Refresh: Extras

Fieldtrip

   "Papa! Papa!" Two tiny voices chirped.

   I looked up from the computer. I was uploading the newest video to the channel. "What is it?"

   "Dada Club and Dada Dec are busy so we wanna know if you can go on the field trip with us!!" Crayola chirped.

   "Please papa?" Seven gave big eyes holding up the paper.

   I smiled. "Sure thing kiddos."

   I only glanced over the form to get the time and date before signing my name. "Go play with your sister. Papa is busy right now."

   "Okay papa!" They both chirped and ran off with the paper.

   Cut to two weeks later. I'm sitting with the kids on the bus. "Where are we going anyway kiddos?"

   "DIDNEYLAND!" Crayola and Seven both chirped.

   My soul nearly shattered right then and there. "What..?"

   "We're going to didneyland papa! Im so excited!" Crayola bounced in his seat.

   " Papa... Are you okay..?" Seven asked quietly.

   I blinked and stared straight ahead. My breath had been knocked out of me. "What..?"

   "Papa?!" Seven asked a bit more frantic.

   "Papa?" Crayola joined in now. He grabbed my phone and dialed a number. "Dada Club! Papa is breathing funny!"

   The phone was pressed up close to me. "Fresh! Fresh what happened?"

   I blinked and grabbed the phone. "Disneyland. We're going to Disneyland."

   "Oh no." Club whispered. "Babe do you want me to come pick you up? Is there anything I can do?"

   I looked out the window. " No its too late now. And I don't want to scare the boys."

   "Call me if you need me." Club whispered.

   "I will. I love you."

   "I love you too Starlight." Club hung up with a beep.

   "Papa..?" Seven asked clutching my jacket sleeve.

   "I'm okay kiddo." I sighed. "Just a bad memory in Disneyland."

   "Is it about the bad man?" Crayola asked.

   I flinched. "Yeah. It is..."

   We walked in no less than two hours later. The boys each had ahold of one of my hands. "This is our papa! No one else's!" They said. It was sweet.

   There was the bench. I recognize it like it was yesterday... I remember Dec's hat flying away... that way. Towards that building and then.

   I shut my eyes. "No no no." I could feel my hands shake.

   "Papa..?" Crayola asked in an unusually quiet voice.

   "Im okay kiddo. Lets keep going." I gave a sharp smile.

   In the end I made it through the day without a break down. I made it through the bus ride home without one too. Bus as soon as we got home and I crawled into Dec's arms in bed, away from the kids, I broke.

   Crayola and Seven shouldn't have had to comfort me like that...