The winner was young Liam spending the week with Jay when his school was closed. This chapter came from a request asking for the school to be flooded forcing father and son into a week of togetherness.

School Day's with Dad

Jay, along with quite a few other parents were standing outside the school wondering what the hell was going on. The doors were locked, and the signs hastily taped to the doors said the building was closed until further notice. He looked down at six-year-old Liam as he was squatting down pulling at a few straggly weeds in the crack of the sidewalk. They were brown and dead, but apparently entertaining nonetheless. He needed answers, just as all the other parents, most, if not all, on their way to work, just as he was. Finally, chimes of email and text delivery made their way to masses as each parent dove face first into their phone screen.

Jay read and his shoulders slumped. Not this week, it can't happen this week. Ellie, his go-to sitter was on vacation, Bahama's, Barbados, Bermuda? He couldn't remember, something with a B. All the other sitters he had lined up could only start watching Liam when they got done with their classes at college and in one case, high school. He had no one available for school hours.

"Why aren't we going inside Daddy?" Liam asked as he stood up and took Jay's hand.

"The school is closed for a few days," Jay replied as he picked up his son to protect him from the shifting crowd as parents began to make phone calls and shuffle back to the cars.

"Why?" Liam asked as Jay swung around trying to sidestep his way over to the truck that he had left illegally parked across the street.

"A big pipe burst and water got everywhere. They have to get it fixed and everything dried out."

"So it's like a snow day?" Liam asked gleefully.

"Something like that."

"Where are we going?" He asked as Jay strapped him into his booster seat and headed to the district.

"Daddy has to go to work."

"What about me?" Liam asked. "Is Ellie going to pick me up?"

"Not today buddy. She's at the beach remember?"

"Do I have to work?"

"No, but I have to figure out what to do." He replied. Maybe Trudy knew someone trustworthy that could take Liam for the day. A patrol officer that was off duty could perhaps fill the role.

"Got nobody Jay," Trudy said immediately as soon as Jay asked when they entered the district. "Overtime galore for that event over at the convention center. No spare bodies for daycare duty. And though he's cute and all, no, I can't watch him." She said looking at Liam who was sitting up on the desk where Jay had set him.

"Thanks Trudy," Jay said, his voice matching his deflated body.

"Hey pal, women deal with this crisis all the time."

Jay could only nod as he pulled Liam from the desk and carried him up the stairs, where Trudy buzzed them up.

Liam immediately ran to Kevin once Jay set him down. Kevin doing his part scooped up Liam and jiggled him around causing copious amounts of laughter and cries of, "more Uncle Kevin, more."

Jay used his freedom to get Voight up to speed. "Of course family comes first Jay, I get it. Work on the laptop, make some calls if you can and keep me posted as to when you can come back."

"Sorry Sarge, Ellie would have been able to keep him if she wasn't out of town."

"It's okay Jay, seriously. Enjoy your time with your son."

"Uncle Hank," Liam yelled waving from across the room as if he just realized there were other people around besides Kevin, who set the boy down and watched him run across the room.

"Hey kiddo, getting some time at home with your dad?"

"Yep."

Jay looked at his phone. "They emailed his homework package. Can I print it out here?"

"Of course," Voight agreed as Jay headed towards his computer.

"You can work next to your Dad." Voight said.

"I don't wanna work. No school, no work." Then Liam waved Hank down towards him as he stood on his tiptoes. "Do you have a toy here for me?"

Hank often had some little trinket that he would pick up to have on hand when Liam would pop in.

"Sorry kiddo, not this time. But I will next time you come."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

"Okay Liam, let's go." Jay said as he grabbed the papers from the printer. It seemed like a lot of work to get through. But that might keep him busy for the duration. How long was he going to be at home playing teacher, all while trying to get his own work done?

On the way home Liam busily spoke about all the fun that they would have together while Jay tried to explain that it would still be work time even though he wasn't in school. Liam didn't seem to be absorbing any of what Jay was saying. To a six-year-old, school only happened while they were physically in the building, it simply didn't count anywhere else.

