Chapter Ten
"A ship on the horizon!" called Ken from his lookout point at the bow of the ship.
"Oh no, pirates!" shouted Barbie worriedly as she clung onto the mast for support as the ship lurched to the side.
"Don't you be worrying there, I'll see to those dastardly pirates," Flack Bear growled bravely.
"You show em what you're made of, buddy bear... fluff!" Tigger laughed as he swept down the rigging, and landed heavily on the deck.
The ship wobbled violently in the water.
"Steady the ship, batmobile car," called Captain Mister Mittens as he bounded out onto the deck and the ship once more lurched to the side.
"Those pirates won't get the better of us. No harrbump can sneak up on a Tigger and get away with it!" Tigger added as he drew his sword ready.
"Why this sea is mighty rough today," Barbie said worriedly as Ken rushed over and held her close.
"Don't worry Barbie, I've got you," he said reassuringly.
"Brm brm," Batmobile zoomed up the long boardwalk toward the group congregating in the middle of the ship.
"Batmobile, if you're here, who is steering the ship?" Captain Mister Mittens asked worriedly.
"Brm brm," replied Batmobile unhelpfully.
"I'll do it," Tigger said as he bounced excitedly up and down on the spot.
The ship let out a loud 'oof' and lurched again to the side, all the toys falling off onto the carpet.
"Daddy!" exclaimed Oscar crossly. "You're supposed to stay still! You're a bad ship!"
It was one o'clock in the afternoon and Flack found himself lying on his back on the carpet as Oscar used his body as a ship for his toys in a marvellous adventure game about pirates.
"You bounced on my stomach," Flack muttered still trying to get his breath back as he held onto it with both hands.
"No I didn't, Daddy. Tigger did," Oscar said defensively.
"Well tell Tigger not to do it again," Flack grumbled as he tried to sit up but was immediately jumped on by Oscar.
"Tigger says he's sorry," Oscar said as he picked the toy off the floor and shoved it into Flack's face.
"He's a bit close, Osc," Flack murmured as he tried to move the Tigger out of his face.
"He's kissing you better," Oscar stated as though it were obvious.
"Oh right," Flack replied as Oscar made a kissing sound and pushed Tigger into his face again. "I think that's enough though."
"Okay," Oscar smiled as he cuddled Tigger to him, still sat astride Flack on the carpet.
Just then the doorbell rang and once again Flack tried to sit up.
"Gotta get that, buddy," he said as he lifted the little boy onto the couch and stood up.
"Okay, but we finish the game later?" Oscar asked worriedly, his blue eyes staring solemnly at Flack.
Flack sighed in defeat, starting to find those eyes irresistible to say no to. "Sure."
He went over to the door and grinned as he opened it.
"Well Don Flack, you sure took your time," Jo replied as she kissed him on the cheek and went inside.
"Don," Sid smiled as he followed on in behind Jo, both of them carrying bags.
"Hey guys," Flack grinned as he shut the door and then led them over to the couch.
"Where's that gorgeous little boy of your then?" Jo asked as she sat down and took off her coat.
Flack looked around and noticed Oscar seemed to have completely disappeared.
"Um, he's still kinda shy with strangers," he excused, scratching his head.
"I was a terribly shy boy," Sid sympathised as he too took off his coat. "I rather enjoyed the solitude of being an only child and learning to fend for oneself. But then again, as an only child I always received more of the attention so that in itself was a curse."
"Err...right," Flack frowned, not really sure if he understood the older man.
"Don, would it be okay to use your kitchen?" Sid asked as he placed his coat on the back of a chair and then picked up his bags. "Jo and I did a little shopping en-route."
"Oh...um...sure," Flack shrugged, slightly overwhelmed by having both Jo and Sid in his apartment, the mess on the floor, the disappearance of his son and now Sid wanting to use the kitchen.
"I thought I'd make some food for you," Sid smiled. "I did used to be a chef you know."
"Help yourself," Flack muttered as he sat down in a chair.
"I brought some things round I thought you might find helpful," Jo smiled as she placed a bag into Flack's hands.
Flack looked inside and then frowned. "Jo, this stuff is new; you didn't have to do that," he exclaimed.
"Don Flack, I know you're not made of money, and children are expensive. I should know. Plus now that my little boy has grown up I miss having one to treat and children's clothes are just so darn cute. Even Ellie is too grown up for me to shop for now," Jo said a little sadly.
