Ottis

Big questions from little people

~Bailey

I was giving Ottis a bath while he was playing with his rubber bath toys. Clayton in the kitchen cooking his famous 'Noodle Surprise', I couldn't wait to eat it, I loved pasta.

"Mommy? I gotta question," Ottis says quietly, I wash the soap from his hair and smile at him.

"Ask away, babe," He smiles and he smiles at me.

"Do I have two daddies?" I freeze.

"What do you mean?"

"Is Clay my daddy like daddy Sam?" He just continues to play with his toys not even looking at me.

"No, Sam is your daddy. Clay could potentially be your step-daddy someday, but that's thinking way ahead, like when you turn ten." He looks up and wrinkles his nose.

"What's that?"

"A step dad is someone who marries your mommy and he becomes the role of a daddy, but he's not technically your dad. Sam will always be your daddy, no matter who fills the spot of 'step' dad," He nods at me, I finish washing off the soap from his body and hair. I drain the water and wrap Ottis up in a fluffy green frog towel.

When I lift Ottis I see Clayton standing in the doorway, I jump a little before calming my racing heart.

"You scared me," He chuckles and walks up to me kissing me gently on the lips.

"Ew! Cooties!" Ottis squeals and wrinkles up his face into one of disgust.

"Mommy doesn't have cooties, only other girls do remember?" I tell him.

"Clay has them though!" Clayton makes a hurt face.

"I do not have cooties!" He gasps. Ottis makes a thin line with his lips before nodding at Clayton.

"Pretty sure you do Clay," He says like a little snob.

"Ottis Shane, behave," I scold him, he just eyes Clayton like he's the man of the house and he's so tough.

"I get it, I get it, you don't want me kissing mommy, I won't," He holds his hands up in surrender and turns around.

"Why am I being punished?" I groan and carry Ottis to his room.

I dress him in his PJ's and I brush through his hair that has gotten considerable longer.

"Dinner is served!" Clayton says in a British accent causing Ottis to giggle.

"Hey I made you giggle! Does that mean I can kiss mommy now?" Clayton asks hopefully, suddenly Ottis's once happy demeanor turns sour.

"No." Then I scoop some noodles on his plate with a slice of bread and butter.

"Darn!" Clayton scoops some on a plate and hands it to me, along with my bread.

"Aw thank you Clay," I lean up to kiss him before Clayton clears his throat motioning towards Ottis with his eyes. I roll mine and sit back down.
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"So, that's how the little prince, became the fairest in the land." Clayton finished off Ottis's bedtime story. I was standing in the doorway, with Clayton's back facing me, and Ottis looked up at Clay, as he was very engaged in the story.

"Clay? I got a question," Ottis said.

"What is it buddy?"

"Are you my second daddy? Mommy told me that my real daddy is Sam, but I see you a lot too, so does that mean your my second daddy?" I was about to make my presence known but Clay started talking.

"Well buddy, you could always call me daddy Clay, if you wanted too. But you might want to talk to Daddy and mommy first. They might not like it," I was shocked with his response. Suddenly Ottis moved his head to the side so he could see around Clayton. He looked right at me.

"Can I mommy?" Clayton jumped up and turned around, I smiled at them.

"Honey, I don't think it's up to me. I don't mind, but you'd have to talk to daddy. Cause that might hurt his feelings if he finds out you call someone else daddy. I know I would be upset if you called someone else mommy,"
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"No need to fear! Samuel Owen is here!" Sam yelled as he walked in my home.

"Must you be so loud?" I asked him, he smirked at me.

"Always,"

"Daddy!" Ottis ran into the room.

"Ottis!" Sam bent down and hugged our five year old.

"Did you know auntie Jenna is having a baby?" Ottis asked Sam with a smile. This morning we FaceTimed Jenna and she told him, he was excited about being a big cousin.

"I did, exciting huh?" Sam asked with a smile.

"Yes!" Sam stood up.

"Ready to see my new place?" He asked. I nodded and slipped on my wind breaker, and gave Ottis his hoodie.

We rode in Sam's car all the way there. When we got to the building, I noticed it was nicely kept. It wasn't run-down or anything.

"Not so bad right?" Sam asked nervously. I nod.

"It's nice actually." I decide to tell him. We walked in the lobby and took the elevator up to his floor. When we first walked into his apartment I noticed it was clean.

He had a couch, and his small dining table with four foldable chairs around it. Then the kitchen was to the left of where I was standing. I walked over and checked the cabinets and fridge, taking note that they were both fully stocked with stuff other than junk.

"Bed rooms?" Sam smiled and lead the way, he was holding Ottis when they stopped at a wooden door with a sign that read 'Ottis' in cursive. When we walked in I took note in the dinosaur themed room. He had a twin sized bed and a rail to keep him from falling. He had toys and it was freshly painted in here, I could faintly smell the fumes, nothing a open window couldn't fix.

"Is it good enough? I worked really hard on this room," Sam said nervously, I laughed at him.

"It's fine, it's cute actually." He lets out a breath.

"Thank god," I chuckle and look at Ottis.

"Daddy can I play with all my new toys?" Sam nodded and put him down.

"All these toys used to be mine when I was little, now they're yours," How cute!

I walked out into the living room with Sam following.

"So, what do you think? Does it meet your criteria?" I roll my eyes.

"From the looks of it, yes. You can start taking him on weekends. But I have rules, that you have to follow. Like don't bring women home when he's here you will live for two days without having sex. Then make sure he's not left alone, and he gets a bath and brushes his teeth before bed. And he has a bedtime. So follow through with that." I think to see if I missed anything.

"Is that all?"

"Yes."