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@jj-hayes
DR. JEFFERSON JAMES "JJ" HAYES (cis-male, he/him). Merrock native, born on August 20, 1981, to Dr. Ronald Hayes & Dr. Celia Hayes (née Dumont). Father to Amelia Hayes. Pediatrician at The Medical Complex. Resident of the Suburbs. Penned by Hope.
BIOGRAPHY || STATISTICS || TIMELINE || CONNECTIONS || NAVIGATION
Mariah was grateful for JJ not pushing more about the twins' father. She had given him the same story that she told the twins when they asked why their dad wasn't with them. She hadn't thought past that so she was grateful she didn't have to. "French is a beautiful language. That's fair. I read that it's easier for children to learn a foreign language when they're young and one side of the twins' family speaks Italian mostly so to communicate with them, they had to start to learn quite young. But it also makes sense to allow Mia to make the choice when she's a bit older." Many of Jonas' family were speaking Italian to the twins when they were just a few days old. Mariah worried they would only know Italian.
She chuckled and nodded. "I do understand that. I heard the same thing when the twins were that age. I think you've made a wonderful decision. I'm sure Mia will benefit from it as well." She nodded and smiled. "Thank you. The twins will be with me for a little while, but my parents are coming into town so they can take the twins while I stay at my booth. I hope to see you and Mia there, if not at my booth, then when the twins and I are walking around." Her phone beeped notifying her of a meeting she had to get to. "I'm so sorry. I do have to go. Have a great day, JJ." she smiled before moving towards the door.
As the other explained why the twins had started learning to speak Italian so young, he nodded understandingly. "I think it makes sense that they picked it up so fast if one side of the family only spoke Italian. Lucky for Mia and me, most people in my mother's family who are still around do speak English and French is more of a heritage thing than a communication thing." He did not think his mother would mind it all that much if Mia did not speak French at all, unless she wanted to. They lived in New England, after all. Learning to speak French did not seem like a necessity for Mia, all things considered.
"Thank you for saying that." JJ offered Mariah a genuine smile. "Well, I hope your parents enjoy their time in Merrock as well. I'll see you around." He nodded, making his way towards the door. "I should get going, too. Have a good one, Mariah." He gave her a wave as they stepped outside, and he turned away to head towards his car.
THE END.
"There's no way I'm not having fun playing basketball, even if it's just at an arcade," Dylan said with a chuckle, relieved that the ball didn't hit JJ. Or anyone for that matter. They didn't think they threw the ball that hard for it to go wild like that. "Nice catch. I definitely appreciate the assist and avoid having accidents involving a kid," they said with a grin, and noticed that there was actually a young kid not too far behind JJ. Definitely glad the man caught it. "Want to take a turn? That wild ball might be a sign that I should let other people take their turn before I play again."
"Fair enough," JJ remarked, letting out a soft laugh. "Why, thank you. I didn't even know I had it in me. If my athletic prowess had shown itself any sooner, I might have gotten a better grade in gym class." He had never been the athletic type growing up. His only experience playing basketball was during high school gym class, and he hadn't been any good back then. He was more of an academic than an athlete, if he were being honest. But he would make an exception to play basketball at the arcade. Only at the arcade. "Anything to keep the kids safe, I guess." He shrugged, nodding as he stepped towards the machine. "Sure! Are you here by yourself?"
"Surgical screwdrivers look like that?" Nathan asked with a small grin, giving a nod towards the screwdriver JJ was holding. He did know that there would be a medical screwdriver. He'd never seen one though so he wasn't sure if they could be interchangeable. Maybe in a very emergency setting shows and movies liked to come up with. He then let out a chuckle when JJ wondered how he seemed to figure it out about the rods. "Deadlines, tiny words in a manual. Speed reading and keywords. And also I've assembled one of these before," he chuckled. He grabbed another so they could form the A-frame. "That screw, top of the frame," he said, nodding at a screw close to JJ's leg and pointed at the top of the frame.
