingly, she got Linda’s voicemail. Amelia figured Linda probably had quite a few cases, so she hadn’t expected her to pick up. “Hi Linda,” she said into her phone as she paced back and forth in her kitchen. “It’s Amelia Shepherd. I’ve gotten most of the supplies I’ll need for the baby and submitted my paperwork to the hospital to take family leave. I think I’ll be ready to bring him home soon. Please give me a call when you can so we can discuss a pick up date. Thanks.”

She hung up the phone and let out a heavy sigh. That was it. She’d just asked to bring him home. This was really happening. She could feel her heart rate begin to quicken. She immediately returned to her bedroom to go grab her iPad and look through the emails she’d gotten in the last 24 hours. She needed something to pull her mind away from how unprepared she felt to care for an infant on her own.

She had replied to all but three of the emails that had accumulated in her inbox when her phone rang. “Dr. Shepherd,” she answered absentmindedly as she clicked on another one of her unread emails.

“Hello, Amelia, this is Linda James returning your call from this morning,” came the voice from the other end of the phone.

Amelia immediately set down her iPad, not even bothering to lock the screen. “Hello, Linda, thanks for returning my call,” she said.

“My pleasure,” Linda responded. “So you said that you are ready to bring home the baby, is that correct?”

“Yes,” Amelia confirmed. “Do you have a date in mind for when that could happen?”

“I’m free this evening,” Linda said. Amelia nearly dropped the phone. “Would you be able to meet me around five o’clock in the hospital so we can finalize everything and send him home with you.”

“Uh, sure,” Amelia said slowly. Her mind was still catching up. When she called to schedule a time to take Teddy home from the hospital, she hadn’t imagined that she’d be bringing him home today. Like everything else in this process, this step had unfolded far faster than she’d imagined.

“Great, I’ll see you at five in the NICU then?” Linda asked.

“Yes, I’ll see you then. Thank you.” Amelia hung up the phone and walked into the room she’d set up as the nursery. She stared at the oak crib. In a matter of hours, a tiny little person would be sleeping on that bed. It all seemed so surreal. Before her mind could drift too far, though, she noticed something: the mattress in the crib was bare. Now that she thought about it, she hadn’t washed the sheets for the crib yet. She almost laughed. In her rush to get everything together, she had almost brought the infant home to a nursery with no sheets on the mattress. She began to dig through the chest of drawers in the corner of the room to find the sheets so that she could set to work laundering them.

The afternoon passed in a flurry of activity. She cooked dinner and put it in the fridge, knowing she’d be too preoccupied with Teddy to cook after she brought him home. She washed his sheets, vacuumed the nursery, and cleaned just about everything she could think of. This must be what people meant when they talked about nesting. After much scrubbing and dusting, she looked at the clock and noticed it was after four o’clock. She needed to start getting ready to head over to the hospital so that she’d be on time. Within fifteen minutes, she was heading out the door.

When Amelia arrived at the hospital this time, she didn’t make any attempt to evade the curious eyes of her coworkers. She headed straight for the NICU, mind solely focused on the little boy who would be coming home with her soon. In her right hand, she carried a bassinet that could be converted into a car seat or a stroller. The thought had briefly crossed her mind that it probably looked odd to be lugging around an empty baby carrier. As she pondered what she’d say to any curious person who asked where the baby was, she found that she had arrived in the NICU. To her surprise, Linda was already waiting for her. “You’re early,” Amelia stammered. Yet again, things were happening faster than she’d thought they would.

“You’re early too,” Linda teased gently. Amelia smiled softly, but said nothing in response. Linda took this as her cue to get down to business. She pulled out a few sheets of paper and a pen. “Here are the forms I need you to sign, once you’ve done that, we can go into the nursery, pick him up, and arrange to have him released.” Amelia set the bassinet off to the side and then quickly signed the paperwork and handed it back to Linda. “Alright, are you ready to go get him?” she asked.

Internally, Amelia was saying, “I have no idea if I’m ready,” but externally she merely smiled and nodded. She followed Linda into the nursery and across the room to the crib that she had visited many times.

Linda carefully lifted the baby from the crib. “Would you like to hold him while we go ask to have him discharged?” she asked.

“Sure,” Amelia replied softly, taking the small bundle from Linda. Her eyes widened as she looked down at the little boy in her arms. This time, she wouldn’t be placing him back into his crib in the NICU. Instead, she’d be buckling him into the bassinet she’d left in the hall and carrying him out to her car. She smiled softly at the baby as she stroked a gentle hand over his head and followed Linda out of the nursery.

“Have you decided what you’ll call him?” Linda asked.

“I’m thinking Theodore,” said Amelia. “It’s a nice strong name with lots of possibilities for nicknames. I’m thinking of calling him Teddy for now.”

Linda looked back at Amelia over her shoulder and smiled. “I think Teddy suits him.” By this point, they had arrived at the nurses’ station. Linda turned to speak to the nurse sitting behind the desk. “My name is Linda James, and I work the the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services. I would like to see about getting a patient discharged into the care of his foster mother.” Amelia’s heart clenched at the descriptor. Foster mother. That’s what she was. She was Teddy’s mother now. Granted, it was only until they could find a more permanent foster home or an adoptive home, but she was his primary caregiver for the time being.

She looked up to see that a neonatologist had come out with discharge papers. Within a few moments, Teddy had been discharged and signed over into her care. Now she was buckling the tiny boy into his bassinet and preparing to carry him out to her car. “Alright, I think you’re all set to go!” Linda said with a bright smile. “Please call me if you need anything, anything at all. I’m always happy to help. Otherwise, I’ll be getting in touch sometime about the home visit.”

