“Daddy!” he came sliding around the corner in his socks. “Ohhh, kids’ meal. Yay!”
Tae made a kissy face, and I pressed my lips to his. “Go sit, Daddy will join you in a minute.”
“’Kay, Daddy.” He skipped away while I dropped off my stuff in the office and changed into shorts before we ate. “What did you get to eat, Daddy?”
“Burger and fries, nothing exciting.”
“How was the walk through?”
“It was good. No fancy painting, just straight rolling with a bit of trim. Wants a loft turned into a media game room for his kids and a paver area with a pergola installed out back. I’ll work up the bid after we eat and send it over.” I’d also get our vacation booked too. I had to admit, the idea of getting away for a few days had grown on me. Four years together and aside from sick days neither of us had taken any time off. We were well past due.
“When do they want it done?” He dunked his last nugget into the ranch and zoomed the toy car his meal came with around the table.
“I told them we could do it at the end of the month after we get back from vacation.”
“We’re really going on our first vacation? Just you and me, Daddy?”
“Yes, my love, we are. I’m sorry it’s taken me this long to realize a break was in order. Can you forgive your Daddy screwing up?” I felt awful, like I was to blame for Tae’s artistic block and played a factor in the depression I’d witnessed.
“Silly Daddy, you can’t know everything and until you mentioned a vacation, I hadn’t even thought about one. Now I’m super excited. We can have a snowball fight, and a fireplace fire, and hot chocolate,” he ticked each one off on his ranch laden fingers. “And see a new place. I can’t wait! Ooohhh, can we make samores?”
This boy was too cute for his own good. “S’mores and absolutely.”
“Yay! I’m a lucky boy.” He skipped off toward the sink to wash his hands singing, “Daddy loves his boy.” Then parked himself in front of the TV again.
Tae was definitely in better spirits today than he was yesterday which was a good sign. Hopefully getting away from our daily lives would free his mind and something,anything, would come to him, then we could finish his room. I didn’t like how stressed out he’d become over something that should’ve been simple and fun.
A necessary break a Daddy should’ve not only seen but had already scheduled that from now on would be annually at minimum.
There was a secondary part to this trip, another task I’d been meaning to get around to. I’ve had Tae’s ring for some time now. My mother had given my father’s and grandfather’s wedding rings a while back. She adored Tae and his brothers alike and joined us for every holiday and special gathering. Mom will be thrilled when I pop the question and make an honest man out of Tae. Her words, not mine.
With my boy occupied, I stole away to the office to work up the quote for Jacob and get our reservation made. The Tetley work was straight forward and already having the supplier’s prices in the quoting program we used helped speed it along. There was no need to add additional breakers, just a couple of outlets. After giving it a once over and double checking the numbers, I fired off the email.
Now it was time to book our trip.
3
TAE
“Look Daddy, look, snow!” We’d been driving forever and all we’d seen so far was dirt, pine needles and trees. When the floofy white stuff finally appeared, my tummy got all tickly excited. “I love the snow.”
Daddy smiled. “So, you’ve said, though I believe this is your first time seeing it up close and personal, isn’t it?”
I waved my hands around, pointing it all out. “Daddy, snow.” Didn’t he get it? Once, twice or a million times was never enough. But he was right, I’d only seen it in pictures and on TV until now.
“Alright, silly boy. Before we get to the cabin we have to pick up groceries first.”
“’Kay, Daddy.” I turned up the radio and sang along with the songs. My Stitch stuffie danced in my lap, just as happy as I was. “Go Stitch, go!” I cheered him on. Daddy let me pick the music on road trips and thank the music gods for that. His metal songs were kinda scary, and I never understood what they were saying. All the screaming was like watching Hell’s Kitchen andthat show gave me hives. First time he played one of the bands he liked for me I ran out of the room crying. From then on, we both started wearing earbuds while on jobsites.
“We’re here, Silly Boy.”
Daddy came around and undid my seatbelt, and I left Stitch in the truck to protect our stuff while we shopped. We grabbed a cart outside the door andwhoosh, the doors whipped open and the air nearly took my Stitch beanie off.
“Big whoosh, Daddy.” I tugged it back down over my ears.
“Yes, lots of air pressure. Why don’t you find the toy aisle and get a new coloring book and crayons while Daddy does the shopping.”
“Yay!” Must’ve been too loud ‘cause the lady passing by shook her head at me. “I’m on vacation.”
