Absence

9

After yesterday, Paxton refuses to leave my side. He knows I'm upset... but he just doesn't understand why, but he just knows his dad is sad. "Daddy?" He asked from his spot curled up on my chest as we watched a cartoon about dogs trying to save the city from evil cats... this is what my life has come too.

"Yes pumpkin?" I smiled.
"I see phown?" He asked and I smiled handing it to him. "Ashy." He demanded to the phone. I shook my head before opening Asher's contact and handing the phone back to him. He brought it to his ear and slid off the couch walking into the kitchen. I smiled watching him sit on the step, thinking I couldn't hear him anymore.

"Ashy no. Is Pax!" He giggled. It was silent for a second. "Is ok. Daddy sawd an I 'eed to make Daddy 'appy."

I smiled watching as he tried to hold a civil phone conversation. "Wes! Ice ceam an cookie!" He giggled. "Oh. Cookie!" He giggled again and I smiled hearing it echo through the room. "Otay! Bye Ashy! Wuv you too!!" He smiled. "Bye" I smiled as he came toddiling back into the room, handing me my phone back before I picked him up and brought him back to the couch.

"What was that about pumpkin?" I asked.

"Nuffing." He giggled.

"Nothing huh?" I smiled, tickling his sides.
"Dada!" He screamed out in a fit of giggles as I tickled his side. "DADDY!!" He giggled, making me laugh and pull him into my chest again.

"Who loves you?" I smiled kissing the top of his head. He smiled resting his head on my chest. "Daddy! owtside?" He asked, pointing to the back door.

"Sure pumpkin." I smiled before he ran off to find his shoes. I slipped on mine just as he ran back into the room, his light up spider-man shoes in hand.

I slid his shoes on him before putting the sweatshirt over his head and grabbing my own jacket. As soon as I slid open the door, he went straight for my old soccer ball. He kicked it to me before getting his. "Daddy do twicks!" He giggled and I smiled, shoving my hands in my pocket before picking up the ball with my feet and juggling it.

I couldn't help but laugh as Pax watched with intent eyes. He tried to copy my actions, getting about two before it went flying across the yards. He giggled and I smiled, keeping up my count as I watched him toddle over to his ball. I let the ball drop to the ground, walking over to him, pretending to go my hardest against him watching him get ecstatic when he beat me.

After he 'scored' his 10th goal I picked him up and brought us both inside. I put a kettle on the stove, and Pax watched with curious eyes. "You want some hot cocoa?" I asked him, and his face lit up like a christmas tree.

"Yeah!"

We left our shoes and coats by the door and made our way to the kitchen to boil the water. Eventually the water was done and I made our drinks before we headed back into the living room to watch a movie. He skimmed through before ultimately deciding on Finding Nemo. He always cries when all the fish have to swim down together and he thinks Nemo dies although he's seen the movie and knows he doesn't.

When the time came, I wiped away one of his tears and picked him up before taking him upstairs and putting him down for his nap.

I was left to my own demise for awhile to get started on dinner and get some laundry done before I heard a knock on the door. Weird I wasn't expecting anyone. When I opened the door, The delivery man stood there, holding a large black box. "Flint?"

"Yeah..."

"Here you are, sign here please." He said, offering me the box and a pen to sign his clipboard. I signed the little receipt before bidding him a goodbye and walking back inside. After setting the box down on the counter, I pulled the lid off to reveal a beautiful flower arrangement and a note perched perfectly on top of it.