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When Aly walked through the door, little Thomas in her arms, she was greeted by Peter who was leaning against the wall with a rose in his teeth and a sly expression on his face. He was looking quite dashing, all dressed up in a suit, though no tie was present. He hated ties. And he was 39 today so he didn't have to wear them if he didn't want to, darnit.
“There you are, Gorgeous!” he said around the rose, Aly laughed and she stepped over to him to remove the flower from his mouth. “Phew. I’ve been leaning here with that in my teeth for two hours. It’s hard work.”
Aly laughed, “you are such a liar.”
Peter faked horror at her accusation and he pointed to his chest. “Moi!? A liar? Aly, how could you insinuate that I rushed over here when I heard your car drive up and then improvised by destroying what was once a bouquet of 24 roses, but is now a bouquet of 23…?” Peter stepped aside so she could see the impressive bouquet behind him. “And I think I swallowed plant food…” Peter stuck his tongue out and made a horrified face.
“Peter!” Aly leaned forward to kiss him and as she did so, she transferred Thomas to his arms so she could pick up the bouquet. “Peter, they’re gorgeous! Oh, I love them. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. See, Thomas, this is how it’s done.” Peter kissed his son’s forehead and then he laughed as Thomas grabbed hold of his hair. “I just brushed that!”
“You’re lying again,” Aly said fondly, moving to transfer the bouquet into the living room. “What is this for, Peter? Last I checked, it's your birthday today?”
“OH god, don’t remind me. I'm pretending I don't know!” Peter jiggled Thomas in his arms and he turned to face his wife. He flowers are because I adore you. Because you make me happy, and because you deserve nice things. Where’s Lauren?”
“With Mama and Dad. She screamed when I tried to put her in the car, so they offered o let her stay there with them for a little while longer. Anna and Caleb stayed too. Is Lydia next door?”
Peter nodded. “She and Kismet are up to something secret and girly, I’m sure." He had told his family he didn't want a big deal this year and it seemed like their gift to him was actually taking him for his word, bless them. "It’s just you, Thomas! You’re stuck with the adults, how uncool!” Peter pretended then to eat Thomas' hand because Thomas' squeals were delightful.
“Daddy! Piggy?” Thomas lit up and he raised one arm in the air in assumed triumph. He knew he had control of his daddy,
“Oh no…no piggy…”
“PIGGY!” Thomas demanded, clapping his hands.
“You heard him, Peter. You’d better piggy it up before he has a fit…” Aly winked evilly.
“I rue the day I read him that book.” Peter turned to Thomas and he proceeded to make several snorting and honking noises, which Thomas whooped and squealed at in return.
“Daddy piggy!” Thomas grinned and he nuzzled Peter’s face with his nose.
Peter grinned back and he kissed Thomas’ crazy curls. “Ah, I take it back. So worth it.” He looked up at his wife then and he smiled. “Are you hungry? I was going to take everyone out but it looks like it’s just us.”
“A hot date with the two-and-a-half-year-old in attendance?” Aly asked, though she didn’t sound put out in the least. Peter did notice, however, that she didn’t answer his question. Which meant they were going whether she wanted to or not.
“He’ll be on his best behaviour. Or I’ll eat his nose!” Peter opened his mouth wide and he pretended to chomp on Thomas’ nose which made him squeal again.
“No Daddy!”
“Oh yes, nom nom!” Peter made munching sounds. “Is Thomas hungry too?”
“Yeah!” Thomas put his hand on Peter’s cheek. “Din!”
“Thomas says din!” Peter tickled Thomas belly and Thomas laughed and hid his face in Peter’s neck. Peter looked over at his wife again. “Do you want me to drive, Aly?” It meant taking his pills, if she did. He wouldn’t risk having a seizure behind the wheel.
“Hmm? Oh…no. No, I can…Peter, we don’t have to-“
Peter stepped over and he kissed her hair gently. “You’re beautiful, Aly. Come have dinner with me.” It meant ‘you’re coming, Missy’ but Peter would never say that, unless he needed to. Aly had been better lately, and he hadn’t had to say it in a while. He still worried, and for a moment he did think he would have to resort to it, but Aly moved then to follow him.
“Alright, Peter.”
“Thank you,” Peter smiled at her and he carried Thomas right back out to the car. “Oh, balls, I have to go get my wallet. I’ll be back in a second, alright?” Peter transferred Thomas to Aly’s arms and he darted into the house to retrieve his wallet from the pocket of the coat he had decided it was too warm to wear. Once he had it, he turned to head outside where he found Aly struggling to get Cardinal Sin off of her. Sinny was Kat’s gigantic dalmatian who now lived with Peter because he was too big for her apartment and her three kids. Thomas wasn’t in Aly’s arms and Peter didn’t see him.
“Sinny, down!” Peter darted over to rescue his wife from the overly happy dog, pushing Cardinal Sin gently away from her. “Go back!” Peter pushed the dog again and then he wiped his hands on his trousers, hoping to rid them of dog germs. “Aly, where’s Thomas?”
Aly looked over at him in panic. “I don’t know! I don’t know how the dogs got out, but he wanted to see Raphael so I put him down and then Sinny came over and-“
“Thomas!” Peter moved so he could look around and than was when he spotted his youngest son following Raphael at breakneck speed, in the direction of Prince Albert Road.
“NO! THOMAS!” Peter’s heart lodged in his throat as he jumped forward, racing his son towards the road. Peter jumped over the roses which lined the walk as Aly screamed Thomas’ name behind them both. Peter was gaining, but not quickly enough. A large lorry was rumbling towards them and Peter knew in an instant that it was going to hit Thomas if he didn’t do something.
Loudly and desperately, Peter snorted and oinked as he ran and Thomas stopped mere centimeters away from the road to turn and clap and his father’s pig sounds. Peter reached Thomas then, and he scooped the tiny boy up into his arms where he fell on the ground on his back, breathing heavily, his son laughing against his chest.
Aly was at their side a second later, and she knelt by them, her eyes filled with terror. “PETER!” she screamed, and then she was covering Thomas’ head in kisses. Thomas thought all the attention was brilliant and he squirmed in Peter’s arms, but Peter just held the small boy against his chest and he continued to gasp for breath. Raphael, who had known better than to run into the road, turned and he licked Peter’s cheek.
“Augh…noooo” Peter turned his head and as he got his breath back, he started to calm down. He could feel rocks poking him in the shoulder blades and the weight of Aly leaning against Thomas who was on his chest.
“Peter…thank you. Thank you. I’m so sorry…” Aly was breathless with grief for what had almost happened. “I only looked away for a second-“
“Not…your fault.” Peter still didn’t let go of Thomas, but he turned to give Aly a short but reassuring smile. “I can’t move.” It wasn’t because he was tired or Thomas was heavy. He was absolutely frozen from retrospective fear. “Just give me a moment. Oh, fuck me…” Peter tightened his grip on Thomas and then he managed to sit so he could kiss the boy’s hair again. “I love you, Thomas. Don’t you ever do that again! Road bad. No road, Thomas.” Peter's voice was low and desperate.
“Wuv you too, Daddy.” Thomas grinned at him and he panted a kiss on Peter’s cheek. Peter let out a heavy sigh which turned into a relieved laugh. He leaned his head against Thomas’ and he smiled at Aly.
“Right. We should move away from the road.”
“I love you, Peter…” Aly whispered, still upset at what she had almost caused to happen.
“I love you too, Honey. It’s not your fault.” Peter managed to stand then and he hefted Thomas into his arms so he could carry him into the house. “Come on, Babe. We'll stay in. I’ll make pancakes. We don’t need any more excitement tonight.”
Aly sighed and then she followed them into the house. “I really agree. But instead, I'll make paella.”
At that, at least, Peter smiled.
“There you are, Gorgeous!” he said around the rose, Aly laughed and she stepped over to him to remove the flower from his mouth. “Phew. I’ve been leaning here with that in my teeth for two hours. It’s hard work.”
Aly laughed, “you are such a liar.”
Peter faked horror at her accusation and he pointed to his chest. “Moi!? A liar? Aly, how could you insinuate that I rushed over here when I heard your car drive up and then improvised by destroying what was once a bouquet of 24 roses, but is now a bouquet of 23…?” Peter stepped aside so she could see the impressive bouquet behind him. “And I think I swallowed plant food…” Peter stuck his tongue out and made a horrified face.
“Peter!” Aly leaned forward to kiss him and as she did so, she transferred Thomas to his arms so she could pick up the bouquet. “Peter, they’re gorgeous! Oh, I love them. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. See, Thomas, this is how it’s done.” Peter kissed his son’s forehead and then he laughed as Thomas grabbed hold of his hair. “I just brushed that!”
“You’re lying again,” Aly said fondly, moving to transfer the bouquet into the living room. “What is this for, Peter? Last I checked, it's your birthday today?”
“OH god, don’t remind me. I'm pretending I don't know!” Peter jiggled Thomas in his arms and he turned to face his wife. He flowers are because I adore you. Because you make me happy, and because you deserve nice things. Where’s Lauren?”
“With Mama and Dad. She screamed when I tried to put her in the car, so they offered o let her stay there with them for a little while longer. Anna and Caleb stayed too. Is Lydia next door?”
Peter nodded. “She and Kismet are up to something secret and girly, I’m sure." He had told his family he didn't want a big deal this year and it seemed like their gift to him was actually taking him for his word, bless them. "It’s just you, Thomas! You’re stuck with the adults, how uncool!” Peter pretended then to eat Thomas' hand because Thomas' squeals were delightful.
“Daddy! Piggy?” Thomas lit up and he raised one arm in the air in assumed triumph. He knew he had control of his daddy,
“Oh no…no piggy…”
“PIGGY!” Thomas demanded, clapping his hands.
“You heard him, Peter. You’d better piggy it up before he has a fit…” Aly winked evilly.
“I rue the day I read him that book.” Peter turned to Thomas and he proceeded to make several snorting and honking noises, which Thomas whooped and squealed at in return.
“Daddy piggy!” Thomas grinned and he nuzzled Peter’s face with his nose.
