Page 75 of Just A Little Magic

True to his word, Anders had played quietly with Owen. They sat with the boys, but Anders focused on helping Owen build a block tower, and then they rolled a ball to knock it down. When Jakob and Rory paused their dragon fighter racer game, they asked Owen if he wanted to join them in coloring. When he shyly nodded yes, Jakob and Rory told him to hold on because they had a surprise and returned with a wrapped package. They shyly presented it to him with eyes lit up with excitement. They both were wiggly in anticipation.

“Owen, we picked it out for you.”

“Uncle Gabe and Papa helped wrap ’cause tape is hard.”

Owen accepted the package, then turned to Anders and asked for help. Anders dutifully helped him dislodge the tape so he could unwrap the package. Inside, he found jumbo crayons and a coloring book of cats and kittens.

“Owen! We sowwy! Don’t be sad, okay?” Jakob and Rory said almost in unison when Owen struggled to process the emotions that played across his face.

There was gratitude and love, but he was also overwhelmed and overstimulated. I was about to get down on the floor with Owen when Anders held up a hand to stop me.

“Boys, this is a lot for Owen. I bet he loves the rag doll and the coloring book, but he went from no playmates to the twobest playmates in the entire world in just a couple of hours. We have to let him sit with it for a sec.”

“Owen, you still happy?” Jakob asked solemnly.

“Yeah, happy is good.” Rory chimed in.

“I happy,” Owen whispered, clutching the coloring book to his chest. “Pretty kitties.”

“Boys, I need you to keep coloring your own pages. Owen is going to take a quiet break and maybe join in a little bit later.”

The boys agreed and playfully argued about which picture they should do. Anders and Owen flipped through his new coloring book, and Anders talked about the pictures Owen pointed out. He was the perfect, watchful babysitter.

Anders was such a mystery to me. He wasn’t a little, but not a Daddy either. His caretaking tendencies came through like a beacon, but nothing that indicated he was a Dom—Daddy or otherwise. His boyfriend and boss never attended our get-togethers, and we’d stopped including him in the invitation. He claimed happiness, but his perpetual state of exhaustion wasn’t particularly convincing.

After a few minutes of looking at the pictures, Owen got off the floor and came to where I watched him on the sofa. He leaned down and urgently whispered, “Potty, Da.”

Oh shit.He’d been antsy sitting there, and it didn’t register to have him use the bathroom.Dammit.

“Hold on, baby. Let me find a spot. Reed, which bathroom would you like us to use?”

They were all Daddies. They knew the drill, if not the circumstances I’d accidentally created.

“Use the guest room off the foyer. You remember where it’s at?” At my nod, he also added, “If you need anything, there’s a good chance it’s under the sink.”

I nodded my thanks, grasped Owen’s hand, and brought him to the room.

“Wait here for me, baby,” I directed Owen until I could check the supplies under the sink.

“Kay-kay.”

I gave him a quick kiss on the forehead. He was such a sweetheart. Under the sink, I found disposable pads and sealable bags for disposal. There were also a few diapers, but I’d put some of Owen’s in the bag before we left the house. In the future, I’d also need to put pads and bags so I wouldn’t have to worry about borrowing supplies. When I returned to the bedroom, Owen was exactly where I’d left him.

“You’re such a good boy for Da. Let’s get you squared away.”

I laid the pad down and helped Owen with his clothes. Once cleared, I told him to hop on the pad and lie back. The last thing I wanted was for him to be embarrassed or upset, and I knew he was on the verge of it as a bright-red blush stained his cheeks and he stared off into space.

Yes, he was still in a little space, but not the fun, safe, cozy mindset I’d hoped for him. I worked quickly to get Owen wiped off, lotioned, powdered, and re-diapered. I wrapped everything up, sealed it in the bag, and washed my hands before returning to the bedroom. I’d toss the sealed bag in the trash on my way back to the playroom.

Once his clothes were back on, I braced myself against the headboard and drew Owen close. He snuggled into my side and sighed.

“Baby, you doing all right?”

Rather than answer, Owen nodded against my shoulder. His fingers played with the buttons on my shirt. His blush was still there but not quite as bright. I kissed the top of his head and wrapped my arms around him.

“I’m so proud of you. I know today was so scary for you, and you did it. You’re so brave.”

Owen didn’t answer, but I didn’t really expect him to. Owen’s thumb found its way into his mouth, and the soothing sounds of his suckling lulled both of us. I wasn’t sure how long we stayed there, probably no more than twenty minutes.

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