The Tragedy of a Ten Year Old

Finally Home

Max POV

I woke up on a couch the next morning, I don't remember the drive, I don't remember getting in the car, the last thing I remember is falling asleep against a tree while waiting for the remainder of the parents to show up for their kids.

I blink awake not against a tree like I remember or in a car, but on a living room couch

My view from the couch shows me a lot, it's a black, leather, L shaped couch, two matching recliners are on the side without the footrest part. On the wall we across from the couch was a stone fire place with a 75 inch TV suspended above it on the wall. The flooring was hardwood and the rug was a lilac color

Mom is in the kitchen, I can see her from my spot against the cushions, she is wearing a purple sports bra and black shorts I slowly sit up, making the springs in the couch creak allerting my mother

"Oh, good morning Max!" She said smiling at me

"Morning," I walk over sitting down at the table as she hands me a bowl of cereal

"Since we didn't plan on adopting a kid this summer, we don't have a room set up for you yet, were converting my office into a room for you, and David's for a nursery because it's closer to our room and our gym is going to be converted into a shared office, extra diaper changing room, and a space for you to do homework"

I hum in response as I hear Dad walk down the stairs.

I glance over and he is wearing pajamas, a black T shirt, with purple plaid pajama pants. he stretches at the base of the stairs, numerous bones and joints crack as he before he continues walking to the counter to grab a mug, I begin to think he is finally going to do a normal adult thing and drink coffee, when I watch him start hot chocolate then, glance towards me "want some?"

"Um, sure" I respond watching him, he walks over to the front door where I can see my bookbag hanging and he pulls out a small item in a cardboard box, and I'm immediately confused. I didn't put that in there. I continue watching as he opens it and it's my "Nope" mug, that was in the box to keep it safe on the drive home

I slowly eat my cereal as I watch him pop a hot chocolate pod into the Keurig leaving my mug on the platform "Marshmallows?"

"Yes please, thank you dad"

He smiled and nodded turning to the walk-in pantry to grab a container of marshmallows while he was in there mom kissed me on the forehead and followed him into the pantry

David POV

"So, you going to tell him?" Gwen says in a hushed whisper leaning against the doorway

"I don't know" I respond also hushed holding the marshmallow container with both hands

"You know he can handle it" she says straightening her posture

"I know but ... I don't know. I know he already thinks it's a tad weird when I go from this to a happy, annoying, smiling ball of joy in like no time but, what if he hates me for keeping this from him" I tighten my grip on the marshmallows and she walks over draping her arms over my shoulders, giving me a small kiss

"He will not hate you"

Then the Keurig beeps and she leads me out of the pantry

And I grab the mug out from under the Keurig and slide it to Max hanging him the Marshmallow container

"Thanks dad" I him and nod in response God dammit David that is not the correct way to respond when your kid thanks you
"You're welcome"

"So max after we get ready we were planning on going to IKEA and picking up some furniture we were wondering if you wanted to go with us to pick out some things to make you feel at home instead of staying here alone in a strange house all by yourself" Gwen said looking at him

He awkwardly put the almost over filled glass of marshmallows down and wiped the chocolate off of his upper lip before responding "um yea ok" smiling awkwardly as I smirk in his direction while leaning against the counter

"Great!"

Max POV

"So I was wondering what you do when you're not camp councilors?"

"What do we do the rest of the year?"

"Yea!"

"I'm a school secretary and David's a kindergarten teacher"

"Really I wouldn't peg you pick being around kids that much I mean dad? I'd expect that but you?"

She chuckled "well I love kids and hanging around them and I especially love hanging around the little snot nosed brats who find themselves in the principles office all the time" she raised an eyebrow in my direction smiling as dad pulled his mug off of the machine sipping it

I laughed I see what you're saying "but it's true the trouble makers are hilarious especially when they come in with their excuses on why they didn't do it and how it wasn't them when it so clearly was"

"That's funny" I laughed