Chapter 3
There was never a lull in conversation between Jane, Thor and his parents. And anytime silence threatened to settle upon them, Loki chimed in with whatever capricious thought had just crossed his mind.
“Papa!”
“Yes, my boy?”
“Papa, inn’ah I go park wit’Tor ‘n Mama to’morrow – ‘kay?”
“This is the first I’m hearing about a trip to the park!” Thor said with mock indignation. This did not deter Loki, who kept laughing and clapping his hands.
“I go swing! An’nah Tor push!”
“I bet Thor is great at pushing you on the swing,” said Jane, “I bet he’s just the best! Right, Loki?”
“Yeah!”
“Is that it then, brother? I’m at your beck and call all hours of the day for swing pushing and playtime?”
The rest of the table anticipated another spirited round of laughter from the Little, but instead Loki’s lanky frame started sinking downward into his seat. Tears began to sparkle in his eyes, like the crystals hanging from the chandelier.
“Ma…,” Loki began to hiccup, “Ma…Ma…,” and then let out the most pitiful wail.
“Oh, my love,” Frigga was up in a flash, already undoing the straps on the chair, “my sweet baby, did you have an accident?”
Loki was now hyperventilating, nearly panicking as his mother got him to his feet.
“Shhhh, my treasure,” she whispered, “it’s alright…” Frigga than turned and looked to Jane. “Carry on. We’ll be back in a moment.”
“Poor Loki,” Jane looked to Thor with round eyes, “he was so upset…”
“He’ll be fine; Mother will get him cleaned up and get some new bottoms on him.”
“Yes, those Pull-Up things don’t always hold,” Odin said knowingly, drumming his fingers on the table. He then looked to Thor with a world-weary sigh and said, “Your mother will probably put him in a nappy, so get ready for that.”
“Does he not like them?” Jane asked.
“Normally, he never has an issue,” Thor shrugged, “but when he gets the idea in his head that he wants to potty train…”
“Loki did this about a year ago, the year before that,” said Odin. “He really never makes a fuss about nappies. Just every now again, he gets it into his head that he doesn’t want them anymore. Frigga and I try to be supportive,” the old man chuckled, shaking his head, “I’d certainly not complain if I never had to change a messy nappy again!”
It was not long before Frigga returned with a sniffling, red-nosed Loki gripping her hand.
“Look who it is,” she announced in a sing-song voice. Loki had indeed been changed into a new pajama set…with a proper diaper now visible in the bottoms.
“Here now brother, come sit with me,” Thor pushed his chair away from the table.
Loki rubbed his eyes and dragged his feet with every step. Though Jane’s heart hurt for him, she also could not help but notice Frigga and Odin trying to stifle their laughter.
“Aye, aye,” Thor shook his head, “my poor baby brother, back in his nappies. Such a tragedy!”
Loki was not at all aware of Thor’s slight. He crawled up into his brother’s lap, one arm around Thor’s neck and the other bringing a thumb to his mouth.
More conversation went around the table as the last of the meal was polished off. Thor absently bounced Loki on his knee, the simple act never once bringing a smile to the Little’s face.
“I think a few cups of decaffeinated coffee and little cream would be nice,” Frigga suddenly said in a curiously loud voice, “what say you, dear?”
“Indeed!” Odin leaned back in his seat, patting his belly, “Sounds like the fine end to a meal…”
For whatever reason, Loki’s interest was piqued. He lifted his head from where it rested against Thor’s and began to look around the table.
“Brother, did you know that Jane here brought you a surprise?”
Loki’s green eyes quickly locked on Jane, regarding her with great suspicion.
“I did,” Jane smiled back at him, “want to try and guess what it is?”
Loki’s thumb stayed planted in his mouth.
“Go on, brother,” Thor gave him another small jostle.
Loki made a huff and turned his attention to Frigga. He then lowered his head and pulled his thumb out so he could make the saddest kitten-like mewl.
“What do you think, baby?” Frigga asked. To Jane’s absolute surprise, the woman did not seem the least bit moved by this pathetic little noise.