Once back at home, Jay got Liam set up at the table with his pencils and worksheets. He asked if he wanted to work on spelling or math first and Liam put his pencil on the table and began to spin it around completely ignoring Jay's question. "Math it is then," he said putting down a paper with apples and oranges and happy faced children.

Then he got his laptop out and began to read Sarge's email with what he needed Jay to check on. He hadn't gotten far when he saw Liam doodling on the math paper. "Work the problems," Jay encouraged.

"I don't know what to do," Liam sighed. "Miss Hatcher always tells us what to do."

"Okay, you have to figure out how many bananas it will take to fill in all the boxes."

"How do I do that?"

Jay was already lost. He had no idea what was considered help and what was cheating. "You count the empty boxes and that's how many more bananas you need. Okay?"

Liam nodded and began to count out loud, his finger stabbing each open box. He wrote the correct number and moved on to the next line as Jay continued in his own efforts. "Daddy, is it the same with the oranges?"

Jay sighed and looked over. "Yes."

"And the cookies?"

"Yes."

"And the busses?"

"With all of them Liam," Jay explained.

"Okay."

That bought Jay about eight minutes of peace before Liam declared he was done and needed a bathroom break. Ten minutes into the bathroom break Liam still wasn't back and Jay realized he had heard some splashing noises coming from that direction. He got up to investigate to see Liam's hair wet and his sleeves, despite being pushed up were soaking wet at the cuff.

"What are you doing?"

"Playing boats and scuba diver. It had boats on my math sheet, like this one," he said showing his father a small boat that he played in the tub with. "Then I was a scuba diver and I jumped off the boat," Liam continued.

Jay, trying to be grateful for his son's imagination, shook his head and grabbed a towel and dried him off before leading him to the bedroom for a new shirt. It took ten minutes to find a shirt that Liam would agree to wear and it was becoming quite clear that this day was going to last for an eternity with very little getting done.

Once back at the table Jay got him started on another math sheet, unable to explain exactly what he was supposed to do.

"It's circle math Daddy. I have to put in the right number. But I can't remember how to do that."

The paper had two numbers, each in a circle along with an empty circle and apparently Liam was supposed to figure out what whether he needed to add or subtract and insert the right number to get the desired answer. He couldn't believe this was first grade work. After helping him with a couple of different types Liam seemed to get the idea and went back to work.

Jay actually got far enough in his research that he was able to make a phone call. While giving out his badge number he felt a tug on his shirt. "Daddy," Liam began as his phone conversation continued. He was trying to find out specifics on a financial account while Liam kept his monologue up. "Daddy, Dad, Daddy. I'm done. See," he said holding up his finished page. "Check it Daddy. Daddy check it now. Daddy I'm hungry."

"I'm sorry can you tell me that again," Jay tried, squinting his eyes as if that would help.

"Daddeeee," Liam wailed. "I'm hungry and I'm done," he pouted.

"Daddy is on the phone right now, be quiet," Jay ordered in a hushed but stern voice.

"One more time please. I'm so sorry." Jay began to write down what he was being told when Liam threw his math paper and pencil in Jay's direction and stomped off to the kitchen.

"Hey," Jay yelled out in his son's direction. While Liam ignored him the person on the other end of the phone seemed slightly offended.

"Sir it might be better to call back at another time."

"I have what I need. Thank you." Jay replied. But he didn't have what he needed because he didn't have a chance to write it all down. He would have to try again later and hope that he didn't get the same person. He knew the frustration of trying to speak with someone either on the phone or in person when there was a constant distraction nearby.

"Come here," Jay told Liam who was climbing up on the counter. "Get down and get over here," Jay tried again. "You know you don't climb up on the counter."

"I told you I was hungry," Liam said when he hit the floor and turned to look at his father, placing his hands on his hips.

"When I am on the phone you are to be quiet. Do you understand that?"

"But I'm hungry and I'm done with my worksheet."

"And you could have waited until I was off of the phone. It's only 10:15, too early for lunch."

"We get a snack now and my tummy knows it."