Amelia nodded as she picked up the bassinet. “Thank you for all of your help through this process. I don’t know how I would’ve figured it out without your guidance.”

“It was my pleasure,” said Linda. “And thank you for joining the foster care program. It takes a special person to open her home and her heart to a child in need.” Amelia thanked her softly for the compliment. “Well if you’re all set to go, then I think I’ll be heading out,” said Linda. “Seriously, please call me if anything comes up. I’m always here for you and little Teddy.”

Amelia thanked her once more and watched as Linda walked away. She glanced down into the bassinet at the infant who was staring back up at her with wide blue eyes. “Well, what do you think little man?” she asked. “Is it time to go home?” The baby continued to stare back, and she laughed softly. “I think I’ll take that as a yes.” With that, she made her way out of the hospital and into the parking lot.

Amelia smiled down at the baby as she opened the back door of the car. “Let’s get you buckled in,” she whispered as she leaned into the car. As she looked from the bassinet to the back seat of her car, she frowned. It was just now occurring to her that she didn’t exactly know what she needed to do to convert the bassinet to its car seat form and strap it into the car. And, of course, she’d left the instruction manual that April had given her at home. “Okay, well it can’t be that difficult, can it?” she asked, forcing a smile as she began to fiddle with the bassinet.

After about 10 minutes of fumbling around, it became clear to her that she wasn’t going to be able to figure it out on her own. She’d probably need to call April and ask for help. Immediately, she recalled the way she’d forgotten to purchase a rocking chair and how she’d forgotten to launder the sheets and put them on the mattress until this afternoon. It was only her first day with the baby, and already her mistakes were piling up. She stepped away from the open car door and turned to face the rest of the parking lot. She could feel a few tears pricking her eyes. She was in over her head. That much was obvious.

Amelia could hear Teddy’s soft whines as he became restless, but she couldn’t bring herself to go back and comfort him yet. She needed a moment to deal with how overwhelmed she felt. She backed up until her back was pressed against the side of the car and closed her eyes, breathing in deeply through her nose and out through her mouth. This had all been a mistake. She had gotten attached to a patient who she had met by happenstance, and now she was standing here alone in a parking lot with a child who she was now responsible for, a child who was dependent upon her. She couldn’t even figure out how to get him settled in his car seat. This was all spiraling out of control.

As she rubbed her temples and continued to take slow deep breaths, she heard a voice coming from her left. “Amelia?” Owen called. “What are you doing?” As Owen got closer, he could hear the soft cries of an infant coming from the car. “Is the baby in your car?”

Amelia sighed as she opened her eyes and turned to face Owen. “Yes, he’s sitting in his bassinet on the floor of the car because I can’t figure out how to convert it to a car seat and buckle it in.”

Owen walked to the open car door and reached in. Within a few seconds, he had Teddy in his arms and was turning to face Amelia. “Here, can you hold him for a second?” he asked.

Amelia looked puzzled as she came over to stand next to Owen. “What are you doing?” she asked.

Owen didn’t respond to her question. He merely said: “Please, just take the baby,” as he held Teddy out toward her. By this point, Teddy’s whining had turned into crying. Still confused by Owen’s directions, Amelia instinctively reached out to hold and comfort the crying infant. As soon as she had Teddy cuddled to her chest, Owen turned back toward the car door and began to mess with the bassinet. Amelia didn’t pay much attention to what he was doing as her attention was focused mostly on settling the upset little boy in her arms. Less than a minute later, Owen turned back to her and said: “Give him to me, please.”

Instead of handing Teddy to Owen, Amelia turned to peer into the open car door. To her surprise, the bassinet had been successfully converted in a rear-facing car seat and strapped into the driver’s side chair in the backseat. “How did you figure that out so quickly?” she asked.

As Owen began to speak, he took Teddy from her arms and set to work buckling him into the car seat. “I was with April the first time she tried to use this thing with Harriet. She had a meltdown far more spectacular than yours when she couldn’t get it converted. It took me quite a bit of messing around, but I eventually figured it out. We practiced it several times in the parking lot just to make sure she had it down, so I remembered how it worked.” Owen turned back to face her, his arms now empty. “He’s buckled in now, so you should be good to go.”

“Thank you,” she said softly, at a loss for what else she could say. She was still angry about their conversation in the supply closet, but seeing the way he had stepped up to help her without question, even when they had just had a massive argument gave her pause. She had thought all of the yelling and accusations had come from a place of entitlement, but now she was questioning that. He was speaking in clipped sentences, avoiding eye contact, acting just a little bit uncomfortable, but still trying to assist her. It was becoming a bit more clear now. He was hurt. He wasn’t angry that she hadn’t told him because he felt entitled to be the first to know; he was hurt that she had struggled with a major life decision without telling him. A pang of guilt flooded through her at the thought. She was still mad at him for some of the things he’d said, but she figured they could work that out.

Her thoughts were interrupted by his voice. “See you later,” he said as he turned and began to walk off.

“Owen, wait!” she called after him. He stopped and turned back to face her, but made no move to walk back toward her. “I talked to Nia in the NICU today. You know, the really sweet nurse who’s always there? Anyway, I talked to Nia and she said you came back to see Teddy today.” A look of confusion settled on Owen’s face. “Teddy, the baby who is currently in my car,” she explained. “Nia told me earlier that you had done some kangaroo care for Teddy right after he was born, and she said that you came back to see him again today. I thought maybe you’d like to spend some time with him. Would you like to come over? We could hang out with Teddy and talk a little bit. Or we could not talk. We don’t have to talk yet if you don’t want to.”

The hopeful look on Amelia’s face at the end of her rambling saddened Owen. He could tell that this was her attempt at extending an olive branch. As much as he wanted to accept it and see if they could patch up their friendship again, this wasn’t the right way and he knew it. “Amelia, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

He didn’t miss the hurt and puzzled look on her face. “What do you mean?” she asked.

