CHAPTER 101: I WANT TO MEET MY DADDY

Like always, on Sunday, Zeke came by Cassidy’s apartment, even if only for a short while, to see Claire. And every time he did, Claire would be in a good mood for the rest of the day.

This time, Zeke was in the playroom with Claire, sitting cross legged on the floor while she built something with colorful blocks. He watched her with a soft smile, then said gently, "I might not be able to see you tomorrow, kiddo."

"Welcome," they said in unison, then gestured for them to enter.

Claire frowned, her lips forming a pout. "Why?"

Zeke’s heart sank seeing the sadness in Claire’s eyes. He wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms and tell her the truth, that he was her father.

"All done," Cass said with a smile, tucking a loose strand behind Claire’s ear. "Go play for a bit while Mommy gets ready, okay?"

Claire lowered her head. Her smile faded, and a quiet sadness came over her.

Xavier turned back to Cassidy. "Have you been waiting long?"

Her eyes landed on one arrangement near the entrance, elegantly styled in soft gold and white, with a ribbon that read, "Congratulations, Xavier. From Cass, Clara & Claire."

He was planning to stop by his family’s table first, but through the small cutouts in the wooden panel, he noticed that Cassidy was already in the room.

Since the semi private area didn’t have a door, the woman could see inside as soon as she reached the entrance.

"Claire..."

Claire giggled and mimicked his motion. "I promise, I won’t tell Mommy."

Claire’s eyes lit up a little. "I want to. You have to promise to call me."

Claire nodded without looking up. "Yeah. But... I know Uncle Zeke can’t give me that." She forced a tiny smile. "It’s okay."

Claire looked up at him, her eyes still a little cloudy. "Promise?"

"Alright, I’ll leave you three for now. My family’s just a couple of rooms over. I want to say hi to them before I get busy in the kitchen again."

Cassidy was helping Claire get dressed, something casual, yet still fitting for the occasion. A soft pastel dress with little buttons down the front. Afterward, Cass sat Claire down and gently braided her hair, tying it with a ribbon that matched the dress.

Then he added, his voice low and sincere, "And one more thing, if there’s ever something you want, anything at all, just tell me. I’ll make sure you get it."

Cassidy glanced at Clara and Claire, then nodded. "That sounds great, thank you."

"I don’t want any of those," she said after a moment.

She had ordered it the night before.

Clara smiled. "It already smells amazing."

"I have to go out of town for work," Zeke explained. "Just for a little while. But we can talk on video call, if you want."

Clara added with a polite smile, "See you later, Xavier."

Zeke gently brushed her hair back and touched the top of her head affectionately. "Of course. Always."

As soon as they sat down, Claire looked around and asked, "Where’s Uncle Xavi? I don’t see him."

Just inside, at the front desk, Cassidy gave her name. A staff member led them through the restaurant. Cassidy glanced around as they walked.

Cassidy and Clara both nodded in agreement, smiling.

Cass stepped into the living room. "Alright, are we all ready?"

"You really want to meet him?" he asked carefully.

They were shown to one of the semi private spots at the back.

"I won’t," he said with a quiet chuckle. "How could I ever forget you?"

Zeke smiled and moved a bit closer. "If you ever miss me and want to talk, you can call me anytime, anywhere, sweetheart. I’ll always pick up."

The place felt warm and welcoming. Round tables were set up in the middle with lots of space in between. Near the windows, there were square tables where people could enjoy the view. In the back, there were semi private dining spots separated by wooden panels with simple cut out designs.

Claire giggled, her eyes lighting up with delight.

They started making small talk.

Just then, a waiter approached with a warm smile. "Good afternoon, welcome to Xavis. May I get you something to drink? We also have some light snacks while you wait."

Claire and Clara nodded.

Claire nodded thoughtfully, but soon grew restless. She slid off her chair and looked at Cass. "Can I go look around?"

Zeke held up his pinky. "Pinky promise."

Just as she reached the doorway, someone suddenly called her name.

"Uncle Xavi!" Claire called out excitedly.

Taking the hint, Hannah said, "Well, I’ll head to the restroom now," and slipped out.

"You will meet your dad," he said softly. "Uncle will make sure of it. So don’t be sad, kiddo, okay?"

"Not really," Cassidy said with a small smile.

With that, he stepped out, leaving the three of them in the quiet, comfortable space.

Cassidy shook her head. "Not yet."

