Part 25

Luke climbed at Charlie's bed that night beaming. He's not planning to sleep at Tin's house but since the girl is nowhere in sight, he decided to invite himself.

Charlie crawled into his arms and hugged him, the kid's baby scent conquered his nostrils and so he nuzzled the kid even more

"Daddy, thank you", Charlie whispered

He run his hands to the kid's hair, "For what my son?"

The kid moved again to hugged him more, such a warm feeling he thought, "My first time sleeping with daddy. I love it"

Luke chuckled. He knows in a distant future, the kid won't even want to hug him

"I love it too my baby"

The kid propped his elbow to look at his dad, "I'm a big boy now daddy"

He nodded, "Of course boy, you are, but for me, I want to stop the time. I want you to still be my baby"

"But daddy, mommy said I need to be a man already like uncle Carl. Big boy protects girl"

He frowned, "Your mommy need to be defended?"

"Big boys defend their mother from bad people. She said I'll defend other girls too because that's being good boy. I also want to defend auntie Frida"

Luke laughed, that freaking girl doesn't need defending. She can perfectly defend herself

"I'm here already, I will do that for you"

"But you're not always here daddy", the kid replied in an obvious sad tone

"Ok then, if I'm not here, you'll defend mommy. Anything you want to do with daddy?", he asked

"Baseball. Mommy's not good in catching and throwing"

Luke stiffled a laugh. Tin's is very refine and gentle, sports like that will be very hard for her. She's a natural ladylike, a thing that attracted him to her in addition to the humility and independency to her father even if the latter is super rich. He's even surprised when Christine introduced the Thomas patriarch to him almost eight years ago because she never shown her generous and rich upbringing to him

Carl was also that simple and humble, something unexpected too being the only son of the Crown Development owner. Although, he rarely see Carl being always away on a kitchen training around the world

He's amaze on Christopher's job on his two kids. Can he be that kind of father too?

"And", Charlie spoke again stealing him out of that nostalgic thinking, "I also want to go to zoo with you"

He smiled, "Really? You never been in the zoo?"

The kid shook his head in his arms, "I can't see some shows. Other kids have their daddy. They're at the their daddy's shoulder"

"How about we go on a zoo tomorrow?", Luke offered making the kid sat quickly. The kid rub his eyes trying to take away his sleepiness

"Really daddy!"

He laughed, "Yes"

"Yipeeee zooooooo!", Charlie cried for joy

"Shhhhh your Ms. Candy will know you're still awake. Come on here, let's sleep already or else mommy will not let us tomorrow"

The kid quickly dived to his arms again making him laughed

Then he thought of something, "Tell mommy to come too"

"What if she doesn't want to come? Will mommy permit me?", the kid asked sounding sleepy

"I don't know son, but I think it will be nice right? Daddy and Mommy with Charlie?"

The kid lifted his head again to look at him and nodded while beaming

He chuckled.

Checkmate Christine Thomas

"Tell me again why I'm here at zoo after I chugged a lot of spirited liquid last night?", Frida asked her as they're sitting at Zoo entrance hall that day. Her friend's is on orange tank top and jeans with a big shade to cover her puffy eyes on a sunny morning and a lollipop on her red lips

"Because Luke talked Charlie into taking us all here", she replied. Charlie woke her up earlier that day to tell her Luke's promise of taking him on his shoulder in some of Zoo's show. It's not a problem for her though, but the kid lead on to another of his dream that both she and Luke will come with him.

She doesn't have the heart to say no to her kid, after he told her those things on his dreamy eyes. She knew it's one of those Luke's manipulative plans of cornering her into another 'getting back together' talk. The only thing that will save her into that situation is to pull one of her friends. Jb's out of the question, the girl will go there lock and loaded for her so Frida would be the better option.

So when Luke went out of the house early that Sunday morning to pick up fresh clothes for the whole day of zoo experience with their son, she instantly contacted Frida who she knew was still in the city, sleeping on Jb's bed. The way Frida will always do.

"Why do you think that Luke's always has hidden agenda, he might want to do this for his son", said Frida

"I just know"

Frida chuckled, "Oh, here comes your man! Damn you really have good taste Tin"

"He's not my man!", she hushed. The guy jogged in a simple t shirt and jeans. His aqua blue eyes was covered by dark sunglasses making him like a hot action star.

Charlie jumped the moment he saw his dad and stretched his hand to be lifted

"Hey, I thought we will meet at your house", he said smiling and then looked at Frida, "Hi, Frida!"

"Charlie's excited to come", she simply replied then stand to go to the ticket booth

They went in to a few animal enclosures then Luke took Charlie on his shoulder for the bird show. He is an epitome of a good father…. A good hot father

"I didn't know you're interested in that?", Frida asked her. She was looking at the zoo map while side looking at the father and son standing a few distant in her front view

"I'm not looking at him", she snapped

Frida laughed, "I'm talking about the map that you've been looking at for some time now, girl"

"Whatever Frida", she said then side looking at the guy who's carrying her son effortlessly. His muscle is not as big as those builders that she's working with, but it's incredibly lean and he looks like he's smelling excellent

The guy side looked at her so she instantly took her eyes on the map

"Something wrong Tin?", Luke said in front of her that startled her. How the heck did he strode near her in a snap?

"Ahm, none, why?", she lied looking up

"Well your map is upside down", he said smirking

She looked in to the map she was holding ever since earlier to find it upside down, "ahm, Well I need to make it upside down facing the right orientation of the zoo. There's something that I think was added here"

"Mommy, we just went here last week. I think there's isn't new here", Charlie said as he stand beside his father

Frida snorted

She took Frida's hand, "I think we need to go to the crocodile's enclosure"

"Yeah, let's go to the politicians", Frida said laughing

"How's the party last night Tin?", Luke asked her while they were lining up for magic show

She shrugged as reply.

"I hope I'm not imposing with your free day", Luke said again

"It's alright Luke, you can visit or take Charlie if you like. He's your son too", she replied

Luke gave her one of those deadly grin, "It's not just about Charlie, Tin, I'm talking about your free day too"

She averted her eyes, "I'm here for Charlie"

"Of course you are…. For now", he said. "Maybe next time we'll go out as one family?" No, he can't be seriously asking about her decision

She doesn't know how to reply on that. "I need to go to Frida, she needs some help", she replied instead and walked out an arm's length to that smiling hot man