Page 34 of Kit

When I came downstairs, Parker was playing pop music from his phone. Different smells mixed through the warm air. Eggs. Sausage. Potato pancakes. Everything sizzled on the stove. My stomach growled.

Out the big dining room window, the entire backyard was covered in a layer of snow.

“It only showed a couple inches but it’s sticking,” Parker said.

“Maybe there will be enough for a baby snowman.”

“We can try.”

I brought the dishes to the table like a big boy. I wanted to help. But Parker told me to sit.

“Little boys need to be taken care of by their daddies. Will you let me?”

His words were even better than all the good breakfast smells.

“Okay, but I’m restless.”

Parker opened a drawer and pulled out coloring books and crayons. “I was saving these for a good time.” He brought them to me. “I think you can have them now.”

“Wow. Christmas coloring books. With Santas and reindeer and elves.”

I grabbed them and began paging through the top one so fast I forgot about Parker and breakfast and everything else. When I found a good page to start with Santa on his sleigh, I looked up and Parker was back at the stove. I’d forgotten my manners like a very bad boy.

“Thank you, Daddy.”

He looked over at me, smiling. “You’re welcome, baby boy.”

When breakfast came, I pushed the books and crayons aside and started shoveling it in.

“Hungry?” Parker chuckled.

“Um huh. It’s so good.”

“I’m glad.”

We discussed incidentals, like how we had slept and more about the snow. Then Parker said, “I was thinking about what we could do today.”

“I’m not sure.”

“Well, I was thinking we could go out to lunch later. I’m more used to eating out than cooking, that’s for sure.”

“But this breakfast is great,” I assured him.

“Breakfast is fairly easy.”

“I usually skip breakfast.” I winced.

“That’s not good for growing boys.”

I giggled.

“Anyway, maybe after that, some ice skating.”

“Hmm. I’m not good at that, Daddy. But I’ll go and try.”

“Only if you want to. We’ll go to the rink in the new mall. I want to do some Christmas shopping, too.”

“I’d love that so much.”