"No, but they do look very similar," JJ replied as he looked down at the screwdriver in his hand. "They're usually made out of surgical-grade titanium or stainless steel. Just like regular screwdrivers, there are different tips for surgical screwdrivers too. They also come with special sleeves to hold them with. But they're functionally very different from regular screwdrivers." Which probably explains why he had been having some trouble using a screwdriver. If it wasn't an instrument that could be used in a medical procedure, JJ had a hard time figuring out how it worked. "Oh, good. Then, I'm so glad I called you for help. Otherwise, I don't know what I would have done." He probably would have called Cage or Andy for help, knowing him. "Okay..." He picked up the screw that was near his leg and put it through the top of the frame, tightening it with the screwdriver. "Not bad."
"It definitely does not!" Sam laughed as he replied, not even surprised, or actually offended, that JJ insisted about the toothpaste-y flavor of mint chocolate. "But okay. I'll let you have that before we get people staring because for all they know we sound like we're arguing about toothpaste," he joked. He then let out a chuckle when JJ said he wasn't that adventurous, lifting up his own chocolate ice cream as a response with a grin. "Makes two of us, for the day anyway." He took a bite of the chocolate ice cream as he listened, giving a nod before letting out another chuckle. "A little break here and there isn't a bad thing. If anything, it'll let you recharge so you can remain being a superdad for Mia. So, approved," he said with another grin and two thumbs up while biting the ice cream spoon in his mouth. He grabbed the spoon before any young children decided to follow him doing that. "How's work? All good?"
"Let's agree to disagree, Samuel." JJ let out a laugh as he held his hands up in defence, knowing that it was best not to argue any further about something so trivial. Because it did sound as if the two of them were arguing about toothpaste. "Who knew that we could be so passionate about ice cream flavours?" He remarked, letting out another laugh before he shook his head. "Yeah, I try my best to take a break whenever I can. Between work and raising Mia, I don't get a lot of time to myself. But now that my parents are both retired, they've been wanting to spend more time with their grandkid, and who am I to refuse? If it gets me a few hours to run errands and even stop for ice cream on my way home, I can't complain." JJ knew how lucky he was to have parents who did not mind watching his toddler for a few hours, even if they did have their moments. As a single father, he appreciated all of the help that he could get, but within reasonable limits. "Work is alright. It's a lot less busy in comparison to the hospital. I work a nine-to-five schedule and have my evenings and weekends off. I think I prefer the mundanity of giving developmental checkups and treating sinus infections over working the night shifts in the ER. The days are a lot easier and more predictable."
"I mean...you said it. Not me." Xio joked about his 'basic' taste in teas, but there was nothing wrong with liking the most popular flavor. It was popular for a reason. "Lady grey has a few other ingredients, yeah. Definitely a little more citrusy but not overwelmingly. It's very similar to earl grey, so you might like it. Can't hurt to try, right?" Unless he was allergic to it, but that seemed unlikely. "I think, generally, all tea is less strong than coffee. But that also depends on how you like to drink your coffee."
"Hey, what can I say? I'm incredibly self-aware," JJ admitted, laughing softly. "I'm not a big fan of citrus, in general. Earl Grey was the only thing I'll make an exception for. Maybe I'll like Lady Grey. Maybe I won't. Who's to tell?" He shrugged. "But for now, I think I'm going to stick to what I know I like and go for the English breakfast tea." He chuckled softly and stepped forward to place his order. "I used to live off of the vanilla bean lattes at Cobblestone Cafe back when I was still working at the hospital. I need my coffee to be a little sweet."
Who: Jordyn & Open (0/5)
Where: Emergency Services Carnival
When: July 2026
“Are you sure?” Jordyn asked the person next to her. She didn’t want to hurt their feelings and she was winning so far. “My streak is incredible and I am quite fabulous at this game.” She tied the back of her work shirt with a scrunchie showing off her midriff. “So pick a game you feel you can win.” She teased.
"Jordyn, do you even realize that you're squaring up with a middle-aged man who is tired of running behind a sugared-up toddler for a whole weekend?" JJ asked, laughing softly before he sighed. "Fine, I'll go against you in the bean bag toss. What am I playing you for?"