He sighed. “This whole situation is complicated for me. I don’t think we should get into it right now. You’re just taking home a baby.”

“Owen, what are you talking about? What’s complicated?” she asked.

He shook his head. “We can talk about it later. I think you should get your foster son home now.” And with that, he turned and walked away, ignoring the questions she continued to call out to his retreating form.

Amelia continued to watch him walk away for a few more moments, still trying to process what had happened. Just when she’d thought she understood the issues between the two of them, she found herself confused all over again. Before she could spend too much time pondering what had just transpired between her and Owen, her attention was drawn to Teddy’s whimpers. She pasted on a smile as she turned back to the car door that was still open. “Sorry, little man, I’m sure you probably want to go home now,” she said while softly stroking his cheek. She leaned into the car to press a kiss to his forehead before shutting the car door and climbing into the driver’s seat. As much as she wanted to figure out what had gone wrong in her attempt to figure things out with Owen, she couldn’t spend too much time worrying about that right now. She had a newborn in the backseat who needed to be taken home and fed.

#omelia #omeliafic #omeliafanfic #amelia shepherd #owen hunt #april kepner #grey's anatomy #greys anatomy

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sammy-moo · 6 years

Text

Growing Family

Characters: Sam x Reader, Dean x Kate (OFC), John x Mary, Kenton (OMC)

Prompt: Opening Gifts

Words: 1,176

Warnings: It’s the most, fluffiest time of the year

A/N: Sorry this is late. Busy and going back to a previous statement of I suck. This is day 12 for @thing-you-do-with-that-thing and @like-a-bag-of-potatoes 12 days of Christmas challenge!

December was always a crazy month with buying gifts and keeping them a secret, but it had been even harder this year with a baby on the way. You were six months swollen with your first child, which left you a nervous and excited wreck.

You and Sam were buckled in the car driving to his brothers to spend Christmas. Presents were piled in the back seat while a few small ones took the space in your lap. Stress still seemed to weigh you down as you feared everyone’s reactions to their gifts. You began feeling one of the gifts in your lap, making sure the feel of it matched the name.

Sam’s hazel eyes darted towards you upon hearing the rustling, “What are you doing?”

You looked towards your husband as he focused on the road, stealing glances every now and then while he waited for your answer. “I just hope that I put the right names on these.”

Sam chuckled, “I’m sure you did. And if you didn’t we can always correct it later.”

A sigh left you as you glanced back down to the gift with Sam’s name, “I hope so….”

Sam’s brows furrowed as he stole another glance, “Hey don’t be so hard on yourself. It’s something we can fix alright?”

You nodded and turned your attention to the window, watching as the snow covered rooftops passed by.

A snowman decorated Dean and Kathleen’s front yard. You knew their son Kenton had to have made it with the help from his dad. It brought a smile to your face as Sam pulled the car into the driveway, John and Mary’s car already parked in front of your’s.

When you unbuckled, Sam practically lept from the car and hurried to your side. He opened the door and helped you out, holding your hands gently until you were fully standing.

“Don’t worry about the gifts. Let’s just get you inside okay?”

“I can help--”

“Please? I’d rather you not slip and fall.”

You sighed, knowing that if you tried to argue with your husband it would only end in him winning.

You made your way into the house, an aroma of food hitting you in the face as you walked into the living room. Kate met you with a warm smile.

“Dean, Sam and Y/N are here!”

Dean smiled as he rounded the corner from the hallway, pulling his coat on, “I’ll go help with the gifts.”

Kenton ran after him, “I’m gonna help too!”

You laughed as the five year old hurried out.

Mary and John ventured out from the kitchen to give you a hug; Mary complimenting how beautiful you looked.

You smiled as you thanked her, hanging your coat up and finding the tree glittering with lights and ornaments. It was surrounded by a mountain of gifts.

“Man that’s a lot of gifts. And Santa already came?”

Kate laughed, “Yeah it would’ve been worse had Kenton not opened his from Santa this morning. He’s really excited for you and Sam to see what he picked out though.”

Sam smiled as he came in with Dean and Kenton, gifts in their arms as they set them down near the tree.

“It smells amazing in here.”

“That’s because Mom and Kate have been slaving away in the kitchen,” informed Dean as he came to wrap an around around Kate.

Kate’s eyes widened as hurried towards the kitchen with Mary to finish cooking and check on food.

Kenton stared at you with wide green eyes, taking notice of a small gift in your hand that they missed. “I’ll put that one under the tree for you Aunt Y/N! I know it’s hard for you to bend down since you’ve got a baby in there. At least that’s what Mommy said.”

You chuckled and handed it to him, “Why thank you sweetheart, but it’s not too difficult yet.”

Kenton snatched the gift and frowned when he saw it was to Sam, turning his excited expression back towards you, “When is she gonna be here anyways? I want someone to play with.”

Sam laughed and rustled his dark blond hair, “Well it’ll be awhile before you and your cousin can play together. She’ll be too little for that.”

Kenton whined and placed the present under the tree before falling to the couch face first, “This isn’t fair! I already have to wait a year for her to get here! Now a bajillion more!?”

“Just two,” you corrected through a small laugh.

“Two is too long! Can’t she just come out now and be my age!”

“If I deliver a five year old I’m questioning life and what drugs they gave me….”

John chuckled as he sat down with his coffee and bailey’s, “Considering how tall Sam is, you might deliver what looks like a five year old.”

“Hey,” Sam defended.

“And with all that hair too? Man you are in for a fun one,” he teased.

Sam groaned and shook his head as he took a seat, “Very funny.”