Jay took a deep breath and let it back out. Teachers were so underpaid. "Here's the plan so listen to me. I will cut up an apple for you for your snack. Then you will work on a another sheet while I work and if I am on the phone you will wait to talk to me okay? As soon as I'm done I will listen to you, I promise." Liam looked unimpressed with this plan. "Then at noon, we will walk down to the Chinese restaurant and have some lunch."

"Yeah!" Liam said his hand in a fist punching it up in excitement.

"But, you have to do exactly what I said and be a good boy until then or else we won't go."

"Okay Daddy."

Once Liam was busy with his apple, flying each piece around as if it was airplane, Jay managed to get a few things done, before setting his son back up for yet one more work page. This time he chose language arts. But Liam, of course read out loud and the topic was what each picture was inferring. He would look at the picture, read it again and guess, often correctly, but then would need help with some of the spelling. Jay gave up on his work and helped get through the worksheet before declaring it was lunchtime.

"Get your shoes on," he said nodding towards the sneakers that were by the front door.

"They're too small, they mash my toes."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I did." Liam insisted.

"You did?"

"Maybe," Liam shrugged.

"I guess we'll have to get you some new sneakers this weekend. What did you wear this morning?"

"My boots. They have more room."

"Put your boots on then," Jay instructed as he pulled Liam's coat from the hook and waited for him to tie his boots.

They started out and Jay tried to make a game out of the walk by finding a brisk pace and then slowing down and speeding back up again. He had looked at the hastily thrown together syllabus and saw that reading time was on there. Since Liam rarely needed to be coaxed to read he figured he'd wear the kid out a bit, let him read on the couch, and if he fell asleep that would be okay too. He really needed to get through a few more things before the end of the business day.

Liam ate well and Jay made sure to bring the leftovers home for dinner that night. When they were about halfway home Liam stopped and slumped against the nearby building. "Carry me Daddy."

"Carry you?"

"I'm tired," Liam gasped as if he had just run ten miles. The restaurant was about a mile from the apartment, but since there been no recess or playground time Jay knew the walk was needed.

"You can walk," Jay encouraged.

"But I'm tired," Liam continued to complain.

"We'll walk slow," Jay tried, hoping that Liam wouldn't have a tantrum. "I'll hold your hand to make sure I don't leave you behind."

"Okay," Liam sighed taking Jay's hand.

At each crosswalk Liam tried to convince Jay to carry him, but Jay would coax one more block out of him until the final one where he picked the kid up and put him on his shoulders. Once back at home he got him settled on the couch with his choice of two books and went back to the table and got back to work. Ten minutes later he heard the TV go on.

"No TV. It's school time," Jay said grabbing the remote and turning the set off.

"It's house time," Liam argued.

"I'll tell you what, at 3:00, you can watch TV because that's when school ends."

"What time is it now?"

"It is 2:00. That means you have an hour to go."

"That's forever."

"It is a long time, but even so, I bet that you can't read that entire book before 3:00," Jay said nodding at the early reader in Liam's hand.

"I can. I can read two books. These don't have many words."

"Hmmm," Jay replied skeptically.

"I can," Liam insisted.

"If you say so," Jay said as he turned and walked away.

A half-hour later Liam walked over proudly showing both books. I readed them."

"Read," Jay corrected. "What are they about?"

He wanted to ensure the kid had actually read them both. Liam happily handed his father the first book and explained how the puppy had no boy, boy had no puppy, and one rainy day when the boy was splashing in the puddles he found the puppy and even though he left we paw prints on the kitchen floor he got to keep him. The second one was about a frog who shared his lily pad with a toad. There was plenty of detail in each summary that it was clear that the kid read them both in their entirety.

"Now can I have TV time?"

Jay sighed. "Fine." He retrieved the remote control and found something suitable and finally sat back down and finished his own work. With Liam completely engaged in his cartoons Jay got even more than done than he expected. Tomorrow he would have to have a new plan. Unless by some miracle the school reopened.

The school did not reopen. An email went out at 6:00 a.m. stating the school was still uninhabitable and the students wouldn't be able to return until Thursday at the earliest.

Jay got up, showered and dressed, allowing Liam to sleep while he got started on his own work. He called Voight and gave him the update and was given a few things that he could follow-up on from home. He loved his son immensely, more than he had ever loved anyone, but another day trailing the whims of a six-year-old might be more than he could handle. Yesterday wasn't easy, so he was going to have to adjust his methods.

He woke Liam up at 8:30, somewhat surprised he had slept so late. But he never did fall asleep yesterday like he had anticipated, so apparently he spent the morning catching up. He told him to get dressed while he made him a bowl of oatmeal. Once the oatmeal was done Jay called out for his son who wandered out in shorts and a tank top.

"Dude, it's too cold for that today."

Liam shrugged. "I found them under my bed." As if that was a good enough reason as any to put them on.

"So they've probably been under there since last summer. Great. Eat your breakfast and then you can put them in the washer."

"I don't want oatmeal. I want a poptart."

"You don't eat poptarts," Jay explained, having never bought them.

"So. I want one now. Lucy gets poptarts." He said, speaking of a classmate.

"Eat your oatmeal."

"No." Liam said and pushed it away.

"Aren't you hungry?"

"Yes. But no oatmeal."

Jay knew that Liam liked oatmeal, would even ask for it at times.

"I want a poptart," Liam yelled.

"Listen here young man, we do not yell. You can have oatmeal or cold cereal or toast, but those are your only choices."

Liam didn't seem the least bit appeased by Jay's offerings but finally elected peanut butter toast. Jay made it and set it down in front of the kid before he heated up the oatmeal in the microwave for himself.

"Hey that's my oatmeal," Liam complained when he noticed Jay eating it.

"No, it was your oatmeal and you didn't want it, so I'm eating it now. I didn't have any breakfast, I'm not wasting food."

Liam twisted his mouth and pursed his lips as if he wanted to say something but just bit into his toast instead. When he was nearly done, he dropped it, peanut butter side down of course into his lap. "Uh oh," he sang as he pulled it off his shorts and threw it on the floor.

"Liam, don't throw it on the floor," Jay said trying to keep his cool. It wasn't even 9:00 yet and his patience was already running thin. He was aware this was new experience for Liam, being at home during the school day with Dad, like a field trip in one sense, but all this extra behavior as he would call it, was getting old.

"Go change your clothes and make sure you put on pants this time," Jay said picking up the remaining bread from the floor and grabbing a rag to clean it up. He wasn't too worried about the clothes as both the shirt and shorts looked too small. Liam never seemed to get any bigger, but somehow his shoes became too small, his pants crept up his ankles and his shirts got shorter.

Jay had gone through the worksheets last night and had arranged them in the order he wanted. He figured this morning, if he focused more on Liam than his own work that perhaps they could through most of it and he could have Liam read and perhaps nap in the afternoon, though unlikely since he had slept late. He took a phone call from Ruzek and by the time he finished he realized he hadn't heard anything from Liam.

In his room Liam, now in his underwear, had pulled out everything from under his bed and was playing with various toys he hadn't seen in months. There were clothes, books, cars, trucks and trains, and plenty of dust bunnies.

"Look Daddy, my engine train," he said, holding up his yellow train.

"Great. Maybe you can play with it later. Get dressed," Jay said finding some pants and a shirt. "Put these on."

"Not the red one, the yellow one."

"What yellow one?" Jay asked. He wasn't even sure Liam had a yellow shirt.

"This one Daddy," Liam said after pulling three shirts from his drawer and throwing them on the floor.

"That's brown," Jay said.

"It's gold," Liam corrected.

"Fine, just put it on please."

"Miss Hatcher said I was golden cause I wore gold, last time I wore this shirt," Liam explained trying to tug it over his head. The hole wasn't quite over his head and Jay tried to help, causing Liam to shriek that he could do it.

Jay went over and tried to sort through some of the old clothes and put them in a pile. He accidentally stepped on a small motorcycle, snapping it in two.

"DADDY! UNCLE SARGE GAVE THAT TO ME!" He yelled. Occasionally Liam would combine Uncle Hank and Sarge and call Voight Uncle Sarge.

"I'm sorry, but it was on the floor."

"How could you not pay attention," Liam demanded to know as he picked up the broken toy and cradled it as if it had been breathing only moments before. "Can you fix it?"