"Yeah, I think so too." Harley replied about golf and pickleball being different from cheerleading and gymnastics. They perked up at the mention of being a nerd. "I was too - not socially, but I was secretly very into comic books. Or were you more of an academic nerd?" They laughed at the idea of doing musical theater - it was one thing they hadn't tried. "Well hey, being active is more important than being athletic. Your body doesn't really care if you're good at sports, it just cares that you move around enough. Anyways, the pickleball stuff is for my mom. She wants to try it out but would never spend the money on herself for a hobby she might not end up liking."
"Yeah, I was socially a nerd. I wasn't the cool kid in any way. I was the smartest kid in class, you know? I was more of the kid who everyone wanted as their lab partner," he explained with a laugh. "Yes, definitely the academic nerd. I wasn't into comic books, but I did come first during the science fairs a few times." JJ did not look back at high school with a whole lot of fondness, but he had no hard feelings either. It was what it was. "Between running after a toddler all the time and lifting weights a few times a week, I think I'm active enough. Other than that, I have no real interest in playing any sports. I only golf because it's a sport that isn't all that stressful. It helps me clear my head." Although he did understand why some people might prefer pickleball over golf. It seemed like a great way to take out all of the pent-up frustrations. "Maybe I should get my mom to try out pickleball too. She retired last year, and she's been looking for new hobbies. I think a little bit of physical activity would do her some good."
Candice chuckled before rolling her eyes slightly as JJ typed in his phone. "And she doesn't need the entire Pinkalicious collection, JJ. Two or three books would be quite enough. We do have to leave some books for the other kids too." she smirked. Her eyebrows rose excitedly. "A new baby! I think you need a nurse to assist you with the house call, don't you? You know I love the baby visits and I always know how to make them stop crying after you've made them start." she reasoned. "I will take you up on lunch, especially because you're paying. Where are we eating?" she grinned.
She always appreciated how JJ's family became her family and vice versa. She loved building on to the family that she had. She was used to having a lot of family around and tended to build her own family wherever she lived. "Dessert I can do. I make a delicious Tiramasu cake that will blow your mind." She followed behind him before leaning in JJ's doorframe. "Both can be true at the same time. I'm a responsible mom and fun aunt. That's the best part of being me." she grinned. "Friday night is perfect. It's Dom's weekend with the kids so it will just be me and Mia and we will have the funnest time ever!" she smiled clapping her hands together. "Where are you going on a Friday night? Does Dr. JJ have a date?" she asked wiggling her eyebrows playfully.
Glancing up from his phone, JJ playfully rolled his eyes. "Fine..." he grumbled, pocketing his phone. "I guess the other kids can have their Pinkalicious books too." He let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head. It was no secret that JJ loved spoiling both of Candice's children, but even he knew that he had to respect her wishes. He could not go overboard. Of course, he would also ask Dom where he stood on this. But ultimately, it was Candice's call. "I love new babies! There's nothing in the world that brings me more joy than seeing new babies..." He grinned at the thought, breathing out a sigh. "Okay, just because I had trouble getting Mia to stop crying when I first brought her home from the hospital, it doesn't mean that you have to rub it in my face every chance you get. In my defence, she had just gotten out of the NICU, and I had been running on two hours of sleep," JJ remarked, laughing softly. "I'll have you know that I don't always make babies cry. Babies cry. That doesn't always mean it's my fault whenever they do," he argued, although he knew that she was just teasing. "But I won't be needing you for this house call. They were just discharged from the hospital yesterday, and I don't want to overwhelm them. I'm just going to cover the basics for now. They're scheduled to come into the office next week for the infant wellness checkup, so I'll need you then," he explained, thinking for a moment before he responded to her question. "How about Paco's? We can sample all of the tacos on the menu."
