The Unlikely Daddy

• 8 •

It was 5:30 when Logan was woken up by the sound of heavy breathing next to him. It took him a moment to remember he was at Alfie's house as he rubbed his eyes.

He turned to his left to see Alfie, sat up in bed, having some sort of panic attack.

"Woah. What's wrong?" Logan asked, taken aback by how Alfie was acting.

Alfie couldn't talk. He was too busy trying to catch his breath.

"Calm down. You're fine" Logan said, totally unaware of what to do.

"I-I'm s-sorry" Alfie managed to pant.

"Take a deep breath, Alfie" Logan instructed, concerned by the out of control breathing.

"I-I didn't m-mean t-to" Alfie stuttered, still not able to catch his breath.

Logan had no idea what was going on, or what Alfie was talking about.

"It's okay" Logan smiled, moving closer to Alfie so he could give him a comforting cuddle.

"No" Alfie objected, pushing Logan away gently.

"Alfie, don't push me, that's not a very kind thing to do" Logan said, his parental tone re-emerging.

"I don't w-want a c-cuddle" Alfie sniffed.

"And that's okay. Just remember to use your words instead of pushing" Logan raised his eyebrows. "Now, tell me why you are so upset" he continued.

Alfie had managed to calm himself down slightly, his breathing becoming much more regular. But, still, he couldn't tell Logan what had happened.

"Come on, buddy. You can tell me" Logan encouraged.

"P-potty" was all Alfie could stutter.

"Do you have to go to the potty?" Logan asked trying to decipher what Alfie was trying to say.

Alfie harshly shook his head. He didn't want to get up.

"Did you already go potty?" Logan finally understood.

Alfie didn't answer at all. He was so embarrassed.

"Let me see" Logan said, pulling Alfie's blankets off himself. This revealed the soaking wet bed, as well as Alfie's pyjama pants.

"No" Alfie said again, pulling the blanket back off Logan and covering himself up again.

"Alfie, I promise it's okay and I'm not mad at you. We can't have you sitting in your wet clothes, can we?" Logan spoke softly.

Alfie shook his head. He was cold and uncomfortable.

"Do you think you can be brave and stand up so you can go and have a shower?" Logan asked kindly.

Alfie took a deep breath in and did what Logan had asked him to. Slowly he stood up, hating the feeling of his pyjama pants sticking to himself, then waddled off to the bathroom.

While Alfie was away Logan took the blankets and the sheet downstairs in search of the laundry room. As he made it to the bottom step the front door opened.

"Hello?" Alfie's mum said as she came face to face with the boy she didn't particularly recognise.

"Oh. Umm. Hi. I'm Logan. I'm Alfie's friend" Logan said awkwardly, standing with his hands full of wet sheets.

"Where's Alfie?" Logan's mum asked.

"He's in the shower" Logan said, feeling his own shirt grow damp as he held the sheets close to himself.