Chapter 4
Chapter Four
Crispin
“Bunny, there isn’t much left to load up.
” And very little room remained in the SUV for us.
“Are you and Goldie ready to go?” Beck nervously glanced around the condo, chewing on his finger.
“Quit chewing on your fingers. I promise, we’ll come back this weekend and get whatever is left.
” Which will only be a handful of things.
My sweet boy definitely lived a minimalistic lifestyle and right now I am thankful for that.
Now, it was my turn to spoil him, and I had the perfect space for that.
“’Kay Daddy.”
“I’ll get Goldie while you lock up.” Goldie lived in a simple fishbowl with colorful rocks at the bottom.
Beck kept her tank nice and tidy just as his condo was.
For a brief moment I wondered if I’d ever have to tell him to clean up his toys.
My sweet boy was an anomaly in the age-play lifestyle for certain.
I poured half the water out of Goldie’s tank, hoping for less chance for spillage during the drive home. The house wasn’t that far and as long as we avoided the strip cutting across town, we’d make it home in about twenty minutes.
“Buckle up, Bunny, then Daddy will hand you Goldie’s bowl.” Normally my job is to buckle my sweet boy in, and one I loved to do, but alas, Beck would have to do it himself this one time while I clutched Goldie’s tank. “Okay, hold it nice and tight.”
“I promise, Daddy.”
I kissed his forehead then we headed out of the parking garage.
Keeping to the speed limit made the drive a few minutes longer, but it was more than worth it.
Beck whispered sweet musings to his beloved fish along the way, letting her know how much she’d love their new home.
This boy and that big heart of his. Only a few weeks in and he completely owned me.
“Bunny, do you think Goldie would like a bigger tank?” I had just the place we could put it but as Goldie’s pet parent, it was Beck’s choice to make.
“Hmm, I dunno. What do you think, Goldie?” He asked her then paused as though listening to her response. “She’d like that, Daddy. Maybe we can get a bubble wand thingy in it too. Goldie likes bubbles. When can we shop for it? I want to get it for her, so it has to be within my budget.”
The level of cuteness just amped up with the firm set of his jaw. He wasn’t budging on this. He would be the one to purchase the new tank. “Whenever you’d like. We can view a few online, then pick a couple of favorites, and visit the local stores to choose from there.”
“Okay, sounds like another good Daddy plan.”
“Little one, wait for Daddy to come around and take Goldie before you try to get out please.” He squirmed the second we pulled into the garage.
“Yes, Daddy. I’m a good boy.”
“You really truly are, sweetheart. Let’s get Goldie settled in, then we’ll unload the car so you can too.” With Goldie safely in Daddy’s clutches, he did a cute little shimmy and danced his way inside. How had I gone so long without this much happiness in my life?
“Whoa,” Beck’s eyes widened when I opened the back of the SUV. “That’s like master level Tetrising, Daddy.”
“One of a few talents I possess. I’ve been known to play a video game or two in my day,” Beck giggled. “Just set the clothes on our bed and the toy bins in the living room. I’ll make space in the closet so we can hang everything up.” Together we had it unloaded and put away in no time.
“Daddy, can we bring my little bookshelf for my toy bins this weekend?”
“Yes, we’ll take Daddy’s big truck next time.
That should fit everything that’s left.” More than, but I didn’t want him to worry about space.
Once I get his playroom done, he’ll be over the moon.
Personally, I couldn’t wait to get started.
Never had I met a boy more deserving of the world than my Bunny.
“Daddy,” Beck walked into the closet. I’d just hung up the last of his clothes and he let out a big yawn. “I seepy.”
“We had a late-night last night and an early and very long day today. After this busy evening, it’s a wonder you’re still standing. Let’s shower and curl up in bed. Daddy’s gonna work from home tomorrow, Bunny, so we’ll have a lazy day.”
“Yay!” Beck’s cheer wasn’t as impressive as most of his were, but my sleepy boy gave it his all. “Lazy day with Daddy sounds perfect to his Bunny.”
I turned on the shower water to warm, stripped my boy and I, and held him beneath the warm spray as we wound down. “Feeling better, Bunny?”
“Yes,” he moaned as I washed his hair. “Never had anyone wash my hair before. It’s like a massage for my scalp.”
“Silly boy, it’s meant to be. Let Daddy finish washing you so we can get you into your bunny pj’s.”
“Where is Bun-Bun and Daddy Bear?”
“Hmm, Daddy Bear is waiting in bed. Remember, you tucked him in this morning before we left. Since Bun-Bun went with you to Jobe’s I’d imagine he’s wherever you left your backpack.” I know it came with us from Jobe’s, so it was somewhere in the house.
“I think it’s on the couch.”
With my boy washed and warm under the spray, I moved to the second shower head and washed myself. Adding dual heads and widening the shower when I remodeled was one of the best choices I made. As of late, I’d made even more, starting with following my heart.
Beck was dried and dressed, wobbling toward the bed, his eyes half lidded.
Basically, sleepwalking, but thankfully made it safely and fell face first onto the mattress.
Another forty-eight hours like this I couldn’t allow.
It was too much for both of us and completely unhealthy.
Settling into one living space will help tremendously.
Monitoring sleep and Beck’s meals will get us both onto a better schedule and healthier lifestyle.
I tucked him in and retrieved his Bun-Bun, then slid into bed behind him. “Goodnight, sleepy boy. Daddy loves you.”
“Love you too, Daddy.”
Having woken with the sun for far too many years, I was up before my boy and managed to tackle quite a bit of work before he stumbled down the hall.
“Daddy?”
“In here,” I called out. “In the office.”
“There you are. I woke up alone,” he pouted as he slid onto my lap. “I missed you.”
