CHAPTER 131: STARTING TO FEEL

"Daddy, come sit next to me!" Claire called out as soon as she saw Zeke enter their private room at the restaurant.

Zeke smiled warmly and took a seat beside her. Then he turned to Cass and asked, "Have you two ordered yet?"

Cass shook her head. "Not yet, we were waiting for you."

Zeke nodded in understanding and told Nolan to call the waiter since they were ready to order.

They began placing their orders once the waiter arrived.

While waiting for their food, Claire turned to Zeke with bright eyes. "I’m really, really happy today," she said in her sweet little voice. "Because I got to go to the amusement park with Daddy and Mommy. We played together. Thank you, Daddy. Thank you, Mommy, for taking me to the park."

Cassidy’s heart melted at her daughter’s words. "Mommy’s happy too. I loved spending time with you today, sweetheart."

Zeke gently patted Claire’s head, his touch full of affection. "Daddy had fun playing with you too, princess," he said. His eyes softened with love as he looked at Claire and Cassidy. "And this is just the beginning. We can do this again next time."

"Really, Daddy?" Claire’s eyes widened with hope.

"Of course," he said with a small nod. "Is there anywhere else you want to go?"

Claire bounced excitedly in her seat, her voice rising with joy. "I want to go to the zoo, Daddy. I want to see giraffes, and lions... and dolphins too. Oh—and tigers."

Zeke chuckled at her enthusiasm. "Looks like we’ll need a full day just for that."

"Yay. I can’t wait! You promised, Daddy!" Claire said happily.

Zeke chuckled softly. "Of course. But we’ll need to plan it first, Princess. Once everything’s ready, Daddy will let you know."

Claire nodded with delight, clearly satisfied with the answer.

Not long after, their food arrived. The table filled with the scent of warm, delicious dishes. They began eating heartily, and in between bites, Claire excitedly shared her thoughts about the rides she had tried earlier at the amusement park.

"The airplane swings were the best! I felt like I was really flying!"

Claire suddenly said with a wide grin, "Uncle Nolan is the best! Next time I go to the amusement park, you need to ride everything with me." She looked at him with pleading eyes, full of hope and determination.

Nolan, standing silently near the door as part of his duty, heard every word. The corner of his mouth twitched. As much as he was glad that young Miss liked him, the truth was—he’d rather stand guard for twelve hours straight or face down armed men than squeeze himself into a spinning cup, a tiny airplane ride, or a miniature train. None of it felt anything like him.

Still, he gave a small nod from where he stood, keeping his expression neutral. "If you say so, young Miss," he said quietly.

Claire let out a happy shout the moment she heard Nolan’s answer, her face glowing with pure excitement.

After they finished eating, they headed home. During the ride back to Cassidy’s apartment, Claire fell asleep, completely worn out from the day.

When they arrived, Zeke carefully lifted Claire into his arms, making sure not to wake her. He carried her to her room and gently laid her down on the bed. Then, he quietly stepped out of the room.

Cassidy was already waiting in the living room.

"Thank you for today," she said sincerely, her eyes soft as they met Zeke’s.

"I told you, you don’t need to thank me for things like this," Zeke replied, lowering himself onto the sofa near hers.

Cassidy smiled and said, "Claire and I had a lot of fun today. It’s been a while since I enjoyed myself like this."

Zeke looked at her for a moment before replying, "I’m glad to hear that. I felt the same." He leaned back slightly, a teasing tone slipping into his voice. "And like I told Claire earlier, we’re going to keep doing things like this. So get ready, you’ll be having a lot more fun."

Cassidy chuckled softly and replied, "Oh, I can’t wait."

Zeke paused for a moment, then said carefully, "I want to introduce Claire to my grandmother. Would you be okay with that?" He looked at her, a bit hesitant.

"You want to introduce Claire to Grandma Elise?"

"Yeah. She’s always wanted to see me with a child. But... you know how things went. We got divorced, and I only just found out about Claire. She’d be over the moon to meet her."

Cassidy grew quiet, thinking for a moment before letting out a soft sigh, as if she had just made up her mind. "I don’t mind. It’s my fault too. Your family deserves to know who Claire is."

Zeke blinked, caught off guard by how easily she agreed. More than that, she was actually opening the door for his family to truly know Claire. For the first time, he could introduce his daughter without hiding anything.

"Thank you, Cassidy," Zeke said sincerely, the gratitude clear in his eyes. It wasn’t just politeness, he meant it, from the depths of his heart.

Cassidy waved her hand dismissively and said, "Don’t thank me. This is something I should’ve done a long time ago."

Zeke said, "Grandma would be so happy to see you and Claire." His eyes softened as if already imagining Elise’s smile.

"When do you want to introduce Claire to her?"

"Whenever you’re ready," Zeke replied without hesitation. "I’ll follow your lead."

Cassidy gave a small nod. "How about tomorrow? It’s Sunday, and we’re still in the weekend. I don’t want to interfere with your work during the week."

"Of course. We can go see Grandma tomorrow," Zeke said with reassurance.

"Yeah... I’ve really missed her. And I can’t wait to see her again." Her smile faded slightly as guilt crept into her expression. "I just hope she won’t be angry when she finds out what I’ve done."

Zeke looked at her and said with a calm, gentle voice, "She won’t be angry, Cassidy. Grandma’s not like that. She’ll be so happy to finally meet Claire, nothing else will matter to her."

Cassidy gave a soft, regretful smile. "Right... I should’ve known Grandma Elise isn’t like that. I’m sorry."

"It’s okay. I understand how you feel," Zeke said, his voice gentle and caring. "Just don’t be too hard on yourself. It’s not good for you."

Cassidy looked at him for a long moment.

Their eyes locked, and something began to rise slowly in her heart. Something unfamiliar. Something she had never felt before.

***