After putting the girls to sleep, Bandit and Chilli went to their room, where Bandit started to prepare his bag. As he did that, Chilli observed him.
"I can tell you can't wait to get in that plane" she commented, with a smile.
"What I can't wait is to meet Thomas" Bandit replied, after finishing the bag. "I've never felt like this ever since Bingo was born. The anxiety that the expectation of meeting a child causes… it's such a big feeling. I can't believe the only flight I got will take almost a day to get to LA."
Chilli chuckled and approached her husband, going to rub his shoulders, saying:
"You'll see that time will fly by, don't worry. In the meantime, I'll be with you."
"Thank you, Chilli, you're the best" Bandit said, turning to his wife. "I really don't know what I would do without you. You're being my driving force in this… situation."
"You've already stayed by my side when I needed it" Chilli replied. "Now let me do this for you."
Bandit smiled and then the lovely couple shared a kiss.
Later that night, Chilli had just wake up for a moment when she noticed Bandit was not in bed with her. Curious about that, she got up and got out of the room, noticing then that the lights of the kitchen were on. Walking there, she found Bandit sitting by the balcony with a cup of hot tea.
"Can't sleep, hein?" Chilli asked, while approaching her husband.
"You can say that…" Bandit said, while Chilli sat beside him. "I can't stop thinking about how Thomas will react when he comes to see me."
"I bet he will like to meet his father" she replied.
"Chilli, you know your support is everything to me, but… we both know that it will not be that easy" he told. "I know Emily must have told him about me, probably before she…"
Bandit was unable to finish the sentence, as it was still hard for him to even say those words. After taking a deep breath, he continued:
"But I don't know what he does think about… all this. I mean, to him, I'm a stranger. I can't possibly force him to come to live so far from the place where he lives, where he has friends… and the rest of his family."
"But, Bandit, you are his family as well" Chilli said. "Not only you, but all of us. I know it must be scared to not know how Thomas will react to you, but I'm sure that when you show him your true self and how much you love and care for him, he will come to love you back."
Hearing those words from his wife made Bandit feel much better and more confident about his eminent encounter with Thomas. The couple shared a kiss and Bandit said:
"And I'm sure Thomas will also come to love you as well. Now that Emily is gone… he will need maternal love."
"When you say it like that… I also get a little nervous" Chilli told. "After all, I don't want him to think I want to replace Emily."
"Maybe he will feel that way, but… just like you said to me, I'll say the same to you" Bandit said. "Just show him your true self and how much you love and care for him."
Hearing Bandit saying the same words she used to cheer him up caused Chilli to made a tender smile to him and say:
"Thank you, Bandit."
And she proceeded to give him a kiss on the muzzle.
"So… do you want to go back to bed?" Chilli asked.
"I think I'll stay here" Bandit replied. "I can sleep on the plane."
"Then I'll make you company" Chilli said, while going to get a cup of tea as well.
"You don't have to do this, Chilli" Bandit told. "You need to rest."
"I think I can handle a night without sleep" she said, while pouring the tea Bandit had prepared into her cup. "But what I can't handle is leaving you here alone at this moment."
Bandit was not able to say anything against Chilli's decision… and he didn't want to. He really wanted to pass the time he had left before having to face his son for the first time with his beloved wife. And so they spent the next hours talking and laughing, while drinking tea.
After sometime, Bandit noticed the time and saw it was almost time to go to the airport.
"Oh, my ride is about come" he said. "I should really give a kiss to the girls before going."
"Okay, but be careful not to wake them" Chilli warned him.
Bandit headed towards the girls' bedroom and quietly got in. Tiptoeing, Bandit first approached Bingo and gave her a kiss on the side of her head, with her making a smile that caused a smile on Bandit to smile as well. Then, he went to Bluey and gave her a kiss too, but when he prepared to step towards the exit, he heard Bluey saying:
"Dad…"
He turned and saw that Bluey was wake, sitting up, while rubbing her eyes.
"Sorry, mate, did I wake you up?" Bandit asked.
"Kind of" she replied. "But I also couldn't sleep well."
"Why not?" Bandit asked.
She took a few seconds, but then asked:
"Do you think… Thomas will like me?"
"Of course he will!" Bandit replied. "Why are you asking that?"
"Well… at the middle of the night I woke up wanting water and so… I came to the kitchen and… I heard you and Mum talking about how Thomas could… not like you two" Bluey said. "So… I got afraid that he… may not like me… or Bingo."