“I’m sorry, sweetheart. Daddy is an early riser, but the good thing is that I was able to get a lot of work done so we have time to shop for stuff you need after I feed my boy.”
“Bunny ‘cakes?” He cuddled Bun-Bun to his chest.
Ah, he woke as my little Bunny. “Absolutely. Bunny cakes and milk.” Now to see how he reacts to my next surprise. “Regular cup or sippy cup?”
That opened his tired eyes, and an adorable rosy blush tinted his cheeks. “I don’t have a sippy cup, Daddy.”
I stood and sat him on his feet. “Follow Daddy.” I wandered over to the cupboard and pulled out the divided dish and sippy cup set I bought him. “You do now, if you want one.”
“Daddy, it’s got little bunny’s all over it,” he danced in place. “Sippy cup, please. Will the bunny cakes fit on my new plate?”
“I’ll make them just the right size, so they do.
” I’d butchered their ears so badly last time I felt horrible and ordered a couple of silicone molds to use now.
One shaped like tiny cotton tail bunnies and another that was just the bunny head I’d been trying for and failed miserably at.
Traumatizing my sweet boy wasn’t on my to do list.
Next on the order list was a bathrobe in his size. Poor boy was in mine and could’ve wrapped it around himself twice. Maybe a new pair of bunny slippers, the bottoms of the ones he had on were duct taped. Nothing against duct tape, but my boy deserved bright, shiny, new things.
“Bunny, you know that spare room across the hall from ours?” Ours. God how I loved saying that. Never realized how lonely I’d become until Beck and I started dating. Going home at night without him was the worst.
“Yup.” He tipped his cup to his lips, took a quick drink then shrugged and drank some more.
This was beyond adorable to witness. I loved that Beck was free to explore his little side now and I was elated to be a part of the new discoveries that were yet to come.
He already mentioned pull-ups, but would he be interested in diapers too? What about a binkie?
“What do you think about turning it into Bunny’s playroom?” An ear-splitting squeal bounced off the walls, as did my boy when he spun in circles. “Careful or you’ll vomit milk all over.” He skidded to a halt and stared at me. “Was that a yes then?”
“Yes!” he cheered. “All the yeses in the world. Can I help too, Daddy? Can we paint it blue and yellow and have bunny’s going hoppity-hop-hop all over the walls?
” I already envisioned the cute little toe bean prints.
I wonder if I could have larger ones made to put on the carpet like tic-tac-toe for my Bunny to hop across.
Maybe doing this with Beck rather than for him was the way to go. I’d already caught a glimpse of separation anxiety and with taking care of everything alone for as long as he had, he’d likely enjoy a Daddy-boy project.
“Absolutely. What else would you like in your room? Daddy will build the shelves and furniture for you. I enjoy that and it’ll be sturdier than anything we could buy.”
“Mmm,” he took a bite of his pancakes. “These are sooo cute, Daddy. Thank you for the nummy bunnies.”
“You’re welcome, sweetheart.” He got his thinky face on. Adorable as hell, though it was a mix of thinking hard and if I wasn’t mistaken, constipation? I swear, only Beck could pull that off and have it end up that damn cute. “Maybe a pen and paper would help? Don’t want you to hurt your brain.”
“Daddy,” he rolled his eyes and wiggled. “I gotta go potty.” I was too busy laughing as he sprinted down the hall to reprimand him for running in the house. But in the end, he made it safely to his destination while I learned how to read another face he made.
By the time he returned, I had the kitchen cleaned up and laptop in hand. Beck was dressed and had pen and paper with him. “I got this from your office,” he held it up. “I hope that’s okay?”
“It is. Come, have a seat and let’s do a bit of shopping.”
Back and forth we went for far too long and with far too many internet search windows open. My laptop was dragging as my sweet, price conscious boy compared then compared again until I was ready to make the choices myself. Hmm, not a half bad idea.
“Sweetheart, your daddy may not be a billionaire, but I’m not poor either. Pick the colors you want, and the play rug, then daddy will take care of the rest.”
He stared up at me with those big, tear-filled eyes and I wanted to spank my own ass for upsetting him. “Are you mad at me, Daddy?”
I sat the laptop aside and pulled him onto my lap.
“Absolutely not, Bunny. I love that you want to get the best deals and spend as little as possible, but this is one of those things in life your Daddy doesn’t want to scrimp on.
This may come as a surprise, but your Daddy wasn’t born with a golden spoon in his mouth.
My parents worked long, hard hours to feed my sister and I and when we turned sixteen, we got jobs too.
Hell, long before that I mowed the neighbors’ lawns and helped with odds and ends around their houses to earn extra cash. ”
“You’re such a good person, Daddy,” Beck kissed my cheek. “But I don’t need all these things. I’m happy with four walls, a rug on the ground, and my containers of toys.”
“Please, let your daddy do this for you?” Honestly, it was just as much for me as it was for him.
The excitement of watching Beck play and fully immerse himself in his little side I wanted more than he knew.
That wasn’t an act you could force, it had to come naturally, and when the little felt most comfortable.
A level I soon hoped my sweet Bunny and I would achieve.
The existential crisis waging war in his brain reflected in his eyes.
Beck really struggled receiving anything beyond a simple toy.
I’m glad Jobe never shared the landlord situation with him beforehand and led him to believe all this time that he merely knew the owners.
Jobe would reveal the truth in due time.
He’d have likely slept on someone’s floor until he saved enough money to pay full market rental value if he had known.
He hemmed and hawed then finally replied. I swear, I held my breath the entire time. Why was this so important to me?
“Okay, Daddy. But I get to help with the work. It’s not fair for you to do everything.”
That’s why. Because I loved my boy something fierce.