Chapter Text
It was Saturday morning and Endeavour was relieved when there was a gentle knock at his new bedroom door. He had been lying awake for some time, unsure what to do.
“Only me.” Fred announced as he walked in, smiling at the boy who grinned back at him. Fred quietly helped Endeavour up and to the bathroom, quickly helping him get washed and dressed for the day.
Win had picked up a few clothes for Endeavour, they were slightly too big with some room to grow. Sitting on the side of the bath in his new shorts, Endeavour looked down at the cast covering one of his legs as he attempted to pull up his sock on the other foot.
“Joanie will be wanting to sign that cast.” Fred commented as he helped him when he saw that Endeavour was struggling.
Fred carried the boy downstairs on his shoulder as easily as he carried Sam. Endeavour hugged and clung to him, smiling. He couldn’t ever remember anyone carrying him like this. His mother had carried him when he was small but he had no recollection of those times. In the end it had been him supporting and holding her up.
Endeavour let out a childish laugh. It made Fred laugh to hear him as Endeavour was so often a serious child.
Once Endeavour was safely sitting at the table in the dining room, Fred went back upstairs to collect the boy's crutches. He placed them on the floor beside him and then sat at the table, and picked up a newspaper. Endeavour noticed that though he seemed to be reading, the father was keeping an eye on the children as they had their breakfast.
Joan was already awake and dressed. She smiled at Endeavour who smiled nervously back. It was their first morning together as a family.
Sam was in his pyjamas and messily eating porridge in his high chair.
“He gets dressed after breakfast.” Joan explained with a knowing nod, she took a spoonful of jam from a bowl set out on the table and put it into Sam’s bowl. Sam shrieked with delight and attempted to quickly get the jam into his mouth with his own spoon but after that proved too slow a method he simply stuck his hand into his bowl and continued on with his breakfast with his hands.
Win walked in with a smile and placed a bowl of porridge in front of Endeavour. Joan chatted away and so did Sam.
Completely unused to mornings like this, Endeavour felt quite overwhelmed and tried to eat quietly, only managing a few mouthfuls.
Win sat down beside Sam and wiped the toddler’s face and hands with a tea towel and helped him to properly eat his breakfast, her cup of tea sitting on the table in front of her she took a sip whenever she had a chance.
“Well.” Win announced, looking at the children. “With Sam’s birthday tomorrow we’ve got quite a lot to be doing.” She glanced at Fred who nodded slowly. While the children made cakes with Win, he would go into town and get a few presents for Sam’s third birthday.
When Win finished her tea and went to the kitchen, Fred folded up his newspaper then picked up all of the dishes to take through to the kitchen to wash up. Shaking his head gently when Endeavour whispered an apology for not being more helpful. He noticed that Endeavour hadn’t eaten much breakfast, only pushed porridge around the bowl.
“If you’re not keen on porridge, you should have said.” Fred explained gently when the little boy had managed to pick up one of his crutches and followed Fred through to the kitchen looking anxious to help.
Win passed Endeavour a slice of toast as she walked through to the dining room, carrying a mixing bowl of ingredients through to the dining room.
He held the slice of toast in his hand for a moment, seeming in shock.
He was so used to doing things on his own, no one had ever cared so much about making sure he had eaten his breakfast. He felt a slight pang of guilt in his stomach; of course his mum had cared, it’s just that things had just been very difficult. Still he missed her and felt guilty for feeling so pleased that someone was looking after him.
“Are you coming through to make cake? We could use the help.” Win asked gently.
Fred smiled to himself as he did the washing up, it seemed Win understood Endeavour was desperate to be helpful.
“Yes. Yes I can help!” Endeavour nodded.
“Eat your toast and we’ll be in the dining room.” Win smiled, leaving him with Fred.
Endeavour thought of his birthday and Christmas and the cakes that mum had made. He thought of how much love there seemed to be in this house in Oxford with Mr and Mrs Thursday. Different to the quiet, tender warmth he remembered with his mum. This was practical, loud and chaotic love. He smiled lopsidedly as he quickly ate his toast, listening to the increasing volume of Sam and Joan in the room next door. He slowly made his way through to the dining room where Joan was standing on a chair, seemingly bossing Sam as they mixed up the ingredients for cake.