Madison had walked to the door when she heard Jake's voice yelling, "Daddy. Daddy."
Ephram had swept up Jake in his arms and was holding him with a big smile on his face. Jake was squeezing Ephram's neck with an even bigger smile on his face.
"Hey, kiddo, your mom said you went to a movie. How was it?" Ephram asked trying to act as normal as possible even though he knew this whole situation was as awkward as anyone could have one, but he tried for Jake's sake.
"It was great. I really enjoyed Brother Bear 2." Jake said. Jake caught eye of the electric Jeep. "Who's Jeep is that?"
Ephram turned to look at it and looked back at Jake and then put him down. "I'm not sure, why don't you go look and see if there's a name on it?"
Jake ran over to the Jeep and he saw his name on it with a bow and a card that said from Dad. He hopped into the car after he read the car.
"Oh, my gosh, Dad. Thanks. Can I drive it, please? Pretty please?" Jake asked.
Ephram looked at Jake and then looked at Madison for approval who was standing in the doorway. Madison nodded yes to Ephram.
"Your mom said okay, so it's okay, but you have to stay in the front yard and you can only do it if your mom or I is watching you, okay." Ephram said sounding very fatherly.
Jake pushed the pedal and he started driving around the yard, "Mommy, look at me, I'm driving."
Madison went and sat down on the steps, "I see, sweetie." She smiled at how much fun Jake was having with his Jeep.
Jake drove the car around in the front yard while Madison watched from the front steps and Ephram watched from the edge of the driveway. Madison looked at Ephram every once in awhile noticing his smile on his face as he watched Jake enjoy the Jeep. She smiled when she saw Ephram's face. Ephram looked so happy watching Jake.
Ephram finally yelled after Jake, "Jake, how 'bout I take you for some ice cream?"
Jake stopped the Jeep and turned to look at Ephram and then looked at Madison, "Mommy, can I?"
Madison looked at him with a motherly look, "That'll ruin your dinner."
Ephram looked at his watch and noticed it was just about time for dinner.
"Then can we go for pizza and then ice cream? Can we?" Jake asked anxiously.
Madison didn't want to disappoint Jake so she agreed, "Sure, sweetie, but only if your Dad is okay with getting dinner?"
Jake looked at Ephram with puppy dog eyes.
"I'm game, kiddo. Let's go." Ephram said upbeat.
Jake hopped out of the Jeep and ran over to Ephram and jumped into his arms. Jake looked at Madison, "Come on, Mommy."
Madison looked at Ephram, who put a look of uncomfortableness on his face, knowing that being together like a family wasn't in the cards, "No, sweetie, you spend time with your Dad. I'll stay here."
Ephram looked at Jake noticing his frown on his face, "How about Chuck E. Cheese's?"
"Yeah, yeah. Let's go." Jake said excitedly.
"Ephram, have Jake back by 8."
Jake replied before Ephram could, "I will. Love you. Bye."
Jake and Ephram went to Chuck E. Cheese's for some pizza, ice cream and games. Ephram and Jake were sitting eating pizza and there were tons of wild children running around. Ephram watched Jake take a huge bite of pizza into his mouth and then chase it with his soda.
"Slow down, there, Jake. We have a couple hours before we need to get you back home." Ephram said with a slight laugh. "Can I ask you a question?"
Jake nodded his head eagerly.
"Are you mad at me for not being around these past four years?"
Jake finished chewing his food and answered, "You were working in New York and going to school."
"Yeah, I know, but I wasn't here for you."
"Mommy always said that when it was the right time, you would be with us."
"She did, huh?" Ephram sounded surprised.
"Yep."
"Well, I'm never gonna be away from you that long again. I promise." Ephram stated confidently.
"So you're gonna come live with me and Mommy?" Jake asked.
Ephram hesitated before answering because that was a very loaded question, "Well, it's kinda complicated. I have my own place to live so I am going to stay there."
"Can I come visit it?" Jake was so intrigued.
"Absolutely. In fact, I'm gonna set you up your own room there."
"Cool." Jake's eyes were like saucers now. He was going to have two bedrooms.
"Yep and we are gonna start spending a lot of time together, if you want to?" Ephram questioned.
"Oh, yeah. I want to do so many things with you. I want to go to the zoo and the park and Sea World and Disneyland and I want to show you my school and all of my toys, too." Jake took another bite of his pizza.
"We have plenty of time to do all of that, kiddo and plus, we have to make sure it is okay with your mom before we do all of those things, but we will, okay?"
Jake nodded his head as he finished his piece of pizza.
"You ready to have some fun in the balls."
Jake smiled when Ephram said that and he ran over to the ball area and jumped in. Ephram walked over and watched him play in them and then slide down the slide and run back around again to do it all over.
----------------
Hit that purple button.