Loki was not surprised; he was annoyed. He now looked to Odin, eyes narrowed and lips pulled down into a pout.
“Beguiling little devil!” The patriarch roared with laughter. “See how he would rather get one of us to tell him? Aye! Every now and again, Loki likes to flex that manipulative muscle of his, just to see what works.”
Loki stuck out his tongue at Odin’s mocking. Like before, the defiant act was met with dismissive laughter.
“Hey, Loki,” Jane angled her head to catch his attention, “maybe…I found someone’s favorite dessert?”
“Stoo-sell?” Loki’s entire mood made a one-eighty. “Stoo-sell Jay-nee?” Lights began to dance in his eyes, every muscle became tense with anticipation.
“Yes!” Jane reached out to tickle his thigh, “I found one just for you!”
“F’r me?” Loki began to giggle.
“Can you say thank you?” Thor whispered into his brother’s ear.
“Tank’oo!”
“Come back here, my darling,” Frigga said, getting to her feet, “you can have some streusel and ice cream, but only if you sit in your highchair.”
Loki babbled with excitement as he toddled to her.
Odin called Ingrid and once more they conversed in Norwegian. A few times, Jane heard Loki’s name mentioned, followed by shared laughter.
“Would anyone else like an after-dinner drink?” Indrid then asked. Odin made a request for a glass of scotch, the name of which was gruff and properly Scottish. Thor declined to join his father and asked for another Stella.
“I would not be opposed to a little shot of amaretto in my coffee,” Frigga smiled graciously at Ingrid…as Loki began to meltdown over his lack of streusel.
“Mama! Stoo-sell! I wanna is’cream!”
“And a warm bottle for the little one as well?”
“Yes please.”
“Stoo-sel!”
“Perhaps two little shots.”
Ingrid nodded to her mistress before turning to Jane.
“And for the lady?”
“A decaf would be nice, but just a little cream,” she shrugged, “I’ll eventually have to drive myself home.”
“Nonsense!” Odin waved away her words, “We have more than enough rooms for you to stay over.”
“Father, how many times do I have to tell you; Americans don’t just stay over at each other’s homes.”
“They’re very, hm,” Frigga furrowed her brow, “hvordan sier du...ah! Puritanical!”
“Oh, um, maybe?” Jane laughed, uncertain of what to say. Puritanical? Really?
“Very strange,” Odin nodded his head, “Americans always claim to be free, but you cannot be naked on their beaches.”
“Yes, that part is confusing…,” Thor looked to Jane, as if she had the answer.
“We didn’t have any beaches in New Mexico, so,” she gave him a shrug. “Can’t help you with that one.”
Ingrid and Svelte soon returned with the drinks and dessert. Loki was twisting himself up in the straps of his highchair.
“Kjære,” Ingrid cooed as she prepared a new bib for Loki, “sweet boy, hold still for me, please.”
Loki grumbled but did as he was told. Jane smiled at the adorable terrycloth bib. It was a soft yellow buttery and covered in alligators.
Then came the moment the Little had been waiting, well…about fifteen minutes for.
“Stoo-sel!”
Jane’s jaw dropped as she watched Loki dig into the dessert with both hands. The sight was made stranger with the juxtaposition of his family taking only polite bites as they pretended like they did not notice the full-on massacre happening on the highchair tray.
“He’s certainly going to need a bath later,” was all Odin had to say.
Like any good mother though, Frigga made short work of the gooey purple goop all over Loki’s hands and face.
“There we are, good as new!” And rubbed her nose with his for good measure.
“Room?” Loki’s attention was back on Jane, “Room ‘n play?”
“You want to show Jane your room?” Thor sat up in his seat.
“Yeah! ‘N play!”
“Oh, I would like that very much,” said Jane.
“It’s a terrible mess,” Frigga chuckled, “I hope you won’t judge us too harshly.”
“I’m not one to speak; you should see my office!”
Odin realized that after a generous glass of scotch that he was very, very comfortable in his seat and, let’s be honest, the invitation to the nursery was clearly not for him.
