Chapter 15

CHAPTER 15

“ C ompletely perfect,” Grey said as he withdrew the thick thermometer from his Little boy’s bottom.

He held him in place, foiling Mackie’s attempt to scramble up from the changing table. Grey carefully removed the lubricant clinging to his skin. He could see his Little boy’s muscles twitching in response to the intimate treatment. Taking care of him was pure Daddy joy.

“That means I can go to work today, right?”

Mackie’s temperature had been normal for the last twenty-four hours. Grey knew there was no solid reason for him to keep Mackie at home for another day. He battled his selfish desire to keep his Little boy to himself and continue to take intimate care of him. Grey patted Mack’s bottom to signal him it was okay to get up.

“Daddy? I can go to work?” Mack shifted to sit on his bare bottom.

“Yes, Mackie. I think you’ve recovered enough to go to work. We’ll still finish your medicine that Dr. Richards prescribed. You have several days left of those.”

“Do I have to wear a diaper? I’m afraid it will rustle under my clothes,” Mackie confessed.

“A pullup will do. No one will be able to tell you’re wearing it,” Grey assured him. “Diapers at home from now on. I like having your bottom wrapped in cuteness.”

“Except if we go out or have people in?” Mack rushed to ask.

“I will never embarrass or out you, Little boy. You may choose to be brave and wear a diaper when your Little friends are over.”

“I don’t have any Little friends,” Mack said.

His frown told Grey just what he wanted to know.

“Yet.”

“Yet?” Mack repeated.

“You don’t have any Little friends yet.”

“I don’t understand.” His eyebrows drew together in confusion.

“You’ve been invited to join a small group of Littles for a picnic at Dr. Richards’ and Zoey’s home.”

“He’s not going to examine me, right?”

“Not unless you suddenly become ill or injure yourself,” Grey promised.

“I can stay with you? The other Littles might not like me.”

“Of course. I always love having you close. But I don’t think you’ll be interested in hanging with your Daddy when you’ll have other Littles to play with and ask questions.”

Grey could see the wheels turning in his head. He smiled, loving the Little boy’s thought process. Mackie always needed to think things through.

“Maybe that would be okay. You know. If I feel like it.”

“Sounds like a wise way to decide. Okay. Bottom up. It’s time for your medicine before I go to work.”

“Daddy…” Mackie whined as he got into position.

Mackie clung to Grey’s hand and stood partially behind him. Grey squeezed his fingers. “You’re going to have fun, Little boy. If not, we can leave.”

“Promise?”

“Yes, Mackie.”

Grey held Hops in his arms while Poutine hid, as usual, in Mackie’s bun. There was no way he was coming without both of them. “Ready?”

When Mackie nodded, Grey knocked on the door. It flew open immediately, making them both step back in surprise. Zoey stood framed in the doorway.

“Hi! Daddy made me wait until you knocked. I saw you coming on the camera at the gate. I’m so excited you’re here, Mack.” She rushed forward to wrap her arms around the younger man and hugged him.

Mack looked at Grey, not sure what to do. Grey smiled and nodded, releasing Mackie’s hand so he could return the hug. “Hi, Zoey. Thank you for inviting me.”

“Of course. Everyone is so jealous that I get to have you at my party first. All the Littles are looking forward to meeting you,” Zoey reported.

“I’m kinda scared,” Mackie admitted.

“I can understand that. You can stay with your Daddy as long as you want. Or give me a sign and I’ll come rescue you. I’m really good at that,” Zoey said proudly.

“What kind of sign?” Mackie asked.

“Zoey. Let our guests come in. Then you can plan a signal for Mackie.”

Mack’s head snapped up. Grey could tell he remembered that voice.

As Zoey giggled at her own silliness, she stepped back and waved them inside. “Sorry. I always jump to the important stuff and forget to invite people inside.”

Dr. Richards stood in the entryway. He watched Zoey with a doting expression. Grey could feel how much he loved his Little girl. He wondered if he looked that way at Mackie.

“Hello, Mackie. You look like you feel much better now.”

Grey watched his Little boy turn multiple shades of red before answering, “Yes, sir. Thank you for helping me.”

