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Chapter Six

Roen

I was so excited for today. Every day here had been packed full of fun, but this day was special. I got Daddy all to myself. I wonder what he had planned for us. I was good with just hanging out, and I loved surprises, but my daddy was a planner for sure.

Over the months I had worked here I’d watched Kyler.

Not in a scary stalker way, but he made my stomach do crazy flips every time I saw him.

He was never mean or yelled, always super nice and made sure the crew were fed and happy.

That’s when I knew he was a Daddy, even though he didn’t know it yet.

When the knock I’d been waiting for finally came, I flung the door open, and there he stood.

“Daddy!”

“Of course, Sprite. Who else would it be?” I had no answer for that, guess I had a case of the sillies. “Shall we go have breakfast before our fun filled day begins?”

“Yes. I hope they have pancakes.”

“If not, I’m sure I can whip you a batch up.”

I was one lucky boy.

The mess hall was busy, but I knew many of my friends were going into town on their own day dates. I was wiggly jiggly and barely contained myself as we ate but now that my tummy was full of nummy pancakes, I was ready for my surprises.

“Okay, first stop, the office. We have cabin porches to decorate with wonderful bird feeders.”

“Yay!” I was so excited. Every time I saw them I’d remember making them together. Me, Daddy, and Daddy Mark. It’ll be even better once the birds found them.

“Daddy, can these be refilled?” I didn’t want the birdies to go without.

“Great question though I’m not sure. If not, we’ll just make some more. We have an endless supply of pinecones.”

Daddy used the step stool and hung each one wherever I pointed to. Once the last one was up, I ran to the center, stood between the firepit and the playground, and spun around. “I can see all of them from here, Daddy. It’s wonderful!”

“As are you, Sprite.” Daddy snapped a few pictures. “Come here.” He wrapped his arm around me and took our picture right as he kissed my cheek. You couldn’t hear my giggles in it but you sure could see the happies on my face. “I’m framing that one.”

“Send them all to me too, please. Oh shoot, I don’t have your number.”

“We’ll fix that now.” Daddy typed my number into his phone then it vibrated in my pocket as he sent the pictures. “There you go. Now, I believe I owe my boy swing time?”

“Yes!”

“Be right back.”

Daddy jogged off toward the office and came back with a big bag and dumped it out in the sandbox. “There you go.”

“Sandy toys. You think of everything, Daddy.” Instead of swinging, I decided to build a sandcastle that stretched all the way to the sky. Daddy filled the bucket with water and helped me pack the plastic thingies with sand. “Look how big it is.”

Daddy laid back and smiled at me. “I can’t remember the last time I felt this free. You bring out the best in me, little Sprite.”

“That might be the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.” Daddy wiped my face.

“I hope those are happy tears, sweetheart.”

“They are Daddy.” I love you , wanted to escape so badly but I was afraid of scaring him away. I just got him, and I wasn’t letting him go.

“Sprite, we know very little about each other. I’m hoping to remedy that today.”

“’Kay. Can we swing now?”

“Absolutely. Lead the way.”

“Wheee, Daddy. Higher!”

“Too much higher, Sprite and you’ll be hanging from the trees.”

“Like a monkey, Daddy.”

“Yes, a monkey Sprite.”

“Daddy’s monkey Sprite. Daddy, I’m hungry.”

“Perfect timing,” he slowed the swing down and helped me off. “I was up early this morning making us a special lunch. Have a seat on the bench and I’ll be right back.”

He jogged over to the mess hall and returned a few minutes later with a picnic basket. Daddy was doing a lot of jogging today.

“Yay! Daddy and Sprite are having a picnic!”

“Yes we are. I’m going to take you to my favorite spot. I found it one day while I was clearing the trails. It overlooks a bluff.” Daddy took my hand and led the way, and I happily skipped along beside him.

“How much further, Daddy?” My tummy was rumbly.

“Just around this bend. Ah, here we are.”

“Wow.” It was pine trees for miles all up and down the side of the mountain. Birds flew through the air circling above them. “I bet Bambi lives here too.”

“Silly boy, you’ve seen the deer here in the early mornings.” I watched as Daddy laid out the blanket and sat the basket on it. “Have a seat and I’ll serve my boy.”

I peeked inside the basket but couldn’t tell what was there, it was all in containers. “What did you make, Daddy?”

“I have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for my Sprite, and ham and cheese for Daddy,” he placed the sandwiches in front of us. “And a fun fruit salad with tiny marshmallows.”

“In pretty colors too. I love fun food.” I snagged a pink one and wiggled while I ate it.

“I’m happy to hear that. We have potato chips and a couple of water bottles and juice boxes for my juice box.”

“I’m daddy’s juice box.”

“Silly boy. There you go, eat up.”

I wiggled some more. My butt had the dancies today. “Nummy, nummy, nummy for my tummy, tummy, tummy.”

“Silly wiggly boy. Tell me something about you. I know you’re from Vegas and you play with electricity.”

“Yes, very stressful. One wrong move and whoosh!” My hands flew up in the air like flames.

“Whoosh is bad.”

“Very. I have a mom, her name is Kat, and a dad whose name is Kory, and my sister Ellie, and my best friend Donna there.”

“Do you miss them?”

“I do. We’re all very close. They would love this place.” My family enjoyed the outdoors and together time.