Flack sighed in defeat. "Thanks, Jo," he said sincerely.
"Well that's alright, hun. And I brought round all of Ellie's old toys she never uses now that she's little miss grown up," Jo added.
"Osc, Jo is here. She brought you some toys," Flack shouted down the hallway.
Nothing happened.
"I'll go find him," Flack sighed. "He's worried you'll tell him off cos he told you he hated me," he told Jo.
"Poor boy," Jo said a little sadly. "To think what he must have been through."
Flack pursed his lips and nodded in agreement as once more thoughts of Devon came to his mind. He turned and went to his bedroom where he knew Oscar would most likely be. He was right. Oscar was sat on the edge of the bed and flinched when Flack entered the room.
"Hey, Buddy. What's up?" Flack asked as he knelt before his son.
"Is she cross with me?" Oscar asked worriedly as he fiddled with his hands.
"No, of course not," Flack smiled. "She's looking forward to seeing you again. She brought toys with her."
"Um...for keeps?" Oscar asked quietly.
"Yep, for keeps," Flack replied.
Oscar gingerly reached out and placed a small hand on his father's shoulder and began playing with the sweater he was wearing, stroking his fingers up and down and pulling at the material nervously. He prodded Flack's shoulder with them and Flack could tell he had something on his mind.
"What's wrong, Osc?" Flack asked.
"Who else is here?" Oscar asked after a moment.
"My friend Sid. He also works with me," Flack replied.
"And you want me to meet both of them?" Oscar asked slowly, his eyes never leaving Flack's shoulder where he continued to play with his sweater.
"Sure I do," Flack smiled, trying to be as reassuring as possible despite being concerned as to why the little boy had hidden himself away.
"But there is more than one person," Oscar replied after a big sigh.
"Yes, there are two. Jo and Sid. They'd both love to meet you," Flack said and then he gently reached out and took hold of Oscar's hands, bringing them down between them.
Oscar finally looked up at Flack and his eyes told a million stories. Problem was, Flack had never really been good with books.
"You gonna tell me what's wrong?" Flack asked.
"Hmmm..." Oscar hummed and fidgeted awkwardly.
"Hmm?" Flack replied questioningly.
"Mummy never liked me to meet her friends," Oscar finally sighed as he looked down at his hands where Flack held them.
"Why not?" Flack asked quietly.
"She said she didn't want her friends to know I was there. That they wouldn't like me," Oscar shrugged.
Flack nodded slowly to himself as he processed this latest information about what a terrible mother Devon was.
"But you met Lindsay, and she liked you..." Flack said reassuringly.
"She was one though. Not two," Oscar said nervously.
"Well I want you to meet all of my friends," Flack said softly.
"Why?" Oscar asked as he looked up and Flack found himself confronted with two large blue eyes.
"Because you're my son," Flack said simply. "And I'm proud of you."
Oscar pouted his bottom lip out as he thought for a moment. "Will I always be your son?" he asked uncertainly.
"Of course," Flack said as he struggled to comprehend the logic of Oscar's latest question. "Things like that never change."
"Well, I'm not Mummy's son anymore, am I?" Oscar asked as he looked up at his father again.
Flack opened his mouth and then closed it again. He had no idea how to answer that question. How was he supposed to explain to a five-year old that his Mum no longer wanted him.
"Osc, you'll always be your Mum's son. She's just gone away for a bit, that's all. But I promise you, you will always be my son and I will never ever go away anywhere, or my names not Donald Flack... which it is," Flack said, smiling in an effort to reassure his son.
"That's what Winnie says," Oscar murmured and Flack could see a small smile on his lips.
"It is, isn't it," Flack grinned as he lifted the boy up and held him at his waist while Oscar put his arms around his neck.
"I like you, Daddy," Oscar said as Flack carried him out of the bedroom. "I'll try and not be scared for you."
"You just be yourself," Flack replied as he carried Oscar into the lounge.
Sid was busy in the kitchen area of the room making what looked suspiciously like a rather large mess. And Jo had helped herself to a drink and was reading one of Flack's journals on motorcycles.
"Hey," Flack grinned as he came into the room and sat down on the chair, Oscar still held in his arms.
"Oh my, is this that little cutie I met only a couple of days ago?" Jo smiled.
Oscar buried his face into Flack's shoulder at her words.
"And there was I thinking we'd made such good friends," Jo said as she gave Flack a wink.
