Charles was outside playing with the mud. He splashed around in the mess. Alice was looking for him all around the house. FP peeked out the window. "I found him. You're not gonna be happy."
"Where is he? What did he do?" Alice checked where he was looking. She opened the door and called Charles in. "Charles Bryan Jones march your butt in here. You need to take a bath right now mister. Your play is in an hour."
"Alice honey we didn't give him a middle name."
"I know but it's very effective when I'm middle naming our child when I catch him doing something he shouldn't be doing."
"Why Bryan?" FP questions.
"I don't know. It just felt like that was the name I had to use." Alice waited for the child to come in. "What did I tell you young man?"
"Dad said I had to get into character," Charles pinned the blame on his father. FP gaped at the accusation.
"You did what?" Alice looked at her husband.
"That's not what I meant," FP put his hands in the air.
"Go wait for me in the bathroom," Alice pointed. Charles obeyed and walked there. She turned back to FP with her arms crossed.
"Did he really just throw me under the bus?" FP said in disbelief. "He gets that from you."
"Me?" Alice gasps.
"You know it's true," FP chuckles.
"You wash him," Alice thought it was a justifiable punishment for him. "Go on."
FP walked to the bathroom to find the child sitting on the closed toilet. He was waiting. "Hey bud. Let's get you clean." He ran his bath while he helped him out of the muddy clothes.
"Is mommy mad?"
"No. She just wants you clean for your play. We can't have a muddy Peter Pan."
"But what about his shadow?"
"He lost his shadow remember," FP explained. Charles put himself in the bathtub. FP poured water over his head. Charles kept himself occupied with the bath toys he had. FP reached for the shampoo bottle. He poured some on his hand and rubbed it on the boy's head.
"Were you ever Peter?"
"No I couldn't deal with the tights," FP says scrubbing his hair clean. "But in high school I was Danny Zuko."
"Who's that?"
"From Grease. We have the movie. Maybe we'll watch it as a family some day," FP rinsed the shampoo off of him. "Your mom was Sandy."
"And I was a good one," Alice says walking in. She came over to the tub. She took over for FP. FP sat on the floor beside her. He loved caring for their son together.
"She's right," FP confirmed.
"If I got Chic's part could I skip this bath," Charles asked.
"Who's he?" Alice put conditioner on his hair.
"My shadow."
"Come again?"
"He's saying Peter's shadow," FP clarified.
"Why would that mean you get to skip your bath?" Alice rose an eyebrow.
"Dad said I only had to be clean because I was Peter but if I was his shadow I wouldn't have to be."
"That's not what I said," FP put a finger up.
"Yes it was," Charles says before having water poured on him.
"He's doing it again. He's twisting my words. Where did he learn that?" FP showed Alice. She had to believe him now. She giggled and finished cleaning the boy up.
"Get me the towel baby," Alice says. FP looked at the boy who gave him a cheeky smile. He grabbed the towel and Alice wrapped up Charles. She carried him to his room. FP drained the water.
"Love you dad!" Charles yells knowing he defeated him.
"Love you kiddo," FP says back. Even though he could be mischievous he loved the kid to death. He reminded him too much of Alice.
Alice dried him up and helped him change into his costume. FP came in to put the dirty clothes in the hamper. Charles looked adorable in his little outfit. He jumped off the bed and FP caught him. "Careful. You can't really fly."
"I can with this," Charles threw confetti into the air from a pouch he had.
"You're going to have to pick that Pixie Dust up later because right now we have to get you to school before we're late for the show."
"I'm the star of the show they can't start without me."
"Oh yeah he definitely gets that from you," FP directed at Alice as he carried Charles out to the car. He buckled Charles in while he threw confetti at him once again. He tickled him as punishment. He smiled and shut the door.
When they reached the school Charles was escorted back stage with the rest of the kids. An usher directed the parents to their seats. FP picked up one of the programs. "Look it's his name," He said proudly showing Alice.
"This brings back so many memories."
"I think I stepped on gum on my way-"
"Shh it's about to start," Alice silenced him. The lights were turned off and the curtains were being open. FP looked down at his shoe. There was a bright pink gum on the sole of the shoe. Alice was too busy looking for Charles on stage to pay attention to him. Charles came on stage and it lit up Alice's face. "That's my baby!" She yelled out. She turned to the lady on her side. "That's my son."
"Honey you're going to distract him."
"No I'm not," Alice rolled her eyes. "I love you Charles!"
Charles looked at the audience. "Mom I'm Peter right now!" He looked at his father. FP nods at him and holds Alice's hand. He was going to make sure she doesn't steal his spotlight.
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Note: Bryan is Skeet's name