You chuckled and shuffled for the kitchen, “Want anything Sam?” He shook his head and you went into the kitchen.

“Food is almost done if you want to set the table.”

Soon everyone was done eating and piled into the living room, taking places on the chairs and couch while Kenton took the floor.

Kenton decided to pass out presents, tearing through his in a flash and screaming over some of his toys. He didn’t seem to pay any mind to everyone else as he was focused elsewhere.

You and Sam opened many gifts for the baby, and some for the two of you as well. Mary and John had gifted you with candles and gift cards, while Kate and Dean got stuff to pamper yourself with. Sam had gotten you a few decor items that you had been eying for a while.

Sam opened his to find new stuff for his office and things to relax and wind down with. Then he grabbed the gift from you. His fingers danced around the box, pulling wrapping paper away until he was left with the white, rectangular box concealing his gift. He pried the top away to find a collar sitting inside with a tag that read Milo. His brows knitted together as he looked up to you, sitting next to him.

“What’s this?”

You smiled warmly, “It’s the dog that I adopted. I know how you love dogs and I thought it was time. I know we have our daughter on the way, but he’s very well behaved.”

Sam’s eyes glistened as he pulled you into a hug, gently kissing your lips, “Thank you….”

“It’ll be our happy little family.”

“When can we get him?”

“Well, he’s currently at your parents so that’s up to them.”

John smiled, “You can get him on the way home.”

And later on that night, you and Sam drove home with a trunk full of gifts, a golden retriever in the back seat, and your hands intertwined on the middle console.

Tagging: @sleepywinchester, @hay-yo-its-jo, @timeforsmut, @goldenangelbloodcastiel, @because-imma-lady-assface, @growningupgeek, @abbessolute, @keelzy2, @wideawakeandwriting, @super-not-naturall, @babypieandwhiskey, @wi-deangirl77, @ilsawasanacrobat, @becs-bunker, @inlovewithbja, @squirrel--moose--giraffe, @mistressofallthingsgeeky, @theoutlinez, @samwinjarpad

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didanawisgi · 6 years

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By Michael Snyder

Once upon a time, it was popular to say that the U.S. government only had enough wheat stored up to provide everyone in America with half a loaf of bread. But that is not true anymore. Recently, I discovered that the U.S. does not have any strategic grain reserves left at all. Zero. Nada. Zilch. As you will see below, the USDA liquidated the remaining reserves back in 2008. So if a major food crisis hit this country, our government would have nothing to give us. Of course the federal government could always go out and try to buy or seize food to feed the population during a major emergency, but that wouldn’t actually increase the total amount of food that was available. Instead, it would just give the government more power over who gets it.

The U.S. strategic grain reserve was initially created during the days of the Great Depression. Back then, the wisdom of storing up food for hard times was self-evident. Unfortunately, over time interest in this program faded, and at this point there is no strategic grain reserve in the United States at all. The following comes from the Los Angeles Times…

The modern concept of a strategic grain reserve was first proposed in the 1930s by Wall Street legend Benjamin Graham. Graham’s idea hinged on the clever management of buffer stocks of grain to tame our daily bread’s tendencies toward boom and bust. When grain prices rose above a threshold, supplies could be increased by bringing reserves to the market — which, in turn, would dampen prices. And when the price of grain went into free-fall and farmers edged toward bankruptcy, the need to fill the depleted reserve would increase the demand for corn and wheat, which would prop up the price of grain.

Following Graham’s theory, President Franklin D. Roosevelt created a grain reserve that helped rally the price of wheat and saved American farms during the Depression. In the inflationary 1970s, the USDA revamped FDR’s program into the Farmer-Owned Grain Reserve, which encouraged farmers to store grain in government facilities by offering low-cost and even no-interest loans and reimbursement to cover the storage costs. But over the next quarter of a century the dogma of deregulated global markets came to dominate American politics, and the 1996 Freedom to Farm Act abolished our national system of holding grain in reserve.

As for all that wheat held in storage, it became part of the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust, a food bank and global charity under the authority of the secretary of Agriculture. The stores were gradually depleted until 2008, when the USDA decided to convert all of what was left into its dollar equivalent. And so the grain that once stabilized prices for farmers, bakers and American consumers ended up as a number on a spreadsheet in the Department of Agriculture.

Of course if there are no major national emergencies of any kind and life just continues on normally for decades to come, this will not be an issue.

But what if something does happen?

Right now, we are already witnessing all sorts of “mini food cataclysms”. For instance, bees just continue to die in unprecedented numbers all over the globe. During the most recent year, U.S. beekeepers lost approximately 40 percent of their colonies…

Widespread deaths among bees, known as Colony Collapse Disorder, were first reported about a decade ago, but the problem has not diminished and may have been especially bad recently.

Beekeepers across the United States lost roughly 40 percent of their colonies from April 2014 to April 2015, according to an annual survey conducted by the Bee Informed Partnership and Apiary Inspectors of America, with funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Another cataclysm is happening with bananas. In fact, it is being reported that the specific type of banana that we eat right now is in danger of being wiped off the face of the globe…

Bananas are in big trouble. While the beloved fruit remains as popular as ever, its crops across the world have been hit with an infectious fungus and the damage is irreparable.

The Cavendish species of banana, which was introduced in 1965, is currently the primary banana export in the world. And it’s being completely ruined by Tropical Race 4, a fungal disease that began in Malaysia in 1990 and has since spread to Southeast Asia, Australia, and finally Africa in 2013.

Believe it or not, this is not the first time a fungus has wiped out an entire species of the bright yellow fruit. By 1965, the Gros Michel species of banana—which lasted longer, were more resilient, and didn’t require artificial ripening—was eradicated after what was called the Panama disease, a different strain of a similar fungal disease wiped out the world’s commercial banana plantations.

