WestAllen Love Story (Book 2)

Chapter 6: One Happy Family

"A day off? But the flash usually doesn't get a day off does he?"  Iris asked raising her eye slightly wrapping her arms around Barry.  She was never too hoping that they might get even a few days off at a time to be alone as a family.  But there were those few occasional times where Barry got his free days.  Barry smiled wrapping his arms around Iris.  "I set the day aside so I could hang out with you and Henry.  We can maybe take him to the park..."  Iris smiled.  "I think he would like that a lot.  He misses you when you're out in the field."  Barry nodded.  "I miss him as well.  And I miss you.."  Iris takes a deep breath.  "I know we aren't telling him because for his own safety.  But since he is getting older, don't you think he'll figure it out at some point?"

Barry stays silent for a few minutes and nods.  "I am sure at some point there will be a time to tell him.  But he's only Three.  I'm not sure he would exactly understand.  But I promise.  When the time is right. We will tell him.  And together."  He smiled.  "No secrets right?"  Iris smiled back.  "Right.."  He leaned in to give Iris a kiss.  "I'll go get him.."

Barry lets go of Iris and walks upstairs to Henry's room gently knocking at his door to let him know someone was there.  Henry glanced up from playing with his toys and smiled.  "Daddy!"  He walked over to Barry as fast as he could for his age.  Barry smirked a little.  He would definitely inherit that from him.  He bent down and picked Henry up as his son approached closer to him. "Hey big guy..."  Henry wrapped his arms around Barry's neck giving him a hug.  "You staying?"  He asked.  Barry bit his lip at the question.  It seemed whenever they could finally have a peaceful moment, Barry suddenly had to leave, and he couldn't even tell his son why.  "Yes Henry.  I"m staying.  I'm going to be here all day.  Why don't we go to the park for a bit.  And maybe afterwards we can con your mom into going to the ice cream shop."  He winked a little.  Henry loosened his arms around Barry's neck and gave an excited clap.  "Yeah!  Ice ceam!"  He shouted.  Barry laughed.  Way to keep it quiet kid.  He thought.

"There's a boat daddy.  Can we go on the boat?"  He asks pointing over to the docks as they were walking along the park.  "But that's not our boat sweetie...."  Henry gave Iris and Barry the puppy dog look then began to take off towards the docks and the waters.  "Henry wait!"  Hearing Iris call after Henry after realizing the direction where he was heading, made his heart pound and almost made him go in instant flash mode.  He rushed after him at normal speed as best he could and got a hold of Henry just in time as he began to lose balance reaching the docks.

"Henry.  Why'd you do that?  You need to be more careful!  I told you we can't go on there!"  Barry said a little more sternly.  Henry bit his lip looking as if he was ready to cry.  "I.  I just wanted to see the boat daddy..."  Barry sighed a little letting Henry go after a while.  "I know you like boats.  But you still need to be careful.."  "Barry?"  Barry glanced up as he saw Jay coming off the boat and onto the dock.  Barry stood up and took Henry's hand so he wouldn't try and wander off again.

"Jay hey...  I..  I didn't know you sailed?"  Barry asked looking at the man strangely.  Though it had been a couple of years since he had first met Jay, he still wasn't sure that he could trust him or Harry.  They were willing to tell them with whatever they knew, but there was also still a lot that they didn't know..  Jay glanced down at the three year old and smiled as he knelt in front of him. "Hey little man.  I hear you like boats?"  Henry smiled a little but still seemed leery of Jay.  "Yeah.  I.  I just wanted to look.."  He muttered.  Jay stood back up and looked from Iris to Barry.  "Well if you would like, the three of you can come on for a ride."

Henry smiled widely and glanced up at Iris.  "Can I mom?"  Iris sighed a little and glanced over at Barry.  "It's up to your dad.."  'Pwease daddy?"  Jay let out a small laugh.  "I like this kid.  Seems like he's got the guilt trip thing figured out..."  Barry laughed a little.  "Yes he sure does.  Alright.  I suppose one trip around the lake couldn't hurt..."  He said picking Henry up and walking onto the boat with Iris following.  Jay let out a small smirk as he watched Iris and Barry with Henry.  They seemed so protective over him.  "There's a lifejacket in this bucket here."  Jay walked over grabbing the smaller lifejacket and handing it to Barry so he could put it on Henry.

Once Barry got Henry's lifejacket on, He took a hold of henry's hand and walked with him over to one of the benches and sat down picking Henry up and setting him in between him and Iris.  "So.  The boss decided to give you the day off for once huh?"  Jay looked over at Barry a split second with a small smirk on his face.  "Uh yeah.  He said since things were going slow that they had things covered at the office."  Barry smiled a little.  Jay continued to navigate the boat around the lake pointing a few things out to Henry he thought would interest the kid.  Once he arrived at the docks, Barry stood up and started to get the lifejacket off of Henry.  "Can we go again daddy?"  Barry laughed.  "How about some other time?  That is if Jay says it's alright..."  Henry gave another pouty face.  "Fine..."  Barry goes to put the lifejacket back in the small bucket and steps off the boat with Iris and Henry.  "What do you tell Jay?"  Henry turns his head slightly to look at Jay who was standing on his boat.  "Tank you.."  Jay glanced down at the kid and smiled.  "Anytime kid..."

"Daddy can we go get ice ceam now?"  Henry asked looking at Barry.  Iris laughed and shook her head.  "You and your ice cream..."  "Can we?"  He turned his attention to Iris.  Iris smiled.  "I suppose we can."  Henry smiled and placed his other hand in iris'.  Iris gently wrapped her hand around Henry's hand as they continued to walk to the shop.

"Tank you mommy.."  Henry said as Iris handed him a small cup with some chocolate ice cream.  She smiled wrapping her arm around Henry to give him a hug. "You're welcome sweetie."

Once Barry and Iris got home, Iris went to place a sleeping Henry down for a nap.  She then made her way back downstairs into the living room where Barry was waiting for her.  She sat down next to him on the couch.  "The boat ride got him tuckered out I think."  She grinned a little.  Barry smiled and wrapped his arms around Iris pulling her close to him.  "He did seem to be having fun at least."  "Yes he did."  Barry took a deep breath and glanced down at Iris.  "And I have come to my decision..."  Iris glances up at him looking rather shocked that he would think of it so soon.  "And what did you decide?"  She asked in an anxious tone.