Family had always been important to JJ, and Candice had become a part of his family ever since he'd first met her back in Boston. After two decades of friendship and working together on and off for years, seeing each other through the ups and downs of their respective careers and lives in general, it was impossible not to see her as anything other than family. "Mhm... You know how much I love tiramisu. Do you remember the one we used to get at Mike's Pastry? I still dream about that tiramisu. And their cannolis. God, I miss Boston sometimes. I miss the North End and all of the food we used to eat. I miss those days sometimes." Truth be told, JJ looked back at the decade that he had lived in Boston with so much fondness. Living above a pizzeria in Boston's North End during medical school and residency, getting to live amongst the city's culture in the midst of all of the chaos, it was definitely the best of times for JJ. Even though Merrock was home, Boston would always have a special place in his heart. "And that's why both Mia and I love you very much," he stated, truthfully. He slipped on his sports coat and walked out of his office, locking up behind him. "What about Dr. JJ says that he's the kind of guy who goes out on dates on Friday nights? It's not like women are lining up at my door, wanting to date me, Candice," he retorted, laughing softly as he began heading down the hall. "I'm probably going to stay home and catch up on some chores, maybe have a quiet night in."
Lottie smiled, "Oh definitely." She smiled looking over at her friend for a moment, she nodded, "That is a good thing. Love seeing parents let their kids pursue what they want to rather than falsing them to follow down the path they want for their kids." She smiled, she knew she was never going for false maisy into anything. She nodded, "She would have done. Yeah very true, well what are you doing right now? Want to do something fun since we're both here?"
"I wouldn't say that my parents forced me to go into medicine, but they certainly gave me a little push. I think I started volunteering at the hospital when I was twelve, which I must say might have been a little too young. While it did humble me, it also made me want to become a doctor. I have no regrets, but I can't imagine putting my daughter through the same thing. I want to make sure she grows up feeling a bit freer to make certain choices in life," JJ explained. At least, that was what he had been hoping for. "Right now? I was grabbing myself an iced vanilla latte. I was going to check out the dance performances in a bit, and you're more than welcome to join me."
Gavin laughed a little looking over at the guy he had started conversation with, he was greatful that he was putting himself out there even if he was inside panicking. He looked over at the guy and laughed, "Oh well at least that makes two of us. I don't follow that religiously but I mainly came as a way of getting out there and trying to make new friends." He smiled looking over at the guy, "Nice to meet you JJ. Is that short for anything? I am new to town, moved here for a job at the Merrock Times. Is this your home town?"
JJ offered the other a genuine smile upon being told that he was only here because he wanted to put himself out there. The older man could certainly relate to that sentiment. "Hey, at least you're here. That's all that matters. While Touchback is a great sports bar, where you can watch the game, it's also a great place to meet people. Almost everyone in Merrock passes through here, even if they're not into watching sports. Plus, on some nights, you might catch our favourite bartender, Stelly, serving up some of their new creations. They're amazing." He glanced over at the bar for a moment, wondering if Stelly was working that night. He could not see them around just yet. Turning back to the other, JJ nodded. "Yes, it's short for Jefferson James. I started going by my initials after being briefly bullied in school for having the same name as a president," he admitted with a laugh. "Yeah, I was born and raised here. I moved away for school, but couldn't stay away for long. It's home. Where are you from?"
"I'm glad to hear it! Love a job that isn't crazy stressful, especially in the medical field," Bryan said with a nod. "Then you've got more control over your work-life balance. That's what I really love about running the truck, I can set my own schedule and move things around and set up when I want. Hey, it sounds like it's working well for you, so I'm happy for you!" He grinned. "For the occasional friend or extended family. But most of that consisted of either apple sauce or some kind of rice-noodle-chicken nugget hybrid,"
"Yeah, I feel like stress was always a given in medicine. From medical school to residency and then working shifts in the ER, I feel like the stress never stopped. I'm glad that I don't have to deal with that anymore," JJ admitted. Not that he had gotten completely rid of stress in his life, given that parenting alone was stressful enough. Now, he did not have to worry about the stress from work on top of that. "As much as I loved working the long hours early on in my career, I figured that I don't need to do that anymore, you know? I'm not trying to prove anything in my career, which means I can slow down a bit," he explained with a shrug. "How are things going at the truck, by the way? I know I haven't been around much, but I've only heard good things. How are you doing?" He asked, sighing in relief as Mia finally calmed down. "Hey, apple sauce and chicken nuggets sound perfect. If you could maybe add a vegetable in there, I think Mia would be one happy baby."