"Bluey… you know you shouldn't eavesdrop" Bandit said.
"I know, but… it was an accident" she replied. "I didn't want to do it."
"I know, sweetie" Bandit replied, with his tender smile. "But, to answer your question, yes, maybe Thomas will have some trouble to… get used to us. However, I do hope that he will come to see us as part of his family. And… I hope to count on your help for that… and Bingo too. I mean, I may have to give him a little more attention, but if I have your help…"
"Dad, you can count on me" Bluey replied, with a determined tone.
That caused Bandit to smile and say, while rubbing his hand on her head:
"Thank you, Bluey. That means a lot to me."
And so the two of them hugged, while wagging their tails. After the hug, Bandit told:
"Okay, mate, now, try to get some more sleep" Bandit said. "After all, you have school."
"Yes, Dad" Bluey replied, while lying down, with Bandit covering her and putting her comfortable.
When he came down the stairs to the entrance, he found Chilli waiting for him with his backpack.
"That took longer than expected" she commented.
"Sorry about that" Bandit replied, while getting the backpack from his wife and putting it on his back. "Bluey woke up and we got a little talk."
"Oh boy…" Chilli said. "Should I worry?"
"No, I handled it" Bandit replied. "It's the least I can do, when I'm about to let you with them for the next days."
Feeling a buzzing from his phone, Bandit saw he got a message.
"It's my ride. I'll go now, babe."
Bandit gave a kiss to Chilli who then told him:
"Good luck…"
Bandit got out of his house and headed towards the car that was waiting in front of his house, which belonged to Pat. Bandit placed his backpack at the backseat and then got in to the passenger seat.
"Hey there, buddy" he said to Pat. "Thanks for doing me this favour."
"It's alright" Pat replied, as he started the car and moved on. "I got to get up early either way."
After a few seconds of silence, Pat said:
"So… a son, hein? That's crazy!"
"Tell me about it…" Bandit said. "I'm still getting used to the idea."
"Do you want to talk about it?" Pat asked. "You know you can tell me everything. Nothing has changed."
Bandit didn't reply to that, staring at the window, and then asked:
"How is it?"
"How is what?" Pat asked.
"To have a son" Bandit said. "I mean, I've only been a father to two girls. Is there any difference?"
"Well, I don't have daughters to make a comparison…" Pat replied. "But I guess there's not much of a difference… besides what boys and girls may need or like. I mean, Lucky and I normally play and watch sports and go fish together… Not to mention I can give him advice on any problem he may get."
"Yeah, that's what my dad used to do with me and my brothers" Bandit said. "I guess… I can just do what he used to do with us. I mean, I know we can talk about sports… I know he loves sports. He's American, so he must like baseball or American football. Maybe I can also teach him cricket and touch football as well. He also likes music, so… I can teach him to play the guitar if he doesn't know it. And I can take him to fish with me and the girls."
Pat smiled and commented:
"Looks like you already have everything figured out."
"Well, not everything" Bandit said. "For this fantasy to come true, first he must want to come live with me."
"No worries, mate, I'm sure he will want to live with you" Pat said. "You're his father."
"A father that he doesn't know at all and that may take him away from the place he calls home and from his friends" Bandit said.
"Well… I don't want to point fingers, but… that's actually kind of Emily's fault" Pat said.
"Pat…"
"I know, I know… She had her reasons for that. I'm just saying that your son doesn't have anything to hold against you."
"But what if he thinks that… I abandoned him?" Bandit said.
"Hey, don't mind that" Pat said. "Just think that you're going to meet your kid and that you will bring him to a place where he will be surrounded by family and where he can also make great friends."
"That is… a good thought" Bandit replied. "Thanks, buddy."
"Anytime" Pat replied.
After a while, they arrived to the airport and Bandit got out and got his backpack.
"Thanks again for the ride, Pat" Bandit thanked.
"You don't have to thank me, buddy" Pat said. "Good luck in LA."
"Cheers, mate" Bandit thanked.
And Pat drove away, while Bandit headed inside the airport. After checking-in and passing through security, Bandit was able to get on board of the plane and soon it took off. As he saw the Australian continent getting behind, while heading towards America, Bandit took a deep breath, while thinking that, it wouldn't be long until he got to meet his son.
