Bicycle

[What's the key to being a great dad?]

"Slow down! The food is not going anywhere" Gloria says as she piled more bacon onto Adrian's plate.

"Mfmmfffhmm" Adrian looks at her.

"Yes yes I know my food is delicious"

Adrian gives her a grin and a thumbs up, only for the food to drop out of his mouth.

"That's disgusting." Jay says from next to him. "And I'm suprised you can understand him"

"He is my son Jay of course I can understand him, look" Gloira waves her hand in a dramatic gesture.

"Mmffmff" Adrian says.

"Today's weather is good."

Adrian gives a thumbs up, "Mmhhfmmmfm?"

"What's for lunch?"

A thumbs up again.

Jay sighs and Gloria turns back into the kitchen, draining out the water from the lettuce.

"Mmsm Mffmmf hmmfm?" Adrian turns to Jay.

"I have no idea what your trying to tell me." Jay looks at him.

"He's asking you pass him the napkin." Manny says as he walks into the kitchen.

"Even you?" Jay exclaims.

Manny shrugs, "I'm sure you'll be able to speak Adrian eventually." He picks an apple from the fruit ball. "Mum, when can we install the fan? My room keeps overheating"

"We've already bought it, you and Jay should install it now" Gloria says.

Jay groans.

…

"Are you sure you don't want to go Disneyland?" Manny whines.

"Yeah" Adrian continues tying his shoe laces.

"Come here papi, I'll see you Monday okay?" Gloria dashes forward, wrapping Adrian in a hug.

"Yes mum"

"If you're trying to avoid your dad, you can leave at 2 since he's coming at 3" Jay says.

"Nah, Phil wants to show me something and I'm pretty curious."

"Well okay, let's go then." Jay picks up the keys.

Adrian and Jay arrive Phil and Claire's house and as Jay slows down, they notice Luke, Phil and Claire on a bike.

Jay beeps the horn, "Hey, nice bike Sally!"

Claire sighs, "Dad.."

"Come on. He looks like Little Bo Peep on that thing."

"Actually, not for long he's getting a new bike this afternoon." Phil cuts in.

"I am?" Luke looks up at his dad at the same time of Claire's "He is?"

Phil nods.

Adrian gets off the car, grabbing his backpack and a duffle bag. "Can't you just repaint the bike?" He adds.

"Well Adrian, we don't have enough black duct tape to cover the bike." Phil says.

"I mean you guys can go to the shops, buy a can of spray paint, some varnish and take away the ribbons. It'll be a nice project." Adrian approaches the bike observing it. "I've got some experience fixing stuff back in Florida"

"Dad can we!" Luke stares at Phil with starry eyes.

Phil laughs, "yeah sure buddy"

"Thank you for the idea Adrian" Claire adds.

"If you have some experience fixing stuff you should help Manny and I build the fan." Jay says from the car.

Adrian turns to look at him, "I think it'll be a good bonding project for you and Manny" he winks.

Jay gives a disgruntled look and drives off.

Going back into the house, they see Haley lounging on the couch, phone in hand.

"What is he doing here?" She asks.

Adrian waves the bags in his hands, "sleep over!"

"Mum?!" She screeches.

"Oh did I not tell you?" Claire says, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge. "He's staying here till Monday."

"What? Why?"

"Mum and Jay are going to wine country while Manny is going to Disneyland with Dad"

"Why aren't you going with Manny?" Claire asks curiously.

Adrian frowns, "I.. don't like my dad that much"

Phil claps a hand on Adrian's shoulder, "well you have us! Come here Adrian, I want to show you something" he pulls Adrian towards the garage.

"What about my bags?" Adrian asks only to be pulled away, his bags lying innocently on the floor.

"Luke! Come!" Phil shouts.

Luke rushes in "coming!" Only to completely miss the bags on the floor and trip onto them. "Oof"

"Luke!" Claire shouts, going to save her son.

"I'm okay!" He says, and continues running off.

…

"Tadah!" Phil waves his hands. On the garage floor lay what looks to be a deflated pool ring, just smaller.

"What's this?" Adrian asks.

"Well, Adrian, this is the auto belt TM Luke come here." Luke approaches and Phil loops the "belt" around him a singular cord coming out of it. "Now behold- a new world of belts!" Phil presses the button and a hissing sound comes out of the belt.

Slowly the belt shrinks into Luke's waist. "Dad it's working!"

