ato-the-bean:

From Cleaving, now that I’m back on track…

“Can I have chocolate chips in mine too?” Nathan asked, climbing up on a bar stool so he could watch Chris cook.  “And whipped cream?  In a face like at Disneyland?”

“Do you want ears like Mickey or a pointy head like Gustafer?” Chris asked, a scoop of batter poised over the griddle.

Nathan cocked his head, mulling over that decision.  Chris grinned at Zach as he waited.

“Mickey,” Nathan finally said.  Chris poured the batter out in the traditional shape and went searching for the extra-large spatula.  

Zach got the rest of their breakfast out of the fridge — orange juice and milk and the chicken breakfast sausages that would likely be their only protein in this carb fest — and he froze.

“You okay?” Chris asked, noticing Zach’s abrupt lack of activity.

“Yeah,” he said, turning to set everything on the counter.  He grabbed a pan to heat the sausages and glanced at the clock. “I was just thinking, we should do something special today.  Something that we can only do when we have all day free and we get up really early.”

“Like what?” Chris flipped the over-sized pancake.  Zach really didn’t want to blurt it out without talking to Chris in private, because once the idea was planted in Nathan’s head, backing out would be just about impossible.  He gave the pancake a meaningful look and then raised his eyebrows at Chris…

…who looked totally confused.

“I don’t know,” Zach tried.  “Let’s find a happy place, full of fantasy and adventure and new frontiers.”

Chris looked at him quizzically.

“And, um, visions of tomorrow,” he continued, trying to remember the names of all the parts of the park after only a half cup of coffee. “And maybe see some pirates?  Caribbean ones?”

“Oh!”  Chris said, eyes wide with understanding.  “You want,” and he motioned to the pancake with the spatula before flipping it onto a plate.  He quickly made a face using banana slices, chocolate chips and whipped cream as Nathan watched with rapt attention.  “You sure?  It’ll be crowded.”

Zach shrugged, glancing at Nathan who was thankfully barely listening as he poured his syrup.  “The annual passes expire this month, and we’ve barely used them.  And if we hurry we can get there by opening and be done with the critical rides by noon.  Then we can just sit in New Orleans Square and eat beignets as far as I’m concerned.  Anyway, you love it.  And so does Nathan.”

“And you?”

“I love being there with you.”

“What are you talking about?” Nathan asked through a mouthful of pancake.

Chris raised his eyebrows at Zach, and when he nodded said, ”Daddy thinks maybe we should go to Disneyland today, but I don’t think you like it there.”

“I like it!” Nathan cried, fork frozen midair with his next bite of pancake.  “I like it a lot.  Oh!  Can I wear my Jedi robes and try to fight Darth Vader?”

“Sure,” Zach said.  “And I can dress up like Mr. Spock.”

“Daddy!  That’s Star Trek, not Star Wars.”

“Oh right. I always get those two confused.”