After Bandit closed the door, he sighed and then turned to his son who was sitting at the edge of his bed, avoiding looking at him.

"So… I know you must be hating me right now" Bandit said.

"I don't hate you, Dad, it's just…" Thomas started, trying to find the words to say what he was feeling. "I don't know… I just feel betrayed."

"And I understand that" Bandit said, while advancing and sitting beside his son, while putting down the box he was carrying. "But you need to know that I really didn't know about you… and, once I did, I did everything I could to meet you as soon as possible."

"It's hard to believe on that when you just have your word and I have an uncle who is also Bluey's godfather" Thomas replied, with his arms crossed and turning away.

"Yeah… I would also found difficult to believe in me if I was on your place" Bandit replied, while scratching the back of his head. "That's why… I brought something that will prove to you what I'm saying."

And he took the box, putting it on his lap. Thomas took a peek at the corner of his eye and, noticing the box, he turned to it and asked:

"What's that? Wait, isn't that…?"

"Yes, it's the box I brought from your mother's" Bandit replied. "She left it to me… It is filled with letters that she wrote to me but never sent… along with many of your baby stuff and photographs. But I think that, for you to truly believe in me… you need to read this one."

Bandit took from the box an envelope that he delivered to Thomas.

"It's the letter I got from your mother when I found about you and… her death" Bandit said, remembering how he felt when he was bombed with all those news at the same time. "I was hoping for you to be a little bit older before showing it to you, but… I guess we can't control something like that."

Bandit extended the letter to Thomas who took it, opened it and started reading it.

Meanwhile, Prince started to descend the stairs that would lead to the entrance, finding Chilli at the end of the staircase.

"Hey, Prince, the girls are at the playing room, if you want…" she started.

But she noticed him heading towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Chilli asked.

"I think it's for the best if I go" Prince said. "I bet Thomas won't want to see me for a while. And Bandit is also not very happy with me."

"Nonsense" Chilli said. "I know the situation is not… ideal. But I know those two will come around."

"Maybe… but I still think I should give them some space" Prince said.

"At least, you should stay a little bit" Chilli said. "The girls hardly see you."

"I won't go back to the Big Apple just yet" Prince said. "I can still come back on another day."

But then he was able to hear the little laughs coming from afar that made him smile.

"But maybe I could stay for a little bit…" he said. "I mean, my bike could use a little revision."

"That sounds great" Chilli replied, placing a hand of Prince's shoulder.

In Thomas' room, he was reading the letter his mother had sent to his father. While reading it, he could feel his eyes be filled with tears. That was his mother's letter and the words were hers. After ending reading the letter, he cleaned his tears and said:

"Dad… I'm sorry… I…"

"You don't have to apologize, son" Bandit said. "Maybe I should have told you about your uncle for a long time. But… it was not something I simply remembered to mention. However, I think that was something he had to tell you."

"Yeah, I guess…" Thomas said, while chuckling.

There was a pause and then the young pup said:

"I still can't believe that mom kept us apart for so long…"

"I know, mate, I feel the same thing" Bandit said. "But I guess that letter, in a way, shows us her feelings about that."

"I understand why she did it, but… I can't help but still feeling a little anger at her" Thomas said.

"I don't condemn you for that, but don't let that anger to twist your love for your mother" Bandit told, while putting an arm around his son's shoulders.

"I won't, don't worry, Dad" he said. "I know who Mom really was and I love her deeply."

"That's my boy!" Bandit exclaimed, while squeezing Thomas slightly against his body and rubbing his hand on his head.

Thomas chuckled while his dad did that, but, after that, Thomas adopted a more serious look and said:

"But I can't forgive uncle Prince. What he did… it was far worse than what Mom did. He knew about you… that I can understand, but… He has been living a double life… with me and you guys."

"I understand you" Bandit replied. "I also got pretty mad with him too. But… I got to know his side."

"Are you saying you forgave him?!" Thomas asked.

