Tales from the Multiverse

Just Me - PJ Liguori

Inspiration: I thought, what would happen if Peej had a kid and then his wife left him? Noop Boop here it is

A small, chubby hand grabbed at the wires connected to the camera. I sighed and picked up the child, earning a shrill shriek of laughter as I swung my baby over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"C'mon, Jas, I thought you were gonna play in your room?" I said, sounding weary even to my own ears.

The little boy wriggled, trying to break free of my arms. "No! My room is boring."

"Boring?!" I exclaimed indignantly. "How can you call your room boring?! You have the coolest room ever. I wish I had your room."

The child wasn't having it. He squeaked and beat his little fists against my back. "Put me down, Daddy!" he whined.

"Oh, hush. One day you're going to wish I could still pick you up like this." Still, his kicking feet were coming perilously close to my face, so I set him down. The little boy wobbled on his feet, dizzy from having his world inverted. "Now, go play in your room for just a few more minutes while I finish this video."

The boy frowned, his bottom lip poking out an incredible distance. His green eyes got watery and he crossed his little sausage arms. "Daaaad," he bleated plaintively.

Here come the waterworks, I sighed inwardly. Not eager to see my son in tears, I hurried to remedy the situation, extending my arms toward the boy again. "Alright, alright, no crying. You can film with me this time. Would you like that?"

Immediately, the well of infinite tears dried up. "Yeah!" The little one jumped up and down, clapping rapturously.

I smiled and hefted the boy into his arms, then settled back down on the floor in front of the camera, snuggling my small charge into his lap. "All set, Jasper?"

The boy mumbled affirmation, and I grinned at the camera lens. "Look, I've sprouted an extra appendage," I announced, referring to Jasper. "Say 'hello', Jas."

Jasper flashed a cheesy smile at the camera, but didn't speak. I chuckled softly and picked up my train of thought from where I'd left off, pausing every now and again to ask Jasper questions or, inversely, answer Jasper's frequent queries. A half hour later, I powered down the camera and looked down at my son, who beamed up at me happily.

"Did you have fun?" I asked, smoothing back the toddler's unruly curls. Jasper nodded emphatically, falling back against my chest. I rested his chin on the little curly head. "Good."

We sat together for a moment in content quiet, and the clock on the wall ticked away one minute, then two, then five before Jasper wiggled away from me and ran, giggling, back to his bedroom. I watched him go with a slight smile.

~

I stretched in my seat, sighing as my back popped. I'd been editing for about an hour, and it was time for Jasper to hit the sack.

"Jas!" I called. "Where you at, buddy?"

"Here, Daddy!" he replied from the lounge. I swivelled my chair around and left the office to fetch him.

He was sitting about a foot away from the television, head tipped back and mouth slightly agape as he watched an episode of Power Rangers. I walked over and sat down next to him. We finished the episode together, and then I switched off the tv and picked him up.

"BED TIME!" I shouted, running down the hall. Jasper screamed with laughter as I burst into his room and threw him lightly onto his bed.

A bath, a pair of onesie pyjamas, an intense tooth-brushing session, and a brief round of catch-the-soaking-wet-naked-kid later, it was finally time for Jasper's bedtime story. I swept him into his bed and gave him a tickly, five-o'clock shadow kiss on the cheek. He squealed and batted me away with his little hands.