Our Boys

The Birdman Pt. 2

The next day...

Despite the family missing three of their boys, Harry still seemed to make enough noise for all four of them. While the six year old was leading the adults on a chase around the house with a wet paint brush he'd found outside, it was at that moment that Tobi and his friend's mum appeared at the door with her own two children, Josh and Ethan following quickly behind.

"Afternoon," she said, smirking at the sight.

Simon and JJ stood up as she stopped in the doorway. JJ had tossed Harry onto his shoulders and held him there.

The woman glanced at her watch. "I hope we're not too early."

"No, Pam, you're fine. We were running a little late actually, with this little monkey running around spreading paint everywhere. Boys give you any trouble?" Simon asked as he walked over and placed his hands on Josh's shoulders. The boy craned his head back to look up at the man standing behind him. Simon looked down into the eyes and his heart skipped a beat at the devotion he saw reflected there. He smiled down at the boy, pride evident.

"No, they were all perfect little gentlemen. No yelling, or fighting, no arguments. I was beginning to think I had the wrong boys," she teased them. "Actually, they were so entranced by the movie that they forgot to act like the young boys that they were. We all had a great time."

"Thanks, Pam, we really appreciate you bringing the kids back as well. Have a nice weekend and we'll see you on Monday."

The boys called out their goodbyes and the Finch family left the house and headed for the car. Callux, who seemed to practically live at the house nowadays while his girlfriend was touring, sauntered over, having been watching the other two chase Harry from his comfortable seat on the stairs for a while.

"JJ, if you like, I can take the boys down to the little shop and get them some snacks, while you tidy up this." he offered, gesturing to the white paint marks dotted around the great room.

JJ looked over at Simon. He was talking to the three other boys about their afternoon adventures.

"That'd be sick Cal. You sure you don't mind?"

"Hey, I'm not exactly busy and you know I'm always happy to help with these kids...unless they're running about with paint," he said with a smile.

Harry squealed and jumped out of JJ's lap, running over to Cal and taking his hand. "Can I get orange juice?"

JJ cleared his throat as he looked at the boy.

Harry glanced over and looked up again. "Please?" He looked back at JJ to check that was the correction he was wanting. He smiled at the nod his papa gave him.

"You can have whatever you want Harry!" Cal grinned.

Harry looked around and met eyes with the others. "Uncle Cal's gonna take us to the little shop down the road. Come on." He held out his free hand out to Tobi who took it happily.

Josh looked from Harry to Simon. "Can I stay here Dad?" Receiving a nod, he looked at Cal. In a quiet voice, he told him, "Thanks Uncle Cal, but I'm not thirsty. Would you mind if I didn't go?" A blush rose on the boy's cheeks.

"Course not Josh. The rest of us can go and we'll be back before you know it. You coming Ethan?" he called to the other nine year old, who was glancing back between Cal and Josh. His fathers studied him. It was clear to them that he also wanted to go the shop, but at the same time he didn't want to leave Josh. Their unwillingness to part from one another had been a concern at one point but now the two were slowly becoming a little bit more independent from one another, and now Ethan eventually decided he would go with the others, although not before sharing a reassuring look with Josh.