There was a pause and then Bandit told:

"Look, mate, what your uncle did… it really upset me. But… I understand his situation. I am like a little brother to him and, because of that, he should have told me. But your mother was his little sister and he also owed her loyalty. He was in a tight situation. I get that you're mad with your uncle and I won't pressure you to forgive him, but… at least try to, okay?"

"I don't know…" Thomas said. "I think I can't do it."

"Nonsense" Bandit said, while rubbing his hand on Thomas' head. "You're a good kid. I know you're going to come around. Now, I need to have a talk with your uncle."

He prepared to get up, but Thomas grabbed his arm, calling:

"Dad…"

Bandit turned to him and the young pup told:

"I love you."

That made Bandit smile and reply:

"I love you too, mate."

And the two of them shared a hug, before Bandit get up and leave the room, leaving Thomas to think about what his father had said about his uncle.

Prince was outside, by his motorcycle, doing some maintenance on it. When he went to get a tool he needed, he found out it was not where he had previously placed.

"Need a hand?" a voice asked.

Prince looked up and saw Bandit, holding the tool and expressing a smile.

"Bandit…" he said, getting up.

"Look, Prince, I still am a little upset for you hiding Thomas from me, but…" Bandit started. "You're like a big brother to me and you helped me through a hard time. So…"

Prince couldn't help but expressing a smile, happy to see that he could still count Bandit as a great friend and a little brother. But he quickly traded his moved look to his normal one. Giving him a punch on the arm, he exclaimed:

"It's okay, bro! Let's stop this mushy scene. You know I don't like them at all."

That caused Bandit to release a chuckle.

"Yeah, sure… It's not like you didn't cry on that time we went to the theater and…"

"Hey, I thought I made you swear not to mention that again… Bluey" Prince replied, using his teasing on the last word."

"Stop calling me Bluey and I will do just that" Bandit replied back.

"Not in this lifetime!" Prince exclaimed, proceeding then to give playfully a noogie to Bandit, while holding his neck.

Watching that scene from the kitchen's balcony was Chilli who smiled seeing those two getting along like they used to.

"Here's something I haven't seen for so long…" she said.

"They look… so close" a voice commented.

Chilli then noticed that Thomas was right beside her, watching his father and uncle.

"Hi, Thomas" she greeted. "I'm happy that you decided to get out of your room."

"Have they always been like that?" he asked, referring to Bandit and Prince.

"Yeah… ever since I got to meet your uncle Prince" she replied. "But those two's friendship goes way back. Your dad was about fifteen when he met your uncle. They bonded very quickly."

"Really?" Thomas asked. "My mom used to tell me my uncle Prince was not a very easy dog to deal with."

"Maybe he was… but I guess your dad was good influence on him" Chilli said.

They then noticed Bandit helping Prince with the motorcycle.

"You know, for what I could get, it was their shared love for motorcycles that ignited their friendship" Chilli told.

"Wait, Dad loves motorcycles?" Thomas asked, surprised.

"Yeah, he sure does" Chilli said, remembering the times he took her for a ride. "He even has one, a gift from your uncle Prince."

"I haven't seen it anywhere in the house" Thomas commented.

"Well, your father has it on a storage unit" Chilli said. "He doesn't have the time to ride it as he used to, but he still keeps it not only for when he gets the time to ride it, but also because it is like a totem of his friendship with your uncle Prince."

Thomas looked again for the two of them and saw how happy they were, working on Prince's motorcycle. That caused Thomas to make a smile and then go out of the balcony. Chilli observed him getting out and smiled, having a suspicion of what he would do.

The young pup went down stairs to the entrance and got out of the house, approaching his father and uncle.

"Hey…" Thomas said. "Any room for one more?"

The two adult dogs turned around to him.

"Hey, there, mate" Bandit said, happy to see his son had changed his mind about Prince.

Prince was surprised to see Thomas there, but very happy for that.

"Of course you can join us, shorty" Prince said.

And so Thomas went to help his father and uncle with the latter's motorcycle, glad that he had decided to forgive his uncle.

The End