David, at five, had turned out to be very much Niles' child. In fact, he insisted on wearing suits and ties to school every day. Niles and Daphne both shared concerns for that...Niles had bad memories of being picked on for doing the same thing throughout school. But whenever Niles or Daphne picked out a pair of jeans for him to wear, David always set it aside and wore a suit and tie. It would make for an interesting school year to say the least.
David really didn't open up to them about how school was going. Again, taking after Niles, David was naturally shy and didn't really reveal too much about himself to anyone. So taking matters into their own hands, Niles and Daphne called the school to have a conversation with his teacher, Mrs. Marshall.
"I suppose you're wondering why we're here," Niles reluctantly began.
"To tell you the truth, I am. David has been nothing but a joy to have in class. His grades are at the top of his class, and he never gives me a moment of trouble."
Daphne beamed, sighing in relief. But that wasn't enough to satisfy Niles' curiousity.
"Mrs. Marshall, I don't know how to begin... but I have some concerns for David's well being."
"Really? Is there something going on that I should know about?"
"I'm sure you see it too. David is...special. He takes after me in so many ways. I'm sure you've noticed the ties and suits he wears every day and I was just wondering..."
"No, the other kids don't make fun of him, if that's what you're worried about," Mrs. Marshall smiled.
Now it was Niles' turn to grin in relief. "I just...I just...I know that kids can be cruel and if a child does anything to stand out that can be quite a stressor for a child. I just want to make sure that David is as happy as possible."
"You don't have anything to worry about. You and Mrs. Crane have done a fine job raising your son. He's polite, well mannered, sensitive, always looking out for the needs of his friends. He finds comfort in wearing his suits and ties, and now I can see why."
"You can?" Niles and Daphne asked in unison.
"He wants to be just like his daddy. At first, he experienced a bit of separation anxiety when he first started. But I believe that by dressing like his daddy, it is David's way of feeling close to his father. I'm sure he'll outgrow the need in time. But in case he doesn't, I'm sure he'll make a very successful businessman!"
Daphne squeezed her husband's hand. So David wanted to be close to Niles!
"Thank you, Mrs. Marshall. You don't know just how helpful you've been," Daphne held out her hand.
On the way home, all Niles could think about was the fact that he had a son who idolized him. Maybe he should cut back on his practice. Maybe he should take them on vacation. Or maybe, just maybe, all he needed to do was go home and hold his son and tell him how much he loved him. Yes, that would be a fine place to start, indeed.
The end
A/N: thanks to Kristen for inspiring this story. Once again, this hits home for me. My son is autistic and has been wearing suits and ties for the past 6 years, after his grandfather died. I've been concerned that he might be picked on, but thankfully that hasn't been the case. Kids have surprised me and have embraced him for his just being himself. So I hope you enjoy this, as much as I have enjoyed writing it.