“My reward is seeing you healthy and ready to have fun with the Littles.” He stepped forward to hold out his hand to Mackie and then to Grey. “Thank you for joining us tonight.”

Zoey jumped in, physically hopping in front of Mackie. “You have a kangaroo stuffie. It’s super cute.”

“I do,” Mack answered. “Hops is almost as good at hopping as you are, Zoey.”

She leaned in as if she were sharing a secret. “I practice a lot. Almost as much as I roller skate.”

“Zoey, I found your skates in the backyard in the stump. I’ve put them back on the time-out shelf and added two weeks to the time they will sit there,” Dr. Richards decreed. “I don’t suppose you know how they got there?”

Looking at Grey from the corner of his eye, Mack wondered if Grey would reveal the Little girl’s actions the night they’d visited Dr. Richards. He hadn’t said anything that night to Dr. Richards as far as Mack knew. Was that how the doctor had known to go look for the skates?

“By the stump? Maybe they flew there?” Zoey asked, looking past Dr. Richards to see who had arrived next. “Look, Charlotte and Benton just got here.”

“Go greet them. We will talk about this tomorrow.”

“Mack, come with me. You’ll love Charlotte. Everyone does,” Zoey invited, reaching out to take Mack's hand and draw him forward with her.

A few steps away, she met Mack’s gaze and winked. “Whew! Narrow escape.”

Mack put his hand over his mouth to keep himself from laughing out loud as Zoey’s eyes twinkled. “You are going to be in so much trouble,” he whispered.

“Probably, but my Daddy loves me. Even if I do drive him crazy sometimes. Honestly, I don’t know why he doesn’t like my skates.”

“Probably because you always crash?” the young woman with long ponytails suggested.

“Probably. He ends up patching my elbows and knees a lot. Daddy has cute Band-Aids,” Zoey pointed out.

Mack loved that she was always so positive.

“You keep Gordon’s in the green. He buys so many bandages from us,” the giant man with a gray beard pointed out. “But no hurting yourself.”

“I never try to slide across the floor. It just happens. I’m whizzing along and…” Zoey waved her arms theatrically as she wobbled. “All my parts go in different directions.”

She started to lose her balance. The man reached out to stabilize her, dodging a flailing hand that threatened to bonk him in the nose. “Whoa, Zoey.”

“Thanks, Benton. This is Mack. Mack, this is Charlotte and her Daddy, Benton. They’re the best. Benton owns the best shop. Gordon’s. It has all sorts of stuffies and fun clothes,” Zoey shared.

“I’m glad to meet you,” Mack said, smiling at them both. Already he could tell they were kind people. He took a deep breath and added bravely, “My Daddy calls me Mackie.”

“I’m glad to meet you, Mackie. Charlotte loves meeting all of Zoey’s friends. I’ll go introduce myself to your Daddy,” Benton said. “Be good. No zooming.”

“No zooming, Daddy,” Charlotte promised. “He vetoed my request for skates and won’t carry them at Gordon’s.” She made air quotes and said in a low voice, “No Little will get hurt because of something at my store.”

The three Littles tried not to laugh but exploded when they looked at each other. Benton’s voice drifted to them. “Why do I always think I’m the one they’re laughing at?” Of course, their chuckles multiplied.

“Let me get you something to drink.” The doctor waved the men into a seat in the waiting room/gathering area. “Zoey, bring your backup gigglers.”

Instantly feeling more at ease, Mack rejoined Grey and settled on the couch. Zoey sat right next to Mack. Mackie felt his Daddy’s gaze on him. It was good to know the man was focused on him. He felt secure here. The worry about what people would think about him eased, and Mack reached for Hops to hug the stuffie close.

“Zoey, your Daddy mentioned when we were here before that you have stuffies that you carry around with you.” Grey changed the subject and Mackie knew he was giving him some time to adjust to being so brave.

“Oh. I do.” She reached into the front of her oversized T-shirt and pulled out a fluffy stuffed chick.

“I don’t remember how many I’ve added throughout the day. Here, hold this,” she asked Mackie.

