Nov 21, 2009 22:01
Guppy feels really guilty as he goes up the path to the nursery. He got the phone call several hours ago, but with the malicious Dr Sharpe watching his and Frogspawn's every move, had to just beg Barney to try and hold on.
When he gets there, Alex can be heard crying quietly from under one of the tables, whilst one of the nursery nurses tries to coax him out. Guppy goes over and peers under the tablecloth.
"Tell me how this happened again?" he asks, watching his son rocking his body back and forth whilst clutching his Pingu toy.
"I'm sorry, the fire alarm went off." Barney says. "We tried to get him to walk out but he just screamed hysterically so we had to pick him up. When we'd sorted out the slightly burnt lunch we tried taking him back in but he was still screaming and then he was sick and... sorry, we've been trying to calm him down but not had much success."
They spend a good twenty minutes trying to get Alex out from under the table, while other parents arrive and pick up their kids. Some of them express some sympathy, others make snide comments. Eventually an irate voice comes from behind him.
"Shouldn't you be at work?"
Guppy looks up. Dr Sharpe is behind him, having come to collect his daughter.
"Actually, no, my shift has finished." he says, turning his attention back to Alex. Dr Sharpe crouches down next to them, peering at the little boy under the table.
"So this is the famous Alex."
Guppy ignores him; deciding enough is enough.
"Alex, I'm picking you up." he says, reaching under the table to scoop him up and carry him screaming, kicking and biting over to the pushchair. He straps the toddler in.
"I'm sorry he's been trouble, we'll work something out for fire drills." he says apologetically to Barney. Then to Dr Sharpe. "I'll see you at work tomorrow."
He pushes Alex outside away from all the crowds, then stops and comes around to the front to have another go at calming him down before they go in the car. He gently sings to him and rocks the pushchair until he stops crying. Dr Sharpe and his daughter come past and hover near him.
"Dr Sandhu?"
Guppy looks around, still rocking the pushchair. "Yes?"
"Barney said you and Frogspawn couldn't pick Alex up earlier because you're worried that your jobs are on the line. Now that I've seen him... I want to apologise for putting you in that position. But you really do need to sort something out."
The little girl next to him suddenly pipes up.
"We like Alex. When're sad he brings us a toy. The big noise hurt him."
Guppy smiles slightly as the father and daughter go. If a three year old can work out how to be kind, there's hope for her father, and maybe for the other parents at the nursery.
With Alex finally settled down, and exhausted, he gets the little boy in the car and drives him home.