He needed to talk to Cassidy first, to figure everything out. This wasn’t something he could do alone. When the time came, they had to tell her together as her parents.

"Okay, Mommy," Claire said cheerfully as she ran off to play.

His breath caught for a second. He swallowed hard, trying to find the right words.

Cassidy nodded. "Go ahead."

"I’ve been caught up in the kitchen. Sorry I couldn’t welcome you right away."

Zeke chuckled. "Of course. But don’t tell your mommy, okay? It’s our little secret." He made a zipping motion over his lips.

She stopped and looked toward the voice. A woman was walking toward her. Claire tilted her head, she didn’t recognize the woman and quickly ran back to her mother.

"Of course, sweetheart," Cassidy said, handing her a napkin. "Let’s see if Uncle Xavi’s food is really that good."

Just then, the waiter returned with a tray of citrus mint sparkling water and a few small bites, mini tartlets, bruschetta, and cheese puffs.

"Just stay near the front of our room, okay, sweetheart? Don’t go too far."

He then sat down beside Claire. "So, what do you think of Uncle Xavi’s restaurant? Do you like it?"

Monday marked the grand opening of Xavier’s restaurant.

"Wow, so many flowers!" Claire exclaimed, wide eyed at the vibrant entrance.

Zeke raised an eyebrow. "No? Then what do you want, kiddo?"

***

Claire’s eyes widened like he had just offered her the moon.

It didn’t take long for Clara to get ready either.

Cass looked up, surprised to see Hannah. "Oh... hi, Hannah. Of course, come in."

A man and a woman in matching black uniforms welcomed them at the door, both smiling warmly.

Her expression softened. "Really? You’ll always answer my calls?"

"I want to meet my daddy," she whispered.

Xavier smiled. "You’re going to love it."

As they arrived, Cassidy smiled at the scene outside. Dozens of flower stands lined the sidewalk, filled with bright colors and large ribbons. Each one carried a printed message of congratulations.

Cassidy led Claire inside, holding her little hand. They were a bit early, about fifteen minutes before the restaurant officially opened at 10. But the place already had a nice buzz of activity.

Hannah stepped into their room. "We’re just two rooms over from you."

But he couldn’t. Not yet.

Hannah smiled again. "Have you seen Xavier yet?"

Cassidy smiled. "Maybe Uncle Xavi is in the kitchen. He’s a chef, remember?"

"Oh, I was on my way to the restroom," Hannah replied casually. "But then I saw Claire and well, I didn’t want to be rude. I asked Cassidy if I could sit and chat for a bit."

Not long after, Xavier appeared.

Claire’s face lit up. "It’s so big. There are so many tables! I can’t wait to try your food."

She hooked her tiny finger with his. "Okay. But you better not forget."

Xavier asked with a curious smile. "So, how’s the food? Is it good?"

Cassidy gave him a calm smile.

Zeke nodded. "I promise."

"Hi, Cassidy," Hannah said warmly. "Mind if I come in?"

Zeke froze.

Xavier glanced at Cassidy for confirmation. He didn’t want her or Claire to feel uncomfortable, he knew how talkative and nosy his sister could be.

He stood and glanced at all three of them.

Cassidy gave a small nod in response.

With a heavy heart, Zeke reached out and gently brushed a strand of hair from Claire’s face.

Claire pressed her finger to her temple and looked up, as if trying to remember something important.

Soon, the three of them were driving through the city in Cassidy’s BMW, heading to Xavier’s brand new restaurant in the heart of downtown.

Xavier gave Claire a small wave. "Hi, Claire Bear..." Then he looked over and blinked in surprise. "Hannah? What are you doing here?"

"You’ll give me anything I want?" she asked.

Claire walked quietly along the wooden panel with little cut out shapes. She stopped every few steps to peek through them, her eyes full of curiosity.

"Okay, Mommy."

Cassidy went to her room and picked out her outfit. Black pants, a white blouse, and a light cream coat. It was simple, neat, and looked nice.

Claire beamed. "Yummy!"

"He’s in the kitchen. Been busy with prep all morning," she said with a small laugh.

Claire’s eyes lit up. "Can I try that one, Mommy?" she pointed at the tartlet.

He paused, then added playfully, "And don’t eat too much. Save some room for the main course."

Zeke smiled, then asked with a warm excitement, "So, is there anything you want right now? Toys? A book? Or maybe a new dress?"

***