Peter grinned back and he kissed Thomas’ crazy curls. “Ah, I take it back. So worth it.” He looked up at his wife then and he smiled. “Are you hungry? I was going to take everyone out but it looks like it’s just us.”
“A hot date with the two-and-a-half-year-old in attendance?” Aly asked, though she didn’t sound put out in the least. Peter did notice, however, that she didn’t answer his question. Which meant they were going whether she wanted to or not.
“He’ll be on his best behaviour. Or I’ll eat his nose!” Peter opened his mouth wide and he pretended to chomp on Thomas’ nose which made him squeal again.
“No Daddy!”
“Oh yes, nom nom!” Peter made munching sounds. “Is Thomas hungry too?”
“Yeah!” Thomas put his hand on Peter’s cheek. “Din!”
“Thomas says din!” Peter tickled Thomas belly and Thomas laughed and hid his face in Peter’s neck. Peter looked over at his wife again. “Do you want me to drive, Aly?” It meant taking his pills, if she did. He wouldn’t risk having a seizure behind the wheel.
“Hmm? Oh…no. No, I can…Peter, we don’t have to-“
Peter stepped over and he kissed her hair gently. “You’re beautiful, Aly. Come have dinner with me.” It meant ‘you’re coming, Missy’ but Peter would never say that, unless he needed to. Aly had been better lately, and he hadn’t had to say it in a while. He still worried, and for a moment he did think he would have to resort to it, but Aly moved then to follow him.
“Alright, Peter.”
“Thank you,” Peter smiled at her and he carried Thomas right back out to the car. “Oh, balls, I have to go get my wallet. I’ll be back in a second, alright?” Peter transferred Thomas to Aly’s arms and he darted into the house to retrieve his wallet from the pocket of the coat he had decided it was too warm to wear. Once he had it, he turned to head outside where he found Aly struggling to get Cardinal Sin off of her. Sinny was Kat’s gigantic dalmatian who now lived with Peter because he was too big for her apartment and her three kids. Thomas wasn’t in Aly’s arms and Peter didn’t see him.
“Sinny, down!” Peter darted over to rescue his wife from the overly happy dog, pushing Cardinal Sin gently away from her. “Go back!” Peter pushed the dog again and then he wiped his hands on his trousers, hoping to rid them of dog germs. “Aly, where’s Thomas?”
Aly looked over at him in panic. “I don’t know! I don’t know how the dogs got out, but he wanted to see Raphael so I put him down and then Sinny came over and-“
“Thomas!” Peter moved so he could look around and than was when he spotted his youngest son following Raphael at breakneck speed, in the direction of Prince Albert Road.
“NO! THOMAS!” Peter’s heart lodged in his throat as he jumped forward, racing his son towards the road. Peter jumped over the roses which lined the walk as Aly screamed Thomas’ name behind them both. Peter was gaining, but not quickly enough. A large lorry was rumbling towards them and Peter knew in an instant that it was going to hit Thomas if he didn’t do something.
Loudly and desperately, Peter snorted and oinked as he ran and Thomas stopped mere centimeters away from the road to turn and clap and his father’s pig sounds. Peter reached Thomas then, and he scooped the tiny boy up into his arms where he fell on the ground on his back, breathing heavily, his son laughing against his chest.
Aly was at their side a second later, and she knelt by them, her eyes filled with terror. “PETER!” she screamed, and then she was covering Thomas’ head in kisses. Thomas thought all the attention was brilliant and he squirmed in Peter’s arms, but Peter just held the small boy against his chest and he continued to gasp for breath. Raphael, who had known better than to run into the road, turned and he licked Peter’s cheek.
“Augh…noooo” Peter turned his head and as he got his breath back, he started to calm down. He could feel rocks poking him in the shoulder blades and the weight of Aly leaning against Thomas who was on his chest.
“Peter…thank you. Thank you. I’m so sorry…” Aly was breathless with grief for what had almost happened. “I only looked away for a second-“
“Not…your fault.” Peter still didn’t let go of Thomas, but he turned to give Aly a short but reassuring smile. “I can’t move.” It wasn’t because he was tired or Thomas was heavy. He was absolutely frozen from retrospective fear. “Just give me a moment. Oh, fuck me…” Peter tightened his grip on Thomas and then he managed to sit so he could kiss the boy’s hair again. “I love you, Thomas. Don’t you ever do that again! Road bad. No road, Thomas.” Peter's voice was low and desperate.
“Wuv you too, Daddy.” Thomas grinned at him and he panted a kiss on Peter’s cheek. Peter let out a heavy sigh which turned into a relieved laugh. He leaned his head against Thomas’ and he smiled at Aly.
“Right. We should move away from the road.”
“I love you, Peter…” Aly whispered, still upset at what she had almost caused to happen.
“I love you too, Honey. It’s not your fault.” Peter managed to stand then and he hefted Thomas into his arms so he could carry him into the house. “Come on, Babe. We'll stay in. I’ll make pancakes. We don’t need any more excitement tonight.”
Aly sighed and then she followed them into the house. “I really agree. But instead, I'll make paella.”
At that, at least, Peter smiled.
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