Oscar slowly turned his head so his eyes were looking at Jo.
"There he is," she laughed and held out a hand. "Why don't you come over here and see what I brought you?"
Oscar hesitated for a moment and then turned himself around on Flack's lap.
"Are we really friends?" he asked as he slid off Flack's knees.
"Why, of course we are," Jo said as she sat down cross-legged on the floor and started taking out things from her bags.
"Are they for me?" Oscar asked warily as he sat down opposite her.
"Of course they are," Jo laughed. "Now why don't you come and give your Auntie Jo a big ol' hug?" she asked, arms spread out wide.
Oscar looked back at Flack for a moment who nodded reassuringly at him and then he climbed into Jo's lap as she gave him a hug.
"Well don't you just give better hugs than your Daddy does," Jo laughed at Oscar.
"Hey!" Flack exclaimed, though he was the first to admit he wasn't really the cuddling type.
"I'm better than Daddy?" Oscar asked in astonishment.
"Course you are," Jo said. "And cuter to," she whispered in his ear, looking at Flack.
Oscar covered his mouth with his hands as he giggled while Flack looked decidedly grumpy.
"Why who is this stout young man?" Sid asked as he came over wiping his hands on an apron Flack had once been given for Christmas by Adam with a huge naked lady's body on it. It was highly inappropriate to be wearing in front of Oscar. It even had tassels on the nipples.
"Errr Sid..." Flack started to say but was interrupted by the younger Flack.
"I'm Oscar," Oscar said as he smiled politely at Sid. "Daddy said he wanted me to meet his friends."
"He did, did he?" Sid asked looking up at Flack and smiling.
"Well I'm Sid, I work with your Daddy," Sid replied.
"You're a policeman?" Oscar asked. "But you're very old."
Flack made a face of embarrassment at Oscar's comment while Jo laughed loudly and Sid simply smiled sweetly.
"Oh no, I'm not a policeman. I'm a doctor," Sid replied.
"Why does Daddy work with a doctor?" Oscar asked in confusion.
"Because when he discovers a body, it's my job to cut them up and see why they died," Sid replied earnestly before looking up and discovering a look of horror on Flack's face while Jo was still grinning like a Cheshire cat.
"Oh God," Flack whispered, waiting for the reaction.
Oscar frowned for a moment and then grinned too. "I want to be an animal doctor!" he said excitedly.
"Well that's very interesting," Sid replied.
"What are you doing?" Oscar asked as he looked at Sid's dirty apron and frowned. There were food stains all over it. "Are you cutting up bodies now? I don't think Daddy will like that very much."
Jo hooted with laughter at Flack's face while Sid grinned widely. "No. I'm making a cake, would you like to help?"
"Can I, Daddy?" Oscar asked as he turned back to his father who looked almost faint with the confusion of the situation.
"Ummm..." Flack muttered, a little unsure whether he should let his son spend a prolonged amount of time alone with Sid.
"Please Daddy," Oscar pouted, his eyes solemn and large, bottom lip sticking out.
"Oh, go on Don," Jo urged and then turned to Oscar. "Of course you can help Sid in the kitchen."
"Yay!" Oscar shouted and then went into the kitchen area with Sid.
"Well, well, well...Donald Flack..." Jo said as she turned to look at him.
"What?" Flack asked dumbly.
"He's definitely your son. He's got that infamous Flack pout down to a tee," she replied.
"Flack pout? What Flack pout?" Flack asked indignantly.
"Don't you play the innocent with me. You know exactly what I'm talking about," Jo smiled as she sat down again.
"Hmph," Flack grumped at her .
"So, how's it all going?" Jo asked as they both watched the old coroner and the little boy giggling together in the kitchen.
"I really don't know," Flack said. "It's so hard. He keeps on getting upset, or wondering about his Mum...I have no answers...what am I supposed to say?"
"I understand," Jo said sympathetically. "It was hard when I first adopted Ellie. Her getting used to a new environment and a new parent."
"Yeah but you chose that, Jo. You chose to have Ellie. I didn't choose this," Flack hissed exhaustedly.
"Don Flack!" Jo exclaimed. "Are you really telling me you don't want that gorgeous little boy over there?"
The two of them looked over to where Oscar was blowing flour at Sid as they baked and making the older man cough and splutter. Oscar giggled in glee at the floury dust cloud and clapped his hands in it, trying to catch the fine powder.
