2.15 A Little Fun

Tatum and Santos watch silently as Damaris, clad only in her bathing suit, flings herself into the snow and giggles madly as she makes a snow-angel. 

"Does this happen to all old people?" Tatum asks her "grandpa" sarcastically. 

"I sure hope not. But hey, maybe in a few years, I'll be in my boxers doing the same thing." 

Tatum shudders, "Gross, grandpa!" 

Santos shrugs, "I wouldn't knock it so fast. Your grandma is having fun." 

Tatum shakes her head. Her grandparents are weird. 

She goes inside, where it's nice, warm, and old-people free, to work on her potions. She hasn't figured out any of the formulas yet, but she's very curious about things like "radical reparum" and "sleeping elixir". 

"Glad to see you wearing proper winter apparel," Dot quips. 

"Everyone's acting like I'll catch a cold and then die, all because I had a little fun in the snow. I'm old, but not infirm!" Damaris huffs. 

Dot chuckles, "Not going to argue with that." 

"Good." 

True to her word, now that Kaira is in school, Dot's daycare is open again. 

Santos arrives home from his shift at the office in the last few hours of Dot's workday. 

"Everything alright?" Dot asks cautiously. Santos looks so downbeat. 

"Ah it's just... work stuff. I'm the oldest one there, it's hard to keep up with my coworkers sometimes." So many jokes he doesn't really get... 

"I'm sure they benefit from your experience though," Dot says with a smile. 

At this, Santos perks up, "They think because I'm old I don't get computers... but I am the master of powerpoint and excel. No one can beat me." 

Dot smiles, "That's the spirit." 

Kaira carries on the family tradition of ill-advised ice crossing. 

 Mr. Snowman glowers at this foolish girl. 

Seeing as their creation is starting to melt, Dot and Santos get to work making a new one. 

"Let's think of this as a father-daughter bonding activity, huh?" Santos says as he survey's Dot's work. 

"Dot?" 

"I'm sorry. I just..." Wanted to do this with my own father? How do I say that without sounding...ungrateful? "This reminded me of something from when I was little. Nothing serious." 

Santos shifts uncomfortably, but doesn't ask for any details. "Well, keep your eyes closed anyways, I got a surprise..."

"Ta-da!" he says a few moments later. Mr. Snowman Jr. now has a face and accessories. 

"Look... I didn't mean to imply I'm going to replace your dad or anything," he says after a beat of silence. "I was just...excited to spend time with you, as family." 

Dot gives him a watery smile, "No, of course not, I didn't think that! I'm surprised at my reaction myself... But thank you for the snowman. I think he looks great." 

Santos claps one of her shoulders, "Me too. It was a team effort!" 

"Plumbooooob, go away!" Kaira is not pleased to see her "friend". 

Lu can't frown, but he his tone makes it obvious that he would if he could, "I can't, Kaira. I'm your imaginary friend. We're together forever!" 

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AN: I wasn't planning on having any imaginary friend plots any time soon. But apparently Kaira played a lot with her doll as a toddler and...here we are.