In addition, the recent bird flu epidemic was responsible for the deaths of 48 million turkeys and chickens. This has driven egg prices through the roof…

U.S. egg prices continued their upward climb following the most devastating outbreak of bird flu in decades, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture report this week.

Prices of large Grade A eggs delivered to store doors in the Midwest Regional area hit a range of $2.73 to $2.81 per dozen, the report showed.

Indianapolis Business Journal notes this is the most expensive eggs have been, according to data that stretches back to 2000.

More than 48 million birds have been affected since avian flu first was spotted in the U.S. in December.

And of course there are many, many more examples of significant problems that are hitting our food supply. The following short list comes from one of my previous articles…

More than 40 percent of our fresh produce comes from the state of California, but thanks to the worst multi-year drought in the history of the state much of the region is turning back into a desert.

Also due to the persistent drought, the size of the U.S. cattle herd is now as small as it was during the 1950s, and the price of beef has doubled since the last recession.

Over the past few years, something called “porcine epidemic diarrhea” has wiped out approximately 10 percent of the entire pig population in the United States.

Just off the west coast of the United States, a wide variety of sea creatures are dying in unprecedented numbers. For example, the sardine population along the west coast has dropped by a staggering 91 percent just since 2007.

Down in Florida, citrus greening disease is absolutely crushing the citrus industry. Crops just keep on getting smaller year after year.

Are you starting to see what I am talking about?

In many years, the world already eats more food than it produces. We don’t have much room for error, and there are some countries that are already experiencing a full-blown food crisis. The nation of Guatemala is one of them…

Nearly one million people in Guatemala are struggling to feed themselves as poor rainfall has led to drought and shrunken harvests, worsening hunger among the poor, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said.

Linked to the El Nino weather phenomenon, this year’s drought has hit subsistence farmers living in Central America’s “dry corridor” that runs through parts of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua, hard.

“In Guatemala, 170,000 families, approximately 900,000 people, have no food reserves left. This is the third consecutive year they have been hit by drought,” Diego Recalde, head of FAO in Guatemala, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

In recent articles, I have also mentioned the growing food crisis in Venezuela. Things have gotten so bad that soldiers dressed in riot gear are now policing supermarkets…

Soldiers with riot shields, tear gas canisters, and rifles patrol lines in Maracaibo, a major city in the northwest.

Scarcity is particularly acute here because smugglers — taking advantage of the leftist government’s policy of fixing prices on some goods — buy products to sell for profit in nearby Colombia.

“We have to maintain control otherwise there would be chaos,” said Lieutenant Carlos Barrera, 21, pushing back crowds at one supermarket.

As you read this, intense food shortages are also affecting Syria, the Soloman Islands, Yemen, Zimbabwe, and several nations in southern Africa.

Just because you may live in a “wealthy western nation” does not mean that this will not impact you someday as well.

In fact, a major study was just released that came to the conclusion that global “food shocks” are going to become much more common in the years ahead. The following comes from the Guardian…

The likelihood of such a shock, where production of the world’s four major commodity crops – maize, soybean, wheat and rice – falls by 5-7%, is currently once-in-a-century. But such an event will occur every 30 years or more by 2040, according to the study by the UK-US Taskforce on Extreme Weather and Global Food System Resilience.

Such a shortfall in production could leave people in developing countries in “an almost untenable position”, with the US and the UK “very much exposed” to the resulting instability and conflict, said co-author Rob Bailey, research director for energy, environment and resources at Chatham House.

Sadly, I believe that things are going to turn out to be far worse than even that report is projecting.

I am convinced that we are moving into a time when increasing volcanic activity, shifting weather patterns, geopolitical instability and severe economic problems are going to create critical shortages of food all over the planet.

So what will you and your family do when those times arrive? Please feel free to add to the discussion by posting a comment below…

Image Credit

Michael Snyder is a writer, speaker and activist who writes and edits his own blogs The American Dreamand Economic Collapse Blog. Follow him on Twitter here.

#strategic grain reserve #prepper nation #prepper #survivalist #agriculture

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thechasefiles · 4 years

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The Chase Files Daily Newscap 5/2/2020

Good Morning #realdreamchasers ! Here is your daily news cap for Wednesday February 5th, 2020. There is a lot to read and digest so take your time. Remember you can read full articles via Barbados Government Information Service (BGIS), Barbados Today (BT), or by purchasing a MidweekNation Newspaper (MWN).

