Mr. Mom

8

"Mornin' daddy!" Ellie chirps from the kitchen table as FP stands up from the couch.

He smiles at her as he walks over, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "Good mornin', baby girl." She stands up on her chair and lifts her arms for him to pick her up. "How long you two been awake for?" He directs the question towards both Ellie and Alice.

"Not very long, we've just been having breakfast." Alice answers.

"I wanted to wake you up but Allie told me I should let you sleep more."

"Did you wake up Allie?" He asks as he pours himself a bowl of cereal.

"Mayyyybeee." She giggles.

"Next time come wake me up, honey. Let Allie sleep in."

"It's okay, I don't mind." Alice insists.

"I didn't know Allie was sleeping over again."

"Allie's going to be living here for a while. You okay with that?" He sets her down on the chair again and joins them at the table.

"Allie's going to be living with us?" Her eyes grow as wide as saucers and FP nods. She turns to Alice. "You're going to be living with me in my house?"

Alice smiles. "Yeah, honey, you okay with that?"

"Duh! I like you here!" She climbs over to Alice's lap and hugs her tight.

"I'm glad you like me being here." She looks towards FP who's smiling at the two of them. "What time do you leave for work at?"

"Oh yeah, about that, I can just swing back and pick you up when I have my break."

They both deemed it safer that she not drive her car anywhere until she can get a licence plate change, just in case Jason sees it.

"I don't mind coming with you, really. Besides, it saves you from having to come all the way back here to get me."

"Well if you really don't mind coming then yeah you can totally come along."

___

"Daddy help!" Ellie whines as FP walks into her bedroom. He chuckles as he sees her trying and struggling to get her shirt on, her head in the arm hole.

"You wanna wear your new dress today?" He asks her after helping her get her shirt on correctly.

"Yeah! That's why I put on this shirt! Won't it look pretty with my new dress daddy?"

"It sure will." He gets her new dress from her closet.

"Can I wear my ladybug leggy's with it?"

"Sure kiddo, whatever you want." He gets the desired leggings out of her drawer and gets her dressed for the day.

"Look daddy, I can put lots of donuts in here!" she points to the pocket on her overall dress and he laughs.

"Maybe don't put food in there, you'll get your dress all dirty." He pecks a kiss to her cheek. "Why don't you go brush your teeth while I get dressed, I'll come do your hair after I'm done."

"Okie dokie!" She skips off towards the bathroom and sees Alice brushing her hair. "Hey there, sweetheart. Do you need to use the bathroom?"

"I need to brush my teeth!"

Alice picks up the small pink toothbrush. "This one yours?" She assumes it is, unless FP's toothbrush has Disney princesses on it.

"Yep!" She takes the toothbrush from Alice and brushes her teeth. "Allie?"

"Yeah, honey?"

"Can you do my hair in piggy braids? My mommy used to do it!"

"Sure I can." She brushes through the little girl's hair and french-braid's it into two pigtails.

Ellie looks into the mirror and smiles wide. "I love it! You're better at piggy braids than mommy!" She squeals. "Now I gots my pretty hair to match my pretty dress."

"That is a very pretty dress."

"Look I even gots my ladybug leggy's on!"

"I see that! They're so cool!" Ellie smiles proudly.

"Well looks like you're all ready to go," FP smiles from the doorway. "did Allie do your hair?"

Ellie nods and reaches up her arms for him. "Yeppers! She did piggy braids like mommy used to do!"

"They look very pretty, honey."

"Thanks daddy!" She gives him a kiss and Alice watches the two of them with a smile.

___

"You said he should be at work right now?" FP questions as he drives to Alice's house.

"He should be, who knows with him." Alice sighs. "Take a left here."

She's incredibly nervous to go back to her house to get her things, but just the fact that FP is there with her makes her feel a bit better. She clenches her fists, feeling her nails bite at her palms.

"This is it." She points to a house and FP pulls in, both sighing in relief to find no car there. She unclenches her fists when she realizes Jason isn't there.

"You don't have to come in if you don't want to, I can grab your stuff for you if you don't feel up for it." He offers.

"It's okay, he's not home. Thanks though."

The two of them head inside and she scoffs as she sees the place is practically a dump. Empty bottles and cans litter the counters and there's just a mess everywhere in the living room. "Looks like someone's been partying it up since I've been gone."

"At least he hasn't come looking for you."

"Good point." She gestures for him to follow her. "This is the bedroom."

"Is all your stuff in the dresser or do you have stuff in the closet too?"

"Both. But how much can we fit in your room? I don't want to take over completely."

"Don't worry about it, Gladys took all of her stuff with her when she left so you can just put your things in her dresser."

He starts putting her clothing into the boxes they brought and she grabs her jewellery, makeup and any knick knacks she owns.

"That's it for the clothing," FP tells her. "Well uh, except for your delicates, thought you might want to do that one instead of me."

She blushes slightly and goes to pack up all of her undergarments while FP takes the other boxes outside.

"Hey, Al, this yours or his?" FP asks as he walks in, laptop in hand.

"Oh yeah, thank you! Where was it?"

"Behind the couch. Figured it was yours judging by the A.S.S written on the bottom." She blushes and he chuckles. "Interesting initials, what's the other S stand for?"

"Susanna."

"Alice Susanna Smith. A.S.S. Ass." He teases.

She smiles and shoves him jokingly. "Let's get out of here."