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"So, Lina, how's life in the Hank mansion? I bet it's all rainbows and butterflies living with your Daddy, huh?"
I laughed. "Oh, absolutely. It's a never-ending fairy tale... with a few interesting twists. One of the negatives is definitely Daddy's cooking. He's no wizard in the kitchen, as you know. And he's a bit of a neat freak. Everything has to be just so."
Mike chuckled. "Joe's cooking is more like an unpredictable science experiment. And neat freak? You shouldsee Joe's face if I leave a single sock out of place. It's like I've committed a crime!"
"On the plus side, though, I love how protective Daddy is. It makes me feel really safe. On the flip side, he can be overprotective sometimes. Like, calling me ten times if I'm five minutes late," I continued, shaking my head with a smile.
"Joe's protectiveness is like having a personal bodyguard who's also a walking rulebook. And yeah, if I'm late, it's interrogation time. 'Where were you? Who were you with? Did you eat?' It's like living with a detective."
I smiled warmly, reflecting on these quirks. “I embrace the negatives just as much as the positives, you know. They're what make Hank who he is, and I love him for that. His little quirks, they're a part of our life together, and they make each day interesting. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Mike sighed, his expression softening. "I feel the same about Daddy. I wouldn't change a thing about him. He's grumpy and strict, but he's also got this huge heart."
I suggested, half-jokingly, "Maybe we should ease up on them at the office then, considering how much we love them."
He giggled, his eyes sparkling with mirth. "Oh, come on, they give us just as hard a time with their teasing. They know it's all in good fun."
I nodded in agreement. "You're right. At the end of the day, we go home to them, so they know our playful jabs at the office are just that – playful."
The conversation shifted to a more serious topic as I asked Mike about how Joe was handling things since coming out to his sister, Emma. Mike's usual bright smile faded.
"She's still distant, barely calls him anymore," he said, a hint of sadness in his eyes. "And his parents... they've pretty much cut him off. It's like Joe doesn't exist to them anymore."
He sighed deeply, the weight of the situation evident in his expression. "I just wish I could do something to help him through this."
"Sometimes, just talking about it is all the help you can offer. Have you talked to him much about it?"
Mike shook his head. "Joe doesn't really open up about things that worry him. He's a Daddy through and through. He always encourages me to be open about my feelings, but he doesn't do the same for himself."
With a weak smile, he mused, "Why are Daddies like that? Always wanting us to be honest about our feelings but refusing to do the same."
We sat in quiet, contemplative silence for a moment, each lost in our thoughts about the complexities of the Daddy/Little dynamic.
Breaking the silence, Mike suggested we get started with work. He composed an email, inviting Littles and Daddies from the community to test the prototypes, scheduled to arrive the following evening. "Until then, we've got to test these ourselves," he said, turning his attention to the box.
The first item we decided to test was a voice-activated toy box, designed to dispense toys when requested. Mike filled it with various toys and then, with polite enthusiasm, asked for a tiger stuffie.
To our surprise, the box malfunctioned, shooting toys everywhere. I jumped back, startled by the unexpected chaos.
"Stop, stop!" Mike exclaimed, but the toy box seemed to take this as a cue to go into overdrive. It shook wildly, continuing to shoot the rest of the toys all over the room.
Mike's attempt to calm the rogue toy box only made it worse, its malfunction turning into an almost comical display. Amidst the flying toys, we couldn't help but burst into laughter at the absurdity of the situation.
After unplugging the chaotic toy box, Mike gave me a nervous smile. "It's probably just a faulty unit," he suggested hopefully.
Next, we set up thesmart talking fort, designed to be a companion for Littles when their Daddies are busy. Mike peered into the camera and introduced himself.
The fort's voice chimed in, "I detect that Mike is extremely happy."
Mike shook his head and sighed. "Happy? This is just my face! It's permanently stuck like this. I could be watching a horror movie and still look like I'm at a birthday party! And it's not always great, you know. I've been to funerals looking like I've won the lottery. Talk about awkward situations."
The fort replied dryly, "I am not your therapist, Mike. Please, let's keep our interactions professional."
Mike and I exchanged appalled glances at the fort's unexpected rudeness.
Stepping out, Mike informed me, "These prototypes are definitely not market-ready."
I shrugged, "Well, they're just prototypes. We need to understand how they work so we can make the ads. Let's see what Team Daddy has been working on."
