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“No, he’s just a boy. They’re into the harder stuff, I just want to play and have Daddy take care of all the grown-up stuff.”

“Yeah, me and Daddy are still working through it all. He just said to be me and that I didn’t need any labels.” I loved that about him but maybe eventually I might want him to take care of more grown-up stuff too.

“Wanna swing for a while?” Chase asked.

“Yeah, that sounds nice.” We swung until we got bored then went inside to his playroom. “Wow, that’s a great action figure collection.”

“When Daddy and I first started dating, he asked why I never opened them. I told him it was because then they lost their value. One day he asked me to pick the one I really wanted to play with the most and open it. I about had a heart attack, but he had a plan. As soon as I did, he found one to replace it. Now I have a set to play with, and a set big me keeps unopened as part of his collection.”

“That’s a really smart Daddy.”

“Yeah. I was sad not playing with them, but he found a way around that. He knows how to fix everything. Daddies are smart. Wanna play guy-guys?”

“Guy-guys?”

“Yep, action figures. They’re my guy-guys. We can build with these cool blocks I got then they karate chop them down. Watch.” Chase pulled out a container of huge building blocks, set a few up then grabbed an action figure. “High-ya!” and had him drop kick the blocks down and giggled. “See, it’s fun.”

“I never had toys when I was younger, not that I remember, at least.”

“Same. Which guy-guy do you want?”

He had a bucket filled to the brim with them. “Um, this one.” I snagged a cool Spiderman and followed Chase around. Building, kicking down blocks, building again. It was mind-numbing fun.

“You boys ready for a snack?” Uncle Casey asked.

“Yes, please,” we both replied.

Our daddies brought in a tray of crackers, cute tiny cookies, cheese with toothpicks in them and olives. All fun snacks and juice boxes and sat them on Chase’s play table.

“This is a super sweet playroom.” I wouldn’t even know where to start making one of my own. What were my favorite toys? Was there a theme I liked? Hell, I barely had a favorite color. It’s like everything to do with being a kid completely skipped me.

“Why so sad, Little Wren?” Daddy asked as he crouched down beside me and I shrugged.

“Chase has all these coolio toys. I’ve never collected anything, never had anything and if I had a playroom it would be sad and empty ‘cause I don’t even know what I like.” Why did I suddenly feel like crying? What the hell was wrong with me?

“Don’t be sad, bestie,” Chase wrapped his arm around my shoulder. “I can help you find what you like. That’s what friends do, they help each other.”

“There you go, Little Wren. Chase is gonna help, Daddy will help and I bet Uncle Casey probably has some good ideas too.”

“The best. My Daddy helped me find my little and all this stuff,” he waved his arms around. “Then his friend painted my room and made it super cute. Daddy told him to paint the songbirds and music notes on the wall. I play and sing and Daddy plays with me sometimes too. Huh, Daddy?”

“Daddy loves his Songbird with all his heart and will do anything that makes him happy. Within reason,” Chase giggled. “Silly Songbird.”

“Silly Daddy.”

I really liked being around them so much. Daddy was smiling, I was figuring things out and I didn’t have to worry about anything. Daddy was right there and maybe he even found a new best friend too in Uncle Casey.

“Why don’t you boys play for a while longer while Uncle Wolf and I make lunch. Then after our tummies settle we can go for a swim.”

“Can we get out my giant unicorn, Daddy?” Chase asked him.

“Absolutely. I bet Tony would love to ride on him and your blow-up crocodile.”

“Grr,” Chase growled and snapped his teeth. “Crocs are scary, but mine is nice. He’ll be good, I promise, Tony.”

I don’t know what they were talking about, but I was all in.

“Wanna try my cars next? I have a really sweet racetrack over here,” he pointed to a wall where the track literally ran up it then along the wall and back around.”