Page 12

Merritt

Dinosaur.

“Oh, are we playing dinos?”

Wren.

“Daddy didn’t think I was a dinosaur.” He was wrong. “I’m a good dinosaur.”

Bouncing, Wren nodded by his door. “You’re a great dinosaur. I liked that part of the meeting. Do you think we can color tomorrow? I like their ideas but until we get done playing imagination, I think we should be able to color.”

I liked to color.

“I think we’re supposed to stay big even when they’re telling stories, but Daddy wouldn’t mind.” I shrugged as Daddy groaned. “Once we get to real ideas and science then we probably have to stop?”

Wren nodded. “Story time means we get to play too. As long as we’re quiet.”

“Kenzie probably has fun stuff to color.” He’d be easy to talk into coloring. “His Daddy likes giving him what he wants.”

Me and Wren both looked over at Daddy but he just glared at us.

Wren knew it was funny too because he giggled. “You’ve got a frowny Daddy.”

Did he have a frowny Daddy?

“I’m not frowny.” Daddy glared at both of us, getting more giggles from us. “And if I don’t get praise right now, I’m going to start asking questions.”

Wren made his eyes go big but he wanted to laugh. “You’re a good Daddy for Merritt. I already told everyone. Bye.”

Naughty Wren.

Daddy groaned. “He cheats.”

Yep.

I liked Wren.

“And if he’s not careful, I’m going to call his mother and tell her that he’s been flirting with someone.” Daddy raised his voice to tease Wren back. “She’s not going to be happy with her baby moving away.”

It was Wren’s turn to groan.

They both cheated.

But I was a good boy…and a sneaky boy.

“Clothes, Daddy.” Tugging on his hand, I kissed his cheek. “I need mac and cheese. I’m big hungry.”

I was two box hungry.

Three box hungry.

Three boxes and hot dogs hungry.

“Food. Yes.” Daddy forgot all about Wren being naughty and kissed my forehead. “We got distracted by a naughty boy.”

A naughty, giggly boy.

“Are you hungry, Daddy?” I could hear his tummy rumbling, so I knew he’d nod. “Do you want mac and cheese?”

I was a good distracter person.

“I’m starving.” Daddy held my hand as he opened the door. “What else should we have with it?”

Veggies?

“I…I have green beans, Daddy.” That made him smile as he closed the door behind us. “I have hot dogs. I have a cucumber. I have chicken too. And chicken nuggets.”

Daddy chuckled as he sat me on the bed. “So chicken and chicken nuggets are two different things?”

“Yes.” Everyone knew that. But it was okay that I had to tell Daddy. “And chicken strips are different too. And dino nuggets.”

Nodding, Daddy picked out another fancy suit and started moving around the room. He was fast but he liked his fancy clothes and he kept frowning about what to bring. “I can understand your logic but I might have more questions.”

Daddy liked questions.

“I like talking to you, Daddy.” He liked listening to me, so we were good mates. “I’ll explain.”

“Thank you.” Daddy walked by and kissed my head. “I like your explanations. You don’t make me guess what you want.”

“I have to tell you what I want or you can’t give it to me. Not yet.” We’d have a good mate bond. I knew it. “Later you can read my mind.”

Daddy snickered. “I think you’re going to be a mischievous boy with our mate bond.”

Giggling made me look naughty but I couldn’t help it. “I was good during the meeting, Daddy. I didn’t send you naughty thoughts or pictures or even put my hands in silly places.”

I’d been sooo good.

Daddy tried to look stern but he chuckled. “That was very good of you, but I’m expecting you to continue that tomorrow as well.”

Maybe.

Kenzie didn’t look like he’d been behaving, so I wasn’t sure I had to.

“Are they going to keep telling stories tomorrow, Daddy?” That was much more important to talk about. “They had good ones today.”

Daddy sighed as he came back over to the bed holding a fancy shirt and another pair of his nice pants. “You and Wren have a very good point about the stories, so tomorrow we’re going to focus on magic we know will work, keeping the portal safe, and making decisions about what to do next.”

“That’s not as fun. I liked stories.” But Wren was right. We needed coloring books and more wiggle time. “Is Kenzie going to bring more cake?”

I liked cake too.

“I don’t know how to answer that without disappointing you.” Daddy shrugged when I sighed. “I know. So I’m just going to say that I hope you have fun tomorrow and that we find you good snacks.”

I was going to hope for cake.

“You can have fun too, Daddy.” Daddy needed fun. “Do you want to color? We can get you gummy snacks.”

They made me happy.

Daddy grabbed a little bag and made a happy sound. “Do you like gummy snacks? I have to admit I don’t like the weird flavors. I just like the regular ones. Wren likes weird flavors and keeps trying to share.”

And Daddy had to be nice.

“I’ll save you next time, Daddy.” That was my job. “I’m good at saving you.”

From naughty people and from silly people and from mean people.