Jane knew Loki’s room was going to be impressive; there was no debate to be had there. How impressive…well…
“Rock-ahh horsie!”
Jane had never seen a rocking horse big enough for a Little. She was faintly aware that such things existed, but the extra space needed to accommodate one was not the sort of extra space most homes had.
“Aye, brother! What’s your steeds name again?”
“Sleep-nur!” Loki said with a little huff as he got himself situated onto the horse’s back. “G’ddy-up!” He then began to undulate his body in a steady rhythm, creating enough momentum to get the rocking horse to ‘giddy-up’.
“Frigga, this is a beautiful nursery,” Jane slowly craned her head around the space. It was large, of course. Not only was there a rocking horse, but a proper crib for a six foot Little as well as an equally accommodating changing table. The overall theme was that of a European forest; foxes and rabbits played among the sage greens and grey-blues that made up the palette. Even the adjoining bathroom’s wallpaper had a cheery patter of geese dressed in little yellow raincoats.
A tree had been painted into one of the corners and fairy-lights were strung through the ‘branches’. They hung over a little library that came complete with a tactile rug and lots of pillows and stuffies to cuddle up with.
“Nurseries were actually my specialty,” Frigga told Jane, “and they’re also what got me into trouble!”
“Oh?”
“Mother was getting more and more request for Little’s nurseries,” Thor said, his attention still on his brother, “and the more time she spent around them…”
“The more I wanted to adopt.”
“I go dow’n,” Loki began to clumsily try sliding off his horse.
“Are you sure, brother? Let me help you…”
The moment Loki’s bare feet touched the floor, he was toddling over to Jane.
“Play!” He then grabbed her hand and began to tug, “’Essa’play!”
“Loki,” Frigga said in a warning voice, “we need to ask Jane nicely if she would like to play. We don’t tug on her arm.”
Though clearly confused by his mother’s words, Loki nodded and released Jane’s hand.
“Jay-nee play?”
“Um,” Jane suddenly realized in that moment Loki had yet to say her name, “yes, I’d love to play!”
“Jay-nee play!”
Thor stood with his arms crossed over his chest, still as a statue as he watched his girlfriend and baby brother attempt to build a questionable house with waffle blocks.
A hand gently rested itself on his shoulder.
“Look how well they’re getting on,” Frigga whispered, “I’ll be honest, I was worried…”
“I was too,” Thor said with a long sigh. It was a hard thing to admit. Jane was easily the most amazing woman he had ever met; smart, funny, adventurous…and quite easy on the eyes!
But Loki…
“Loki doesn’t open up easily,” said Frigga.
“Can’t blame the little mite…he’s been through so much…”
Thor’s somber tone was quickly undercut by Loki’s bright laughter.
“Jay-nee silly!” He declared, causing Jane to laugh as well.
“I’m not silly, you’re silly!” She reached out and began to tickle Loki’s belly.
“Oh dear, they look so happy together but,” Frigga began to step forward, “my darling treasure, it’s nearly bedtime and someone still needs a bath.”
“No!” Loki cried as if wounded, “No baff!”
“Yes, it’s bath time.”
“No!”
“Brother,” Thor moved to kneel down beside Loki, “come now, be a nice boy and tell Jane thank you for your streusel and for coming to see you tonight.”
Loki’s bottom lip began to quiver. Eyes that had once looked at Jane with such disapproval, were now welling up with tears at the thought of her leaving.
“No go…”
Jane’s hand went out and covered Loki’s.
“If you like, I can come back again,” she said, smiling tenderly at him, “would you like that, Loki?”
Loki sniffled and nodded.
“Jay-nee...fwend?”
Thor felt like the air had been knocked from his lungs.
“Yes, I would love to be your friend,” said Jane, “that would be the most wonderful thing in the world!”
Loki let out a gleeful chirrup and turned to Thor.
“Jay-nee ‘es fwend! ‘Es baby ‘n Jay-nee!”
“Hey!” Thor laughed, “Are you trying to steal my girlfriend?”
“Yeah!”
“He is the cuter one,” Jane smirked.