I was far from perfect, but fingers crossed Daddy never found that out.
Chapter Eight
Timothy
Every day, my patient boy stood next to me as I placed the gold star on his chore chart and clapped for himself. He definitely was a hybrid Little/Boy. The best of both worlds and I wouldn’t have him any other way. And today he would get to pick his first prize from the treasure chest.
“Ooohhh look at all the shiny stars I got this week, Daddy. I was such a good boy.” Hisbeaming smile lit my world as he twisted from side to side, barely containing his excitement.
“You were a very good boy, and Daddy is so proud of you.” I pulled the chest from the spare room and sat it on the floor in front of him. “Alright my shiny star, let me get the key to the chest.” Purposely, I had bought one with a lock to keep prying eyes and fingers out of it. But on top of that, I wrapped each present individually so he wouldn’t know what he was picking.
Sneaky Daddy.
“Daddy, why do you call me your shiny star?”
“Well, you like the shiny stars on your chart.”
“Yes?”
“But mostly because before you came into my life, it was dull and gray. Now, with you in it, the sunshine you brought made the darkness go away.” Jamie barreled into me. “You are Daddy’s Shiny Star.”
“Daddy, that is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.”
Things such as that he randomly mentioned broke my heart. My boy deserved to be treated like the gift he was. “That’s because you are the best thing that’s ever happened to me and that’s one of many reasons why I love you.”
“You-you. You love me?” He stuttered the words as his eyes welled with tears, and I nearly gave him the entire treasure chest right then and there.
“With all my heart, my shiny star.”
“I love you too, Daddy and I love being your shiny star.”
I kissed his forehead and then his lips. “Let’s find a new treat for my shiny boy. Shall we?” His head bobbed up and down and he clapped and cheered as I unlocked it. “Okay, reach inside and pick a prize.”
His eyes scoured the contents and carefully calculated which would betheone.
“This one.” He plucked it out and held it to his chest.
“Well open it, silly boy.”
Slowly and methodically, he peeled away the paper, and I wondered if he’d ever received a wrapped gift before. Well, I’d change that. His birthday was soon, and I’d throw him a party and shower him with gifts.
“Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!” He clung to the new stuffie. “A panda for my collection. Sloffers and Kiki and George will be so excited to have a new friend.”
Reminds me that I need to get his playroom done so we have more room in our bed for us. Pulling random stuffies out of places unknown wasn’t fun for me, though hearing my boy giggle as I groused each time I did was hard to give up.
Kinda.
“What are you going to name them?”
“Hmm.” He thought long and hard. “I think I’ll name her Patty. Patty Panda.”
“A her, is it?” What he used as determining factors for naming and gender determinations for his stuffies was a mystery to me. “Patty Panda it is, then. Now, our next order of business. Come sit on Daddy’s lap.”
“Am I in trouble.”
“Sweetheart, I don’t think you know how to get into trouble, so no, you aren’t.” He scrambled up on my lap and got himself and Patty situated. “I was wondering if you’ve considered giving notice on your apartment or have you already?”
“Oh, you saw all my stuff was here.”
