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Category: drama
Rating: PG
Synopsis: A sad case brings Welsh great joy.
Lieutenant Harding Welsh felt like throwing his cup of sludge (alias 'coffee') across his office.
What a lousy, rotten, miserable, etc., etc., day! A knock.
"Go away!" he bellowed. The person ignored him and eased the door open. It was Constable
Benton Fraser of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Welsh wasn't entirely sure what a
Mountie was doing in Chicago, but since Fraser and his unofficial partner, Detective Raymond
Vecchio, solved more cases than anyone on the force, Welsh tolerated the Canadian's presence.
Besides he liked the Canadian.
"What is it, Constable?"
"Detective Vecchio would like to know what to about the, um, complication in the Furmont
case."
Welsh rubbed his temples.
"What complication?"
The child who witnessed the crime, Leftenant. Ray is reluctant to leave the child with a social
worker and..."
"Bring the kid in here, Constable."
"Yes, Sir."
A minute later, Fraser returned to the office carrying the six year old in his arms.
"Hey, kid," Welsh greeted the young, wide-eyed boy. He was startled. The kid looked like what
he'd imagined Fraser would have looked like at that age, after losing his mother, and all. The
boy did not answer, he just looked down. Fraser set him down on a chair and bent down to look
the boy in the eye.
"Why don't you tell the Leftenant your name, son?" The boy shook his head adamantly.
"I want my mummy."
A clouded look crossed Fraser's face.
"When I was a little boy like you, my mummy died too."
"Really?"
"Really. Why don't you talk to the Leftenant while I go find you some ice cream?"
The boy's
eyes literally lit up.
"Okay!" Welsh shook his head. Of course, he'd never seen how great Fraser was with kids.
Once Fraser had left, Welsh stood up and went up to the little boy.
"My name's Harding Welsh, what's yours?"
The boy did not look up.
"Jeremy," he finally mumbled.
Do you know why you're here, Jeremy?"
He nodded.
"Daddy killed Mummy. I saw him." Welsh's heart almost broke. Quite naturally, his arms
went around the boy's slight shoulders and he drew Jeremy tightly to his chest. "I miss
Mummy," Jeremy said, his voice trembling.
I know you do, son." The tears came then. Welsh just hung on to this sobbing scrap of
humanity and realised that something so small could change one's life.
"Well, the trial's finally over, Lieutenant. You did real well, Jeremy."
Jeremy was stronger
after having spent the last three months with Welsh.
"Thank you, Uncle Ray. I have to go now," he answered in his childish voice.
"Where to?" Jeremy pointed down the hall.
"Uncle Fraser said he'd get me ice cream..."
"Go!" Welsh and Vecchio exclaimed at the same time. Jeremy ran off on his pudgy, yet sturdy,
legs.
"So, Lieutenant, what's going to happen to him, now?"
Welsh sighed.
"He has no relatives. He's a ward of the state now."
"Is he going up for adoption?"
"Yes. Someone's already trying to adopt him."
"So soon?"
"Yes."
"I hope he finds a nice couple."
"Do you think I'd make a good father, Vecchio?"
Ray was startled.
"You, Sir?"
Welsh grinned.
"I've grown so fond of the little guy, Detective. He's used to me. The last thing he needs now
are more changes. Besides, we need each other."
Ray nodded.
"You'll make a fine father, Lieutenant."
"Thank you. Let's go find Fraser and Jeremy."
The red-clad Constable and the impish boy were sitting in the cafeteria, their faces smeared with
the chocolate ice cream they were sharing.
"How's it taste, son?" Welsh asked.
"Good, dad." Jeremy said it naturally, but Welsh knew he meant it.
"I love you, Jeremy."
"Me too, dad. Uncle Fraser? Could I have some more ice cream?"
"Only if your father says it's okay."
"Dad?"
"Sure son. Except we're splitting this one."
Vecchio looked at Fraser.
"Let's let them bond. How about some ice cream, Benny?"
Fraser was trying to wipe the sticky
stuff off his chin.
"Sorry, Ray, I've had enough!"
Six months later
"Happy birthday, dear Jeremy! Happy birthday to you!" Jeremy happily leaned over to blow out
the candles that covered the cake his Aunt Frannie had made him. It was a chocolate ice cream
cake, his favourite.
The presents came next. Welsh gave him a little box. Nestled in it was a replica of his badge.
"So I can be a police man like you, Dad?"
"So you can be a police man like me, Son."
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