Title: Thanksgiving Baby

Author/Pseudonym: Susan

Email address: susgreer@webtv.net

Rating: G-slash

Status: new with 4 complete parts

Archive: at my site, otherwise only with Tricia's permission

Author's website: scroll on down to the bottom or: http://www.squidge.org/sentinelsites/sindex.html

Disclaimer: The sentinel and his guide belong to me only in my sweetest fantasies. If I could make money from this, I'd have a computer, instead of webtv.

Warning: how can you have one if it's rated G?

Notes: This story is not a sequel to my other Blair baby story. It is complete in itself. You're certainly welcome to read "Halloween Baby" but is in no way related except in tone.

Summary: holiday surprises

by Susan
**************


Jim was jammed in with holiday traffic. A thousand vehicles loaded with families and friends and turkeys and stuffing in front and behind. A few motorbikes loaded with packs squashed the riders onto their narrow seats.

Mamas with cranberry lipstick soothed ruffled turkey feathers in the back seat, and papas whipped around from steering wheels to threaten the stuffing out of little toms pulling the little hens' braids.

All of them were honking to an early merry Christmas tune. All those jingling bells and sleighful horns accompanied the little drummer boy pounding his sticks, a rum-pa-pum-pum, in his Sentinel-friendly delightful cacophanous melody.

Jim decided to take his hands off the steering wheel and cover his ears when the cell phone bring-bringed.

Damn. Alright, dials, turn down to 3 with one ear, and up to 5 in the other.

"Ellison," he barked.

"Jimmy, it's Dad. Listen...you said Blair would be coming over early this morning to cook. Well..."

Jim blinked nervously, and looked at his watch. Damn, why'd I do that? I know what time it is...it's 1:12. Now, 1:14.

William continued, "He phoned earlier...at 10:30...was on his way from Madeliene's with the bread...I tried getting back with him...just...he doesn't answer."

"Okay, Dad, sit tight. I'll find him...probably Volvo trouble. Did you try the loft again?"

"Of course, Jimmy...answering machine only. Do you have a list of friends of his I could call?"

"No, Dad, I'll do that from this end. Hey, call his office at Rainier for me."

"Will do."

Both Ellisons signed off.

"Goddammitt!" Jim pounded his knuckles on the steering column.

"Mama says you shuddunt curse. She says it's a sign ov bad cabbullary skillets." Jim jerked his head to find a little boy seated in Blair's place, all buckled up, shyly smiling. The touseled russet curls and the big dark blue eyes gazed, unafraid, into his.

"Who the hel...who are you...how'd you get into my locked truck...in the middle of the four-lanes...?"

"Jim," said the little one, "You're my Big Jim. You love me, an' care for me."

The congestion moved. A few yards. Half a mile. Someone up ahead must've shoved a flat-tired motorist out of their way.

Jim turned his attention to his passenger. "Now, kid..."

No one there. Oh God, he was losing it...he punched information, then his targetted number, and got a fake French accent, with "Come Ye Thankful People Come" playing in the background. Filter, Jim, filter.

"Madeliene's...the bakery for all your holiday dinners! We've got croissants, rolls, biscuits, crullers, cheesecake, pumpkin rolls..."

"Ma'am," he interrupted. "This is Ellison. Cascade P.D. I'm looking for a man who was in your store earlier."

"Yes, officer. We're always delighted to help our city police. Can you describe him?"

Can I, Jim sarcastically asked himself. Can I describe the man who means more to me than anything...my soul, my heart, my lifeline...he's the only person who's made me feel...alive.

"Yeah..uh..5'7", about 150 pounds, stocky build, longish dark brownish red hair past his shoulders. Curly, though he may have had it pulled back in a ponytail. His upper lip is heart-shaped, and he was clean-shaven this morning."

Jim cleared his throat. "He was wearing blue jeans, a white shirt and a paisley vest. Look, lady, have you seen him?"

"Oh, sure, I know--that's Blair. He bought 2 dozen pan rolls and a chocolate jelly cake. I took the order. But, he left a couple hours ago."

"Did he say where he was headed? Anything?"

"Is Blair...missing?" The lady became sympathetic. "Blair said he was headed to his father-in-law's and was going to prepare Thanksgiving dinner since Sarah...Sammi...Sally? was away with her daughter in California. He seemed happy, not worried..."

"Nothing else?"

"No, oh but, he must've got a call...I watched his...umm...I saw him juggling bags on the way to his car, to answer his cell phone."

Jim thanked her and asked for directions to her shop.

Finding the exit he needed, quickly steering down the side street, the child returned, nearly giving Jim a case of the overturns.

"He ain't here no more."


SUSAN