REESE

chapter fifty one.

Third Person POV:

"Dad."

A whisper in the dark. A quiet voice calling his name. Jonathon stirred in his sleep.

"Dad, wake up. Dad. Come on."

Jonathon groaned as he shifted under his warm covers, irritation prickling in his soul. With great difficulty, he cracked one eye open, his vision meeting pitch black. "Dad." Another whisper. Turning slightly to the side, Jonathon looked through his lidded eyes and spotted a flash of white and yellow.

He almost went back to sleep, almost, but then the colours registered in his muddled mind and he jerked upright in bed.

Reese, Pria and Nico stood at his bedside staring sheepishly at him. The nine-year-old and two eleven-year-olds were smiling nervously, clad in their pyjamas. They held a cake covered with burning candles alongside flower bouquets and cards.

"What's going on?" Jonathon asked slowly, confusion racking his senses. "What's with the cake?"

The three kids looked at each other confusedly.

"It's the third Sunday in June?" Pria answered, her reply sounding more like a question than a response.

Jonathon blinked. "Okay..." He drawled, not knowing why that particular date was significant. The confusion stayed for a while before sudden panic ripped down his chest. "Whose birthday is it?!" He croaked, hoping to God he didn't forget one of their birthdays. He was new at this whole kid thing, still learning what it meant to care for small humans. "Nico, is it yours? Reese? Pria?"

"It's Father's Day, Dad." Reese exclaimed incredulously. "The third Sunday in June is always Father's Day."

Jonathon straightened in bed, his heartbeat slowing down but strengthening in his chest. "Oh." He breathed nervously, trying not to show the three kids standing in front of him just how flustered he really was. "Yes, sorry." But this was a first for Jonathon, he had never had a Father's Day before, not with his own dad, and especially not with his own kids.

He peered down at the cake excitedly, warmth filling his chest.

"This says 'Happy Birthday." He laughed.

"The stupid bakery sent us the wrong cake." Reese huffed. "And then when Pria called them to tell them they made a mistake, they hung up on her. So then Nico called them and he started yelling at them."

"But then they threatened to call the police." Nico muttered, rubbing the back of his neck sadly. "So I got scared and threw my phone into the pool."

Jonathon bit his lip, trying to hide his amusement. "It's okay buddy." He comforted the dejected boy. "I'll get you a new one."

Nico's expression brightened instantly, his previous slumped shoulders straightening in relief. "Thanks Jonny." He mumbled shyly.

Jonathon smiled looking from kid to kid. "No, thank you guys. You kiddos didn't have to do all this."

Pria stepped forward, shyly handing over the bouquets of flowers to Jonathon. "Um, none of us really knew what you're supposed to give someone on Father's Day but um...Ree said that she used to give her mom flowers on Mother's Day so we got you some flowers. Sorry if you don't like flowers."