"What, you don't miss people lining up to dunk you?" Shayna laughed. She personally found it quite amusing, seeing which of her friends she would have the opportunity to target each year. "No sugar quite yet," she nodded, understanding that JJ had no desire to sugar load his daughter. While she personally had gone into this expecting her own daughter Zoey to go through the sugar highs and crashes throughout the carnival. However, she also understood that this being the younger toddler's first carnival, it was probably best to take it easy. "Do you think she would enjoy hopping on the train?"
"No, I absolutely do not." JJ playfully rolled his eyes, laughing and shaking her head. "I also don't miss the ice-cold water and the children who laugh maniacally while I shiver in the tank for a good ten seconds before I'm able to get out. They consider it payback for the vaccinations, you know?" Since it was for a good cause, JJ did not mind having to volunteer every year while he worked in the Emergency Room. But now that he no longer worked there, he was all for being a spectator rather than a participant. "Although I cannot lie and say that I want Mia to be able to try her first funnel cake today. But that can wait." For now, he wanted to make sure she enjoyed the games and attractions. He could fill her up with sugar later. "Actually, I think the train would be perfect for her. Are you and Zoey up for it?"
ఇ "Mm good points. With everything going on right now, we're in need of community shows of support now more than ever. If I get another land announcement for the morning show I'll tear my hair out." The seriousness fades when Marisol returns to them and she has in fact brought a roll of cotton candy with her. She paid with her own coins and is proud so Seungbin can't help but break into a smile. "She's been so tall for so long, I forget that exists." When was the last time he had to check a height requirement? She sprouted like a weed in the last year. Both he and JJ were in the mindset of turning their 'work brains' off, so he nods in agreement to the duck pond suggestion and takes Marisol's hands to lead her alongside JJ and Mia. "I'd take you on for that offer. He might end up dunked twice. Speaking of pay, have you been on guard for the jar? I was going to volunteer to watch it tomorrow." It was incredibly petty to consider someone may take the funds, but who knows? The duck pond was still chock full of yellow ducks floating around and hitting each other and when Marisol asked if she could go first, he told her to let Mia and to finish her cotton candy beforehand. "No need to add any stickier hands to the mix," he jests.
"God, don't even remind me." JJ groaned as the other brought up the Benefactor's land purchase, to which he responded with a roll of his eyes. "I'm trying not to think about it at all and just enjoy the carnival for once. I've been coming to the carnival every summer since I was a little boy. I can't even imagine how this'll all look if our town were taken over by tourists." He glanced around the carnival grounds and sighed, running a hand through his hair. "But I know that this town won't let that happen." At least, he hoped so. "Since Mia was born premature, she's always been on the smaller side for her age. So, she still has a few more months before she hits the height milestone for a two-year-old." He chuckled softly as they made their way over to the dunk pond. "Guard for the jar? No, I'm afraid that's not my responsibility either. Theo might know, but I haven't bothered to ask." Either way, it was none of his business. JJ would spend as much money as he could while the carnival was in town, and make sure his daughter had fun. That was the only thing he cared about. Pushing Mia's stroller to a stop, he unbuckled her and scooped her into his arms. "Come on, Mia. Let's have some fun with the duckies, shall we?" He handed the attendant some cash before setting his daughter down in front of the dunk pond, crouching down next to her. "Go on, princess. Grab a duck and let's see if you won a prize," he told his daughter, watching as she reached towards the pond.