ECONOMIST: POSTAL FEE HIKE A BIG BLOW TO SMALL BUSINESS – Government’s decision to raise processing fees for packages coming through the postal service by 660 per cent, should be cause for concern in the small business community, a respected economist has warned. University of the West Indies lecturer in banking and finance Jeremy Stephen contends that the hike in user fees from $1.50 to $10 was discriminatory against small businesses which are most likely to use the postal office. The economist further noted that the poor are also likely to be affected, as they often use the post office to have low-cost items shipped to them. Stephen told Barbados TODAY: “I understand the reason for the fee and that Government wants to go on a user fee basis, but I believe it will impact the cost of doing business significantly on the island. “This is especially going to be the case for small businesses, not necessarily the larger ones. “It really can be reviewed as a regressive tax on small businesses because of lower volumes that they bring through the post office per week. “So that would be an increase in cost to customers, contributing to the already abysmal inflation we are facing in a slow economy.” Stephen called on Government to clarify whether the new fee would be for each item processed. The economist further warned: “For small businesses and poor people this can result in a contraction of consumption. “Maybe that is part of the general plan, but it shouldn’t be if you are promoting business growth. “Maybe it is isn’t intended, but it is discriminatory towards larger businesses who would not use the post office to import the inputs for their businesses.” The Postal Service announced that effective January 20, the cost of the Advice Fee for processing all parcels and letter packets at the post office would be increased. This prompted a response from consumer advocate Malcolm Gibbs-Taitt, who argued that the hike was onerous, adding that “poor people just cannot afford it”. But in defending the Government’s decision, Minister in the Ministry of Finance Ryan Straughn argued: “The reality is that [we need] to come to some reasoning with respect to the fact that the fees being charged by some agencies in Government need to reflect the cost of doing those services.” He declared that the changes in fees were necessary to allow Government to “better deliver the service that the people want”. He suggested that if those fees were not changed over time then it would most likely come in the form of more taxes. Barbados TODAY contacted Minister responsible for Small Business Dwight Sutherland who promised to comment on the issue after further dialogue with Cabinet colleagues. Stephen pointed out that the move should come as no surprise, suggesting it was par for the course in the current IMF-sanctioned budget austerity, during which state-owned services must pay their own way. He added: “State-owned enterprises such as the post office were a drag on public financing and everybody agreed that it was time to go to the IMF. “So for the last two years, the Government has been pushing fees, such as in the case of the hospital, which they claim is self-sustaining at this point. “The same goes for the airport and there are other examples. “One could argue that they could have sent home persons but that may have had a lot more repercussions in the short run.” (BT)

NO BAN – Minister of Health Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Bostic is defending Government’s decision not to ban travel from China, which is currently severely impacted by the deadly Coronavirus, even though six CARICOM countries have taken the decision to do just that. Speaking at a press briefing to update the public on recent CARICOM discussions to combat the global pandemic, Bostic made it clear that Barbados was keeping faith with its prevention protocols, which have been approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO). He explained that Barbados has covered its bases as it relates to additional medical personnel at the ports of entry, installation of temperature scanners and quarantine facilities at an undisclosed location. He noted that given the rigorous screening of passengers before getting to Barbados as well as the fact that there are no direct flights between Barbados and China, the risk to the country remains low and this could be further reduced when prevention protocols kick in. “We have six Caribbean territories placing a ban on passengers coming out of China. There were some discussions there and it was agreed that this was more than a health decision as there are other things involved. We in Barbados made the decision based on evidence, based on science, based on history and everything we have seen happening over last several weeks, that we were not going to go this route. We will follow the WHO instructions not to inhibit trade or travel,” Bostic said. “There has been about a dozen international incidents of this nature over the last 15 years or so and Barbados has never closed its borders. We have always relied on our people, the competence and collaborative skills of the people that we have at our ports of entry to keep the country safe and we are still confident with this,” he added. In fact, the Minister revealed that this policy was put to the test this weekend, as Barbados gave safe harbor to the AIDA Cruise Ship, which was turned away by St Lucia and other OECS countries on Saturday due to some guest presenting with respiratory illness. “When the cruise ship AIDA was here, some countries in the Caribbean denied entry but we did not. We based our decision on procedures and protocols and when port health went on the vessel which was carrying about 4,000 people, there were 40 people that were ill onboard including persons with gastroenteritis and other illness not related to the coronavirus. “The numbers were way below the required number for quarantining a vessel. So, we took the decision to allow the vessel to dock and allow passengers to disembark but those ill passengers had to remain onboard,” said Bostic, while acknowledging that a major outbreak of the illness in Barbados could be beyond the capabilities of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. “When we did our analysis of the situation, we determined that the airport was the most vulnerable area because the international regulations governing cruise ships coming into ports of entry are very strong and we have been doing this for a very long time. These cruise ships have their own hospitals on board, their own medical staff, their own quarantine station and we get information on the cruise ship up to four hours before they arrive. Port health officials then go onboard and scrutinize the medical data so that we can make certain determinations,” the Minister explained. (BT)

GOVT 'ON BALL' WHILE BAJANS STOCK UP – Health officials say they are “on the ball” regarding preparations for the coronavirus should it land here, but Barbadians appear not to be taking any chances and are flocking to stores buying up masks and hand sanitisers. Pharmacist-in-charge at Massy Pharmacy Warrens, Bernard Bailey, said they had sold more than 700 masks over the past three weeks. He said these, along with hand sanitiser, were in great demand. “It’s a good thing because people are being proactive; you don’t want the virus to arrive and you’re scrambling,” he said. A representative of Pharmacy Sales Caribbean Inc., based in Friendship Terrace, St Michael, said Barbadians had been demanding the masks in such great quantity they had to order more, adding another shipment was in the Bridgetown Port waiting to be cleared. Another pharmacist also reported last night that Collins Pharmacy was also out of masks. During a media conference yesterday, Minister of Health Jeffrey Bostic gave an update on Barbados’ position concerning the virus following an emergency CARICOM ministers of health meeting on Monday. (MWN)

TAKE PRECAUTIONS AGAINST LANDFILL FIRE – Persons with respiratory illnesses living in the vicinity of the Mangrove Landfill, in St Thomas, are being advised to leave the area until conditions caused by a second fire, which broke out in the tyre section at the landfill, improve. The Ministry of Health and Wellness has advised persons with asthma and other respiratory illnesses that if they are feeling unwell, they should also seek immediate medical attention at the nearest polyclinic or their private doctor. The Sanitation Service Authority and the Barbados Fire Service are currently on site at the Mangrove landfill dealing with a fire which has re-ignited in the tyre section. (BGIS)

