House Calls by the Doctor [8]

Thirteen

It wasn't that I didn't enjoy looking down at a spaced out and well fucked boy on my bed but it threw a wrench in my plans. I'd had every intention of asking him to drive down tomorrow. I was planning on staying with my parents tonight because the moving truck with my belongings wouldn't arrive until 4 p.m. tomorrow so staying in the apartment this evening was impossible.

Now I obviously needed a new plan. A plan that involved showers because we both needed one desperately. I was going to be late, I'd overslept. This day was simply going to be completely wrong and I couldn't figure out how to get it to behave. It felt out of my hands. I would call mother and tell her I'd been delayed; she would understand. But Christopher was a more complicated issue.

I brushed my teeth and then went into the Den and grabbed his toiletry bag; we didn't have time for two showers. I turned the water on and went back to the bed. He was awake and relaxed, his eyes more open than closed. "Time for a shower."

"Yes Sir."

He'd mentioned the idea of being Little before and he needed extra care and it seemed worth a try.  Slipping into caregiver mode might help me to fulfill his needs without trying quite so hard. It was a set of rules that seemed to fit better than the hodge podge I'd scraped together. "If you can be helpful and a good boy, Daddy will get you a treat later. How does that sound?" I offered him my hand and he climbed out of bed and followed behind me. I unhooked his cuffs and put them on the counter. "Sit down on the bench and I'll help you as soon as I'm finished."

"Can I watch?" It was nice of him to ask, polite, and I was once again struck by how far he'd come.  He was such a good boy when he wasn't fighting himself or me.

"Yes princess. You're not cold are you?"

"No Daddy, I'm perfect." His head was leaning against the tiles and his eyes followed my hands as I soaped myself up. The sly grin on his face made it obvious that he liked what he saw. It helped me relax to be clean again, to wash away some of yesterday. "Does your shoulder hurt?"

"A little. It's okay. I need you to answer some hard questions, can you do that?"

"Mmhmm."

"Do you want to drive down to Santee or ride with me? I can bring you back up in a few days but you might like to have your car with you?" It seemed a decision he should make. He was still thinking when I stood him up. "Can you wash your hair?"

"Yes." I poured a dollop in his hand and put the bottle away. "Um, I don't want to drive right now but it would be nice to... I don't know."

"It's easiest if you drive down on your own tomorrow, I'll be stressed enough staying with my parents tonight."

"I want to be with you Daddy. We could get a hotel?"

We could. It had seemed a silly added inconvenience when I had a room at my parent's house but since Christopher was with me, yes, that would work. It would give me a place to leave him when I went to check on them.  I didn't have to sleep there, I could decide later based on how he was doing. "That's helpful, thank you." He'd rinsed and I worked on soaping him down. I started with his neck and made small circles, then pushed him towards the wall and worked on the back muscles that had been bothering him last night. "Feel better?"

"Yes, just achy. I love when you touch me."

If he would be this easy I could deal with him and this entire few days much easier. "I know. Let's get the soap off." I detached the shower head and sprayed him down, then pulled him close. "I forgot earlier but this is from mother." I stepped back, then tilted his head away. "Thank you for last night, for my... for the help. You did a very good job."

"Anytime Sir, I didn't mind.  I hope you feel better."

"I do.  I'm sorry you had to intervene, or felt that you had to. You could have left me alone." I grabbed a towel and wrapped him up. "We need to stop by your place to pack a bag." He wanted to say something but he didn't and I was glad. The quieter he was, the better. "I'll put your sweats on the bed. Dress in whatever you like and meet me in the living room. I brought your bag, you may shave and do your necessities in here."

"Okay."

I pressed against him, pinning him against the vanity. "It's 'Okay, Daddy'." I gave him a quick peck on his rough cheek so he'd know I wasn't angry and then went to get dressed. I had a suitcase already packed but did a quick reevaluation to decide if I would need anything else due to the change in plans. No, I think I was okay. I was on the phone with mom to tell her of my estimated arrival time when Christopher walked out. I raised a finger and he stopped, waiting patiently. "Have all of your things?" I asked him once I'd finished.

"Yes Daddy."

"Good boy. How are you feeling?"

"I'm... okay. Sort of foggy and very sore and just want to be near you. I'll try to be good."

"You're being perfect. Now, let's go get some coffee and then we'll pack your things. Say good-bye to the house."

He looked around and I did too. I really hadn't expected to feel anything but it was a bit odd to know that I likely wouldn't be coming back and even if I did the place would be empty. I wondered if this feeling was what Christopher had been experiencing before, if Neurotypical people could anticipate this odd sense of... I didn't know what it was. Loss? It was wrong, whatever it was. "Time to go." I helped him into the car and put the suitcases in the trunk and then double checked that the door was locked.

With coffee in hand it took him less than a half hour to pack a bag and make sure Wyatt would be cared for during his absence.  The silly cat tried to get into his suitcase twice and Christopher joked about bringing him but of course did not.  "Daddy?" he asked, locking his front door.

"Yes?"

"Is it okay that I'm just sort of shut down?  Do I need to do anything today?"

"You're fine angel, I'll take care of everything.  You relax and enjoy."  I took his suitcase down the stairs and tucked him into the passenger seat.  "If I need your help I'll ask for it, otherwise the best thing you can do is be good for me, just like you are now.  Do you get sick in the car?"

"No."

"I'd like you to work on your journal entry on our way down.  I want it finished when we arrive.  Understand?"

"Yes Daddy."

Good.  I needed his thoughts on last night, on my speech, on what had happened this morning and even the current play.  It was imperative we were on the same page.