Page 35 of A Little Christmas! 4: Song

Song’s eyes went wide when he stared at Zachy, his voice a high-pitched squeal when he spoke. “You touched them?”

“Uh-huh,” Zachy replied.

“Not only did he touch them, but he rescued me from those fuzzy, eight-legged menaces after one climbed up the glass on the sound booth.”

“Where did you find the second one?” Song asked, prompting another round of giggles from Zachy.

Daddy just groaned and slapped a hand over his eyes.

“You know how you said you’d climb someone to get away from the spiders?” Zachy asked in between giggles. “Well, the spider had the same idea and was climbing Daddy.”

Papa sputtered, while Song and Decon just looked horrified at the revelation. Song pulled away from Papa and Zachy so he could hug Daddy, who stroked his hair and cuddled him.

“I’d have died,” Song moaned as he clung to their Daddy. “I’d have passed out on the floor, and the spiders would have just eaten me or burrowed into my body to lay their eggs.”

“Ewwww,” Decon hissed, shuddering as they rounded the corner to see a huge, towering spider sculpture looming on the edge of the fountain Song had been drawn to.

He stopped so fast, Zachy almost ran into him, only to have Decon smash into him and nearly knock him down while backpedaling away from the sculpture. Its legs were long and thin beneath a bulbous body, its head pointing downward towards the water, fangs on display as Zachy inched beneath it, tugging his Daddy and Song along so he could get a better look.

“So cool!” Zachy declared, fumbling to fish his phone out of his pocket with his free hand since he still didn’t want to turn his Daddy loose.

“Go ahead and get your pictures,” Daddy said, letting go of Zachy’s hand but not moving away. “We’re not going anywhere; we’ll stand right here trying to pretend that irony isn’t kicking our asses right now.”

“I-I’m just gonna stand over there and pretend this isn’t happening,” Decon declared as Papa pulled his phone out and started taking pictures of Zachy, Song, and Daddy beneath the statue while Zachy got plenty of photos of it and the fountain too.

The lens revealed tiny spiders crawling up the sides of the fountain; one of them posed over the mouth of it, the water trickling through its long, spindly legs. Each one was a mini replica of the big one and so super cool to look at that Zachy suddenly had ideas for yet another diorama, this one for Halloween, even if it was ten months away. With polymer clay he could craft a fountain, and there were always cool plastic spiders he could use for the small ones and clay he could use to make a big one; only maybe he’d pose his standing over the whole pool, with little spiders on its back and climbing up its legs as well as around the fountain’s edge.

Ohh, and he could craft lily pads; only instead of frogs on them, he could place little jack-o'-lanterns on them, usingpumpkin fairy lights and resin to make the water. That would hold the wires in place too and hide them.

“Is it okay if we sit for a moment?” Song asked, notebook in his hands as he stared up at their Daddy.

His words startled Zachy out of his thoughts and reminded him of his need to record them before the next cool thing caught his attention.

“Of course, take all the time that you need,” Daddy said.

“Thanks, Daddy,” Song said and headed for the bench beside the fountain, Zachy following, digging his notebook from his backpack the moment he sat down.

Side by side they sat, the bubbling of the fountain and a few cooing pigeons the only noise in the courtyard. It didn’t matter that they were working on different things; they were together in this beautiful space, creating without worrying about being rushed. As Zachy started making a materials list, all he could think about was how exciting it would be to have so many dioramas inspired by this amazing trip and the memories that would last a lifetime.

Chapter 14

(Song)

“You’re gonna be awesome,” Zachy said, tugging him close so they could rub noses. “Just breathe, you’ve got this. Now go show New York how amazing you are.”

Sliding his arms around Zachy, Song kissed him until the swirling mass of thoughts in his head faded. Zachy was right; it was gonna be amazing. With Ajay handling the vocals and adding guitar solos, they had the potential to be a real powerhouse of a band. Now all they had to do was go out there and show it.

Zachy held him while he just breathed and centered himself as their Daddy and Papa wrapped their arms around them too. Held safe in a protective bubble of their love and encouragement, Song knew that he was ready to do what he’d been born to do.

Play.

“Five minutes,” the stage manager called.

Zachy stepped back, kissed him one more time, and slipped his fingers through their Papa’s belt loop while Papa and Daddy kissed Song before heading out into the packed club, where seats were being held for them.

He spotted Ajay’s Daddy Walker release him from a hug, tap him on the tip of his nose, and follow them from the backstage area, leaving Song and the rest of the band to their final moments of preparation.

“They bring good energy,” Decon said as he blew out a long breath. “I kinda wish I could have gotten in on the hugging too.”