CRACKING DOWN ON DRUG COCKTAILS – A new legislative framework is on the way to crack down on pharmaceuticals being used to concoct hallucinogenic and psychoactive drugs. After the launch of a workshop on synthetic drugs at the Regional Police training Centre last week, Minister of Home Affairs Edmund Hinkson announced that his ministry, along with the Ministry of Health and representatives from the Barbados Drug Service and National Council on Substance Abuse (NCSA) were working in collaboration to advise Cabinet on drafting legal policies to deal with the matter. “Government will act on the advice after the consideration of those technical proposals on how else to reform and modernise legislation,” he said. “This is an issue that is evolving. the ill effect of illegal substance abuse is changing every year and it’s a question of modernising and keeping up to date.” (MWN)

BODY FOUND AT HALLS ROAD – The body of a male was discovered this afternoon at the Mencea Cox roundabout, Halls Road, St Michael. Police are currently investigating the matter. (MWN)

ACCUSED ADMITS DAMAGING CHURCH PROPERTY – Renison Isaiah Prince says he broke 19 windows and a plant pot at the historic St Mary’s Church because, “God tell me to do it”. That’s the explanation the 26-year-old Fairfield, Black Rock, St Michael resident gave to police when he was arrested over two years ago. Before committing the criminal act on October 22, 2017 Prince ventured to Lucky Horsehoe where security officer Edwin Norgrove saw him. He was removed from those premises after drinking pepper sauce from the bottle, Senior Crown Counsel Olivia Davis said in reading the facts of the case. Prince left the establishment and Norgrove, who knew him for four years from seeing him, said Prince stated that someone was calling him from the churchyard. Norgrove told him that was not the case. Five minutes later the guard said he heard glass breaking from the direction of the church and subsequently saw Prince jumping over the southern wall, covered in blood. The police were called and Prince was arrested. The following morning around 5:45 a.m., the caretaker came in with the intentions of opening the church but instead discovered the windows broken and debris on the ground along with stones. The police arrived with a handcuffed Prince soon after. Photographs were taken of the scene and Prince was questioned about how he sustained the laceration on his left forearm. “I brek out windows in the church. God tell me to do it. I mean St Mary’s Church,” he told police. Under caution he then pointed to the windows he damaged and again stated: “I brek out them. God tell me to do it . . . and the plant pot inside. I don’t want no lawyer, I is who brek out the windows. I tell you what happen, I ain’t giving no statement.” The prosecutor told Justice Randall Worrell, the cost to repair and replace the windows was estimated at BDS$51,180. The judge remanded Prince to the Psychiatric Hospital for the next three weeks to be evaluated. He is currently serving time at Dodds,. Prince, who was unrepresented, returns before the No. 2 Supreme Court for sentencing on February 28. (BT)

SWORD ATTACKER TO KNOW HIS FATE NEXT WEEK – A 49-year-old landscaper who pleaded guilty to wounding another man is expected to know his fate on February 13. In the meantime, David Anderson Roach, of Dayrells Road, Christ Church is on $3,000 bail with a warning to stay away from the complainant. Roach had pleaded guilty to committing the offence against Hussain Hinds on December 30, 2019 causing him actual bodily harm. Addressing Magistrate Douglas Frederick in the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court Roach said: “I raised the sword to frighten him, not to hit him. I sorry I hit him, I am very sorry.” He told the magistrate he had the weapon for his trade as a landscaper. When Roach appears in the Bridgetown Court next Thursday, the complainant is also expected to be present to address the magistrate. (BT)

JAMAICAN PLEADS GUILTY – Jamaican labourer Nigel Oraine Bailey was handed over to immigration officials today after pleading guilty to a criminal charge. Bailey, who lived at My Lord’s Hill, St Michael admitted to entering the premises of Sabenar Joseph on January 20 and behaving in a threatening manner. Magistrate Douglas Frederick convicted, reprimanded and discharged the 28-year-old on the charge after hearing the particulars of the case. (BT)

BTC NOT TAKING BLAME – OPINION may be divided but the Barbados Turf Club (BTC) is taking none of the blame for last weekend’s tragic incident at the Garrison Savannah when five-year-old chestnut gelding Ranak snapped his left front leg in the final race of the day. BTC chief executive officer Rosette Peirce told the MIDWEEK NATION yesterday there was nothing dangerous about the conditions of the track, adding that the incident was unfortunate. “People are making assumptions and accusations but I am not aware of any issue of that part of the track. Anyone is welcome to come down here and check the track. “I am issuing an open invitation for photos to be taken where the incident occurred and maybe people can have a look and tell me what it is there that would have caused the horse to break his leg,” she said. (MWN)

PM: BIG PROJECTA COMING ONE BY ONE – Government is anticipating the start of some major projects in the coming weeks. Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley said people who were calling for investments would be able to count them “one by one”. She was speaking yesterday as officials of Chefette Restaurants Ltd broke ground for the fast food chain’s new ice cream and meat processing plants and corporate offices at Lears, St Michael. (MWN)

HART IS SPECIAL ADVISER TO UN SECRETARY-GENERAL - Former Barbados Ambassador to the United States, Selwin Hart, has been appointed special adviser to United Nations secretary-general António Guterres and assistant secretary-general of the Climate Action Team. Guterres made the announcement earlier today. Climate change remains at the top of the secretary-general’s priorities and one of the core priorities of the Decade of Action to Deliver the Sustainable Development Goals. In ensuring enhanced levels of ambition on climate change within the Decade, Hart will lead the Climate Action team, focusing on Member State support, coalition-building, UN system engagement and public mobilisation necessary to implement the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and achieve a successful 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow, United Kingdom in 2020. His job is to also ensure delivery of the Secretary-General’s priorities on climate change, from enhanced Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), fossil fuel and coal phase-out, ensuring public and private finance shifts and the transitions necessary to shift the world’s energy, transportation, land and natural systems in alignment with the goals of the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals. Hart is currently the Executive Director for the Caribbean region at the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB). He was previously the Ambassador to the United States and the Organisation of American States for Barbados and Director of the secretary-general’s Climate Change Support Team, leading the delivery of the 2014 Climate Summit and the secretary-general’s engagement in the process ahead of the signing of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. Throughout his career, Hart has served in several climate change leadership positions, including climate adviser for the Caribbean Development Bank, chief climate change negotiator for Barbados as well as the coordinator and lead negotiator on finance for the Alliance of Small Island Developing States (AOSIS), a coalition of 43 islands and low-lying coastal states in the Caribbean, Pacific, Africa, Indian Ocean and South China Sea. He was a member of the Kyoto Protocol Adaptation Fund Board from 2009 to 2010 and was elected by the United Nations General Assembly to serve as vice-chairman of the 2nd Committee of the United Nations General Assembly (Economic and Financial) during its 60th Session. (MWN)

