Written for the prompt 'secret' from the tumblr thebarsondaily
"Noah, do you remember the difference between a good secret and a bad secret?" Rafael asks as they walk hand in hand down a busy Manhattan street.
"Uh huh. Good secrets are for surprises but if someone is hurt or being mean or touching and says it's a secret then that's bad and I need to tell a grownup."
"You're right. Now, I have a good secret that I need you to help me with."
Noah starts bouncing up and down, excited to be part of the plan. "Is it ice cream?"
Rafael smiles, the four year old definitely has a sweet tooth. "No, it's more important than ice cream."
Noah looks up at him skeptically, unsure anything is more important than ice cream.
"I need your help asking Mommy a very important question."
Noah looks up and down Fifth Avenue, not seeing his mother anywhere. "But she's not here. How can we ask her a question if she's not even here?!"
Rafael guides Noah to the edge of the sidewalk and crouches in from of him, placing a gentle hand on Noah's shoulder. "That's where the secret part comes in. We need to buy Mommy a present to help ask the question. But it's a big secret, you can't tell her about the present until I say it's time to ask the question, understand?"
Noah nods very seriously. "Uh huh. I won't tell 'cause it's a good surprise secret."
Rafael smiles and pulls Noah into a quick hug. "Thank you, buddy. Alright, let's go find something almost as pretty as Mommy."
Taking Noah's hand, Rafael turns and walks into Tiffany, ready to make the most important purchase of his life.