Jay looked down at it and knew there was no fixing it, but did what many fathers would have and lied. "I think so. I'll look at it later. Why don't you grab your train engine and bring that with you to the table while you work."

"Okay," Liam agreed excitedly. Jay was proud that he had learned a few parenting skills, in the last six years, distract whenever possible.

He sat with Liam until 10:00 and he demanded a snack. String cheese and a fifteen-minute break to play let Jay make a phone call he needed to get done without interruption. Once back at it, Liam focused pretty well with Jay's full attention on him, getting through language, spelling and math sheets. Jay hoped they could get much of it done today and tomorrow he could just let Liam work in the morning and play in the afternoon.

"What's for lunch? I want pizza."

"We'll have pizza tonight. How about a sandwich?"

"No, I don't want that."

"Soup?"

"No. I want a banana."

"Okay. I'll get you a banana. But what else do you want? You still have some fried rice left from yesterday."

"No way. I had that yesterday afternoon and then you made me eat it AGAIN for DINNER." Liam reminded.

Jay looked and realized there were no bananas. Liam would love something and eat it all the time, but then it would fall out of favor and end up in the trash. Bananas had been in the unpopular category until just now. "No bananas bud." Jay said.

"I want sgetti," he said using his word for spaghetti.

"Spa-ghetti," Jay sounded out. "You know how to say it."

"Spa-ghetti," Liam mimicked. "I'm firsty too."

"Thirsty. Come on Liam, you know how to pronounce these words."

"Thirsty," Liam said. "Where's my spaghetti?"

"I'm not making that for lunch, but hey, here's some spaghetti-o's," Jay said holding up the can.

"Okay. And juice."

Jay rolled his eyes at his son's commands. He and Will most likely did the same to their mother, ordering her about in the kitchen and he suddenly felt the pang of her loss. He put some apple juice in a glass and filled the rest with water and gave it to Liam who was busy with his matchbox cars, smashing them together at the table. He then heated up the spaghetti rings and set them on the table. "They're hot so let them cool a minute. Take your toys to you your room." He said as he tried to figure out what he was going to eat for lunch.

He heard Liam screeching and rumbling as he continued to play and before Jay could warn him to stop playing at the table, the bowl of hot lunch ended up on the floor. "Sorry Daddy, sorry. I was playing."

"Which I told you stop doing," Jay snapped, trying to keep his cool and losing badly. "Go to your room," he barked as the steam rose from the floor. It had been the last can of anything so he had no idea what he was going to feed Liam now.

After scrounging up two pieces of bread and a slice of cheese for a grilled cheese, Jay managed to corral the slippery little O's and mop up the sauce before he heard too much noise coming from his son's room. He threw the bedroom door open to see Liam jumping on his bed and then jumping onto the floor. "I'm hungry and bored," he yelled.

"You had food that you ruined and you do not jump on your bed, you know better than that," Jay said as he grabbed Liam mid-jump. "Now go sit at the table."

"But there's no FOOD," Liam pointed out.

"I'm making you a sandwich."

"I don't want a sandwich, I want spaghetti stuff."

"Then you should have listened to me and put your toys away and ate instead of screwing around."

"But Daddy, we didn't have recess. I eat after recess."

Jay was trying not to scream as he suddenly remembered Liam's sandwich in the pan. He raced over and turned the burner off. The one side was golden perfection while the other was a little darker, well a lot darker. But now he had nothing else to serve. He sent Liam to the bathroom to wash his hands and did his best to scrape the burned part off.

"Sit and eat," Jay commanded, setting the sandwich golden-side up, having cut it up in four equal squares.

Liam sighed but picked up the bread and took a bite. His mouth twisted as he chewed. Then he pulled the food back and looked at it, turning it over and noticing the scorched part. "It's all burned up."

"Because I was stopping you from jumping on the bed," Jay declared. He couldn't believe how difficult one kid could be.

"I don't want it." Liam said throwing the quarter of sandwich down and pushing the plate away.

"Well I don't have any other options." Jay said pulling the part of the bread off that was burned and setting it back in front of his son.

