Silent Nights by Olivia Gaines

Author:Olivia Gaines [Gaines, Olivia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Davonshire House Publishing
Published: 2022-10-24T16:00:00+00:00

Epilogue

One Year Later

Joshua Langdon sat in the floor next to the bassinet of Julian Jeffrey Langdon, a potential artist with three first names. He was an adorable kid with dark curly hair and eyes that looked hazel from what Joshua could tell with a three-month-old, and he was quiet. Often, when Julian awoke, he simply lay in his crib watching his father. Joshua knew this because he was often working next to the crib as the child slept.

The classes Joshua took over the seven months before Julian’s arrival with other children of a deaf adult (CODA) parents was an eye-opening experience. It was as if he had to learn an additional language as the parent of a CODA. Julian would be raised to understand his father would never hear the boy call to him or know the first time Julian said “Daddy.”

Initially, this had been a primary concern for Joshua, but through assistive technology with vibrating lights, special baby monitors, or specially trained dogs, he took on his role as father with gusto.

“Ah, you’re awake,” he said with a soft voice. “Good afternoon, Julian; it is time for a diaper change and another bottle.”

The child cooed and kicked at him while he made quick work of changing the dirty nappy. He kept his tone at an even level, or at least a level he’d learned with help to keep at an even tone when he spoke. Julian’s hearing had been tested to ensure the child could hear, and he was pleased to know that his son was simply an easygoing kind of kid.

“I hope you grow up to be the same way,” he told his son.

Lifting Julian in his arms, Joshua made his way to the kitchen for a bottle. Today, a bit of cereal would be added to the milk to fill the child’s belly. He met Ellen, who was painting a new scene from a photo she’d taken when they were in Venice last year, in the kitchen.

“How are my guys this afternoon?” she asked, leaning in to get a kiss from her husband and to provide one for their son.

“We are doing pretty good over here,” Joshua said, retrieving a bottle to place in the bottle warmer. “How goes the painting?”

Ellen signed as she spoke to him. He followed along, happy that he’d learned to sign himself. His parents had also learned as well as his sister, but Grandpa Ollie preferred to point, grunt, and force Joshua to read his lips.

He’d read Grandpa Ollies lips just fine when the old man found out he was about to be a great-grandfather in his own lifetime. Ollie Miller even shed a tear in celebration of the news. Ellen had other news for him as well.

“Jennie is coming tonight with her new guy, along with a few of our friends for dinner. I wanted to give you a warning,” she signed to him.

Joshua rolled his eyes. “I hope she brings her titty. The last time we had her over, she went to the bathroom and came back without it, freaking out the Nelsons.

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