“Are you um, are you going back to Vegas on Sunday?”

Was Daddy worried about me leaving?

“Silly Daddy, I have to get all my stuff. I wish I was magic so I could make it all appear.”

“Get all your stuff?”

“Yup, I’m moving here. I’m working for Mark. Didn’t he tell you?”

“Where here?”

I shrugged, sliding out of Sprite space. This called for big talk, and one I evidently hadn’t thought through very well. “Well, that depends on you.”

“How so?”

How so indeed. “I don’t want to lose what we’re working toward.

I’ve waited too long for you, and I want to be here with you.

” When he said nothing, I decided to lay it all out there.

“I’m hoping we can live together here. Or you could rent me one of the cabins.

I guess I could find a place…” His lips cut my words off.

“I want to see where this goes too, but I can’t wrap my head around the fact it’s only been three days. Am I ready to say goodbye and let you move away? Hell no. But we still have so much to learn about each other, and I must figure out how to be the daddy you need me to be.”

Well, it wasn’t no, but it wasn’t a yes either.

This sucked. “I’ll check out apartments in town.”

“You’ll do no such thing.” He drew in a deep breath and sighed.

“I’m a planner. I know and fully understand every single choice I make.

This Daddy side hit me like a baseball bat.

I never saw this or you coming, and I’m ready to fully embrace it.

What if, and this is a big what if, what if you moved in with me but into Mark’s old room, and we see how things progress? ”

“That’ll work.” ‘Cause I’d make darn sure it did. Even if I snuck into daddy’s bed at night.

“That is such a weight off me. I’ve been dreading the thought of you leaving. Now that I know you’re coming back, it’s like I can breathe again.”

Daddy loved me, he just didn’t realize it yet.

“Now, is my sweet Sprite up for a swim?” Daddy’s warm voice had a way of pulling me right back into little space.

“Yes, Daddy.”

Daddy packed everything up while I took pictures of my own. “Take my hand, Sprite. Let’s go get changed.”

We slid into our trunks and sat on the dock, swinging our feet in the water while our food settled.

“I’m curious, what brings you in and out of little space? I hope that question doesn’t come across rude, I promise that’s not my intention. Merely a curious new daddy learning about his boy.”

I loved that Daddy asked that, but I wasn’t sure if my answer came with any clarity.

“It’s kind of hard to explain. When I get overwhelmed, I just want to play and forget about everything for a while, but sometimes it’s hard to get there and even harder to stay in it for long.

Honestly, being around you and feeling as safe as I do, this is the longest I’ve been able to achieve that Zen. ”

Yes, being a little was Zen for me.

“But you’ve come out of that headspace several times already. Should I be concerned?”

I sighed and stared down at my feet as they swung.

“Yes and no. Yes because it’s up to my daddy to know when I need to let go, and no because you’re new to this and I’m new to our relationship.

It’ll take us time to find our groove, but like I said, this is the most I’ve been little, so it’s going well. ”

“Mark said you’re not a full time little?”

“No. I enjoy having a job and managing my own money and such. In the evenings when I’m home I’d like to be little, but I’d also like to have grown-up dates sometimes too.

I’ll leave that to you to decide when we have Sprite dates and when Roen should be wined and dined.

” I grinned up at him. “Sexy times aside from rubbies should be reserved for Roen.”

“What’s a rubbie?”

Now that got Sprite giggling again. “Remember the other day when I was naughty when you bathed me?” he nodded. “What you would’ve done if my big side hadn’t come out was called a rubbie.”

“Hand job?”

“Yes, but usually for a little it’s quick, and then we’re off playing again. Ours got a bit heated, which was awesome, but that’s why I slid out of little space and more into…the moment.” Before he could panic, I jumped back in. “And trust me, that’s not a complaint.”

“Good to know. Ready to swim?”

“Race you across and back.” I dove right in, and with that head start was across and back before he’d reached the other side.

“Cheater!” He cried out, but my laughter drowned any further complaints he might pitch.

“Want me to grab a canoe and come get you?” I was only half kidding. If he really needed help I’d be there as fast as I could.

“No, just give me a minute. I’m not in my twenties anymore.” It wasn’t that far, but I guess I’d have to consider daddy’s age for future challenges.

My watchful eye never left him as he slowly swam back across. Not really doing breaststrokes, but more light swimming moves and occasional floating.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes,” he panted. “Just more out of shape than I thought.”

“Why don’t we switch to fishing and see if we can catch our dinner. I’d love to barbeque and sit outside and eat tonight.”

“That sounds wonderful, Sprite. Let’s get the gear.”

Daddy kissed me and all the worries floated away.

Just like that, he had the ability to ease my mind with the simplest of gestures.

We climbed the ladder to the dock, grabbed a couple poles and a tackle box, and spent the afternoon fishing off the dock.

I lost track of how many times I had to help Daddy untangle his line, whether it was in the rocks or the bottom of the lake.

I laughed so much at his colorful curse word combinations that my face hurt.

In the end I caught two decent-sized trout, enough for us to toss on the grill.

I’d say the fun part of this day was prepping dinner together, but that would be a lie.

The entire day was one of the best of my life, and I’d been blessed with a loving family who enjoyed spending time together, so that was saying something.

Ending the night making out like I was fifteen all over again was just…

I was so head over heels in love with Kyler.