Tim picked up his sunglasses and a cold drink before sitting back down at one of the pool lounges. He carefully watched his kids play in the pool, his cop eyes never came to rest these days.
He was too scared to look away for even a second. Enough times he was called to a case where a kid drowned in their own backyard.
"Daaad?" A voice asked beside him, he glanced to his right and saw Finnegan stand beside him, his hair dripping wet and his swimshorts riding up his legs.
"You good bud? You look a bit rough there."
"I played too much, I'm tired."
Tim chuckled and picked him up, he settled his son on his lap and grabbed a towel from the table beside him. "take a break buddy, the water will still be there later."
Finnegan nodded and settled against Tims chest, the towel wrapped around him. Tim smiled down at his kid and protectivly laid an arm around him. It was rare that Finnegan came to snuggle. The other kids were way more into snuggles with their parents.
Tim kissed his crown and watched the other three playing with the little slide he bought them last summer.
"Dad?"
"Hmm?"
"Do you have a best friend?"
"Sure I do buddy, your mom."
Finnegan rolled his eyes and sighed, "Duh dad. But I mean someone else, beside mom."
Tim glanced down at his son, caressing his back. "Yeah, I would say your aunt Angela is my best friend. Why do you ask?"
"Do you love her like you love mom?"
Tim furrowed his brows, why would Finnegan think that he loved Angela like he loved Lucy? That wasn't remotely the same.
"No. I love you kids and your mom more than anyone else. I love Angela in a platonic way buddy, she's like a second annoying little sister."
Finnegan chuckled, "I'll tell aunt Genny that you called her annoying."
Tim grinned and started to tickled the boy on his chest, "Oh you won't."
Finnegan laughed and tried to get away from Tim's hands. "okay okay" he wheezed, "I won't tell anyone."
Tim stopped and nodded, "Good choice." He ruffled Finnegans hair. "Why do you ask buddy? Do you have a best friend we don't know off?"
Finnegan chewed on his fingernails. A nervous trade he picked up from his brother. "Yeah...and uhm some of my friends at school make fun of me because of my best friend."
Those were news to Tim, Finnegan usually was a though kid, he protected his siblings and stood up for everyone around him.
"Why do they make fun of you buddy?"
Finnegan lifted his head and looked at Tim, "because my best friend is a girl from my class...A-and they think I like her like you like mom but I do not I just like her."
Tim smiled a little bit, "And the boys make fun of you for being friends with a girl?"
Finnegan nodded, "Matthew said I should not be friends with them anymore if they make fun of me."
"Your brother is right, but maybe before you decide to not be friends with them anymore you should talk to them. You know boys do stupid things when it comes to girls. The fun making could be jealousy towards you. Not every boy is so lucky to have a girl as their best friend."
"So you say that I should ask them why they make fun of me and Ella?"
Tim nodded, "Ella is a beautiful name, do you want invite her over some time? You two could play outside or we could go out?"
Finnegan grinned and nodded, "Yes please? We could play in the pool with the others."
Tim nodded, "Allright you can ask her tomorrow in school, how does that sound? And Maybe if your boys get their head out of their ass?- don't tell your mom I said that- they can come too."
Finnegan hugged Tim tight, "thanks dad."
"No problem buddy, I love you."
"I love you too dad."
"Finnegan got a new best friend in school." Tim told Lucy that evening, caressing the leg that she had thrown over his lap.
"Yeah? Who is it?" Lucy asked, eating her dinner. She had come home late do to overtime at the station.
"Her name is Ella and Finny is going to ask her to come by this weekend."
Lucy stopped chewing, "Ella? From his class?"
"Yeah why?" He asked, confused by the amused look on his wifes face.
Lucy burst out laughing, "Do you know her parents?"
Tim shook his head no, "Why?"
"Well her parents are both attorneys. Her dad is the jerk that you almost yelled at last week."
"Nah, nope. An attorneys daughter?!"
Lucy laughed and nodded, "That will be fun."
"Ouh hell no, Why is it always attorneys?"
"That will be a fun playdate, specially if the parents want to stay."
Tim closed his eyes and leaned his head back, "lord send strenght."
Lucy laughed even more at her husband, which cause Tim to smile. He did love his wifes laugh.
