Chapter Seventeen
Taylor
“You doing alright, Pup?”
It’s been two weeks since the whole thing went down with Sullivan, Ben, and Sweets. Knox didn’t have any setbacks, but he seems to fear the darkness a little more than before. But that’s okay. We now have nightlights all over the house to alleviate some of the fear.
Today, however, is a big step. We’re standing inside the Little Room at Oasis. It’s during the week, so the central part of the club is closed, but the Little’s are out in full swing tonight.
Knox did surprisingly well on the trip over here. He refused to ride my bike, so we took my truck instead. He was stiff the entire trip, but his eyes remained open.
I’m so fuckin’ proud of him.
“Do you have to work, Papa?” he asks. “Can you stay with me?”
“I’m not going anywhere,” I answer. “What do you want to do first?”
Looking around, I know that he’s overwhelmed. This place is a Little’s dream. There are coloring books, Play-Doh, doll houses, car garages, books, a craft area, beanbag chairs, blankets, pacifiers, diapers, Legos, rocking chairs, oversized changing tables, baby beds, highchairs, and of course, stuffies. You think of something a Little might need; the twins have stocked it.
“Uhm. Maybe Legos?” he says hopefully.
I’m not surprised. My boy loves his Legos. I’ve had to make a rule that Legos were not allowed in the living room because my damn feet keep finding them.
We’re halfway through building what Pup says is a spaceship when a shadow looms over us.
“Hello, little one,” Steel says. His voice is calmer and much softer than anyone outside of this room ever hears.
“Hi. Wanna play?”
“Not right now, but let’s make a date to do so later. However, I have a new friend who wanted to play with the Legos, too. Do you think he can play with you?”
“Course,” my Pup says distractedly. “I not stingy, Uncle Steel. Why didn’t he just come sits down with me?”
“Well, because he’s scared of your Papa.”
Knox looks up with a frown.
“Where is this silly friend?”
A boy wearing a blue shirt that says, I’m a good boy and a diaper steps out from behind Steel.
“Knox, this is Oscar,” Steel says gently. “Oscar, this is Knox and his Papa, Taylor.”
“I love your shirt. I’m a good boy, too. Wanna play? My Papa is super nice.”
The little one looks at me, and I can practically taste his fear.
“How about I go and get you two something to drink?” I suggest.
Using everything I know about Little’s, I grab a big boy cup for my Pup and a sippy for Little Oscar.
“I’ll be right back.”
“I need to go over some membership forms,” Steel says when we’re in the snack corner. “I’ve already told him I was leaving, but if he freaks out, just call me down.”
“He has a story?” I ask.
“Not a good one,” he answers. “We usually allow him to come here after hours to play. This is the first time he’s wanted to come when there were others.”
“He belong to you guys?” I ask.
“No,” Steel answers. “His Daddy was recently murdered. Oscar lived with him as a full-time baby boy. He’s lost and confused.”
“Damn. Poor boy.”
“Call me if you need me.”
“He’ll be fine,” I promise. “I’m going to try and become his friend.”
Smiling, Steel shakes his head and leaves.
I walk slowly to the two, being sure to sit a few feet away before handing Pup his drink and having him pass down Oscars.
“When you’re a big boy you don’t needs sippy cups, Oscar,” my Pup says. “Then you can drink out of cups with no lids. Like this.”
Pup demonstrates how to drink from his cup and then proceeds to spill the entire thing down his very white shirt.
“Looks like it’s sippy cups for you from now on, Pup,” I sigh, sending Oscar a wink.
“Drat,” he whispers as I grab his cup, remove his shirt, and head back to the snack corner. This time, I grab another sippy and fill it with grape juice.
“You cants just leave me here naked,” Pup groans as I hand him his new cup.
“You’re not naked, naughty boy,” I laugh. “You’re wearing shorts. I need to try to save your shirt. Unless you want me to throw it away?”
“NO,” he shouts. “It’s my favorite Lego shirt, Papa.”
“Maybe I can help,” the room”s caregiver says. She’s usually here to watch the Little’s who don’t come with a guardian. “I have the perfect thing to remove the stain before it sets.”
“Thanks,” I nod.
“Don’t tell Papa, but I think I likes this cup better, anyway,” I hear my Pup tell Oscar quietly. “Oh, oh. I wonder if he will lets us have a piece of that chocolate cake. I bet he”ll give in if we both do super big puppy dog eyes. He can be a softy.”
Oscar laughs, and I shake my head.
“Sounds like you have your hands full,” the woman laughs.
“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” I admit. “Even if my Pup is being a naughty little brat.”
I sit off to the side for the rest of the evening while Knox and Oscar play. Before we all leave, I give the boy our number in case he ever needs something or wants a playdate.
He really is a full-time baby boy. The poor baby didn’t speak a single word the entire time we were there.
“Time to go home, baby boy,” I tell my sleepy Pup.
I don’t need to worry about how he will handle riding back home in the dark because my Pup is fast asleep in my arms before we even leave the room.