Ollie’s Morning Routine
Ollie's Morning Routine
Breakfast was Ollie’s favorite meal of the day, especially since he could usually convince Daddy and Papa to let him eat a snack first while he cuddled in bed with them.
He tiptoed downstairs, ‘cause Ben was still snoring in their room.
Daddy said Ben was supposed to snore sometimes ‘cause bears did that.
Course, Papa snored sometimes too, and he was human so Ollie wasn’t sure Daddy that was right. But Daddy knew all sorts of things so Ollie didn’t suppose it mattered. Daddy could always answer questions and so could Papa.
He paused at the bedroom door and knocked quietly like Daddy had taught him. He wasn’t supposed to just open the door and go in ‘cause it wasn’t using good manners.
If a door is closed, then you knock first. Thems the rules.
Papa had lots of rules for them, but most of ‘em weren’t so bad. He sometimes forgot to say thank you, though, but Papa made up a secret code to remind him. So whenever Ollie saw him touch his chin with his hand, he knew what to do. Papa was super smart and always helped him remember.
“Come in,” Daddy whispered.
Ollie opened the door and tiptoed over to Daddy’s side of the bed. “Morning, Alpha.”
“Morning, Pup. Come on up.”
Ollie scampered into the bed and perched on Daddy’s chest before tucking his face into his neck.
He inhaled and suddenly felt sleepy again.
Ben said being around Daddy made you sleepy ‘cause you were safe. That’s what an alpha’s job was.
Daddy was an alpha and a doctor and now a daddy, too.
Papa said he wore lots of hats. But he didn’t wear hats.
Ollie snuggled closer and thought about getting Daddy a hat for his birthday.
Papa said you were supposed to think of things to get your friends and family that were special to them on their special days. A hat for Daddy would be special.
Papa grumbled and snorted before rolling over and throwing his arm over both of them. Ollie giggled and wiggled his way in between them. It was his favorite spot on the whole planet, and Papa showed him pictures of the Earth, and it was really super giant big.
“Vaughn, something’s wiggling in our bed,” Papa said in his sleepy voice.
“It’s me, Papa!”
Papa didn’t even open his eyes, but he ran his hand over Ollie’s hair and face then down to his belly. He tickled him until Ollie laughed and wiggled further under the covers to escape. “No way is that our Ollie, Vaughn. That wiggler is much too big to be our Ollie.”
Ollie threw back the covers and bounced up to Papa’s chest. “It’s me, Papa! I ate all my vegetables.”
Papa peeled open one eye and stared. “It is you,” he gasped. “You must have eaten extra veggies to get so big.”
Ollie beamed, even though he knew Papa was being silly.
It was their joke. He didn’t like to eat extra veggies ever, but he did eat some even though he didn’t like them.
Papa wouldn’t even let Ben sneak some off his plate like he used to when they first came to live in the big pack house.
He said that was cheating even though Ben was being nice.
If he didn’t want to eat his broccoli then he had to be a big boy and deal with the con-sta-quences.
Daddy said honesty was the best policy. Daddy and Papa said lots of things. Nana said they were working on their home training.
Ollie had no idea what that meant, but Nana had smiled when she said it and gave him a cookie ‘cause he had two bites of carrots and a green bean without even complaining.
Well, he had complained, but only to Ben when he smelled them cooking.
Carrots were okay when they were crunchy and Nana let him dip them in something fun, but green beans were blechy.
“Papa, I’m hungry.” His stomach gurgled in agreement, and Papa tickled him again.
“Me, too. What are we hungry for?”
“Cheesy eggs sandwich and grapes,” Ollie said. His belly grumbled once more, and Papa gave him a quick squeeze.
“Mmm. That sounds yummy. Want to help me stir?”
Ollie nodded and waited for Papa to get up. Even though he was a big boy, he still liked it when Papa carried him. He could smell his neck, and Papa always whispered secrets to him. Papa scooped him up and snuggled him tight while Daddy got up and went to get ready for the day.