"No," Liam said, his arms crossed, shaking his head. Jay was counting to ten in his head. "I want pizza," Liam said, looking as if he was on the verge of crying.

"We're having pizza tonight. Here's the deal. Eat two squares of your sandwich and then we'll take a break and walk down to the store. I'll let you help pick out some food and you can pick out a treat for after dinner."

"Yay!" Liam yelled.

"But you have to be good on the way to the store, in the store and on the way home in order to have your treat. Can you do that?"

"Yes," Liam agreed. He ate most of the required food and then went in search of his boots.

Jay was exhausted and it wasn't even noon yet. There was store down the block that had enough of a selection for a few dinners and lunches. He had thought about a run to Target, but that would require either mass transit or the truck and he didn't have the time or patience for either one. But, Liam did need new sneakers and he was afraid he might forget over the weekend. No, just the corner store for now.

"Daddy, I can't find my hat." Liam proclaimed.

"You had it yesterday."

"But that was yesterday."

"Did you wear it home from the restaurant?"

"I think so."

Jay figured he would have noticed if he hadn't, but after twenty minutes of looking the winter hat was nowhere to be found, it was the second one the kid had lost this year. It was cold enough he needed the hat, plus sneakers and hell, might as well get a bunch of groceries then he'd have the weekend to recuperate from all this extra effort. He decided to go to the Target in the West Loop since they had parking. He could march Liam around the store to wear him out. He had Liam go look for his hat one more time while he took a quick survey of the contents of the kitchen. He pretty much needed everything.

The store ended up being quite the field trip, with Liam wanting to go down every aisle. He couldn't decided what he wanted for a treat, putting back candy bar after candy bar and small packages of cookies. But he did point to and demand quite a few things that Jay refused to buy: soda, large packages of cookies, marshmallow treats, little jugs of a kool-aid looking stuff. They tried sneakers on and Liam just didn't know which ones to pick. One looked way cooler, but he could run faster in the other ones. And when Jay refused to buy him a Bears knit hat, the kid was on the brink of a meltdown.

"But I want that one." Liam argued.

"I'm not paying twenty dollars for that hat when you have lost two hats in two months."

"I won't lose it. I promise."

Jay tossed in three hats, all different colors, connected a loop of cord into the cart. "You keep these until spring, don't lose any of them and I'll buy you a Bears hat in the fall."

"I want it now."

"Remember how I said you had to be good before, during, and after the store in order to get your treat? Well we are in the 'during' part and we are almost done, so let's get a few more things and then we can leave and you can keep your treat."

"Can we get dino nuggets?"

"Sure," Jay agreed as they came up to the frozen foods.

"Not those," Liam cried out as Jay grabbed a bag of dinosaur shaped chicken nuggets. "Mommy buyed these," Liam said pulling out a green bag that said plant based.

"You like those?" Liam nodded. "Okay, and it's bought not buyed."

"Can I keep my candy bar?" Liam asked.

"So far you can. Let's check out and go home."

"Can I have yogurt?" Liam asked as they found the dairy aisle and Jay grabbed some almond milk, the only kind Liam would drink. "Sure, pick out four," he said noticing the discount for that amount. "But you better eat them."

"I will."

It was a chore getting past the arts and crafts aisle, as Liam wanted to make something since he hadn't had art class in "two whole days." Jay let him pick out some card stock, stickers and finger paint, knowing he'd regret it. As they were checking out Liam was busy looking at the matchbox cars hanging at young child level and Jay was waiting for the request.

"Look Daddy, cars."

"I see them," he replied as he placed up the rest of the groceries onto the belt and listened as each beep took more money from his checking account.

"I don't have one like that," Liam said.

"You don't?"

"Nope."

The cashier leaned over and smiled. "He's adorable." Causing Jay to smile and roll his eyes simultaneously.

"Was I good in the store?" Liam asked.

"You did okay, a B I'd say."

"Oh. I have to get an A to get a candy bar and a car."

"Maybe next time," Jay encouraged.

"Yeah next time," Liam nodded.

The next morning they both slept in. Jay had been up and checked the promised email at six and once it indicated that there was indeed one more day of no school Jay went back to sleep. He woke up at 8:30 when Liam came bouncing in and jumped up on the bed. "School today?"

