36
fiction
The Unknown words Sarah Phillips-Burger image Ronnie Chua/Shutterstock
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“Good morning, Cayden,” Andrew cooed at his little boy
“Great choice. Now, let’s get you dressed and then we can
as he stroked his dark hair. “Time to wake up, it’s your
go eat, okay?”
first day of school.” The little body, balled up and snug beneath a comforter embroidered with blue and green
Cayden followed his father into the bathroom where they
dinosaurs, began to straighten. His arms poked out,
washed the sleep out of his eyes, brushed his teeth and
stretching above him before his fists sought out his heavy
combed the tangles from his hair. After, they returned to
eyes, turning in clockwise and counterclockwise motions.
his bedroom and found the outfit he would wear, picked
His mouth opened in a yawn, revealing his tiny baby teeth
out by his mother, on a white chair in the corner of his
before closing in a smile as his big brown eyes landed on
room. Little hands gripped Andrew’s tan forearms while
his father.
one foot, then two stepped into khaki shorts. Cayden lifted his arms up, welcoming the soft feel of the red Polo shirt.
“It’s a big day, my little man. What would you like for breakfast?”
When his head popped through the neck hole, the little boy giggled, “Boo!” His father feigned surprise and
Cayden rubbed the side of his face, then pushed his long
laughed before he fastened one of the white buttons and
hair out of his eyes. “Cheerios!”
smoothed down the boy’s dark hair once more.
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