Winter Legacy -13-

"Why do I have to write the letters? You're the poetic person." Jack whined. 

"Because I'm playing a video game."

"Seriously?"

"Well to be fair, you're the one who said I need to lighten up."

"Okay, I regret that now. Let's see...what do I write to your nephew? How can I write anything other than 'I'm sorry for the loss of your mother'? The kid is in mourning!"

"My sister died three years ago Jack. Fine, as soon as I'm done here I'll do it."

"Aw, you're the best honey."

Later that evening Jack caught Agnes in the mirror, lately she's been spending  all her time in the mirror. "What are you doing?"

"It's not fair, you look like you're not a day over thirty and I look like I'm nearly sixty."

"Agnes you look fine, we've got two teenage children."

"Claus is only fourteen you can't count him as a teenager, he still looks like a kid."

"Are you crazy? That boy is going to be fifteen in a couple days. Should we be worried?"

"Stop it!"

"There should be balls and peach fuzz and hormones, why aren't there balls and peach fuzz and hormones yet?"

"Jack!"

"I'm just playing baby, the point is the kids have to grow up, as much as we want they can't stay little forever, and so do we."

"Well we should just have another baby then."

"Say what now?"

"Or do you think I'm too old to have kids? I mean, my period is irregular now but I've still got a couple good eggs in there."

"Agnes, what are we going to do with a baby?"

"Jack," Agnes opened her eyes as wide as they could go and pouted profusely, "I want one."

"But I want the ones we have to grow up and get out of the house."

"Jack!"

Jack pulled off his shirt and clambered onto bed. "Fine, come play with Daddy and we'll see what happens. But I'm not sitting up with no crying baby all night, I'm an old ass man."

"You're so ghetto."

"I know, that's why you love me."

Agnes snuggled up against her husband. He was still thick and muscular and firm while her skin was sagging. She was only three years older than him, the way men aged versus how quickly women did was unfair.

Claus was not amused on his birthday, his family gathered in the kitchen, sang happy birthday and told him to cut his hair. "No." He said with finality.

"You'd better or I'll shave you bald when you're sleeping." Erika threatened as she swung a noise-maker around like a razor.

Claus got his driver's permit on Monday and insisted that his parents teach him how to drive. Agnes sat uncomfortably in the passenger seat, there were some things she had to discuss with her son because his father didn't care enough to. Claus was fifteen years old, he never had a girlfriend and he just didn't seem interested in the things that other kids his age were.  He still looked like a baby, that wasn't normal.

"Claus, are there any girls at school that you're interested in?"

"No."

"None? What about celebrities or...are you gay?"

"No."

"Do you have hair...you know...under your arms or...well you know."

"Mom, can you mind your business? Please?"

"Claus sweetie, your father and I are trying to have a baby. You do know where they come from do you?"

Claus sighed heavily and pulled the car over. "I'll just walk."

In two months Agnes began to show, it was then that she started to second guess her decision to have another baby. Her white hairs were showing as much as her stomach. She sighed, she was getting old and now she was having a baby, she'd be fifty-four with a ten year old.

8 Months Later

Jack came home from practice and plopped himself down between his wife and son. "Are those...are your ears pierced?"

"No."

"Claus don't play with me boy."

"I got my ears pierced today Dad, you can see that my ears are pierced so why are you asking?"

"Agnes who the hell is this boy talking to?" Jack rested his plate on the table. "Did your balls drop last night or something? Watch your tone with me Claus." Claus slammed his book close and stood up from the table, "I'm sorry are you going somewhere?"

"To my room."

"Good, stay there until I tell you to leave." Jack went on muttering about how rude his son was and other kids these days.

Later Jack spent some time with Erika. "You know, you won't be able to hit me with a pillow when I don't do what you want after my next birthday."

"That's cool as long as you start paying the bills." He joked, Erika was ready to be eighteen, in her mind the world was her oyster, but Jack knew better so she amused him.

"Jack! I think the baby's coming!" Agnes shouted from their bedroom where she had been sleeping.

Jack and Agnes welcomed baby Snowie into their lives. She was a sweetheart, they both fell in love with her the moment they saw her but Jack couldn't help but sigh, he was on the homestretch for retirement and now he would be raising another baby instead of sitting on a beach in Hawaii.

Snowie was doted on, the baby never had a chance to cry. 

"So we survived the first couple weeks." Jack mused.

"The crying I can do without though."

Agnes frowned at her food, "They grow up so fast though." She sighed, it would be hard for her to let any of her babies go. she couldn't help but wish that she'd had more, but even then they would have to grow up sometime.