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babybluebex · 5 years

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Wait For Me pt. 2

some soft snafu with a kid bc we as a fandom deserve it

“C’mon, MJ,” I said. “Your daddy’s train’s gonna get in soon. We gotta meet him there. He’s so excited to meet ya, suga.”

My little baby was the spitting image of his father, with his clear blue eyes and unruly black hair. Merriel Junior— MJ, as I called him— had my fair skin, but he was his daddy’s boy through and through. Merriel had been overseas for MJ’s whole life and they would finally meet each other. I knew my son was nervous, but I constantly assured him that his daddy would love him. MJ has drawn a picture at school that showed him with Merriel, a large “Me + Daddy” at the top. I showed MJ photographs of us, mainly ones from graduation, and, like the little gentleman he was, MJ always told me that I was pretty.

That was difficult for me for a number of reasons. During my pregnancy, I was so afraid and nervous about Merriel that I managed to put on a little weight, and I never got rid of it. It was mainly focused around my stomach and thighs and covered in dark stretch marks that no amount of home remedies could cure. Where I used to do my hair every day, it was a miracle if I managed to not wear it up. I hadn’t felt beautiful or even pretty in so long, and MJ was a sweetheart for telling me that.

“Is Daddy nice?” MJ asked as he put down his crayon. He was finishing one last drawing for Merriel, just a nice win and flowers with his name written in the corner with his J backwards.

“Nicest man I eva met,” I replied easily. “You’ll love him, and he’ll love ya. You’re his baby, it’ll be impossible for me to not love ya.”

MJ slid off of the chair at the kitchen table and clung to the skirt of my dress, and I bent down and hugged him tightly. “Don’t be nervous, baby,” I told him. “He’s your daddy.”

“But I ain’t eva met him,” MJ sniffled. “What if he don’t like me?”

“MJ, baby,” I sighed. “The night that I told your daddy that we were gonna have a baby, he was so happy that he cried. Every letta he’s eva sent me, he always asks ‘bout ya. He’s excited ta meet ya, MJ, and I know that he’ll like ya.”

“Daddy cried?” MJ asked.

“He did,” I nodded. “I know ya think your daddy’s all big and bad ‘cause he fought, but he’s very nice. He got Delilah for me ‘cause he knew how much I wanted a cat. He always woke me up with a kiss and, when I was goin’ through school, he helped me study every night. Your daddy’s the nicest man I eva met; I married him for a reason.”

“Andy said ya and Daddy ain’t married,” MJ mumbled.

“We are,” I said simply. We were engaged, but we couldn’t arrange a court marriage before Merriel had to leave. We just always said that we were married for simplicity’s sake. “And, next time Andy tries ta say somethin’ bad ‘bout ya mama, what d’ya say?”

“That ain’t true!” MJ said and cracked a smile. He was missing a tooth on the left side of his mouth, and I smiled back at him.

“That’s right, suga,” I said. “Put your coat on, you’ll catch your death waiting outside.”

MJ happily skipped ahead of me as we walked to the train station, the tip of his little nose turning red with the winter nip. The war ended in September, but Merriel had to stay to deal with reparations for another six months. I knew that it bothered MJ because all of his school friends had their daddies back, but the Marines of K Company has to stay behind. That made it January, and January in Baton Rouge wasn’t the warmest.

“MJ, darlin’, come hold my hand,” I said, and my son turned and skipped to me. He took my hand, encased in a prim white glove, and I smiled as he tried to skip while keeping pace with me.

“Mama, ya walk too fast!” MJ pouted.

“Maybe I’ll just skip with ya,” I smiled, and MJ giggled as we skipped together to the train station. The mood was so high and clear, and I knew that MJ was buzzing with a newfound excitement. My heart was beating so quickly that I felt like it would burst out of my chest, and I clutched my coat around my neck.

“That train should be here soon,” I mumbled. MJ took after his daddy in the size department, and I easily picked him up and set him on my hip. My mother got onto me for babying MJ as much as I did, but MJ liked it and so did I, so I kept doing it. In my experience with Frankie, there would come a time where MJ would want nothing to do with me, so I relished the moments where he wanted to sit in my lap or sleep in bed with me. “Holla if ya see the train, MJ.”

