She reaches down and clasps my hand with hers. “We love you, son,” she whispers, sounding a little more choked up.
Lauren shoots me a questioning look from across the couch, where she’s snuggled in under Caleb’s arm, likely wondering what her mother and I are whispering about over here. I sign “I love you” to her.
“Is everything okay?” she signs back.
I nod. “More than okay.”
Maribel joins in signing with a smirk. “Relax and watch the movie. Leave us to our gossip.” Then, she pats my thigh, peering up at me. “Have you always liked wearing dresses?” she asks.
I nod. “Used to steal Lo’s clothes all the time before I grew out of them.”
She quietly chuckles. “All that dark, gothic stuff she used to wear…”
“She certainly was quite the emo queen."
Maribel’s reverent gaze floats over to Lauren. “She’s so strong,” she hums.
I agree. “She certainly is.”
“All my kids are bullheaded like that, I guess.”
I smirk. “I think they get it from their parents.”
Maribel smiles. “That’s something to be proud of, right there. I think Brody and Cameron will get that from theirs too.”
“I hope so,” I tell her. “Got enough of ‘em.”
She chuckles. “The more the merrier, right?”
“I couldn’t agree more…”
Christmas Day has been a hell of a whirlwind, but in all the best possible ways. Not just because of the gifts given—even though, let’s face it, they were entirely awesome—but because the family aroundthe tree (and Caleb’s over a video call) have been at the epicenter of it all.
Caleb surprised us all with the news that we’re going on a freakin’ cruise in April, though, and that’s got me all sorts of wound up. Brody and Lauren, too, because we’veneverbeen able to take a vacation like this.
Now, my heart is fit to burst as I look around at the crowded room. Brody and Cameron both took off their hearing adaptive equipment when things started to get a little too boisterous, and I could quite honestly cry at just how quickly everyone switched over to talking with their hands. I mean, even Grady and Xavier have shown huge improvements in their ability to communicate by sign—they’re fingerspelling far fewer words than in the past.
When my eyes flit across the room and land on Caleb, I see him just gaping at everyone in awe. I immediately know that the look on his face is because he feels like he truly fits in here, and my heart swells even more. Unlike on the outside, there isn’t a single person here that he can’t communicate with, and who hasn’t actually heard what he has to say—figuratively, of course.
Neither Lauren nor I have had to interpret much for him, save for a few one-offs here and there, and I think it’s giving him a sense of a weight being lifted off his own shoulders. I wish I could give him this everyday, but my gift for him will just have to suffice…
I waggle my hands to grab Cameron’s attention. “Do you want to give your dad our gift now?”
He nods, scurrying off to his room. When he returns, he shows Caleb the paperwork he was recently handed by the Ternbay School Board. Caleb accepts the folder, his brows pinched as he reads through the documents.
Cameron and I have been lobbying together for the school to offer American Sign Language as an option for foreign language in the highschool, as well as allotting some of the budget to beef up availability of in person interpreters who can attend reading circles for the elementary and primary level children. They will be present to sign alongside the teacher who is reading so that there will be increased visibility and perhaps more interest in learning it and applying it in other areas—maybe music classes or something, who knows. The documents in the dossier state that all of our hard work has paid off simply because we rattled the right chains.
I just want my loved ones to feel seen, to feel heard, and this seemed like a good way to get the ball rolling in our community. That, and it’s been a good bonding opportunity for Cameron and me. That kid’s tenacity and leadership skills blow my mind. If he doesn’t go into politics as an adult, I’ll be shocked.
Caleb shuts the folder, tears rimming his eyelids. He blinks up at Cameron, impressed, before pulling him into a hug. Then, he moves over to me, and I wrap my arms around him, lifting him off his feet so I can kiss his cheek. He softly laughs, kissing me back.
“Thank you,” he signs when I set him down. “You have no idea how proud I am.”
“This is gonna be so cool!” Brody adds, signing enthusiastically. “I’m gonna try to start something when I get to middle school next year!”
Cameron winks. “I’ve got an in with some people now, and you’ve got the marketing skills.” He gestures over at Ivy’s terrarium.
I blink at the tank. “Who put a Santa hat on Ivy?”
