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It was the most interesting shovel talk that Bitty’s ever been given in his life. It was even more interesting than the one his ex girlfriend’s father gave him before he took Sara Jenkons on that one ill-fated prom date. That, at least, was normal. Bitty wasn’t surprised when the middle aged man threatened him with a rifle, but he was certainly surprised when Shitty Knight, caretaker extraordinaire, crushed an empty soda can with his bare hands.
“So yeah, his mom leaving really left him with abandonment issues,” Shitty finished. “And if you were ever thinking of just…disappearing from that boy’s life…” Shitty raised an eyebrow. Bitty got the message.
“How about you take the rest of the day off,” Bitty suggested. “Maybe get some chores done. I’ll call Jack and tell him that I’ll pick Kent up and drive him to skating practice, his school is on the route to the boys’ school anyway.”
“You will?”
Bitty nodded, “Don’t you worry, I’ll talk to Kenny about this and reassure him. He’s a great boy, and I’m happy that he has someone like you who cares so much about him in his life.”
Bitty must admit, he had doubts at first about this Mr. B.S Knight that Jack introduced as Kent’s primary babysitter. But now he was sure that Jack couldn’t have chosen a better person to make sure that Kent was safe and happy when Jack couldn’t take care of him.
They said goodbye and Bitty offered Shitty some homemade cookies that he kept in his minivan before he left. He picked up Kent enough times from middle school to know where it is, and got there a few minutes before Kent got out.
When Kent saw Bitty’s minivan waiting for him instead of Shitty’s car, he gasped in surprise and ran towards it.
“Get in, Kenny. Mr. Crappy had some stuff to take care of so I’m taking you to skating practice today,” Bitty grinned.
“Bitty!” Kent smiled and scrambled inside. Bitty waited for him to stash his bag under and attach his seatbelt before putting the van into drive.
“So, I heard from Mr. Crappy about last night,” Bitty said, when Kent was settled.
“…Are you mad?” Kent remembered his outburst clearly, what if this changed Bitty’s perception of Kent?
“Of course not, Kenny,” Bitty said. “I could never be mad at you, or ignore you and leave you behind. Even if I’m dating someone.” He added before Kent could.
“Really?”
Bitty nodded. “I promise.”
“…So are you going to date that person? The one you went on a blind date with? Was he nice? Was the date fun?” Kent fiddled with the strap of his seatbelt.
“Oh, well,” Bitty blushed. Last night had been-eventful. “He was a very nice man, the date went very well.”
“So are you going to date him?” Kent asked. And leave me and Dad behind? Kent didn’t ask. He liked Bitty so much, Bitty was so great. Whenever he visited the Zimmermanns he would always either bring pie or make pie for all of them and it made the entire house smell really good. He taught Kent how to begin to figure skate and took him to his first ballet lesson. And Kent always had fun with Will, Chowder, and Derek whenever Jack went on a long roadie and Kent got to stay with Bitty for days at a time.
“We’ll see about that,” Bitty said. His date really was a very nice man, and he was a great kisser, his mind butted in.
Kent grinned.
“Was he handsome? Shitty’s always talking about how handsome Dad is, was your date more handsome than Dad? Nicer than Dad?” He demanded to know.
Bitty almost choked, and tried not to imagine Jack taking him on the date last night instead. Jack, as the man taking his hand across the table and caressing it. Jack, as the man laughing and making him giggle about mundane things. Jack, as the man kissing him, pressing him against the wall, frisky hands that lifted Bitty off his feet and wrapped Bitty’s legs around his waist and grind their hips together before they reluctantly pulled apart and readjusted their clothes. Oh, of course no one was more handsome than Jack, but he couldn’t tell that to Kenny! And he would never be able to face his date again next time if he told Kenny that yes, Kenny’s dad was the most charming man Bitty could ever imagine to be with.
“Well, he’s not as handsome or nice as you, that’s for sure,” he answered instead.
Kent blushed and preened under the compliment.
Bitty pulled in at the elementary, where his sons were already waiting for him at the front of the school entrance.
Three five year olds clambered into the van and started regaling Bitty about their day immediately. It took them a while to notice that they had an extra person in the van today, and when Chris saw Kent’s tuft of cowlick in the rearview mirror he nearly screeched in joy.
“KENT’S HERE!!”
Bitty smiled serenely as his once quiet minivan filled up with voices arguing, talking, laughing. Kenny was giggling at something that Derek said, and Will was trying hard to make sure that Chris and Derek had their seatbelts on properly.
“I could use a little help here, Kenny!” Will complained.
“Do what your brother told you to do,” Kenny said.
“He’s not the boss of us!” Derek argued. “Chris, tell them that Will isn’t the boss of us.”
“Um-” Chris hesitated.
“Derek you have to put your seatbelt on! Do you want Dad to get arrested?!” Dex shouted.
“Stop using Dad as an excuse to boss me around!”
“I’m not using-”
“Guys. Stop.” Kenny cut in. They all respected him enough to defer and stop arguing for a second, something Bitty marveled at often. “You should be safe and put your seatbelt on or Bitty will be sad.”
Derek grumbled and put on his seatbelt.
“I’m so proud of my boys,” Bitty said, after the ruckus calmed down.
“Dad, you should’ve told Derek to put his seatbelt on,” Will complained.
“Yes but I know that y’all were in safe hands, right?” He winked at Kenny.
“Ughhhh, stop being embarrassing!” Derek whined.
Kenny took in the voices of the three brothers in the backseat and Bitty’s slight hum as he wove through traffic. He knew that soon Bitty would drop him off at his figure skating rink and later he’ll go back home where Shitty and Jack were waiting, and maybe there would still be some left over pie from when Bitty visited last time. But he wished that Bitty and the boys behind them would come back home with him, that he could surround himself in this warmth everyday.
“Have a good practice, okay, Kenny?” Bitty said when he pulled into the drive way at the rink.
“Okay. Um. loveyoubye!” He mumbled and dashed out, leaving Bitty to pull away and drive his kids- Bitty’s kids, because Kenny wasn’t one of Bitty’s sons no matter how much he wanted to be- to hockey practice.