Dreamland part ten

Popee decided that every night, before they went to bed, he and Kedamono would dance.

“It’ll get our blood pumping..” Popee said softly to Kedamono, making him feel flushed.

So they would dance to jazz covers of pop songs.

Romantic and longing, they’d hold each other close and sway, with kisses dotted in between each dip and twirl.

Their level of intimacy was kicked up a few notches when Kedamono set up a date night for them, which also turned into a monthly thing Popee and him did together, having Nina watch their son.

They felt incredibly close to each other, and now that they were moving, and were basically settled into their new home in the city, Kedamono was planning to ask for Popee’s hand in marriage.

The house was a cottage style ranch, with three bedrooms and two full bathrooms.

It was nestled in the northern part of the city, with schools and colleges nearby.

Popee was already looking into applying for university and Kedamono had a job as an office administrator for a law office. He always had a friendly and smiling demeanor, which was a good look for front office work and dealing with clientele. He also seemed to have a knack for filing and organization.

“I’ll have to teach you about computers, honey,” Popee offered.

Kedamono nodded and the week before he started Popee had given him lessons and gotten him mostly up to speed on general computer use and the whole of Microsoft Suite, which would be what he needed to know how to use for his job.

About two weeks after Kedamono started his job, Popee decided to ask him about Eepop and Onomadek, to set up a double date with them.

“Aw, baby, I don’t know. I feel like I just started on this job. How about next month?”

“Hmm. Fine. I’ll call up Eepop to set it up.”

“Or…” Kedamono said with a look that said, ‘stop, wait!’, “we can just wait to see how things go.”

“Do you not want to do this?”

Kedamono sighed, “I’m not sure. Ono is so unpredictable. And Eepop is… always so jumpy.”

“I think we need to go out with friends.”

“Baby, I do too, I just think that they are unstable friends…”

“I think it would be nice.” Popee put his hands on his hips. “Eepop and Ono are our friends, whether they are unstable or no, shouldn’t matter!”

Kedamono sighed. “Fine.”

“Fine? Then, I’m calling her up.”

“I gotta get to work.” Kedamono said, frowning. His masks were falling off in frustration and annoyance.

Popee saw this and went over to him, and took his hand. “Keda, I appreciate what you are saying. I don’t want to force this. We don’t have to see them.”

They faced each other and Kedamono smiled, “I know you want to just help them, it’s very sweet. But, we can’t help them. They have to help themselves.” He leaned in close and kissed Popee on the side of his mouth. “Go ahead and set up a dinner. Next month.” He hugged Popee and they kissed again. “Love you, Popee. See you later.”

“I love you too, Kedamono.”

They parted ways and Popee checked on Kedamono Junior, who was still asleep in his room.

He decided to go back to the kitchen and start breakfast for his son, and clean up until he woke up. He also did about fifteen minutes of yoga, something he did for himself just to start the day.

He then called Eepop and set up a double date next month on a Saturday night, and then called up Nina to see if she could watch their son that night.

“Oh, the Little Bubala,” Nina exclaimed, “I love to watch him. He’s very loving, and so well mannered. Well, for a baby,” Nina chuckled. Popee laughed.

“So you think you can? It’s the seventeenth at 6.”

“I’m, uh… let me check my schedule.”

Popee heard her leafing through some papers.

“Ah, dear, I can’t. I’m so sorry. I gotta thing with my nephew and his girlfriend.”

“It’s okay, no worries, Nina.”

“I’ll still watch him for your date.. that’s on the eleventh, yes?”

“Yes. That’s correct. I appreciate that! Thank you, we always love for you watch him.”

“As I do, darling. How’s the new house?”

“Great. I never had so much space. It’s great. Kedamono is doing well with his new job. I had to teach him to get him up to speed on computers!”

Nina laughed affectionately, “That’s very good! I can see your husband scrambling to use such a device.”

Popee laughed, “I’d pay to see it.”

Nina laughed harder. “Oh, you tease. Well, I am happy things are going well.”

“How are you?”

“I’m good, overall. I miss my maintenance man! But, I hired a new one.” She sighed. “So, is being a parent everything you thought it could be?”

“Better. I love being a parent. My kid is … he’s my life. Just like Keda. I never imagined how great having a family could be. I only had my dad growing up, and my sister sometimes.”