“Who’s my favorite Ollie in the whole wide world?” Papa asked as he carried Ollie into the kitchen.
“Me,” Ollie said.
Papa rubbed his back before sitting him on the counter. “Who’s my favorite egg stirrer in the whole wide world?”
“Nana,” Ollie said with a giggle.
“And don’t you forget it.”
Papa grinned and got eggs, cheese, and grapes out of the refrigerator.
He handed the grapes to Ollie before getting out the bowl, pan, and bread.
Ollie popped a grape into his mouth and waited for Papa to get the bread out of the package.
His job was to put it in the toaster and push down the button once Papa gave it to him.
Papa said they were a well boiled machine.
Papa said the weirdest things sometimes.
Even Ollie knew that boiled meant when the water bubbled and was super extra hot and he wasn’t supposed to go near the stove. They weren’t super extra hot water.
Ollie got the toast put in while Papa cracked the eggs into the bowl.
Then he handed Ollie a fork and let him poke the yolks and stir.
He held the bowl extra tight like Nana showed him so he didn’t drop it.
When Nana first showed him, he didn’t know how to hold it right so he made a big old mess.
He thought Nana would be mad at him but she wasn’t.
She just laughed and they played a cleanup game.
She even let him help wring out the mop and they sang a song while they did it.
But on mornings when Nana didn’t come to help make breakfast, Ollie and Papa did it together. Papa poured the eggs into the pan, and then handed Ollie the bag of cheese. He sprinkled it over the top and watched while Papa stirred it all together.
“Want a grape?” Ollie asked as he held one out.
Papa nipped it from between his fingers with a grin.
Ollie grinned back and ate another one.
“I forgot to get out the butter. Will you get it for me?”
Ollie nodded, and Papa helped him down from the counter. Nana kept the butter in a special spot in the door so he got it out and took it to the counter just in time for the toaster to pop up. Papa took out their pieces and added one of the bagels Daddy liked next with all the gross stuff on top.
“Forks and plates,” Papa said.
Ollie’s next job was to get the table set. Sometimes they ate at the counter where there were tall stools so Ollie could see, but Papa liked sitting at the table best. Papa began to hum quietly while Ollie put the plates on the table.
“Papa?”
“Yes?”
“If eggs come from chicken butts, does cheese come from cow butts?”
There was a crash from the bedroom, but Papa didn’t look concerned so Ollie waited for Papa to answer.
“No. Cheese comes from milk. We can watch a video about it after breakfast.”
“Papa?”
“Yes?”
“If you love Daddy and Daddy loves you, how come you’re not married like Grammy and Pop-pop?”
Something crashed from the bathroom again. It was so loud Papa looked that way. Daddy opened the bedroom door and he was still wet. Half his face was covered in the white stuff he used when he shaved. Ollie giggled. “Daddy, you look funny.”
“Yes, Daddy. You do. Go get dressed. Breakfast is ready.”
Papa turned back to Ollie with a smile. “Daddy and I are mates. That’s why we’re not married. We might decide to get married one day, though. We’ll see what happens.”
“Okay. I wanna wear the suit with the thing on my neck.”
“A tie?”
Ollie nodded. “Pop-pop wears them. Pop-pop said they’re for work times and fancy times.”
Papa grinned at him and leaned over to kiss his forehead. “We’ll get you a tie, then, like Pop-pop. Deal?”
Ollie ate another grape and his belly rumbled.
“What’s the matter, buddy?”
Ollie shrugged. “I think my belly is hungry.”
“Okay. Let’s eat.”
But he wanted to sit with Papa. He didn’t want to sit in his chair. He pushed his plate over and climbed down, moving over to Papa. “I wanna sit with you.”
Papa looked at him for a second before he smiled. “Come here.”
He ate his breakfast while Papa told him about their school work for the day. They were talking about bugs. Everybody got to do different ‘speriments and read special books. Ollie was going to read about spiders. Ben picked grasshoppers.