I had to save Daddy from the boring people too, though.

I’d do better next time.

Daddy smiled and came over to give me cheek kisses. “You have done an amazing job of saving me.”

Taking my hand, Daddy tugged me up and gave me a big hug, squishing his clothes because I was more important than his pretty suits. “You are the best mate ever.”

“I’m smart.” And the people who’d tried to hurt Daddy weren’t smart. “I’ll keep saving you.”

Daddy sighed and gave me his you’ve got to be kidding look where he raised his eyebrow. It was a good look and had stopped some of the stories during the meeting. “You seem to think I’m going to need a lot of saving.”

Yep.

“You’re a good Daddy.” Cheek kisses and snuggles made me look cute and distracted Daddy. “You gave me lots of cuddles and attention today.”

He hadn’t forgotten me.

“I wish I could’ve given you more.” Daddy kissed my head and smiled when I stood up like a big boy. “But you gave me good attention too and you’re good at reminding me to make the other members of the councils stop telling stories.”

I liked stories but stories weren’t plans.

Daddy liked plans.

“I’ll help.” I could be a good helper. “We’ll do a good job.”

But that was later…it was mac and cheese time.

“We will.” Daddy was a good planner and smart too. “And now it’s time for two wonderful helpers to have dinner because I can hear your tummy growling like a dragon.”

That was Daddy’s tummy.

“I’m a growly dinosaur.” Poking his tummy made me giggle. “You’ve got the growly dragon tummy.”

Daddy sucked in a breath and looked shocked. “Never. My tummy is too polite.”

He was so silly.

But he was a fast packer and a fast talker too because he finished getting his stuff and told Wren we were leaving before his tummy growled again.

His.

Not mine.

“You’ll have to help me figure out where to put my clothes and show me where the bathroom is at the campground.” Daddy looked around as we climbed out of the car. “I haven’t driven around here.”

“There.” I pointed through the trees. “There’s a little path.”

Daddy frowned as we went up to my door. “You’re walking that in the dark?”

Worried Daddy.

“There’s a big path for nighttime, Daddy.” That wasn’t a lie. There was a big path. “It goes round and round and it has lights.”

Daddy gave me his eyebrow look. “And you’ll use the lit path going forward unless we’re together, right?”

“Yes, Daddy.” Yep. All the time. “You see good in the dark?”

Dragons did.

Most dragons did.

Old dragons got cranky when they couldn’t see in the dark.

But Daddy wasn’t old.

He was just a good grown-up that wore suits.

Daddy sighed. “Yes. I have good night vision and I have good instincts for cuties doing dangerous things.”

Hmm.

“Like Wren finding a Daddy?” Yep, that was better. “He was giggling.”

Daddy laughed. “Throwing Wren under the bus, huh? You’re going to fit right in.”

“To your family, Daddy?” My tummy stopped whirling when he nodded and no whirling meant it was easier to open the door. “Wren told them about me.”

Got it.

I was a big boy.

“I told them first, so his mother is behind on the gossip.” Daddy smirked and did a little happy wiggle. “My mother is going to love that.”

Yay.

“And you.” Daddy kissed my cheek as he climbed in the camper. “Okay, where should this stuff go?”

Planner people asked good questions.

“Here, Daddy.”

But I had good answers for a planner person.

I had room for Daddy’s hanging stuff and room for his shoes and even his undies. I had room for stuff everywhere.

“Wow. You have more toys in the bathroom.” Daddy poked his head in the tiny-tiny potty room. “I thought this was a closet.”

“It is.” It was a toy closet and a clothes closet and a buy pretty picture frames at the cute store closet. “It’s a closet with a potty.”

“Got it.” Daddy nodded and closed the door. “Too small and too…well…I don’t know how you’d clean that out.”

Stinky.

“So it’s a closet that just happens to have a toilet in it. Makes sense to me.” Daddy chuckled as I climbed up onto the bed and found my spot. “And it seems to be a Daddy’s job to make dinner while his boy gets out the toys?”

“You’re so smart, Daddy.” I had to show him more of my toys. “I was very good today.”

I’d even helped Daddy keep his manners.

He hadn’t laughed at the dinosaur man and he hadn’t gotten angry at the naughty mage lady.

“You were and you’re a good boy now for recognizing that only one of us should be moving around at the same time.” Daddy got his thinky look as he studied my house. “It’s amazing how every inch has been utilized but floor space is at a premium.”

“I got bed space.” And I had pillows and my bear and lots of toys. “I’ll share.”

Daddy chuckled. “I hope so because there isn’t anywhere else to sleep.”

Hmm.

“Sleep tax.” Ha. I was going to get Daddy. “Gotta pay the sleep tax first.”

Daddy looked suspicious.

Daddy was smart.

Daddy smiled. “I’m very curious to hear more about this sleep tax system you seem to think is fair.”

Silly Daddy.

“Fair?”

No.

“Fun.”

Yes.