“‘Scuse me, ma’am,” a gentle voice said from beside me, and I turned to see a man in Marine uniform, his cap off to expose thin, wheat-colored hair. “Do you know when the train’s gettin’ in?”

“Shoulda been ‘bout five minutes ago,” I said. “Ya waiting for a brotha?”

“Brotha in arms, ma’am,” the Marine told me. “He has to stay behind once the war ended. Ol’ Snafu hated that, but he did it.”

“I’m waitin’ for my husband,” I said. “And this little one’s daddy. They ain’t ever met before.”

“Eugene Sledge, ma’am,” the Marine said and offered me a hand.

“Daisy Shelton,” I told him and shook his hand. “And this is little MJ.”

“Shelton?” Eugene repeated. “Not Merriel Shelton?”

“Yes, Merriel,” I smiled. “Did ya serve with him?”

“Hell, Mer was my best friend over in Japan,” Eugene laughed. “Kept me sane once I got there. I was waitin’ for him too. He said he was from Nola and I thought I’d offer him a ride back. It’s on the way to Mobile, so it ain’t a big deal.”

“Merriel and I grew up together in Nola,” I said. “But we moved here for college.”

“Snafu ain’t eva mention college,” Eugene chuckled. “What’d he study?”

“He ain’t study anythang,” I said. “I went to LSU to be a computa. That got put on hold with little MJ here, but I’m happy to be a mama first.”

“Snafu never said anythang ‘bout a wife,” Eugene told me. “Or a kid. I didn’t take him to be the type, really. If I may, what d’ya see in him?”

“Well, Merriel’s real nice,” I began. “He got inta Tulane but turned it down so I could go to LSU. He’s real smart too, but I guess I’m responsible for that, ‘cause I tutored him all through high school. He’s very thoughtful and funny, and just a little sarcastic. He’s my perfect match and my best friend, ever since we were kids.”

“Are we talkin’ ‘bout the same person?” Eugene asked slowly. “Merriel Shelton and nice don’t seem like they fit in the same sentence.”

“Did somethin’ happen to him?” I asked.

“Mama!” MJ cried and tugged on my sleeve. “There’s the train, I see it!”

I turned to see where he was excitedly pointing, and I saw the steam from the train billowing out into the sky. It was getting closer; my Mer was home. “He’s here, suga,” I said, and MJ nuzzled his cheek into my shoulder.

The train chugged into the station, and MJ was kicking his little feet with nerves. I watched people unload, then I saw an olive-green cap bob off the train. A yell bubbled from my chest before I could control it, and I cried, “Merriel!”

“Dai?” He called, and I gasped. “Daisy!”

Suddenly, I was being crushed in the tightest embrace, forcing every breath and tear out of myself. I struggled to release MJ before hugging my Merriel and crying into his neck. He was home. He was safe and okay and home. He picked me up around my waist and spun me around as he laughed, and he kissed me deeply. Five years without his hugs or kisses, and I was going insane. “Don’t cry, princess,” Merriel whispered and brushed my tears off of my cheek with his thumb. His skin was darker with sun damage, his hair frizzier than ever before, but his eyes were the same icy blue. He had a few small scars on his face, and I sniffled as I examined them.

“I can’t believe you’re in fronta me,” I giggled. “You’re home.”

“I’m home, Daisy,” Merriel told me. “And I ain’t eva gonna do that again. Biggest mistake I eva made. I missed my son being born, and I know that that’ll always tear me up.”

“Speaking of the little devil,” I said, and I turned and ushered MJ forward. “Merriel Shelton Sr., meet Merriel Shelton Jr.”

“Hi, Daddy,” MJ mumbled, and Merriel kneeled down to reach his height.

“S’like lookin’ in a mirror,” Merriel chuckled. “Hey there, sport.”

MJ threw his arms around Merriel’s neck and hugged him tightly, and Merriel grinned as he stood up and situated MJ on his back. “Sledgehamma!” Merriel exclaimed when he saw Eugene lingering behind us, and he gave him a harsh salute. “How’re ya?”

“Doin’ alright,” Eugene said. “I met your lady love here; why didn’t ya eva mention her?”

