Love & Tea Bags on The District Line with Responsible Adults

When the Going Gets Tough

The crowd cheered as all the runners set off. The clapping and whistling died down as each of the contenders crossed the starting line and ran along the coastal path, out of the main view of the starting line, which would now be re-set for the final mile marker.

Flynn bounced up and down, still clutching the hand of his idol.

"You've got some energy," Mike chuckled.

"He's a bit of a live wire," Dan replied. He was feeling a little nervous himself standing there with the front man of The Drops. He'd never met a famous person before. The fact his fiance was a published author just wasn't the same thing. Micky's books weren't exactly mainstream and so his book signings were small affairs at local bookshops. Nothing on the man that stood next to him clutching his adopted son's hand.

"Right, well, nice to meet you Flynn," Mike said, attempting to free his hand from the adorable kid. "But I gotta go start some entertainment for the crowds."

"Are you singing?" Flynn asked with wide eyes.

"Yeah," Mike replied. He nodded over to the small staging area located next to the refreshments tent. Noah and Martin were already setting up. Mike successfully managing to get himself out of that laborious task once more. Ann also arrived, playing the part of mummy-to-all as her three kids surrounded her along with Mike and Jay's own two.

"Can I come sing with you?" Flynn asked.

"Flynn," Dan warned. "I don't think they need another band member."

Flynn sulked. Mike couldn't help but laugh at the kid.

"I don't know," Mike replied. "Martin's a shit awful backing singer. You can come do the ooos and ahhs if you like." Mike winked over at Dan, who smiled gratefully.

"Can I sing the bad words?" Flynn asked.

"Oh," Mike replied and Dan couldn't help but laugh. Seems like the O'Neill's have a way with producing that one syllable in people. "I've tamed the words for this children's gathering."

"Okay," Flynn smiled. "I can sing other words, too."

"Right, it's a deal then," Mike said. His hand was still being held and he wondered if the kid would let it up so he could play his guitar. For a moment, as the hand squeezed him tighter and began pulling him over to the stage, he thought that perhaps he ought to learn how to play the guitar one handed.

Flynn pulled him over to the stage, Dan following closely behind. A few waves of greetings, introductions of the hoards of kids to Flynn, and Mike jumped up on stage. Flynn followed, bouncing around to hug both Noah and Martin. Dan had never seen Flynn so excited. And that was saying something. Flynn could get excited about a kettle boiling. And speaking of which, a tray of freshly made paper cups of tea were shoved in their direction and Dan took one gratefully.

"No coffee?" Dan asked, eyeing the contents of cups on the shaking tray. The man holding the tray seemed to sneer at him. Grimace, maybe. Perhaps he had an abhorrence to the c-word too.

"I'm representing Macy's Tea Shoppe," the man said, making sure to over pronounce the tea word. "We have tea." Again.

"Tea's fine," Dan replied and took a sip. It wasn't a Micky-tea. It wasn't hot enough for that. But it was free, so he said no more about it and the man walked off shaking his head and muttering under his breath. "I'll assume this is a more tea-friendly area," he said to Ann next to him. She chuckled.

Mike stepped forward to the microphone stand on the stage. His hand had been set free and so he settled his guitar on the strap around his neck and began a few chords to check the sound and indicate to those poor spectators remaining that he was about to start. Feeling like his personal space was being evaded, he glanced to his right where Flynn stood grinning at him. He shrugged, smiling back out at Dan who just waved the cup in a cheers - leaving Mike to realise that Flynn was serious about the singing.