Nina sighed. “Yes, I can appreciate that sentiment, indeed. My family was disjointed and not always together.”

“Why?”

“Ah, my parents fought a lot. We had poverty growing up. It was complicated.”

“Complicated is what I lived, Nina, up until Keda and I got together.”

Nina laughed, but now it sounded sad.

“Anyway, you must come over for dinner, Nina. Whenever you’re free.”

“Yes, I will, dear,” Nina said. “I’ll let you know.”

“Great. Well, I gotta go,” Popee said softly, hearing a cry from Kedamono junior’s room. “Keda Junior is awake, finally.”

“Oh, go then! Have a great day!”

“You too!”

He hung up and went over to his son’s room.

He picked him up and started singing, Edelweiss, a song his dad used to sing to him to calm him down.

“Time for breakfast, my love,” Popee said, kissing his son on the cheek.

He changed his son and then fed him breakfast.

It was a nice morning routine, and while Popee had coffee and read the news, his son would eat and watch nursery rhymes.

After they finished up breakfast, Popee got them dressed and they went out to the park and ran errands together, which took most of the day. They had lunch out and Popee got groceries and bought something nice to cook for dinner. Steak and potatoes, to make homemade mashed potatoes with grilled steak.

Once, they got home, Kedamono Junior took his afternoon nap and Popee started dinner.

Once Kedamono got home, he realized he had forgotten to call up Eepop to let her know they would need to find a new date for their dinner, but decided to talk again with Kedamono about it.

“Hey, there, honey pie,” Kedamono said, hugging Popee as he walked in and saw him reading in the living room.

Popee felt his boyfriend lean down and hug him, making him put the book down as he wrapped his arms around Kedamono’s neck.

“Mmm, my man!” Popee said, kissing him.

Kedamono grinned and kissed him back.

“Oh, dear, I missed you! How was your day?”

Popee sighed. “Busy. Went out with Keda Junior and ran tons of errands, and we went to the park in the morning. Yours?”

“Great. I feel a lot more comfortable in my role, now. It’s busy all of the time. But, that helps the day move quickly.”

“Makes sense! Anyway, I’m glad you are feeling better with your job, I was worried.”

“Yeah. But, you did help me—you know, with the computer stuff.”

Popee stood up and adjusted his glasses. “I’m a genius; what else can I say?” He laughed proudly. “Ready for dinner, Keda?”

“Yeah. I’m starving.”

They walked together into the kitchen and breakfast nook.

“Is Keda Junior still asleep?”

Popee nodded.

“Yeah. I got some steak and stuff at the store with him today. I made that with homemade mashed potatoes after he fell asleep earlier.”

“Oh, wow! Sounds delicious.”

“I’ll serve you some!”

Kedamono smiled, sitting down at their table. “Thank you.”

Popee sighed and served up two plates for him and Kedamono; he wasn’t sure if he even wanted to bring up the double date thing anymore with Eepop and Onomadek, but he did want to socialize a lot more.

“You look so cute today, Popee,” Kedamono said suddenly, making Popee blush as he brought over the plates.

“Thanks, dear.”

“You just.. that kimono fits your body well, are you working out?”

Popee felt his heart beat flutter, and his mouth parted in an involuntary sigh, “Yeah… I am. I do yoga after you go to work before Keda Junior wakes up.”

“You look lovely.”

“Ah, you’re trying to get something outta me, aren’t you?”

Kedamono blushed now. “No. I just think … I had to tell you how beautiful you look.”

Popee sat down and started to eat. “Thanks, dar—-mmm—ling…” he was talking with his mouth full of food.

“Manners, Popee!”

Popee smirked. “Sorry, sexy wolf guy.”

Kedamono felt wordless after that, and started eating with vigor.

Suddenly, there was a loud startling knock at their door.

“Shit! Who could that be?” Popee yelled, getting up.

Kedamono frowned. “Maybe a package?”

“Nope. I didn’t order anything.”

“Weird. Either did I.”

Popee nodded and ran to the door.

His heart hit a snag in his chest and felt like it slammed against his body.

Popee’s blue eyes widened and he felt like someone stole his breath.

There stood two people he didn’t think he’d see again—especially—-

“Hiya, son!” Papi said with a huge grin.

“Hey, Popee! Surprise!” The shorter girl with silver hair and familiar green blue eyes shouted.

It was Popee’s younger sister, Marifa and his dad.

***