MOTTLEY LAUDS STAFF AT CARICOM SECRETARIAT – The staff of the CARICOM Secretariat in Guyana were lauded by the movement’s chairman, Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley, as critical frontline soldiers in the war for a better region for all its people. Speaking during a one-day visit to the headquarters complex of the regional integration movement in Georgetown on Monday, Mottley also urged them to use this year to perfect their vision for the deepening of relations among member states and their people. “Let me say how pleased I am to be here in Georgetown in this building that really represents the hopes and aspirations of our people,” Barbados’ Prime Minister said. “Earlier, I was asked to sign the [visitor’s] book, and I said then that I was very conscious that 2020 is known for perfecting the finer vision, and therefore it has not escaped me that in this year 2020 we have an obligation to so do, building on the legacy of our founding fathers… “I am conscious now more than ever that ours is a responsibility to carry the baton, to hold it as firmly as we can … and to make sure that we can use this innings to add runs to the board, but conscious that others will come after us.” Mottley, who is preparing to host CARICOM’s Inter-sessional Heads Meeting in Barbados in just over two weeks, added: “To that extent, how do we progress and thrive, amidst all the challenges and crises that we face, amidst those who believe that by 2050 we run the risk that the Caribbean could be the poorest region of the world…, or by those who recognise that the climate crisis we face has put some real existential issues before us … and has created a category of persons we never thought would exist in our lifetime — climate refugees. “Then you then add the public health crises, and to those who think I am referring to the coronavirus, I am not., I am referring to the violence in our societies that would see from Jamaica with 101 murders in January, in Trinidad 46 and in my own country three, which may seem small to you, but is most disturbing to us.“When I look at these things, plus the other public health crisis of chronic NCDs that are cutting down too many of our people in the prime of their lives, then you begin to ask: How is it that what we are doing can make a difference to change the course of the destiny of not just our countries, but of individuals, individual families, individual communities?” Barbados’ Prime Minister then told scores of CARICOM employees: “It is for that reason that I believe that our ability this year, 2020, to pause and use the metaphor of the year to perfect that finer vision where we can allow our people to dare to dream, to be determined to do at all times, to be disciplined to do, to be able to recognise that the instant gratification …. of our time cannot be the thing that guides us as we go forward and that in almost every other aspect of serious human progress it requires discipline and capacity to stay the course and to stay focused. “And it is that that requires us therefore to engage our people and not just our governments. I have come here therefore conscious of the fact that the people who come to work every day to make this reality our reality, are primarily you in the secretariat. “I, therefore, thank you for your continued commitment to a project that many had doubted was capable of surviving; a project that many, even if they don’t doubt it, are sometimes prepared to be indifferent and more consumed with the affairs of others than with our own affairs. We have a responsibility to build on that legacy.” (MWN)

HISTORIAN KAMAU BRATHWAITE DIES AT 89 – Barbadian Edward Kamau Brathwaite, the noted poet and historian has passed. He was 89 years old. Kamau, as he was familiarly known, was educated at Harrison College, the University of Cambridge Pembroke College and the University of Sussex. He was an education officer in Ghana from 1955 to 1962 before he returned to the Caribbean to teach in St Lucia and later at the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, Jamaica. He also lectured at New York University. Some of his works include Rights of Passage (1967), Masks (1968), Islands (1969) and Barabajan Poems in 1994. Among his honours include an honorary doctorate from the University of Sussex, the Casa de las Americas Prize for Literary Criticism, the WEB Du Bois Award in 2010 and the Bussa Award. (MWN)

PM: KAMAU WAS WIZZARD WITH WORDS – The following statement was submitted by Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley on the passing of Barbadian cultural icon, Kamau Brathwaite, who passed away yesterday at age 89. Kamau Brathwaite was easily one of the titans of post-colonial literature and the Arts. His chronicling of our past through his magnificent works, shone a powerful light on the realities of our present and in turn, guided our sense of self and national identity. One of the highlights of my tenure as Minister of Culture was Barbados’ excellent presentation at CARIFESTA in Trinidad and Tobago, featuring Kamau’s seminal work "Barabajan". But his reach and influence were not limited to his beloved Barbados and the Caribbean. His tenure as an educator at institutions from Ghana to America allowed students of every ethnicity and background to experience his wizardry with words. Ultimately however, Kamau’s legacy and timeless gift to us all is his powerfully poignant body of work. From “Odale’s Choice” and “The Arrivants” to “Mother Poem” and “Born to Slow Horses”, he leaves us priceless literary treasures that will delight and shape our minds for generations to come. The numerous stellar awards for his work are testament to the global acclaim and respect earned for decades of exceptional literary craftsmanship. Kamau Brathwaite espoused the very best of the Barbadian personality and I wish him safe journey to the next realm. On behalf of the Cabinet, Government and people of Barbados, I extend heartfelt condolences to his wife Beverley, sister Joan, other relatives and friends. May he rest in peace. (MWN)

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