Dedicated to all the deserving fathers and father figures out there
Alistair Oh wished someone would call. Preferably Amy or Daniel, or perhaps Sinead. Not that he was in any position to be picky. He would be lucky if anyone remembered him on this day. No one had, not since he was four and his own father had been alive. Then the "accident" had occurred, and Alistair was forced to live with Bae, who had never bothered with the holiday. Alistair sighed as he looked outside the window, and watched the warm sun's rays fall across his lawn. The lawn that the money from his microwavable burritos had bought.
It has been on this day, many years ago, that Alistair had thought of it. Bae had just come back from a business trip in Mexico, and although Alistair was young at the time, he received the impression that Bae had not enjoyed the trip.
"And speaking of inconvenience, why can't the Mexicans have any food that is quick to prepare?" Bae had complained. "Why must a burrito take so long to cook?" He sat down, seemingly oblivious to the card that was less than two inches from his hand. Alistair had made that card for him. Bae may not have been Alistair's father, or father-like toward him in any way, for that matter, but he was still the closest thing Alistair had had to a father since Gordon Oh's death. Bae, however, did not seem to care.
"Maybe someday I will invent a burrito that is easy to make," Alistair said. Bae glanced at his nephew sharply.
"You are an Ekat, but I doubt you could create anything useful," he said. Alistair frowned. He would, and then, maybe, Bae would be proud of him.
Now, years later, Alistair knew the truth. Bae would resist doing or feeling anything remotely father-like toward the boy he had been responsible for raising, and that included pride. Alistair was older now, though, and could be a father figure to someone else.
That is, if there was anyone who wanted him to be. If there was anyone who, anyone who... anyone who cared about him.
Alistair wished someone would call. Amy, Daniel, or Sinead, it didn't matter. He was not in any position to be picky. He just wanted to know if there was someone who still cared.
Truth be told, Alistair was shocked when the phone rang.
"Hello?" he answered cautiously, careful not to get his hopes up.
"Uncle Alistair?" It was Amy. "I was, um, just wondering if you had any plans for Father's Day. It's coming up pretty soon."
"Wait, I believe today is Father's Day."
"Really? Hold on a moment - hey, Dan, when's Father's Day? I know that Sinead's going to - of course I didn't forget - be quiet, dweeb. Sorry, Uncle Alistair. Dan's being annoying. But Father's Day is in a week. You're not doing anything, are you?"
"I do believe I have no plans. Care to tell me, my dear girl, what Sinead is planning?"
"W-w-what? Oh, Sinead's not planning anything important. Don't worry about it - No, Dan, I did not forget! - So you don't have any plans. That's good." Suddenly Amy seemed to become embarrassed. "I mean, that way you don't have to cancel anything if something surprises you, right?"
"I suppose so."
"No, Dan, I didn't tell him - fine, I'll get off before I let it slip- Sorry, Uncle Alistair, but I have to go."
"Thank you for calling, my dear. And I do hope whatever Sinead is planning turns out fine."
"I hope so, too. I'll see you next - I mean, bye!"
"Good-bye, Amy."
Maybe his Father's Day wouldn't be so lonely, after all.
A/N: Just a short little oneshot I wrote for fun. If it seems like it should have ended in the middle, that's because it was originally supposed to end there. But Alistair deserves better, don't you think?
All constructive criticism is appreciated, but this was my first attempt to include a flashback in a story, so I would really like to know if I did it correctly.
Quote of the Day: "What fools these mortals be!" - Puck, A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare