Dad's Day Out part 5
After a quick shower, Bo returns to the kitchen and starts to make breakfast for his family. Rachel sits at the table opting for Bo’s breakfast rather than the day old manicotti and toaster bagels.
Rachel: That smells awesome!
Bo: Thanks…I hope I got all Matt’s favorites here…
Rachel: Bacon, eggs, toast, pancakes, waffles, sausages, ham, biscuits, hash browns…Bo…he’s four and a half…chocolate puffs are fine!
Bo: Hey! My son cannot have a full day of fun with his old man on chocolate puffs! (Rachel rolls her eyes)
Nora: (entering the kitchen) Oh my! I have died and gone to culinary heaven! (goes over and gives Bo a kiss on the cheek) Sweetheart…there is enough food to feed a dozen people!
Rachel: His son cannot have a full day of fun on chocolate puffs!
Bo: Alright smartaleck…you get the broken yolks…(Rachel frowns playfully)
Matthew: (walking into the kitchen clutching his favorite action figure and rubbing the sleep out of his eyes) Mommy what smells so good? Did Rachel make breakfast? Is it Sunday? (he sees Bo at the stove) Rachel…Rachel (never letting his eyes wander from Bo) Rachel….
Rachel: I’m here little brother…
Bo: Good morning Matthew! How do you like your eggs? Scrambled? Fried? Poached? Name your poison!
Rachel: (Hers eyes open wide to Bo as if to say, “stop! not good!”) Um…Bo means he’ll cook eggs any way you order…(Matthew climbs up on Nora’s lap)
Matthew: (whispering in Nora’s ear) Mommy…why is he being nice to me…does he want me to eat poison?
Nora: (whispering back) No…he doesn’t want you eat poison…he cooks the best breakfast in Pennsylvania…and he’s being nice to you because he loves you…(out loud to Bo) Scrambled...with ketchup…(to Matthew) right baby?
Bo: Mmm…just how I eat them! Everything smothered in ketchup!
Matthew: I’m not too hungry…
Bo: Well then…I’ll only make you six eggs…and what…twelve pancakes?
Matthew: (eyes open wide in surprise) I’m a kid…I don’t eat that much…
Bo: I know, I was only playing…one egg?
Matthew: Can’t I have chocolate puffs?
Nora: Matthew, your dad made us this wonderful feast…lets have this today…ok?
Matthew: Mommy…(he looks at Bo, wearing Matthew’s Nana’s apron, serving plates of great smelling breakfast) ok mommy.
Bo sets a plate down in front of Matthew, followed by a glass of fresh orange juice and then a glass of milk. He sets a plate in front of Nora and Rachel, then puts himself a plate.
Bo: Well…let’s eat!
They all eat, the silence in the room is deafening. Matthew
never breaks his stare at Bo…
Bo feels a bit uneasy so he tries to make conversation to break
the chill in the room…
Bo: So…it sure is pretty out there today…just waiting to have folks out and about..
Matthew: We’re goin to the park…Right Rachel?
Rachel: Yeah…all of us are going to soak in the sun and have a great day…
Bo: I was thinking…how bout if before we (emphasizing “we”) go to the park, we (again emphasizing) stop at Callahan’s Sp…(Matthew chimes in)
Matthew: Callahan Sport’s It’s gotta be, for bikes and bats and even skis. Callahan Sports, 2136 East Greenway Boulevard, downtown, Llanview. Callahan.
The adults look at Matthew. He just sang the jingle for the store! Bo looks at Nora who shrugs and gets a slight smile on her face…
Nora: Alright then…Matthew, you sure got that memorized!
Matthew: Me and daddy go there all the time! Its…our (he looks down at the table as his sentence trails off)
Bo goes and stands behind Matthew. He winces in fear, Bo stoops down so he can talk to Matthew face to face.
Bo: Matthew, listen to me buddy…I know how special Sam is to you, in fact Sam is a pretty special guy all around. I owe him a lot of thanks. He took care of you and Mommy til I was well enough to come back to you. I don’t want you to feel like you can never talk about Sam, or call him or even go and visit with him. I would never ever make that happen. You can talk to him when ever and as much as you like.
Matthew: I can? (He gets a huge smile on his face)
Bo: Sure son! And I don’t want to replace Sam, I want you and I to have our own special kinda stuff…I want us to be buddies too…Can that be ok with you?
Matthew: I will try…can Dad…can Sam come with today?
Rachel looks at Nora, who looks at Bo…
Nora: Sweetheart, Sam is going to visit Jenn for a few days. I’m sure he will call when he get back …
Bo: I got it!!!!
Matthew jumps, startled at Bo’s exuberance.
Nora: Well don’t give it to us!
Bo: Very funny…you know what Matthew needs?
Matthew: What?
Bo: A puppy!
Matthew: YEAH!!!!!!! I do! I do! I do!!!
Nora: Hold on!!!
Rachel: You’re right Bo! He does need a puppy!
Nora: Wait a minute!
Bo: So Matthew….what kind of puppy do you want?
Matthew: Can we still go to Callahan’s?
Bo: Sure we can! Then we’ll go get a puppy! We’ll take him to the park!
Matthew: Yippee!
Bo: Why don’t you go upstairs, get washed up and changed and we’ll head out…
Matthew: YEAH!!!! (Matthew jumps off his chair and races upstairs)
Rachel follows Matthew up while Nora frowns disapprovingly
at Bo. She maintains her silence.
Bo begins to feel her chill.
Bo: What?
Nora: Oh…nothing…
Bo: Come on…Red…a boy needs a dog….
Nora: You are not on the good list…don’t call me Red…
Bo gets up from where Matthew was sitting and moves around behind Nora. He wraps his arms around her from behind, kissing the top of her head.
Nora: Stop…you can’t sugar coat this…you can stay in the dog house with that dog…
Bo: Come on honey…let’s not ruin today with squabbling…it’s only a little dog…(whispering in her ear) I will so make it up to you…scouts honor…(kisses her cheek)
Nora: You can’t seduce your way out of this one…Commissioner…it won’t work…
Bo: come on…it’ll be fine…it’ll give him something to focus on…responsibility…
Nora: Bo! He’s four and a half! The only thing he needs to be responsible for is getting to the bathroom in time!
Bo: You baby him.
Nora: Excuse me? And you were nominated father of the year when?
Bo: Low blow…(he stands up and starts clearing plates off the table.)
Nora: (walks over to him at the counter, placing her hand on his arm) Bo…I’m sorry. That was out of line…I just…he is my baby. Our baby…Forgive me?
Bo: (turning around) We’ll forgo the dog…
Nora: No! No. I don’t want you to look like a bad guy to him. We’ll get him a dog. You can help him take care of it. It’ll be a learning experience for you both. I am sorry, for that comment. Just keep in mind, buying his love doesn’t buy his respect.
Bo: I know. I just want to do so much for him…make up for all I’ve missed. (pulling Nora close to himself) I have a lot of making up to do to you too. (placing his hand behind her neck and drawing her into a deep kiss)
Matthew walks into the kitchen.
Matthew: I’m all read…(sees them in their embrace) Mommy! NO!!! (he turns and runs out of the kitchen) RACHEL!!!!!
Nora goes after him….
Nora: Matthew! Stop! (catching him as he opens the front door) Wait!…Matthew…honey what’s wrong?
Matthew: You love him more than me!
Nora: No! Sweetheart, no, no…I love you! You are my number one guy. Bo is…well…I love him too, but never ever more than you. You are the most important person in my life. (hugging him) Now, come on…I told you before that Bo and I want to be a family…and we may want to get married again…and we love each other…you know when people love each other that they hug…
Matthew: You guys were kissing.
Nora: I kiss you, don’t I?
Matthew: Yeah…
Nora: Ok then…let’s just try to have a nice day…get to know each other…Matthew, I don’t want you to feel bad about being a little scared, ok? But I do want you to know that everyone in this house loves you and wants you to be happy.
Rachel has just come down the stairs.
Rachel: Where you calling me Matt? I had the hair dryer going…
Matthew: Yeah..I was telling you (he looks at Nora and at Bo who just walked out of the kitchen) I was just telling you that we were going to go now. So hurry up! I’m getting a puppy!!!!
They all leave, piling into Bo’s truck and heading to the sports store. Matthew repeats the Callahan Sports jingle over and over til Rachel is covering her ears. But for Bo…he’s never heard such a wonderful commercial in his life. They get to the store, where Nora reminds Bo that there really is nothing Matthew needs, as Matthew grabs her hand and pulls her toward the store.
Matthew: Come on! Come on!
Bo: Hang on, partner! We’ll get there.
Matthew frowns at Bo, but quickly his smile returns as they enter the store. Matthew is talking a mile a minute to Nora. Bo watches how animated his son is, as Matthew explains about every piece of equipment they walk past. Every time he says, “When I get big, I’m gonna buy that”, Bo nods to the sales clerk to ring it up. Now, Nora had no idea he was doing this, until…
Matthew: And this…(pointing to a pretty impressive
scooter on display) this is the Black Diamond.( in a crazy deep
voice)”Do you want to be the speedster of the hood? Do you
want to be the envy of the school? Do you want girls falling at
your feet? Then you need the Black Diamond Hyper Scooter! Black
cold forged steel, powder satin finish and nitro-glo pro wheels.
The Caddy of Scooters”
Bo: I am so hoping that is another commercial he is quoting…
Nora: (smiling sheepishly as she puts her arm around Matthew) He watches too much TV…
Bo: I guess…so Matt, is this the one?
Nora: Excuse me?
Bo: (stepping past Nora and kneeling next to Matthew, talking quietly in his ear) So, Matt, is this the bad boy you’ve had your eye on?
Matthew: (looking at Nora, who is looking at him) Um..yeah…I mean no..I mean (whispering in Bo’s ear) I do want this one so much!
Clerk: Sir, you want me to ring it up with the other stuff?
Nora: OTHER STUFF??? BO!
Bo: (Grimacing) Now, Nora, honey (whispering to Matthew) watch and learn, this is how to smooth it with your mom (standing up) Baby..its just a few simple items the boy needs…(kissing her on the cheek) Sweetheart…come on…its for my son (he flashes his killer smile and winks)
Nora: (sighs) I’ll be in the car.
Bo gives Matthew a thumbs up. Matthew smiles. Bo’s heart about exploded in his chest! His son smiled at him! Nora met up with Rachel at the front of the store.
Rachel: Whoa whoa whoa! Mom!! Hang on!
Nora: That man!
Rachel: What?
Nora: He is spoiling that child rotten!
Rachel: And rightfully so! Mom. Stop. Think about it! Father and son are bonding. Look at them. (pointing to Bo and Matthew as Bo is trying to maneuver the scooter through the store) Matthew is smiling…look
Nora: (looking) But, Rikki, Bo shouldn’t be buying Matthew’s love…
Rachel: He is not buying Matthew’s love! He is building a foundation… Mom…if in six months he is still spending thousands on Matt, then he is buying his love…right now, he’s building a foundation…loosen up…let Bo enjoy his first real day with his son.
Nora: (hugging Rachel) You’re right…but a dog? (they both laugh)
Nora and Rachcel stay at the front of the store, as Bo and Matthew make their way through the check out, they have four shopping bags full of sports equipment, with the prize of the trip being the Black Diamond scooter, poking its box out of the bag the clerk is carrying out for them. Bo is beaming, and all Matthew can talk about is how they are going to get his puppy.
Once all the packages are loaded into the back of the truck, they head off to the pet store. They look at a dozen or so puppies, with Matthew playing with each and everyone in the meeting room, til he finds the perfect companion, a 10-week-old Jack Russell terrier. Once they get the pup, and all the puppy accessories, they head back to the truck and proceed to the park. Matthew insists that his new friends’ name should be Roy.
Rachel: Roy? Roy the dog…Matt, that’s not to original..
Matthew: Then I’ll call him Rachel…(he spits his tongue out at Rachel)
Rachel: Fine…call him Roy (under her breath) not my fault if he’s the most ridiculed dog in Pennsylvania!
Matthew: Mommy…why can’t I call him Roy?
Nora: Sweetie, if you think he looks like a Roy, then Roy he will be…
Once at the park, Matthew leaps from the truck with Roy quickly following, yapping all the way. Nora steps out, instructing Rachel to keep on eye on Matt and Roy the dog.
Rachel: Roy the dog…humph!
Nora: Oh hush! It makes your brother happy…just shoosh…go watch him…We’ll set up camp, so to speak.
Bo comes around the back of the truck with blankets and a cooler…
Bo: Your majesty…where to?
Nora: Over there by that tree…
They head to a tree that has a nice view of the play area and the open field where Matthew is currently chasing and being chased by Roy. Bo spreads out the blanket and lies down.
Bo: C’mere…
Nora: (kneeling down on the blanket next to him) What?
Bo: (putting his arms around her hips) He likes me…I am the happiest man in the world!
Nora: (leaning down to kiss him) What’s not to like? You spoil him rotten…
Bo: Don’t be mad. I just got so excited when he started opening up to me in the store…I couldn’t help but buy him all those things…you understand, right?
Nora: I do. I just don’t know why a little boy need the what is it…Diamond chic magnet scooter…
Bo: Hey…if he is gonna ever catch himself a hot babe like his old man got…he’s got to have the right equipment…(pulls her down on top of him) you think I’d have nabbed you with out the bike? (kissing her)
Nora: Ya think the bike is what did it for me, huh? We’ll see bout that…
They start making out on the blanket when Rachel runs up to them, out of breath…
Rachel: You guys…its Matthew…you have to come quick!
To be continued….
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