Page 124 of Daddy's Pride
“I-I, I don’t know. He looks familiar, though.”
Mitchell wandered over to the boys and crouched down beside them. We couldn’t hear what he said to them, but they smiled. Even the new boy. Mitchell walked away and returned with three juice boxes. When they were done, he tossed them and returned to us.
“His name is Chase, he’s here on a friend pass for the day. Says his best friend David comes here.”
“Daddy, Daddy!” Henry ran over. “Chase is my friend David’s friend.”
“Ah, that’s how I know him,” Casey said. “Excuse me, gentlemen.” He introduced himself to Chase and Jamie rejoined us.
“Is David the Daddy you played with a couple of times before?”
“Yes, Daddy Mitchell. You met him once. He has a boy now, named Jordan, but he’s not a Little. They play on the big people side.”
Chase and David. The names rolled around in my head as if somehow familiar. Maybe I’d met them before.
“Are you ready to go, Jamie?”
He took my hand and lay his head on my chest. “Yes, Daddy. I seepy.”
“Okay, sweet boy. Say goodbye to your friends.”
Much to my surprise, he ran over to Chase. They exchanged a few words and hugged. Casey waved but stayed with Chase. The five of us walked out together and the boys hugged as we said our goodbyes. I’d reach out to Casey later and ask if he and Chase wanted to come to the party next weekend. I had a good feeling about their meeting. Kismet and all that, but in a little way.
Chapter Nine
“Happy birthday to me.”
“Happy birthday to me.”
Year after year, I’d sang the familiar tune to myself. Usually, it was accompanied by a cupcake with a single candle, when I could afford it. “Sloffers, I thought this year would be different.”
I’d woken before Daddy and tiptoed out to watch cartoons and color and let him sleep in. Sometimes Daddy worked late, and I needed to be a big boy and let him sleep in.
“How can it not be when you have a Daddy who loves you?”
“Daddy!” I jumped and scrambled up on the couch. “You scared me.”
“Sorry, sweetheart. Happy birthday.” Daddy wrapped me in a warm hug and all the bad went away. “How about some birthday pancakes?”
“Yay!” I stood on the couch and gripped Daddy’s shoulders, hopping up and down.
“A broken bone on your birthday would make the birthday boy sad.”
“Sorry, Daddy.”
“Finish your picture and I’ll make breakfast.” Daddy was making me nummy pancakes and that deserved a new picture for his fridge. I got to work, humming the happy birthday tune to myself but this time much happier. Daddy had a way of making all the sadness go away.
“Birthday boy, your breakfast is ready.” Daddy called out.
“Okay, Daddy.” I hopped up and skipped into the kitchen, then stopped dead when I saw the table. “Daddy.”
There sat a plate of pancakes piled high with whipped cream and colorful sprinkles along with a pile of prezzies for me. I couldn’t stop the tears and Daddy held me while I cried.
“Please tell me those are happy tears.”
“Very happy, Daddy. Very happy. Thank you for remembering.”
“I’ll never forget. Now blow out the candle and let’s eat so you can open your prezzies.”