Daddy’s Little Dreamer (The Lactin Brotherhood)

Chapter 17

“Daddy?” Where did he sneak off to now? “Where are you?”

“Coming, Birthday Bee!”

I grabbed a juice box from the fridge which was full to exploding with food. Daddy sure had been busy cooking today.

“Are you ready for your last present?”

“You are so silly, Daddy.”

“Silly for you. Follow me.” Down the hallway we went, but he stopped in front of the guestroom door. “It’s inside. Go ahead, open the door.”

What was he up to? He was being awfully sneaky. “Okay.”

Slowly, I opened the door, then flung it all the way open.

“Happy Birthday, Trevor!” the entire room yelled.

“Mom!” I squealed and ran straight for her.

“Did you think I’d miss seeing you on your birthday? That’s never once happened in twenty-one years. Happy birthday, love.”

Then Brandon hugged me next.

“I can’t believe you’re here.”

“Trebor.” Pressley ran over to me and I picked her up. I adored the way she mispronounced my name. “Hello, sweet girl, how are you.”

“Good. Happy birfhday.”

“Thank you so much.” I set her down and finally looked around.

“Is this?”

“Yes, Birthday Bee. This is your new playroom.”

“Ohmygodohmygodohmygod! Squee!” Everyone covered their ears. “Sorry.”

“Let’s step out so he gets a good look at it.” Mom kind of ushered everyone but me and Daddy out.

“Who did all this? When? Look at all the bees? Ohmygod! Look at the cute dresser. This is the best!” I threw myself at him. “Thank you, Daddy.”

“You’re very welcome. You know who did all this magnificent art?”

“You?”

“Boy, you’ve seen me color. I barely stay inside the lines.”

Sadly, that was true, but I wasn’t about to say it out loud.

“Who?”

“Tae, Chuck’s boy. Tae, can you come in here please?”

The shy boy I’d kinda saw before sort of hiding behind Chuck came in the room and waved. “Hey, I’m Tae.”

“You did all this? It’s beyond amazing. Can I hug you?” At least this time I remembered to ask first. I tended to invade others’ personal spaces without asking, something I was working on.

“Yeah. Do you like it?”

“Like it?” If my eyes got any wider they’d pop out my skull. “I love it. It’s amazing. You are so talented. The bees. So many bees. I love bees, did you know that? And ladybugs.”

The entire room was a scene from a farm. A fence lined the bottom of the walls with lush green land and gardens galore behind them. There were bees and butterflies, a smiling sun, birds and even a scarecrow.

“You literally have all my favorite things in there.” One wall behind the fence was nothing but a sea of sunflowers. “Daddy, there’s a ladybug on the sunflower like the picture you have of me.”

“I’m glad you like it.” Tae smiled.

“Tae, would you like to meet the other boy here?” Daddy asked him.

“Brandon? Yeah, we met a long time ago. But um, the room looks really cool with everything finished. I only saw it painted but empty.”

“I just saw the big farm playset. That is so cool.” I didn’t know where to start first. My eyes darted around taking it all in. There was so much to play with.

“Do you want to play in here or take your friends outside?” Daddy asked me.

But I was still in shock. “You choose.” It was always better when Daddy picked for me plus my brain was on overload.

“Let’s start outside. Then you guys can work your way back in. Sound like a plan?”

My head bobbed up and down. Daddy and Tae left but I was still in awe.

“Sorry I couldn’t give you everything you wanted like this.” Mom’s voice surprised me.

“Mom, you gave me all that and more. I grew up in a loving home and never went without. You took care of me like a mother should and you were my best friend. I literally had everything.”

“Love is most important, Lila,” Daddy joined us. “I wish I could’ve had with my own mother half the bond you and Trevor share. It’s a beautiful thing to bear witness to and because of you, Trevor became the wonderful loving, caring adult that he is.”

“I feel like I was the burden, and you had to put your life on hold to raise me.”

“Never a burden. You’re my life and my entire world, Trevor, and I wouldn’t trade that for anything.”

“You’re the best mom anyone could ask for and I wouldn’t change a thing about the life we had together. I love you, Mom.”

“I love you too, baby boy.”

When we hugged I realized it’d been far too long since we had, taking each day for granted after having spent so many of them together. From now on, every time I saw my mom I’d hug her like it’d been forever.

“Trebor.” When had Pressley come in? “Can we pway outside?”

“Absolutely, sweet girl.” She took my hand and did her best to pull me, so I played along.

“Come on, guys, let’s play on the jungle gym.” I called out to Brandon and Tae.

It was so much fun having friends, regardless of their ages, to play with. We swung and built sandcastles and helped Pressley up the rock wall. Down the slide she’d go, giggling away, then she’d throw her arms in the air and shout “again” and one of us would take her through it.

“Anyone want a juice box?” Daddy Adam shouted above our laughter, holding four in his hands. We sucked them down so fast like we had some sort of record to beat.

“Thank you, Daddy Adam.” Daddy was working the grill with Chuck, and inside I saw Mom and Amity setting out all the food I’d seen in the fridge. Good thing everyone was here to help us eat it because we’d never get through all that and I didn’t like wasting food.

“Alright boys, come get your food,” Daddy hollered, and we lined up. “Burger or hotdog.”

“Hot dog, please.” He handed me a plate.

“Go inside to get all the other goodies, then come back out to eat.”

“Thanks, Daddy.”

Mom put a scoop of all my favorites on the plate. “You brought deviled eggs. Yay!”

She smiled. “Of course I did. They’re you’re favorite.”

I sat outside with my friends, eating all this yummy food, and as I saw all the smiling faces it hit me just how lucky I was, blessed even. I must’ve been a really good boy for the stars to grant me such a humongous wish. And a forever one at that.

After dinner my new friends and I decided to play inside. I immediately went for the giant wooden farmhouse.

“My dad made that.” Tae sat down beside me. “And I painted it. It was a lot of fun to make.”

“Are you a professional artist, cause if not, you totally should be.” Everything was perfect from the tiny yellow ducks to the cow eating hay. There was even a barn cat.

“I am. Mostly abstract art, but when Daddy asked if I wanted to help with this it woke another side of my gift. I think I’m gonna help him out in more littles’ rooms. He does a lot of them.”

“This is so awesome.” I picked up the matching box they made that also held farm animals and wood people. “I can’t believe you guys made all this.”

“That’s our birthday present to you.”

I tackled Tae in a hug. Thankfully he laughed cause, well, the work in progress failed with his personal space.

“I so love it! Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. It was fun and gave me ideas for some of my own. Daddy thinks we may be able to make them to sell at the craft fairs we do.”

“That’s a great idea. Let me know next time you have one so Daddy can take me. Let’s exchange phone numbers.”

We pulled out our phones right as Brandon joined us.

“Me too. Let’s make a group chat with the three of us. This is gonna be so much fun. Now we have two best friends, Trevor.”

I loved Brandon. He had so much energy like me.

“Wait, I already knew both of you so all three of us have two best friends.”

He was so silly.

“Boys, time for cake,” Mom called out as she popped her head in.

Lately she was all smiles. Not that she wasn’t happy before, but there was an air about her, something completely different now. I was glad she found her person and I really liked Amity and Pressley. Huh, if they got married would that make Pressley my sister? Would I finally be a big brother?

As soon as I stepped into the kitchen, the group began singing to me.

“Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear Trevor. Happy birthday to you!”

“Blow out your candles, Birthday Bee, and make a big wish!” Daddy shouted above their cheers

I wished this day would never end. Though I knew it would, the friendships I’d made and the love of my family would last a lifetime. Which was perfect for me.