"Sure is buddy" Phil ruffles Luke's hair.

At that point the belt seemed to fit nicely but the hissing doesn't stop.

"Dad? It's too tight" Luke groans.

"What?!" Phil panics, pressing the button over and over again.

The hissing doesn't stop and soon- *rripppp* a ripping sound can be heard from the belt and it drops pitifully on the floor.

Phil coughs. "It's- it's a work in progress." Phil looks up at Adrian who was watching amused.

[Phil's interview]

"See I was trying to impress Adrian, y'know showing him there's good father figures in the world." Phil looks at the limp pool float/ belt in his hands "in my defence, it worked last time… kind of".

[interview end]

"Anyways!" Phil claps his hand, subtly kicking the belt out of the way, "should we work on the bike now?"

"Yes!" Luke jumps, rushing over to his bike.

Adrian and Phil follows.

"What colour do you want it Luke?" Adrian asks, bending down and fiddling with the tape.

"Yeah Luke" Phil adds, mimicking Adrian.

"I want it red" Luke nods.

"Red it pretty cool" Adrian smiles, he looks at Phil, "can I?" He gestures to the bike.

"Yeah, sure"

Adrian rips the tape off, revealing a sparkly pink bike underneath.

"Do we have any red paint Phil?"

Phil shakes his head.

"Any topcoat?"

Phil shakes his head again. "I- I have a bell?" He points towards a comically large bell.

"That's okay. We'll just need to buy some red paint and topcoat, luckily the bike is in good condition. Luke did you just want a pure red bike or…"

"Ooh can it have webs- like spiderman?"

"Sure can!" Phil jumps ,"I can get the paint!"

"Are you sure you know what paint to get?" Adrian asks sceptically.

"Psshh of course, who do you think I am?" Phil huffs.

They ended up getting the paint together as Phil returned with water coloured paint. ("I though it said waterproof!")

The process was the most chaotic thing Adrian has ever witnessed. Phil accidentally spray painting Luke's face as he aimed it wrong. Luke screeching and gaining Claire's attention who thought Luke was bleeding. This ended up with the bike painting being put on hold as Luke had to shower quickly.

"Hello?" Adrian picks up his phone, glancing over at Phil who's apologising to Claire.

"Your dad flaked again" Jay's voice comes from the speaker.

"Woow who would've thought." Adrian says sarcastically. "How's Manny?"

"Manny is fine, we told him-" a clatter from the other side.

"We're going to Disneyland now!" Gloria cuts in.

"Wha? Mum?" Adrian asks.

"What your mum is trying to say is us four are going to Disneyland for the weekend instead." Jay says.

"What about wine country? You guys were so excited for it."

"Pah that's okay, there's always next time. Anyways get ready we're coming to pick you up in 15" he ends the call.

Adrian looks at his clothes, red paint staining the edges of his sleeves.

…

"What? You're leaving now?" Claire frowns.

"Ah really it's a shame." Phil adds, forcing down a smile.

[Phil's interview]

"Yess!" He shouts. "Don't get me wrong, I like Adrian- it's just, I wanted to do the bike, just me and Luke y'know. It feels like Adrian's being the cool dad not me!"

[interview end]

Hours after Adrian has left with Jay and Gloria in a limousine (which suprised both Phil and Claire immensely), the bike was completed. It was nighttime now, and the singular light from the garage illuminated the room.

Adrian warned Phil to let the paint dry before adding more coats to the bike, but its Phil's so he completely ignored it. This resulted in a bike with weird black lines spilling all over the body of the bike and uneven red paint everwhere. It looked more scary than cute.

"I'm sorry buddy, I was aiming for spiderman, but you got.. horror man" Phil winces, casting guilty glances at a silent Luke.

Luke approaches the bike slowly then turns to Phil. "It's… AWESOME!"

"Really?"

"Yeah! This is so cool! Let's send it to Adrian"

"Yeah! Stand next to the bike Luke!"

…

Sitting wedged between Gloira and Manny, Adrian tries is best not to fall asleep. His head bopping up and down pitifully, Manny already long gone to dreamland, his mickymouse hat sitting neatly on his head.

His phone gives a small ding and he checks it, revealing a photo of Luke next to a red horror themed bike. He smiles, sending a singular thumbs up and gives in to his urge to sleep.

Jay smiles from his position next to Manny while Gloira carefully peeled Adrian's phone from his hands and putting it away in her purse.

[The key to being a good dad is just showing up]