Lured into the Danger

Six

"Oh wow! Look who got all cleaned up!" Francis whistled as Matthew walked by the living room. He still had braids and pink scrunchies in his hair, looking goofy in that doting father kind of way.
"Showered, shaved, cut, and he took his meds." Gilbert was tempted to salute, but held back.
"Really? How?"
"Blackmail. Ice cream cures depression apparently."
Francis looked shocked. He probably was.
"I'll come with you. The kids deserve some ice cream too." He started to pull out all the little things in his hair, all while gathering the children together.
Suddenly, Gilbert found himself in an ice cream shop, surrounded by children and every flavour of creamed ice imaginable.
"This is the kid's favourite place." Francis explained. Michelle was hanging off his leg and Peter was petting a dog that somebody had brought. Gilbert didn't think it was a service dog, but he was still concerned.
They got to the front of the line and Francis started to order. When he got to Matthew's, he didn't even ask which kind, just ordered strawberry without another thought.
Matthew opened his mouth to object, but nothing came out. He frowned, his index finger dropping from the list of flavours in front of him, from the one he had chosen.
Moose tracks.
"Gil, which one are you getting?"
"Uh..." He wanted to bring up that Matthew wanted something different, but he didn't want to cause a scene. "Moose tracks." He answered.
Francis finished ordering and soon the ice creams were being handed out. Matthew looked down at his with disappointment. Gilbert stepped up next to him when Francis wasn't looking.
"Here," he said, handing his own to Matthew, "switch."
Matthew smiled softly, handing his cone over.
Gilbert felt pretty good about what he had done, but there was one thing bothering him.
Did Francis just not try to talk to him? Did he not even care that Matthew had things to say even though he couldn't speak?
Matthew seemed distant during the drive home. He gazed out the window, eyes unfocused and shoulders weighted.
Gilbert wanted to reach out to him, but he was in the back seat and Gil was in the front.
"Papa, can we go to the park and feed the ducks?" Michelle asked.
"I want to catch a salamander for Wendy."
"Peter, who is Wendy?" Francis asked.
"A girl in my class."
"Does she like salamanders?"
"Yes."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. She told me."
"Okay, good. No giving salamanders to people who don't like them."
"I knoooow."
"Anyway, how do you plan on getting the salamander to her? You are not brining it in my car OR to school."
"Awww!" Peter whined.
"No complaining. The last time you brought a salamander in my car it got loose and lived in it for a month. We had to sell the whole car."
"It's not my fault you don't like slimy things!"
"Papa likes snails."
"Only because you can eat them, Michelle."
"Gross!" Peter grimaced.
"So, no park?" Michelle looked like she wanted to throw a phone on the ground and stomp on a skateboard.
"We're going to drop Gilbert off and then head home. No park today. Maybe tomorrow."
Gilbert frowned. It looked like he was going home, then. So much for an ice cream date.