Surprises
By Audrey W.
Roy Desoto got out of his Porsche and sighed as he looked at his house. He’d just parked in the driveway after returning home from a twenty-four hour shift on duty at Station 51. He now was wondering what he would be in store for next.
It was Fathers Day morning, and if it followed the tradition of other years, he’d have a youngster cooked breakfast, his six-year-old son and four-year-old daughter doing the honors. The meal usually consisted of burnt toast scraped of the black and buttered, along with bacon with little nibbles off the ends where the kids couldn’t resist taking tastes, and eggs that were scrambled after the over easy turned into a rough spill. If he didn’t get that breakfast, pancakes that weighed three times more than they should were on the menu.
At the moment he wasn’t very hungry. He and his paramedic partner John Gage had gotten donuts on their way back to the station after their last run, John urging him to stop to get some for the whole crew. How could he resist just one jelly donut?
Roy closed the driver’s side door to his car and walked up the sidewalk, anticipating two little ones charging out the front doorway and running to him to give him their biggest hugs ever. They didn’t disappoint him.
“Daddy, Daddy, come see, come see,” Jennifer begged as she pulled on his right hand. Christopher just beamed with a grin as he returned to the front door and held the screen one open for his father.
“Where’s your mom?” Roy asked.
“In the kitchen helpin’!”
Jennifer’s words gave him hope this year he might get a breakfast that he wouldn’t have to wonder if he’d need something to quiet a sour stomach later or not weigh him down to where he just wanted to lounge in his easy chair all day.
Jennifer pulled her father along through the livingroom, Chris holding open the inside kitchen door next to allow them quick entrance there as well.
When they emerged in the other room, Roy was very pleasantly surprised. Joanne had helped the children make him an omelet, them having gotten to sprinkle in the extra ingredients. It turned out to be a win-win situation for everyone.
~*~*~
Next came the gifts. Roy expected another tie or pair of dress socks from the youngsters. Those he could use when he and his wife Joanne went out for dinner or to a movie.
However, when Christopher came back from his bedroom, he had a small wrapped rectangle box that neither socks nor a tie would fit in.
“Open it, Dad,” the boy said as he watched with anticipation.
Roy smiled at Joanne and the kids before doing just that. He slowly tore away the wrapping paper, making Chris even more anxious. Roy was having fun with it.
Finally, the small clear plastic box was exposed and a very nice fishing lure was inside.
Roy opened the box and carefully took it out.
“Wow, thanks, Chris.”
He set it down before giving the boy a hug and kiss.
“I picked it out all by myself,” he said proudly.
“He sure did,” Joanne assured. “Said you’d been looking at it awhile back and he remembered you wanted it sometime.”
“I guess now is that time, huh, Dad?”
Roy ruffed up his son’s hair. “It sure is.”
“Wait’ll you see my present, Daddy,” Jennifer boasted. “It’s the biggest, bestest present in the whole__wide__ world!” She spread her arms out on the word ‘wide’, to emphasize her description.
Chris rolled his eyes as Joanne gently reminded her daughter that they’d agreed earlier that Chris’s gift was just as special.
“Where is this ‘biggest, bestest present in the whole wide world’?” Roy questioned as he glanced around.
Jennifer grabbed his hand again and urged him to get up.
“C’mon!”
Roy looked at Joanne with a raised eyebrow, then complied.
What could Jenny have picked out? And where was she dragging him to now?
~*~*~
Jennifer’s Father’s Day venture brought the family to the hallway upstairs. She had her dad close his eyes as soon as they got to the top of the carpeted steps, then led him to the middle of the hall.
“Open your eyes now!”
Roy did and found himself in front of her bedroom door. A small pink bow was taped to it, along with a piece of pink construction paper with the words ‘To Daddy, love Jenny’ printed on it in blue crayon.
“A pink bow and paper,” Chris scoffed.
Jenny stuck her tongue out at him, then brought her attention back to her dad.
Joanne gave him a nudge. “Well, are you going to open it, or am I going to have to serve lunch up here later?”
He grinned at the comment, then reached out, grabbed the knob and turned it.
When the door opened, there was Jennifer’s room, looking the tidiest it had in weeks.
“I cleaned my room, Daddy! Jus’ for you, ‘cause you said you wanted ta see a clean room! I did it all by myself!”
Joanne nodded. “She did. Spent the whole day in here yesterday.”
“Happy Fathers Day!”
Roy’s grin widened after the two kids had shouted the well wishes together.
Big or small, for the moment or lasting years, both gifts were equally special in his mind and heart. Thanks to his kids, and the help his wife gave them in the kitchen, this would be one of his best Father's Days ever. . .
In the whole wide world, Roy thought to himself.
This was inspired by our daughter this past Christmas, when she gave her dad her clean room for a ‘gift’. I thought it was pretty clever! :o)
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