Falice

Birds

Alice had set an appointment for a photoshoot for after she gets home from work. It was an annual thing to get their christmas cards shot now that the holidays were around the corner. She took a break to call FP and remind him that the photographer would be coming to the house later. "Hey baby how's work?" FP answered as he walked to the elementary school. He was on his way to pick Charles up.

"Good. How are you doing?" Alice asked.

"Good too. I'm about to pick the kiddo up." FP was standing outside his classroom. "He should be coming out any minute now."

"Tell him hi for me. I have to get back to work but I just wanted to remind you that the photographer will be at the house an hour before home."

"I will. Bye sweetheart." The teacher opened the door and Charles came running to him. He latched onto his legs. "Hi daddy!"

"Hey bud," FP picked him up and kissed his cheek. "How was school?"

"Good!" The kindergartener exclaimed. "We learned about the habi-hats."

"Habitats?" FP questioned.

"Yeah! The one where the birds live!"

"Yeah?" FP chuckled. He loved to see him so excited. He sets him down and holds his hand. They begin their walk home. "I was talking to mommy and she said to tell you hi. You should tell her all about what you learned in class today."

"Yeah!" Charles wanted to tell her everything.

"So listen son," FP changed the subject. "We have a photographer coming to our house so we have to get dressed before they get there. We have to dress you in your cute suit."

"With the tie?" Charles whined. He hated the tie.

"Yes, with the tie."

"I don't want to."

"It's just for the picture. Once it's taken you can take it off, deal?"

"Deal," He huffed.

•••

FP changed Charles into his suit and tie first before going to go dress himself. "Alright you're all set," FP said tying his little tie. "There's one rule I'm going to need you to follow. Stay clean and I mean it. Mommy will be mad if you're all dirty on the Christmas card that we're sending to grandma and grandpa."

"Okay"

"Good," FP nods approvingly. "The photographer will be here any minute." With that FP went to his room to get changed. Charles being Charles went outside to play. He looked in his backpack for the bird seeds a friend of his gave him. He ran outside to the backyard. He brought his shovel along to dig a hole. FP was putting on his shirt and saw the boy from his window. He opened it and poked his head out. "Charles! Didn't I tell you to stay clean! Get inside!"

"But daddy I'm growing a bird!"

"A what?"

"A bird!"

"Get inside!" FP sternly said.

"No!" Charles crossed his arms. He went back to digging his hole.  FP sighed and walked out of the room and to the backyard. He approached Charles and the child quickly finished filling in the hole. FP grabbed him and Charles squirmed in his arms. "No daddy! The birds!"

"What birds?" FP looked down at his shirt and saw the mud on Charles' shoes wiped onto him. "Charles you got mud all over me."

"I'm sorry," Charles apologized.

"Please just go inside and stay in the house." FP put him down. Charles ran to the back door. "And leave your shoes outside!"

Charles knocked his shoes off and met the photographer in the house. Alice let her in when she arrived. "Mommy!" Charles leaped into her arms.

"Hi baby," She kissed his cheek. "I see you're all dressed. Where's your father?"

"Outside with the birds," Charles explained.

"What's he-" Alice began but FP walked in. Her eyes widened when she saw how dirty he was. "Forsythe Pendleton, why are you a mess? Why aren't you a good clean boy like Charles here?"

"Yeah daddy," Charles tagged along. "Be careful with the birds."

"What birds?" Alice questioned.

"The ones I'm growing in the garden," Charles reached into his pocket and took the bag of bird seeds out. "See? Birds."

Alice saw them and chuckled. She looked back at FP and shook her head. "Why don't we both go get changed?" Alice sets Charles down and leads FP upstairs. Charles went into the living room to watch the photographer set up.

The photographer was very kind to Charles. She got him to sit and take a few portraits of his own. When Alice and FP came down they adored the sight. Charles was sitting on a stool by the christmas tree. He smiled widely. "Good job Charles." The photographer smiled. She turned around and saw that his parents. "Ah, the beautiful parents. How about you join him now?" She set them up behind Charles. She went back to her spot and counted down. "Smile," She said. She snapped a few pictures and showed them after. They chose one they loved and that was the one they sent to the grandparents.