Growing Season (MxM) Complete

Ch. 5 Houseguests

Ch 5.

Phillip stood dumbstruck. He couldn't utter a sound, even if no was right on the tip of his tongue. This wouldn't be the one attractive male tenant. This would be him and three, THREE, three children. There were alarms bells ringing in his head, but none of them seemed to engage his mouth.

Rather than wait for Phillip's negative response, Gareth gestured towards the van, and the children spilled out. Phillip took in a deep breath while his brain raced. He was so very far out of his comfort zone, no matter how attractive he found the man, the father. Three kids, none looking very old, made their way to the front of the house, walking solemnly. Two girls, one quite little and one bigger, and a boy in between who was the spitting image of his father. They all looked like they'd seen better days, but if their mother had kicked them out, he supposed they had.

As they made their way up the steps, the youngest reached out to take Phillip's hand for help. "Are you going to let us stay, mister?"

Phillip looked down at the little girl, her warm (and slightly sticky) fingers curling around his, her tousled ringlets sticking out in funny directions and flat in the back from her car seat. "Uh... Phillip. My name's Phillip," he managed to respond, not to her question, but whatever. At least he said something.

"I'm Franny and I'm five. I have a Timbit left in the car. Do you want it?" She smiled up at him with her big blue eyes wide and shining in the porch-light.

Well, that explained the sticky hand, anyway, doughnut glaze. "Um, no. Thank you." Phillip stared, unsure of what to do next.

Gareth watched the exchange with some amusement. Of his three children, Franny was definitely the most bold. The least crushed by her mother, Abby was fond of saying.

"That's Daisy, she's ten, and Gabe, he's almost seven, but actually still six. Daddy's twenty-nine. How old are you?" She looked pleased to be handling the important details.

Phillip was shocked that someone as young as Gareth could have three kids, especially a ten year old. He knew these things happened and all, but not to anyone he knew--not that he really knew anyone, but still. No wonder the father sounded so exhausted. Phillip remembered taking care of just one other person as being completely draining.

Gareth seemed to mistake Phillip's hesitation for offence, "Franny, it's not polite to.." he began to lightly chide.

"Twenty-eight." Phillip wasn't exactly sure what he was doing, but he knew he couldn't send this family out so late at night. He was certain they would be able to find something more fitting in the morning, so this didn't have to be permanent or anything. Phillip took a deep bracing breath and smiled cautiously down at Franny, unsure that he could even smile in this situation. The alarms in his brain were still going, but this time his mouth seemed to move all on its own. "Get inside." The words shocked him even as they passed his lips and he stiffly held the door for the Lewis family.

...............................................

After a few minutes of shifting laundry baskets and other various pieces of luggage, everyone adjusted for the time being. The screen door was propped open and the heavy exterior door was cracked enough to allow for the easy back and forth of the two men. Phillip helped Gareth carry some things in while the children sat on the couch, tracing patterns on the swirled 1970's green velveteen fabric watching a cartoon at low volume. A row of little winter boots were lined up near the front door on the mat, their coats hanging on the hooks, and Phillip was strangely fascinated. Usually it was just his coat, just his boots (or shoes, depending on the weather). It was like something of another time or from a completely different house. Certainly nothing like this ever occurred here before in his lifetime.