Page 12 of Broken Chorus

Oh yeah, there was no stage, just the couch and a kid who couldn’t even let him powernap in peace.

“Yes, Dani?”

“How is Patrick and SpongeBob drownin’ when they lives underwater?”

“It’s a cartoon, Dani.”

“I know Unky Hawk.”

“Cartoons don’t have rules.”

“Ohhhh, I wants to be cartoon!”

Hawk groaned and scrubbed a hand down his face. “Of course you do.”

“You help?”

“What do you need me to help you with?” Hawk said as he cracked one eye open and skimmed it over her, not seeing anything amiss that she needed help with.

“Being a cartoon, silly!”

“Dani you can’t be a cartoon because cartoons aren’t real,” Hawk said, instantly cringing when the words registered in his tired brain.

He watched her blink, mouth opening and closing, then opening again as she turned away from the television to look at him, then whipped her head back to stare at the television. “SpongeBob…isn’t…real?”

Her tone was both shocked and horrified. He could see from the expression on her face that she didn’t know how to react to that or even process it. He was fucking this morning up horribly and waited for her tears to start again, only it seemed that he’d shocked her into silence. Her little shoulders slumped, and she toed at the carpet, the bright smile she’d had when he’d set her on the couch had been replaced by a pout and scowl.

Slipping away, he went to check the washer, wanting to crawl in a hole and cry when he saw that only fifteen minutes had passed since he’d started the cycle. He started to head back to the living room, before he remembered that he’d left his phone beneath his pillow and decided to make a detour and grab it. At least that way he could set an alarm in case he did manage to fall asleep.

Picking it up triggered the lock screen and there was Aaron again, larger than life on the stage. As much as he tried to claimthat he wanted to be at the cabin with Hawk and the kids, performing was the life Aaron was meant for. That’s what had saved him when the people who’d been raising him had tried to crush his spirit and make him conform to their version of right and wrong. He deserved to have those moments of adulation after all the times they’d cut him down. No way in hell was Hawk going to be the one to take that from him.

Blip.

Blip.

Hawk pressed his thumb over the fingerprint reader and unlocked the phone as he headed up the hall, curious to see who was blowing it up this early. Hopefully not Kelly again. He’d already sent Hawk a stream of frustrated text after another day had passed without Aaron popping in to talk to him or showing up for rehearsal. Short of taking a road trip with a cattle prod and three children in tow, Hawk didn’t know what else he could do to get Aaron there faster.

Instead of frustrated words, what he saw was a picture of Aaron sitting on his kitchen counter, green and black glitter makeup around his eyes and a jester’s hat on top of his head. Only when Hawk glanced down to see the rest of the outfit, expecting clubbing clothes, he was treated to the sight of Aaron in green and black pajamas, barefoot with matching nail polish on his toes.

Couldn’t sleep so I’ve been watching makeup tutorials. What do you think? Have I found my new look?

In an instant, Hawk went from tired and frustrated to tired and laughing. Then the next picture came, of Aaron kneeling on the counter, back arched like a pissed off kitty, hand outstretched with his fingers extended like claws toward the camera.

Fuckin’ Aaron.

And why the fuck had he chosen the kitchen instead of the bedroom?

Blip. Blip. Blip.

Hawk stepped back into the living room to see Dani exactly where he’d left her, so he ducked into the kitchen to get a feel for what hecouldmake once she decided she was in the mood for food…and to see what else Aaron had sent him. When his eyes landed on the waffle maker on the counter, he was reminded of all the potential toppings he’d grabbed at the grocery store. More than enough to satisfy everyone, even if it meant things got a little bit messy. Hell, with this crew, a mess was expected at every meal so what was a little extra, especially now that the second dishwasher had been installed?

Plan made, he thumbed the screen on his phone, bringing up an image of Aaron squirting whipped cream out of a can directly into his mouth.

That better not be your breakfast!

Hawk typed and sent it so fast that he didn’t stop to think about how much it sounded like something he’d say to one of the kids. There was no taking it back now that it was out there, so he scrolled up to see the other two pictures, laughing at the one of Aaron with whipped cream splattered on his nose and dripping off his chin.

Underneath it was a message, but not of the sexy variety, unfortunately. It simply said,I miss you. I hope these kick your day off with a smile.

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