"No, you're completely right," she nodded her head, "I can only imagine what all of the adults had to say about us when we were running around the carnival. Too much to see, too little time to see it all." And that $20 bill in her pocket had always been burning a hole, ready to be spent. She hadn't ever wanted to wait to get her favorite flavor of ice cream, to play the game with the biggest prize, to see if she could get stuck on top of the ferris wheel. It hadn't changed so much, except that twenty was hers now, and not from her parents. Maybe that was for the best. "Probably a good idea!" Otherwise, she was going to feel like she was still crammed up in that little basket for far too long. "You sure? I don't want to take up all of your money that could be spent winning giant stuffed animals," she teased, before starting for the lemonade stand, knowing better than to say no to a gift of free hydration. Especially if it came with fun flavor shots.
"I'm sure they said something similar to what we're saying, probably cursing our parents the same way..." JJ remarked, letting out a laugh at the thought. They really were the adults now, getting annoyed over the kids who were running around the carnival grounds without a care in the world. "But look at us now. We're still here. We're still at the carnival. Maybe these kids will grow up and come to understand that there's no such thing as too little time when it comes to the carnival. It comes around every year, and we'll all keep coming, no matter how old we get." Needless to say, that was his favourite thing about growing up in Merrock. Some traditions were always kept alive, and everyone got to grow up with them. "I'm positive, Essie. The giant teddy bear that I won for my little girl while playing skee-ball is currently sitting in the trunk of my car. I've already been told that I'm not allowed to get any large stuffed animals as a present for my niece, so I managed to cut myself off after my first win. Plus, I always bring extra cash for the frozen treats. Anything to stay cool in this heat, am I right?" JJ led her over to the frozen lemonade stand, reaching into his pocket to grab his wallet. "What flavour shot would you like?"
"Ah, you've got the nosy parents . . .I've got the nosy sisters." It was a light jest, she loved each of her siblings, even when they were poking and prodding at what she did (and didn't do) with her free time. "Did you get the 'you're too pretty to be single' chat? Or what about the 'anyone would be lucky to have you' line?" She was feeling decidedly less sympathetic toward JJ's parents by the time they were standing outside the balloon stand. Her smile was crooked when she imagined Mia a little older, a little more mobile and chatty. "I think if me and Miss Mia put our heads together we could convince you to get in that hot seat one more time. Just think of memories." She batted her eyelashes before stepping forward and requesting a pink monkey for Mia. She stepped back while it was being prepped. "Though maybe you are getting a little old for it."
"I sure do," JJ replied, letting out another laugh as he shook his head. "Lucky for me, I'm an only child. So, I don't have any nosy siblings. But I do have some nosy cousins to make up for it," he added with a shrug. "Well, if you can think of any kind of line that a family member could give someone single for a while, I've had it all. My parents have even used the 'you can't raise a daughter all by yourself' line on me several times, although I'm not quite fond of that one. I'm perfectly capable of raising Mia on my own. They're just very old school. So, I choose to ignore them most of the time. Once you're at a certain age, you tend to get away with ignoring the people who stick their noses in your love life for no reason." At least, that was JJ's experience. He did not know if that could be the case for Cherry, however. "Maybe, if my body can still handle it." Although he very much doubted that, given his age. "Yeah, I am, as a matter of fact. I'm almost forty-five years old, Cherry." He nodded, laughing as he watched the balloon artist get to work. "If you were expecting me to protest on that... Just know that I've accepted the fact that I'm in my mid-forties."
"Revenge? For making them better? That's definitely unfair," protested Amber with a laugh. "I'm not surprised you're glad of a break, then." She smiled and shook her head. "You're still allowed to complain." She very much believed that was true. As JJ commented on the face painting, she couldn't help the snort of laughter that escaped her. "Oh. Right. Of course. Can't possibly get any face paint near your beautiful complexion, then," she teased him.
"For keeping them up to date with their vaccinations," JJ clarified before letting out another laugh, shaking his head as he continued pushing Mia's stroller. "Well, as much as I enjoyed volunteering on behalf of the staff at the emergency room, I can't lie and say that I wasn't worried about the hygiene aspect of it all, you know, having everyone get dunked into the same tank without taking the time to change the water. That's happened a few times." Truth be told, it was no wonder that he was so grateful that he no longer needed to volunteer. "Hey, it takes a lot of effort to look this good!" He argued, letting out another laugh.
