It was rare they ate dinner together. The mayor had certainly attempted to distance himself as far as he could from the kid. But tonight was one of those nights that it seemed no matter what happened, they were eating together.
Looking across the table, Fred could see the little girl he had kidnapped years ago playing with a rubrick's cube instead of eating her dinner.
"Something on your mind, Brooke?"
She jumped a little at the sound of his voice, she had obviously been pretty spaced out, "Um, yeah. Can I get my hair cut?"
"Cut your hair? Brooke, your nanny just took you to get those split ends or whatever cut off, why do you need another?"
"I want my hair short. Like yours!"
"Like mine? You've never showed an interest in getting it short before."
"Well, I didn't really think of it before. But I'm thinking of it now and I think I'd like it better," she began fiddling with the rubrick's cube again, "And, I'd like it if you referred to me as your, uh, your son as well."
Fred stared at the kid in front of him, well this was certainly an unexpected turn of events.
Originally, actually becoming a father to the kid was not on his to do list, but nine years later it's too late to act like he doesn't care about the kid. If the kid wants to be his son, then so be it, he has a son.
"Uh dad?"
The mayor looked back up at the boy, "Yeah, I heard you."
The boy began messing with the rubrick's cube he had in his lap nervously, what was he scared of him or something? Why would he scare the kid he had raised for nearly nine years?
Putting down the newspaper in his hands, the mayor leaned forward in an attempt to show he was listening, "So...you're saying you're...uh, not...a girl anymore?"
The boy looked up at his dad, surprised, "I...I don't...I've never really been a girl. You could totally tell something was always wrong with me, right?"
He scoffed, "Yeah, you're obsessed with those darn traps, but certainly nothing else is wrong with you."
There was a moment of silent awkwardness between them. The boy still playing with the rubrick's cube more than eating his dinner.
The mayor cleared his throat, "Uh, so do you, have a name you want me to use instead of Brooke?"
His son beamed, "Yeah! Your name!"
The mayor looked the boy in the eyes, "My name?"
"Yeah, you're a great dad and mayor. And you even put up with my traps even though you hate them."
The mayor smiled softly, "Well, Fred. You're not a half bad son yourself. I have time between some meetings Friday after school, I can take you to get your haircut then, or if you'd rather, your nanny can take you tomorrow."
"If you can really take me, I'll wait until Friday. It's just a days difference and I'd like you to be there."
Fred Senior smiled, "Then it's settled, I'll make sure to keep my schedule clear for your haircut Friday, Fred."