"Not yet, maybe tomorrow." Jay said.

"How much school stuff do I have left?"

"I'm not sure, we'll have to check."

Jay had Liam take a shower to calm down his bed head while he made pancakes for breakfast, a rare treat. He reread the email, which asked each parent to do the best they could as far as the homework packet, but if it couldn't be completed they would go over everything once the kids got back to school. That took some of the pressure off as Jay sifted through the remaining papers in Liam's folder. He had two math sheets, two pages of spelling work and a science page. Maybe if they got that done, a trip to the playground or park or perhaps even a museum could take up their afternoon. But Jay had some work he had to do—but if he could get his done in the morning then the afternoon could be theirs.

Now that it had become a bit more routine, Liam settled down and worked on his pages while Jay worked the phone. They were both done by lunchtime. They had hamburgers and macaroni and cheese for lunch, well Jay had a hamburger and Liam had taken only two bites of his and doubled up on the macaroni.

"Now what?" Liam asked after they cleaned up from lunch.

Jay had come up with a great idea earlier and Liam had done his part by working quietly despite not even being aware of what his father had in mind.

"Since you worked so well today and got everything done, how about we spend the afternoon at the Museum of Science and Industry?"

Liam's mouth dropped open. "With you?" He asked.

"Yes, with me."

"Woohoo," Liam cried out and ran in circles in the living room. "Me and Daddy. Yay!"

Jay knew you could easily spend all day there, but Liam would only last about three hours anyway so they would have just enough time if they got there soon. Will had bought memberships to many of the attractions around the city, including MSI which afforded them free admission for two adults and one child and free parking. Jay knew that his brother had taken Liam to the museum twice already so perhaps it was his turn to take his son.

That night after having dinner of plant-based nuggets and a salad, they reminisced about all of what they saw. They had spent much of their time in the transportation area and marveled at the train and sub, and boat displays. Jay watched his son's eyes get big with excitement and never tired of hearing, "look at this Daddy, look."

Now as Jay read Liam a story, he saw the boys eyes flutter and close, but Jay finished the book anyway. He then slipped off the bed and covered Liam up and planted a kiss on his forehead. He heard his phone chime from the other room and discovered an email from the school stating that it would be back in session the following morning. Jay expected to feel excited and finally free, but instead he felt mild disappointment. They had such a good day. He rarely had time like that with his son. The week was busy with work and school and the weekends with errands and chores.

He went to the laptop and found Miss Hatcher's email address and asked her what they would be working on the following day so he could tell Liam what to expect. She replied quickly, most likely fielding the same question from many parents. She explained that they would be going over the worksheets that had been assigned for those that had struggled or not gotten them finished.

Jay asked what that would mean for Liam since his were completed, to which she replied he would either be following along or having silent reading. He thanked her and told her he appreciated all of her efforts.

The next morning he was up and got Liam up as usual. Liam rode his scooter while Jay jogged his three miles. Liam asking if school was open to which Jay replied yes. They got cleaned up and ate breakfast. Jay had put all the papers in Liam's backpack and after Liam brushed his teeth he came out looking sad. "I'll miss you today," he said quietly.

"Not ready to go back to school?"

He shrugged. "I guess."

"Well, let's get going," Jay said as he locked up and they headed to the truck and began their commute.

"You passed the school Daddy," Liam pointed out as Jay kept driving. "You gonna go round the block to park?"

"Not today. Today you are going to go to Daddy school."

"Like yesterday?"

"Yes, except today is all field trips."

"It is?" Liam asked, his eyes wide in astonishment. "Can we see the whales and the fishes?"

"Yes, we can see the fishes and the whales. And then maybe we can see SUE," Jay said speaking of the T-Rex that was in residence at the Field Museum, which was a stones throw from the Shedd Aquarium.

Liam nearly came unglued. "And you are being with me at the museum too?"

"I am," Jay smiled, thrilled that his son was so thrilled with the thought of spending the day together.

School could wait another day. Work could wait another day. But one thing that couldn't wait, was his son.