"No, of course not," Flack sighed in defeat. "I love him, Jo. I really do. It's just hard...I feel so lost all the time. I'm worried I won't be any good for him."
"All parents think that, Don. It's normal," Jo said reassuringly. "But he's such a lovely little boy already, despite whatever treatment he's suffered at the hands of his mother. Surely that must tell you something?"
"It worries me," Flack replied. "I can't believe she was such a terrible parent, like she didn't want him or something. I don't get why she didn't just tell me in the first place!"
"She probably thought she could cope on her own. That she didn't want you involved. Did you have a bad break up?" Jo asked.
"I split with her because I had feelings for someone else," Flack murmured, a beautiful face with long dark hair and deep brown eyes coming to mind.
"I see...and she knew this?" Jo said.
"Yeah...yeah she did," Flack muttered.
"Well then, that'll be why. She was punishing you, Don," Jo surmised.
"Yeah, but all she succeeded in doing was punishing Oscar," Flack growled, feeling upset and angry at his ex-girlfriend.
Oscar turned his head at his name and looked over at his father.
"Daddy, you upset?" he asked as Sid looked over too.
"No, I'm fine, Osc," Flack smiled as he stood and walked over to the kitchen. "What you doing there?"
Oscar eyed his father suspiciously over the countertop at which he was sat.
"I don't believe you," he suddenly said and slid off his stool, coming round to stand beside Flack and then put his arms around his legs, hugging him.
Flack stared down at his little boy before turning to look at first Sid and then Jo, both of whom were watching, their hearts melting a little.
"Hey, I'm fine," Flack murmured as he picked up Oscar and gave him a hug.
"You mustn't be sad," Oscar told him wisely as he put his arms around Flack's neck.
"Though you may want to buy yourself a washing machine," Sid stated randomly from behind him.
Flack turned in confusion to look at Sid.
"Hands," Sid nodded at Oscar as he stuck up his own.
Flack noticed that Sid's hands were covered in flour and cocoa powder as Oscar's probably were too. He groaned silently as he thought of the little handprints that no doubt now covered his jeans and navy sweater he was wearing.
"Have you been making a mess?" Flack asked his son.
"Not as bad as you do, Daddy," Oscar grinned as he pulled away from Flack and slid down his legs to the floor.
Jo snickered at the white handprints that now covered Flack's back.
"Look what I made, Daddy," Oscar squealed in delight as he pointed at the oven where a cake was steadily rising as it baked.
"Wow Osc, that looks really good," Flack smiled as he knelt down by the oven and looked in. "Did Sid teach you about making cakes?"
"Yes," Oscar smiled. "He said it was like a topsy. You make sure all the bits are right and it comes out good."
"A topsy?" Flack frowned as he stood and looked questioningly at Sid. He felt a small floury hand enclose around his own.
"Autopsy," Jo said as she came over to the three boys. "Oh my, that looks like it'll be a wonderful cake," she smiled.
"Sid you gotta stop telling my five-year old about autopsies and such," Flack said exasperatedly.
"He asked me," Sid defended. "He wanted to know what I did as a doctor."
"Heal people, Sid," Flack sighed. "Just say heal people!"
"How long until the cake is done?" Jo interrupted them.
"Fifteen minutes," Sid replied.
"Then we can ice it," Oscar replied looking up at all the adults.
"Sure can, Sonny," Sid replied smiling happily.
"Daddy, mmm..." Oscar whined as he let go of his father's hand and gestured he wanted to be picked up again.
"Come on then," Flack sighed, making a mental note to indeed look into buying a washing machine; his sweater was now covered in floury handprints.
"Well that cake will sure go nicely with the tea set I brought over for you," Jo smiled at Oscar.
"You brought a tea set for my son?" Flack sighed. First a Barbie...now this.
"It was Ellie's old plastic set. What's a fifteen year old going to do with one?" Jo exclaimed.
"Make tea?" Flack said sarcastically.
"I also brought along all her kids DVDs she no longer wanted," Jo said.
"Winnie?" Oscar asked quietly.
"She had the whole collection of movies," Jo nodded as Oscar squealed in delight.
"Daddy! Winnie! Tigger!" he shouted.
"Oh God," Flack muttered quietly and pouted grumpily.
"Ahh, the infamous Flack pout," Sid observed.
Flack just pouted even more.
A/N - No copyright infringement meant on Winnie the Pooh.