Dad, Dad, and Dad?

Chapter 18

September 4, 2015
Vik pushed the cart down the alcohol section of the grocery store as JJ, Ethan, and Tobi threw in random packs of beer. Riley sat in the kid's seat of the cart babbling away.

"We're going to get absolutely smashed." Ethan predicted. The lads were picking stuff up for Simon and Josh's combined birthday party.

"I can't believe we've brought Riley." Tobi chuckled.

"Man, if Josh and Simon ever knew Riley was alone with us they'd flip." JJ laughed.

"Wait they don't know?!" Vik freaked out. "I thought I told you to tell them we were leaving with Riley!"

"Vik you should know better than to leave me with a responsibility." JJ admitted.

"What if they start to panic and-!"

"It's fine. They won't notice. Josh is probably busy recording, and Simon is probably having a wank." JJ shrugged.

"Well, you know how attached they are to her. She barely sleeps in her own room. If something happens to her-"

"Nothing is going to happen to her, Vik. She's safe with us." Tobi reassured. Ethan reached up to a higher shelf for the last case. "Are you sure you can reach that?"

"Yes." Ethan grunted, clearly struggling. He didn't have a good enough grip and dropped it. "Shit!" The beer spilled out of the broken bottles.

"Oh fuck." JJ stifled a laugh.

"Am I gonna have to pay for that?"
~
"We're back with the snack-s." Ethan tried to rhyme.

"That was pathetic." JJ shook his head.

"And you're any better?" Ethan challenged.

"At least I'm not as clumsy as you. Dropping drinks all over store floors."

"All right boys break it up." Tobi came in from behind the two with most of the grocery bags. Vik was carrying Riley.

"There's Riley! I was just about to call you guys to see if she was with you guys." Josh said relieved.

"See?" Vik stared at JJ. They all crowded into the kitchen to set everything up for later. Riley sat in her booster seat playing with Vik's car keys.

"Josh?" Tobi started.

"Yeah?"

"Is Freya coming?"

"Yes, I mean she's supposed to be." Josh answered.

"Ugh, why?" Simon entered the room. "Doesn't she hate your guts?"

"Probably. Is that everything?" Josh asked. He wanted to get off this subject.

"Yeah, I just need to get the cake out of my car." Vik said. "But first I need my keys..." He looked around a bit before noticing Riley had them. "I'm gonna need those keys back missy." Vik held out his hand. Riley jingled them and Vik reached for them but she recoiled her arm.

"Mine." she asserted.

"No, they're mine. Can you please give them back?" Vik asked politely. Riley just stared at him chewing on the keys. "I just need to borrow them. I'll give them back." Riley hesitantly handed them over. "Thank you."

Vik came back with a white box that held the mysterious cake yet to be seen.

"Oo, may I see?" Josh jumped in front of Vik.

"Nope! You'll have to wait until tonight." Vik swerved around Josh, putting the cake in the fridge.

"Please tell me it's an actual cake and not like, a plate of curry." JJ joked.

"You say that as if you'd be disappointed. I make the best curry." Vik played along.

"I prefer Nandos." Simon shrugged, then took a sip of his drink. Josh nodded in agreement.
~
The night was just getting started. Everyone was packed into the house. Including the Cal's, everyone's girlfriends (who has one), and the Sidemen of the Sidemen. The boys had already had a few drinks.

"JJ we haven't even cut into the cake yet and you're drunk." Lewis said.

"Tipsy. I'm tipsy." JJ corrected. He was definitely tipping all right.

"I think we better eat this cake before it's too late." Simon suggested. So they sang happy birthday, had some cake, and JJ handed them a joke present: A dildo. (Go figure)

"Oops I think you got the wrong birthday. Save it for Harry's." Simon pointed at said blonde.

"What? No! Save it for Ethan's." Harry pushed it away.

"JJ just wanted an excuse to buy a dildo. Keep it, Jide." Ethan backed up.

Then the lads, and ladies, went on to drink some more. JJ quickly became wasted.

"Where's Riley?" he asked, stumbling into the kitchen. "Has you been sitting here with the cake alone this whole time?" JJ picked her up, holding her close.

"Are you sure this is safe?" JME looked over at Josh.

"I so-ber, I can handle it." JJ hiccuped.

Then Riley threw up on him.

Everyone bursted out laughing.

"Oh my god! Fuck! This is so gross! Why?!" JJ started shouting. He went into a panic. Everyone else had tears running down their faces.

"Uncle Tobi to the rescue! I think someone ate too much cake." Tobi took Riley.

"It's not your eye is it JJ?" Simon teased.

"Fuck off! It's all over my shirt! I can feel it dripping!" JJ looked as if he was malfunctioning. He ran upstairs, tripping over his feet.

"Don't slip in the shower!" Ethan shouted out at him.

"Here I'll take Riley and make sure JJ doesn't drown." Simon offered. He went upstairs and sat in his bathroom with Riley to make sure she doesn't puke again.

"I'm sorry this happened to you." Simon said softly. He rested his head on hers. "I bet you just wanted to have a nice night celebrating Josh's birthday. Didn't you?" She nodded her head. "Are you feeling okay?"

"My tummy hurts." she whined. Simon felt really bad for her. All he could do was sit with her. She's too small to swallow any pills. Nor is she willing to.

They sat there for a long time before it was clear she wasn't going to throw up again. Simon took her to her room and sat on her bed with her for while. She curled on his lap, her head on his chest as she slowly fell asleep. Simon's legs hung off the small toddler bed. His head was rested against the wall. He carefully stroked her hair.

Later Josh walked in to see if Simon wanted to switch places. He walked in to find both of them asleep. He smiled at them, feeling his heart warm.

"Welp, time to get wasted."