Sometimes there is a plus

I pick up the men from school one day a week. It alternates which day to combine with my weekend, so I see the boys every couple of days.

On Mondays, I have to pick up an additional little man Paddy, Beau’s best mate and next door neighbour.

I was waiting outside the assembly hall at 3pm on Monday, said hello and smiled at the mothers that know me.

There are only a handful of dads. We all stand apart. The assembly finishes and the kids pour out, I see Paddy and Beau marching out.

“I’m coming to your place today,” Paddy points at me smiling.

“You sure are Mr…” I smile at Beau “Hello handsome, you guys go get your bags I’ll wait here.”

We cross the carpark, Beau holding my hand, Paddy holding his.

The boys jump in the car as we go to pick up Chicky from his school.

“Hey, I’ve got a girlfriend” Paddy shrieks across the car.

“Do you? Already, wow. Is she cute?” I ask.

“You’re gonna have to marry her,” Beau teases. “I’m never gonna get married,” he said.

“You just do what makes you happy Beau – besides you two have a long way to go before you need to worry about that stuff.”

I wink at him in the rear mirror.

We pick up our Chicky man and the four of us drive back to the family home.

“Did you know the zoo in the city, it’s so cool,” Beau sparks up a conversation.

“I’ve been in the city more than you” Paddy declares.

“Nah, my dad lives in the city and we go every…”

“Two weeks,” I fill in.

“Yep, Beau and Chick have two homes, one with their mum and one with me,” I say.

Beau and Chick are looking very happy with this statement and Paddy eyes me curiously from the back seat.

I help the three boys dress into their Superman and Batman outfits as they play for the afternoon.

I cook dinner and wait for the other parents and Dawn to come back.

It was nice to be able to sell a plus with the boys this afternoon, it doesn’t happen very often.