Slowly, she started divesting herself of all the friends she’d added over the day. A minute later, Mack held three small stuffies from her pockets. He ran his fingers over the soft fur and squeezed their squishiness.

“I think that’s it,” she said, gathering all the creatures into her arms and hugging them.

“I have one hidden, too,” Mack confessed and fished into his hair. Poutine emerged from her usual hidden place inside the tresses that formed Mackie’s bun.

“That’s so neat!” Charlotte flew from her seat next to Benton and knelt in front of Mack. “Do you think I could hide a stuffie in my hair?”

“Sure. You have long hair. If you made your ponytails into loops…” Mack suggested.

Immediately, Zoey reached out to adjust Charlotte’s ponytail. “Do you have a small stuffie?”

“I don’t.” Charlotte looked sad.

Mack hesitated to use Poutine. It seemed like he would be rejecting his stuffie by loaning him out. He looked up, torn between being nice to his new friends and being protective of the sweet otter he loved.

Zoey glanced over at her stuffies still on the couch. Mackie could feel the emotions tumbling from her body as she struggled to figure out what to do as well.

“Charlotte, you can help yourself to a small stuffie in the treasure box if you’d like,” Dr. Richards suggested.

Relief flooded him, and he could see the same look on Zoey’s face.

“What a great idea, Daddy!” Zoey stood and tugged Charlotte to her feet.

When Mack didn’t start to follow them, Zoey turned back. “Help us, Mackie.”

Feeling himself grin, Mack jumped to his feet and followed the two Little girls over to the treasure chest. Zoey opened the top and then stood back slightly to allow Mack and Charlotte to step close. There were so many treasures inside. It was hard to remember their goal.

“How big can it be?” Charlotte asked, clinging to the edge of the chest as if she didn’t trust herself to reach inside.

“Look at Poutine. She fits perfectly in my hair,” Mack suggested and held out his stuffie for comparison. “There’s a bear over there and a snail on that side that might work.”

“Hmm,” Charlotte hummed, obviously torn.

“I stashed a pink piglet in the back left corner,” whispered Zoey.

“Really? But you want that for yourself,” Charlotte guessed.

“It’s so cute. I have one just like it. We could have twins.”

Mackie’s feelings sank. He felt so left out from their group. Trying to remind himself he was new to both these Littles, Mackie pasted on a smile he hoped didn’t look fake.

“Or triplets, if Mackie wants one, too. There’s another in the back left corner,” Zoey added, pointing.

“But I don’t get a prize,” Mackie said, blinking away tears.

“Daddy, can Mackie have a toy, too?” Zoey called back to her Daddy.

“Of course. I don’t think he got one on his first visit. He didn’t feel well enough to choose one,” Dr. Richards said without a second’s delay. “Thank you for reminding me, sweetheart.”

When Mackie didn’t reach automatically to check that corner, Zoey asked, “So, triplets?”

“Poutine might get jealous,” Mackie said worriedly.

“Or she might have a new best friend like Hops,” Zoey suggested.

“I guess I could introduce them.” Mackie reached in to find the third piglet. It was so cute. He hugged the scrap of pink fluff. Looking up, he watched Zoey and Charlotte do the same thing. Instantly, he felt like one of the group.

“Want me to show you how to put it in your hair?” Mackie offered.

“Yes,” Charlotte said, nodding.

“Think I have enough hair?” Zoey asked.

“Let’s try it. Would it be okay if your stuffie peeked out?” Mackie asked.

“That would be a bonus.” Zoey exhaled with excitement before running around behind her friends to push them gently back toward the men, who waited.

When the doorbell rang a short time later, the arriving Littles all admired Charlotte’s and Zoey’s new hairstyles. Mackie’s assistance in teaching everyone how to create a nest for a stuffie became highly coveted. He loved meeting everyone. They were all so nice.

When Mack overheard Lazzaro predict, “Hunter’s never going to cut his hair again,” he held his breath. Would the Mommies and Daddies be unhappy with him?

“My Mackie’s a fashion starter,” Grey said proudly.

“Sounds like you’re planning to keep him,” Benton observed with a knowing smile.

“Oh, there’s no doubt about that.”