Snips and
Snails…
Here’s another snippet that takes place a few years down the road. If you haven’t read at least up until Vet 15, be warned, there are spoilers in this story. Otherwise, no real warnings, a little cussing<g> and a lot of smarm. Enjoy
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Jim Ellison opened the door to his home and called out, “Mail’s here,” as he dropped the stack of bills and letters on the small table by the door.
“Damn it.”
His eyes widened at the sound of his five year old son’s voice swearing and he strode purposefully toward the bathroom.
“Jacob Lee Ellison!” Jenny Ellison’s voice rang out in disapproval.
Jim stopped next to the bathroom door to listen in on his wife and son wondering exactly how Jen would handle this and how much trouble he’d be in later.
“Why did you say that?” Jen asked after taking a couple of deep breaths.
“Sorry, mama,” Jacob answered, his tone not very apologetic as he rushed to explain, “but I wanted to see the snail.”
There was another stretch of silence then Jenny’s confused reply. “What snail, Jake?”
“You know,” the innocent voice replied, “the one that brings the mail.”
“Postal workers bring the mail, Jake, not snails. Where on earth did you get that idea?”
“Uncle Blair said so, mommy,” Jake said defiantly. “He said the letters were delivered by snail mail.”
Jim clamped his lips shut to keep from laughing out loud and heard a barely audible squeak from his wife that told him she too was highly amused by this turn of events.
“Is that so?” she asked.
Jim could just imagine his son’s head bobbing up in down as he nodded emphatically in the short silence that followed.
“That’s right. And I figured out what the letters on the uniform were for all by myself too,” Jake asserted.
“The letters…” Jen repeated.
“Uh huh. U.S.P.S. United States Postal Snail.”
Jim couldn’t help himself, he burst out laughing and had to stretch his hearing a bit to hear the next part of the conversation over his own laughter.
Jenny somehow managed to keep from laughing as she spoke to their precocious son. “Well, now, aren’t you a smart boy. Is that why you ran down the stairs? To see the snail?”
“Yes, mama.”
“I see. But you fell down and scraped your knee up didn’t you?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“And why is that?” Jen continued.
“Cause I’m not suppose to run on the stairs ‘cause I might fall and hurt myself,” a contrite voice replied.
“That’s right. Now,” Jen said with a grunt and rustling of clothing that indicated to Jim that she’d picked Jake up and settled him on her lap. “Are you going to walk down the stairs from now on?”
“Yes, mama.”
“Good. Do you think you need a time out for disobeying the rule?” Jen asked.
“I scraped my knee real bad, mama. It hurts a lot,” he paused. “Do you think that’s punishment enough?” he asked hopefully.
“Well…”
“Please, mama! I promise I won’t run down the stairs to try and see the snail again. I’ll walk, even though I might miss him again. I promise,” Jake said in a rush.
“Well, okay. If you promise,” Jen agreed. “But I also want you to promise not to say ‘damn’ again. It’s not polite and it will get you in trouble if you say it around other people.”
“But I hear grownups say it all the time,” Jake protested. “Daddy and Uncle Blair and Uncle Simon and Aunt Mike and even you, mama.”
Jim chuckled softly and moved into the open doorway. “He’s got you there, Jen.”
“Daddy!” Jake shouted launching himself off his mother’s lap and into his father’s arms.
“Hey, Little Chief,” Jim replied catching the boy and lifting him up onto his hip. “Careful there, I understand your knee’s hurt real bad.”
“Ah, it’s not too bad, Dad,” Jake said Sentinel soft, “but don’t tell Mom, ‘kay?”
“
Jim grinned at Jen then gave his son a wink. “Did you hear that the snail delivered the mail?” Jim asked innocently.
Jen rolled her eyes but couldn’t keep from smiling.
“Really?” Jake asked. “Did you see him? How big is he?”
Jim shook his head. “No, I didn’t see him Jake. See the snail mail is different from your garden variety snail. He’s much faster and not many people can see him.”
“Even a Sentinel?” Jake asked surprised.
“Nope, not even a Sentinel,” Jim answered seriously. “Only person I know of who can see a snail mail is your Uncle Blair.”
Jake’s eyes widened and the look of awe on his face almost caused Jim to lose control again. He valiantly tamped his grin down to a slight smile as he watched his son decide what to do.
“Is Uncle Blair home? Think I can go ask him about the snail?”
Jim pursed his lips and shared a glance with Jen. “Well, I suppose that would be all right. How long ‘til dinner, Jen?”
“Oh, I think we have time to talk to your Uncle Blair,” Jen said conspiratorially.
“Yippee!” Jake said wiggling until his dad let him slide down to the floor. The boy started to race down the hall, then stopped and walked very quickly to the front door. “Come on!” he insisted.
Jen stood and wrapped an arm around Jim’s waist as he draped his over her shoulders and they walked together into the living area.
“Blair’s gonna kill us,” Jen murmured with an evil grin.
“Serve him right,” Jim countered with a similar grin. “Especially after that supermarket incident.”
Jenny chuckled as they followed their son across the hall and into the Sandburg residence.
“Uncle Blair!” Jake called out eagerly as he searched the lower part of the loft for his uncle. “Uncle Blair! Tell me about the snail!” he demanded from the downstairs bedroom.
“Snail?” Blair’s confused response came. “What snail?” he asked as he came through the bedroom door carrying Jake.
Jim and Jenny just started to laugh.
The end. 
Feedback? Please. JudyL