Oswald looked out the car window, the bright sun was somewhat covered by the white, fluffy clouds. Nothing unusual.
He was finally leaving the office, his supervisor had asked him to take on a new assignment at the end of his shift so he was out later than he would have liked. Hopefully Gregory wouldn't be upset.
He found ordinary days nicer than he had as a young child. Nothing too bad happened on his ordinary days.
He could see it at the end of the hill, the big, red sign saying "Little Stars' Daycare" in rainbow letters in view. The parking lot was at the left side of the road. He turned, and quickly found a spot.
He strode on through the red doors, a woman he had seen everyday turned to greet him.
"Hello Sir," She said quietly. Even without the name tag, Oswald knew her name.
"Hello Beth," He replied, pulling out his son's tag, "I'm here for Gregory," as if the tag didn't show it clearly enough.
"You're here later than usual," She typed on her computer, "It's nap time."
She entered the blue door behind her and returned with a very much upset Gregory.
After he paid for his son's care, and took Gregory to the car, the toddler's arms crossed. It was only after he was strapped in his seat that Gregory started throwing a fit.
"What's wrong?" Oswald asked now in the driver's seat.
"I! I! almost take a nap!" He whined in two-year-old pronunciation. Gregory kicked his baby seat.
"You sound like you might need one soon!" Oswald added, mistake. That lead to more crying.
The boy had stopped whining by the time Oswald pulled up into the driveway. And they made it inside without incident. They kicked off their shoes. Mom wasn't going to be home until 6:00, so they had the whole house to themselves.
Gregory, now on the floor, stared at Oswald.
"What is it?" Oswald questioned. Gregory stood up and tapped his father's leg.
"Tag!"
Gregory ran away, followed by Oswald.
"I'm gonna get you! I'm gonna get you!" He declared, slowly chasing giggles.
Gregory dashed under his parents bed, only to be dragged out by the leg.
"Got you! Got you!" He stated, lifting the kid with him on the bed in his lap. Gregory continued giggling, sitting there carelessly, his hands covering his mouth, as Oswald wrapped his arms around him. The laughing eventually ceased and they sat there. Oswald hoped Gregory would fall asleep so he could get daily his nap in.
He then noticed that Gregory was staring, not up at him, but at his arm.
"What's up Greg?" Oswald asked.
"Daddy, why is your arm like tat?" Gregory asked.
Gregory knew he had that scar, he wore short sleeves all the time. That one scar that told him that one summer was all but imaginary. But it wasn't like Gregory knew the meaning behind it, he was just a toddler after all. Oswald did get stares sometimes, that was partly why he tended to wear a jacket in public.
"What do you mean?" Oswald stammered.
"I tought that all daddies' arms looked like tat, but they don't!" Gregory pointed at the limb, "Why is your arm like dis?"
Oswald couldn't just tell him everything. Even if a kid his age could digest it all, it was some traumatic stuff. He saw the aftermath of a child massacre, his father was replaced, he thought he was going insane, the rabbit choked on a net!
He sighed, "When I was little," he started, Gregory leaned in ready for story time. "A big, mean bunny bit me."
"Why?" Gregory shook his arm a bit.
"Because it was a really mean bunny,"
"Oh," Gregory accepted the answer. Two-year-olds had limited logic. "Could I get bit by a mean bunny?" He asked.
"No," Oswald answered "I won't let any mean bunnies get you!" He couldn't let it. Oswald didn't want Gregory to have to experience a bit of what he had.
Oswald was the one who had to save his dad because no one else could. Oswald was nearly murdered. Gregory shouldn't have to deal with that, especially as a kid.
"About that nap time-"
"NO!" Gregory leaped from Oswald's arms and scurried off the bed. Oswald chased him until he was all tired out. He sat the boy on his bed and left him to dream.
If only he was at his child's side for longer.