Page 77 of Their Little Helper

Maybe Papa was frowny because he needed special Daddy cuddles too?

I’d share.

I was their good boy.

Just a…a tired good boy.

21

SANTOS

Could adults fall asleep in their food like toddlers did in those waste-of-time online videos?

Harley was barely hanging on as he looked down at his nearly finished second helping of spaghetti and his head was bobbing like he was one deep breath away from face-planting in his plate. “I…I like noodles, Papa.”

Before I could respond to that for the third time in the last five minutes, he blinked and looked over at Dally. “I like noodles, Daddy.”

“I’m glad but I think you’d like a bath too.” Dally’s suggestion had merit but it took several long moments for Harley to nod.

“I like baths.” The jaw-cracking yawn that followed his earnest response made him look even littler as he finally wrestled it under control. It seemed to take the last of his energy because he slumped and blinked like he wasn’t sure where he was. “I…I like baths.”

Then we were going to do a quick one.

“Let’s go get you cleaned up and in your jammies then.” Standing up from the table, I started clearing things quickly. “Daddy’s going to get you started. I showed him where the bubble bath is.”

Because he’d shown up after his visit to his parents and had made himself at home wandering around and looking in random cabinets.

“I like bubbles.” Harley frowned as the last bites of his dinner were swept away but there was no way he was still hungry. “I like noodles.”

I wasn’t sure if there was a purpose for that last repeat of the noodles fact but I took it slightly more seriously that time since I’d clearly been missing something the other times. “Would you like me to pack you some noodles for dinner for work…tomorrow?”

When he blinked that time, his brain seemed to engage more. “Yes, please.”

That’d been the issue?

Dally jerked but managed not to laugh out loud. It took him several seconds to get his delight under control, though. “I think that’s a great idea.”

Going forward I was going to try different answers every time he repeated the same sentence.

“Let’s go hop in the tub.” Leading Harley through the house took some effort because snails moved faster than our tired boy, but eventually they seemed to make it because Dally’s random chatter got almost silent.

Almost.

When he was around it was never truly quiet because even when he wasn’t talking he made thinking sounds and wiggled constantly…and somehow that was loud too. It was going to take some getting used to, but I had to admit it wasn’t terrible.

Just distracting.

Work was definitely going to have to be done at the office if Dally was around. Harley wouldn’t be an issue but his Daddy was a handful. So I was prepared for utter chaos as I finished getting the kitchen straightened and headed to the bathroom.

Hmm.

It was too quiet.

I could hear water filling the tub and I could hear Harley saying something but I knew chaos was incoming.

Yep.

“And he said I was a fucker but I can’t be, so I wasn’t mad.” I followed Harley’s delightful story until I realized he was at the bidet again. “Big me wanted to shrug and tell him that but I was my dangerous me and glared at him.”

---