Papa said they had lots to learn since they didn’t get to go to regular school. Ben liked it, but Ollie wanted to play games with Grandpa or Pop-pop. Sometimes Uncle Meshaq would come play, too. Uncle Meshaq liked Candy Land the best.
“We’re also going to start our Valentine’s projects today,” Papa said. “You’ll like those. We’re going to make one for everyone in our pack.”
“Papa, what’s Valentine’s?”
“It’s a day where you tell people how much you love them.”
Ollie frowned and looked up at Papa. “You love me every day. You said.”
“Yep. To the moon and back. It’s a day when you tell everybody, though, not just Daddies and Papas and brothers and sisters. And you want to know the best part?”
Ollie was pretty sure it was a trap. Papa was super tricky and sometimes the best parts weren’t the best at all. “What?”
“We get to use glitter and scissors.”
Ollie turned around on Papa’s lap and looked right into his eyes. “Glitter AND scissors?”
“Yep.”
“I love Valentine’s!”
“I thought you would,” Papa said with a laugh.
Daddy came out all dressed for his day at the clinic. He had his white coat over his arm and sat it on the couch before he came over to them with a smile.
“What has you both smiling so much?”
“Glitter!” Ollie said.
He held up his arms and Daddy scooped him up.
“Glitter!” Daddy carried him over to the toaster and got out his bagel. “Tell me there aren’t going to be scissors, too?”
Ollie nodded. “I love crafts.”
“I know you do, pup. Did you eat your breakfast?”
Ollie nodded again.
“That’s my good boy. Do me a favor?”
“Okay, Daddy!”
“Grandpa William is up. Will you go ask him if he would like breakfast? Remember your manners. Knock on doors.”
“I’ll remember!”
Daddy kissed his forehead and put him down. Ollie ran for the stairs and went up to Grandpa William’s room. He could hear the TV playing the news once he was close. He knocked gently on the door and waited for Grandpa to say he could come in.
“Come in.”
Whew. It took forever. Ollie scampered into the room and found Grandpa William in his recliner. He skipped over to the arm and leaned in. “Hi, Grandpa.”
“Morning, Ollie. You sleep okay?”
Ollie nodded. “Daddy wants to know if you want breakfast.”
“Who’s cooking?”
“Papa and me.”
Grandpa made one of his silly faces. “Well then, what did you have?”
“Cheesy egg sandwich and grapes. Daddy had a gross bagel.”
“Well, if I want a cheesy egg sandwich and grapes, will you help your Papa make it?”
Ollie straightened up and smiled. “Yes!”
“Okay, that’s what I want then. I’ll be downstairs in a few minutes.”
Ollie ran from the room, but stopped at the top of the stairs. One at a time. Hold the rail. Papa always said it over and over when he went on the stairs. He looked over to the table to tell Papa they got to make more cheesy eggs, but Daddy and Papa were kissing. Again. They were always kissing.
“Daddy! You gotta let Papa go. We’ve gotta make Grandpa some cheesy eggs.”
“Well in that case.”
Daddy picked Papa up and twirled him around. Papa laughed and held on tight.
“Daddy!”
He gave Papa one last kiss before letting him go. “I’m heading to the clinic. Can I get some Ollie loves?”
Ollie jumped the last few steps and ran. He leapt when he was close enough, and Daddy caught him before throwing him up in the air and catching him again. Ollie wrapped his arms around his neck and breathed. “Take care of the animals, Daddy. And the shifter people, too.”
“I will. You do your schoolwork and use your listening ears, okay?”
Ollie nodded and breathed against Daddy’s neck one more time.
He’d be back at lunch. Papa had a timer that went off at noon so he knew it was almost time.
Sometimes Ollie still got scared that Daddy or Papa wouldn’t come, but they always did.
Sometimes, Daddy had to stay at the clinic and help someone who was sick, but if he did, he called or had Grammy or Pop-pop call right after the alarm went off to let him know where he was.
“I love you, pup.”
“Love you, too. I’m going to make you a Valentines.”
Daddy squeezed him tight and nuzzled his hair. “I can’t wait to see it.”