“I hated thinkin’ ‘bout it,” Merriel said. “It hurt me knowing that I left them alone and that I might not come back, so separating myself worked best. But I’m home now, and I’m ready to be a daddy and a husband for the rest of my life.”

MJ was drowsy by the time we got back to the house, and I carried him in and settled him on the couch for a nap. I turned to speak to Merriel, but I saw him standing at the doorway, staring at the painted door jamb. I moved to hug him, and my eyes caught what he was looking at. A small engraving in the paint: Mer + Dai, 1940. “Christ, Daisy,” Merriel sighed heavily. “I’m so sorry, darlin’. I don’t know how I can eva make up for this.”

“Ya don’t have ta,” I told him. “It’s alright, Mer. Ya did what ya had to do and I respect that.”

Merriel looked at me and hugged me tightly, and I held him. I knew that he didn’t want apologies or anything of the sort at that moment, and I held him and let him cry for a few moments. He looked up and focused on MJ, still in earshot from his place on the couch, and he quickly cleaned himself up. “That’s him, huh?” He asked with a weak voice.

“Yep,” I said. “He’s more and more like ya everyday. He had a part of ya from the start; when he was born, he was cryin’ and hollerin’ like nothing else, but when my mama and I started cooin’ at him, he went quiet and started laughin’. He’s a good kid, and he’s excited for ya to be home. He wants ya to play baseball with him.”

“A baseball playa,” Merriel chuckled. “My son plays baseball.” He rubbed his jaw with his hand, and he slowly blinked as he processed everything. “My son. It hasn’t sank in yet that I’m a daddy.”

“And it probably won’t for a while,” I shrugged. “But that’s fine. It took me a while to get used ta bein’ a mama.”

“A hot mama, at that,” Merriel whispered in my ear and wrapped his arms around my waist. “When did ya get this goin’ on?”

“Baby weight I neva gave up,” I said. “Mama said I look healthier with more weight.”

“Well, shit, Daisy,” Merriel chuckled lightly. “Ya keep lookin’ like this and we’re gonna have ta get started on a baby sista for MJ.”

“Naughty soldia-boy,” I giggled. “S’that all ya think ‘bout?”

“I ain’t had a woman in five years,” Merriel told me. “I ain’t had you in five years. I’d be insane not to think ‘bout it. Anyway… Consider it. A little girl runnin’ ‘round, tyin’ bows on Delilah’s neck at Christmas, wearing pretty little ribbons in her hair.”

“Slow down, cowboy,” I smiled. “One thing at a time. Come sit down and have some dinner, then ya can help me with supper.”

“Maybe Daddy can have some dessert,” Merriel whispered and kissed my cheek.

I smiled. “Maybe,” I told him. “We’ll talk ‘bout it.”

“Daddy?” MJ mumbled, and I turned to see him sitting up and sleepily rubbing his eyes.

“Yeah, suga?” Merriel replied.

“Can ya come lay down with me?” MJ asked, and Merriel’s smile grew.

“Sure thang, sport,” Merriel said. “Mama, ya wanna come take a nap with us?”

“I’d love ta,” I said. MJ climbed off of the couch and moved to Merriel, and he tugged on the sleeve of his jacket for a moment before Merriel picked him up with ease. We were snuggled up in bed together quickly, MJ sandwiched between the two of us, and it took everything that I had inside myself to not burst into tears.

“I love ya, Merriel,” I whispered and tucked a rampant curl behind his ear.

“I love ya too, Daisy,” he whispered. “I ain’t eva leavin’ ya. That damn war…”

“I was talkin’ ta your friend ‘fore the train got there,” I said. “And he called ya somethin’ funny.”

“Snafu,” Merriel said simply.

“Yeah,” I said. “What’s that mean?”

“It’s a military thang,” Merriel said. He looked down to MJ, asleep with his head in my chest, and he said, “It stands for Situation Normal, All Fucked Up. I was just a damn mess ova there.”

I nodded slowly. “Everythang’s gonna get betta, Mer,” I told him. “I know it.”

#rami malek #rami #snafu #merriel shelton #the pacific #fanfic #mine

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